Three things that lead to Jannah Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «يَا أَبَا سَعِيدٍ، مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا، وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ». فَعَجِبَ لَهَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ، فَقَالَ: أَعِدْهَا عَلَيَّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَفَعَلَ. “O Abu Sa‘id, whoever is pleased with…
When we read the Quran and Sunnah, we encounter different names and descriptions of Jannah: Jannaat ʿAdn, al-Firdaws, Jannaat al-Naʿīm, Daar al-Salaam and others. Each opens a window onto the home Allah has prepared for His believing servants. Some names draw our attention to its permanence, others to its peace, security or delight. Alongside them…
Between your choice and Allah’s choice for you Qatadah ibn al-Nu’man narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا حَمَاهُ الدُّنْيَا كَمَا يَظَلُّ أَحَدُكُمْ يَحْمِي سَقِيمَهُ الْمَاءَ “When Allah loves a servant, He shields him from worldly things, just as one of you would keep water away from a sick person.” (Tirmidhi) In…
Nearly there… The believers, having endured the wait for the reckoning to begin, some shaded beneath the Throne of Allah, others standing in sweat that reached their ankles, knees or even their necks, will have witnessed the intercession of the Prophet ﷺ until reckoning began. They would have been sorted into groups, had their deeds…
What is tranquility Tranquility is one of the major principles in Islam. What is tranquillity? How can we achieve it? and what helps us to stay on the path of tranquillity? Tranquillity is a recurring theme in the Quran, and mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as well as demonstrated in his practices….
Munazarat an Nafs – debating with yourself The Forty Principles of the Faith ends with a debate between Ghazali and himself, and he recommends that we do this as well – rather than debating with others, try to convince yourself of the truth, as you try to convince your opponent. Scholars of tasawwuf (self purification)…
After Ghazali talked about the topic of mahabba (love) for Allah – the fruits of mahabba and true mahabba, and increasing our love for Allah and His Messenger, He followed it with this topic of contenment (rida), as they are closely linked. Loving Allah and being content with what He destined go together. If you…
Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him In Surat al Maidah, Allah Almighty says: قَالَ ٱللَّهُ هَٰذَا يَوۡمُ يَنفَعُ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ صِدۡقُهُمۡۚ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٞ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدٗاۖ رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ Allah will say: “This is a Day on which the truthful will profit…
This is the last part of Ghazali’s chapter on love. He already mentioned that the senses are our gateway to pleasure and we love everything that is pleasurable to our senses. However there is something else we love, but that is not experienced through our senses and that is the love of Allah, which we…
Ghazali looks at tawakkul, breaking it into divisions and levels of tawakkul. The essence of tawakkul is putting your trust in Allah which comes from 3 things: The 3 pillars of tawakkul ILM – Knowledge – of monotheism. Knowing that Allah is the Creator, Protector and Sustainer HAAL- State – leave your affairs to Allah,…
Ghazali lived in 5th century Hijri and his book, Kitaab Al-Arba’in Fi Usul ad-Din, ‘The Forty Principles of the Religion,’ which he wrote before his death, is a summary of Ihya Ulumuddin (Revival of the Sciences of the Religion), and his life’s works and thoughts. In the last ten principles of the forty, he looks…
Qana’a in Arabic is contentment. Being content is important Abu Hurayra narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘Be satisfied with what Allah has allotted for you and you shall be the richest of people’. (Tirmidhi) If you are not content with what you have, it breeds jealousy and envy…