Should the Muslim abandon an action due to the fear of Riya?

Leaving an action out of fear of falling into 'riya‘ is one of the biggest mistakes and ways of falling into the trap of Shaytaan.

If the intent and motive for an action is correct and righteous and if it is in agreement with what has been legislated then the action should never be abandoned due to the presence of the danger of  riya‘.

Rather it is obligatory upon the Muslim to strive against this threat and danger.

 This is achieved by making his heart cling to modesty in front of Allah and fear of Him,

 and changing the praise and admiration of creation-
for His praise and admiration.

Fudayl ibn Ayyad (radiallaahu ‘anhu) said:-

 ‘Doing an action for the sake of people is shirk and leaving an action for the sake of people is riya’.


Ikhlas is when Allah saves us from
them both.

Pearls of Wisdom 331

1. If you persevere in adversity and depend on God, then know that He will remove your afflictions and bestow vast blessings upon you. For in His Book God promises, "Those who depend upon Allah, Allah bestows His bounty upon them and provides for them from means unknown." Therefore follow the road of patience and rejoice in His infinite bounty.

2. Do not lose hope in Allah, for He is the Creator. He will create another way for you. Do not flee from your trials; patience in adversity is the foundation  of all virtue, of compassion and sainthood. Patience is the foundation, and without a sound foundation you cannot build a monument.

3. Have faith in God the Omnipotent, the Eternal, the First and the Last, who grants life and determines death, He bestows bounty, and only He can restore crushed hopes. Have faith, do not lose hope, wait patiently. He indeed will create a way to deliver you from your hardship.

4. In the treasure house of blessings there is also a store of afflictions. But most lack patience and begin to lament their misfortune before all and sundry, hoping to receive succor. Do they not know that none has the power to help or harm, be they friends or enemies? In their lack of faith such persons deem mortals equal to God. Do they forget that faith in the transient will only hamper deliverance?

5. Whenever you are tempted by this world, picture a derelict covered with filth whose noxious odor is intolerable. Reviled you will shut your senses to the offensive sight. In the like manner stay away from abomination of sin that may deface your purity. The Lord shall bless you with much bounty; therefore let not the cares of this world drive your peace away. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

Perfect Practical Advice....

1. We should try to be like the bee, which lands on fragrant flowers and fresh branches.

2. Time is too precious, we can't waste it trying to seek out people's faults/defects and mistakes.

3. If Allah is on our side -- through our obedience to Him, then who do we have to fear?

4. If Allah is not on our side -- because of our disobedience to Him, what hope do we have?

5. The fire of envy consumes the body, and excessive jealousy is like a raging fire.

6. If we do not prepare today -- in this world, then we will not be able to do anything tomorrow -- in the next world.

7. We should try our best to withdraw peacefully from places where idle arguments are going on.

8. We should try our best to make our morals and attitude even more beautiful than a garden.

9. When we do acts of kindness that is when we will be the happiest of people.

10. We should leave people to their Creator, leave the envier  to death and forget about any enemy.

11. We should always remember -- pleasure of haram actions is followed by regret, loss and punishment.

Lesson of the day 1331

Ayahs of the day:
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: 132,133]

Hadith of the day:
Whoever among you wakes up in the morning and is safe in his home, in good health and has enough provision for the day, it is as if he has all the good things of this world. [Tirmidhi]

Wise quote of the day:
The righteous deeds are performed by the righteous and wicked. However, only the truthful ones avoid the sinful deeds. [Sahl Ibn Abdullah al Tustari]

Guidance of the day:
It is incumbent upon every Muslim man and woman to seek knowledge. No Muslim is to be excused from this. The knowledge in question is that without which faith and religion cannot be sound. In sum it is the knowledge of God, His Messenger, the Last Day, what is obligatory, and what is forbidden.

The Messenger of God -- may God's blessings and peace be upon him -- said, Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim; and Seek knowledge, even if in China. China being an extremely distant region to which very few  people go because it is so remote. If a Muslim is required to seek knowledge even in such remote place, how will it not be required when he lives among scholars and will not incur much expense nor suffer much hardship seeking it? [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
Defeat is nothing but education, nothing but the first step to something better. Defeat is not the worst of failures -- not to have tried is the true failure. He who is prepared to die for any cause is seldom defeated. He who is accustomed to defeat, yet persists, will someday succeed. He who is accustomed to success, and becomes indifferent, will someday fail. Defeat is a school in which truth always grows strong.

