In this article, we’ll learn about an important fact in the Qur’an, that is, every one of us will see his actions, present in front of him ….

In this article, we’ll learn about an important fact in the Qur’an, that is, every one of us will see his actions, present in front of him, at the Day of Resurrection, and this truth has been denied by atheists, and we will see how modern science confirms the possibility of seeing the past, but it cannot be changed…

What a lot of objections made by polytheists through which they deny the Day of Resurrection! They didn’t imagine how Allah will resurrect them after they become dust, did not imagine how Allah will hold them accountable for their actions, what is more, how they will see their job!

The Qur’an is a book of the facts, every verse of its verses includes a scientific fact that must be discovered, as long as we meditate and contemplate and think over them. And in one of these verses Allah says: (And the Book was placed; and thou see the sinful in great terror because of what is (recorded) therein; they will say, “Ah! Woe to us! What a Book is this! It leaves out nothing small or great, but takes account thereof!” And they found all that they did, present in front of them: And not one will thy Lord treat with injustice.) (Sûrat Al-Kahf  verse 49).

What drew my attention is that the verse speaks about the Day of Resurrection, which is an event will occur in the future, however, we find that the verbs came in past tense!!! (And the book was placed), (And they found all that they did, present in front of them), these acts done in the past even though the speech is about the Day of Resurrection, so what is the secret?

After thinking long, I found that the Qur’an is the Book of absolute truths, and therefore Qur’an is talking about absolute things. Time, for us we humans, is divided into past and future, but for Allah Almighty, the Creator of time, there is no past or future. And Allah sees the past and future. Why not, and he is the creator of them?

Therefore, when the Qur’an says (And the book was placed), it means that this has occurred but we did not live these moments yet, and when the Qur’an says (And they found all that they did, present in front of them), it means that the atheist will live these moments; furthermore, he HAD lived them, but does not know that!

And the question is: Is there any scientific proof of the sincerity of this speech?

Today, Scientists are talking about the possibility of traveling to the past! Relativity theory developed by Einstein in the early twentieth century confirms that the time does not pass in blink of an eye, but it is moving quickly at a cosmic speed (i.e. the speed of light) which is 300 thousand kilometers per second, and it is the maximum speed that can be reached in this real world.

When the speed of any object reaches this cosmic speed, the time will stop at this speed. That is, we live the present moment only, and we don’t see the past or the future. But when we move faster than the speed of light we can see the past, and that’s what is confirmed by scientists, today.

Therefore, one could see his past but cannot change it! The praise to Allah! The Quran speaks this fact accurately and says: (And they found all that they did, present in front of them) means that every person will see his work as if it occurs at the moment, but he cannot changed it, and this is what scientists say today when they talk about travel to the past, that man can see the past but cannot change it!

What is the theory of relativity?

Most of us hear about the theory of relativity, but we may find a large number of people do not know what is this theory? Very briefly, everything in this universe is relative; for example, we live in a land we see fixed, but in fact it rotates very rapidly on its axis, and spins faster around the sun. And it’s washed rapidly along with the solar system. And the solar system, including land and us, are moving at high speed with the galaxy in a specific direction that Allah has ordained. And the galaxy is also moving with a group of galaxies around very quickly….  And also, a number of movements that we do not realize or watch, but science has exposed it to us.

There is no object that we can compare the speed with. Everything is moving and walking in a specific and calculated path and this is what we find a reference to, in Qur’an when it says: (and all swim along, each in its rounded course) (Sûrat Al-Anbiya’ verse 33).

The laws governing the movement of things will change when its speed approaches the speed of light, and therefore laws are relative, and depend on the speed of the moving object. If we assume that a spacecraft was able to travel at speeds close to the speed of light, all the laws that we know will change, and time will slow down so that a person living in this spacecraft will live long for thousands of years (this is science fiction of course).

There is an important thing in the theory of relativity, which is, we cannot see any incident occurring now at the same moment, but it takes time related to how far the incident is to us. If a star exploded away from the Earth thousand light years away, if exploded now, we will not see this explosion before a thousand years and that is the time required for the light to travel from the star to the Earth.

Types of time
Accordingly, all what we see is in the past, so we do not see the present moment as long as there is a time separating us from it, even if small, so on the Day of Resurrection this law will disappear and we’ll see things around, as it is happening now: (And they found all that they did, present in front of them).

In order to see the present moment we must be moving at light speed, but if we want to reflect the direction of time we’ll just have to be faster than the speed of light to see the past!

And we can draw the following scheme:

Allah sees these three times at the same moment, so we find the Qur’an often speaks about the future in the past tense! For example, Allah Almighty says: (To the righteous, the Garden was brought near * and to those straying in Evil, the Fire was placed in full view * and it was said to them: “Where are what ye worshipped”) (Sûrat Ash-Shu’ara’ verses 90-92).

Although the verses are talking about the Day of Resurrection, that is, the future time, it came on the past tense: (was brought near, was placed in full view, was said). We, humans, wait until these things occur, but Allah does not wait, but sees everything has happened really, so Allah Almighty says: (Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden: nor can they perceive when they shall be raised up (for Judgment) * Still less can their knowledge comprehend the Hereafter: Nay, they are in doubt and uncertainty there-anent; nay, they are blind thereunto!) (Sûrat An-Naml  verses 65-66).

A galaxy away from us millions of light years, we see in this picture, the shape of the galaxy before millions of years, and no one knows its current form but Allah, and the galaxy might exploded and died millions of years ago, but we do not see this, because the ray of light that comes to us from this Galaxy cut billions of kilometers until it reached the earth. Scientists, therefore, stresses that if we walk faster than the speed of light, we will catch this ray of light and outrun it and see the past!

The reference ESO

Laws will change on the Day of Resurrection

This talk does not mean that people would move faster than the speed of light on the Day of Resurrection to see their past, but the Day of Resurrection will have its own laws that we do not realize, but we emphasize that this is scientifically possible.

The proof that the Day of Resurrection has its own laws that differ from the world’s laws is the saying of Allah Almighty: (One day the earth will be changed to a different earth, and so will be the heavens, and they will be marshaled forth, before Allah, the One, the Irresistible (Sûrat Ibrahim verse 48). And He says: (Thou wast heedless of this; now have we removed thy veil, and sharp is thy sight this Day!) (Sûrat Qaf verse 22).

Since the way of vision is sight and light rays, the vision of an event takes time, as we said, this is in the world, and on the Day of Resurrection It’s totally different because the laws will change and alter, and then a person can see things that cannot be seen in this world, and that is the meaning of the verse (and sharp is thy sight this Day).

The miracle of Mi’raj (the tortuous rising)

Here, too, we remember the incident of Mi’raj, when the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, ascended the sky and saw the fire torturing its companions, he saw them in reality, but unbelievers denied this idea, because their limited minds didn’t imagine it.

Therefore, Allah Almighty said about this miracle: ((His) sight never swerved, nor did it go wrong! * For truly did he see, of the Signs of his Lord, the Greatest!) (Sûrat An-Najm verses 17-18). And this indicates that the Holy Prophet had seen ,really seen, the miracles in the sky at the night of Mi’raj, in contrary to what some claim that he has seen it in a dream!

It is strange that there is a scientific miracle in the word (Mi’raj), it was unnamed “ascend” or flight “or otherwise, but the Holy Prophet called this miracle Mi’raj (i.e. the tortuous rising), because the movement of objects in space can never be straight, but they have to be tortuous, because of the dense gravitational fields around galaxies and its groupings.

I have in mind in this attempt by some skeptics of the Book of Allah, in this attempt they wanted to write a book like the Qur’an, but the errors appeared directly even in the title of this book! Because they called it: “The True Criterion”, according to language dictionaries, the word (Criterion) means “that which distinguishes between right and wrong, and therefore we may not say: “True Criterion” or “False Criterion” because the word “Criterion” by itself is to distinguish between true and false!

Look, dear reader, how these people made a mistake in the title of the book, and they have the techniques of the twenty first century, scientists, money and digital computers. And the question is: How could an illiterate man in the seventh century compose a big book (as claimed by atheists) like the Qur’an without committing any scientific or linguistic error, if he wasn’t the Messenger of Allah?

Clarification
The information contained in this article absolutely doesn’t mean that scientists will be able to see the future. No one knows the unseen except Allah who says: (With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that no one knows but Him. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear (to those who can read)) (Sûrat Al-An’am verse 59)

But scientists can imagine that the knowledge of the unseen is possible, but reaching this knowledge is not necessary, just as they can imagine that the vision of the past is scientifically possible, they don’t have to see it, therefore this research is an evidence that the Qur’an does not talk about things that are not logical , but the Qur’an’s speech is within scientific logic, and this is an evidence of the sincerity of Allah’s saying about his book: (Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein Much discrepancy) (Sûrat An-Nisa’ verse 82).

Here we have to pause

If the Holy Prophet had brought things from himself, then he could have made mistakes in naming the Mi’raj miracle, why did he call it “Mi’raj” (i.e. the tortuous rising) in line with the universal truth, that is, the tortuous movement of the objects in space?

