30
Mar 2020
O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek wasila the to Him and strive in His cause that you may succeed. (5:35) يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ yaa ayyuha-lladheena aamanu-ttaqu-llaaha wabtaghoo ilayhil waseelata wa jaahidoo fee sabeelihee la’allakum tuflihoon Tawassul Seeking the means of nearness is called tawassul (seeking wasilah). We gain wasilah by striving in the way of Allah (jihad), which is not just physical jihad on the battlefield, but spiritual jihad, as it has two dimensions. Thus if......
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28
Mar 2020
I’d like to share two thoughts with you. The first one is about Sha’ban, which started a couple of days ago and the second is self-isolation. Sha’ban As Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated the Prophet (peace be on him) used to fast in Sha’ban more than any other month. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet (peace be on him) did not observe voluntary sawm (fasting) so frequently during any other month as he did during Sha’ban. He observed sawm throughout the month of Sha’ban. Another......
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28
Mar 2020
Sadly there is widespread confusion over whether to perform ghusl over those who have passed away due to the coronavirus. Need for clarity As well as the distress and bereavement of losing loved members of the family and community, there is anxiety among families on the issue, and a need for clarity and assurance that the deceased are not being disrespected nor denied their funeral rights if they do not have a ghusl. Is ghusl an obligation? The ghusl is ordinarily considered to be an obligation (wajib or fard) according to the vast......
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27
Mar 2020
Signs الإعراض والاستغفار What we are going through is very severe. But also very special. We have read in history about plagues and famines and calamities but we never lived through one of these. Subhanallah Allah in his destiny has written that we would live this moment. This calamity. Let’s reflect on why Allah sent these signs and tests to people. Hardship The word which comes to my mind is ba’s بأس which means hardship. Allah sends hardship to test people. I went through these verses in the Quran and I found it......
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20
Mar 2020
What are we supposed to make of this? The first ayah which came to my mind in this calamity is in Surah Baqarah, when Allah Almighty said: And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient (2:155) This ayah describes our exact situation in detail. Firstly Allah is saying without doubt He will test us with some fear, though this is not extreme fear. 1. Fear controls our actions We can see fear......
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20
Mar 2020
Love for people what you love for yourself, you will be a good Muslim. (Tirmidhi) Why did the Prophet (peace be on him) say this? What is the core of this message? Love is the antidote to envy When you wish good for someone it is an antidote to envy. (Though it is fine to have good envy, which is to want to attain goodness like them, but not to wish for their goodness to be taken away, bad envy is resenting want others have and even worse wishing them to lose......
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17
Mar 2020
: عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-: «قَالَ اللَّهُ -تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى-: إِذَا ابْتَلَيْتُ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنَ، فَلَمْ يَشْكُنِي إِلَى عُوَّادِهِ، أَطْلَقْتُهُ مِنْ إسَارِي، ثُمَّ أَبْدَلْتُهُ لَحْمًا خَيْرًا مِنْ لَحْمِهِ، وَدَمًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَمِهِ، ثُمَّ يَسْتَأْنِفُ الْعَمَلَ». صححه الحاكم، ووافقه الذهبي، وصححه الألباني في السلسلة الصحيحة. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that Allah, the Glorious and Exalted said: When I afflict My believing servant, and he does not complain about Me to his visitors, I will release him from illness, and I will replace his flesh with a......
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13
Mar 2020
Allah Almighty said: We will certainly test you with some fear and hunger, and some loss of possessions and lives and crops. But give good news to the steadfast. (2:155) وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ The Coronavirus is a test for us all Without doubt Allah is testing us, now the test is not on an individual level, it is at ummah level. In the hadith, the Prophet (peace be on him) said: The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When......
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07
Mar 2020
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ We will certainly test you with some fear and hunger, and some loss of possessions and lives and crops. But give good news to the steadfast. (2:155) الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ Those who, when a calamity afflicts them, say, ‘To God we belong, and to Him we will return.’ (2:156) أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ Upon these are blessings and mercy from their Lord. These are the guided......
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01
Mar 2020
Ascending levels of spirituality: Sabr – khawf – mahabbah Al-Imam Al-Muhasibi’s* book “Ādāb An Nufus” has very deep reflections on how to discipline yourself, and how to increase your closeness to Allah Almighty by moving higher step by step, which is unique. Level 1 – Sabr (Patience) He defined sabr as going against what you like, Mukhalafatul mahabbah. If your patience is strong, there is no form of worship which is difficult for you. Ibadah becomes easy for you, and you are able to do a lot. To progress spiritually, you have......
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01
Mar 2020
Being good to your neighbour. Even if he is bad to you. Being good to someone who is good to you is easy. Being good to someone who is not good to you, is hard. This is why being good to your neighbour is a sign of imaan. Allah Almighty says in Surah Fussilat: The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better. (and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity as though he was a devoted......
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26
Feb 2020
Pleasure flows two ways. You earn Allah’s pleasure, rida Allahi ta’ala – when YOU yourself are pleased with Him. As we see from the Hadith Qudsi, the People of Jannah experience layers upon layers of pleasure- and Allah Almighty reveals the pinnacle of their pleasure… عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ’ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ لأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَا أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ. يَقُولُونَ لَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ. فَيَقُولُ هَلْ رَضِيتُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ وَمَا لَنَا لاَ نَرْضَى وَقَدْ أَعْطَيْتَنَا مَا لَمْ تُعْطِ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ. فَيَقُولُ أَنَا أُعْطِيكُمْ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ......
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26
Feb 2020
Rajab and the sacred months The number of months, according to Allah, is twelve months—in the decree of Allah—since the Day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred. This is the correct religion. So do not wrong yourselves during them. (9:36) Rajab is a sacred month. One of the 4 sacred months in the Muslim year. The other three are consecutive – Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram. Do good deeds earn extra reward in Rajab Is it authentic that good deeds are multiplied in Rajab and......
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20
Feb 2020
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Paradise is surrounded by hardships and the Hell-Fire is surrounded by temptations. (Muslim) Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: Hellfire is screened by desires, and Paradise is screened by difficulties. So whoever penetrates the veil of Hell falls into it and whoever penetrates the veil of Paradise will be admitted to it. (Bukhari) Behind the curtain of the unseen Allah Almighty in this hadith, out of His mercy opens a window......
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15
Feb 2020
Uqbah bin ‘Amir said that the Prophet (peace be on him) said: Each day, every deed has to be recorded and sealed. When a believer becomes ill, the angels say to God, ‘Oh, our Lord! You’ve confined so and so servant of yours.’ The Lord, the Almighty and Glorious replied, ‘Record and seal for the servant the same deeds that the servant does when the servant is not ill, until the servant recovers from his illness or dies.’ (Musnad Ahmad) Abu Musa narrated that he heard the......
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