Hadith ~ Seven afflictions

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: the Messenger of Allah (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.” Then (giving a warning) he said: “Are you waiting for poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion, or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or a disease which will disable you, or senility which will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death which will take you all of a sudden, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected, or the Hour; and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter.” [At-Tirmidhi].

Commentary: The Hadith focuses on seven things which hold back man from the virtuous path. Taking in consideration the turning health and the brief span of life to his account, he is, therefore, apt to gather up good deeds for the Hereafter because an untoward situation may confront him any moment and render him unable to do good things to his benefit in the otherworldly life.

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapiter 65, Page 189, No 578

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Ayaat 77-83 ~ Ya-Sin

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

77. Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah (mixed male and female discharge semen drops). Yet behold! He (stands forth) as an open opponent.

78. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: “Who will give life to these bones when they have rotted away and became dust?”

79. Say: “He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!”

80. He, Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold! You kindle therewith.

81. Is not He, Who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the like of them? Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator.

82. Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, “Be!” and it is!

83. So Glorified is He and Exalted above all that they associate with Him, and in Whose Hands is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned.

Sura 36. Ya-Sin

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Commentary ~ Today is all you have

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

When you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the evening — live as though today is all you have. Yesterday has passed with its good and evil, while tomorrow has not yet arrived. Your life’s span is but one day, as if you were born in it and will die at the end of it. With this attitude, you will not be caught between an obsession over the past, with its anxieties, and the hopes of the future, with all its uncertainty. Live for today: During this day you should pray with a wakeful heart, recite the Quran with understanding, and remember Allah with sincerity. In this day you should be balanced in your affairs, satisfied with your allotted portion, concerned with your appearance and health.

Organize the hours of this day, so that you make years out of minutes and months out of seconds. Seek forgiveness from your Lord, remember Him, prepare for the final parting from this world, and live today happily and at peace. Be content with your sustenance, your wife, your children, your work, your house and your station in life.

…So hold that which I have given you and be grateful. (Quran 7:144)

Live today free from sorrow, bother, anger, jealousy, and malice.

You must engrave onto your heart one phrase: Today is my only day. If you have eaten warm, fresh bread today, then what do yesterday’s dry, rotten bread and tomorrow’s anticipated bread matter?

If you are truthful with yourself and have a firm, solid resolve, you will undoubtedly convince yourself of the following: Today is my last day to live. When you achieve this attitude, you will profit from every moment of your day, by developing your personality, expanding your abilities, and purifying your deeds. Then you say to yourself:

Today I shall be refined in my speech and will utter neither evil speech nor obscenity. Also, I shall not backbite.

Today I shall organize my house and my office. They will not be disorderly and chaotic, but organized and neat.

Today I will be particular about my bodily cleanliness and appearance. I will be meticulous in my neatness and balanced in my walk, talk, and actions.

Today I will strive to be obedient to my Lord, pray in the best manner possible, do more voluntary acts of righteousness, recite the Qur’an, and read beneficial books. I will plant goodness into my heart and extract from it the roots of evil — such as pride, jealousy, and hypocrisy.

Today I will try to help others — to visit the sick, to attend a funeral, to guide the one who is lost, and to feed the hungry. I will stand side by side with the oppressed and the weak. I will pay respect to the scholar, be merciful to the young, and reverent to the old.

O’ past that has departed and is gone, I will not cry over you. You will not see me remembering you, not even for a moment, because you have traveled away from me never to return.

O’ future, you are in the realm of the unseen, so I will not be obsessed by your dreams. I will not be preoccupied about what is to come because tomorrow is nothing and has not yet been created.

« Today is my only day » is one of the most important statements in the dictionary of happiness, for those who desire to live life in its fullest splendour and brilliance.