If the Prophet wanted to invent falsehood against Allah as some skeptics claim, why does he attribute everything in this Qur’an to Allah? Why is he talking about the future in the past tense? And how did he make sure that people will accept from him this new uncommon style?

If Muhammad, peace be upon him, wanted to lie to people, how would he be aware of that he will be last of the prophets? How did he assure that no prophet will come after him, if he wasn’t truly the prophet of Allah? And how did he assure that Islam will spread to all parts of the world: (It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)) (Sûrat As-Saff verse 9).

Finally

We ask Allah to give the best reward to all who contribute in providing a new idea through which we can provide useful and helpful article, and one of those people, dear brother “Mohammed Lujain zein” which drew our attention to this idea, and we would like to ask all readers to contemplate the Qur’an thoroughly and try to write articles about the wonders of the Quran, or at least provide useful ideas, in order to receive reward from Allah. Because it’s him who said: (And whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you, ye shall find it with Allah) (Sûrat Al-Baqara verse 110).

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By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel

www.kaheel7.com/eng

References:

1- McGowen, Tom. Radioactivity: From the Curies to the Atomic Age, Watts, 1986.

2- Robinson, M.R. Our Universe, Scientific American, 1993.

3- Jespersen, James, and Fitz-Randolph, Jane. From Quarks to Quasars, Atheneum, 1987.

4- http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~rma6878/theory.html

5- http://www.allaboutscience.org/theory-of-relativity.htm

6- http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Relativity/SpeedOfLight/speed_of_light.html

7- http://www.particle.kth.se/~fmi/kurs/PhysicsSimulation/Lectures/08A/Examples/relativisticSim/instructions.html

Sheikh `Alî Ismâ`îl `Abd al-Rahmân

A pious Muslim doubts whether his ritual ablutions are correct. He goes back and repeats them. This doubt becomes stronger. It becomes a regular part of his religious life. He takes 20 minutes to make his ablutions, repeating each act of washing over and over again.

The worshipper doubts whether he has made a mistake in his prayers. He repeats the acts of prayer, and even full prayers over and over again.

For such a person, daily worship, which should be his greatest comfort and solace, becomes a source of anxiety, frustration, and despair. The arrival of each prayer is welcomed with dread, though the person has strong faith and deep down inside truly loves prayer.

This person needs to understand that he is not having a problem of faith. Rather, he is suffering from an illness that brings him to suffer from worry and despair.. This illness is known as obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The misgivings and doubts that dominate the persons mind and thoughts are obsessions. Obsessions have four characteristics:

1. They are specific thoughts that dominate a person’s thinking.

2. These thoughts do not have any real connection to the problems that the person is facing.

3. Trying to ignore or dispel the thoughts causes great psychological stress for the person. This person is not schizophrenic. He fully realizes that his misgivings are baseless, but he simply cannot resist succumbing to them.

4. The person who has these thoughts is aware that they are the product of his own thinking. He is not adopting them from someone else.

Compulsions are the behaviors that the person cannot resist carrying out. The following can be said about compulsive actions:

1. The action is carried out over repeatedly even though the person carrying out the action wishes to cease doing so. However, the pressure to continue repeating the act is greater than the will to stop doing so. Washing hands over and over again is a common manifestation of compulsive behavior.

2. The person afflicted with these compulsions constantly tries to overcome them. Every time he resists the urge to carry out the action, he suffers from severe psychological stress on account of it. This is only relived temporarily when he resumes the action again.

The types of thoughts that people have severe misgivings about can vary. Some people are constantly worried that they left the door unlocked or the gas stove on. A mother might constantly fret over her child’s safety oversees.

Behaviors commonly associated with severe misgivings are ritualistic behaviors. This is where certain specific activities are repeatedly carried out to appease the inward psychological pressures. The actions are performed in hopes of ridding the person of the troublesome thoughts. A common example is the belief that the hands are contaminated with germs. The person obsessed with this belief will wash his hands with soap and water over and over again. For some people, this means repeated visits to the washroom. For others, it means taking 45 minutes to wash the hands.

Another manifestation of obsessive behavior is ritually re-arranging things in very precise arrangements. Common targets of this kind of behavior are the appliances in the kitchens and the clothing in the clothes closet.

Muslims who suffer from obsessive-compulsive behavior often suffer from doubts in relation to their purification (doubting their wudû’) and their prayer (doubting whether they performed their prayers properly).

The good news is that 80% of those who seek proper medical treatment respond readily and positively to the treatment. Some do suffer from relapses and need further treatment.

Medical Treatment for This Condition

There are three aspects to this treatment: pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, and group therapy.

Pharmacotherapy entails the use of anti-depressants. Most patients require only one kind of anti-depressant, though some severe cases require a combination of them. Improvement is usually seen within six to ten weeks from the start of treatment.

Behavioral therapy is conducted by a clinical psychologist employing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The patient is exposure to the stimulus that instigates the repetitive behavior while trying to gradually reduce the performance of that behavior. For example, if the patient usually washes his hands 40 times, he will be made to reduce this number down to 20 then to 10 then to 5 times, until the compulsive behavior is eliminated. The patient will try to become relaxed along with this reduction. This entails the application of relaxation techniques.

There are other treatments that have proven efficacy. The choice of an appropriate treatment should be determined by qualified medical professionals.

Let’s think of an aspirin pill for a moment; you will immediately recall the mark in the middle of it. This mark is designed in order to help those who intake half a dose. Every product that we see around us is of a certain design even though not as simple as the aspirin pill. Everything from vehicles we use to go to work, to TV remotes.

“Design”, briefly, means a harmonious assembling of various parts into an orderly form towards a common goal. Going by this definition, one would have no difficulty in guessing that a car is a design. This is because there is a certain goal, which is to transport people and cargo. In realization of this goal various parts such as the engine, tires and body are planned and assembled in the plant. However, what about a living creature? Can a bird and mechanics of its flying be a design as well? Before giving an answer, let us repeat the evaluation we did for the example of a car. The goal at hand, in this case, is to fly. For this purpose, hollowed bones, strong muscles that move these bones are utilized together with feathers capable of suspending in the air. Wings are formed aerodynamically, and metabolism is in tune with the bird’s need for high levels of energy. It is obvious that the bird is product of a certain design. If one explores other creatures besides a bird, similar facts are attained. There are examples of a certain meticulous design in every creature. If one continues further on this quest, one would discover that our selves are also a part of this certain design. Your hands that hold these pages are functional as no robot hands could ever be. Your eyes that read these lines are making vision possible with such focus that the best camera on earth simply cannot. Hence one arrives at this important conclusion; all creatures in Nature, including us, are of a Design. This, in turn, shows the existence of a Creator Who designs all creatures at will, sustains the entire nature and holds absolute power and wisdom.

However, this truth is rejected by the theory of evolution that was formed in the middle of 19th century. The theory set forth in Charles Darwin’s book “On The Origin of Species” asserts that all creatures evolved within a chain of coincidences and essentially mutated from one another. According to the fundamental assertion of this theory all living things go through minute and coincidental changes. If these coincidental changes help the creature then it gains advantage over the others, which in turn is carried onto following generations. This scenario has been passed around as if it is a very scientific and convincing one for 140 years. When scrutinized under a bigger microscope and when compared against the examples of the Design in creatures Darwin’s theory paints a very different picture i.e. Darwinism’s explanation of creation is nothing more than a self-conflicting vicious circle. Let us first focus on the “coincidental changes”. Darwin could not provide a comprehensive definition to this concept due to lack of genealogical knowledge in his time. The evolutionists who followed him put forth the concept of “mutation” on this subject. Mutation is arbitrary disconnections, dislocation or shifts of genes in living things. Most important point is that there is not one single mutation in history that is shown to improve the condition of genetic information of a creature. Nearly all the known cases of mutations disable or harm these creatures and the rest are neutral in effect. Therefore, to think that a creature can improve through mutation is same as shooting at a crowd of people and hope that the injuries will result in healthier and improved individuals. This would clearly be nonsense. As importantly, on contrary to all the scientific data, even if one assumes that a certain mutation could actually improve a being’s condition, Darwinism still cannot be delivered from inevitable collapse. The reason for this is a concept called “irreducible complexity”. The implication of this concept is that majority of systems and organs in living things function as a result of various independent parts working together, elimination or disabling of even one of which would be enough to disable the entire system or organ. For example, an ear perceives sounds only through a chain reaction of a series of smaller organs. Take out or deform one of these, e.g. one of the bones of the middle ear, and there would be no hearing whatsoever. In order for an ear to perceive a variety of components such as auditory meatus, malleous, incus and stapes bones, tympanic membrane, cochlea and fluid, sensory cells, vibration sensor extensions of these cells, net of nerves that connect to brain and hearing center in the brain have to work together without exception. The system could not have developed in segments because none of the segments could possibly function alone at all. Hence the concept of irreducible complexity demolishes the theory of evolution from its foundations. What is really interesting is the fact that Darwin also worried about these very prospects. He wrote in On The Origin of Species: “If the impossibility of formation of a complex organ through a series of small changes was ever to be proven my theory would have certainly collapsed. However I could not find such an organ…” (Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species: A Facsimile of the First Edition, Harvard University Press, 1964, page 189.) Darwin could not or might not have wanted to find such an organ at the premature levels of 19th century science. However the science of 20th century did study the nature down to minute details and proved that majority of living structures embody irreducible complexity. Therefore, Darwin’s theory has most “certainly collapsed” just as he feared. As we examine the living beings we will not only see an immense error Darwinism makes but also witness the greatness of wisdom that these systems were created with. These mechanisms will be found anywhere from the wings of a bird to inside a bat’s skull. Hence we will see the indisputable evidences of God’s creation without error. Likewise, the power and faculty of God to create without error is expressed in a surah of Qur’an as follows: “He is God – the Creator, the Maker, the Giver of Form. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.” (Qur’an, Al-Hashr, 59:24)

