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My Hifz Journey

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 08:14:03 +0000

By Hafiz Dr Ebrahim Mayet – Completed Hifz at 64 Years Old

My journey to becoming a Hafiz of the Noble Qur’an began in 1988 when I moved to Port Elizabeth at the age of 32 to work at Livingstone Hospital. At that time, I struggled to recite properly - Surah Yaseen alone took me an hour.

During my first Ramadaan there, I attended Taraweeh and was struck by the Imam’s powerful yet unhurried recitation. He paused, repeated verses, even cried, and I could hear every word clearly - yet I understood almost nothing. I thought to myself:

This is the Speech of Allah… how can He be speaking to me and I not understand? That realisation lit a spark in my heart.

From then on, I began reciting whatever I could, slowly, together with the English translation. It was painstaking and I forgot most of what I read, but the Qur’an came alive for me - it felt as if I was being drawn into its world.

In 1995, at the age of 39, I performed Hajj. Standing behind Sheikh Sudais and Sheikh Shuraim in Makkah gave me goose bumps. Back home, I listened daily to their recordings after Fajr, following the meanings with my finger and trying to match the Arabic words to their recitation. This continued for years, but I still understood little during Taraweeh.

I realised I needed to learn Qur’anic Arabic. In 2012, at the age of 56, I began a self-study Arabic course. It was systematic - teaching grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension with reading exercises and written answers. Writing was the key; it made the knowledge stick. It was the most enjoyable and effective language course I had ever done.

In December 2015, I decided to begin Hifz with a local Aalim. We started in January 2016, just before I turned 60. It took four years and nine months to complete. My routine was fixed: wake up at 3:30am to memorise until Fajr, then continue for about an hour after, with revision between Maghrib and Esha. I never missed a day except when sick. On average, I memorised ¾ to 1 page every few days, plus constant revision of both recent and older portions.

My golden rule: I never memorised a verse without knowing its meaning. I would read the verse, look up the meaning, use my Arabic to understand it, then memorise it. Even during revision, I relied on meaning for recall.

Today, Alhamdulillah, whether I recite or stand behind an Imam, I understand 90-95% of what is being recited. This transforms Salaah into a deeply engaging and focused experience, allowing me to connect with Allah’s words and apply them in daily life.

My message: No matter your age or profession, you can memorise the Qur’an - start small if needed but start. Learn its meanings, and if possible, learn Arabic.

Understanding the language is like being given the key to a priceless treasure: direct access to what Allah is saying to you. The Qur’an is a guide, a reminder, good news, and instruction. To gain its full guidance - understand it!

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Council of Muslim Theologians

The story of the Stone and the Treasure

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:04:59 +0000

The mother said to her son's wife, smiling after the honeymoon: You were able to make my son commit to praying in the mosque. You succeeded in thirty days, while I failed in thirty years. Her eyes filled with tears.

The son's wife replied, saying: Do you know, mother, the story of: The Stone and the Treasure?

It is said that there was a large stone blocking the way for people to pass. .. So a man volunteered to break it and remove it. The man tried and hit the stone with an axe 99 times, then he got tired... Then a man passed by him and asked him to help him... And indeed, the man took the axe and hit the large stone, and it split from the first blow. ..

The surprise was that there was a bag full of gold under the rock, so the man said: It is mine, I split the stone... So the two men argued before the judge, the first said: Give me some of the treasure, I hit the stone 99 times and then got tired, and the other said: The whole treasure is mine, I am the one who split the stone... The judge replied: The first one gets 99 parts of the treasure, and you, the one who split the stone, get one part... Oh man, if it weren't for his 99 strikes, the stone wouldn't have split a hundred times.

💚 Thirty years, and the mother urges her son to pray without despair.. Then she rejoices that her son prayed out of affection for his wife.. even though he disobeyed her for thirty years!!

💚 Then how beautiful is the behavior of the son's wife and how great is her morals when she did not attribute the credit to herself, but rather made the mother completely confident that her efforts were not in vain and that she was the one who laid the foundation stone and built brick by brick until the last brick remained that the son's wife completed..

For a Palace in Jannah

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:59:48 +0000

On one occasion, Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) was walking with Ja’far bin Sulaimaan (rahimahullah) in Basrah when they came across a palace being built. The person coordinating the project was a very handsome youngster.

Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) turned to Ja’far (rahimahullah) and exclaimed “Do you not see this youngster, his beauty and his ambition for this construction?” (i.e. look at how his ambition is being wasted on the temporary things of this world.) He further exclaimed, “I really have to ask my Rabb to free him (from the clutches of this material world) and (by means of which) perhaps He (i.e. Allah Ta‘ala) will make him from among the youngsters of Jannah.” Thereafter, Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) requested Ja’far (rahimahullah) to accompany him to meet this youngster.

They thus entered the site and made salaam to the youngster. The young man casually replied to the salaam without realizing that the man standing before him was the great scholar, Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah). When those around him informed him that the man before him was Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah), he stood up and asked Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) how he could be of assistance to him. Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) asked him “How much do you intend to spend on this palace?” He replied, “One hundred thousand dirhams (silver coins).”

Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) then asked the youngster, “Why don’t you hand this money over to me and I will put it in its rightful place (i.e. I will spend it in the path of Allah Ta‘ala), and (in exchange of that money) I will guarantee for you from the side of Allah Ta‘ala a palace better than this palace, along with its servants and caretakers, domes and pavilions, made from rubies and studded with precious gems. The sand (of the palace) will be saffron, and its cement will be musk. It will be far more spacious than this palace of yours and it will never dilapidate. No hands have touched it and no builder has built it. The Most High (i.e. Allah Ta‘ala) instructed it, ‘Come into existence!’ and it came into existence.” The youngster asked Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) to give him till the next morning to decide.

Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) spent the entire night concerned about this youngster. When the last portion of the night came, he engaged himself in excessive du‘aa. The next morning when Maalik bin Dinaar and Ja’far (rahimahumallah) set out, they saw the youngster sitting (and waiting for them). When he saw them, he rushed towards them and asked Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) if the offer of the previous day was still available. Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) asked him if he was willing to give him 100,000 dirhams as per their agreement. He replied in the affirmative and presented the entire amount to Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah).

Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) then asked for an inkpot and paper to be brought and thereafter began writing, “In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. This is the pledge of Maalik bin Dinaar to so and so person (the youngsters name); Indeed I (Maalik bin Dinaar) promise you from the side of Allah Ta‘ala a palace in exchange of your palace with the description I had given (yesterday) and more (than what was mentioned) is Allah’s prerogative. I have purchased for you in exchange of this wealth a palace in Jannah which is far more spacious than an extensive shade, close to (the ‘arsh of) The Highest, The Mighty.” Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) then folded the letter and handed it over to the youngster. They then took the wealth and began distributing it. By the evening all the wealth was spent in the path of Allah Ta‘ala and only a night’s ration remained.

Barely forty days later, Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) completed his salaah one morning when he saw a letter placed in the mihraab. When Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) picked up the letter and opened it, he found the following written on it without any ink: “This is an absolvent from Allah Ta‘ala for Maalik bin Dinaar; indeed We have granted the youngster the palace which you had promised him and (We have given him) seventy folds more.”

Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) was astonished by this. Taking the letter with him, he and his companions set out to the house of the youngster. When they reached the house, they saw that the atmosphere of the house was one of grief and sorrow. When they enquired about the youngster, they were informed that he had passed away the previous night.

They then called for the person who had made the ghusl and asked him. “Are you the one who performed the ghusl (of so and so youngster?) He replied in the affirmative. Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) then requested him to inform them about what had happened. The person explained that before the youngster passed away, he gave him a letter and requested that when he passes away, this letter should be placed in between his body and his shroud. Therefore, he abided by his request and buried him with this letter.

Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) took out the letter which he had found earlier that day and showed it to the person who had done the ghusl for the youngster. Upon seeing this letter, he exclaimed, “By the one who took his soul, this is the very same letter! I had placed it with my own hands between his shroud and his body.” Hearing this, everyone began weeping profusely.

Another youngster who was also present stood up and requested Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah), “Take from me two hundred thousand dirhams and promise me the same thing.” Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) exclaimed, “It is not possible! Whatever happened, has happened and whatever has passed is over. Allah commands whatever He wishes.”

Whenever Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) would remember the youngster he would weep and make du‘aa for him.

(Kitaabut Tawwaabeen – Ibnu Qudaamah pg. 173)

Lessons:

1. The luxuries of this material world are such that they very easily distract a person and make him forget his true purpose in life – worshipping Allah Ta‘ala and building his Aakhirah (Hereafter). Hence, it is extremely necessary for us, especially in our era of materialism and secularism, to keep the Aakhirah before us at all times. When the nature of this temporary world and the reality of the everlasting Aakhirah settles in our hearts, it will become easy for us to worship Allah Ta‘ala and pass our lives in His obedience.

2. Concern for the Deen of fellow Muslims is our duty and responsibility. We should thus endeavour to create an environment of reminding one another of Allah Ta‘ala, the shortness of this life and the eternity of the Aakhirah. We should also encourage one another to carry out good deeds and abstain from evil. Furthermore, we must dedicate time to make du‘aa for those Muslims who have lost the path and are involved in actions which are displeasing to Allah Ta‘ala. Hence, together with advising the person, Maalik bin Dinaar (rahimahullah) exerted himself in du‘aa on his behalf at the blessed time of tahajjud.

UswatulMuslimah

Blood Not Shed in Vain

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 08:49:20 +0000

In one of the nations of the past, there was a king who had a magician. When this magician reached old age, he said to the king, “Search for an intelligent youngster for me so that I may teach him my knowledge. I fear that I may pass away thereby causing this knowledge (of magic) to terminate without there being anyone among you who can teach it (to others).”

