Lesson of the day 1322

Ayahs of the day:
Say, "If you love God, then follow me; God will love you and forgive you your sins; for God is most forgiving, most merciful." [3: 31]

Hadith of the day:
Do not envy one another, do not artificially inflate prices against one another, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, do not undercut one another. Be, O slaves of Allah, brothers." [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The result of fear (of Allah) is that one is able to leave the forbidden, and the result of hope (in Allah) is that one remains firm footed in one's obedience. [Shaqeeq al Balkhi]

Guidance of the day:
Know that frequent remembrance of death is a good thing and to be encouraged. It brings important benefits and profits, among which are short hopes, detachment from the world, contentment with little, and desire for the hereafter accompanied by gathering provision of good works in preparation for it.

One of our ancestors said, "Consider, anything that you do and would be pleased for death to come to you while doing it, keep to it; but anything that you do and would detest death to find you doing it, avoid it!" Reflect on these words -- may God have mercy on you -- for they are of immense benefit for he who would act accordingly. Success and help are from God, there is no other Lord than He. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Hadda]

Food for thought:
The way of seeking guidance is to have close living relations with living scholars in one's land. The point of life is not to live the minimum, but to follow the means of increasing in faith and piety (taqwq), which are the best keys for electhood (wilaya), and the good pleasure of Allah Most High.

Convey an ayah....

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Convey from me even an Ayah of the Quran; relate traditions from Banu Israel, and there is no restriction on that; but he who deliberately forges a lie against me let him have his abode in Hell.” [Sahih Bukhari]

This hadith contains the following three important points:

1. It stresses the importance of acquiring knowledge of the Quran and Hadith and imparting it to others. Regardless of whether one has a little knowledge or a great deal, he or she must communicate it to others. There is no justification to leave inviting to the Message of Allah to those who are well-versed in this sphere. It is a duty upon every Muslim to learn something and pass it on. So much so that if a person knows even a single ayah/verse of the Quran, that is, a single injunction of Allah, they should communicate it to others.

2. It allows the communication of Jewish Traditions but this permission is subject to the condition that such Traditions are not against the elucidations of the Quran and Hadith.

3. There is a stern warning on attributing anything to the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) that he did not say. It is a grave offence and serious sin. Therefore, one should be very careful to quote only Sahih ahadith. Only Muhaddith are in a position to sort through weak ahadith and see what the grade of weakness is, i.e. if the hadith may be used since its meaning is supported by authentic ahadith even if its isnad is faulty.

thttp://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com

Pearls of Wisdom 322

1. When the craft of making armor was made known,
    iron became wax in your hands. The mountains became
    your accompanists; they chant the psalms along with you,
    like those who teach the recitation of the Qur'an with you.

2. As God made the Qibla manifest, abandon your search.
    Hark, turn away from all futile search, now that the House
    has come to view. If you forget this Qibla for one moment,
    you will be overcome by the qibla of desires.

3. Very high, very grand, and very wide is the ocean of God,
    the Water of life. You went after the form and were lead
   astray. How can you see it? You abandoned the truth.
   Sometimes it is named "tree," sometimes "sun," sometimes
   "ocean," sometimes "cloud," one thing from which scores
   of discoveries arise, its slightest definition an everlasting
   life.

4. You see throngs of afflicted feeble folk seated at the
    door in ardent hope. O you who are crushed, your
    pleas have been heard. Hark! Rush toward the mercy
    of God and be delivered of pain. How often has your
    disease been cured! How often your soul been
    delivered of grief!!

5. When a magician sleeps, so does his sorcery and
    his craft. When the shepherd sleeps, the wolf becomes
   assertive. But he who has made God his shepherd,
   how can the wolf make him prey? The alchemy of God
   is trustworthy and true. It is villainous to confuse it with
   sorcery. [Mawlana Rumi]

Lesson of the day 321

Ayahs of the day:
Say, "O my God, possessor of all power, You empower whomever You will, and You strip power from whomever You will. You honor whomever You will. All good is in Your hands. Truly You are capable of everything." [3: 26]

Hadith of the day:
Whoever does not show mercy to people, Allah will not show mercy to him. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The one who is esteemed by people should deem himself worthy of no such honor or respect, so as not to fall into delusion. [Abdullah ibn Mubarak]

Guidance of the day:
Feel the imminence of death, for it is "the nearest hidden thing lying in waiting." A human being does not know, it may be that only very little of his lifetime remains, yet he is attending to this world and forgetful of the hereafter. Should he die in this state, he will return to God unprepared to meet Him. He might then wish to be reprieved, but will  never be granted that.

Only a fool who is prey to illusion harbors long hopes, procrastinates, and neglects preparing for death. Long hopes are but part of following the passions of one's soul and being deceived by its false hopes. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Behind every sin, there are various detriments and harms; spiritual, physical, social, financial, and many others. Some sins encompass all the harms whereas others some of them. The next time we feel like committing a sin, we should try to explain to ourselves that these body parts of ours if used against the wishes of Allah will be our enemies tomorrow.

Test Questions....

Here are some test questions to see how you are spending your time on earth.

1. What is one thing you love about being alive?

2. How would you finish this sentence:  Thank God I'am ------------------?

How long did it take you to answer each question? If you had to stop and think, you took too long. These answers should flow easily. If they don't, it is a sign you are not in touch with your heart and that it needs to be nourished.

Now answer this question:

When you look at the garden do you see the weeds or the flowers?

If you had trouble with the answer, perhaps it is because you need to take off the blinders others have put over your eyes. You do not have to see what they tell you is before you. You have a choice in how you perceive your world. The true answers to all of these questions can only come from your heart.

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.

Pearls of Wisdom....321

1. You may have wealth, O mighty monarch,
     but it is other than you; one day it will be gone.
     Become your own fortune, O chosen one,
     before you are left destitute.
     Seek the bounty within yourself;
     when you are the bounty,
     how can you lose yourself?

2. If you desire light, be ready to receive light.
    Nurture vainglory and become separated
    from light. If you long for a way out of this prison,
    bow down in worship and draw near.

3. I surrender myself to no other god but God.
    If He desires my bloodshed,
    then so be it! I have no fear.
    I may be disgraced in your world;
    before God honor will be mine.
    A laughing stock in the eyes of the world,
   in God eyes cherished and acclaimed.

4. God asked, "What did you earn in your term
    of respite?" When he heard these words in his
    prayer, from shame he bent downward in complete
    awe. From shame he could stand no more; with
    knees bent he prostrated himself and glorified God.

5. What did you accomplish in your life?
    How did you consume your sustenance and strength?
    Where did you lose the luster of your eyes?
    Where did you lose all the five senses?
    I gave you bounty. Where is your gratitude?
    I gave you the capital. Come show Me the interest. [Mawlana Rumi]

Lesson of the day 1320

Ayahs of the day:
Say, "Whether you conceal what is in your hearts or reveal it, God knows it. And God knows what is in the heavens and what is on earth. And God is capable of all things." [3: 29]

Hadith of the day:
The Muslim is the brother of his fellow-Muslim. He does not wrong him, let him down or despise him. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The whole matter of love and slave hood rests upon fear, hope and the love of the Divine. [Shaqeeq al-Balkhi]

Guidance of the day:
Ali -- may God be pleased with him -- said. "The thing I fear most for you is that you follow passions and have long hopes. As for following passions, it repels one from truth; and as for long hopes, they make one forget the hereafter. He who forgets the hereafter does not work for it, he who does not work for it reaches it bankrupt of good works, and there is neither salvation nor gain in the hereafter without them. Should he seek to be returned to this world at that time to do these good works, he will be prevented from doing so. Then his remorse and sorrow will be immense, at a time when remorse will avail nothing." [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Bread caste on the waters comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected tome. If you never see the good deed again -- at least you will have made the world a better place, after all, isn't that what life is all about.

Minor Sins....

Prophet Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "O Aishah, abstain from the sins which are looked upon as trivial, for they too will be inquired about by Allah." [Musnad Ahmad, Nasa'i]

Sins are termed as major or minor essentially because of their gravity in terms of their effects on individuals and society. Thus, some sins are considered most heinous and incur divine wrath. Among such sins are: shirk (associating partners with Allah), displeasing one’s parents, murder, bearing false testimony, adultery, fornication, practicing black magic, devouring riba (interest), stealing from an orphan’s wealth, etc.

