ummtaalib

Muharram: The Month of Allah During certain blessed moments and places, we are given a wealth of opportunities to seek the mercy, love and blessings of Allah. These moments, particularly the ‘sacred months’, have been specially selected by Allah as the best times to worship Him and attain His proximity. From among these sacred months, we recently witnessed the month of Dhul Ḥijjah. We are yet again fortunate to witness another blessed month; a chance for us to begin the New Islamic Year with good deeds, righteous intentions and praiseworthy resolutions. The Four Sacred Months Regarding the sacred months, Allah said in the Noble Qur’ān: “Indeed, the [ordained] number of the months according to Allah is twelve [lunar] months, [as was decreed] in the [Preserved Heavenly] Book of Allah on the day He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred. That is the upright religion so do not wrong yourselves in them.” (9:36) These four months are Dhul Qaʿdah, Dhul Ḥijjah, Muḥarram and Rajab. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The year is twelve months of which four are sacred: the three consecutive months of Dhul Qaʿdah, Dhul Ḥijjah, Muḥarram, and Rajab of Muḍar (named after the tribe of Muḍar as they used to respect this month) which occurs between Jumād (al-Ākhirah) and Shaʿbān.” (Bukhārī 4406, Muslim 1679) The specific mention of these four months does not mean that other months are not sacred, because the month of Ramaḍān is unanimously the most sacred month in the year. But these four months were specifically termed as sacred months because even the Pagans of Makkah observed their sacredness, following in the footsteps of their forefather Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām). Despite their frequent tribal battles and regular wrangling, they deemed it unlawful to fight in these months. The sacredness of these four months was established right from the day Allah created the universe. The Magnitude of Actions during the Sacred Months Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ʿanhumā) said, “The phrase ‘so do not wrong yourselves in them’ refers to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred – thus sins in these months are more serious, and good deeds bring a greater reward.” In regards to the phrase “so do not wrong yourselves in them,” Qatādah (raḥimahullāh) said, “Wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and incurs a greater burden of sin than in other months. Wrongdoing is a serious matter in any circumstances, but Allah makes whatever He wills of His commands carry more weight.” He further said, “Allah has selected the elite from His creation: from the angels He selected Messengers; from mankind He selected Messengers; from speech He selected dhikr (His remembrance); from the spaces on earth He selected the Masājid; from the months He selected Ramaḍān and the sacred months…So, venerate that which has been venerated by Allah, for the people of understanding and wisdom venerate that which Allah had venerated.” (Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh)) Start the Year on a Good Note Whether it is the beginning and end of the day or the beginning and end of the year, these beginnings and ends constantly remind us of our own beginning and end. It gives us a chance to reflect and ponder on our inevitable death, make amends and firm resolutions. Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) said, “(Two of the) sacred months mark an end and the beginning of the Islamic Year: therefore, whoever fasts in Dhul Ḥijjah (excluding the prohibited days) and in Muḥarram has ended and started the year in worship. It is thus hoped that the entire year will be recorded as worship, as whoever starts any action with worship and ends it in worship, will be considered to have been in a state of worship between both of these times.” Why is Muharram Special? Along with being from among the sacred months, Muḥarram has other characteristics which are exclusive to it. They include: 1. The only month known as the ‘Month of Allah’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ described Muḥarram as the “Month of Allah”. (Muslim 1163) The virtue and honour of this month can be attested to by the fact that it is the only month attributed to the name of Allah. A virtue which is exclusive to it. Ibn Rajab said, “Such an attribution is only made by Allah to the elite of His creation, such as the attribution of the Prophets to Himself as His slaves, and the attribution of the House (Kaʿbah) and the Camel to Himself.” 2. The best month to fast after Ramaḍān The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The best fasting after Ramaḍān is the sacred month of Allah (Muḥarram).” (Muslim 1163) Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) said, “The above ḥadīth makes it clear that the most virtuous optional fasts after Ramaḍān are the fasts of Muḥarram. And given that Allah attributed fasting, amongst all acts of worship, to Himself [saying, “It is Mine, and I Myself will give reward for it.”] it was suitable that this month, which is also ascribed to Allah, be selected for this particular form of worship. 3. It contains within it the Day of ʿĀshūrā’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Fasting the day of ʿĀshūrā’, I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it.” (Muslim 1162) For the virtues of ʿĀshūrā’, click here. What to Do in Muharram Below are a few things which you can do to make the most of this blessed month: Make duʿā’, especially while fasting. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There are three prayers that are not rejected: the prayer of a father for his child, the prayer of the fasting person and the prayer of the traveller.” (Tirmidhī 1905) To learn how to make du‘ā’ along with the du‘ās from the Qur’ān and Sunnah, download our free publication ‘I Am Near’. Recite and reflect over the Qur’ān. Make realistic targets which best suit your commitments, but aim to recite the Qur’ān daily. This may be a full chapter or even a few pages. Along with recitation, take time out to reflect and ponder over the message of the Qur’ān. Do dhikr abundantly. Make an intention to learn the Sunnah adhkār, especially the morning and evening adhkār, the adhkār after ṣalāh and of sleeping and the adhkār for general actions. Download a free copy of ‘Daily Adhkār’. Give in charity. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Spend in charity and do not count it, lest Allah counts it against you. Do not hoard it, lest Allah withholds from you.” (Muslim 1029) May Allah make this year our best year and the days of this year our best days; both individually and collectively as an Ummah. Āmīn. Source

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) stated: “Every religion has a special characteristic, and the special characteristic of Islam is haya.” But what exactly is haya? Haya is an Arabic word that is often inadequately translated as ‘modesty’ and most people confine this to mean dressing appropriately in public, not speaking out of turn or even just staying quiet at all times. This is a great injustice to the concept of haya which holds a central place in Islam and is one of its salient features. The most comprehensive definition of haya I have come across has been mentioned by Shaykh Saleem Dhorat in his foreword to The Path to Paradise: “In reality, haya is the cornerstone of a Muslim’s character and regulates how he conducts himself in private and public, in his dealings with Allah and with the creation. It creates a realisation that Allah is fully aware of all that one does, says or thinks, and deters one from engaging in acts that are displeasing and vulgar.” Abdullah ibn Masud relates that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) once said: “Be modest before Allah, as is his due. We said: ‘“O Messenger of Allah, we are modest and praise Allah.” He said: “This is not so. Modesty before Allah means protecting the head and all that is in it; and protecting the stomach and all that is inside it. Furthermore, you should remember death and decay, for one whose eyes are set on the Hereafter keeps away from worldliness. One who accomplishes all of this is one who is modest before Allah the Exalted.” [Tirmidhi] Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring the deeper meanings of this profound narration. Below is a brief summary: Protecting the Head The first directive in the above-mentioned hadith is not restricted to merely saving the head from physical ailments. Rather, it includes protection from every evil and all that is forbidden in the Shariah. For example, our heads must not bow before anyone other than Allah; our eyes should not look at anything unlawful; our ears should not hear anything prohibited and our tongues should not engage in any sins such as lying, backbiting, quarrelling and divulging secrets. This broad directive also includes maintaining the appearance of the head and face in accordance with the Qur’an and Sunnah so we do not resemble the opposite gender or those of other religions. Protecting the Stomach Man has an inclination to acquire as much wealth as possible and by any means. The lust for money is unending: the more we earn, the more we desire; and in pursuit of accumulating the maximum wealth, we can fail to discern between the lawful and the unlawful. Refraining from pursuing unlawful income is a further characteristic of modesty before Allah. This means we do not engage in any form of usury, gambling, bribery or usurpation. Remembering Death The constant mindfulness of death and the events of the Hereafter prevent us from sinning and draws us towards performing acts of worship. Why? It makes us indifferent to this world. With full devotion and concentration we can experience delight through worship because we know we may not get another opportunity. Death is an undeniable reality and comes without any warning. All other issues are subject to dispute, people even differ on the concept of God and the workings of the universe, but no one can dare deny death. In short, haya is a characteristic trait that causes one to abandon all that is shameless and repugnant, and prevents one from neglecting the rights of every rightful owner. May Allah allow us to inculcate the true essence of haya in our lives. Whitethreadpress

