365 Quran & Sunnah Selection For Daily Reading

1
An Ignorant Judge
The Prophet (peace be upon him)
said
Judges are of three types, two
of them will go to the Hellfire and

one type will go to Paradise. The
one who knows the truth and judges
with it he is in Paradise. One who
knows the truth but doesn t judge
by it, will go to Hellfire. The one
who doesn t know the truth and
judges between people with
ignorance, will go to the Hellfire.
[Abu Daud, Tirmidhi]
6
Disputes occur at home, at work, in

government and foreign relations,
internationally... Passing a judgment
as to who is in the right and who isn t,
is not a matter to be taken lightly. It
could land the person in Hell. This is
because anyone who judges without
knowledge of the facts of the case, and

without using llah s given criteria of
right and wrong, judges unjustly, and
will be sent to Hell as recompense.
Never hasten to judge. Always refer

the case to one more qualified than
yourself. If you have to judge, first
ascertain all the facts. Hear all parties
out completely. Then refer to llah s
Book and the Sunnah of His
Messenger to see what the Divine law
is concerning such a situation. Then

pray to Allah (subhana wa ta ala) with
all sincerity to guide you and bless
your judgment.
The Messenger of llah pbuh said
One
judge shall go to Paradise, and two to

Hell. The judge who knows what is right
and judges accordingly shall be in
Paradise. The one who knows what is
right but intentionally judges unjustly
will go to Hell, and so will the judge who
judges without knowledge. [Hakim]
What the truth is, is determined by

Allah. He has spelt it out for us in the
Shariah, that is the Quran and
Sunnah. If a person passes judgment
according to his or her own standards
of right and wrong, rather than what
Allah has declared as right or wrong,
then that judge is judging with

ignorance.
10
Your Hands Won t e Lowered

Empty
The Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him said
llah is the Ever-
Living, the Most Generous, and if a

man raises his hands in
supplication, He will be ashamed to

let them be lowered disappointed and
empty. [bu Dawud, Kitab adDua]
11
Umar ibn al-Khattab (radi Allahu

anhu said: I do not have any anxiety
about the answer, but I worry about
the Dua itself, because anyone who is
inspired by Allah to make Duas

immediately invokes His response
when he makes the Dua.
12
13
14
A Goodness Through and

Through
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Modesty is a virtue through and
through, or said: Modesty is a goodness
complete. [Muslim]
Once the Prophet (peace be upon him)
passed by a man who was admonishing
his brother regarding Haya and was
saying, 'You are very shy, and I am afraid
that might harm you.' On that, Allah's
Apostle said, 'Leave him, for Haya is (a
part) of Faith.' [Bukhari]
15
This hadith tells us that there is nothing
bad about modesty. Therefore, if

something is purely good, then however
much you have of it, it can only be good
for you. This is something to especially
remember in these times when moral

and modest are portrayed as backward,
oppressed' and 'under-confident.
A person with Haya does not show off
his mind, body, or anything else. Haya is
translated as modesty but it includes all
of the following meanings as well: self
respect, bashfulness, having scruples,
having awareness of Allah. This word is a
prime example of how much is lost in
translation from Arabic to any other
language.
16
You will Recognize Your Home

in Jannah
upon him said
y the One in
Whose hand is the soul of

Muhammad, any one of them
(believers) will be more familiar with

his dwelling in Paradise than he was
with his house in this world.
[Bukhaari]
17
In-sha-Allah, when we go to Jannah

we will recognize our houses and
properties with certainty. We will
know them to be ours with greater
certitude than we claim our homes in

this world. We will feel that they have
always been ours and no one has
greater right to them than us.
18
19
20
Are You Lucky