Harun Yahya

Everything in our life experience as human beings – everything in our surroundings, from inanimate objects to living things to the stars in the heavens – are manifestations of Allah’s greatness and of His infinite capability. In this way, all of creation participates in a grand celebration of Allah’s praises. The heavens and Earth, the stars and the firmaments, the flora and fauna: everything glorifies Allah and testifies to the divinity and suzerainty which are His alone.

“The seven heavens and the Earth and all they contain glorify Him, and there is not a thing but extols His glory; but you do not understand how they glorify Him.” [Sûrah al-Isrâ': 44]

Let us join in this celebration by remembering Allah, praising Him, and extolling His glory. Allah possesses the most sublime names and attributes, all of which are intrinsically linked with the religious and everyday aspects of a believer’s life. This is why knowledge of Allah’s names and attributes is the greatest and purest of all forms of knowledge.

We should endeavour to make ourselves more aware of Allah by becoming better acquainted with His noble names and attributes, and by increasing our awareness of how those attributes relate to our lives.

We encounter, on a daily basis, stories of various kinds, from news reports to novels to epic adventures. Some of us even center our lives on our favorite television programs, following them day after day. Most of these stories are imaginary and serve no purpose other than to provide fleeting entertainment. Nevertheless, our fixation on them is undeniable, because we crave the variety of experiences they provide.

So how is it when we focus our awareness on Allah and His greatness which we cannot describe in words, which transcends human cognition, and which not even our imaginations can begin to grasp?

As believers in Allah, we can appropriate something of that magnificence, just enough to illuminate the way ahead. This is the faith that resides in our hearts and expels the surrounding darkness. In our troubled times – rife with injustice, tragedy, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles – Muslims and non-Muslims alike are faced with more insecurity and uncertainty than ever before.

We really need to have Allah in our lives, and to be in touch with His names and attributes. We must turn to Him with love and awe, and purify our hearts with God-consciousness and a commitment to draw near to Him.

Source

Many people do not know the influence of a word on others. A good word may be a reason for healing someone or pleasing another. A bad word may be a reason in hurting others more than hitting! What made me write this article is a study conducted by American researchers on the influence of a bad word, but before we introduce the results of this study which was published in the Psychology Sciences newspaper, I would like to share with you a precious verse on the influence of a word.

Almighty says, “Seest thou not how Allah sets forth a parable? – A goodly word like a goodly tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens,- of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition. * It brings forth its fruit at all times, by the leave of its Lord. So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition. * And the parable of an evil Word is that of an evil tree: It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth: it has no stability.”[Ibrahim: Abraham: 24-26]

The Greatest Prophet substantiated this meaning when he said a man utters irresponsibly a word which makes him enterParadise, and that a man says irresponsibly a word which throws him in Hell for seventy autumns!

This means that a believer should be accurate in what he says and should choose always a good word because a word has a great influence on man. Researchers said on (BBC Homepage) that the saying, “A stick and stones may break bones when words do not hurt” is not true. Painful memories geared to emotional experiences are more painful than those related to physical pain.

Researchers of this study said that changes that happen in the brain and allow us to work in group or societal frame may be the key for understanding this issue. The study sample included volunteering students who were asked to write about their painful physical and emotional experiences. Then, a tough mental test was conducted after a short time of writing these experiments.

The main principle that the study depended on was that whenever the experience which the student remembered was more painful, his performance on the test was worse.  Results were better when remembering physical pain than emotional pain. Shinsung Zein, a researcher from Purdue University, Indiana, USA, said that it is difficult to revive the remembrance of physical pain compared to social and emotional pain.

There is a side in the brain that may be responsible for experiences and painful words that man faces, that is the cerebral cortex which performs difficult processes including thinking, perception and language. This part of the brain enhances man’s ability to adapt with other groups and cultures, besides, it is responsible for the reaction to pain that has a relation to the group.

Michael Hojsman, a Child Psychology specialist in Germany, said that it is probable that several parts of the brain deal with emotional pain which is considered to have a long range effect.  That is, in physical pain you can see wounds and bruises while emotional pain leaves mostly concern and fear. If pupils said to a classmate that they will punish him after classes, he will live anxiety and fear more than what may actually happen to him.

What we benefit from these results

Such studies conducted by non-Muslims confirm the trueness of the Islam message. Allah commanded us to choose our words that do not hurt others, and positively influence others.  These verses point that.

Almighty says, “Kind words and the covering of faults are better than charity followed by injury. Allah is free of all wants, and He is Most-Forbearing.”[Al-Baqara: The Cow: 263] He said also, ”and shun the word that is false” [Al-Hajj: The Pilgrimage: 30]. Allah ordered us to call people gently, carry out good argument and choose the word that is more influential and leaves a positive effect on others to get the correct idea about Islam.  Almighty says, “Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” [An-Nahl: The Bee: 125]

These studies should increase our assurance of the impact of the good word. The good word is a charity as told by The Prophet, The Mankind Master (pbuh). Then, consider how Allah introduced the good word in front of prayer, the foundation of religion, when he addressed Children of Israel: “speak fair to the people; be steadfast in prayer; and practise regular charity” [Al-Baqara: The Cow: 83].

Also, you, my brother believer, should know that every word you utter, leaves an effect on the recipient’s brain, and this effect does not disappear through time but stays. Therefore, be careful to leave a good effect in the brain and hearts of others, you do not know that one word you utter may be the reason to enter Paradise on the day of meeting with Allah.

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By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel

www.kaheel7.com/eng

References: bbc.co.uk

source: fataawa jeddah – rulings (from) jeddah – tape no. 13

~

The shaykh (rahimahullaah) answers a question regarding combining the prayers for one who is a resident and not traveling:

“…the hadeeth of ibn ‘Abbaas [radi Allaahu 'anhu] that Imaam Muslim brought out in his Saheeh, from ibn ‘Abbaas who said: ‘The Messenger of Allaah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam combined in Madinah between Dhuhr and ‘Asr, and between Maghrib and ‘Ishaa, without [being in a state of] traveling or [without there being any] rain. They said, ‘What did he [sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam] intend by that O Abul ‘Abbaas (the kunya of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas)?’… He said, ‘He [sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam] wanted that his ummah should not be put to hardship’…’

So what is apparent from the hadeeth is that it is permissible to combine between two prayers in the state of being a resident and without the excuse of [there being] rain, because [the presence of] rain is a legitimate excuse [for which it is] allowed to combine between two prayers. And here ibn ‘Abbaas says that the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam combined [the prayers] while being a resident and combined without the excuse of [there being] rain…

So some of the scholars of the past and present go so far as to permit this combining [of prayers] during residency without [there being any] excuse, and I don’t see that as correct. That is because the narrator of the hadeeth explains the combining of the Messenger ‘alayhi asalaam without an excuse, as another excuse [in order to] legislate and the explain to the people, as ibn ‘Abbaas said, “He wanted that his ummah should not be put to hardship”, ‘alayhi asalaat wa asalaam. And the meaning of this is [that]… when difficulty is found in establishing the prayers in their known appointed times… combining is permissible. As for if there is no difficulty, then it is obligatory to preserve/maintain performing the five prayers, each prayer [being prayed] in its due time, because there is no difficulty…

So where there is no difficulty, there is no combining [of the prayers], and these are two correlative/inseparable affairs. No difficulty, no combining. [If] there is difficulty, there is [the possibility and permissibility of] combining…”

“A million New Yorkers are good without God. Are you?”

"A million New Yorkers are good without God. Are you?" is the title of the new campaign launched by a group of atheists in New York.

This is one of the surprise questions that would greet New York commuters on the subway. A coalition of eight atheist organizations has purchased a month-long campaign that would place their posters in a dozen busy subway stations throughout Manhattan.

This is “part of a coordinated multi-organizational advertising campaign designed to raise awareness about people who don’t believe in a “god”, according to a statement from the group, the Big Apple Coalition of Reason. (Atheist ads to adorn New York subway stations, last accessed 24 October 2009)

The executive director of the New York Center for Inquiry, one of the associated atheists, explained that the coalition hopes “to encourage talking and thinking about religion and morality.”