Moosa bin Abi ‘Isa (rahimahullah) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “What will be your condition (O Ummah!), when your youth will sin openly, and your womenfolk will transgress (the limits of the sharee‘ah)?” (Hearing this,) the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) exclaimed, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Will that actually transpire (i.e. will such dire times actually dawn upon the Ummah)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Yes, and even worse (will occur)!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “What will be your condition (O Ummah!) when you will not command with righteousness and forbid from evil?” (Hearing this,) the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) exclaimed, “Will that actually transpire (i.e. will this Ummah ever reach such a pitiable state)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Yes, and even worse (will occur)!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “What will be your condition (O Ummah!) when you will regard evil to be good, and good to be evil?” [Al-Zuhd libnil Mubaarak #1376] In the hadeeth above, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) forewarned the Ummah of three levels of evil that will face them close to Qiyaamah. The first level of evil is where the youth of the Ummah will begin to sin openly, and the womenfolk of the Ummah will transgress all bounds of the sharee‘ah. This is undoubtedly apparent at present, as we see many Muslim youth, on a daily basis, committing sins openly and brazenly, without any qualms, such as driving around while blasting music from their vehicles, dating openly, etc. Similarly, the condition of the Muslim women of the Ummah has deteriorated drastically with the degradation of hayaa and modesty. Hence, many Muslim women feel no shame in casually interacting and communicating with non-mahram men, and leaving the home while dressed attractively with their faces and hair open. The second level of evil is where people will neglect commanding with good and forbidding from evil. Unfortunately, this has also become rife and apparent. For example, many parents are aware that their sons and daughters are dating and are involved in zina, yet they turn a blind eye. Similarly, many people will not wish to correct and advise the next person as they will fear that their relationship with that person may be spoiled. Hence, many people will neglect their Deeni obligation in favour of preserving their friendships and relationships with people. The third level of evil is where people will begin to regard good as evil, and evil as good. Most lamentably, this evil is also clear in today’s times. When those who have love for Deen in their hearts fulfil their Deeni obligation of commanding with righteousness and forbidding from evil, then others criticize them, speak against them and accuse them of being intolerant and unaccommodating. When pious women wish to observe purdah and refrain from attending mixed functions, then they are criticized for ‘breaking family ties’. These are just two examples of the good being viewed as the evil. However, equally dangerous is where evil is viewed as good. Hence, we find that while people would previously acknowledge that dating and premarital relationships are haraam, and if any person was involved in such a relationship, he would not justify it – yet nowadays people actively encourage it! There are even certain parents who insist that the boy and girl must meet and date before marriage in order to ‘get to know each other’ (innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji‘oon). Similar to this is the case of LGBTQ+ relationships. While this filthy concept has always been haraam in Islam and always disgusted Muslims – it is only now that certain "Muslims" are claiming that they have the right to indulge in this filth, and they demand that they must be accommodated, accepted and supported for ‘what they are’. Therefore, the time has come where evil is no longer viewed as evil, and good is no longer viewed as good. This is one of the most dangerous of evils of all, as regarding halaal to be haraam and haraam to be halaal can cause a person to lose their imaan and leave the fold of Islam. Even in the case where a person does not lose their imaan, they will never engage in taubah and repent on account of them not regarding the wrong to be evil. As a result, they will have to face the severe consequences for their actions in the Hereafter. We beg Allah Ta‘ala to safeguard us and our progenies from these evils, Aameen. Uswatul Muslimah

.بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِيْ لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيْمُ (3x) In the Name of Allah, with whose Name nothing can harm in the earth nor in the sky. He is The All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Bismi-llāhi-lladhī lā yaḍurru maʿasmihi shay’un fi-l-arḍi wa lā fi-s-samā’, wa Huwa-s-Samīʿu-l-ʿAlīm. Abān b. ʿUthmān narrated from ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who mentioned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no servant who says [the above] three times every morning and evening, except that nothing will harm him.” Abān himself had been afflicted with a form of paralysis, so the man began to look at him. Abān said to him: “Why do you look at me? The ḥadīth is as I have narrated it to you, except that I did not recite it one day, and Allah brought about His decree upon me.” (Tirmidhī 3388) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] three times (in the evening), they will not be afflicted by a sudden calamity till the morning. And whoever says it three times in the morning, they will not be afflicted with a sudden calamity until the evening.” (Abū Dāwūd 5088) Brief Commentary • This duʿā’ begins by saying, “In the Name of Allah” but does not specify what we are saying it for. • In Arabic there is always a verb implied with “bismillāh.” For example, when we say bismillāh before eating, it means “In the name of Allah, I begin eating.” Similarly, when we say bismillāh before reciting, it means “In the name of Allah, I begin reciting.” Each time we say bismillāh, there is a verb implied based on the context. • In this duʿā’, we are implying, “In the name of Allah I seek refuge”. • In this duʿā’, we are not seeking refuge or help from Allah directly, but we are seeking it with His Name. Such is the magnificence of Allah, that even His Name alone is sufficient for protection! • With the protection of Allah’s Name, nothing in the earth can harm you, whether it is a human, jinn, animal, electronic device, or anything else. • With the protection of Allah’s Name, nothing in the sky can harm you, whether it is rain, wind, hurricane, lightning, or anything else. • Allah is ‘The All-Hearing’: He can hear all voices at the same time, no matter how low the voice is, and whatever language it is in. He hears it, understands it, and responds to it if it is calling Him. All these meanings are encompassed within this Name. Allah is ‘The All-Knowing’: He knows everything, whether hidden or apparent; whether past, present, or future. Action Points • Allah’s Name is great, so utter it before you begin any matter (e.g. leaving/entering the house; before eating, before using the bathroom and doing wūḍū; before undressing etc.) • When reciting this duʿā’, ensure your heart’s presence and its humility, whilst mentioning Allah’s most Beautiful Names. Be conscious of the Almighty’s greatness, so that you can truly benefit from this duʿā’. • Contemplate over Allah’s names, for Allah is ‘The All-Hearing’, so He hears you whilst you recite this duʿā’, and He is ‘The All-Knowing’, so He knows your need when you are reciting this duʿā’. • Imām al-Qurṭubī writes, “This is an authentic narration, and a true statement based upon textual evidence and experience. Since I heard it, I acted upon it so nothing harmed me until I left it. I was stung by a scorpion at night, and when I pondered over this, I realised I had forgotten to say this duʿā’ that night.” source

Large-scale military campaign on Jenin Israel has launched a large-scale military campaign in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin early Monday, conducting air strikes on several buildings as armoured vehicles advanced towards its refugee camp. At least five Palestinians were killed and 28 wounded, with seven in serious condition, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Medics say casualties are likely much higher but paramedics aren't able to reach some areas because Israeli bulldozers are blocking them. The operation started around 1 am local time (11 pm GMT) when several homes in Jenin were bombed from the air. At least 15 air strikes have been carried out since, according to Israeli news website Ynet. The Israeli military said in a statement it was conducting a "focused" and "extensive counterterrorism effort" in the Jenin area. Military Spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters they "did not come to occupy the refugee camp" and that the operation was not targeting Palestinian Authority (PA). A military source said more than 1,000 soldiers are involved in the operation, including members of the army and the air force, according to Israeli news website Walla. The Jenin Brigades, the most prominent armed ground in the city established in 2021, said in a statement it was responding with a counter operation aimed at stopping the Israeli advance into Jenin. Middle East Eye (@middleeasteye) • Instagram photos and videos