La Tahzan (Don’t be sad)
By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni
Translated by: Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq, 2nd ed. Riyadh 2005
Publisher: International Islamic Publishing House
ISBN Hard Cover: 9960-850-36-6
ISBN Soft Cover: 9960-850-44-7
P31

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Hadith ~ Piety is good manner

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

An-Nawwas bin Sam’an (MAPH) reported: The Prophet (SAWS) said: “Piety is good manner, and sin is that which creates doubt and you do not like people to know of it.” [Muslim]

Wabisah bin Ma’bad (MAPH) reported: “I went to Messenger of Allah (SAWS) and he asked me: “Have you come to inquire about piety?” I replied in the affirmative. Then he said: “Ask your heart regarding it. Piety is that which contents the soul and comforts the heart, and sin is that which causes doubts and perturbs the heart, even if people pronounce it lawful and give you verdicts on such matters again and again.” [Ahmad and Ad-Darmi]

SAWS: May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection
MAPH: May Allah be pleased with him

Commentary:
Islam lays much importance on courteous behavior and also explains and stresses its different aspects. To meet people cheerfully, to avoid causing trouble to them, rather to try to make things convenient and comfortable to them, to do social service, to extend co-operation to others in good things and to be generous, and to like for others also that you like for yourself, are all forms of moral behaviour that are counted as virtues in Islam. All that is bad and vicious is considered by Islam as sinful. This Hadith describes two signs of sin. First, man should feel scruples in committing it. Second, one does not like others being informed about it. The Hadith further tells us that human nature (fitra) leads man to correct conclusions and keeps away from evils, provided it has not been deformed by the environment and bad company.

There are two points about the 2nd Hadith. First, it is one of the miracles of the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) who discovered the nature of the question before it was put to him. Second, man’s heart is the biggest guide to him and he, therefore, should keep his heart illuminated with the light of Faith so as to continue receiving guidance from it.

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Hadith 1: Chapiter 68, Page 193, No 590
Hadith 2: Chapiter 68, Page 193, No 591

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Ayaat 168-172 ~ Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

168. O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.

169. [Shaitân (Satan)] commands you only what is evil and Fahshâ (sinful), and that you should say against Allâh what you know not.

170. When it is said to them: “Follow what Allâh has sent down.” They say: “Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following.” (Would they do that!) Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided?

171. And the example of those who disbelieve, is as that of him who shouts to the (flock of sheep) that hears nothing but calls and cries. (They are) deaf, dumb and blind. So they do not understand.

172. O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh – Islâmic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allâh, if it is indeed He Whom you worship.

Sura 2. Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

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Commentary ~ Allah is Most Kind to His slaves

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

A high-ranking member of the Riyadh community related to me that in 1376 Hijri, a group of fishermen from the town of Jubayl set out for the ocean, and after spending three days and three nights fishing, they did not manage to catch even a single fish. Meanwhile, a group of nearby fishermen caught many fish. They were surprised, not merely from the disparity between their failure and the other group’s success, but because they were performing the five daily prayers and failed while the other group was not praying and succeeded. One of them said, “How perfect is Allah! We prayed to Allah every single prayer and we didn’t get anything; the other group did not prostrate to Allah even once over the last few days and look at all they managed to get!” In this way, the Shaytaan (Devil) whispered evil suggestions to them and advised them to abandon the prayer. The next morning, they did not wake up for Fajr (the Morning Prayer). They also neglected to perform the Dhuhr (Noon) and Asr (Afternoon) Prayers. Before nightfall, they set out for the ocean; they caught a fish and upon slitting it open they found a pearl in its stomach — a very expensive pearl. One of them took the pearl in his hand, stared at it, and said, after reflecting, “How perfect is Allah! When we obeyed Him we got nothing, and when we disobeyed Him this is what we got! Indeed, this sustenance before us is of a doubtful nature.” Then he took hold of the pearl and hurled it into the ocean, saying immediately afterwards, “Allah will recompense us with better than this. By Allah, I will not take it, for we acquired it after abandoning the prayer. Come with me, and let us leave this place wherein we disobeyed Allah.” They traveled three miles before camping for the night. Shortly afterwards they went fishing again, and they caught a fair-sized fish. When they slit it open, they found the same valuable pearl inside its stomach. They said, “All praise is due to Allah, Who has provided us with good sustenance.” They caught the fish after praying, remembering Allah, and asking for His forgiveness, so this time they kept it.

You should notice one important difference: the object was one and the same, but it was filthy when they acquired it while they were disobeying Allah, and it was pure when they acquired it while obeying Him.