The king thus sent to him a youngster so that he may teach him. The youngster began attending his classes. On his way to the magician lived a monk. At that time Christianity was the true religion. The youngster once sat in the monk’s company and was impressed with what he had to say. Hence, thereafter, whenever he would go to the magician, he would first visit the monk. When he would reach the magician, he would beat him for arriving late. He thus complained to the monk regarding the dilemma he faced. The monk said, “When you fear the magician, say (to him), ‘My family delayed me.’ And when you fear your family, say (to them), ‘The magician has delayed me.’”

This continued for some time, until one day he came across a lion that was blocking the people’s path. He said to himself, “Today I will find out who is better – the magician or the monk.” He thus picked up a rock and said, “O Allah, if the monk’s ways are more beloved to you than that of the magician, kill this animal so that the people may pass.” He then threw the rock at the animal and killed it, after which he went to the monk and informed him of what had happened. The monk said to him, “O my son! Today you are better than me, as you have reached such a level that I can see. You will certainly be put through trials. Hence, when you are tested, do not disclose my identity.”

Allah Ta‘ala had also blessed this youngster by allowing him to cure the blind and lepers among many other sicknesses. Thus, a courtier of the king who had become blind heard of the youngster and brought him many gifts. He told him that if he is able to cure him, all these gifts will be his. The youngster replied, “I do not cure anyone. It is only Allah Who cures. If you believe in Allah, I will supplicate to Allah to cure you.” So the courtier brought faith in Allah Ta‘ala and Allah Ta‘ala cured him.

The courtier then returned to the king and sat near him as per his habit. The king asked him, “Who returned your eyesight?” He replied, “My Rabb.” The king asked, “Do you have a lord besides me?” He replied, “My Rabb and your Rabb is Allah.” The king was enraged by this and thus seized him and continued torturing him until he informed him of the youngster. When the youngster was brought before the king, he asked him, “O my son! Your magic has reached such a level that you are able to cure the blind, the lepers, and you do such and such things!” The youngster replied, “I do not cure anyone. It is only Allah Who cures.” The king thus seized him as well and continued torturing him until he informed him of the monk.

In this manner, the monk was also brought before the king. The king ordered him to renounce his religion. However, he remained firm and refused to do so. The king thus asked for a saw, which was then placed at the centre of the monk’s head. He was then mercilessly cut until both halves of his body fell apart. The king’s courtier was thereafter summoned and ordered, “Renounce your religion.” However, he too refused. A saw was also placed at the centre of his head and he was cut until both halves of his body fell apart.

Finally, the youngster was summoned and ordered to renounce his religion. However, like his two companions, he also refused to do so. The king thus handed him over to some of his people and instructed them to take him to the summit of a mountain. His instructions were that if they reach the summit and he has not yet renounced his religion, they should throw him off the mountain. They thus set off and took him to the top of the mountain. The youngster turned to Allah Ta‘ala and supplicated, “O Allah, save me from them in whichever way You wish.” Allah Ta‘ala caused the mountain to shake and they all fell off, but the youngster was saved. He then returned to the king who asked him what had happened to the others. He replied, “Allah saved me from them.”

The king then handed him over to another group. He instructed them to take him in a ship and set sail to the middle of the ocean. If he does not renounce his religion by then, they should cast him in the ocean. When this group set off with him, the youngster turned to Allah Ta‘ala and implored him just as he had done before. Allah Ta‘ala caused the ship to capsize and they all drowned, but the youngster survived. He then returned to the king who asked him what had happened to the others. He replied, “Allah saved me from them.”

The youngster eventually told the king, “You will never be able to kill me unless you do as I say.” The king asked what he should do. The youngster explained, “You should assemble all the people on a single plain and suspend me from a branch of a tree. You should then take an arrow from my quiver, place it in the centre of your bow and say, ‘In the name of Allah, the Rabb of the youngster.’ You should then shoot me. If you do so, you will kill me.”

Having no other option, the king agreed to do as the youngster suggested, just so that he may kill him, not realizing the outcome of his action. He thus assembled all the people in an open field. He then suspended the youngster from a tree, took an arrow from his quiver, placed it in the centre of the bow and said, “In the name of Allah, the Rabb of the youngster.” He then shot the arrow which struck the youngster’s temple. The youngster placed his hand on his temple and passed away just as he foretold. On seeing this, the people realized that the religion of the youngster was indeed true and they proclaimed thrice, “We believe in the Rabb of the youngster.”

In this manner, the king’s plan backfired and what he feared became a reality – the people had brought imaan. The king was obviously enraged and ordered trenches to be dug on the roads. Fires were ignited therein. He then instructed his men to cast anyone who does not renounce his Deen in the fire. They obeyed his order and began casting them into the fire. In their anxiousness to give their life for Allah Ta‘ala, the believers were actually rushing to leap in the fire. Among them was a woman who had an infant child. She was naturally overcome with concern for her child and thus hesitated to jump in. The small infant (who was not able to speak previously) addressed her saying, “O my mother! Exercise patience, for you are on the truth.”

In reference to these trenches and the perpetrators of this heinous crime, Allah Ta‘ala states, “Cursed were the people of the trenches, the (people of the) fire that was rich with fuel, when they were sitting by it, and were watching what they were doing with the believers. They punished them for nothing but that they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, Worthy of All Praise.” (Surah Burooj v4-8)

According to one narration, many years later, in the time of Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), this youngster’s body was uncovered and surprisingly, his finger was still on his temple just as it was when he passed away. (Saheeh Muslim #7511, Musnad Ahmad #23931 and Sunan Tirmizi #3340)

Lessons:

1. The people of imaan have always been, and will always be, tested, persecuted and oppressed. Their only ‘crime’ is that they have brought imaan in Allah Ta‘ala. However, in the face of these tests, these people of true imaan persevere and remain firm on their imaan, thereby securing the eternal pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala and the everlasting bliss of Jannah. Hence, although the suffering of the Ummah, especially our brethren in Gaza currently, greatly pains and hurts us, we should understand that this has always been the situation with the people of true imaan, and the end result will definitely be in their favour – if not in this world, then definitely in the Hereafter.

2. Outwardly, it seemed as though the youngster was presenting himself to be killed. However, his plan was to sacrifice his own life for the guidance of thousands of others. Exactly as he had planned, Allah Ta‘ala made it transpire. In light of the current situation in Gaza, daily, dozens of innocent people are being massacred in cold blood. However, numerous reports bear testimony to the fact that their blood has not been shed in vain. Besides earning their own Jannah, their resilience and imaan have been what may be termed as one of the largest da’wah campaigns of the modern era, since it has become a means of many people accepting Islam.

alhaadi.org.za

Fireproof!

Sun, 03 Dec 2023 11:05:31 +0000

Ibnul Jowzi (rahimahullah) narrates that a pious person once mentioned: I once entered Egypt where I found a blacksmith who would extract iron from his furnace using nothing but his bare hands! He would then place the iron on his anvil and turn it with his hands without apparently experiencing any pain whatsoever.

On witnessing this extraordinary spectacle, I thought to myself, “This must most definitely be a very pious man if the fire does not harm him!” With this in mind, I drew close to him and greeted him with salaam to which he replied. I thereafter addressed him in the following words, “O my master! I beseech you in the name of that Being who favoured you with this miracle to please make du‘aa for me!” On hearing my request, the blacksmith began to cry and exclaimed, “My brother! By Allah! I am not the pious person that you think me to be!” To this exclamation, I replied, “O my brother! This miracle which I witnessed from you is something which only the pious people are able to carry out.” The blacksmith answered, “There is a strange incident behind the miracle you speak of.” At my request, the blacksmith thereafter recounted the following incident:

“I was once sitting in this business of mine, in a state of intense preoccupation, when I suddenly realized that there was a woman before me. On glancing at her, I beheld a face which possessed beauty the like of which I had never seen before. The woman addressed me and pleaded saying, “O my brother! Do you have anything to give us for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala?” I was, by this point, captivated by her sight and infatuated by her beauty. I therefore replied, “Why don’t you accompany me to my home where I will give you something that will see to your needs?” On hearing my suggestion, she looked at me in silence for some time and eventually turned and departed from my business. After some time had passed, however, she returned and submitted, “Dire necessity has forced me to accept your offer.” I therefore locked my business and proceeded home with her.

When we reached my residence, she begged me saying, “I have children whom I have left in extreme starvation. Please give me something that I can take to them! I will return to you thereafter.” After making her promise and vow that she would return, I gave her some dirhams and watched as she left to see to her children.

When she returned, I ushered her into my home and turned to lock the door. “Why are you locking the door?” she asked. “I fear the people.” I replied. “And why do you not fear the Lord of all the people?” she enquired. “He is Forgiving and Merciful.” I retorted. I then advanced towards her and found that tears were streaming down her cheeks in torrents and she was trembling, just as palm leaves tremble beneath the force of a gale. “Why are you trembling and crying?” I asked. “Out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala.” she answered.

The woman then turned to me and pleaded saying, “If you leave me for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala, I will stand guarantee that Allah Ta‘ala will neither punish you with fire in this world nor in the next.” When I heard her say this, I was shaken and instantly stood and gave her all that I owned saying, “I have left you out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala!”

A while after she had left, I fell asleep and had a dream in which I saw a woman wearing a crown of red rubies who had the most beautiful face that I had ever seen. She said to me, “May Allah Ta‘ala reward you well on our behalf.” Who are you?” I asked. “I am the mother of the girl whom you left out of the fear of Allah Ta‘ala. May Alah Ta‘ala never punish you with fire, neither in this world nor the next.” I next said to her, “Please tell me who she is and which family she is from.” To this the woman replied, “She is from the family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).” It was then that I remembered the verse of the Qur’aan in which Allah Ta‘ala mentions: “Allah only intends to keep (all sorts of) filth away from you, O members of the family (of the Prophet), and to make you pure through a perfect purification.” When I awoke from my sleep, I found that the fire of this world could not harm me. I have hope that the fire of the Hereafter will not harm me as well. (Al-Mawaa‘iz wal Majaalis libnil Jowzi pg. 219)

Lessons:

1. The way to extinguish the fire of Jahannum is for us to extinguish the fire of our nafs and desires.

2. If we introduce a person to an evil habit or sin, we will have a share of the burden to bear every time he commits it. On the other hand, if we are instrumental in assisting someone to abstain from sin or change their lives for the better, we will continue to receive reward so long as that person is benefiting from our advice and encouragement.