Istikhharah - Your companion for life Everyday, we face decisions that lead us along different paths. Whilst some decisions may seem trivial like ordering food at a restaurant, other decisions can have serious consequences and life-long implications such as marriage or buying a property. The final messenger of Allah ﷺ came into this world to connect man to his Gracious Lord and taught us such a perfect way of life wherein the secrets of success in both this world and the hereafter are found. He taught mankind how to worship Allah, how to draw from his infinite treasures and from amongst his wonderful teachings was the unique act of istikhara. Unfortunately, today istikhara has been made as difficult as the decision one wishes to make. For some, istikhara is something beyond their spiritual capacity to carry out and for others it is a detour, leaving them lost in an overemphasis and over-interpretation of dreams, signs and inspirations. Literally, isitkhara is to seek goodness, but in the terminology of Islam it refers to a specific prayer that underlies the relationship between man and his Lord, a relationship that speaks of utter dependance. Istikhara entails performing two rak’at of prayer and thereafter beseeching Allah to guide one to make the most favourable and advantageous decision. The exact supplication is found in a narration of Bukhari wherein Jabir reports: The messenger of Allah ﷺ would teach us to make istikhara concerning all matters in the same way he would teach us a sura from the Qur’an. He would say, “When any of you wishes to take up any task, he should perform two rak’at of nafl prayer. He should then say in supplication: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ O Allah, I seek the good from You through Your knowledge, and I seek ability from You, through Your power, and I ask You from Your great bounty. For surely You have power, and I have not; You know all and I know not, and You are the Most Knowledgeable of the unseen. O Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter is good for me with regards to my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affair then ordain it for me, facilitate it for me, and bless me therein. But if in Your knowledge, this matter is bad for me with regards to my religion, my livelihood and the outcome of my affair, then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and ordain for me good wherever it may be, and make me pleased with it.” When reaching the words هَذَا الْأَمْرَ one should think about the matter they are seeking a decision for. Below is a summary adapted from ‘Istikhara: In The Light Of The Sunnah’ which concisely address how to engage with one’s istikhara and dispels common misconceptions: The essence of istikhara is that one is thereby handing his matter over to Allah, and placing all trust in him. When one makes istikhara, one gains satisfaction in Allah’s decisions for him. This imbibes in one the attribute of always being pleased with Allah’s will. It is not necessary to perform istikhara before sleeping, although it was the practice of some saints. It is not necessary to see a dream in response to one’s istikhara. However, if someone is used to seeing true dreams, it is likely his dream will be true. The inclination or feeling that one finds after istikhara is not necessarily part of the istikhara. Those used to receiving divine inspirations may regard their inclination to be such. Others should not pay attention to such feelings. It is best to perform as many rak’at as possible before reciting the supplication.The performance of at least two rak’at is a sunnah of istikhara. Istikhara can be performed by merely reciting the supplication without performing any salah or can also be recited after any fard prayer. Istikhara is a form of du’a so it can be performed until the task is accomplished. To perform it at least three times is the best. Once may also suffice. After having performed istikhara, there is no problem in consulting with anyone about the issue under concern. Such consultation is called mushurah, which in itself is a sunnah. The shortest form of istikhara is ْ اَللّهُمَّ خِرْ لِيْ وَاخْتَرْ لِي (O Allah, choose and select for me [the better one]) which is also very useful for on the spot decisions one has to make The messenger of (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Let everyone of you ask his needs from his Lord, ask him even for salt, and for a shoelace when it breaks.” [Tirmidhi] May Allah allow us to adopt this nobel practise in every aspect of our lives White Thread Press

Actions to Attain the Reward of Hajj How many times have you performed ḥajj? How many times would you have liked to perform ḥajj? Although nothing compares to physically performing ḥajj, Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) from His kindness and sheer generosity has provided us with the opportunity to receive the reward of ḥajj without actually performing it. Even though we cannot visit His Sacred House and be physically present in the inimitable atmosphere of ʿArafah and ḥajj, we can still hope to obtain similar rewards inshā’Allah by performing the following actions: 1. Fajr in congregation, dhikr until sunrise followed by two rakahs The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever offers Fajr in congregation and remains seated, engaging in the remembrance of Allah until the sun has risen, and then offers two rakʿahs, he will have a reward equal to that of performing ḥajj and ʿumrah.” He ﷺ said: “Complete, complete, complete (i.e. complete reward)” (Tirmidhī). The scholars have also stated that this reward is equally applicable to a woman (praying at home) who sits in the place where she performs Fajr and remembers Allah or recites the Qur’ān until sunrise. 2. Salah in congregation The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever leaves his house having purified himself for the compulsory prayer, his reward is like the reward of the pilgrim in iḥrām…” (Abū Dāwūd). 3. Going to the Masjid to learn or teach The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever goes to the Masjid, only intending to learn some good or teach it, he will have the reward of a complete ḥajj.” (Ṭabarānī) In the past, people would travel far and wide to seek knowledge. Now, even though we have scholars and classes on our doorsteps, we struggle to devote time to attending lectures and classes in the Masjid. Let us change this by seeking knowledge in the Houses of Allah. 4. Financing someone’s hajj The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever equips a warrior, or finances a pilgrim or takes care of his family in his absence, or provides ifṭār for the fasting person, he will have the same reward as them, without their reward being diminished at all.” (Ibn Khuzaymah) 5. Tasbih, tahmid and takbir after salah Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: Some poor people came to the Prophet ﷺ and they said: “The wealthy have taken the higher ranks and permanent bliss: they pray like we pray, they fast like we fast; but they have more money through which they perform ḥajj, ʿumrah, jihād and charity.” He ﷺ said: “Shall I not inform you of a matter which if you hold on to, you will catch up with those who have outdone you; and nobody after you will be able to catch up with you, and you would be the best of those amongst the people around you – except for the one who does the same as you: say Subḥanallāh, Alḥamdulillāh and Allāhu Akbar thirty-three times after each ṣalāh” (Bukhārī). Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) wrote: “Thus, he (ʿazza wa jall) made dhikr a substitution for the ḥajj, ʿumrah and jihād they had missed out on; and informed them that they would surpass them with this dhikr.” 6. Umrah in Ramadan The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “…Inform her that (performing ʿumrah in Ramaḍān) is equivalent to performing ḥajj with me.” (Abū Dāwūd) 7. A genuine intention to perform hajj Make a genuine intention in your heart that if Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) gave you the means, you would travel to His House and perform ḥajj. If Allah (subḥānahū wa ta‘ālā) sees that your intention is sincere, He will grant you the reward of a complete ḥajj. This is similar to what the Prophet ﷺ said about the companions (radiy Allāhū ‘anhum) who were unable to join them in the Battle of Tabūk: “Indeed there are some people in Madīnah: you did not travel any portion of the journey nor did you cross any valley except that they were with you.” The companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah, whilst they are in Madīnah?” He replied: “Whilst they are in Madīnah. A (genuine) excuse held them back.” (Bukhārī) Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) explains that those who remain behind due to a valid excuse partake in the reward of those who perform the journey: يا راحلين إلى البيت العتيق لقد سرتم جسوما وسرنا نحن أرواحا إنا أقمنا على عذر وقد رحلوا ومن أقام على عذر كمن راحا Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) goes on to say that whilst some of Allah’s servants physically travel to His house, there are some servants who travel to Allah with their hearts. These individuals may surpass the ones physically travelling to His House, due to their sincerity and determination. Note: These acts do not absolve one from the farḍ ḥajj, nor are they entirely equal to physically performing ḥajj. The reward for physically doing an act (e.g. ḥajj) is multiplied ten times and more in accordance to the sincerity, time, sacrifice, costs and other deeds that accompany it. May Allah make us from those who always long, mentally and spiritually, to visit His Sacred House. May we never be deprived from the mercy that surrounds it. And may our actions be a means of securing the same rewards as the fortunate pilgrims who visit it every year. lifewithallah