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]
21
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.
22
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, 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 you count yourself

lucky?
23
Your Friend's Religion Is Yours

upon him said
man is upon the
religion of his friend, so let one of

you look at whom he befriends.
[Jami at-Tirmidhi]
24
We are very heavily influenced by the

company we keep. Slowly and
imperceptibly to ourselves, though
perhaps others might notice, we adopt
the thinking, habits, beliefs,

mannerisms and lifestyle of our
friends. It is thus very important that
we choose those people as friends

who we won t be embarrassed to be
with on the Day of Judgement.
25

uopn him) said that even animals
influence the personality of the people
who keep company with them. He
(peace be upon him) said that he who

spends much time around camels
learns to harbour grudges, while he
who keeps the company of horses

becomes arrogant. If animals can
influence us so much, how much
more can those who are of the same
species?
26
27
28
Avoiding Argumentation
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]
29
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.
30
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 loves to have
Muslims live harmoniously with each
other. Try this hadith out in practice, and
you will see that your relations improve
with people and that you have greater
peace of mind.
31
You Know What She Said!...

upon him said
He who stirs
enmity among people, by quoting

their words to each other, will not
enter Paradise. [ukhari]
32
Unfortunately, this is a common social

evil these days. Rather than mend
relations among people, Shaytaan has
us excited about carrying tales to each
other. You won t believe what he

did!...Can you imagine what she
said?...
33
Refuse to listen to what other people have
said or done. It is backbiting, just to hear it.

If what you are being told about is not true,
it is an even bigger sin, both for the person
telling it and the person listening to it. If you
tell yourself not to believe everything you
hear, your heart will nevertheless be tainted
by it. That is why the Prophet (pbuh) told
his companions not to say things about each

other to him, since he didn't want to meet
them with disquiet in his heart. If the
Messenger of Allah's feelings for people had
the possibility of getting soured by hearing
tales about them, despite his being rehmatul-lil-alameen, then we are certainly not
above being corrupted by listening to tales. 34
The people who carry tales from one

person to another, do it in the guise
of well wishers. First they
sympathize with one party. Then
they take what they have gleaned to

other people and sow discord,
ruining relations between people, by
repeating things. A person who
behaves in such a manner is being
two faced. Prophet (pbuh) said: You
find that among the worst people is

someone who is two-faced, showing one
face to some and another face to
others. [ukhari]
35
36
37
Ask and You Shall Be Given

said
sk, and you shall be given it
and you shall be given it.

[Tirmidhi]

said
Let everyone of you ask of His
Lord all that He wants. [Tirmidhi]
38
We were informed by our Prophet

(peace be upon him) that Allah fulfills
everybody s wishes so long as a person
does not get impatient and say, I asked
llah for so and so and I still haven t

received it. We are told never to despair
of the mercy of Allah.
39
informed us that there are several forms

for the acceptance of dua. One is that
you are given what you ask for. Another
is that you are given better than what

you asked for. A third is that some
calamity that was about to befall you has
been averted instead. The fourth is that
the dua is saved up for you as
sawaab/reward for the Day of Judgment.
In all cases, asking Allah for things is
beneficial.
40
When Angry Stay Silent

upon him said
When you are
angry, be silent. When you are

angry, be silent. [l-Adab alMufrad Al-Bukhari by Imam
Bukhari]
41
The Prophet (pbuh) advised us not to

speak when we are angry.
The cure for anger is to not speak at
the time of anger. Ibn Rajab declared
this to be a very great cure that the
Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him) has mentioned since it is in the
state of anger that a person says a lot

of things that he or she may regret
later on. Sometimes, regretting one's
actions will not help since once words

are spoken, the damage will take
effect.
42
For example, a person in anger may

question Allah (subhana wa ta ala) or
raise an objection to one of His
commands. In anger, a husband may
divorce his wife. In anger, people say

things that destroy relationships and
may take years to rebuild. Breaking
someone's heart is very easy while

joining hearts is very difficult.
Damaging a relationship can be done
with one word while building
relationships may, in some cases, take
years.
43
That is why it is best to refrain from

speaking when in anger and to wait
until the anger has subsided, then
speak in a calm manner so that a
person does not regret what he is

saying.
44
45
46
As Blood Circulates In You

Safiyah bint Huyai (may Allah be pleased with her), the
Mother of the elievers, said I came to visit the
Prophet (pbuh) while he was in the state of Itikaf
[seclusion in the mosque during the last ten days of