As believers in Islam, we do welcome talking and thinking about religion and morality. And thinking of religion, we need to, first of all, confront the question of the existence of God:

If we just pass our eyes over the phenomena of nature with attention, we see a regularity and order in all things. We can see this, for instance, in the rotation of the day and night, in the new moon and the full moon, and in the change of seasons. We see the same pattern in the birth, growth and decay of plants and animals.

In short, we can very clearly observe that everything in nature follows an order or a regular pattern, which naturally presupposes a plan or design behind it. But if there is a design, shouldn’t there be a designer? Our reason tells us and our experience teaches us that a plan or design can come only out of an intelligent being.

And if so, how can we look at the grand design of the universe, the unerring order and regularity in nature, and say that these are mere coincidences?

Most assuredly, ours is a universe of order; it is a cosmos and not a chaos. Unless there is a reliable order, or a systematic predictability of laws governing the working of the universe, how can researchers do experiments and arrive at the laws of nature or laws of science?

The foregoing means that behind the operations of this universe, there must be a grand design that is the product of an extraordinary intelligence that comprehends and transcends all the areas of human knowledge, wisdom, and experience.

And what is more, we find that the unity and the uniformity of the Laws of Nature unerringly point to the unity of the power behind the universe. In short, if we are prepared to set aside all our prejudices, and let our minds free for reason to operate freely, we can recognize the overwhelming presence of God in all aspects of the universe.

The Importance of Religion in Life

To consider the influence of religion in human life, we should make a distinction between “individual religiosity” and “organized religion”. By individual religiosity, we mean the faith and practices of individual persons.

And “organized religion” means an institution like the Roman Catholic Church, which has a hierarchical system. Even Islam, which has no clergy or a hierarchical system, is loosely considered an organized religion.

Indeed, Islam is a complete system covering all aspects of socio-political life as well as individual life, as embodied in the Quran and the Sunnah (the example of Prophet Muhammad). But such a complete system is visualized only under a government organized and run on the principles of Islamic jurisprudence.

But apart from it, there are politically or economically motivated groups among Muslims now, whom the media wrongly depicts as models of “organized Islam”.

One criticism of religion in this age is that it causes a lot of violence and intolerance. In fact, violence is not caused by religion as such. It is indeed an aspect of the human psyche, most evident in the socio-political sphere of life.

An objective study will convince us that most of the persisting conflicts of the world today are born out of some complexity of a political-economical nature, rather than from religion.

But vested interests often muddle the issue. For instance, to consider the Palestinian problem from a religious point of view is to distort the vital aspects of the problem, namely the Palestinians are denied their birth right to their home, to their land and their life. Even Israelis who quote their religious book as the basis of their claim to Palestine simply exploit their religion for political advantage.

Today the majority of refugees worldwide happen to be Muslims; and so often this situation is blindly attributed to the religion of Muslims. The truth is that racism, xenophobia, and morbid fear-mongering manipulate public opinion to equate refugees with illegal migrants and even terrorists. Such attitudes create misperceptions about Muslims and Islam. Why can’t we recognize the simple fact that refugees are the victims of state terrorism in the first place?

The Islamic Declaration of Human Rights — formulated on the basis of the Quran and the example of Prophet Muhammad — declares that every human being running away from persecution has the right of asylum, and deserves protection.

We can see that it is often the ethnocentrism of certain communities that generates violence, rather than religion. But essentially religion teaches peace, cooperation, and sacrifice. Consider for instance the Quranic verses:

[Help you one another in righteousness and piety, but help you not one another in sin and rancor…] (Al-Ma’idah5:2)

[Do no mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts): for the mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do good.] (Al-A`raf7:56)

[..But do you good, as God has been good to you, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for God loves not those who do mischief.](Al-Qasas28:77)

Indeed, the moral worth of a society depends on the righteousness of the individuals who comprise that society. And an Islamic society is one in which the individual citizens of the society live by the tenets of Islam.
Regarding religion, one question that haunts thinking humans is about the meaning of suffering. Islam offers a satisfactory answer to this question, which is:If God is good and means well for humankind, why should He allow them to suffer?

Islam teaches that evil, which causes suffering, is the other side of good. That is to say, good in this world cannot exist without bad, as they are two sides of the same coin.

A little reflection would make us see that both good and evil are equally necessary for the spiritual growth of mankind.

Suffering tests the worth and mettle of a person. And the spirits of genuine believers do not weaken under suffering; nor does suffering frighten them or make them desperate.

The superiority of Islam over other philosophies or ideologies can be seen in that it equips its adherents with the spiritual strength to confront evil and overcome suffering. A sincere Muslim accepts physical pain, disease, and personal loss of life or property, as unavoidable tests of this life and as a means of purification; and so he or she strives to overcome them with an equal temper of mind.

As sensible beings, we ought to understand that as humans we are weak beings unable to control even our day-to-day affairs. As such, what can we really do when we are faced with situations that are beyond us? The only course open is not to lose hope, but to rely on the infinite mercy of God.

We should use our reason to assess the problems facing us, and do what we can by way of solving them. Having trust in God, we must adopt a policy of patient perseverance in the face of calamities:

[O you who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and Prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.] (Al-Baqarah2:153)

Islam gives its followers the confidence that God’s mercy is all-pervading, and that He fulfils the smallest need of the lowest creature in the most unexpected ways.

Contentment and tranquillity of mind can be attained only through the contemplation of God. God says in the Quran what means,
[....for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.] (Ar-Ra`d13:28)

Is Death the End?

Whatever happiness we enjoy in our life on earth is punctuated by the anxiety about impending death. Even those who are deluded by the idea that they can be “good without God” cannot escape the haunting thought of death.

At the time of death, they have to reckon with the fact that they have to leave their loved ones once and for all. If they still maintain their reason, how can they avoid asking at the point of death: “Has all the glamour and glory of our life come to this? Is this all?”

Indeed, Islam offers a satisfactory answer to the question, “why death?”

Death is only a transitional point in the life of a human being, whereby we leave this temporary world and enter into an eternal world at a different level of existence.
Since this world is imperfect and transient, and our earthly life is short, it is a horrible thought that suddenly one day, all our achievements in the world just vanish before our eyes for good.

It is only the natural corollary of our temporary existence, riddled with unhappiness, that we hope for an endless life of happiness, if not here, then in another world. And certainly, Islam answers to this natural yearning of humans for an endless life of uninterrupted happiness in the world to come:
[As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the Gardens of Paradise.] (Al-Kahf 18:107)

From the point of view of Islam, God is the perfection of beauty, love, and justice. And the believers’ desire to meet their God in the end gives them the greatest incentive for leading a life of goodness in this world.

There is no way we can avoid facing our God to answer for all our actions on the Day of Judgment. On that day, those of us who led a good life are rewarded with an eternal life of bliss in the hereafter. And those who feel that they can be “happy without God” will necessarily be unhappy in the world to come.

The question is whether it is better to have the opportunity of enjoying an eternal life of bliss, or to miss that chance altogether by following the delusion that we can be happy without God.

The choice is ours.

Source: Reading Islam

The Signs of Fear:

Imam Ghazali, Imam Ibn Qayyim and Ibn Rajab Hanbali

©1995 Al-Firdous Ltd., London

Fear and Hope

We can find out whether we fear Allah or are oblivious of him through some simple tests. Here are some of them:

1. The tongue informs us: if we talk evil, backbite and engage in frivolous gossip, it shows that there is very little concern. We should engage our tongues in the remembrance of Allah, in the recitation of the Quran and in circles of knowledge.
2. In the heart we should expel hatred, enmity and jealousy and replace them with well-wishing and care for Muslims
3. We should be careful of what we put in our stomachs.
4. Our eyes should not wander off to look at haram objects.
5. Our feet should not walk towards haram places.
6. We should not extend our hands for haram purposes.
7. We should be concerned in our good deeds that we don’t perform them for anyone else except Allah.

The Reasons For Fearing Allah:

O servants of Allah, there are many reasons why we should fear. The following is a list of a number of them;

• the fear of death before repenting;
• the fear of not living up to one’s repentance and breaking one’s promise;
• the fear of not being able to fulfil Allah’s obligations;
• the fear of losing one’s softness in the heart and its hardening;
• the fear of losing consistency;
• the fear of allowing temptations to dominate;
• the fear of Allah making one’s self responsible for doing goods deeds because of conceit;
• the fear of becoming arrogant and egotistical due to the abundance of bounties;
• the fear of being distracted from Allah by other creation;
• the fear of being led to an evil ending through excessive bounties;
• the fear of being punished early (i.e. in this world);
• the fear of being disgraced at the time of death;
• the fear of being beguiled by the glitter of this world;
• the fear of Allah revealing one’s secret in one’s state of oblivion;
• the fear of being stamped with a bad death at the time of death;
• the fear of the pangs of death;
• the fear of the questions of Munkar and Nakeer in the grave;
• the fear of the punishment of the grave;
• the fear of the horrors of the horizon (at the time of resurrection);
• the fear of the awe during the presentation in front of Allah;
• the fear and the shame of being naked (at the time of resurrection);
• the fear of being questioned about every little thing in life;
• the fear of the bridge (over Hell) and its sharpness; the fear of the fire, its chains and its torment;
• the fear of being deprived of Paradise, the Eternal and everlasting kingdom and abode and
• the fear of being deprived of seeing Allah’s tremendous visage.