Israel used Apache attack helicopters in the occupied West Bank for the first time in over 20 years during its Monday morning raid on Jenin, which killed at least six Palestinians and wounded 91. The use of the US helicopter, made by aerospace company Boeing, is significant because of the heavy ordinance it carries and because Israeli Apaches are not believed to have fired missiles inside of the occupied West Bank since 2002, during the days of the Second Intifada. While Israel regularly launches air strikes on Gaza, the use of heavily armed attack helicopters in what is essentially a residential zone is a profound sign of increased Israeli military aggression. The security situation in the occupied West Bank has been deteriorating for some time, with Israel launching repeated incursions into Jenin over the last year. At least eight Israeli soldiers are believed to have been wounded in Monday morning’s raid, which went on for several hours. Middle East Eye (@middleeasteye) • Instagram photos and videos

Just as the recitation of the Qur’ān is the hallmark of Ramaḍān, dhikr is the hallmark of the blessed days of Dhul Ḥijjah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “There are no days greater in the sight of Allah, or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him than these 10 days. So recite a great deal of tahlīl (لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ), takbīr (اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ) and taḥmīd ( اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ”) (Aḥmad). We should repeat takbīr in the masjids, in the homes and in the streets. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar and Abū Hurayrah (radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) would go out in the marketplaces and recite takbīr loudly in these 10 days. Upon hearing them, the people would follow in suit and recite takbīr. Along with this, the takbīrāt of tashrīq (اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا إِلٰهَ إلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ وَللهِ الْحَمْدُ) are to be recited audibly after each farḍ ṣalāh by both men and women, starting from the Fajr of the 9th of Dhul Ḥijjah till the ʿAṣr of the 13th Dhul Ḥijjah. In these blessed days, we should also be consistent with the daily dhikr prescribed by our beloved Messenger of Allah ﷺ, such as the morning and evening adhkār, the adhkār before sleeping and the adhkār after ṣalāh. To gain the full benefit of dhikr in these blessed days, it is important to understand the meaning of these short yet comprehensive words. Let us utter them with a deep reflection on the Perfect Names and Attributes of Allah, and His creation, so that we can increase our īmān in Him, and in our love and awe of Him. Ibn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes, “The heedless one says سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ out of habit. As for the conscious one, he is constantly thinking about the wonders of creation, or the awesome nature of the Creator, and this thinking drives him to say سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ.Thus this tasbīḥ is the fruit of these thoughts, and this is the tasbīḥ of the conscious…” Tahlīl (لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ) The greatest statement ever uttered, the foundation of faith and the cornerstone of existence itself لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ. For it, the heavens and the earth were created. For it, thousands of messengers were sent. For it, the final hour will occur, the creation will be gathered and questioned, and then driven either into Hell or Paradise. When uttered sincerely, it leaves the realms of this earth and ascends to the Magnificent Throne of Allah. It is the guarantor of one’s ultimate success: its utterer will be saved from Hell, and will be guaranteed Paradise and the intercession of the Prophet ﷺ. ُلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ is the best form of remembering Allah (dhikr). It outweighs the seven heavens and the seven earths. On the Day of Judgement, it will outweigh all sins on the Scale. What Does لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ Mean? There is no god, deity or being which deserves to be worshipped and obeyed except Allah. It means to be a slave of Allah alone, and not of any another being, ideology, object or desire. With it, we profess Allah’s Lordship over all creation, and thereby His exclusive right to be worshipped alone. He Alone has the Most Perfect Names and Attributes. He is the King who has no partner, the One Who has no competitor, the Self-Sufficient Master who has no offspring, and there is nothing like Him. He is Unique; the First who was never preceded by non-existence and the Last who will never come to an end. How Do We Internalise لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ? To internalise لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ, we submit ourselves to Allah and worship Him alone. We fear none but Him and love none as much as Him. We depend only on Him, seek protection only with Him and invoke Him alone for help and forgiveness. We turn to Him alone for judgement in all matters. Our bowing, prostration and unyielding obedience is solely reserved for Him. Tasbih, Tahmid & Takbir سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ(tasbīḥ), اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ (taḥmīd), and اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (takbīr) are amongst the most beloved statements to Allah. Though easy to utter with our tongues, on the Day of Judgement, they will be heavy on the scales. They wipe away sins and lead to unparalleled reward. They cultivate the trees and plants of Paradise, and are a protection from the Hell-Fire. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Indeed what you remember of Allah’s Glory (by uttering) tasbīḥ, takbīr, tahlīl and taḥmīd, gather around the Throne of Allah, buzzing like bees, mentioning to Allah the person who uttered them. Do you not wish to have someone who mentions you by Him?” (Ibn Mājah). What Does سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ (Tasbih) Mean? سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ means to glorify Allah above any imperfection or deficiency i.e. Allah is free from all defects. Allah is the Most Glorified who has no partner or rival, who possesses every aspect of perfection, and whose actions are pure and free from evil. What Does اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ (Tahmid) mean? اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ is an expression that encompasses both: (1) Gratitude for what Allah has blessed us with; īmān, life, health etc. (2) Praise: Allah is worthy of every possible praise on account of His very existence, His mercy, beauty, generosity and all of His other noble Attributes and Names. All of His Attributes are perfect; be they of His majesty (jalāl) or beauty (jamāl). Even if none of His slaves praised Him, He would still be worthy of all praise. In truth, it is Allah who praises Himself on the tongues of His slaves. Any slave who praises Him is only able to do so following His permission for such praise. Our praise of Him emanates from our love and reverence of Him. Our praise of Him is, in fact, a blessing from Him which deserves even more praise. Even if we were to spend our entire life praising Him, this would be insufficient. Whilst uttering اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ, we should reflect on the blessings of Allah and His Perfect Names. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When Allah grants a blessing to a slave, upon which the slave praises Him, the praise of the slave is better than the blessing itself ” (Ibn Mājah). What Does اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ (Takbir) Mean? اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ means ‘Allah is Greater than…’ By not specifying what He is Greater than, we are saying that He is Greater than everything. Allah is Greater than anything we can imagine, and His greatness encompasses all things: He is Great in His Essence, His Names, His Attributes and His Actions. Allah is Supreme and Transcendent above every limitation and deficiency that is inherent in created beings. سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ: Negating all defects, flaws, and shortcomings from Allah. اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ :Affirming all of the attributes of perfection and majesty for Allah. اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ :Magnifying Allah and proclaiming His greatness above everything. Source