Ramadan]. After having talked to him, I got up to
return. The Prophet (pbuh) also got up with me and
accompanied me a part of the way. At that moment two
Ansari men passed by. When they saw him they

quickened their pace. The Prophet (pbuh) said to them,
Do not hurry. She is Safiyah, daughter of Huyai, my
wife. They said Subhan Allah (Allah is free from
imperfection)! O Messenger of Allah! (You are far away

from any suspicion . The Messenger of llah pbuh
replied, Satan circulates in a person like blood. I
apprehended lest Satan should drop some evil thought
in your minds. [Sahih ukhari]
47
Even a passing thought of something

undesirable about the Prophet (peace be
upon him) is dangerous for Eeman
(faith). In order to prevent any evil
suspicions from arising, the Prophet

(peace be upon him) stopped the two
Companions and explained to them the
situation. This was done lest Shaytaan

create some doubt in the minds of the
two Companions.
48
The conclusion from this hadith is that

if at any time there is a chance that
your actions will allow somebody to
question your uprightness then it is
necessary to give an explanation to

clarify the situation. This is particularly
important for Ulema (scholars), who
should remain aloof from such
occasions and places that might induce
people to start doubting their integrity
and piety. This happens because
Shaytaan is always trying to sow
discord between people.
49
On the other hand, one should not jump

to evil conclusions regarding others, but
always give them the benefit of the
doubt. The Prophet (peace be upon him)
said to make seventy excuses for your

Muslim brother or sister before you
accuse him or her of anything. Do we
even try to come up with seventy

excuses, before rushing to pass an
unfavorable judgment?
50
When Angry Sit Down and Lie

Down
said
If one of you gets angry and
he is standing, then he should sit

down until his anger subsides. If it
does not, then he should lie down.

[Sunan Abu Dawood]
51
The Prophet (pbuh) gave us lots of

practical advice on managing anger.
One of the things he (peace be upon
him) told us to do is to sit down if at
the time you are getting angry you are

standing, and if you are already
sitting, then to lie down.
52
In this way you are getting further
away from taking revenge. If you are

standing, it will be easy to run towards
the object of your anger and hit him,
but if you sit down, you will feel a little
lazy to get up and go towards him,
while if you lie down, you have already
moved three stages away from acting
on your anger. Now you will think, that

in order to reach the person who has
angered you, you will first have to sit
up, then stand up and finally run to hit
him. Therefore, it is wiser to leave him
and let him go.
53
Additionally, in the state of anger one

should think of his position as a
servant in the presence of His Master,
Allah, the Most High, who is
definitely watching him. We are

always hopeful of llah s mercy upon
us, and wish that Allah will forgive
our faults on the Day of Qiyaamah,

yet we refuse to show mercy to His
creation. Here we become totally
heedless. If anybody troubles us, we
do not find rest until and unless we
take revenge.
54
One of the Salaf said, "One of you

might see his own faults but he still
loves himself. He then hates his
Muslim brother on suspicion. So
where is the logic?"
55
56
57
Are You A Momin

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him said
momin does not taunt,
does not curse and reproach, does not

indulge in obscene talking and obscene
acts. [Tirmidhi]
58
Did you make any sarcastic comments to
anybody today?
Did you by word or gesture make fun of
anybody today?
Did you insult anyone today?

Did you demoralize anybody today?
Did you put someone down for a mistake
that they made?

Did you curse anybody today?
Did you say anything vulgar today?
Did you do anything obscene today?