Would that they were contented with what Allâh and His Messenger gave them and had said: “Allâh is Sufficient for us. Allâh will give us of His Bounty, and (also) His Messenger (from alms, etc.). We implore Allâh (to enrich us).” (Quran 9:59)

Verily, it is Allah’s kindness. So whenever somebody abandons something for Allah, Allah provides him with something that is better.

This reminds me of a story of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). One morning, he entered Masjid al-Koofa to pray two voluntary units of prayer. Before entering, he found a boy standing at the door. He said to him. “O boy, restrain for me my mule until I finish praying.” As Ali was entering the Mosque, he made an intention to reward the boy with a dirham for his services. Meanwhile, the boy removed the noseband from the mule and rushed off to the marketplace to sell it. When Ali came out of the Masjid, he found no boy, but only his mule without its noseband. He commissioned a man to go after the boy and ordered him to go to the marketplace since it was more than likely that the boy would go there to sell the noseband. The man found the boy auctioning it in the market and he bought it from him for a dirham. He returned to Ali and informed him of what happened. After hearing what occurred, Ali said, “How perfect Allah is! By Allah, I intended to give him a lawful dirham, but he refused to take it other than in an unlawful way.”

Whatever you may be doing, and whatever portion you may be reciting from the Qur’ân, – and whatever deed you (mankind) may be doing (good or evil), We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And nothing is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven. Not what is less than that or what is greater than that but is (written) in a Clear Record. (Quran 10:61)

La Tahzan (Don’t be sad)
By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni
Translated by: Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq, 2nd ed. Riyadh 2005
Publisher: International Islamic Publishing House
ISBN Hard Cover: 9960-850-36-6
ISBN Soft Cover: 9960-850-44-7
P416

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Hadith ~ Whether his is an oppressor or is oppressed

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said, “Help your brother, whether his is an oppressor or is oppressed”. A man enquired: “O Messenger of Allah! I help him when he is oppressed, but how can I help him when he is an oppressor?” The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said, “You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your help to him”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

SAWS: May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapiter 27, Page 81, No 237

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Ayaat 80-84 ~ Al-A’raf (The Heights)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

80. And (remember) Lout (Lot), when he said to his people: “Do you commit the worst sin such as none preceding you has committed[1] in the ‘Alamîn (mankind and jinns)?

81. “Verily, you practise your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds (by committing great sins).”

82. And the answer of his people was only that they said: “Drive them out of your town, these are indeed men who want to be pure (from sins)!”

83. Then We saved him and his family, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind (in the torment).

84. And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). Then see what was the end of the Mujrimûn (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.).

Sura 7. Al-A’raf (The Heights)

[1]: such as none preceding you has committed: To learn more about the Prophet Lut (Lot) (peace be upon him) and the sins that his nation committed (i.e. homosexuality, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, sodomy, etc.) there is an excellent series on the lives of the Prophets here and a 2nd series specifically on the characteristics of perished nations here.

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Commentary ~ Honesty

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Here is an anecdote told by the famous “Prince of Travelers” Sheikh Abu Abdullah Mohammed, better known as Ibn Battouta. This story comes to us from the 12th century.

In the Bekaa Valley in Syria, is the tomb of Abu Youssef Yacoub. It is said that in Damascus, he obtained a job working as a guard in an orchard belonging to the Sultan Nour Eddine. When the fruit harvest season came, the king accompanied by his first steward visited the garden that he was guarding. The guard Abu Youssef was ordered to go pick some pomegranates for the monarch. When he brought them, the steward took one of the fruits, broke it in half and ate a small quantity of the pale pink seeds. He made a frown of disgust, grumbled and spat while saying: “These fruits are sour, go and pick some more and try to choose better this time!” Abou Youssef promptly complied and then returned, laden with pomegranates larger than the first batch. The steward tasted them again but he made another frown that said that this second tasting was even worse than the first tasting. The steward got very angry and shouted at the guard: “It has been more than six months now that you have been assigned to guard this orchard and you do not know yet how to distinguish what is sour from what is sweet?” To which the honest guard replied: “Did you hire me to watch over the fruits or to eat them?”