(3x) .رَضِيْتُ بِاللهِ رَبًّا ، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِيْنًا ، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion and with Muḥammad ﷺ as my Prophet. Raḍītu bi-llāhi Rabbā, wa bi-l-islāmi dīnā, wa bi Muḥammadin-Nabiyyā. Thawbān (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah has promised that anyone who says [the above] three times every morning and evening will be pleased on the Day of Judgement.” (Aḥmad 18927) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] in the morning, I guarantee that I will take hold of his hand until I enter him into Paradise.” (Ṭabarānī: al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr 838) Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Abū Saʿīd, whoever is pleased with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muḥammad as his Prophet, will be guaranteed entry into Paradise.” He (Abū Saʿīd) was amazed and said: “O Messenger of Allah, repeat it for me.” He (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) did that and then said: “There is another act which elevates the position of a man in Paradise one hundred grades (higher); and the distance between one grade and the other is like the distance between the sky and the earth.” He (Abū Saʿīd) said: “What is that act, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Striving in the path of Allah! Striving in the path of Allah!” (Muslim 1884) Brief Commentary • This dhikr emphasises the state of contentment and pleasure, which is far greater than mere tolerance. Being content with a matter means that if that matter were in your own hands, you would act no differently. • Imām al-Nawawī said, “Being content here is as though one is saying: “I’m convinced, I’m sufficed, and desire nothing else.” • The first matter that we affirm our contentment with is that of Allah being our Lord (Rabb). Rabb is The One who nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. It is He who regulates their affairs and grants them endless blessings. He is their sole Creator and Provider. He is their Protector and Caretaker. He is the one who decrees and decides; therefore we affirm our contentment with everything that Allah decrees for us. We should be happy with what He has legislated, and content with how much sustenance He chooses to give us. • Being content with Allah as your Lord means you are content with the provisions He has decreed for you; for the life He has chosen for you; for the trials He has placed upon you; and for everything He has placed before you. • The second matter is to be content with Islam as your religion. Islam means to submit wholly to the commandments of Allah. • Being content with Islam as your religion means you are content with every single commandment, prohibition, law, and punishment contained within this blessed religion, even if it goes against your own desires or society’s norms. • The third and final matter is to be content with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as our Prophet. This Prophet is the one who delivered the message of Allah in the best and most complete form. • Being content with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as your Prophet means you are content with all the commandments and prohibitions he taught us, with the way he lived his life, with the decisions he took, with the friends he had, and the women he married. It also means you believe everything that he said to be true. Action Points • This dhikr – though concise and light on the tongue – carries a huge reward for the one who truly contemplates it and lives by it. • A person who says this duʿā’ every morning and evening is preparing himself for the day as he is reminding himself that he is content with these matters. He is prepared to abide by all of them, including anything that Allah decides for him that day. • A person who says this dhikr and then shows displeasure when faced with a calamity, or rejects a teaching of Islam, or something that was part of the Prophet’s ﷺ life – is someone who is a liar, and has a trait of hypocrisy. He says something on his tongue, yet his actions reflect otherwise. • Living by this dhikr will also inshallah help a person in the first stages of the afterlife when he will be placed in his grave and two angels will ask him the questions, “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this person that was sent to you?” (Aḥmad 18063). The answers to these three questions are the three matters we affirm our contentment with every morning and evening with this duʿā’! • Living in a time with unprecedented threats from atheism, liberalism and secularism, we should reflect on this dhikr and say it wholeheartedly. With enemies and hypocrites trying to attack the core fundamentals of our din, and trying to change the perfect dīn of Allah, we should utter this dhikr every day and try our best to live by its meanings. •We should not feel inferior or embarrassed by our perfect dīn. Instead, we should realise how fortunate we are that Allah allowed us to know Him, to know His Messenger ﷺ and gifted us with Islam. Let us teach our children to also repeat and reflect on these powerful words every morning, so they feel strengthened as they go out and face the world. lifewithallah

Loneliness has been identified as a hazard threatening the wellbeing of many people. The paradox of our time is that while there are so many of us on the planet, millions lead lonesome lives. A recent international magazine recently highlighted the phenomenon which has been identified as a public health issue whose impact on lives is being equated to obesity and substance abuse. Reporting on the findings of a recent study, researchers have made a distinction between subjective feelings of loneliness and actual social isolation. Though both scenarios were reported as damaging to personal wellbeing, the latter situation was found to be more devastating as individuals lived alone, lacking any social connection. Factors that have contributed towards the risk of this modern social challenge include the pervasive use of technology especially through social media and accommodation trends that tend towards splitting families. We have lonely people in housing compounds, in vehicles stuck in traffic jams, in old-age homes, in hospitals and perhaps even next-door. Our Deen has made certain obligations community-based in order to encourage social interaction. Congregational prayers are one such obligation that offers us an opportunity to meet others and thereby promote the sense of community. It should therefore be a remedy against loneliness. Allah Ta’ala declares in the Qur’an (57:27) not to have ordained monasticism, an extreme form of self-isolation for devotion certain groups of people invented for themselves. So, even acts of dedicated worship have to be moderated to give way to social interaction. A Muslim therefore has to be part of society where he enjoins what is right and forbids what is evil. In that role, there are a myriad ways in which believers would keep themselves busy. Those who busy themselves with productive lives of learning, work and service to others are often rewarded with a sense of purposeful and meaningful lives. Feelings of loneliness which are in part a by-product of idleness tend to be remote for a busy person. There are circumstances when one finds him/herself lonely. Rather than being stressed, anxious and feeling lost, these are moments of opportunity to engage in the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) and the reading of the Qur’an (tilawah)… Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort. (Quran; 13:28) The decline in interpersonal skills that we are noticing within our communities are a result of the insular and limited social interaction we have subjected ourselves to. The tools that are meant to help us to be productive leading to more leisure have instead made us more and more isolated in those long spared moments. The Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam taught us the six duties of a Muslim towards another. These are duties which show practical ways of connecting with others and hence minimising a sense of loneliness. These duties are outlined in the following hadith: On the authority of Abu Hurairah RadhiAllahu anhu who reported that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “The rights of a Muslim over another Muslim are six.” So it was asked: “What are they O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “When you meet him the give him the greetings of Salam (i.e. As Salamu alaikum), if he invites you, respond to his invite, when he seeking your advice then advise him, when he sneezes and then says “All praise is for Allah” (i.e. Alhamdulillah) then say to him: “May Allah have mercy on you!” (i.e. Yarhamukallah), when he is sick then you should visit him and when he dies you should follow his funeral procession.” (Sahih Muslim) May Allah Ta'ala help us realise the blessings that He bestows on the community that keeps together. Aameen. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Have we ever considered what it takes to produce a heart surgeon – a person who is capable of opening the chest of a living person and operating on a still-beating heart, while aware that one slip of the scalpel could be the difference between life and death? Obviously, it takes a lot. Years of intensive study, followed by more years of rigorous training, followed by even more years of close supervision and scrutiny. The reason? A cardiac surgeon’s mistakes are not counted in ticks and crosses – they are counted in body bags. Nevertheless, while a cardiac surgeon’s work is very delicate, as the risk of physical harm and injury is very high, there is another ‘professional’ whose ‘job’ is equally – if not more – delicate. In fact, while the patient remains under the surgeon’s blade for only a few hours, these ‘patients’ remain in the care of the ‘doctor’ for years and years. We are, of course, referring to the ‘career’ and ‘profession’ of marriage and motherhood. When a woman gets married and enters the home of her husband, she assumes the role of responsibility for running the home. She becomes the centre cog around which all the other wheels of the house turn and revolve – especially her children. Due to her dedicated effort, the house remains clean and tidy, regular, delicious, wholesome meals are eaten, and clean laundry and many similar benefits are enjoyed. Apart from caring for the household and attending to their physical needs, the mother, at every moment, fulfils the social and emotional needs of her family. She interacts with her husband and children, as well as his family, the neighbours, etc., while conducting herself with good character. This provides the children with emotional security, and the husband with mental ease, allowing them to all be productive and prosper in their individual efforts. Furthermore, in regard to her children, then she keeps them under her watchful gaze which is sharper than the surgeon’s scalpel. As soon as she notices some issue requiring attention, she immediately intervenes and corrects the child, using love, compassion, wisdom and tactics to achieve the desired results. She understands that the upbringing of the child is a responsibility that requires constant attention, as a child can imbibe an evil habit in a mere moment where he is unsupervised. In essence, it is as though she holds the children’s hearts in her hands, moulding them and instilling the correct values and qualities in them. Hence, when the woman is such a central figure in the home, then if there is a breakdown in her life, we can well imagine the domino effect it will produce on the rest of the household. In fact, it will not be far-fetched to say that in most cases, the entire house will suffer a breakdown and fall apart! For instance, if she becomes severely sick and bedridden, then (with the father needing to go out and work) there may be no one to bath the children, feed them and attend to their other needs. Even the father himself will feel the strain and will find himself lost without the support of his wife. However, more devastating than the impact on their physical needs will be the emotional harm and neglect they will suffer as a result of being starved of their mother’s attention, affection and care. Now, having understood the deep, profound effect the woman has on the household, and how the wellbeing of the household, and successful future of the children, depend on her, and how her responsibility is constant, then we should ask ourselves what it takes to produce such a valuable, productive member of society. Obviously – it should take A LOT. However, the question is, “Are we are providing the required ‘training’, ‘know-how’ and ‘expertise’ to the spouses and mothers of tomorrow?” Unfortunately, in today’s times, insufficient attention and importance is given to this aspect of upbringing. As a result, many girls enter their marriages not knowing how to conduct with their husbands appropriately, raise children correctly, run a home efficiently and interact with in-laws respectfully. Is it then any surprise that so many children in society are becoming dysfunctional delinquents, and so many marriages are ending in a divorce? One of the greatest gifts that any parent can give their daughter is the gift of an upbringing that will equip her for her life as a mother ahead. Training her for motherhood and her marriage is training her to build a home and raise children that will provide her with shelter, comfort and happiness for the rest of her life and after her demise as well. Let us not throw our daughters into the deep end and hope that they learn to swim before they sink and drown – along with their children. UswatulMuslimah