We need to check
No
next to each of
these questions everyday to qualify as

Momineen.
59
It is one thing to be a Muslim and

another to be a Momin. To be a
Muslim is a basic qualification, in
other words, you pass. To be a Momin
is a distinction. A Muslim has entered

Islam but does not have the Eeman
that a Momin possesses.
60
What To Say When Angry

"Two men abused one another in the
presence of the Prophet (peace be
upon him) and one of them began to

get angry and his face got red. The
Prophet (peace be upon him) looked
at him and said, 'I know some words
that, if he says them, will remove
this from him. They are, I seek
refuge with Allah from the Accursed
Shaytan. " [ukhari]
61
The first cure for anger is to say

"audhu billahi minash-shaytan nirrajeem" which means, I seek refuge
with Allah from the Accursed
Shaytan. What does this have to do

with curing anger? Since anger comes
from Shaytan, you should seek refuge
with Allah from the accursed Shaytan.
62
fter this, think of llah s

punishment. Allah has more power
over you than you have over that
person. Just as you are angry at
someone today, what if Allah ta ala

becomes angry and decrees to punish
you. What will you be able to do then?
Think of Allah. Think of His power
and punishment. When an angry
person does not think of these things,
it proves that he has become ensnared
in the clutches of Shaytaan. How is it

possible that in spite of being
Momineen we forget Allah at such
moments?
63
64
65
All Intoxicants
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was
once asked about mead. He replied,
Every drink that intoxicates is
forbidden. [Sahih ukhari]
66
Al-Hasan al-Basri said, How could

any man ruin his mind, which is the
most beloved thing in God s creation,
with wine? n rab was once asked
why he did not drink, and he replied,

y God, I am not happy with my
mind when it is sound, so why should
I corrupt it even further? [The

Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith by
Imam al-Bayhaqi]
67
"According to official statistics, of the 5059
people who died in traffic accidents in Britain

in 1988, more than a thousand lost their lives as
a result of alcohol consumption. Similarly, over
a third of British hospital beds are occupied
with alcohol-related cases. But it is not merely
people s health that suffers from alcohol use.
More than half of ritain s violent crimes are
committed under the influence . The U.K.
economy loses more than 2 billion pounds
annually thanks to this drug. Suicide, sterility,
depression, brain damage, child neglect, wife
beating these are just some of the other effects

of this habit forming narcotic." [Translator s
note, The Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith,
p.30, The Quilliam Press]
68
wise man once asked his son, Why

do you drink? and he replied, It helps
to break up the food in my stomach.
y God, his father replied, it will
break up your religion even more

surely. [The Seventy-Seven Branches of
Faith]
69
Allah says in the Quran, Say: My
Lord has forbidden only shameful

acts, be they open or secret, and sin,
and wrongful oppression. [Surah :
133] . Imam al-Bayhaqi says: In this
verse, sin [ithm] is forbidden explicitly,
and it is said that ithm is actually one
of the names of wine, as is shown by

the following verse: I drank ithm, until
my mind went awry, Truly, ithm does
away with the minds of men.
70
What s there to sk Forgiveness

for?
said
O people, turn in repentance
to Allah! I swear by Allah that I

turn in repentance to Him more
than seventy times each day.
[Bukhari; Kitab ad-Da awaat]
71
Do we feel grateful for everything Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) gives us every day of

food, clothes, family?
We don t constantly thank llah, yet if
the same behavior were exhibited
towards us, after one favor we would
withhold any other favors. So do we need
to turn to him in repentance or not?
Do we thank Him for running water

coming so easily out of taps (or do we
complain for having to wash dishes)?
Do we thank Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
for the light and fan working with the
touch of a button (or do we complain for
not having air-conditioning)?
72
Do we thank Him for the tree outside

the window which shades in summer,
beautifies the view, and sheds its
leaves in winter so the warm sun can
come in?
Do we thank Him for having someone
to talk to anytime we want in the form
of sisters/brothers? People are so
lonely and dependent on friends
because they don t have siblings.
Do we thank Him everyday for hands,
feet, and organs that work or do we
only mention them when something
goes wrong.
73
But most of all, do we constantly

thank Allah for making us Muslims,
those with a fantastic future ahead of
them? And do we care about the rest
of His creation by trying to bring them

into the mercy of Islam too? We got
into the shade out of the blazing hot
sun but did we care about the people

we left behind and did we invite them
to come in as well?
Do we not need to repent to Allah for
how we behave?
74
75
76
Authority of the Sunnah