3. We do not know which action or which person’s du‘aa will be the means of drawing the special mercy of Allah Ta‘ala. As such, we should never consider any good action to be insignificant or risk losing the du‘aa of any person.

4. A person who wishes to commit a sin should fear the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala as His forgiveness is for those who sincerely repent and wish to change their lives.

5. A believer should meditate, for a few minutes daily, over the reality that Allah Ta‘ala is watching him at all times.

6. The family of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is the greatest of all Royal Families. Hence they should be shown the absolute greatest level of respect and honour that should be shown to people.

UswatulMuslimah

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

The Perfume of Piety

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 09:35:53 +0000

There was once a person whose body would always exude the fragrance of the most exotic musk and perfume. A friend one day asked him, “What is this wonderful fragrance I always smell on you? You must be spending a lot of money on musk if you apply it so often!” The person replied, “By Allah! Never have I purchased musk nor have I ever applied it!” His friend was astonished and asked, “Then where does your fragrance come from?” Not keen to answer the question, he said to his friend, “Why are you asking me?” His friend explained, “I hope that Allah Ta‘ala will let me benefit in some way by what you will tell me.” On his friend’s coaxing and urging, he eventually narrated the following:

In my youth I was a very handsome lad. My father was a merchant and I would generally spend my time with him. One day, an old woman came to him and purchased some cloth. As she did not have the money with her to pay for it, she asked my father if he would send me along to her home where I would collect the money. My father agreed. Hence, I proceeded with her until we finally stood before a grand, palatial home. The old woman ushered me into a stunning courtyard and as I entered, my gaze fell on a beautiful young girl who was seated atop a raised seat on a silken cushion. The instant she saw me, she was dazzled by my beauty and immediately demanded that I join her on her seat. I staunchly refused. Instead of bringing her to her senses, my rejection only incited her to get down and come to me. Then, in a fit of infatuation, she began pulling and tugging me towards herself. I was in a genuine predicament. Thus in order to escape from her embrace, I asked her if I could use the toilet. Although impatient, she acceded and shouted for her slaves who guided me to the toilet. I entered the toilet where I relieved myself into my hands. Not wasting a moment, I smeared the filth over my body, clothing, and face. When I exited the toilet, the eagerly awaiting girl was greeted by the sight and smell of not a handsome youth but a person literally covered in human waste! The flames of her passion were, at once, thoroughly doused and she screamed to her servants in horror and disgust, “This is a madman! Throw him out immediately!”

I happened to have only one dirham with me. On leaving, I purchased some soap and thereafter went to the river where I cleansed my body and clothing of the filth. When I was done, I went back to my father and did not tell him a word of what had transpired. When I went to sleep that night, I saw a dream in which a handsome man with an excellent fragrance came to me. I asked him who he was to which he replied that he was Jibreel (‘alaihis salaam). He said to me, “Allah Ta‘ala has sent me to give you the glad tidings of Jannah and to reward you with some of its perfume because of the extent to which you went to avoid falling into sin.” He then passed his hands over my face, body and clothing and departed. When I awoke the next morning, I smelt an exquisite fragrance which, to this day, still perpetually wafts from my body. (At-Targheeb wa Tarheeb lil Yaafi‘ee pg. 165)

Lessons:

1. The pious youngster was prepared to go to the extreme of covering himself with filth and mess in order to avoid falling into sin. We, on the other hand, make an all-out effort to ensure that we fall into sin and filth – resulting in us making a mess of our lives.

2. A person who leaves sin for the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala will enjoy rewards in both this world as well as the Hereafter.

3. A true Muslim detests sin even more than he detests filth and faeces.

4. A Muslim is prepared to make any sacrifice necessary in order to keep his link of love with Allah Ta‘ala intact.

Al-Haadi.org

Complain or not to Complain

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 16:55:37 +0000

A famous book writer sat in his study. He took out his pen and began to write:

“Last year, I had surgery to remove gallstones. I was bedridden for a long time.

In the same year, I turned 60 and was retired … quitting a company that I loved so much. I had to leave the job I've been doing for 35 years.

That same year I was abandoned by my beloved mother who passed away.

Then, still in the same year, my son failed his final medical exam because of a car accident. Repair costs from the car damage marked the peak of bad luck last year.”

At the end he wrote:

*What, what a bad year!*

The writer's wife entered the room and found her husband who was sad and pensive. From behind, the wife saw the husband's writing. Slowly she backed away and left the room.

15 minutes later she came back in and put down a piece of paper with the following words:

“Last year, my husband finally managed to get rid of his gallbladder which had been making his stomach hurt for years.

That same year, I am grateful that my husband was able to retire in a healthy and happy state of mind & body. I thank God he was given opportunity to work and earn for 35 years to support our family.

Now, my husband can spend more of his time writing, which has always been his hobby.

In the same year, my 95 year old mother-in-law, without any pain, returned to God in peace.

And still in the same year, God protected our son from harm in a terrible car accident. Our car was seriously damaged by the accident, but my son survived without any serious injuries.

In the last sentence his wife wrote:

*Last year was a year full of extraordinary blessings from God, and we spent it full of wonder & gratitude.*

The writer smiled with emotion, and warm tears flowed down his cheeks.

He was grateful for a different point of view for every event he had gone through the past year. A different perspective of the same events now made him joyful.

Dear Family and Friends,

In this life we must understand that it is not happiness or joy that makes us grateful. It is *gratitude that makes us happy & joyful*!

Practice seeing events from a positive point of view and keep envy away from your hearts.

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses_.”

Great Goodness in the Ghee

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 07:25:12 +0000

Sayyidah Ummu Maalik (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was a Sahaabiyyah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) from the Ansaar of Madeenah Munawwarah. She would sometimes bring a leather bag filled with ghee and present it to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as a gift.

On one occasion, when she brought the bag of ghee to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he instructed Sayyiduna Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to empty the bag and return it to her. Hence, Sayyiduna Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) emptied the bag, even squeezing it until all the ghee had been extracted from inside the bag. He thereafter returned the bag to her.

On taking the bag back, Sayyidah Ummu Maalik (radhiyallahu ‘anha) found that it was full of ghee! This caused her great concern, as she feared that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had perhaps rejected her gift on account of him receiving revelation regarding her (i.e. her wealth being contaminated, or her actions not being accepted, etc.). Hence, she came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and asked, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Have you received any revelation in my regard?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) responded by asking her, “Why do you ask?” She replied, “You have returned my gift to me!”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thus called Sayyiduna Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and asked him (whether he had accepted the gift and emptied the ghee as instructed). Sayyiduna Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I take an oath by that Being Who has deputed you with the truth! I squeezed the bag (empty) until I even felt embarrassed!”

Hearing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) addressed Sayyidah Ummu Maalik (radhiyallahu ‘anha) and said, “May you find enjoyment in it, it is barakah (blessings from Allah Ta‘ala), O Ummu Maalik! It is barakah, the reward of which Allah Ta‘ala has (granted you and) swiftly shown you (in this worldly life).” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter taught her to recite “Subhaanallah”, “Alhmadulillah” and “Allahu Akbar” ten times each after every salaah. (Al-Isaabah vol. 8, pg. 468)

In another narration, it is mentioned that when the children of Sayyidah Ummu Maalik (radhiyallahu ‘anha) would ask her to give them something to eat with their bread (as gravy), and at that time she did not possess anything to give them, she would go to the leather bag which she would use when giving ghee to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as a gift. Allah Ta‘ala had placed such barakah in the ghee that she would always find some ghee in it.

One day, Sayyidah Ummu Maalik (radhiyallahu ‘anha) decided to squeeze the bag (in order to extract as much ghee as she could), but as soon as she did so, the ghee seized to come out. She thus came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and informed him that the ghee had stopped. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked her, “Did you squeeze the bag?” When she replied in the affirmative, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Had you left it (without squeezing it), it would have continued (to come out, as it was barakah from Allah Ta‘ala).” (Saheeh Muslim #5945 and Takmilatu Fathil Mulhim)

Note:

In this narration, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) taught Sayyidah Ummu Maalik (radhiyallahu ‘anha) to recite “Subhaanallah”, “Alhamdulillah” and “Allahu Akbar” ten times each after every salaah. However, in other narrations, it is reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had taught Sayyidah Faatimah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) to recite “Subhaanallah” thirty-three times, “Alhamdulillah” thirty-three times and “Allahu Akbar” thirty-four times after every salaah.

The ‘Ulama explain that it is permissible for one to practice on both of these narrations, though it will be more rewarding for one to recite the tasbeeh taught to Sayyidah Faatimah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) in which “Subhaanallah” is recited thirty-three times, “Alhamdulillah” thirty-three times and “Allahu Akbar” thirty-four times.

Lessons:

1. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) had the greatest love in their hearts for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and this love brought them abundant goodness and blessings in this world and the next. They were always prepared to sacrifice their lives, wealth and desires for the sake of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). We must make du‘aa to Allah Ta‘ala to bless us with such love for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that translates into following every aspect of his beautiful lifestyle. We must also recite abundant durood upon Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). In this way, we will also enjoy goodness and blessings in our lives as well.

2. Despite the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) being the esteemed companions of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and their high rank being mentioned in the Quraan Majeed, they were never complacent regarding their Deen and Imaan. Rather, they always regarded themselves to be nothing and feared for the safety of their Imaan and the acceptance of their actions.