As Israel’s offensive on Gaza entered its third day, here’s a recap of what’s happened: • Renewed air strikes across the besieged strip have left at least four Palestinians killed • At least 25 people have died since the start of the bombing campaign, including five children and five women. Another 76 people have been wounded • The offensive, dubbed by Israel as "Operation Shield and Arrow," started on Tuesday with Israeli air strikes killing 13 people in overnight raids • The Palestinian Joint Command, an umbrella body of armed factions in Gaza, including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, launched rockets towards Israel in response on Wednesday in the counter "Operation Revenge for the Free" • Egypt had been leading efforts to broker a ceasefire, however intense fighting continued in the early hours of Thursday • Reports say Israel refused to commit to stop assassinating Palestinian in their homes, a condition put forward by Palestinian to agree to a ceasefire Middle East Eye (@middleeasteye) • Instagram photos and videos

Gaza under attack...again Israeli warplanes carried out attacks for nearly two hours starting at 2am on Tuesday 9.5.23 (23:00 GMT Monday). Totally unprovoked Palestinian resistance launched rockets toward the Israeli settlements near Gaza 10.5.23 Settlers seen running to their shelters on settlements near Gaza Rockets landed in Tel Aviv 11.5.23 3 Palestininans killed as Israeli air strike targerted apartment in Khan Younis, south Gaza 25 dead (many of them women and children) 72 wounded so far...still ongoing

Even cats do not like the Iisraeli flag!

The anti-smetic crow A video of a crow throwing down an Israeli flag has gone viral across the web. The clip shows the crow stubbornly removing an Israeli flag from a pole with its beak and throwing it to the ground. The flag hung from the roof of a building in the occupied Palestinian territories until a crow, despite its small size, succeeded in snatching it and dropping it to the ground after several attempts. It then stood firmly and steadily at the top of the mast, its mission complete. The Palestinians who had gathered around the building to observe the unusual sight shouted and gasped in astonishment. The footage of the crow went viral on the web, with many users ironically joking about the episode and some commenting on the “lesson” the bird seemed to be teaching. One user said: “A smart Palestinian ‘antisemitic’ crow …” “The animals of Palestine do not approve of the temporary Zionist conflagration,” said Tariq Shadid, a Palestinian surgeon and author of the book “Understanding Palestine,” in a Twitter post, adding that the bird was a symbol of Palestinian resistance to the Israeli occupation. Israeli journalist Nir Hasson took the chance to comment on the video saying: “God is undoubtedly hinting something to us, just not sure exactly what.” Inspired by the crow’s actions, some users shared old footage of other animals tearing up Israeli flags as a way to show support for the Palestinian cause. The crow’s actions come amid weeks of rising tensions between Palestinians and the Israeli military, the latest of which saw the Israeli Defense Force kill a Palestinian teen near Jericho during clashes in the occupied West Bank on Friday. In 1967, Israel captured the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of a future independent state. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, the Palestinian term for the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the war. See video here