Minor sins, on the other hand, are minor in so far as the punishment for a single act of one of these is not as severe as for a major sin. Nevertheless, all sins require tawbah (sincere repentance).

Sincere repentance involves four steps:

The first is for a person to be deeply remorseful of the sin;

Secondly, to refrain from it and all of the circumstances that led to it; thirdly, to make a firm resolution never to do it again;

And finally, to follow it up by whatever good deeds one can possibly do.

Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) says in the Quran, “Verily good deeds wipe out bad deeds.” [Hud: 114]

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) further explained this by saying: “Allah does not wipe out bad deeds through bad deeds; rather He blots them out through good deeds.”

To repent, one must quit sinful behaviour and also cut oneself off totally and entirely from all associations or circumstances that led him/her to such sins. He/she cannot hope to change for the better without such serious measures. If, instead, one persists in the sin, he/she will end up losing the purity of their heart, their moral conscience.

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) warned us against the pervasive effects of sins on our souls. He said that when a person commits a sin, it falls like a black dot on the clean slate of his heart. If he repents, the dot is erased. If, however, he persists in the same and continues to sin, the dot continues to expand until it covers his entire heart, in which case his spiritual soul becomes completely sealed off. As a result, he fails to recognize good as good and evil as evil.

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said that this is what Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has warned us against in the Quran: “Nay, their hearts have been sealed by the sins they have accumulated.” [Al-Mutaffifeen: 14]

Abdullah bin Mas'ud (radi Allahu anhu) reported Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as saying: "Beware of minor sins, for they will gather together on man so much so that they will kill him. [Musnad Ahmad]

Muharram Mubarak....

With the sighting of the new moon the Islamic new year has started. The first month Muharram, is a month of great reward and virtue. Muharram itself means 'sacred'.

Muharram has been blessed with certain specific virtues: Prophet (peace and blessing upon him) said "The best of the fasts besides the month of Ramadan is the fasting of the month of Muharram (Muslim).

"The one who keeps a fast in the month of Muharram will receive the reward of thirty fasts for each fast (in this sacred month)" (Tabarani).

Although the fasts of the month of Muharram are not obligatory, the one who fasts in these days out of his own will and choice is entitled to a great reward by Almighty Allah.

Although the month of Muharram is a sacred month as a whole, the 10th of Muharram is the most sacred among all days. The day is named 'Ashura'. It is one of the most important and blessed days in the Islamic calender.

Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) has exhorted and encouraged the Ummah to fast on this day -- "This fast is a compensation for the (minor) sins of the past year" (Muslim).

" Observe the fast of Ashura and oppose the jews -- fast a day before it or after it" (Bayhaqi).

It is important to either fast on the ninth and the tenth or the tenth and eleventh of Muharram. To fast only on the day of Ashura is Makruh (disliked).

Let us resolve to observe this great month and through its blessings -- rest of lives in His obedience and try our best to earn His pleasure and refrain from all actions which will  bring His displeasure and deprive us of His blessings.

May Allah guide us all upon the straight path and save us from every action which brings His displeasure, ameen.

Pearls of Wisdom....320

1. This world is a play ground and death the night
    to which you return empty of purse all worn out.
    The earnings of faith are love and inner peace.
    The flesh craves all that is passing away.
    How long will you covet the vile? Let go.

2. The pleas of the devoted ascend to heaven,
    the smoke of their sincerity ascends to heaven,
    and the angels entreat God in earnest:
    "O You who answer every prayer,
   Your protection is being beseeched.
   Your devotee in utter humility pleads.
   Hear him, Lord.
   He knows only to depend on You.

3. This world is full of remedies. But you have no
     remedy until God opens a window for you.
     You may not be aware of that remedy just now.
     In the hour of need it will be made clear to you.
     The Prophet said God made a remedy for
     every pain.

4. The divine bounty filled him with peace and
    strength, strength that helped him cheerfully
    endure all the afflictions that knocked him
    about.

5. Liberated from suffering and search
    I have tied myself to the skirt of God,
    If I fly, I look at the summits I ascend.
    If I go around in circles,
    I observe the axis on which I revolve.
    If I am dragged by a burden,
    I know where I go.
    For I am the moon, and the sun is my guide. [Mawlana Rumi]

Lesson of the day1319

Ayahs of the day:
Say: Shall I tell you of something better than what you have? For those who are conscientious there are gardens in the presence of their Lord, below which rivers flow, where they will abide; and pure spouses, and acceptance from God. And God sees the devoted, those who say, "Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us our sins, and save us from the torment of the fire." [3: 16,17]

Hadith of the day:
Do not regard any act of kindness as insignificant, even meeting your brother with a cheerful countenance. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The one who takes his wealth through unlawful means is deprived in trusting in Allah. [Abdullah ibn Mubarak]

Guidance of the day:
Long hopes lead a person to concentrate on this world and neglect the next. Whenever the thought of death occurs to him, or that he ought to be preparing himself for it with good works, he resolves to do so sometime in the future, once he can free himself from working for this world, as if it was his to decide when to die. This is the evil consequence of long hopes, beware of them -- and shift delays and procrastination to worldly matters, while dealing with those of the hereafter immediately and resolutely. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Imagine that you are to die the next day and return to God to stand before Him to be asked to account for your knowledge, behavior, and all affairs and states. What you see there as most important and useful to you is precisely what you must give priority and attachment to.

The Five Questions....

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five (matters) concerning his life - how he spent it; about his youth - how he took care of it; about his wealth - how he earned it; and where he spent it and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge he acquired." [Tirmidhi]

There is no escape from being questioned about:

1. Our life - how we spent it. Was it in righteousness and piety or in sin and transgression?

2. Our youth - how we spent it. Was it in acts of obedience or acts of sin?

3. Our wealth - how we acquired it. Was it halaal means or haraam?

4. Our wealth - how we spent it. Did we give others their rights in it - our relatives, the needy, the orphans, the mujahideen... or did you squander it on ourself alone?

5. Our knowledge - how we acted upon it. How much of our knowledge of Allah’s Deen did we put into practice? Did we study Islam to live by its teachings or did we acquire knowledge of the Quran and hadith to appear knowledgeable with it or gather wealth through it?

These things we seldom think about or question ourselves over. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has promised us our rizq, but not promised us forgiveness. Yet we fret over the acquisition of wealth but not over acquiring Allah’s forgiveness. Doomed is the person who does not question himself, but waits to be questioned!

http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com

Imam Zaid Shakir invites you to the 1 Billion Salawat Day

Please watch the video below, then click here.

The first ten days of Dhu'l Hijjah....

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

As-Salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

We have entered the blessed month of Dhu`l-Hijjah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that there are no days in which righteous actions are more beloved to Allah than the first ten days of this month. For that reason some scholars have ruled that these days are better than the final ten days of Ramadan, although the nights of Ramadan are superior to these nights. Allah Himself swears by “the Ten Nights” in Surat al-Fajr, which is sufficient evidence of their greatness. Most of the scholars say that these are the first ten nights (and days) of Dhu’l-Hijjah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that fasting one of these days is equal to the reward of fasting for a whole year and standing in one of these nights in prayer is equal to standing in prayer on Laylat al-Qadr.It has also been narrated that the reward for actions in these days is multiplied seven hundred times.
This is not to mention the Day of Arafat (the 9th of Dhu’l-Hijjah) which is the greatest day of the year. Fasting that day wipes out the sins of the previous year and the year to come. We will mention more about this day closer to the time InshaAllah.

If we are unable to fast the first nine days of the month, we should at least fast the Day of Arafat. If we are able to fast two or three days then by fasting Monday or Thursday or both we will gain the reward of following the Sunnah. Likewise by fasting three of these days we will have performed the Sunnah of fasting three days in every month.

These are days in which we should remember Allah abundantly. Allah says that they remember the name of Allah on well-known days. These “well-known days” according to the majority of scholars are the ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. This is why the Prophet said (peace and blessings be upon him) that in these days we should make abundant tahlil (saying la ilaha ill’Allah), takbir (saying Allahu akbar) and tahmid (saying alhamdulillah). Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurayrah would go into the marketplace in these days and raise their voices with the takbir. The people in the marketplace would then raise their voices with the takbir in response. Thus the most hated place to Allah, a place where most people are heedless of Him, was filled with His remembrance.