UswatulMuslimah

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Council of Muslim Theologians

Why do you not be like the old woman of the Banu Israaeel?

Sat, 14 May 2022 09:01:01 +0000

Seizing the opportunity

On one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) visited a Bedouin who received him warmly and honoured him. So, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) bade him to also visit him.

Accordingly, the Bedouin visited Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said to him, “If you have any need, you may ask me.” The Bedouin replied, “I want a she-camel to use as a conveyance, and a few goats for my family to milk.”

Hearing the reply of the Bedouin, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) addressed the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and said, “Why do you not be like the old woman of the Banu Israaeel?” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) asked, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Who was the old woman of the Banu Israaeel and what was her incident?”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied by mentioning the following incident: ‘When Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) departed from Egypt with the Banu Israaeel, they could not find the road (which they needed to travel on). So Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) asked the Banu Israaeel, “What is the matter (i.e. why is it that we cannot find the road)?” The learned among the Banu Israaeel answered, “When Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam) was close to passing away, he made us pledge in the name of Allah Ta‘ala that we will not leave Egypt, without taking his body with us.” Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) asked them, “Who knows the location of the grave of Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam)?” They replied that an old woman knew the location. Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) thus sent for her.

When the old woman arrived, Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) requested, “Guide me to the grave of Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam).” However, the old woman responded, “(I will not guide you to the grave) until you give me what I want.” Nabi Musa (‘alaihis salaam) asked her, “What is it that you want?” She replied, “I want to be with you in Jannah.” Initially, Nabi Moosa (‘alaihis salaam) was reluctant to accede, but Allah Ta‘ala then sent wahi to him, commanding him to agree to the request of the old woman.

The old woman then proceeded with them to a lake and instructed them to drain all the water from it. After they had drained all the water from the lake, she instructed them to dig. They then discovered the grave of Nabi Yusuf (‘alaihis salaam) and recovered his body.

Once they removed the body from the grave and carried it with them, the road became as clear as daylight for them.’ (Saheeh Ibni Hibbaan #723)

Lesson:

Imagine that it was Lailatul Qadr (the Night of Power), or you managed to cling to the Ka’bah at the multazam, and you now had a ‘once in a lifetime chance’ to make a du‘aa that you greatly hope will gain acceptance. What would you ask for? Perhaps many of us would ask for something related to this world such as beauty, health, wealth, a dream home, etc.

However, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) praised the old woman of the Banu Israaeel and encouraged the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) to be like her. The reason is that when this woman saw the golden opportunity, then instead of asking for something paltry and insignificant, she seized her chance to secure Jannah.

Thus, when the hadeeth teaches us to make Dua for all our needs, be they big or small, we should not suffice on asking for only our small needs while neglecting to beg for Jannah. Instead, we must make it a priority to beg for Jannah, as this is the biggest need.

uswatulmuslimah

The Truthfulness of Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah)

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 08:13:11 +0000

Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) was a great Aalim and Wali of Allah Ta‘ala who lived in the sixth century of Islam. Allah Ta‘ala had blessed him with such great acceptance that many people reformed their lives at his hands. One salient quality that stood out in his life was the quality of truthfulness and honesty. Below is an incident that reflects this beautiful quality in his life which attracted the hearts of even the greatest sinners of his time:

When Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) decided to tread the path of knowledge, he sought permission from his mother to travel to Baghdad where he would study under the leading Ulama of the time. His mother permitted him to leave and gave him forty dinars which she sewed into his kurta, beneath his armpit. At the time when she bid him farewell, she advised him to ensure that he always spoke the truth and never spoke lies. Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) took his mother’s advice to heart and promised her that he would always be truthful and would always conduct with honesty.

Sheikh Abdul Qaadir (rahimahullah) thereafter joined a caravan of people traveling to Baghdad. During the journey, the caravan was waylaid by sixty robbers who looted the caravan, taking whatever wealth they found. Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) mentions, “While looting the caravan, one of the robbers came to me, and thinking that I did not have any money, he asked me, ‘O pauper! How much of money do you have with you?’ I remembered the advice of my mother and replied, ‘Forty dinars.’ He then asked me, ‘Where is the money?’ I replied, ‘It is sewn into my kurta beneath my armpit.’ The robber was not convinced and thought that I was joking and therefore left me.

“After a few moments, another robber came to me and asked me the same question, to which I gave the same answer. This robber also thought that I was joking and thus left me. Later on, both robbers went to their leader and informed him of what had transpired and mentioned to him that upon enquiring, I told them that I have forty dinars with me, concealed in my kurta. The leader said to them, ‘Bring him to me.’

“When they brought me to their leader, he asked me, ‘O young lad! How much of wealth do you have with you?’ I replied, ‘I have forty dinars.’ He then asked me, ‘Where is the wealth?’ I replied, ‘It is sewn into my kurta under my armpit.’ He was quite surprised and asked me, ‘What made you speak the truth and confess that you possess this wealth? (In other words, had you not informed us of it, we would have never known of it.)’ I replied, ‘My mother advised me to always be truthful, and I promised her that I will always speak the truth and will never lie. Hence, I did not want to break the promise which I made to my mother by speaking lies when you asked me regarding the wealth.’

“Hearing this answer, the leader was extremely affected and began to weep. He exclaimed, ‘You refuse to break the promise which you made to your mother, whereas I have been breaking my promise to Allah Ta‘ala for so many years by waylaying caravans and committing sins!’”

Sheikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelani (rahimahullah) explains, “The leader then repented at my hands and pledged to never return to the sin of robbery and theft. When the other robbers witnessed his repentance, they addressed their leader saying, ‘We made you our leader in crime and robbery and followed you. Now we will make you our leader in repentance and taubah and follow you in this as well.’ They thus repented and returned all the stolen wealth to the caravan.”

In this way, through firmly holding onto the quality of truthfulness and honesty, Sheikh Abdul Qaadir (rahimahullah) became the means for all sixty robbers to repent and change their lives. (Bahjatul Asraar pg. 186 and Qalaa-idul Jawaahir pg. 9)

In the Mubaarak Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has greatly emphasized the importance and virtue of truthfulness and honesty. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Hold firm to truthfulness (and honesty), for truthfulness leads one towards piety, and piety leads one towards Jannah. A person will continue to speak the truth and endeavor to always remain upon truthfulness (at all times), until he will be recorded as a siddeeq (extremely truthful person) by Allah Ta‘ala. Refrain from lies, as lies leads one towards sin, and sin leads one towards the fire of Jahannum. A person will continue to speak lies, and tries to remain upon this habit of speaking lies (at all times), until he will be recorded as a great liar by Allah Ta‘ala.” (Saheeh Muslim #2607)

It should be borne in mind that truthfulness and honesty is not confined to speech. Rather, it applies to every dimension of one’s deeni and worldly life. When one is truthful, then he will fulfill every obligation and responsibility, whether it relates to his deeni or worldly life. In fact, truthfulness even surpasses the limits of merely fulfilling obligations and includes making an effort to show a higher degree of love and compassion to the creation, in the manner Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had taught the ummah to conduct.

In essence, a true servant of Allah Ta‘ala is one who is loyal to Allah Ta‘ala at all times. He is constantly concerned about pleasing Allah Ta‘ala and taking care of His creation to the best of his ability, thereby exhibiting his loyalty to His Creator. The servant who brings these qualities in his life is honored and blessed with the rank of a siddeeq. The greatest of the Siddeeqeen was Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), whom Allah Ta‘ala had made the best example for the ummah to follow after the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus salaam). His every word and action radiated this sublime quality to the highest level.

In the upbringing of a child, it is extremely important for the parents to instill in the child the quality of being truthful at all times and being honest in his dealings. When this quality is deeply entrenched in the heart of the child, then throughout his life, no matter what situation he will be faced with, he will ensure that he fulfills the rights of Allah Ta‘ala as well as the rights which he owes to the creation. Furthermore, when this quality is enhanced in his life, then at every moment, he will be conscious about leading a pure life, internally and externally, and will be concerned about standing before Allah Ta‘ala and being held accountable for his actions on the Day of Qiyaamah. Therefore, every word that he will utter and every action that he will carry out will be in total harmony and conformity with the high levels of sidq (truthfulness). Hence, wherever he goes, he will be a beacon of light and a source of mercy for the entire creation.

ihyaauddeen.co.za

Piety before Profit

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 08:09:04 +0000

Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was an illustrious Taabi‘ee and the founder of the Hanafi mazhab. He was born in the year 80 A.H. and passed away in the year 150 A.H.

Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) would spend the majority of his time in the worship of Allah Ta‘ala and the service of the knowledge of Deen. However, he was also a cloth merchant. He would use the profits earned to support his household, students of Deen and other ‘Ulama who were engaged in the service of Deen.

Being a personification of Deen and the sunnah, the piety of Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was also reflected in his business dealings and the manner in which he conducted his trade. Below are two incidents which highlight the Islamic values he displayed while conducting business:

First incident:

On one occasion, Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) sent a consignment of goods to his partner. Since the consignment included a cloth with a defect, he alerted his partner of the defect and instructed him to ensure that he revealed the defect to the customer before selling it. However, when the partner sold the cloth, he forgot to reveal the defect to the customer. Furthermore, he did not know the identity of the customer (so there was no way of contacting the customer and rectifying the mistake).

When Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) learnt of what had transpired, he gave the entire income from the sale of the consignment, which was thirty thousand dirhams (silver coins), in charity. Furthermore, (since his partner had not displayed the desired level of caution,) Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) terminated the partnership. (Al-Khairaatul Hisaan pg. 44)

Second Incident:

A woman once came to Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah), looking to purchase a silken cloth. When he showed her a certain cloth, she said to him, “I am a weak woman, and it is amaanah, so please sell me this cloth for the amount that it cost you.” Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) immediately said to her, “Take it for four dirhams.”