The jurist of Samarkand says that the person who does one good deed should be weary of four things (imagine what a person who commits a sin should be afraid of):

1. The fear of not being accepted because Allah says:
   ‘Allah only accepts from those who fear.’ [Maidah: 27]
2. The fear of showing off, for Allah says: ‘They have been instructed to worship Allah sincerely; religion is for him Alone.’ [Bayinah: 5]
3. The fear of preserving the good deed because Allah says: ‘Whoever brings a good deed shall have ten times its reward.’ [An`am: 161]
4. The fear of being deserted in performing good deeds, for Allah says: ‘My reconciliation (with good) is only through Allah; it is upon Him that I trust and it is to Him that I resort.’ [Hud: 88]

The Fruits of Fear:

Ghazali (rahmatullahi `alayhi) says: ‘Fear rips away desires and muddens luxuries so that cherished sins become reprehensible, just as a honey lover is repelled by it when he learns that it has poison in it. This is how fear burns desires; disciplines the organs; subordinates the heart and gives it tranquility. It also enables the heart to rid itself of pride, hatred, and envy; and it leaves it absorbed in it (fear). Hence, the heart becomes preoccupied with its own worries and looks towards its best interest in the long run. It is then engaged in only matters like meditation, self-analysis and struggle. It cherishes its time and moments.’ [Ihya: 4/160]

Poems:

Abdullah ibn Mubarak (rahimahullah) said about fear:

When night befalls, they endure it
and see it through bowing in ruku.
Fear has released their sleep, so they stand
and acquire security in vigilance.

Hasan ibn Hani (rahimahullah) composed the following (it has been credited to Imam Shafi`ee (rahimahullah)):

Fear Allah and hope for every good thing from Him;
Don’t follow your adamant self, lest you regret it;
Remain in between hope and fear
and you will rejoice with the Pardon of Allah if you submit.
[Muajjamul Udaba: 17/303 credited to Imam Shafi`ee and also in the Divan of Hasan.]

Source

The Qur’anic Definition of al-Shirk

The word Shirk being derived from Sharika, literally means to share or participate, which means to be a companion or sharer. Shirk in shari’ah means polytheism or idolatry. Since a man associates other creation with the Creator he has been regarded as polytheist (Mushrik). Its opposite is al-Tawhid, which means the rejection of all sorts of associations with Allah. The Qur’an confirms:

قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِي بَرِيءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ (6:19

“Say (O Muhammad): He is only one God. Truly! I am innocent of that which you associate (with Him).” (6:19).

al-Shirk (polytheism) has been defined by al-Qur’an as:

The Tremendous Sin:

وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا (4:48

“Whoso ascribes partners to Allah, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.” (4:48)

Tremendous Injustice:

إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ (31:13

“Surely to ascribe partners (to Him) is a tremendous justice.” (31:13)

The Great Ignorance:

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَآئِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْاْ عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ قَالُواْ يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ (7:138

“And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came to a people who were given up to idols which they had. They said: O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: Surely! You are a folk who know not.” (7:138).

أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِهِ آلِهَةً قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ هَذَا ذِكْرُ مَن مَّعِيَ وَذِكْرُ مَن قَبْلِي بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ فَهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ (21:24

“Or have they chosen other gods beside Him? Say: Bring your proof (of their godhead). This is the Reminder of those with me and those before me, but most of them know not the Truth and so they are averse.” (21:24)

The Manifest Error:

وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيدًا (4:116

“Whoso ascribes partners to Allah has wandered far astray.” (4:116)

وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّن يَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَن لَّا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَومِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَن دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ (46:5

“And who is farther astray than those who, instead of Allah, pray to such as hear not their prayer until the Day of Resurrection, and are unconscious of their prayer.” (46:5)

The Great Humiliation:

حُنَفَاء لِلَّهِ غَيْرَ مُشْرِكِينَ بِهِ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا خَرَّ مِنَ السَّمَاء فَتَخْطَفُهُ الطَّيْرُ أَوْ تَهْوِي بِهِ الرِّيحُ فِي مَكَانٍ سَحِيقٍ (22:31

“Turning to Allah (only), not ascribing to Him; for whoso ascribes partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky and the birds had snatched him or the wind had blown him to a far-off place.” (22:31)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ الْعِجْلَ سَيَنَالُهُمْ غَضَبٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَذِلَّةٌ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيَا

“Surely! those who chose the calf (for worship), terror from their Lord and humiliation will come upon them on the life of the world.” (7:152)

The Corruption:

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الأَصْنَامَ (14:35

“And when Abraham said: My Lord! Make safe this territory, and preserve me and my sons from serving idols.” (14:35)

Based on the Conjecture:

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلاَّ الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلاَّ يَخْرُصُونَ (6:116

“If thou obey most of those on earth they would mislead you far from Allah’s way. They follow naught but an opinion, and they do but guess.” (6:116)

Mixes the Truth with Vanity:

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَلْبِسُونَ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ (3:71

“O People of the Scripture! Why confound you truth with falsehood and knowingly conceal the truth?” (3:71)

Creates the Love of the World:

وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ النَّاسِ عَلَى حَيَاةٍ

“And you will find them greediest of mankind for life. . . .” (2:96)

Leaves People without any Firm Foundation:

مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاء كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ (29:41

“The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she takes for herself a house, and truly! The frailest of all houses is the spider’s house, if they but knew.” (29:41)

Makes Slaves of Vain Desires:

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لاَ تَغْلُواْ فِي دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ أَهْوَاء قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّواْ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّواْ عَن سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ (5:77

“Say: O People of the Scripture! Stress not in your religion other than the truth, and follow not the vain desires of folk who erred of old and led many astray, and erred from the plain road.” (5:77)

Fills the Hearts with Fear:

سَنُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ الرُّعْبَ بِمَا أَشْرَكُواْ بِاللّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا

“We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they ascribe to Allah partners, for which no warrant has been revealed.” (3:151)

Closes the doors of Paradise:

إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللّهُ عَلَيهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ (5:72

“Certainly! whoso ascribes partners to Allah, for him Allah has forbidden Paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers.” (5:72)

إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاء

“Surely! Allah forgives not that a partner should be ascribed to Him. But He forgives anything else to whom He will.” (4:48)

Makes actions vain:

وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (6:88

“But if they had setup (for worship) anything beside Him, (all) that they did would have been vain.” (6:88)

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَآئِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتَوْاْ عَلَى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلَى أَصْنَامٍ لَّهُمْ قَالُواْ يَا مُوسَى اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَـهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ (7:138

إِنَّ هَـؤُلاء مُتَبَّرٌ مَّا هُمْ فِيهِ وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (7:139

“And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came to a people who were given upto idols which they had. They said: O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: Surely! you are a folk who know not.”

“Certainly! as for these, their way will be destroyed and all that hey are doing is in vain.” (7:138-139)

Makes a person bewildered:

قُلْ أَنَدْعُو مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُنَا وَلاَ يَضُرُّنَا وَنُرَدُّ عَلَى أَعْقَابِنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَانَا اللّهُ كَالَّذِي اسْتَهْوَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ فِي الأَرْضِ حَيْرَانَ

“Say: Shall we cry, instead of to Allah to that which neither profits us nor hurts us, and shall we torn back after Allah has guided us, like one bewildered whom the devils have infatuated in the earth.” (6:71)

Turns people into the worst of created beings:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ (98:6

“Surely! those who disbelieve, among the people of the Scripture and the idolators, will abide in the fire of hell. They are the worst of created beings.” (98:6)

Makes supplications unacceptable:

لَهُ دَعْوَةُ الْحَقِّ وَالَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ لاَ يَسْتَجِيبُونَ لَهُم بِشَيْءٍ إِلاَّ كَبَاسِطِ كَفَّيْهِ إِلَى الْمَاء لِيَبْلُغَ فَاهُ وَمَا هُوَ بِبَالِغِهِ وَمَا دُعَاء الْكَافِرِينَ إِلاَّ فِي ضَلاَلٍ (13:14

“To Him is the real prayer. Those to whom they pray beside Allah respond to them not at all, save as (is the response to one who stretches forth his hands toward water(asking)that it may come to his mouth, and it will never reach it. The prayer of disbelievers goes (far) astray.” (13:14)

Encourages people to extend their support for falsehood:

وَكَذَلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَتْلَ أَوْلاَدِهِمْ شُرَكَآؤُهُمْ لِيُرْدُوهُمْ وَلِيَلْبِسُواْ عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ وَلَوْ شَاء اللّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ (6:137

“Thus have their (so-called) partners (of Allah) made the killing of their children to seem fair to many of the idolaters, that they may ruin them and make their faith obscure for them.” (6:137)

Creates false impression:

وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَمَا لَيْسَ لَهُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ (22:71

“And they worship instead of Allah that for which no warrant has been revealed to them, and that whereof they have no knowledge. For evil-doers there is no helper.” (22:71)

(The Qur’an and Al-Shirk (Polytheism) (Second Revised Edition) Muhammad Ibrahim H. I. Surty p.35 – 45)

Source: Ibn Adam

Clint Eastwood’s new film, Invictus, premiered in London today.