Whether it be prayer, fasting, charity, dhikr, seeking knowledge, helping people, any righteous actions we do will be greatly rewarded and beyond that are beloved to Allah. This is also a time when du’a is answered by Allah.

As winter approaches in the Northern Hemisphere we recall that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that winter is like spring for a believer: the night is long so he is able to stand in prayer in it, and the day is short so he is able to fast during it. Just as the animals find good pasture with the coming of springtime, likewise in winter the believer finds it easy to perform acts of obedience and to pluck the fruits that Allah has made easily available.

These are days when people are converging in their hundreds of thousands to visit the House of Allah and to visit His Beloved Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and there is nothing to stop anyone who cannot be physically with them from trying to draw close to Him and seeking the closeness of His Messenger. Allah tells us that He is with us and remembers us when we remember Him, and whenever we send greetings to the Beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) he receives them and returns them.
Attached should be some of the adhkar that many of the pious people would read during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah.

May Allah Most High give us to honor these blessed ten days and nights with pious accepted worship and deeds pleasing to Him and His Beloved (peace and blessings be upon him), and may He forgive us our sins and shortcomings.

BarakAllahufikum,

Masjids and Malls....

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The dearest parts on the face of the earth near Allah are its masjids, and the most hated parts on the face of the earth near Allah are its markets.” [Sahih Muslim]

The superiority of the masjids is obvious. People pray and worship Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) in mosques. They recite the Quran in it and encourage one another to obey Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). The masjid in the time of the Prophet (sallasal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was also the head quarters of the Islamic State. Foreign delegations were received there, the consultative assembly was held in Masjid-e-Nabwi, and all matters of state were discussed therein.

On the other hand, malls and bazaars are where people forget Allah (subhana wa  ta'ala). The adhan and time of prayer go unnoticed. Shaitaan makes us indulge in such forbidden acts as fraud, lying, gossiping, checking people out and wasting money.

Malls and bazaars are disliked for the many sins that are likely to occur in them, least of which is taking Allah’s blessings and favors for granted. Shops taunt us with their glittery ware, flaunting before us all that we do not possess of material goods, while possessing these things is of no value to our everlasting life. We end up wasting our wealth which we could have used to come closer to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala).

Spending more time than necessary in market places is also a waste of another precious commodity -- time. “Hanging out”, “window shopping” and “killing time” are the very antithesis of an Islamic understanding of life. During an exam does any sane person do anything except focus on getting the exam questions answered correctly? We are in an exam until we die. What we do every second that we are alive, counts in the final assessment. We can’t afford to waste time. The purpose of life is simply to qualify for Allah’s Grace and His granting us everlasting happiness in Jannah. There is no other purpose to life.

Pearls of Wisdom 319

1. The Prophet said that God has said,
    "I cannot be contained in hallowed places.
    Heaven and earth cannot hold Me.
    But I am contained by true hearts.
    If you seek Me, search in those hearts."

2. To know your own illness is the proper remedy.
    When you repent you feel humility.
    That is the time to obey the Prophet's command
    "Have mercy." Why do you presume to be safe
     and fortunate. Don't you remember God's salace,
    "Do not fear"?

3. The Prophet said to Ali, "You may be the Lion of
    God, but depend not on valor alone. Learn to
    blossom under the shade of hope. Rejoice in the
    Sage who cannot be beguiled from the way.

4. I am the orchard; You the rain.
    Only I need You twenty times more.
    Rejoicing in You a beggar receives victuals
    without any means or resistance.
    We are the fishes; You the ocean of life.
    We live by Your favor, O Exalted of All.

5. His miracles are countless,
    the waves of His bounty tide upon tide.
    These and a hundred times as many miracles
    allow the light of His face
    to shine inside and out.

6. When your heart is dark as iron,
    steadily polish yourself
    that the heart may become a mirror,
    a beautiful shine reflecting from within.
    Although iron is dark and dismal,
    polishing clears the darkness away.  [Mawlana Rumi]

Lesson of the Day 1318

Ayahs of the day:
Made to seen pleasing to humanity is love of desires for women and children and heaps and hoards of gold and silver, and domesticated horses, and cattle, and fields. Those are conveniences for the life of the world, while the finest resort is the presence of God. [3: 14]

Hadith of the day:
Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow a bad deed with a good deed to erase it, and treat people with a good attitude. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
When death comes it does not return empty handed, so occupy every moment in preparedness of it. [Shaqeeq al-Balkhi]

Guidance of the day:
Long hopes are among the most noxious things to man. The meaning of long hopes is to think that residence in this world will be prolonged, this feeling overcomes the heart, which responds by behaving accordingly. Long hopes lead to over-preoccupation with this world and strenuous efforts to improve one's lot in it, until the point is reached when a person spends his whole time, night and day, thinking on how to improve it and acquire more.

He will pursue this, till both his heart and body become totally involved in this. Then he will forget the life-to-come, being occupied elsewhere, and will postpone doing anything for it. He will thus be diligent and earnest in worldly matters, and neglectful and procrastinating in what concerns his life to come. The correct thing would have been to strive in earnest for his life to come, which is the abode of permanence, the place of  residence. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
Life is short, time is precious, death is near, and the distance to travel great, while the moment of standing before God to account for everything, however insignificant is daunting and hard. Therefore, reform that which remains to you, and that which is past will be forgiven.

Avoid Argumentation.....

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does not argue when he is in the wrong will have a home built for him on the edge of Paradise. Whoever avoids it when he in the right will have a home built for him in the middle of Paradise. And whoever improves his own character, a home will be built for him in the highest part of Paradise.” [Tirmidhi]

Arguing with people is strongly discouraged in Islam. We are to state our point of view and then leave it at that. Nor are we to involve ourselves in matters that do not affect a person’s deen. Note that a person is to shun argument whether he is in the right or whether his stand is wrong. Both get houses built for them in Paradise. But since the person who knows that he is right finds it more difficult to leave the argument and let things be, he/she is promised a greater reward.

Arguing with people rarely gets anyone to change their minds. It usually only produces defensiveness and creates ill feelings between people. The issue becomes a matter of one’s ego and makes it more difficult for a person to change their stance. Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) loves to have Muslims live harmoniously with each other. When we  try this hadith out in practice -- we will see that our relations improve with people and that we have greater peace of mind.

Pearls of Wisdom 318

1. God said,  "Do not take offense at their ridicule,
    for they are not your followers.  Your true friends
    hide behind the divine bounty, and entreat for
    you steadily. In good health all of them are your
    friends, but in the hour of pain all depart. God
    is your only friend."

2. Water said to the defiled, "Hurry come to me."
    The defiled replied, "But I feel ashamed before
    the water."
    Water said, "But without me how will you wash
    your shame? How will your filth be removed?"
    Shame hinders the faith of the tainted who hide
    from the water.

3. The divine breath came, saw you, and departed.
     It gave life to whom it would and departed.
    Another breath arrived.
    Be heedful; do not miss this chance.
    It extinguished the fire of the soul on fire
    and gave the dead soul vitality and life.

4. I said, "Many a tear I shed in separation from you."
    He replied, "Why grieve? Every tear will be turned
    into precious pearl."
    I said, "Many a night I have lain awake."
    He replied, "For every such night you shall gain
    hundred nights."

5. They possess free will and confinement alike.
     Like raindrops they become pearls inside the
     oyster shell. Mere raindrops outside the shell,
     inside they become precious pearls. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1317

Ayahs of the day:
Our Lord, do not let our hearts to deviate after You have guided us. And give us mercy from Yourself; for You are most generous. [3: 8]

Hadith of the day:
Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt. Truthfulness brings tranquility while lying sows doubts. [ Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
One's worldly abstinence is commensurate with one's longing for the world to come. The abstinent and contented one is only he who is contented and thankful with the divine decree. [Fudhail ibn Iyaadh]

Guidance of the day:
Be steadfast in obeying you Lord. Make your acts of obedience frequent, patiently persevere and be sincere in doing so, then persist until you meet Him -- at which time He will satisfy you, be pleased with you, and admit you to His abode of honor.