Preserve knowledge by writing.
[Ibn Abd al-Bir, quoted in Authority
of Sunnah by Muhammad Taqi
Usmani]
77
In addition to memorizing ahadith, the

Companions of the Prophet, on his
encouragement, also wrote them down.
Many manuscripts are from that era. The
statements of the enemies of Islam, that

ahadith were not written down till three
centuries after the death of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), are

just another attempt to discredit the
Sunnah and thus render Islam
ineffective.
78
Allah has taken upon Himself the
protection of the Quran. As it is the last

book to be revealed, none will be able to
tamper with it or change it till the Day
of Resurrection. llah s promise of

preservation of revelation extends to the
Sunnah as well, since the Sunnah is
required in order to live by the Quran.
For example, the obligation to pray is
mentioned seventy three times in the
Quran, yet its details are not elaborated
therein. These are all available from the
Sunnah.
79
In the Quran, whenever obedience of

Allah is mentioned, it is always coupled
with obedience to the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him). There is no ayat of
the Quran where obedience of Allah has

been mentioned alone, without
simultaneously enjoining obedience of
His Messenger.
nd obey llah and the Messenger so
that you may be blessed. [ :
Say, Obey llah and obey the

Messenger; then, if you turn away, upon
him rests what is laid on him, and upon
you rests what is laid on you
]
80
The prophets are the spokespeople of

Allah, therefore, obedience or
disobedience of what they bring is
obedience or disobedience of Allah. We
would not know what the will of Allah
is except through the intermediary i.e.
the Messenger.
nd whoever obeys the Messenger,

thereby obeys llah. [
Whatever the Messenger gives you,

take it, and whatever he forbids you,
refrain from it. [
: ]
81
Wasted Mountains
People will
come on the Day of Judgement with good deeds

like the mountains of Tihaamah and Allah will
make their deeds like scattered dust. The
Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
asked
replied
Will they not be Muslims? He pbuh
Of course! They will have prayed as you
pray, they will have fasted as you fast, they will

have spent in charity from their excess wealth
and will have given their portion of the night
(Tahajjud). However, when they were alone they
would violate the Sanctuary of Allah (i.e.
trespass into what is unlawful . [Ibn Majah]
82
A hypocrite undertakes actions for the

sake of people and reputation. He
behaves differently when people are
not around to witness his deeds. The
purpose of his performing good deeds

is to win acclaim from people for
them. It is important for him to have
his good deeds witnessed and known.

Why should Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
reward deeds that are done not for
Him but for other people? Good

deeds should be done only for Allah if
the reward is desired from Him.
83
We ask Allah to purify our intentions

and save us from showing off and
from seeking fame. This is the most
dangerous of diseases because when a
servant is inflicted with it, it corrupts
all his actions.
84
85
86
eliever s Death
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon
him) said: "When the soul of a believer
comes out [of its body], two angels

receive it and rise with it towards the
heavens, whereupon the inhabitants of
the heavens say, 'A good soul has
come from the earth. Allah has blessed
you and the body which you used to
occupy.'" [Sahih Muslim]
87
Verse of the Quran and many ahadith
give us a detailed picture of the events

that take place at the time of death.
From these sources the following facts
emerge:
88
The Angel of Death comes to the believer,

sits at his/her head and says, 'O you good
soul, come out and receive your Lord's
forgiveness and pleasure.' Then the soul
flows out effortlessly just as water flows