The film, based on Nelson Mandela’s attempt to unite South Africans by enlisting the help of South Africa’s rugby team during the the 1995 Rugby World Cup,  stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

Eastwood’s next project, Hereafter, due for release in December 2010 takes a very different direction from past projects. Hereafter is a supernatural thriller about three people who are all touched by death.  The cast includes Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jay Mohr.  The film is written by the very talented Peter Morgan who wrote The Queen, Frost/Nixon and the upcoming Bond 23.

See below for the trailer of Invictus which is released nationwide on 5th February.

Check Out Glenn Gould: Hereafter [Blu-ray] http://www.amazon.com/Glenn-Gould-Hereafter-Bruno-Monsaingeon/dp/B002JP9HO4?tag=savingsureblo-20

Feeling fed up of life

Q: I am a young man who has become fed up of living in this transient world. I have started to feel bored and tired of it. Is there anyone who can help? There is none who can help except Allaah!.

A: Praise be to Allaah.

There are many reasons for hating this world. There are some people who dislike this transient world and long for that which is with Allaah of reward, and who love to meet Allaah. Hence some of the salaf said: “The gift of the believer is death.” For he detests this world and his heart is attached to the Hereafter. Yet despite his dislike for this world, he carries out his duties towards Allaah and His slaves, and he strives to do good as much as he can, in accordance with the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death)” [al-Hijr 15:99].
{وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ}
Transliteration: Wa A`bud Rabbaka Ĥattá Ya’tiyaka Al-Yaqīnu

And there are some people who detest this world, not because of the Hereafter, but because they think that their share of it is very little, and that others are better off then them. Undoubtedly this is a kind of discontent with the will and decree of Allaah, for Allaah is the One Who bestows blessings and distributes provisions, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if Allaah were to enlarge the provision for His slaves, they would surely rebel in the earth, but He sends down by measure as He wills. Verily, He is, in respect of His slaves, the Well‑Aware, the All‑Seer (of things that benefit them)” [al-Shoora 42:27].
{وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ}
Transliteration: Wa Law Basaţa Allāhu Ar-Rizqa Li`ibādihi Labaghaw Fī Al-’Arđi Wa Lakin Yunazzilu Biqadarin Mā Yashā’u ‘Innahu Bi`ibādihi Khabīrun Başīrun

Some people hate this world because they have been faced with a great deal of trial, stress and exhaustion in it. Undoubtedly these people do not understand the true nature of this world. This world is the realm of striving and trial, the realm of stress and exhaustion, especially for the righteous believer, who encounters all kinds of trials by means of which Allaah expiates his sins and raises him in status. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, We have created man in toil” [al-Balad 90:4].
{لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ}
Transliteration: Laqad Khalaqnā Al-’Insāna Fī Kabadin

“Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested.

And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3].
{أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ (2) وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ}
Transliteration: ‘Aĥasiba An-Nāsu ‘An Yutrakū ‘An Yaqūlū ‘Āmannā Wa Hum Lā Yuftanūna, Wa Laqad Fatannā Al-Ladhīna Min Qablihim Falaya`lamanna Allāhu Al-Ladhīna Şadaqū Wa Laya`lamanna Al-Kādhibīna

“Allaah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allaah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen), but Allaah chooses of His Messengers whom He wills. So believe in Allaah and His Messengers. And if you believe and fear Allaah, then for you there is a great reward” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:179].
{مَّا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَا أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىَ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ وَلَكِنَّ اللّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِن رُّسُلِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ}
Transliteration: Mā Kāna Allāhu Liyadhara Al-Mu’uminīna `Alá Mā ‘Antum `Alayhi Ĥattá Yamīza Al-Khabītha Mina Aţ-Ţayyibi Wa Mā Kāna Allāhu Liyuţli`akum `Alá Al-Ghaybi Wa Lakinna Allāha Yajtabī Min Rusulihi Man Yashā’u Fa’āminū Billāhi Wa Rusulihi Wa ‘In Tu’uminū Wa Tattaqū Falakum ‘Ajrun `Ažīmun

“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As‑ Saabiroon (the patient).

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

157. They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones” [al-Baqarah 2:155-157].

{وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ (155) الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ (156) أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ}
Transliteration: Wa Lanabluwannakum Bishay’in Mina Al-Khawfi Wa Al-Jū`i Wa Naqşin Mina Al-’Amwli Wa Al-’Anfusi Wa Ath-Thamarāti Wa Bashshiri Aş-Şābirīna, Al-Ladhīna ‘Idhā ‘Aşābat/hum Muşībatun Qālū ‘Innā Lillāhi Wa ‘Innā ‘Ilayhi Rāji`ūna, ‘Ūlā’ika `Alayhim Şalawātun Min Rabbihim Wa Raĥmatun Wa ‘Ūlā’ika Humu Al-Muhtadūna

My dear brother… into which of these categories do you fall?

Remember how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was tested. His people showed enmity towards him, and the closest of people to him resisted him. Some people slandered him, others persecuted him. He was thrown out of his home and was subjected to a harsh boycott. The kuffaar gathered together to kill him, and his wife Khadeejah (may Allaah be pleased with her) died at the most difficult time. He would go for a month or two at a time without eating anything but dates and water. All of this happened even though he was the Prophet of Allaah, and His Messenger, the one to whom Allaah entrusted His Revelation. All of this happened even though he is the owner of the position of praise and glory (al-maqaam al-mahmoud) and the Cistern (al-hawd) to which his ummah will come (on the Day of Resurrection). All of this happened even though his sins, past and future, had been forgiven.

So what about us, with all our sins and shortcomings?

I advise you to do the following:

Firstly: make a lot of du’aa’, calling upon Allaah, and seek to draw close to Him by different kinds of worship, such as praying, giving zakaah, fasting and so on. Beseech Allaah to take away what is in your heart (of sorrow etc) and to grant you relief. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allaah verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest” [al-Ra’d 13:28].
{الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ}
Transliteration: Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū Wa Taţma’innu Qulūbuhum Bidhikri Allāhi ‘Alā Bidhikri Allāhi Taţma’innu Al-Qulūbu

“Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqoon (the pious), when an evil thought comes to them from Shaytaan (Satan), they remember (Allaah), and (indeed) they then see (aright)” [al-A’raaf 7:201].
{إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ}
Transliteration: ‘Inna Al-Ladhīna Attaqaw ‘Idhā Massahum Ţā’ifun Mina Ash-Shayţāni Tadhakkarū Fa’idhā Hum Mubşirūna

Secondly: Understand that whatever Allaah decrees for His believing slave is all good. No matter how difficult your life may become, to Allaah belong all things in the heavens and the earth. So set things straight between yourself and Allaah, and Allaah will suffice you against having any need of people.

Thirdly: Your depression and tiredness may be because of something that you have missed out on and not acquired or achieved. In that case you should know how often a person has pursued something, not realizing that in it lay his doom; and how often has a person grieved for missing out on something he wanted, but he does not know that had he attained it, it would have spelled loss in both his spiritual and worldly affairs. So accept the will and decree of Allaah, and seek the help of Allaah, and do not feel helpless.

Fourthly: Check your heart and mind, and examine your relationship with Allaah thoroughly, because a person may be denied provision because of sins that he commits.

Fifthly: You may have some personal or family problems; the way to solve these problems is by prioritizing them. Seek the help of Allaah (first and foremost), then the help of experienced people to solve these problems, and resolve these issues.

Sixthly: remember that the most sorely tried of all people were the Prophets, then the next best and the next best. It is proven in al-Musnad from the hadeeth of Mus’ab ibn Sa’d that his father said: I said: O Messenger of Allaah, which of the people are most sorely tested? He said: «The Prophets, then the righteous, then the next best, then the next best of people. A man will be tested according to his level of religious commitment. If there is some solidness in his religious commitment, he will be more sorely tested, and if there is some weakness in his religious commitment the test will be lightened for him. A man will continue to be tested until he walks upon the face of the earth with no sin on him» [Musnad al-Imam Ahmad, no. 1481. Shaykh Shu’ayb al-Arna’oot said: its isnaad is hasan. And it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 992].

Seventhly: Persist in praying for forgiveness and in worshipping. That is better for you than all the worldly steps you can take, no matter how great and how many they are. This will also relieve your worries. It was narrated in some reports that whoever persists in praying for forgiveness, Allaah will grant him a way out from every worry and hardship and will grant him provision from sources he never thought of.