The woman could not believe that Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was prepared to sell her the silken cloth for such a low price, and thus exclaimed, “Do not joke with me, as I am an old woman!” Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) explained to her, “I purchased two cloths (together, for one price). I sold one of the two cloths for a price which covered the entire capital besides four dirhams. Hence, this cloth now remains with only four dirhams of the capital amount outstanding (i.e. I made so much of profit from selling the first cloth, that to cover my cost, I now only require four dirhams. Hence, the second cloth now only cost me four dirhams).” (Taareekhu Baghdaad vol. 15, pg. 494)

Lessons:

1. Imam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) was worried and concerned about honesty and transparency in business dealings, hence he did not want a defective item to be sold to a customer without him being made aware of the defect, as this is impermissible. Thus, when the defective item was sold without the customer being alerted to the defect, he gave the entire income in charity. Though it was not necessary for him to give this entire amount, he did so in order to secure the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala.

2. When Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) saw that his partner did not display the desired level of concern and caution, he immediately terminated the partnership. He feared that to remain in partnership with such a person would be detrimental to his Deen. Hence, the concern for his Deen came first – before the concern for business and money.

3. When a Muslim conducts business and trade, his intention should not merely be to make money. Rather, together with making the intention to support his family with halaal livelihood, he should also intend to use his business to support and help people who are in need of assistance. In this manner, one’s business will become a means of earning reward from Allah Ta‘ala. Hence, when the old woman approached Imaam Abu Haneefah (rahimahullah) for help, he immediately assisted her. Though it resulted in him losing out on abundant profit, he knew that the reward that Allah Ta‘ala would bestow him with would be worth far more.

UswatulMuslimah

A Story On Tawakkul..Trust In Allah.

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 21:00:57 +0000

As-Salaam alaikum,

Imam al-Qushayri recounted the following story in his book, 'Epistle On Sufism' , where he said that Ibn al-Maliki related that Abu Hamza al-Khurasani said:--

"One year I went on the pilgrimage (to Makka on Hajj). As I was walking along the road, I fell into a well.

My soul prompted me to cry for help. However, I said to myself: 'No, by Allah I will never cry for help! Before

I could finish with this thought, 2 men passed by the mouth of the well. One of them said to the other: 'Come

on let us cover the mouth of this well lest someone falls into it.'

They brought some reed and mats and blocked off the mouth of the well. I wanted to cry out, then said

to myself: 'I will cry to the One who is nearer to me than they! So I did not say a word. After a while, something

came by, opened the mouth of the well, and lowered its leg into the pit, as if it wanted to tell me in a growl:

'Hold on to me'! When I realized that this [invitation] came from Him, I grabbed hold of it and it pulled me out.

And lo! It turned out to be a lion. Then it went away. Suddenly [I heard] a voice, saying: 'Abu Hamza, isn't this

better!? I have saved you from one peril with another one.!"

Concern for the Ummah

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 17:50:33 +0000

During the Khilaafah of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), there was a person from Syria who would come to Madinah Munawwarah to meet Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and benefit from him. However, after a period of time, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) noticed that this person had not come to Madinah Munawwarah for some time. Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) became concerned and thus enquired from the people about him. The people replied, “O Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen! He has fallen in the grave sin of drinking wine!”

Hearing this, Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) decided to send him a message in which he would conscientize him regarding his deen. Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) thus called his scribe and dictated the following message to him which contained the opening verse of Surah Mu’min:

“From Umar, the son of Khattaab, to so-and-so, the son of so-and-so. I greet you with salaam. I commence by praising Allah, the One besides Whom there is no god worthy of worship. Allah is the only One who forgives sins and accepts repentance, the One who is severe in punishment, the All-Bountiful (who Bestows His grace and mercy upon His servants). There is no god besides Him. To Him alone is the ultimate return (for all the creation).”

Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) handed over the letter to a messenger and instructed him to personally deliver the letter and ensure that at the time he delivers the letter to him, he is in a sober state. Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) then turned to the people who were present in his gathering and said, “Make dua for your brother and sincerely beg Allah Ta‘ala to turn his heart towards deen and bless him with the tawfeeq to make tawbah.”

When the man received the letter of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), he began to read it. The message in the letter was so profound and decisive that it had a dynamic effect on his heart. He continued to repeat the verse of the Qur’aan Majeed which described the divine attributes of Allah Ta‘ala, of His all-forgiving nature, as well as His being severe in punishment upon those who transgress the limits of Shari‘ah. Allah Ta‘ala says, “Allah is the only One who forgives sins and accepts repentance, the One who is severe in punishment”.

After repeating the verse many times, he began to weep profusely and said, “Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has warned me of the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala, but at the same time, he has given me hope in the divine and all-encompassing mercy of Allah Ta‘ala, reminding me that Allah Ta‘ala will forgive me if I repent to him.” The man immediately repented to Allah Ta‘ala and made such a firm tawbah that he never went close to wine again.

When Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) learnt of the positive effect the letter had on the heart of the man, he addressed the people present in his gathering and said, “When you see your Muslim brother fall into sin, then you should act in the manner you have seen me conduct, by thinking of ways to guide him towards deen. Similarly, you should conscientize him and give him hope in the mercy of Allah. You should also make dua to Allah for his guidance. Do not deal with him in a way where you will cause him to lose hope in the mercy of Allah, thus becoming an assistant of shaitaan against him.” (Tafseer Ibnu Katheer 7/116 & Tafseer Qurtubi 15/291)

From this incident, we understand the deep concern which Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had for the ummah. It was this deep concern that urged him to write the letter as well as engage in dua, begging Allah Ta‘ala for the guidance of that person. This concern of Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was the concern that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had for each and every ummati. Hence, from this, we learn that just as a believer should be concerned about his own progress, similarly, he should also be concerned about the progress of his Muslim brother.

It is reported that Hazrat Salmaan Faarsi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said, “The example of two believing brothers is like that of two hands; each hand washes the other hand. Never do two believers meet one another except that Allah Ta‘ala causes one of them to benefit and bring goodness to the other.” (Ithaaf-us-Saadah 6/173)

In order for the ummah to gain eternal success, they are commanded to practice upon Islam in totality. Practicing upon Islam in totality will be found when each person upholds the following four injunctions in his life:

(1) to bring Imaan in Allah Ta‘ala, in His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and in all the tenets of faith (2) to uphold all the commandments of Islam and to refrain from all its prohibitions (3) to encourage one another towards upholding Islam in totality and leading lives of righteousness (4) to encourage and assist one another to remain steadfast upon Islam at all times, especially at the time of difficulties and calamities. In Surah Asr, mention is made of these four injunctions being the basis of eternal success for a believer.

May Allah Ta‘ala bless us with the tawfeeq of treading on the path of deen and making an effort to guide others towards deen.

From the orchards of love - Ihyauddeen.co.za

The Grass is Always Greener…

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 06:46:15 +0000

Shaikh ‘Abdul Fattaah Abu Ghuddah (rahimahullah), the renowned Syrian ‘Aalim, writes that he heard the following incident from an ‘Aalim of Pakistan:

Once, a certain person went to visit one of the rulers in Northern Pakistan. When the ruler (received him and) asked him how he was, he launched into a lengthy list of complaints, explaining all the difficulties and grievances that he was suffering.

After listing his extensive complaints, he remarked to the ruler, “How fortunate you are! You lead a good and comfortable life! You enjoy the best quality of food, drink and sleep, and your life is free from all problems and worries! You are the ruler, so everything (you wish for) is presented before you!” Hearing this, the ruler remained silent and did not say anything.

Sometime later, the ruler invited this person to his home for a meal. However, over this person’s seat, he had suspended a sharp, unsheathed sword. Furthermore, the sword was hanging from a thin thread which could snap at any second. When the man saw the sword hanging over him, threatening to fall on him at any moment, he was filled with such fear that he lost his appetite and interest in the food!

The ruler encouraged him to eat saying, “You should eat from all the different varieties and dishes (that we have served), for they are all tasty and delicious.” However, the man responded, “As tasty as the food may be, my fear of the sword falling on me has robbed me of the enjoyment of the food and has made me lose all interest in eating!”

The ruler then said, “That, exactly, is the state of my life which you envy. You yearn to lead the type of life which I lead, whereas you are completely ignorant of the reality of my life and what I go through. My entire life is similar to yours at this moment, while you fear the sword falling on you. The reason is that my life is in danger at every moment from my enemies and close associates who wish to seize power from me. They wish to take my rulership through having me assassinated and killed, or slipping poison into my food, or killing me in my sleep, or through inciting an uprising and rebellion against me.

“I constantly suffer from insecurity, insomnia, fear and anxiety. At every moment of my life, I am forced to remain vigilant and on guard. However, you are so fortunate! You sleep in peace and safety, walk in peace and safety, eat in peace and safety, and whether you are traveling or at home, you enjoy peace and safety. YOU are the one who leads an envious life – not me.”

Hearing this, the man acknowledged that the ruler was correct. He thus praised and thanked Allah Ta‘ala for the life that he had given him. (Risaalatul Mustarshideen pg. 223 – footnotes)

Lessons:

1. An English proverb states, “The grass in always greener on the other side.”In other words, no matter how good a person’s life may be, and how many bounties of Allah Ta‘ala he may be enjoying, he will always feel as though other people are more fortunate than him and are enjoying more than him. In reality, this is the trap of Shaitaan. Shaitaan makes us turn our gazes to the bounties of others, while blinding us to the bounties we enjoy, so that we fall into ingratitude. Hence, the hadeeth teaches us that in regard to the bounties of this world, we should always look at those who are less fortunate and less privileged than ourselves, as this will cause us to become grateful by making us realize how much we enjoy.