Closeness to Allah -- solution to our problems

My favorite lil spot is the little area on my prayer rug where I place my face and hands before Allah and I can say anything I want to Him

I can ask Him for anything
And even if it's just a whisper He can hear the screams inside
And even if it's just one tear He know there's an ocean deep inside
It is my time with Allah when no one can interfere

It is my time alone with my Creator and when the rest of the world disappears
It doesn't matter how many times I do this a day...
I still feel as if it's the last time i could do it that day

I want Him to know how much I love Him
How much I need Him
How much I want to please Him
Be with Him
And how much I want to be better for Him

All it takes is a few minutes on my lil prayer rug to feel close to Allah
All it takes is a quick reminder that one day I'll be in front of Allah
For me to humble myself before Him and ask Him for forgiveness
Ask for guidance and for His sweetness
For i can do all things with Him on my side

I can overcome all the heartbreak and pain that's inside
Just as long as Allah hears my cry
And carries me through this life

It is on that lil space where my face and hands land on my prayer rug that I feel most at ease
It is that lil space that fills me most with peace
Where I can just hand it all over to Allah and trust in Him to get me through
Where I can cry and cry and know Allah will take care of me when i don't know what to do

When I prostrate before Allah it's just me and Him
Just my heart talking sincerely to Him
No one else knows what i'm saying or what i'm feeling; just Him

It is my place to get away from this world even for just a few minutes and turn towards my Creator
My Sustainer
My Everything....My Rabb, and know that if I just whisper He can hear and see all that's inside
And everytime I ask and cry, He takes a lil piece of my heart and mends it back together inside.

It's that lil space that gives me all these things
My favorite spot is that lil space on my prayer rug where I place my hands and face
It is in that lil space...where it's just me and Allah...in my lil space.

Pearls of Wisdom 330

1. Fools exult in life while the pious prepare for the journey ahead. A major portion of their wealth is spent in God's way, and they themselves suffice with the bare minimum, striving toward the hereafter. They even sacrifice fine victuals confident in the faith that they shall be blessed with better in the hereafter. Even God cherishes them because of their conviction and devotion.

2. Once the ego is overcome peace follows. "Only God and no living creature has the power to control destinies." With that conviction entrust all your cares to the Lord and follow the path of the Truth, conforming to the divine edicts, until you attain union with Him and become as pure as Adam before whom all creatures prostrated.

3. God bestows good fortune on whom He will. Then why do you feel jealous and wish that another be dispossessed of all his property? Do you know in your wrath you deem yourselves equal to God? Behold, you will be depraved, because envy corrodes faith and leads to the ultimate fall. Bear in mind Joseph, who despite his brothers' loathsome schemes, remained the illustrious. And who but the brothers were disgraced. Take heed, time and again our Lord warns us against the ills of envy.

4. Do not be ruled by lust; seek freedom by following the righteous. Mere claims of piety will not earn you inner freedom. Remain patient in adversity to attain peace, for adversity is the threshold to freedom. Those who cannot persevere are held back from the doors of Mercy.

5. When you purify your hearts just as you purify your raiment, union with God will follow. You cannot become a sufi by merely wearing coarse woolen shirts and and following strict rituals, pretending to be pious while inside your hearts you bear malice and avarice. A real Sufi has attained a state of perfection on the inside. If you sincerely seek union with God, then seek Him inside your hearts and leave the world alone. [Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani]

Alexander the great.....

                                             Alexander the great's last words
                                                    "Ice melts when heated"
                                                    "Eyes melt when hated"

Alexander, after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed.

With death staring him in his face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword and all his wealth were of no consequence.

He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit him to reach his distant homeland. So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last.

He called his trusted generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon and I have three wishes, please carry out them out without fail."
With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.

"My first desire is that", said Alexander, "My physicians alone must carry my coffin."
After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury".

The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin."

The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dared bring the question to their lips. Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "Oh! our king, we assure you that your wishes will all be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"

At this, Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world  to know of the three lessons I have just learned."

"I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.

The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the way  to the graveyard is to tell People that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty into this world and  empty handed I go out of this world".

With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last..!!

LESSONS WE CAN LEARN
Our good health is in our own hands, we should look after it.
Wealth is only meaningful if we can enjoy while we are still alive and kicking.
What we do for ourselves dies with us but what we do for others, lives on.
It is called our "Legacy."

Lesson of the day 1330

Ayahs of the day:
Believers, do not consume usurious interest, multiplied and compounded; and be conscious of God, that you may thrive. And be wary of the fire that is prepared for the scoffers. [3: 130,131]

Hadith of the day:
Richness is not having a great deal of wealth; rather richness is richness of the soul. [Bukhari]

Wise quote of the day:
The worshippers of Allah do not worship in anyway better than avoiding what Allah has forbidden. [Hasan al Basri]

Guidance of the day:
Using destiny as an argument when legal injunctions are in question is forbidden and blameworthy -- beware of this. But when hardship strikes it is beneficial. For the servant afflicted of misfortune, to remember God's promises of high degrees and good things and of forgiveness of sins is a good thing that is of benefit for most Muslims, and easy for them to understand. Promises and threats concerning the hereafter are easy for everyone to understand; these are of widespread benefit, both when one is engaged in acts of obedience, or when one is committing a sin, or when one is afflicted with hardship.

The Qur'an is full of promises and threats, and exhortations containing reminders of both. Understand this and reflect on it, you will thus be wisely guided. Rely on God, for He likes those who rely on Him. There is neither power nor ability save by God, the High, the Formidable. [Counsels of Religion by Imam al-Haddad]

Food for thought:
To speak kindly does not hurt the tongue. Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of the pleasures; costs nothing but conveys much. It pleases him who gives and him who receives, and thus, like mercy, it is twice blessed. The small courtesies sweeten life; the greater ennoble it. We must be as courteous to people as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light.