So persist in worshipping Allaah, and act in accordance with the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e. death)” [al-Hijr 15:99].
{وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ}
Transliteration: Wa A`bud Rabbaka Ĥattá Ya’tiyaka Al-Yaqīnu

“And strain not your eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to various groups of them (polytheists and disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah), the splendour of the life of this world, that We may test them thereby. But the provision (good reward in the Hereafter) of your Lord is better and more lasting” [Ta-Ha 20:131].
{وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجاً مِّنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى}
Transliteration: Wa Lā Tamuddanna `Aynayka ‘Ilá Mā Matta`nā Bihi ‘Azwājāan Minhum Zahrata Al-Ĥayāati Ad-Dunyā Linaftinahum Fīhi Wa Rizqu Rabbika Khayrun Wa ‘Abqá

May Allaah help us and you to do and say that which is right. And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A

The Connection of the Soul to the Body

Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d.751H)

Source : Kitaabur-Rooh (p. 44)

The soul (ar-rooh) is connected to the body in five different ways, to which different rules apply.

[1] Its connection to the body as a fetus in his mother’s womb.

[2] Its connection to the body after a person is born.

[3] Its connection to the body when a person is asleep, when the soul is connected in one way and separated from it in another way.

[4] Its connection to the body in al-Barzakh (the period between a person’s death and the Day of Resurrection), when it has departed from the body and separated from it, but is not separated completely in such a way that there is no connection at all. We have mentioned at the beginning of this reply that there are ahaadeeth and reports which indicate that the soul is returned to the body when somebody sends the greeting of salaam to a deceased person. This returning is of a special nature which does not mean that the life is restored to the body before the Day of Resurrection.

[5] Its connection to the body on the Day when bodies will be resurrected. This is the most perfect type of connection to the body, and has no comparison to the previous types, because after that the body will never die, sleep or have anything wrong with it.

When a person is asleep, his soul is in his body and he is alive, although his being alive is not the same as that of a person who is awake, for sleep is comparable to death. Similarly, when a dead person’s soul is returned to his body (when the greeting is sent upon him), he is in a state between one who is alive and one who is dead, whose soul is not restored to his body. This is like the case of a sleeping person who is in a state between life and death.

Source

Asalamu Alaykum

Subhanallah! A beautiful & inspiring video, narrating the occasion of a momentous day when the residents of Jannah shall have a meeting with Allah SWT! Based on authentic narration by Ibn Qayyim (RA). I do not think I can add anything. Please watch this Video. Ameen

Yes, I reduced myself to the LOWEST form of a photographer tonight. A movie is being filmed in my neighborhood in San Francisco, so I grabbed my telephoto (I should have grabbed my tripod, too) and ran over.

The movie is “Hereafter”, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon, Bryce Dallace Howard, and others. It is a “supernatural thriller” and is due in theaters December 2010.

Sorry the photos are so blurry, but they wouldn’t let me use a flash.
That’s a barely recognizable Matt Damon in the window.

Update 01.27: Thanks for the link IMDB message board!

Question: Does God change His mind?

Answer: Most of the questions we ask about God are anthropomorphic. That is to say, they are based on the assumption that God is like us; that God is a being with thoughts and feelings just like ours. And often unawares, people get this impression gradually rooted in their consciousness with their reading of the Bible. Consequently, it is believed that God can have remorse over some of His decisions and review them later.

For instance, look at the story of the golden calf in Exodus 32. There we read that God was so unhappy with his “stiff-necked people” that, in verse 10, the Lord said to Prophet Moses:

“Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” (Exodus 32:10,New International Version)

But Prophet Moses pleaded for his people, and finally God said to him:

“Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.” (Exodus 32:14 –New International Version)

The foregoing speaks of God Who changes His mind. It is in answer to the prayer of Moses that He changed His mind and decided not to bring on the intended disaster on the Children of Israel then. This would apparently mean that God listens to the prayers of the people; and out of His mercy, change the course of events.

If prayers are expected to have an immediate effect, it should follow that God is willing to change His mind. Such is the logic behind the belief that God often changes His mind.

Now, let us view this problem from the Islamic point of view. We may note that God created the universe, and then created the humans and bestowed upon them a privileged position within the universe; so that the world may function under the laws He had decreed for it.

God observes how people treat the bounty He has given them, and He leaves them to live on by His laws, for a certain length of time. At the end of this time, mankind will be brought in front of God for judgment, and they will be rewarded or punished for their deeds in God’s universe.

In all these, there is not going to be any “change of mind” from God’s side. But in God’s dealing with humans on earth, whatever appears to us to be a change of mind on God’s side is really part of His pattern and order.

When God created humans, He knew how each one of them would behave, what their choice would be, and what the outcome of their choice would be. So everything is mapped out in advance, including the so-called “change of mind”, which is only a step in the progress toward the pre-set goal. Indeed, all our days and nights — no matter whether of the past, present or future — were in His hands, as it were.

God has given humans freedom of choice, which allows them to choose from a number of possibilities open before them. It is their common experience that they may choose some course that God does not want them to adopt, even by ignoring God’s guidance, or by openly defying the explicit commandments of God.

God is watching them and they may imagine that His decision concerning their action is contingent upon their choice. In fact, the truth is quite different.

From the point of view of the noble Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God, God has a plan, which works out according to a set of laws He has decreed for the world. In other words, it is God’s decision that His creations should abide by His laws in order to function.

Indeed, all the natural phenomena in the universe reflect this order and pattern of God. And Allah (God) in the Quran says what means:

[The word of your Lord doth find its fulfilment in truth and in justice: None can change His words: for He is the one who hears and knows all.][(Al-An`am 6:115)

[So set you thy face steadily and truly to the faith: (establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah; that is the standard Religion, but most among mankind understand not.](Ar-Rum 30:30)

[No change can there be in the words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme felicity!](Yunus 10:64)

The question then is: does the Quran describe any event where a change of mind on God’s side is depicted? Consider the question of the “abrogation” of the verses after they were revealed. Here is one example:

[None of Our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: Knowest thou not that Allah Hath power over all things?](Al-Baqarah 2:106)

The critics of Islam often cite the gradual prohibition of alcohol as an example of God’s change of mind. Earlier revelations did not specifically prohibit the drinking of alcohol. But then the final verse was a clear and categorical prohibition. This is sometimes presented as an example of how the “Muslim God” changes His mind.

The fact of the matter should be evident to anyone who reflects a little. God Who knows the nature and psychology of humans decided to prohibit the drinking of alcohol in a gradual and phased manner. Now we know that would be the practical way of effective prohibition.

In fact, the nullification of an older command in favor of a newer law, is not a new practice, it is part of Allah’s order. It has been the Divine practice, as we may note from the previous scriptures.

What we know is that Shariah (the Divine laws governing mankind) has to change in accordance with the changing needs of the society. This is all part of the general scheme. And what is particularly noteworthy is that the fundamentals do not change. They remain the same.

The Creator knows well that humans need time to grow and mature. Therefore, He reveals His commandments and orders in stages, so that humans can develop both as individuals, and as members of a society.

Source: Reading Islam

By Asma Bint Shameem

Wudu is such a beautiful thing. It is done so that we can purify ourselves before we stand for prayer in front of Allah. And all of us make wudu, because we know that without it our prayer will not be valid. But usually we do it routinely, swiftly washing our hands and feet, splish splash on the face, a quick wipe over the head and we are done, not thinking much of it. And sometimes we even get lazy and don’t do it properly, especially at times like Fajr, when we are sleepy and during cold weather.

But there is more to wudu than just being a condition for worship. Something that makes it more than just a routine thing before prayer…… something higher and more complete…. something that most of us neglect or overlook.

And that is…..that the very act of wudu is a form of worship in itself. By performing wudu you can get closer to Allaah….you can increase your Imaan and strengthen your faith. By performing wudu, you can intensify your love for Allaah and His Messenger (Sal Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam)…and you can have your sins forgiven. And how can one do all that ?

Every time you make wudu, be conscious of Allaah, your Rabb, and remember that it is Him, Who ordered you to perform wudu in the first place. And you are carrying out His Orders, His Command….you are obeying Him. And you love to obey Him. So be conscious of your obedience to Him and thank Him for enabling you to carry out His Command as He says:

(O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and (wash) your feet up to ankles) [Surah Maidah:6]

This will increase your love for Allaah, and strengthen your Imaan….and improve your relationship with Him. It will make you more conscious of Him when you stand in front of Him in prayer and give you more Khushoo.

And every time you perform wudu, be conscious that you are following the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam). It is the same way he did wudu….. the Prophet that you love and honor and respect….and it is his Sunnah that you love to follow. Not only will Allaah will reward you for following His Messenger (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam), but it (the wudu) will also increase your love for the Sunnah as well.