2. Allah Ta‘ala loves us, and He knows what is best for us. At times, we want something for ourselves, but He does not give it to us, as He knows that it is not good for us. Instead, He gives us something better – in this world or the next. We may not understand or see the infinite wisdom behind the decision of Allah Ta‘ala, but we should nevertheless trust in Him and always remain pleased with His decision.

3. Most people labour their entire lives to amass wealth, convinced that abundant wealth will guarantee them lives of happiness and joy. However, wealth, power and position do NOT guarantee happiness and peace, as many wealthy people live in constant fear and stress regarding the safety of their lives and wealth. Conversely, there are many people who are not wealthy, but lead happy and contented lives. Thus, we should learn to be content and grateful for what we have – this is the key to a ‘good life’.

Uswatul Muslimah

A Bargain for Barakah

Sat, 05 Jun 2021 08:07:41 +0000

A Bargain for Barakah

There was once a man who had four sons. When he fell ill (and was nearing his end), one of his sons (was so eager to serve him and enjoy the exclusive privilege of caring for him, that he) told the other three sons, “Either you nurse him in his sickness and forfeit your shares of his estate; or I will nurse him and forfeit my share of the estate.” His brothers were pleased with his proposition and left him to nurse their father on his own.

When the father eventually passed away, then as agreed, the son who nursed him did not take any share from the estate. Thereafter, he saw a dream one night in which a person told him that one hundred dinaars (gold coins) were kept at a certain place, and he should take these coins. He asked the person whether the money contained barakah (blessings), to which the person replied in the negative.

The following morning, when he related the dream to his wife, she insisted that he should take the money saying, “Having some food to eat and clothing to wear is (sufficient) barakah.” However, he, did not agree.

The following night, he again saw a dream in which a person told him of a certain place where ten dinaars were kept. Once again, when he asked if the money contained barakah, the reply was in the negative. He related the dream to his wife the next morning, and she insisted that he should go and take the money, but again, he refused to do so (not wishing to acquire wealth which was devoid of barakah).

On the third night, he again saw a dream in which a person told him of a certain place where he could find a single dinaar. This time, when he enquired as to whether it contained barakah, the answer was in the affirmative. He thus went to the described location and took possession of the dinaar.

As they required food, he then used the dinaar to purchase two fish which he brought home. Thereafter, when he cut the fish open, he discovered an invaluable pearl in the stomach of each fish!

At that time, it so happened that the king was searching for a magnificent pearl to purchase. When he was informed that this man had a unique, magnificent pearl, he bought it from him for thirty mule loads of gold!

However, when the king saw the pearl, he declared that the pearl would look best if it was paired with another pearl to match it. The king’s men thus returned to the man and asked him whether he possessed a second pearl which matched the first. When he responded that he did indeed have one, they offered to pay him double the price of the first pearl! The man sold the second pearl to the king, thus acquiring a total of ninety mule-loads of gold. (Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaaq #21027)

Lessons:

1. Serving our parents and caring for them is not a burden – it is a privilege. It is a means of acquiring their sincere du‘aas and securing abundant blessings which will benefit us in this world and the next. If we truly understood the great rewards that lie in store for those who serve their parents with devotion, we would certainly compete with one another for the privilege of serving them.

2. Wealth is earned by many people – but not every person enjoys barakah. Wealth without barakah will not bring any happiness, peace or contentment. In fact, when we lose barakah, due to impermissible business dealings, dishonesty, etc. then the wealth that we earn, will only cause unhappiness, uneasiness and misery. Thus, the caring son in the incident above, gave preference to one dinaar with barakah over one hundred dinaars without barakah.

3. Barakah is such that a person may not see its effect immediately. At times, a person reaps the fruit of the barakah later on, while at other times the barakah one acquires is enjoyed by one’s progeny long after his demise.

Al-Haadi

Composed in Calamity

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 09:08:56 +0000

						Imaam Asma‘ee (rahimahullah), a great scholar of this Ummah who passed away in the year 215 A.H. or 216 A.H., narrates the following incident:
					
						On one occasion, I set off into the wilderness, accompanied by one of my friends. While traveling, we lost the road. After some time, when we halted, we suddenly came across a tent and thus headed towards it.
					
						When we came to the tent, we called out with salaam and heard a woman reply to our greeting. She asked, “Who are you?” We replied, “We were passing by when we lost our way. We then saw your tent and thus came towards you to seek company.” The woman said, “Turn your faces away so that I can (come out of the tent and) fulfil some of the rights of which you are deserving.” We did as she instructed, and she lay down a carpet for us saying, “Sit until my son arrives. He will attend to you and see to that which you require.”
					
						We thus sat, and (as we waited the arrival of her son,) she continued to raise the corner of the tent, peeping out. Eventually, she peeped out and said, “I ask Allah Ta‘ala to send us barakah with the one who is arriving, for the camel belongs to my son, but the one riding the camel is not my son.”
					
						When the rider arrived, he said, “O Ummu ‘Aqeel! May you be blessed with immense reward for (observing patience on the loss of your son,) ‘Aqeel.” Ummu ‘Aqeel responded, “Woe to you! Has my son passed away?” The man confirmed that he had indeed passed away, to which she asked, “What caused his death?” The man answered, “The camels crowded around him (in a stampede), pushing him into a well.”
					
						Ummu ‘Aqeel then said to the man, “Please attend to the needs of these people.” He thus dismounted from the camel, slaughtered a sheep, prepared it with salt and served it to us. We thus ate, while marvelling at the sabr (patience and composure) of Ummu ‘Aqeel.
					
						After we completed the meal, she asked us, “Tell me, are any of you well-versed with the book of Allah Ta‘ala (i.e. the Quraan Majeed)?” When I replied that I was, she said, “Please recite to me some verses from the book of Allah Ta‘ala through which I may take solace.”
					
						I thus recited the following verses:
					
						وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ ﴿١٥٦﴾ أُولَـٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥٧﴾
					
						And give glad tidings to the patients ones – those who when a calamity befalls them, they say, “Indeed to Allah Ta‘ala alone do we belong, and indeed to Him alone will we return.” Those – upon them are special blessings from their Rabb and Divine mercy, and those – they are the rightly-guided. (Surah Baqarah v155 – 157)
					
						When Ummu ‘Aqeel heard these verses, she asked in wonder, “Is this really what is mentioned in the book of Allah Ta‘ala?” I replied, “By Allah! This is exactly what is mentioned in the book of Allah Ta‘ala!”
					
						Ummu ‘Aqeel then said, “Assalaamu ‘alaikum,” and thereafter stood, performed two rakaats of salaah, raised her hands and made du‘aa in the following words, “It is to Allah Ta‘ala alone that we belong, and to Him alone that we will return, and it is from Allah Ta‘ala alone that I hope to receive reward for (exercising patience over the loss of) ‘Aqeel!” She repeated this du‘aa thrice, and then said, “O Allah! I have done what You have commanded me to do, so bless me with the abundant rewards that You have promised me!”
					
						(Mir-aatul Jinaan vol. 2, pg. 50)

Lessons:

1. A Muslim, in every condition, turns his gaze towards Allah Ta‘ala and hopes for reward from Him. If he undergoes hardship, he exercises sabr (patience) and hopes for reward, and if he enjoys ease and comfort, then he expresses shukr (gratitude) and hopes for reward.

2. To feel sad and grieved over a tragedy is natural. However, such was the composure of Ummu ‘Aqeel that she did not lose herself in her sorrow, and still made arrangements for the meal of the guests. In the same way, if we are afflicted by a difficulty, we must ensure that it does not prevent us from fulfilling the rights of Allah Ta‘ala (e.g. salaah, etc.) and the rights we owe to people.

3. In Islam, purdah between strange men and women is extremely important. It is for this reason Ummu ‘Aqeel ensured that she maintained purdah with the two visitors, by making them turn away when she emerged from the tent to lay down the carpet.

Source

Sayyadi Muhiyiddin Ibn Arabi and The Angel.

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 16:30:14 +0000

''Once, Sheikh Muhiyiddin Ibn Arabi was traveling by ship on a stormy sea. He wrote on a slip of paper: 'Oh Sea, you must be quite because a great sea is on you'. Then he dropped it into the sea, and immediately it became quite. But afterwards one big fish appeared and said: 'Oh Muhiyiddin, I have a question: If a woman's husband suddenly turned into stone, would she wait 3 months (the period of divorce) , or 4 months and 10 days (the period for death)'?

Sayyadi Muhiyiddin did not answer but understood that this question was coming because he had spoken a big word, calling himself a great sea. Quickly he made Sajda and asked for forgiveness. That was not an ordinary fish, but an Angel sent by Allah to teach him that for every level of knowledge there is a level higher than it, endlessly. You can't find a limit for knowledge. For every boasting there must come something to show you your weakness. Allah Almighty is able to give to anyone more than you have.

He degraded and destroyed Nimrod by a lame mosquito. The Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, says: Perhaps some rugged and dusty person whom no-one likes, if he is asking anything from Allah, he will give it to him. This teaches us to be humble people with our Lord. Humble people are always in safety here and hereafter.''

Culled from: 'MERCY OCEANS-BOOK 2- The Teachings of Maulana

Sheikh Abdullah Ad-Daghistani An-Naqshbandi''.

Allah's Dealings with The Pious, Story of a Pious Lady.

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 15:08:51 +0000

As-Salaam alaikum,

A Saint states: "Once I was making a circuit of the Holy Ka'aba when I happened to see a girl who carrying a very small child on her shoulder. She was exclaiming: 'O Munificent Lord! Munificent Lord! the past! ( that is how gracious was the Lord to her in the blessed past). I asked her 'What was it that passed between you and the Almighty Allah'. She said:

"Once I was traveling on a boat in the company of a group of merchants. A windstorm blew with such intensity that the boat sank and everybody was annihilated. I and this

child were stranded on a board; while a negro lay stranded on another board. No one except the three of us had survived. At the first light of dawn and rowing the water with

his hands he approached my plank. When his board adjoined mine he came over to my board and tried to seduce me. I remonstrated with him, "Fear the Lord! Dost thou not

know in what peril we are! It seems impossible to escape this calamity even with fervent prayers to the Lord; on the contrary you wish that we should commit sin under such

circumstances." He said: 'Never mind, I swear by Allah I shall commit this act with you.' Now this child was sleeping in my lap. I quietly pinched the child, as a result of which the

child instantly began to cry. I said to the negro, ''Alright, wait till I put the child to sleep. Then whatever the fate ordains for me will come to pass."