from the mouth of a waterskin. When the
soul of a believer comes out of its body, two
angels [besides the angel of death] receive it
to escort him to the Heavens. They bring
with them beautiful clothing from Jannah,
some fragrance of musk, and a vase from
Jannah. Then they ascend with the soul to
Heaven, and they do not pass with it by any
group of angels but they say: 'What is this
good and sweet-smelling soul?'
89
The two angels tell them (he is) "such"
the son of "such," choosing the best of

the names he used to be called in this
life, until they reach the lowest sky.
They ask permission to enter, and they

are granted entry. Thus they ascend
from one heaven to the next until they
end at the seventh heaven, then to
Allah, Exalted and High.
90
Allah commands: "Write the book of
my servant in Illiyeen. " [l-Quran

83:18] nd so the believer s
book/record of deeds is written in
Illiyeen. Then Allah says, Return him
to the earth, for (I promised them) I

have created them from it, and into
it I shall return them, and from it I
shall extract (resurrect) them a
second time. [l-Quran 20:55] So his
soul is returned to earth and reenters
his body. Thus, his time in Barzakh
begins.
91
Disbeliever s Death
him said
llah accepts the
repentance of the servant so long as his

ruh (spirit) has not arrived at his
throat. [Tirmidhi]
llah says If you could see when the

wrongdoers taste the pangs of death
and the angels stretch their hands out,
[saying], 'Deliver up your souls. This
day you will be awarded a degrading
punishment.' [l-Quran 6:93]
92
When an unbeliever is about to depart
from this world, angels with black faces

descend from the heavens carrying rough
hair-cloth, and sit around the dying person
in throngs stretching as far as the eye can
see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits
at the head of the unbeliever and says: 'O
foul soul, come out to the wrath and anger
of Allah!' The soul inside the disbeliever's

body does not want to deliver itself up and
divides up in the body of the dying person,
whereupon the Angel of Death violently
pulls it and it is dragged out like a skewer
is pulled out of wet wool. [Ar-Ruh: The
Soul s Journey after Death, by Imam Ibn l
Qayyim Al Jauziah]
93
Then the ngel of Death takes hold

of the soul. When he has grasped it,
the other angels do not leave it in his
hand even for the twinkling of an eye.
They take it and wrap it in the rough

hair-cloth and a stench emanates from
it like that of the most evil smelling
corpse on the face of the earth. [ArRuh: The Soul s Journey after Death,
by Imam Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jauziah]
94
Then the angels ascend with the

depraved soul, and they do not pass
with it by any group of angels but the
angels ask: "What is this wicked soul?"
They are told (he is) "such" the son of

"such", choosing the most hated of the
names he used to be called by in this
life. For instance, Abu Jahl (Father of

Ignorance), whose actual name was
Umar, would have been called Abu
Jahl by the angels. The evil soul is
cursed by all the angels between the
earth and the sky and by all the angels
in the sky.
95
When the angels reach the lowest heaven,
they ask permission to enter, but they are

not granted entry because of the evil soul
with them. No opening will there be of
the gates of heaven, nor will they enter

the Garden, until the camel can pass
through the eye of the needle. [l-Quran
7:40] Then Allah, Exalted and High, says:
"Write the book of my servant in Sijjeen in
the lowest earth. The evil soul is
thereafter flung down with a mighty
hurl. It is cast back into its body and its

trial in the grave then begins. [Ar-Ruh:
The Soul s Journey after Death, by Imam
Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jauziah]
96
97
98
Weak and Oppressed in Paradise

upon him said
Shall I not tell you
about the people of Paradise? The

Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with
them said
Of course. He peace
be upon him said
Every weak and
oppressed person; if he were to
implore Allah for anything, He

would grant it to him. [ukhari]
99
Most of those who enter Paradise will be
people who were weak and destitute in

the world. They were those whom we
usually ignore, care little about, and
easily trample over. But in the sight of
Allah they are important. They are
important because they fear Him and
worship Him faithfully with humility.
Commenting on this hadith, An-Nawawi

said: It refers to those whom others
despise, scorn and oppress because of
their weak position in this world. What is
meant is that most of the people of