Desist from disobedience. Repent to your Lord from it before death overtakes you and you meet your Lord in a filthy and vile condition. Never feel secure, should you not hasten to repent from your disobedience, God may send down some punishment upon you, for the disobedient to their Lord are ever expose to that. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
Five simple rules to achieve happiness:
1. Free you heart from hatred -- forgive.
2. Free you mind from worries -- most never happen.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Muslim Rage....

If you're a Muslim American whose been tuning in to the counsel of our country's religious leadership lately, you probably don't know whether to sit down, stand up or go to sleep in response to the recent film maligning Prophet Muhammad (S).

While the brunt of the reaction by mosques and Muslim organizations focused on condemning (rightfully) violence linked with anti-film demonstrators, the guidance they did offer on how Muslims should respond to insults thrown at our Prophet (S) was all over the place.

Here are some excerpts:

Accept the film as free speech: "We are committed to upholding the right to freedom of expression, and we unconditionally condemn any use of violence as a means to protest offensive or hateful speech. In the United States, this fundamental, inalienable right is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution."

Protest it: "We invite all to peacefully voice their opposition to this disrespect, obscenity, hate-mongering and yet another incident of Islamophobia in a growing list of bigoted acts."

Ignore it: “We call on all Muslims around the world to ignore the irresponsible and deliberate anti-Islam films and clips that have been circulating on the web. We urge that these attempts to provoke the religious feelings of Muslims be ignored and that their extremist producers not be given the cheap publicity they so desperately seek."

So what exactly are we supposed to do???

For starters, we can learn from Prophet Muhammad (S) when his late wife Khadija, one of the four perfect women of all times upon whom God and Angel Gabriel sent salutations, was insulted.

The Prophet (Peace and blessings upon him) used to praise Khadija abundantly after her death and repeatedly ask God to have Mercy on her. One day someone objected and told the Prophet (SWS) that God had now given him better than her.

"The Holy Prophet (SWS) got furious," according to scholar Usama Abdul Ghani.

The person who mocked Khadija then prayed: "O God! If you take away the anger of the Prophet (SWS), I will never mention her name in a bad way again for as long as I live."

Anger (not acceptance or indifference), then, is the natural and appropriate reaction to offenses against holy personalities.

The real question is: How do we channel this "Muslim (& non-Muslim) Rage" so we can strive steadfastly and, in the peaceful, intellectual and all-encompassing manner taught by our Prophet (SWS), create a world free of all types of oppression, including the ridiculing of sacred religions and their personalities?

It is our duty, after all, to pioneer such an environment of peaceful coexistence:

"And do not abuse those whom they call upon besides God, lest exceeding the limits they should abuse God out of ignorance. Thus have We made fair seeming to every people their deeds; then to their Lord shall be their return, so He will inform them of what they did."(Quran 6:108)

Taken from....http://theperfectionistas.blogspot.

What is Our IQ....

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "The most intelligent person is the one who remembers death often."

If a person is thought to be very intelligent, yet fails exam after exam, soon all those around him/her will begin to think that he/she is not really very intelligent after all. To get through life with our faith intact, with good deeds, and with Allah’s pleasure as our greatest goal, is the biggest exam we will ever face.

If we fail the exam of life we cannot call ourselves intelligent, regardless of what else our “intelligence” allowed us to accumulate of education, wealth, fame or pleasure. These will all go to waste with our death, while we will still have to stand before our Lord and face the consequences for eternity.

Our intelligence would have failed us if it didn’t give us the sense to properly attempt the biggest exam of our life. Such intelligence is cursed! In an examination hall if we start watching a movie, or discussing the score of a game, or pull out a lavish meal to eat, would we be considered sensible? No matter what your I.Q., we’d be considered foolish and stupid.

This life is one big exam. Are we busy answering the questions of what to believe and what to do or are we busy entertaining ourselves? The time for enjoyment is later. Those who prepare and do well in the exam of life will be considered the intelligent ones for eternity.

The people in Hell will say about themselves, "Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!" [Al-Quran 67:10]

We are so engrossed in our various pursuits that the reality of death does not occur to us. Constant remembrance of death would keep us from getting easily distracted by the glittery entertainment beckoning and attracting us from all directions, preventing us from seriously attempting the exam of life. Keeping death in mind would help us abstain from sin and motivate us to do good deeds without delay.

We need to constantly remind ourselves that the most intelligent person is the one who gives the exam of  his/her life with full attention, since there are no re-takes.

Pearls of Wisdom....347

1. O All-Knowing, You opened my heart to the way
    of supplication. Yearning for Your love is glorious
    and grand; lust for other love is disgraceful and
    corrupt. Your divine court is the infinite plane.
    I leave behind the throne of honor, for the real
    throne of honor is Your way.

2. Because of your humility God granted you
    the gift of insight. Go toward the peach tree,
    which has sprung to life. It has become lush
   green by the command "Be!" Beneath its
   shade all your needs will be fulfilled. Such
   is divine alchemy that the crooked become
   straight. As God revealed, "Its roots are firm
   in the earth, its branches in the sky."

3. God calls Himself "Seeing" so that His ever-
    watching eye may scare you away from sinning.
    Whether the breeze be cold or hot, the Cognizant
    is aware, not absent, O infirm man.

4. Flee to the shelter of God's grace. He showers
    our souls with His grace. When He provides
    shelter, how can you lack shelter?  Fear not;
    water and fire will become your army. Did the
    sea not help Noah and Moses?  Did it not seek
    vengeance upon their foes?  Was not the fire a
    fortress for Abraham?  Did it not raise the smoke
    of despair in the heart of Nimrod?

5. When Ahmad passed beyond the Lote tree at
    boundary of Paradise, the Angel's frontier, he
    said, "O Gabriel, come fly with me." But Gabriel
    replied, "I cannot escort you. My wings beyond
    that point will be consumed. But the station of
    the pure before the Most Pure is nothing short
    of wonderment."  [Mawlana Rumi]

Lesson of the Day 1316

Ayahs of the day:
And be conscious of the day when you will be returned to God; then every soul will be requited for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged. [2: 281]

Hadith of the day:
The strong person is not the one who can overpower others (in wrestling); rather, the strong person is the one who controls himself when he gets angry. [Bukhari]

Wise quote of the day:
He who truly fears his Lord has freed his tongue from vain talk, He whose heart is in the awe of his Lord, every thing in creation is in awe of him. [Fudhail ibn Iyaadh]

Guidance of the day:
Gentleness toward believers is to show compassion and solicitude for them. This is one of the noblest characters and most superior attributes. Compassion for Muslims is a duty and an incumbent right, but for weak, the destitute, and the afflicted it is even more of a duty and a priority.

He who does not find in himself pity and compassion when faced with the weak and the afflicted among Muslims, his heart is hard, overcome with callous, deprived of compassion. It is part of being gentle and soft hearted to feel humility in the heart and weep abundantly in fear of God. This is a noble attribute and a praiseworthy endeavor. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
In happy moments, praise God.
In difficult moments, seek God.
In quiet moments, worship God.
In painful moments, trust God.
In every moment, thank God.

Are We Lucky.....

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “How lucky is that man who adopts humbleness without having scarcity, who considers himself inferior without having to beg for anything, who spends his own earned money in the right causes without disobeying Allah, who is kind to those having little means, and
who remains in the company of learned men.” [Tibrani]

In this hadith we are told who an enviable person is:

1.    A person who is humble despite having that which makes people proud.
2.    A person who earns and spends in the path of Allah.
3.    A person who is kind to those less privileged.
4.    A person who benefits from the companionship of the learned.

Having wealth does not make one lucky; but having earned it honestly, by one's own hands and, moreover, having spent it on those things which earn Allah's pleasure, while obedient to Allah (Subhana wa Ta'ala), are what entitles one to be counted among the lucky. Wealth that is accompanied by arrogance and ignorance (ignorance of what will earn Allah's pleasure), is extremely unlucky.

Can we count ourselves among those who are really lucky? 

Pearls of Wisdom....346

1. The saints are My children in exile,
    torn away from My dominion and glory.
    Despised and alone they endure their trials;
    in secret I am their intimate friend.