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Post-Ramadan: The Journey Continues Throughout Ramaḍān, by Allah’s favour, we tasted the sweetness of fasting and the night prayer. We revived our dead hearts with the recitation of the Qur’ān and the dhikr of Allah. We basked in the serenity of talking to Allah and felt the peace of seeking His forgiveness in the last parts of the night. Now that Ramaḍān is over, let us ask ourselves: what next? What did we gain from Ramaḍān? How did it change us? Did it transform our lives? Will our life post-Ramaḍān look exactly the same as life pre-Ramaḍān? Just a short while ago, we were planning for the ‘dream project’ of Ramaḍān. Now that Ramaḍān has ended, we should spend time in Shawwāl to evaluate our Ramaḍān. Evaluate Your Ramadan We can evaluate our Ramaḍān by asking ourselves the following questions: 1. Did my īmān in Allah increase? What do I know about Allah that I didn’t prior to Ramaḍān? Do I feel closer to Him? 2. Did I go to Allah with a broken heart in utter desperation? Did I humble myself as a true servant of His? 3. Were there times in the month where my heart felt overwhelmed with love and gratitude for Allah? 4. Did my love for Allah’s Messenger ﷺ increase? Which sunnah am I going to start implementing in my life that I previously didn’t used to do? 5. Did my worship in Ramaḍān purify and soften my heart? 6. Did my fasting cause me to give up my bad habits? 7. Which sins of the eyes and the tongue did I give up? What steps am I going to take to maintain this? 8. Did I improve my akhlāq in this month? 9. Did I become a more gentle and loving family member? 10. Did I taste the sweetness of spending in the path of Allah? Did I give charity in secret? 11. Has Ramaḍān made me more determined to continue serving the dīn of Allah and the Ummah? 12. Did I taste the sweetness of solitude with Allah at night in qiyām? Has it made me determined to continue with this good deed? 13. Did I feel a difference in the quality of my ṣalāh? 14. Did I feel emotionally connected to the Qur’ān? 15. Did I feel the closeness of Allah when making duʿā’ to Him? 16. Did I do dhikr with the presence of my heart? 17. Which one act of worship am I going to hold on to from Ramaḍān, something which I previously did not used to do? 18. What do I not want to lose of Ramaḍān? 19. Do I feel a greater level of self-control now that Ramaḍān is over? 20. If Allah gives me life, what two things will I do differently next Ramaḍān? Fasting in Shawwal One of the things we can do to keep our momentum going is fast six days of Shawwāl. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Fasting Ramaḍān is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days thereafter (in Shawwāl) is like fasting two months. That is like fasting a whole year” (Aḥmad). Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) explains the benefits of keeping the 6 Shawwāl fasts: 1. The reward of fasting the entire year. As Allah (ʿazza wa jall) rewards tenfold for a good deed, a servant will be rewarded for ten months of fasting due to fasting for the month of Ramaḍān; and the 6 days of fasting will be equivalent to fasting two further months, making it a total of a year. 2. Fasting in Shaʿbān and Shawwāl is like performing the sunan mu’akkadah (rawātib) prayers before and after the farḍ ṣalāhs. They make up for and atone for the deficiencies of the farḍ acts. 3. Continuing to fast after Ramaḍān is a sign that one’s Ramaḍān was accepted. If Allah (ʿazza wa jall) accepts a good deed, he gives his servant the tawfīq to follow this up with another good deed, as a pious predecessor said: ‘The reward of a good deed is another good deed’. 4. Fasting in Ramaḍān leads to one’s sins being forgiven, and those who fasted in Ramaḍān are given their reward in full on the Day of Eid i.e. the Day of Prizes. Fasting after Eid is a means of thanking Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā) for this blessing. Fasting is a blessing, which requires one to be grateful for it by fasting even more; for there is no blessing greater than the forgiveness of one’s sins. Allah (ʿazza wa jall) has commanded His servants to thank Him for the blessing of fasting in Ramaḍān. This includes thanking Allah by fasting after Ramaḍān. Some of the pious predecessors would fast the day in order to thank Allah for granting them tawfīq to stand the previous night in prayer. 5. The actions through which one seeks to attain Allah’s closeness in Ramaḍān do not come to an end with the end of Ramaḍān. Rather one must continue with them throughout the year. (Adapted from Laṭā’if al-Maʿārif) Stay Steadfast After Ramadan After a month of intense worship, we may experience ‘post-Ramaḍān blues’ or a ‘post- Ramaḍān dip’. Naturally, we cannot do the same amount of worship in Shawwāl that we did in Ramaḍān. However, we should maintain a strong desire to continue worshipping Allah and progressing in our journey to Him. A sign of our Ramaḍān being accepted is that Allah (ʿazza wa jall) grants us tawfīq to continue worshipping Him. Thus, we should ensure that, even though Ramaḍān has ended, our daily Qur’ān recitation, dhikr, duʿā’, fasting, and night prayer does not end, even if it is little. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ told us that that the most beloved deeds to Allah are those which are constant, even if they are a few (Muslim). We sometimes surprise ourselves how much self-restraint we are capable of in Ramaḍān (only by the grace of the Almighty). We should try to bring a percentage of this self-discipline over to post-Ramaḍān. Don’t let a day go by without reciting Qur’ān. Add an additional sunnah/nafl prayer to your routine which you previously did not used to perform prior to Ramaḍān. Set yourself realistic expectations. There may be days or even some weeks where you experience a dip, but keep going. Don’t give up and ask Allah to help you. Don’t be paralysed by an ‘all-or-nothing’ attitude. Each time you do good, thank Him. Realise that none of it is because of you. It is only because He allowed you to do it. Stay Away from Sins One of the major goals of Ramaḍān was taqwā. Fasting should have trained us to control our nafs and stay away from sins. Yaḥyā b. Muʿādh (raḥimahullāh) said, “Whoever seeks forgiveness with his tongue but his heart is still insistent upon sin, and his intention is to return back to the sin after Ramaḍān, then his fasting has been rejected and the door of acceptance has been closed in his face.” Even if our additional voluntary deeds sometimes slip, we should not compromise on two things: (1) the obligatory deeds (2) staying away from sins. And if we do commit sins, we should be quick to repent. We should identify specific sins and beg Allah to protect us from them. E.g. O Allah, just as you protected my tongue from backbiting in Ramaḍān, protect me from it throughout the year. O Allah, just as you protected me from watching ḥarām in Ramaḍān, protect me from it throughout the year. The Journey Continues Our journey to Allah does not end with Ramaḍān. Our journey of knowing Him, of tasting the sweetness of worshipping Him, of living a life of ʿubūdiyyah (servitude) does not end with Ramaḍān. It was said to Bishr al-Ḥāfī (raḥimahullāh), “There are some people who strive hard in Ramaḍān but when it ends, they stop.” He replied, “How evil are these people! They only know the rights of Allah in Ramaḍān. Indeed, the pious person is the one who worships and strives hard throughout the entire year.” As we journey on the Straight Path to Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā), we should always ask Him for istiqāmah (steadfastness and staying firm). The Prophet ﷺ was asked, “Advise me with something that I could hold on to”. He ﷺ replied, “Say, ‘My Lord is Allah’, then remain steadfast on it” (Tirmidhī). The Prophet ﷺ also said, “ʿAbdullāh! Do not be like so-and-so! He used to pray at night, and he then stopped the night prayer” (Bukhārī). To stay firm, we should continuously seek knowledge (even if it is one class a week), and keep good company. We should fill our schedules with various good deeds, so that Shayṭān does not lead us to veer off the Straight Path. Every minute in our journey to Allah is extremely precious. Istiqāmah on the journey to Allah is attained through rectifying and nourishing the heart. Ibn Rajab (raḥimahullāh) writes, “The foundation of istiqāmah is the istiqāmah of the heart upon tawḥīd (the Oneness of Allah)… When the heart becomes steadfast on the maʿrifah (knowledge) of Allah, being in awe of Him, honouring Him, loving Him, seeking Him, hoping in Him, supplicating to Him, relying on Him and turning away from other than Him — then all the limbs and body parts will become steadfast on obeying Him. For the heart is the king of the limbs, and the limbs are its troops. When the king stands firm, his troops and subjects follow suit.” May Allah al-Qawiyy (The Most Powerful) make us from the people of istiqāmah, about whom He says: إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ قَالُوْا رَبُّنَا اللّٰهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقٰمُوْا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوْا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوْا وَأَبْشِرُوْا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِيْ كُنْتُمْ تُوْعَدُوْنَ . نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَآؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْاٰخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَدَّعُوْنَ . نُزُلًا مِّنْ غَفُوْرٍ رَّحِيْمٍ “Surely those who say, “Our Lord is Allah,” and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them, (saying,) “Do not fear, nor grieve. Rather, rejoice in the good news of Paradise, which you have been promised. We are your friends in this worldly life and in the hereafter. There you will have whatever your souls desire, and there you will have whatever you ask for: as a welcoming gift from the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (41:30-2). lifewithallah

Virtues of Sayyiduna Umar RA Title: A Glimpse into the Virtues of Amir al-Mu’minin ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab Author: Mufti Muajul I. Chowdhury Foreword by: Shaykh Abdullah Dabhelia (Hafizahumullaah), Senior Lecturer at Darul Uloom Azaadville, South Africa "Many books have been compiled and written with regards the life of this great companion, ʿUmar (R), in many languages. However, the approach and style of Muftī Muajul I. Chowdhury in this treatise is indeed commendable and praiseworthy. In this concise yet comprehensive treatise, Muftī Muajul I. Chowdhury has presented the amazing virtues of this great personality, ʿUmar (R) with references. After reading this treatise, the reader will be empowered with an insight into the life of this great companion of Rasūlullāh, Sayyidunā ʿUmar (R)." Hard copy available on Amazon: USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BGZM9PQ3 UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BGZM9PQ3 Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BGZM9PQ3 Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BGZM9PQ3 If anyone wishes to sponsor copies to donate to institutions, masjids, etc., feel free to reach out to the author. *Published by:* Darul Iftaa New York https://askthemufti.us/ Virtues of Sayyiduna Umar RA final.pdf

Israel: Will crisis-plagued Netanyahu start a war to save his skin? “A favoured tactic of Israeli prime ministers in trouble is to provoke a confrontation, or at least over-react to ensure one develops, and then send in the army.⁠ ⁠ Wars can be expected to unite Israelis behind a failing government and silence the opposition while winning uncritical support from Jews overseas and knee-jerk sympathy from western states.⁠ ⁠ Gaza has served this purpose repeatedly over the past 15 years.⁠ ⁠ Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli leader immersed in trouble - of both the personal and political kind - far more deeply than his predecessors.⁠ ⁠ He is in the midst of a corruption trial that is not going his way. He desperately needs to keep himself in power and pass legislation to weaken the courts if he is not to risk ending up in jail.⁠ ⁠ But his so-called “judicial overhaul”, intended to give his religious extremist allies effective control over the courts, has triggered unprecedented protests across the country. Netanyahu’s polling figures have tanked. He would almost certainly lose an election were one called today.⁠ ⁠ Juggling all these problems is testing the ingenuity even of Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister and a politician usually ascribed a near-mythical talent for holding on to power.⁠ ⁠ In such circumstances, the prospect of a war in the next few weeks might look attractive - a danger that has not gone unnoticed by Israeli commentators. Netanyahu’s government has already lit fires on the Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian fronts.⁠ ⁠ However, despite heightened tensions, all sides - including Israel - appeared keen to pull back from the brink.⁠ ⁠ Things have quietened down for the moment, apparently at Netanyahu’s insistence. He is reported to have overruled his far-right police minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and denied Jewish settlers entry to Al-Aqsa over the remaining days of Ramadan, presumably to stop a repeat of last week’s scenes of police violence.⁠ ⁠ Still, the question remains: might Netanyahu decide in the coming weeks that it works to his advantage to stir things up again?”⁠ Full article here