Paradise will be of this type, but it does
not mean that all of them will be (in
Paradise .
100
We Are Riders Seeking Shade

Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with
him narrated
The Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) was sleeping

upon a mat, then he stood, and the mat
had left marks on his side. We said, O
Messenger of Allah! We could get a bed

for you. He said, What do I have to do
with the world! I am not in the world
but as a rider seeking shade under a

tree, then he catches his breath and
leaves it.
[Jami t-Tirmidhi]
101
When you check into a motel and find

it not to your liking do you start
ordering new furniture? Perhaps you
ask for an architect to redesign the
place?
This world that we are so infatuated
with, and on amassing whose
comforts we spend the better part of

our time, health, and resources, is not
even equivalent to an inn, rest house,
or motel, but only a tree by the

roadside.
102
We should remember how brief our

stay here is, but how significant, and
not waste it on gathering the goods of
this world but spend the best of our
wealth, time, health, and youth

gathering the goods of the Hereafter.
103
104
105
A Believer in the Grave

him) said: "When a deceased person
is laid in his grave, he hears the

sound of the footsteps of people as
they go away. If he is a believer, the
prayer will stand by his head, the

fasting will be to his right, alms to
his left, and all other good deeds of
charity, kindness to relations, and

good behavior will be by his feet."
[Ahmad]
106
Then two fearsome, dread-inspiring

angels, called Munkar and Nakeer,
visit the soul to ask it about its
religion, God, and prophet. The
believing soul sits upright in its grave
as Allah grants it the strength to
answer the angels with full faith and
certainty.
107
Munkar and Nakeer: What is your
religion?
elieving soul
Islam.
Munkar and Nakeer: Who is your
Lord?
elieving soul
llah.
Munkar and Nakeer: Who is your

Prophet?
or What do you say about
this man?
elieving soul
Muhammad.
Munkar and Nakeer: How did you

come to know these things?
elieving soul
I read the ook of llah
i.e. the Quran and I believed it.

108
Then, when the soul passes the test, a voice
from the heavens will call out: My slave has

spoken the truth, supply him with
furnishings from Paradise, clothe him from
Paradise, and open a gate for him to
Paradise. The believer s grave is made
roomy and spacious and filled with light. He
is shown what would have been his abode in
Hell - had he been a wicked sinner - before a

portal is opened for him every morning and
evening showing him his actual home in
Paradise. Excited and full of joyful
anticipation, the believer will keep asking:
When will the Hour of Resurrection
come?! When will the Hour come?! until he
is told to calm down. [Tirmidhi]
109
A Disbeliever in the Grave

Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrated how, when the Prophet
(peace be upon him) and his Companions

were once passing some graves of
polytheists, the Prophet s horse bolted and
almost unseated him. The Prophet (peace
be upon him explained These people are
being tortured in their graves, and were it
not that you would stop burying your
dead, I would ask Allah to let you hear the
punishment in the grave which I (and this
horse can hear. [Sahih Muslim]
110
After the soul of a wicked person is
restored to its body, the two fearsome,

dread-inspiring angels, Munkar and
Nakeer, come to it for its interrogation.
fter making him sit up, they ask: Who
is your Lord? The disbelieving soul
answers: las, alas, I do not know.
Munkar and Nakeer ask: What is your
religion? The disbelieving soul says:

las, alas, I do not know. Munkar and
Nakeer ask: What do you say about this
man Muhammad sent to you? The
disbelieving soul says: las, alas I do not
know.
111
Having failed his test, the disbeliever s head is

struck with an iron hammer with a force so
violent that it could crumble a mountain. A cry is
heard from heaven: He has lied, so spread out
carpets of Hell for him, and open for him a portal
into Hell. [hmad] The floor of his grave is thus