2. Why should I grieve because of a thorn?
    Once it made laughter known to me.
   Whatever you lost through the stroke of destiny,
   know it was to save you from adversity.
   One small affliction off greater afflictions;
   one small loss prevents greater loses.

3. Are you oblivious of the bounty of God who
    invites you to come yonder?
    The whole world of six directions is brimming
    with His bounty. Wherever you turn, His munificence
    is manifest.

4. Practice patience; it is the essence of praise.
    Have patience, for that is true worship.
    No other worship is worth as much.
    Have patience; patience is the key to all relief.

5. I am a bridge across the ocean for my devotees,
    but become a dragon for the Pharaoh.
    Rejoice, O lovers, entreat God.
   The same door has been opened again.
   The fruit is beckoning, "Eat of me."
   The water of life is inviting, "Drink of me."

6. Bitter is made sweet through love;
    copper becomes gold through love.
    Through love dregs become clear;
    love heals all pain.
   Through love the king becomes slave;
    love brings the dead to life. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1315

Ayahs of the day:
O you who believe, be conscious of God, and disperse that what remains of usurious interest, if you are believers. And if you do not, then take heed of war from God and God's messenger. But if you repent, you may have your capital; do not be unfair and you will not be treated unfairly. [2: 278,279]

Hadith of the day:
How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for all his affairs are good, and that does not apply to anyone except the believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The wealthiest person is the one who has abundance of taqwa. [Dhunnun al Misri]

Guidance of the day:
Nothing is more harmful to mankind, in this world and the next, than sins. Almost no evil nor harm befall them except due to these. Therefore, a believer should be wary of sins to the extreme and ever remain as far away from them as possible. Should he commit  one, he must hasten to repent to God, for He accepts the repentance of His servants, pardons evil deeds, and knows what you do.

Those who do not repent, they are unjust. They have done themselves an injustice by falling into sin, then persisting in it by not repenting as God had commanded them, while promising them to accept it. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
Spiritual courage is to wage war against one's egotism and to resist one's appetites. Moral courage is to speak the truth even when bitter, to be a witness for the truth even against oneself or one's kin, and to enjoin good and forbid evil against opposition.

We need to focus on ourselves....

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "O you who have entered Islam with your tongues but whose hearts faith has not entered: do not slander people, and do not search out people's shameful points. Whoever searches out the shameful points of his brother, Allah will search out his shameful points, and if Allah searches out a person's shameful points, indeed He will disgrace him even if he should remain in the middle of his house." [Abu Dawud]

This hadith teaches us a number of things:

1. It points to the difference between being a Muslim and being a Momin. A person who has embraced Islam but not reformed his/her heart and inner self through it, is called a Muslim but not a Momin.

2. One characteristic that differentiates a Muslim from a Momin is that a Muslim may be on the look out for people's hidden flaws and shameful secrets: but a Momin would never waste his/her time in such a disgraceful activity. This is because a Momin knows that in the Final Reckoning he will be asked about his/her own faults and not the faults of others.

3. The punishment for someone who tries to find flaws in others is that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will surely disgrace him/her by making his/her  shameful deeds public. These may be things we considered done and hidden forever. But if Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) chooses to disgrace somebody, there is nowhere he/she can hide to escape the wretchedness of disgrace.

We waste so much time looking for and discussing the faults of others. Allah  (subhanahu wa ta’ala) says, Believers, you are responsible for your own souls. Those who stray cannot harm you when you heed guidance. To God is where you will all return, and then God will tell you about what you used to do." [5: 105]

We need to focus on that which is our foremost responsibility and in our control  --  Our own selves!!!

Pearls of Wisdom 345

1. During prayer I give myself over to the Lord
    delight myself in zealous worship.
    The window of my soul opens wide
    and the Book of God comes in view
    to fill my house with grace and light.

2. Demolish this house that a hundred more
    may be built. Do not be afraid that treasure
    lies beneath this house. A thousand houses
    more shall you build with just one treasure in
    hand. This house is destined to fall to ruin.
   That treasure is bound to be unearthed, but
   then that treasure will not be yours.

3. Your power comes from the power of God,
    not from the veins or the beating heart.
    The power of the saints comes from God,
    not from feasts and trays of provisions.
    They are created from the light that
    transcends the angel and the spirit alike.

4. The light of God is an ornament of wisdom.
    That is the meaning of "light upon light."
    The light of reason draws toward the earth.
    The light of God carries you aloft.
    Things of reason are of the lower world.
    The light of God is an ocean,
    reason merely dewdrop.

5. Knowledge has two wings. Conjecture is
    one wing. Conjecture alone is lacking and
   cuts short the flight. The one-winged bird
   continues to struggle, hoping to reach the
   nest somehow with one wing. And then wisdom
   shows his shining face. Delivered from conjecture,
   the bird now spreads both wings (and soars once
   again). [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1314

Ayahs of the day:
God deprives usury of blessing, and grants increase for charities. And God does not love any ungrateful sinners. [2: 276]

Hadith of the day:
Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or else keep silent. [Bukhari]

Wise quote of the day:
Even after burying your own parents you take no lesson; knowing with certainty that death is inevitable, you chose to remain heedless of it, and knowing full well that you have many faults, you actively seek out the faults of others. [Ibrahim al-Adham]

Guidance of the day:
The best of the hearts, the most beloved by God, is that which is clean and pure of falsehoods, doubts, and all other evils, and receptive to the truth, right guidance, and all that is good and correct.

A hadith says, Four are the hearts: A heart that is smooth, containing a luminous lamp, this is the heart of a believer and the lamp within is its light. A heart that is black, turned upside down, this is the heart of the disbeliever. And a heart made of layers, containing both faith and hypocrisy.

Faith increases by persevering in good works in abundance and with sincerity. As for hypocrisy, it increases by evil works such as abandoning duties and committing prohibited acts. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Things do not change we do. Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.

Eid Mubarak & Something to think about....

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...We will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again..

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling... It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.... Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied..

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?'

Which one are we? Are we the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do we wilt and become soft and lose our strength?

Are we the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did we have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have we become hardened and stiff? Does our shell look the same, but on the inside are we bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or are we like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. Are we are like the bean, when things are at their worst, we get better and change the situation around us. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do we elevate ourselves to another level? How do we handle adversity? Are we a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May we have enough happiness to make us sweet, enough trials to make us strong, enough sorrow to keep us human and enough hope to make us happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; we can't go forward in life until we let go of our past failures and heartaches. When we were born, we were crying and everyone around us was smiling.. We need to live our  life so at the end, we are the one who is smiling and everyone around us is crying.

May we all be the COFFEE!!!!!! !

Pearls of wisdom....344

1. The words of the Qur'an have both an outer and
    an inner meaning, the latter overpowering. Do
    not regard the surface alone, for the devil never
    regarded Adam as mere clay. The surface
    meaning of the Qur'an is like a human torso,
    features visible, but the spirit hidden.

2. Little by little God takes the beauty away.
    Little by little life's luster decays.
    Listen to the passage, "To whom We
   grant a long life, those We cause to decline."
   Seek the essence and not the structure.
   The beauty of heart shall forever abide, for it
   is enriched with the water of life.

3. Every prophet to the world came alone,
    within him carrying a hundred unseen worlds.
    The cosmos was charmed by his depth
    and folded itself into his modest frame,
    The foolish thought he was lonely and weak.
    With the King as his companion,
    how is he weak?

4. We honored man by the gift of free will.
    Half of him is honeybee, the other half snake.
   True believers are stores of honey.
   Stores of poison are those who do not believe.

5. Many prayers are declined because of the
    rank odor of a corrupt heart rising through the
    beautiful words. Let the words be wrong, but
    the meaning right. That flawed utterance is
    dearer to God.  [Mawlana Rumi]

••• Never to Give Up •••

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

 Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and begin to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that fell on his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and totted off!

Moral -- Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick is to not to get bogged down by it.