The negro grabbed the child and flung him into the sea. I entreated the Mighty Lord, 'O Thou Who art Mighty and intervenes even between a man, and his heart's desires, Please

save me from this negro with all Your Divine Might and Authority. Lord, You are without doubt Omnipotent.' By my Lord, I had hardly finished saying this prayer when a mammoth

animal with open jaws raised its head from the sea and having devoured the negro went under water. The Magnificent Lord saved me from the negro by His Divine Power and

Authority; he indeed is Omnipotent; He is Pure; He is Magnificent. Afterwards the sea-waves lashed at me till the board was washed to the shore of an island, I landed there and

thought to myself that I would eat grass and drink water till the Magnificent ;Lord afforded me some succour, because it is through Him alone that better conditions may prevail.

I lived on this island for four days. On the fifth day I espied a boat going to the sea. I mounted a hillock and made signs in the direction of this boat. I waved my covering cloth

briskly. Three men from the boat came to me on a small barge.. I boarded the barge and went to the boat with them. And lo! one of the men on the boat was holding this child of mine

whom the negro had flung into the sea. Upon seeing the child I fell over him and kissed and hugged him. I told them, 'This is my child, my darling.' The boatmen said, ''You are out of

your mind, you are mad.'' I said: ''I am not mad nor have I lost my senses. My tale (story) is a strange one.'' Then I narrated to them all that had happened to me. After hearing my story

all of them hung their heads in amazement and said: ''You have told us a stunning tale and now it is our turn to tell you a similar story which will astonish you. We were travelling merilly

on this boat. The air was favourable. Presently an animal swam to the surface; it was carrying this child on its back. The moment this animal appeared on the surface we heard a

super-natural voice: ''If you did not pick up this child from the back of the animal and keep him with you, your boat would be sunk.'' One of us rose and picked up the child from the

back of the animal. The animal then went under the water. Your tale and ours, both are very strange, and all of us take a vow that henceforth the Magnificent Lord shall not find us

sinning. Later they all offered penitence. How Magnificent is the Pure Lord! How Considerate! The Most Benificent! And the Pure One who comes to the aid of the afflicted at the time

of distress.

SOURCE: ''The Spectacle of Death, Inclding Glimpses of Life Beyond the Grave", by

Khawaja Muhammad Islam (April, 1976).

Shaykh Maalik Ibn Dinaar and the Jew.

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 14:08:19 +0000

As-Salaam alaikum,

A contemporary of Sayyadi Hassan Basri, Shaykh Maalik Ibn Dinaar, may Allah be Merciful to them both, once rented a room next to the home of a Jew. His room was adjacent to the entrance of the Jew's home. The Jew spitefully always deposited garbage and filth in Maalik's entrance. Even his musalla would at times be soiled. This continued for a long period, but Maalik Ibn Naadir never complained.

One day the Jew came and said: "Does the garbage I deposit in front of your room not distress you?"

Maalik: "It does distress me, but I wash and clean the place."

Jew: "Why do you tolerate so much distress?"

Maalik: "Allah has promised substantial reward for those who contain their anger and forgive people".

Jew: "Truly, your Deen is beautiful. It commands toleration of even hardships presented by enemies."

The Jew was so affected by the beautiful conduct of Maalik Ibn Dinaar that he embraced Islam.

For further details on this, see:

"SCATTERED PEARLS-SELECTED SAYINGS AND ANECDOTES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AULIYA", by

Mujlisul Ulama of South-Africa.

A PIECE OF CAKE

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 12:18:10 +0000

A son confided in his mother how "everything" is going wrong. Work, family problems, health problems, problems with friends, etc.

In the meanwhile, as they were discussing, she was baking a cake. She asked her son if he would like a snack, which, of course, he did.

"Here, have some cooking oil."

*"Yuck"* says the son.

"How about a couple raw eggs?"

"Gross, Ma!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Ma, those are all yucky!" I cant believe you offering me all those things and I am so stressed. You making it worse!

To which Mum replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

Allah works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times.

Allah knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!

We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"

(رسالة الحق)

*LESSONS*

1. Trust in Allah and turn to Him for He is the Ultimate Being who controls the universe.

*Let Allah make the situation better, you don’t make it bitter!*

2. When conditions come, we should engage more in good deeds, rather than complaining, which ultimately will be of no benefit.

*Maybe, the more difficult the road, the more valuable the destination!*

3. We look at life from a telescope, not an aerial view. Basing our actions on a one-sided view may be detrimental.

*The further an arrow is pulled back, the faster and further it will fly!*

*MAY ALLAH MAKE IT EASY FOR THE ENTIRE UMMAH.*

آمين

Pearls Of Wisdom💎

Source unknown

Faith can move mountains...

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 17:29:25 +0000

Faith can move mountains...

Beautiful story!! This brought tears down my eyes this morning...!!! Its worth a read.

Allah is Faithful! - The Best article I've Read This Year!

In the country of Armenia, in 1988, Samuel and Danielle sent their young son, Armand, off to school. Samuel squatted before his son and looked him in the eye. "Have a good day at school, and remember, no matter what, I’ll always be there for you." They hugged and the boy ran off to school.

Hours later, a powerful earthquake rocked the area. In the midst of the pandemonium, Samuel and Danielle tried to discover what happened to their son but they couldn’t get any information. The radio announced that there were thousands of casualties. Samuel then grabbed his coat and headed for the schoolyard. When he reached the area, what he saw brought tears to his eyes. Armand’s school was a pile of debris. Other parents were standing around crying.

Samuel found the place where Armand’s classroom used to be and began pulling a broken beam off the pile of rubble. He then grabbed a rock and put it to the side, and then grabbed another one.

One of the parents looking on asked, "What are you doing?" "Digging for my son," Samuel answered. The man then said, "You’re just going to make things worse! The building is unstable," and tried to pull Samuel away from his work.

Samuel just kept working. As time passes on, one by one, the other parents left. Then a worker tried to pull Samuel away from the rubble. Samuel looked at him and said, "Won’t you help me?" The worker left and Samuel kept digging.

All through the night and into the next day, Samuel continued digging. Parents placed flowers and pictures of their children on the ruins. But, Samuel just kept working. He picked up a beam and pushed it out of the way when he heard a faint cry. "Help! Help!" Samuel listened but didn’t hear anything again. Then he heard a muffled voice, "Papa?"

Samuel began to dig furiously. Finally he could see his son. "Come on out, son!" he said with relief.
"No," Armand said. "Let the other kids come out first because I know you’ll get me." Child after child emerged until, finally, little Armand appeared. Samuel took him in his arms and Armand said, "I told the other kids not to worry because you told me that you’d always be there for me!"

Fourteen children were saved that day because one father was faithful.

How much more faithful is our Allah Almighty! Whether trapped by fallen debris or ensnared by life’s hardships and struggles and diseases such as Covid 19, we are never cut off from Allah’s faithfulness. He is true to His character. He is reliable and trustworthy and can always be counted on.

Trust Allah to the end. Don't break the chain of this story by reading alone, you might be encouraging someone. Encourage someone, pick up someone, lend a helping hand, keep your word, always. Lead by example so that people know who to trust....

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 09:49:22 +0000

There was once a pious man, living with his family in the wilderness. They had a dog, donkey and rooster. The rooster would awaken them for salaah, the donkey would be used to carry their water and grain etc., and the dog would guard and protect them.

One day, a fox arrived and snatched away the rooster, causing his family to grieve over its loss. However, since the man was a pious man, his response was, “Perhaps there is some good in what transpired.”

After some time had passed, a wolf arrived and attacked the donkey, splitting open its belly and killing it. They grieved over the loss of the donkey, but the pious man once again responded saying, “Perhaps there is some good in what transpired.”

Sometime later, the dog also died, and once again, the pious man’s response was, “Perhaps there is some good in what transpired.”

Thereafter, they awoke one morning to find that during the night, all the people living in the nearby vicinity had been captured (and taken into slavery).

The reason for this was that the people who had raided the area had been able to find those people and capture them, in the darkness, due to the noise that their animals had made. As for this household, since they had no animals to make noise, they had remained undetected and were thus saved from being captured. (Musannaf Ibni Abi Shaibah #36024)

Lesson:

A true believer is always pleased with the decree and decision of Allah Ta‘ala. Never will he complain against Allah Ta‘ala or ask questions such as, “But why me? Could Allah Ta‘ala not find someone else? Have I not been through enough?”

Rather, a true believer will trust in Allah Ta‘ala and believe that Allah Ta‘ala, in His infinite knowledge, knows best. There is definitely some wisdom in the decision of Allah Ta‘ala, even if we cannot comprehend the wisdom.

Hence, what seems to be a calamity is often a blessing in disguise, although we may not realize it at the time. Thus, in hardships and adversities, we must trust in Allah Ta‘ala, turn to Him and hold onto sabr (patience and steadfastness).

uswatulmuslimah

The story of Prophet Ayub Alaihis Salam

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 09:57:31 +0000

The Story of Prophet Ayub علیه السلام and the hardships he faced

1. Ayub (Alayhi Salam) was the prophet of Allah during the era between Musa and Yaqub (Alayhimus Salam) which was between 1300-1500 B.C. [1] Some scholars are of the opinion that he was originally Roman from the bloodline of Ibrahim (Alayhi Salam) whilst others say he was an Arab. It is also mentioned that his mother was the daughter of Lut (Alayhi Salam). Allah Taala blessed him with abundant wealth land, livestock, slaves and many children etc.