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Hadith ~ The Bankrupt

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said: “Do you know who is the bankrupt?” They said: “The bankrupt among us is one who has neither money with him nor any property”. He said, “The real bankrupt of my Ummah would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with Salat (Prayers), Saum (Fasting) and Sadaqah (Zakat and Charity). He comes having reviled others, brought calamity against others, unlawfully devoured the wealth of others, shed the blood of others and beat others; so his good deeds would be credited to the account of those (who suffered at his hand and tongue). If his good deeds are not enough to clear the account, their sins would be entered in his account and he would be thrown in the (Hell) Fire”. (Muslim)

Commentary:
Keep in mind that the bankrupt is a person who had money but then lost it. The bankrupt of the Ummah of The Messenger of Allah (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) is the one who had mountains of good deeds but lost them because of the bad treatment he had towards his fellow creation. Be very careful in how you treat others. You worked hard for your good deeds, don’t give them away. Imagine your good deeds being in the book of your victims (and they get the reward), and their bad deeds being in your own book (and you get the punishment).

Completing ones religious obligations (prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage) is not sufficient so that Allah is pleased with us and is not sufficient in preventing us from going to Hell. What matters most is the real intention of our acts of devotion. If they are truly for Allah, they must prevent us from committing acts of injustice and immorality. But if these acts are for ostentation and to deceive others into getting favours, Allah rejects these acts because of the impurity of our souls. We continue to break all taboos towards Allah and man. This will lead directly to Hell despite our prayers, our alms, our fasting and pilgrimage.

This Hadith tells us that a Muslim has to take strict care in the performance of obligations like prescribed Salat, Zakat, etc, but he has to take similar care in his dealings, manners and morals. Salvation lies in the proper fulfillment of all these requirements. Fulfillment of one at the cost of the other will not be sufficient for salvation.

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapiter 26, Page 77, No 218

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Ayaat 152-157 ~ Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

152. Therefore remember Me [1]. I will remember you, and be grateful to Me [2] and never be ungrateful to Me.

153. O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salât (the prayer). Truly! Allâh is with As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.).

154. And say not of those who are killed in the Way of Allâh, “They are dead.” Nay, they are living, but you perceive (it) not.

155. And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirin (the patient ones, etc.).

156. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.”

157. They are those on whom are the Salawât [3] from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.

Sura 2. Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

[1]: remember Me: by praying, glorifying, etc.
[2]: grateful to Me: for My countless Favours on you
[3]: Salawât: i.e. blessings, etc. i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven

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Commentary ~ Yet all that we ask for is not granted

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Here is an anecdote of Ibrahim Edhem or rather Ibrahim ben Edhem ben Suleyman ben Mansour el-Balkhi. He was nicknamed Abu Izhaq. He died in the year 161 or 162 (778-779).

Ibrahim was asked: “How is it that in the Word (Quran), the Lord most High says: “…Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation)… (Quran 40.60); yet all that we ask for is not granted. Ibrahim answered: “You have on your tongues the name of the Lord most high, but you do not practice the works He prescribes, you do not adopt the traditions of the Messenger (). You recite the Quran, but you do not act according to its precepts. You enjoy the benefits that Allah grants, but you do not give thanks. Allah created an eternal Paradise for His obedient servants but you do nothing to try to achieve it. You know that Allah has created a Hell for His rebellious slaves, but you do not run away from it in horror. You know, Chaitan (Satan) is your enemy, and, far from being in a state of hostility towards him, you treat him as a friend. You also know that death is inevitable yet you do not practice the works of the Hereafter. You are not even able to learn from seeing what happens here in the dounia (this present world). Full of insight in discerning the faults of others, you do not see your own faults. How do you expect the prayers of people like you to be answered?”

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Hadith ~ Will be equivalent

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said, “If anyone calls others to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those who follow him (in righteousness) without their reward being diminished in any respect, and if anyone invites others to follow error, the sin, will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him (in sinfulness) without their sins being diminished in any respect”. (Muslim)

Commentary: ‘Invitation’ and ‘Call’ stand to mean here that someone induces others to virtue or seduces to sin by means of his speech or action. We come to know from this Hadith that one who becomes a medium for either of them is given a reward or punishment respectively by Allah (SWT).

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous)
By Imam An Nawawi
Chapiter 20, Page 64, No 174

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