We can get out of the deepest wells by not stopping. And by never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

LESSON OF THE DAY 1313

Ayahs of the day:
Those who consume usurious interest are only in the sort of business in which one maddened by Satan's touch engages. That is because they say trade is like usury; but God has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Whoever gives this up with admonition from his Lord comes to him, let bygones be bygones; his case is up to God. But those who repeat are inmates of hellfire, wherein they remain. [2: 275]

Hadith of the day:
O people, repent to Allah, for I repent to Allah one hundred times a day. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
Repentance of liars is mere lip service, for the true repentance liberates one from sins. [Rabia al Basari]

Guidance of the day:
A distracted heart is that which is distracted from remembering death often, as well as what comes after it, the conditions of the blessed and those of the wretched, and not to dwell on these at length.

It is distracted not  assiduously to keep company of those who know God and His religion, who remind of His days, His graces, His promises, and His threats, who exhort, with both words and deeds, to His obedience and to avoiding disobedience.

Those who are unable to find such people should make up for that by reading their books. However-God willing -- the earth will never be entirely devoid of them, even when  corruption is rife and falsehood and its champions dominate, when everyone has turned away from God and from supporting the truth, except those whom God wills, and a very few are they. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Be slow of tongue and quick of eye. Among mortals second thoughts are wisest. Deliberate with caution, but act with decision; and yield with graciousness, or oppose with firmness. It is a good thing to learn caution from the mistakes and misfortunes of others.

Let us partake in this tremendous blessing...

As Salaam Alaykum wa RahmatuLlahi wa Barakatuhu and Ramadan Mubarak,

I pray this message finds you in a state of well-being,

As many of you know, I've had the blessed privilege of teaching at the Islamic Institute of Education (IIE) in Elgin, IL for the last 12 years. Over those years i have witnessed first-hand the fruits of the sincerity and selflessness of everyone dedicated to serving the Islamic legacy of sacred knowledge.

In particular, I wish to commend the tireless efforts of Maulana Abdullah Saleem and his entire family, who have devoted their lives to producing the next generation of Ulema in the United States. It is not often that one sees an entire family so committed to the vision of one man. This, in itself, can be seen as a sign of Allah's acceptance of their efforts.

My appeal is to everyone reading this message; that we also partake in the tremendous blessing of this noble effort by contributing a small but consistent, monthly amount, such as $20-a-month ($10 each for IIE and Musjid ul Islam). Let us go one step further and intend thereby sadaqa jariya for our parents -- making them a part of this noble effort is the very least we can do for every thing our patrents have done/ and are doing for us.

Please visit  www.iieonline.org and make your contribution for Allah's good pleasure.

May Allah Almighty  bless you, your parents, and all your loved ones, thereby, ameen!

Heart touching story....

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call asap, changed his clothes & went directly to the surgery block. He found the boy's father pacing in the hall waiting for the doctor. On seeing him, the dad yelled:

"Why did you take all this time to come? Don't you know that my son's life is in danger? Don't you have any sense of responsibility?"

The doctor smiled & said:
"I am sorry, I wasn't in the hospital & I came as fast as I could after receiving the call and now, I wish you'd calm down so that I can do my work"

"Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do??" said the father angrily

The doctor smiled again & replied: "From dust we came & to dust we return, blessed be the name of God". Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go & intercede for your son, we will do our best by God's grace"

"Giving advises when we're not concerned is so easy" Murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy,
"Thank goodness!, your son is saved!" And without waiting for the father's reply he carried on his way running. "If you have any question, ask the nurse!!"

"Why is he so arrogant? He couldn't wait some minutes so that I ask about my son's state" Commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face: "His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was in the burial when we called him for your son's surgery. And now that he saved your son's life, he left running to finish his son's burial."

"Moral-Never judge anyone because you never know how their life is & what they're going through"

Let's resolve to learn to control our anger this blessed month of Ramadan....

"The strong is not the one who is physically powerful, but indeed, the one who controls himself when angry." [Bukhari]

1. He who angers you controls you.

2. If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size.

3. Anger is a momentary madness, it is only one letter short of danger.

4. Anger begins with folly, and ends with regret -- how much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.

5. Consider how much more you suffer from your anger and grief, than from those things for which you are angry and grieved.

6. Speak when you are angry -- and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

7. For every minute you remain angry you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.

8. No man can think when his fists are clenched.

9. Anger is a killing thing -- it kills the angry man, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before it, it takes something from him.

10. Holding to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing at someone else -- imagine what it will do to the person's hand who is holding it.

11. Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased a habit.

12. Anger blows out the lamp of mind -- thus an angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason.

13. When a man is wrong and won't admit it, he always gets angry.

14. Anger and intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding.


15. Anyone can become angry -- that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way -- is something we all need to practice.

16. The best remedy for anger is delay.

Also repeating after ever salah seven times"Ya Subbooh, Ya Quddoos, Ya Ghafoor, Ya Wadood", will help us control our anger, inshaAllah. 

Pearls of Wisdom 343

1. When the mirror of the heart becomes pure
    and clear, impressions of the other world
    will become manifest. The image and the
   image maker will become visible, like the
   carpet and the carpet-spreader.

2. The falcon made the king's hand his joy,
    and became indifferent to the search for
    carrion. All animals from the gnat to the
    elephant are of the family of God and
   depend on Him for sustenance. What a
   sustainer is God!

3. Do away with superfluous speech, and
    sacrifice what you hold dear, that His grace
    may utter praise of you and the heaven be
   envious of your exalted estate.

4. When God's decree becomes your pleasure,
    you become a willing slave,
   not because of burdening yourself,
   not on account of recompense,
   but by virtue of the nature now so pure
   that whatever divine edict may take you,
   living and dying appear the same.
   You live for God, not for riches;
   you die for God, not from fear or pain.

5. The face of David shone with His glory,
    and the mountains sang His praise.
    The mountains sang along with David;
    both elated in praising the King.
    He hears the melody of the pure-spirited,
    every moment, every place. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1312

Ayahs of the day:
Those who give their wealth night and day, secretly and openly, have their reward with their Lord; no fear will be on them, and they will not sorrow. [2: 274]

Hadith of the day:
There shall remain a group in my nation, successfully upholding the truth, unharmed by those who oppose them, till the day of judgment. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
The wealthiest person is the one who has abundance of taqwa. [Dhunnun al Misri]

Guidance of the day:
Distraction is blameworthy and may induce extreme harm. The distracted heart is that which does not awaken and become attentive when exposed to counsels or rebukes. It does not take them seriously, being so distracted and forgetful, so engrossed in its playthings and trivia, in the attractions of this worldly life and the pursuit of his passions.

It is to be distracted to read or listen to the Noble Qur'an, but neither reflect upon it, nor attempt to understand its meanings, neither obey its injunctions, nor its prohibitions, and neither accept its counsels, not it rebukes. The same applies for the traditions of the Messenger of God -- may blessings and peace be upon him -- and the discourses of the virtuous predecessors --may God be pleased with them. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature is that he wants to live humbly for one. The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just. Respectable men and women content with good and easy living are missing some of the most important things in life. Unless we give ourselves to some great cause we haven't even begun to live.

Allah is Generous, loves generosity....

Sadaqa -- Proof of Imaan, Key to Allah's pleasure, His forgiveness, barakah in sustenance, well-being, and every single good in this life and the Hereafter.

1. O believers, give of what We have provided for you, before there comes a day in which there is no barter, and no friendship, and no intercession. The scoffers are the wrongdoers. (2: 254)

2. Those who give of their wealth in the way of God are like grain that sprouts seven ears with a hundred kernels in each ear. And God may choose to multiply what anyone has, at will. And God is all-embracing, all-knowing. (2: 261)

3. Those who spend their wealth in the way of God and then do not follow what is spent with reproach or with abuse have their reward with their Lord; they will not suffer fear, nor will they grieve. (2: 262)

4. If you reveal acts of charity, they are excellent in themselves, but if you conceal them and get them to the needy, that is better for you. It will expiate some of your evils, And God is aware of what you do. (2: 271)

5. Those who give of their wealth night and day, secretly and openly, have their reward with their Lord; no fear will be on them, and they will not sorrow. (2: 274)

6. God deprives usury of blessing, and grants increase for charities. And God does not love any ungrateful sinners. (2: 276)

7. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord, and to a garden broad as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the conscientious -- those who spend in good times and bad, and those who restrain their anger, and those who forgive people; and God loves those who do good. (3: 133, 134)

8. And whatever you spend on the cause of God will be repaid to you, and you will not be wronged. (8: 60)

9. And give what We have provided you, before death comes to one of you and he says, "My Lord, why didn't You let me stay awhile -- I would have given charity, and would have been among the righteous." (63:10)


1. The Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The most rewarding charity is that you give when you are healthy and miserly, fearing poverty and hoping for riches." [al-Bukhari]
                                 
2. "Charity does not decrease the wealth. No one forgives, but Allah will increase him in honor, and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah but Allah raises him in status." [Muslim]

3. Allah Most High says: "Spend, O son of Adam, so I will spend on you." [Hadith Qudsi/Bukhari]

4. "Beware of stinginess, for stinginess destroyed those who came before you." [Muslim]

5. "Indeed charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord and it protects against the evil death." [al-Tirmidhi]

Pearls of Wisdom....342

1. He that was born in the dark water of material
    wealth, how could he tell the freedom of open
    country from the dismal prison of the well?
    When you relinquish the ego for fear of God,
    the elixir of His fountain will arrive.