Allah tested Ayub (Alayhi Salam) by taking away everything he had to such an extent that even his health was taken away from him. Historians and commentators write that not a single limb of Ayub (Alayhi Salam) was safe from disease except his tongue and his heart through which he would remember Allah Taala.

Difficulties worsened to such an extent that people cut their ties with him due to his illness and had him expelled from the city to a place outside the city. The only person that was there to support him was his wife, Rahmah bint Ifrahim.

Despite all the difficulties, Ayub (Alayhi Salam) was patient, persevering, and grateful. [3]He was also constantly engrossed in the remembrance of Allah Taala day and night. It was after years of forbearance and difficulty that Ayub (Alayhi Salams) wife told him “oh Ayub why don’t you ask Allah to help you”. He replied “I lived for seventy years in prosperity why shouldn’t I be patient for the sake of Allah for seventy years.” It was after this that Ayub (Alayhi Salam) made the following dua which is in the Quraan: [4]

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

And when Ayub (Alayhi Salam) prayed to his Rabb saying, “Difficulty has certainly afflicted me and You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy”. (Surah Ambiya-83)

Allah Taala mentions in the Quraan how Ayub (Alayhi Salam) was healed:

ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ

(Allah Taala said) Strike your foot on the ground (Allah Taala caused a spring to gush out) This is cool water for bathing and drinking (after which you will be cured) (Surah Saad-42)

Allah Taala then mentions:

وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِنَّا وَذِكْرَى لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ

(After curing him)We gifted him with his family and as many of them in addition (twice as many) As a mercy from Us and a reminder for the people of intelligence (to remind them that Allah rewards the patient ones and restores their losses.(Surah Saad-43)

Lessons from the story of Ayub (Alayhi Salam):

a. Allah tests those that are close to him to elevate their ranks.

b. It is easy to thank Allah Taala in the state of prosperity, but praising and remembering Allah during difficulties and accepting his decree is most beloved to Allah and draws his mercy.

c. No matter the situation, one should never be despondent of the mercy of Allah.

d. Being thankful and humble during prosperity and being steadfast and patient during difficulty are two great bounties a person can have and inculcate.[5]

2. It is advisable to recite the dua of Ayub (Alayhi Salam) when faced with difficulties.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

قصص القران مولانا حفظ الرحمان سهاروى ص557 دار الاشاعت [1]

[2] عن أبي عبيدة بن حذيفة، عن عمته، قالت: أصاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، حمى شديدة فأمر بسقاء فعلق بشجرة ثم اضطجع تحته فجعل يقطر على فؤاده قال: «إن أشد الناس بلاء الأنبياء، ثم الأمثل فالأمثل (النسئي-7440(

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها، قالت: «ما رأيت أحدا أشد عليه الوجع من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم»(بخارى-5646(

إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ(سورة ص-44)[3]

البداية و النهاية ص262 دار ابن كثير[4]

[5] قصص القران مولانا حفظ الرحمان سهاروى ص566 دار الاشاعت

3 Inspirational Short Stories

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 08:25:54 +0000

3 Inspirational Short Stories

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) sometimes narrated stories of previous people to the companions.

Of course, all these stories were facts and not made up, and the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam didn’t narrate them for entertainment but rather to learn lessons from them that we can apply to our own lives.

Here are three stories narrated by the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam that have come to us through authentically reported hadiths.

Story 1

A man bought a piece of land from another man, and the buyer found a jar filled with gold in the land. The buyer said to the seller:

‘Take your gold, as I bought only the land from you and not the gold.’

The owner of the land said: ‘I sold you the land with everything in it.’

So both of them took their case before a third man who asked:

‘Have you any children?’

One of them said, ‘I have a boy.’

The other said, ‘I have a girl.’

The man said, ‘Marry the girl to the boy and spend the money on them; and whatever remains give it in charity.’ (Bukhari and Muslim)

Look at the goodness of both these men. It’s usually the opposite – people quarrelling in order to take possession of wealth. Here the two men are arguing to give the other the unexpectedly found treasure-jar.

Story 2

There were two women, each had her child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them. One woman said to her companion:

‘The wolf has taken your son.’

The other said, ‘It has taken your son.’

So both of them took the dispute to Prophet Dawud Alayhi Salam who judged that the boy should be given to the older lady. Then they went to Prophet Sulaiman Alayhi Salam and put the case before him. Sulaiman Alayhi Salam said:

‘Give me a knife so that I may cut the child into two and give one half to each of you.’

The younger woman said, ‘Do not do so; may Allah bless you! He is her child.’ On that Prophet Sulaiman decided the case in favour of the younger woman.’ (Bukhari and Muslim)

Allah had blessed Sulaiman Alayhi Salam with great wisdom. He found a way of finding out who the real mother of the child is. The real mother was the one who was the most upset by the thought of cutting the child in half.

Story 3

A man (from amongst the people before you) said, ‘Indeed! I will give charity.’ So he took his charity out and placed it in a thief’s hand. In the morning the people were talking (about this incident) and saying:

‘Charity was given to a thief last night.’

The man said: ‘O Allah! Praise be to You. I have given charity to a thief. Indeed, I will give charity again!’

So he took his charity out and he placed it in a prostitute’s hand. In the morning the people were talking (about this incident) and saying:

‘Charity was given to a prostitute last night.’ On hearing this, the man said:

‘Praise be to You, O Allah! I gave Sadaqah to a prostitute. Indeed, I will give charity again!’

So he took his charity out and placed it in a rich man’s hand. In the morning the people were talking (about this incident) and saying: ‘Charity was given to a rich man last night.’

The man said, ‘O Allah! Praise be to You (for helping me) give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich man.’

Then he had a dream in which he was told that his charity to the thief might result in his refraining from his theft, his charity to the prostitute might help her abstain from her immorality, and his charity to the rich man might help him pay heed and spend from what Allah had bestowed upon him. (Bukhari)

Sometimes the results of our good actions end up not quite like we expected. In such circumstances we mustn’t conclude that our deeds have gone to waste, because we can never fully fathom the intricacies of Allah’s plans.

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Council of Muslim Theologians

A Clean Heart Draws Divine Assistance

Fri, 24 Aug 2018 14:25:10 +0000

A Clean Heart Draws Divine Assistance

Shaikh Abur Rabee’ (rahimahullah) relates the following incident:

I once heard of a very pious lady by the name of Fidh-dhah who lived in a certain village. This woman, Fidh-dhah, was rapidly gaining fame as word of an amazing phenomenon among people. Although we do not visit women, due to the necessity to investigate and ascertain the reality and authenticity of this rumour, I took a group of people and travelled to her village.

On arriving in the village and making enquiries, the people of the village informed us that Fidh-dhah possessed a female goat that yielded both milk and honey. Hearing this, we bought a brand new bowl and proceeded to her home.

On arriving, we greeted her with salaam and said, “We wish to witness the barakah (blessing) of your goat.” Fidh-dhah obliged and gave the goat to us. After receiving the goat, we began milking it and as it was reputed, both milk and honey flowed from the teats of the goat!

After enjoying the milk and honey, we asked Fidh-dhah to tell us the secret to the special barakah (blessing) she and her family enjoyed from the goat. In response, she mentioned the following story:

There was a time when we were very poor and possessed nothing except a small she goat. When ‘Eidul Adha arrived, my husband, who was a pious man, said to me, “We own nothing except this she goat. Let us sacrifice it for ‘Eid in the name of Allah Ta‘ala.” I replied, “Don’t slaughter it as we need it. Allah Ta‘ala has not made it necessary for us to sacrifice an animal for ‘Eid in circumstances of such poverty.”

Coincidentally, a guest arrived on that very Day of ‘Eid and we had no food with which to entertain him. I thus said to my husband, “Allah Ta‘ala has instructed us to honour our guests by entertaining them and seeing to their comfort. Let us slaughter this she goat for our guest.” As my husband prepared to slaughter the goat, I said to him, “You should slaughter it outside the house, behind the wall, so that the sight of its slaughter does not distress our children and cause them to cry.”

My husband thus took the goat and made his way out of the yard to slaughter it. However, while he was meant to be slaughtering it, I saw the goat jump onto the wall and re-enter the yard. Thinking that the goat had escaped, I went outside and saw that my husband had already slaughtered our goat and was now in the process of skinning it! I exclaimed to him, “How strange! Another she goat, resembling our own, has entered our yard!” Hearing this, my husband said, “Perhaps Allah Ta‘ala has granted us a goat which is better.”

Whereas our first goat yielded only milk, this second goat yields both milk and honey! This special barakah which we enjoy was granted to us on account of us honouring our guest.

Fidh-dhah then advised saying, “This goat grazes in the pasture of the heart. If you sow goodness and righteousness in your hearts, it will graze on good and its milk will accordingly be wholesome and good. Conversely, spoiling your hearts and filling them with filth and muck causes the milk of the goat to spoil and turn bad. Therefore, ensure that you guard your hearts from evil, then everything will be of benefit to you.”

(Rowdhur Rayyaaheen pg. 93)

Lessons:

1. Honouring the guest is not only a command of sharee‘ah, but is also a means of securing tremendous barakah (blessings) in one’s life and home.

2. When a person sacrifices something that is dear to him for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala, then Allah Ta‘ala most certainly rewards him with something far better.

3. The heart is the ‘nucleus’ of the entire body. If the heart is filled with piety and righteousness, then acts of piety and righteousness will emanate from the limbs of the body. If the heart is contaminated with sin and evil, then the limbs will carry out acts of sin, immorality and shamelessness. Hence, to get all the limbs of the body under control, one will have to make an effort to purify the heart.

Al-Haadi