The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “He who performs wudu like this wudu of mine and then offered two rakahs of prayer without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, all his previous sins are expiated.” (Muslim)

So the key to sins being expiated is performing wudu like the Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and then praying. And every single time you perform wudu, do it sincerely for the sake of Allaah, expecting a reward from Him, asking Him to accept it from you, hoping that He will forgive you.

Because wudu expiates sins. “When the Muslim or believing slave does wudu and washes his face, every wrong thing that he looked at with his eyes comes out from his face with the water or with the last drop of water. When he washes his hands, every wrong thing that he did with his hands comes out from his hands with the water or with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet every wrong thing that he walked to with his feet comes out from his feet with the water or with the last drop of water, until he emerges cleansed of sin.” (Muslim)

And whenever you do wudu, think of the People who will have bright hands and faces on the Day of Resurrection and know that if you try to do your wudu properly, doing it sincerely for the sake of Allaah, then He will make you among those. The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “(On the Day of Resurrection) You will have distinctive marks “Al-Ghurr-ul- Muhajjalun” which nobody among the peoples (except you) will have; you would come to me (at the Cistern of al-Kauthar) with blazing forehead and bright hands and feet on account of the traces of ablution.” (Muslim)

Try and maintain your wudu at all times as this is a sign of a believer. The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Only the believer will remain with his ablution (sustaining it at all times).” (Saheeh al-Jamee) And even if you have difficulty in doing wudu, like cold weather, or any other situation that makes wudu difficult, still try your best to maintain it, since there is tremendous reward.

The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Shall I not tell you something by which Allah effaces the sins and elevates ranks (in Jannah)?” The Companions said; “Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Performing the Wudu thoroughly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the mosque, and waiting for the next prayer after observing a prayer; and that is mindfulness”. (Muslim)

And don’t forget the Siwaak. It is something that Allaah and His Messenger love. He (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Siwak is a purification for the mouth and satisfaction for the Lord”. (al- Nisaee and Ibn Khuzaima -Sahih at Targheeb)

And when you finish wudu, be sure and say the Sunnah duas that the Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) taught us to say AFTER we are done with wudu. Remember there are NO duas to be said during wudu. There is nothing proven about that from the authentic Sunnah. Just START your wudu with Bismillaah and when you are DONE, then say the following:

1) Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasooluhu. (Meaning: I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.) (Muslim)

2) Allaahumm ajalni min al-tawwaabeena wajalni min al-mutatahhireena (Meaning: O Allaah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves). (Tirmidhi-Saheeh by Albaani)

3) Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bi hamdika, ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayka (Meaning: Glory and praise be to You, O Allaah, I bear witness that there is no god but You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You) (al-Nasaai, etc.- Saheeh by Albaani)

May Allaah make us among those who purify themselves for His sake, physically as well as spiritually. Ameen.

Praise be to Allaah.

The name of failure is enough to put us off it and strive for success, regardless of the material gains that a man may attain as the result of his success, because failure is a word that implies shortcomings and loss, and success is a word that implies perfection and praise. 

Failure and success are two sides of the same coin, although they may seem to contradict one another at first glance. But in fact they are interconnected if you think about it, based on experience and real life.

Success is the path in this life which Allaah wants to be the aim of every believer. He has created the universe and subjugated it to meet this aim. He, may He be glorified, has enjoined man to believe, and has asked him to adhere to full submission to Him, as he cannot be anything but a slave to Allaah, and He has made that the purpose of creation, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)”

[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] 

And He has promised that the one who dies following this path will be the successful one, and others will be losers: 

“And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:185] 

So success is the story of life, the purpose for which Allaah has created this universe. He only sent the Messengers and revealed the Books to call people to attain true success before Allaah. He has decreed certain matters in order to motivate us to attain success in this world and in the Hereafter, as follows: 

-         He decreed eternal and everlasting delight for those who pass the test of faith and full submission, and adhere to that path and die following it: 

“Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand will say: ‘Here! read my Record!

20. ‘Surely, I did believe that I shall meet my Account!’

21. So he shall be in a life, well‑pleasing.

22. In a lofty Paradise,

23. The fruits in bunches whereof will be low and near at hand.

24. Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!”

[al-Haaqqah 69:19-24] 

-         The Qur’aan depicts the state of those who refused to follow the path of success and insisted on following the path of evil and failure, and described their situation on the Day when results will be shown, and it will be known who succeeded and who failed: 

“But as for him who will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: ‘I wish that I had not been given my Record!

26. ‘And that I had never known how my Account is!

27. ‘Would that it had been my end (death)!

28. ‘My wealth has not availed me;

29. ‘My power (and arguments to defend myself) have gone from me!’”

[al-Haaqqah 69:25-29] 

-         Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, decreed a good life in this world for the one who follows the path of success, He said (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)”

[al-Nahl 16:79] 

Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

This is a promise from Allaah to the one who does righteous deeds, that Allaah will give him a good life in this world, and a good life includes all kinds of comfort and delight. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas and others that they interpreted it as meaning a goodly halaal provision, and it was narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he interpreted it as meaning contentment. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talhah said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbaas, that it means happiness. The correct view is that a good life includes all of these things. Tafseer al-Qur’aan il-‘Azeem (4/601). 

This is the way according to which the Muslim should live throughout his life. The one who starts out on the basis of this understanding will inevitably be led to success and achievement in all his affairs, both religious and worldly, because the believer knows that he is required to establish truth and justice in this world, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice”

[al-Hadeed 57:25] 

An individual’s success is part of the success of the ummah in achieving justice and fairness. 

And the believer also hears the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who said: “Allaah loves, when one of you does a thing, that he should do it well.” Narrated by Abu Ya’la (7/349) and classed as hasan by al-Albaani on the basis of corroborating evidence in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (1113). Doing things well is one of the pillars of success. 

These motives are all things that prepare the believer to attain the highest degrees of success. He always strives to develop his talents and learn useful skills, and to develop himself on the educational, moral, social and economic levels. He knows that the successful, striving believer is better than the one who is idle and lazy, who earns nothing from his laziness but loss in both worldly and religious terms. 

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allaah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive to do that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allaah, and do not feel helpless. If anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done (such and such), the such and such would have happened,’ rather say: ‘Allaah has decreed and what He wills He does,’ for ‘if only’ opens the door to the work of the shaytaan.” Narrated by Muslim (2664). 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This hadeeth includes several important principles of faith, including the following: 

That a person’s happiness lies in his seeking that which will benefit him in this life and in the Hereafter, and this striving means expending effort and doing one’s utmost. Because a man’s striving and action can only be with the help of Allaah and by His will and support, He commanded him to seek His help, so that he will be acting in accordance with the meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” [al-Faatihah 1:5]. His striving for that which will benefit him is an act of worship to Allaah, which cannot be done except with His help, so He commanded him to worship Him and seek His help. 

Then he said: “and do not feel helpless”, because feeling helpless is contrary to striving for that which will benefit him, and it is contrary to seeking the help of Allaah. The one who strives for that which will benefit him and seeks the help of Allaah is the opposite of the one who feels helpless, so this is telling him, before what has been decreed happens, of that which is one of the greatest means of attaining it, which is striving for it whilst seeking the help of the One in Whose hand is control of all things, from Whom they come and to Whom they will return. If he does not attain what was not decreed for him, then he may feel either of two things: helplessness, which opens the door to the work of the shaytaan, so his sense of helplessness leads him to say “if only”, but there is nothing good in saying “if only” in this case, rather that opens the door to blame, panic, discontentment, regret and grief, all of which are the work of the shaytaan, so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to open the door to his works in this manner, and told us to adopt the second option, which is looking at the divine decree and bearing it in mind, for if it was decreed for him it would never have missed him and no one could have prevented him from attaining it. Hence he said: “If anything befalls you, do not say ‘If only I had done (such and such), the such and such would have happened,’ rather say: ‘Allaah has decreed and what He wills He does,’” and he taught him that which will benefit him in either case, whether he gets what he wanted or not. Hence this hadeeth is one which a person can never do without. 

Shifa’ al-‘Aleel (37-38). 

With this thinking one can overcome every obstacle and every failure, and there is nothing that he cannot achieve; there will be no limit to his hopes and no end to his ambition and resolve.  

Rather he will realize that failure is a sign of someone who is striving, because the one who strives is the one who may fail, but the one who does nothing and is lazy will neither fail nor succeed. Effort must inevitably lead to success one day, even if it is a long way off. So he should take failure as a step towards success, learning from it the causes of shortcomings, and trying to overcome them and set them straight, so that he becomes stronger than he was before, until he attains the success for which he is striving. 

The door of repentance which Allaah, may He be exalted, has opened to those who make mistakes and fail is another incentive to overcome failures and attain success, especially if the one who falls short learns from his experience. One of the salaf said: A sin that generates humility and regret is better than an act of obedience that generates self-admiration and arrogance. 

Finally, with all these motives for attaining success and overcoming failure, there remains no excuse for being inactive or lazy. The way is easy and all it requires of you is some determination, will power and wisdom. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “All of my ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (7280). 

And Allaah knows best.

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