2. Relying upon the promise of "tomorrow,"
    many people have wandered around that
    door, but that tomorrow never comes.

3. When you experience pain,
    ask God for forgiveness.
    By the command of the Creator,
    it be eliminated.
    For when He decrees, pain becomes joy,
    and fetters become freedom.

4. Hardship may dishearten at first,
    but every hardship passes away.
    All despair is followed by hope;
    all darkness is followed by sunshine.

5. When clutches of the "self" break away,
    they clap their hands and break into dance
    as their imperfections fade away.
    The musicians within strike the tambourine,
    and the seas burst into foam at their ecstasy.

6. Wisdom is the table, not bread or meat.
    Wisdom is the light, food for the soul.
    No nutriment can compare to the nourishment
   of light. Nothing can nourish the soul but light.
   Rid yourself of material needs and be set free.
   Taste the original victual, the dainty morsel of
   light. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1311

Ayahs of the day: 
If you reveal acts of charity, they are excellent in themselves, but if you conceal them and get them to the needy, that is better for you. It will expiate some of your evils. And God is aware of what you do. [2:271]

Hadith of the day: 
“When someone with whose religion and character you are satisfied asks your daughter in marriage, accede to his request. If you do not do so, there will be temptation on Earth and extensive corruption.” [Al-Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day: 
Whoever desires to purify his heart then let him prefer Allah to his desires. [Ibn al Qayyim]

Guidance of the day: 
Beware of hardness, which is for the heart to become so coarse and callous that it is no longer affected by counselling, and neither softens nor is sensitive to the mention of death, of promises and threats, or of the events of the hereafter. Our predecessors have said, "four things are signs of wretchedness: hardness of the heart, dryness of the eye, avarice, and long hopes." So beware of these four. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought: 
Calamity is man's touchstone. Calamities are the perfect glass wherein we truly see and know ourselves. Calamity is the test of integrity. Calamity is a virtue's opportunity. It is only from the belief of the goodness and wisdom of a Supreme Being that our calamities can be borne in the manner which becomes a true man.

Peace of Mind.....

1. Peace of mind is that mental condition in which you have accepted the worst.

2. Forgiving those who hurt us is the key to personal peace.

3. When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves it is useless to seek elsewhere.

4. If we do not find peace in ourselves, we will never find it anywhere else.

5. If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having.

6. Nothing can bring us peace but ourselves.

7. In a world filled with causes for worry and anxiety  -- we need the peace of God standing guard over our hearts.

8. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of God no matter what the conflict.

9. There may be those on earth who dress better or eat better, but those who enjoy the peace of God sleep better.

10. A man's business is to do the will of God;  then God Himself takes on the care of that man; therefore that man ought never to be afraid of anything.

                              No God no peace -- Know God know peace

Pearls of Wisdom 341

1. With the divine solace "Be not afraid"
    all fear of oceans or waves or foam should
    be gone. Rejoice in Him and nothing else.
    He is the spring; everything else is desolate ice.

2. Seek self-discipline with all your soul.
    Devote yourself to worship and save your
    soul. Be grateful that God gave you the gift
   of self-discipline, for you had no power over it.
   He inspired it within you with the command "Be!"

3. Rejoice in sorrow; it will unite you with God.
    Bow down and reach the highest peak.
    Turn inward, toward the heart,
    and delight in the green shade of trees
    and many gushing springs.

4. The object of search is never withheld from
     the seeker. Thus the sun is paired with heat
    and the cloud with water. This present world
    is the Creator's prison. You chose to invite
    punishment, so suffer punishment! God said,
    "To whom We bestowed a particular disposition,
    We also sent the appropriate provision."

5. Beware! Do not let avarice waylay you!
    Do not let greed tear you up by the roots!
    For as you sleep,
    the stench of your spurious deeds
    is thundering on the azure sky. [Mawlana Rumi]

Lessons to be learned in patience and perseverance....

When you are hurt by the people who share blood relations with you, recall Yusuf [alayhi salaam] who was also betrayed by his brothers.

When you find your parents opposing you (in deen) recall Ibraheem [alayhi salaam] who was made to jump into a blazing fire by his father.

When you are mocked and abused by your own relatives just because you adopted deen over duniya, recall Rasul Allah [sallalhu... alaihi wa sallam] who faced the same.

When you are stuck into some problem and find no way out recall Yunus [alayhi salaam] who was stuck inside the belly of a whale.

When you fall ill and your whole body cries with pain, recall Ayoob [alayhi salaam] who was more ill than you.

Wh en someone slanders you, recall Ay'esha [radiallahu anha] who was also slandered throughout the city.

When you feel lonely recall how Adam [alayhi salaam] felt when he was created alone at first.

When you can't see any logic in what's going on and your heart asks why this is happening, recall Nooh [alayhi salaam] who built the biggest ship without questioning.

Subhan Allah! Allah put all those great personalities in trial so that the generations to follow may learn a lesson in patience and perseverance. May Allah swt include us among His patient and grateful servants. Ameen!

LESSON OF THE DAY 1310

Ayahs of the day:
God gives wisdom to whomever God wishes; and whoever is given wisdom has indeed been given much good. But no one takes heed except those with understanding. [2: 269]

Hadith of the day:
He is sagacious who brings his soul to reckoning and works for what comes after death; and he is inadequate who follows his passions and harbors (illusory) hopes in God. [Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja]

Wise quote of the day:
Meet people in such a manner that if you die, they should weep for you, and if you live they should long for you. [Ali radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the day:
Do your very best to come to your Lord with a heart that is free of idolatry, hypocrisy, heresy, and reprehensible traits of character such as arrogance, ostentation, jealousy, deceitful behavior toward Muslims, and so on. Seek God's help and be patient. Strive in earnest and repeat often, "Our Lord, do not cause our hearts to swerve after You have guided us; and bestow upon us mercy from You, for You are the Bestower "(3:8). For this is how God has described those of His believing servants who are firmly steeped in knowledge. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is what are we busy about? Whoever admits that he is too busy to improve his methods has acknowledged himself to be at the end of the rope. And that is always the saddest predicament which anyone can get into. What we hope to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.

Gentle Reminders....

1. When the inward is good the outward is also inevitably so, for the outward follows the inward, whether for good or evil.

2. Prove the sincerity of your respect for the Qur'an by putting its teachings into practice, not by arguing about it.

3. You must fill your time with worship so that no period of time elapses whether by night or by day, without being used in some act of goodness.

4. Good character consists in three traits: avoiding that which is forbidden, seeking that which is permitted, and being generous.

5. Whoever busies himself with that which does not concern him, then he misses out on much of that which does concern him.

6. If we spend our time paying attention to the wisdom of our heart rather than the wisdom of our head, we will benefit greatly.

7. Love is always the answer to every question and problem. We are here to love and be loved and learn a few things in the process.

8. To begin anew, we must say good-bye to who we once were.

9. Have the courage to begin the new life that each day brings you. No matter what changes and losses you have experience, step back and see where you need to begin.

10. How do we find joy in our lives? Too often it comes at a significant price. You learn that you are mortal and suddenly what used to seem important isn't. Things that used to bother you don't anymore. What then becomes significant are the people who you love and who love you.