Journeying to Allah is impossible without taking His beloved ﷺ as a guide on this journey. Loving him is the key to loving Allah. Ramaḍān is a month in which we increase our love for him ﷺ. Every act of worship we perform in this month is an attempt to follow in his footsteps. Everything that we know about Ramaḍān is through him. He ﷺ nurtured the Companions on how to optimise this blessed month, encouraging them, giving them good news and demonstrating to them with his own actions. Sometimes we may claim to love the Prophet ﷺ, but our actions speak otherwise. Loving him ﷺ entails obeying him, honouring him, and embodying his Sunnah in every aspect of our lives. Loving him ﷺ means he is always in your thoughts, always in your conscience: his words mould your actions and his life shapes your life. There is no better time than this sacred month in which we can attempt to emulate the impeccable character and lifestyle of the greatest human to have walked on this earth. His Iman & Love for Allah He ﷺ was the most God-fearing, obedient and humble servant of Allah. None knew Allah like he ﷺ did. His īmān and yaqīn in Allah was unshakeable. His sincerity, his hope and trust in Allah never wavered. His worship, dhikr, and duʿā’ were legendary. In the Night Journey, he ascended where no other – not even Jibrīl – had the privilege to ascend, witnessing some of the marvels of his Lord. In this journey, he was gifted with ṣalāh: his source of deep joy. Nothing pleased him more than intimate conversation with Allah, his Beloved. His recitation was beautiful. He would stand throughout the night, reciting, bowing and prostrating for so long that his companion, who once joined him, thought of leaving the prayer. And yet, from his compassion, when he ﷺ would hear the crying of the infant in congregational prayer, he would shorten the prayer. He revolutionised society. He lifted the people out of darkness and showed them the truth, the light of īmān. He personified servitude. He breathed gratitude. He was shy, not just of creation, but from his Lord. He loved Allah, and Allah loved him. His Sublime Character His character was exemplary. He epitomised kindness, compassion and love. He was genuine and selfless. He was honest and trustworthy, a man of principle and integrity. He was gentle yet strong. He was modest yet confident and dignified. He was wise in his words and actions, and he epitomised balance. There was an aura around him. If you saw him from afar, you would be in awe of him. Once you got to know him, you would fall in love with him. He ﷺ would never degrade or abuse people. He wasn’t foul-mouthed. He would not engage in useless chatter, let alone backbite or gossip. He didn’t shout, nor scream. He spoke little, and when he would speak, he captured hearts. He was a magnificent orator. He would turn fully to the person he was addressing, and he would give them his full attention. He forgave easily, and when he got angry it was only for Allah. His anger was composed and harnessed to achieve a higher objective. He would not hold grudges, and did not like to hear negative things about others. “Let no one convey to me anything (negative) regarding one of my companions, for I love to meet you with a pure heart,” he ﷺ said. His emotional intelligence was complete. Everyone loved to be in his company. He valued every individual, to the extent that he made every single person feel like they were the most beloved to him. He removed people’s insecurities and replaced it with confidence. He was selfless and always helped those in need. He was a pillar for the oppressed and the downtrodden. He championed the rights of women, children, orphans, the poor and slaves. He was sensitive to the pain and hunger of others. He was the torchbearer of justice. He laid down piety as the criterion of superiority, not colour, lineage, or wealth. His humility was unsurpassed. He was the best of men, and yet there was no one humbler than him. He would not allow his companions to stand for him, or to walk behind him. He would milk the goat, patch his clothes and help with the housework. He would accept gifts, but then always give something back in return. He did not criticise food. If he didn’t like it, he would leave it. He lived a simple life. He owned very little of the world, and yet he was the most generous. He would never hoard, and he would give everything away. His heart was attached to his Lord, not to this world. Once, ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) went to see him ﷺ and saw marks on his blessed back due to the bed he was sleeping on, which was made from leather and stuffed with palm fibre. He began to cry and compared the basic furnishings of the Prophet g with the worldly riches the Emperors of Rome and Persia were enjoying. The Prophet ﷺ told him, “For them is this world and for us is the Hereafter!” He was the bravest of men. He fought and led many battles. When the battles would get fierce, his companions would seek shelter with him; and he g would be the closest one to the enemy lines. The Grateful Servant He suffered immense difficulties throughout his life, yet he always smiled. As a young child, he never met his father. At the tender age of six, he lost his mother, and soon after, his grandfather. When he was chosen to be Allah’s Messenger, his own people turned against him. He was defamed, mocked, strangled, and stoned. He witnessed his own companions being tortured. He lost his beloved Khadījah and staunch supporter, Abū Tālib, within the space of a year. Eventually, he was forced to leave his beloved birthplace. His beloved companions were slain in battle. In Uḥud, his beloved uncle Ḥamzah was killed and then mutilated. He ﷺ himself was wounded. Till the end of his life, enemies lurked outside and within. Plots were hatched to kill him. He was poisoned. Heinous accusations were made against his beloved wife, ʿĀ’ishah. He buried six of his seven children in his lifetime. Yet, none of this made him bitter. Instead, he was the most empathetic, sensitive, and humble of all men. He remained steadfast and didn’t waver from the mission entrusted to him by the Lord of the worlds. Instead of complaining “Why me?” he would worship his Beloved throughout the night. When reminded of being already forgiven by Allah, he remarked: “Should I not be a grateful servant?” The Loving Prophet He ﷺ was a loving father, an easy-going husband, and a doting grandfather. He would kiss and hug his grandchildren. He would let them ride on his shoulders and sit on his back whilst he prostrated. He once prolonged a sajdah – unusually – and when asked why he did this, he said, “My son (i.e. one of his grandsons) climbed on my back, and I disliked hurrying him, so he could fulfil his wish.” There was no one more loving and kinder to children than him. This testimony was from none other than Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who served him for ten years from when he was a young boy. Throughout this time, he would recall, the Prophet never cursed him, nor spoke to him harshly, nor asked him “Why did you do so and so?” nor “Why didn’t you do so-and-so?” Many years later, he would say, “Not a single night passes except that I see my beloved ﷺ in my dream.” Anas would say this and then cry. He would say, “I hope I will get to meet him on the Day of Judgement — I will say to him: “O Messenger of Allah, your little servant!” He was the best teacher. He was sent as a raḥmah (mercy) for the world, an ocean of love and compassion. He won the hearts of his Companions, young and old. He raised a whole generation of young ṣaḥābah. He developed their confidence, entrusting them with tasks usually reserved for the elderly, paving their way to raise the banner of lā ilāha illā-Allāh in lands far beyond Madinah. His Love for Us He would always smile, and yet, he was constantly worrying and sad for his Ummah. His Ummah was everything. Me and you. He loved us and cried for us. On one occasion he ﷺ lifted his hands and while weeping, invoked, “O Allah! My Ummah, my Ummah!” Allah sent Jibrīl (ʿalayhis-salām) down with the glad tidings: “Muḥammad, surely we will please you in regards to your Ummah and we will not cause you grief.” In every ṣalāh, he ﷺ would make duʿā’ for us, and ask Allah to forgive us. He made immense sacrifices so that lā ilāha illā-Allāh would reach us today. He ﷺ missed us and yearned to see us. He ﷺ once said, “I wish to see my brothers!” The companions (radiy Allāhu ʿanhum) asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, are we not your brothers?” He ﷺ replied, “You are my companions, but my brothers are those who have not yet come in the world. I will welcome them at the ḥawḍ (blessed fountain).” Unlike the other messengers who had their exclusive duʿā’ accepted in this world, he ﷺ reserved his duʿā’ for us on the Day of Judgement where he will intercede on our behalf. He ﷺ has left the world, but he left us the Qur’ān – which he embodied – and his Sunnah. Let us cling on to them and carry forward his legacy. Let us remember him and invoke abundant ṣalawāt upon him, for each time we invoke ṣalawāt upon him, he responds to us. Even though we were not blessed to meet him in this world, we still have an opportunity to attain his duʿā’. O Allah, make our love for Your beloved ﷺ genuine. Let our love for him translate to obeying him. Let his sunnah illuminate our hearts, lives, homes and the entire world. Grant us his intercession, make us drink from his blessed hands at the ḥawḍ, and unite us with him in al-Firdaws. Source