Fear oppression, because oppression will be intense darkness on the Day of Resurrection. [al Hadith]

Pearls of wisdom....340

1. God scatters His light over all spirits.
    The fortunate hold up their skirts to receive it.
    Those who receive His light turn from all except God.
     Without the skirt of love, we cannot receive our share.

2. Give your life for the cup of divine wisdom.
    How can you succeed without endurance and patience?
    To wait for the sake of that cup is no hardship.
    Show patience, for patience is the key to joy.

3. The spiritual path ruins the body, but subsequently
     restores it to health. It ruins the house to reveal the
     treasure, and with that treasure it builds better
     than before.

4. God made the illusion look real and the real an
    illusion. He concealed the sea and made the foam
    visible, the wind invisible, and the dust manifest.
    You see the dust whirling, but how can the dust rise
    by itself? You see the foam, but not the ocean.
    Invoke Him with deeds, not words, for deeds are
    real and will save you in the afterlife.

5. In the hour of grief you turn to Him;
    when grief departs you transgress.
    In adversity you moan entreating Him;
    when ease returns you turn away.
   Those who know God remain steady,
   but those who doubt exult at times
   and become despondent at others. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1309

Ayahs of the day:
Satan threatens you with poverty and compels you to indecencies, whereas God promises you divine forgiveness, and grace. And God is all-embracing, all-knowing. [2: 268]

Hadith of the day:
He whose heart contains as much as a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise. [Muslim]

Wise quote of the day:
All humans are dead except those who have knowledge, and all those who have knowledge are asleep except those who do good deeds, and all those who do good deeds are deceived except those who are sincere, and those who are sincere are always in a state of worry. [Imam al-Shafi'i]

Guidance of the day:
Strive for presence with God, reflect on the meanings of what you say, and do your best to acquire the behavior He likes and avoid that which He dislikes. Concentrate on your inward aspect. Confirm your words with your acts, your acts with your intentions and your sincerity, and your intentions and sincerity by purifying your inward and reforming your heart. For the heart is the essential thing upon which everything else depends. Therefore it is a duty to attend to it and concentrate on making it sound and upright. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
A room without books is like a body without a soul. The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them all. Some books are to be tasted; others swallowed; and some to be chewed and digested. The one who does not read good books has no advantage over the one who can't read them. Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen.

Try to be the most knowledgeable of the gnostics....

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim {may Allāh have mercy upon him} said:-

The ignorant one complains about Allāh to the people!
This is the height of ignorance in complaining and in whom the complaint is about.

For if a person were to truly know his Lord, he would never complain of Him.

If he truly knew people, he would never complain to them …

The gnostic complains only to Allāh,

and the most knowledgeable of the gnostics are those who complain to Allāh about themselves, not others …

In short there are three levels:-

# 1/-The most contemptible who complains to people about Allāh;

#2/  The loftiest who complains to Allāh about oneself;

#3/ The middle level who complains to Allāh about others.


Source: al-Fawa’id
Transcribed from: Translator’s Footnote from ‘The Exquisite Peal –
 [The Journey to Allāh & The Home of the Hereafter’ | Shaykh ‘Abd 

Pearls of Wisdom....339

  1. Both Moses and Pharaoh
    dwell within your being.
    Seek these opponents within your being.
    The conception of Moses is a reawakening.
    The light is the same,
     though the lamp is different.

2. Do not regard yourself as infamous or weak.
    Reflect upon your aspirations, O noble one.
    No matter what your station be,
    keep searching.
    For this pursuit is a blessed course.
    This quest removes all impediments to God.

3. He complained of his pain a hundredfold.
    God said, "Grief and pain make you modest and noble.
    Your real enemy is your own medicine, the elixir that
    seeks to win your heart. Flee from it to solitude and seek
    help of God's grace. Your friends are really your enemies,
    for they occupy you and make you oblivious of God."

4. The wisdom of this world brings doubt. The wisdom
     of religion soars above the skies. Reflection on Truth
     opens the way to the kingdom. Treasures and armies
     do not make you a king. A true king is a king within
     himself. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1308

 Ayahs of the day:
O believers, give of good things you have earned, and from what We have produced for you from the earth. And do not choose the bad thereof to give away, while you would not take it without disregard for it. And know that God is independent, most worthy of praise. [2:267]

Hadith of the day:
Whoever desires that Allah increase his provision and extend his life, let him maintain his family ties. [Bukhari]

Wise quote of the day:
Your real possession is that which you will not lose in a ship wreck -- i.e. your imaan and good deeds with sincerity. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the day:
Impose upon yourself to realize the meanings of invocations and supplications that you use and acquire them so as to make them your own attributes. For example, when you say, "Transcendent is God!" (Subha'Allah) your heart should be full with the magnification of God and awareness of His Transcendence. And when you say, "Praise belongs to God," (Al-Hamdu lil' llah) your heart should be full of praises and thanks for God. And when you say, "I ask Allah to forgive me," (Astaghfiru'llah) it should be at the same time full of hope for God's forgiveness, yet fearful of His not granting it; and so on. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Anybody can become angry -- that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way -- that is not within everybody's power and is not easy. Whenever you are angry, be assured that it is not only a present evil, but that you have increased  a habit. The greatest remedy for anger is delay. When a person is wrong and won't admit it, he always gets angry.

A priceless quote from a confident Muslim woman....

Nobel Peace Prize winner "Tawakkul Karman," 'The mother of Yemen's revolution,' when asked about her Hijab by journalists and how it is not proportionate with her level of intellect and education, replied:

“Man in early times was almost naked, and as his intellect evolved he started wearing clothes. What I am today and what I’m wearing represents the highest level of thought and civilization that man has achieved, and is not regressive. It’s the removal of clothes again that is a regression back to the ancient times.''

What an inspiration...I know of no one who could have said it better!

Pearls of Wisdom 338

1. Seek a true friend,
    for a friend seeks the benefit of a friend,
    Do good to the people for the sake of God
    or for the peace of your own soul
    that you may always see what is pure
    and save your heart from the darkness of hate.

2. The Merciful God promised Mustafa,
     "You will die but the Qur'an will prevail.
    I shall exalt your Book and its Miracle
    and protect its face from being changed.
    This Qur'an to you is Moses' staff;
     like that dragon it will devour all deception."

3. The bottom of the river is full of jewels.
    Take heed! Do not make the water turbid.
    The spirit of man is like the air:
    when dust surrounds it the sky is veiled.
    Not withstanding such a state of darkness,
    God made visions to help you
    find the road to redemption.

4. The servile earth and the lofty sky:
     without this opposite
     the sky would not be so high.
     The low and high of the earth
     are winter and spring.
     The low and high of time
     are night and day.
     The low and high of the body
     are sickness and health.
     By means of these opposites
     the world is kept alive;
     by means of these doubles
     souls feel fear and hope. [Mawlana Rumi]

LESSON OF THE DAY 1307

Ayahs of the day:
Those who spend their money seeking to please God and to strengthen their own souls are like a garden on a hill; when a heavy rain hits it, it brings forth double its fruits. And if a heavy rain does not hit it, then dew. For God sees what you do. [2:265]

Hadith of the day:
The Abdal in my community will not enter the Garden by their works, but by God's mercy, clean breasts, generous souls, and compassion for all Muslims. [Bayhaqi]

Wise quote of the day:
People count with self satisfaction the number of times they have recited the name of God on their prayer beads, but  they keep no beads for reckoning the number of idle words they speak. [Imam Ghazali]

Guidance of the day:
He who is satisfied with Islam as religion will revere its rites and sacrosanct things and will persistently strive to acquire the kind of knowledge and perform the kinds of works which confirm it and increase it in ability and steadfastness. He should be happy with it, anxious for it not to be taken away from him, respectful of its people, and averse to those who deny or antagonize it.

He who is satisfied with Muhammad (peace and blessing upon him) as Prophet should emulate him, follow his guidance, adhere to his law, uphold his Sunna, magnify his rights, and abundantly invoke blessings and peace upon him. He should love his family and companions, invoke God's mercy and satisfaction upon them, and be concerned for the Prophet's community and of good counsel to them. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al Haddad]

Food for thought:
Anger and intolerance are the twin enemies of correct understanding. An angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason. Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you. Anger begins with folly and ends with regret.