set alight with some of Hell s fierce fire, and his
grave is made narrow and constricted to the
extent that his ribs become intertwined as his
body is crushed. [Ahmad] Then, an incredibly

ugly being, wearing ugly garments and giving off
a foul and offensive odour comes to the
disbelieving soul and says: e grieved with what
displeases you, for this is your day which you
have been promised. The disbeliever will ask:
Who are you, with your face so ugly and
bringing evil? The ugly one will reply: l am
your wicked deeds!
112
The disbeliever is then made to taste bitter

remorse as he is shown what would have been his
abode in Paradise - had he lived a righteous life before a portal is opened for him every morning
and evening showing him his actual home in Hell.
[Ibn Hibban] Allah mentions in His Book how the

wicked people of Pharaoh are, at this very
moment, suffering from such an exposure to Hell
from within their graves: The Fire: they are
exposed to it, morning and afternoon, and on

the Day when the Hour will be established (it
will be said to the angels : Now cause
Pharaoh s people to enter the severest
torment!
[Quran
: ] Overcome with fear
and loathing, anxiety and despair, the disbeliever

in his grave will keep asking: My Lord, do not
bring the last hour. Do not bring the last hour.
113
114
115
What is Hospitality?
upon him said
The people who
believe in Allah and the Day of

Judgement should show hospitality
to their guests. [ukhari]
116
Hospitality includes all those matters

which are essential for showing due
respect and honor to the guest and
making provisions for his comfort, peace,
happiness and fulfillment of needs.

Showing respect means treating your
guest with politeness and in good cheer;
entertaining him with pleasant
conversation, making provisions for his
rest and relaxation; introducing him to
your other respectable friends; arranging
provisions of food and drink for him

generously; and personally serving and
attending to him. [ Etiquettes of Life in
Islam by Muhammad Yusuf Islahi]
117
Wedding Greetings
used to congratulate the newly-
wedded with these words BaarakAllahu laka wa baaraka alaikuma wa

jama a bainakuma fee khairin.
[Tirmidhi]
118
The meaning of this Dua is: May llah

keep you in prosperity and confer His
blessings upon both of you and may He
grant you the favor of living together in
perfect harmony.
What lovely wishes with which to
congratulate someone, how much more
eloquent than est Wishes!
No need to fumble for words in
congratulating the bride or groom. Now
you know what to write in wedding
cards too. Subhan Allah! Allah (subhana

wa ta ala) did not leave us without the
best guidance for any situation!
119
120
121
Are Your Answers Ready

"A servant of God will remain
standing on the Day of Judgment

until he is questioned about his (time
on earth) and how he used it; about
his knowledge and how he utilized it;
about his wealth and from where he
acquired it and in what (activities) he
spent it; and about his body and how
he used it." [Tirmidhi]
122
Have you ever thought about these

questions? Try to answer them now.
See where you stand. We better have
good answers to give on the Day of
Questioning.
123
Worst Container
upon him said
The human does
not fill any container that is worse

than his stomach. It is sufficient for
the son of Adam to eat what will
support his back. If this is not

possible, then a third for food, a
third for drink, and a third for his
breath. [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
124
Eating and drinking is not the be all and

end all of man s life. The main purpose of
our creation is to fulfill our oath of
allegiance to Allah [Quran, Surah Al-
raaf] and earn our place in Jannah. To

do so a healthy body helps and a healthy
body is maintained by keeping a part of
our stomachs empty at meal times. We

need to stop eating while we still feel a
little hungry. To constantly keep eating
till we feel satiated causes our stomachs
to go bad. We would, therefore, be well
advised to eat only as much as is
necessary.
125
126
127
Affectionate
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased
with him) said, "The Prophet (peace be
upon him) kissed al-Hasan ibn Ali (his

grandson) while al-Aqra ibn Habis was
with him. Al-Aqra said, 'I have ten
children and have never kissed any of
them.' The Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) looked at him and said,
'Anyone who does not show mercy will
not be shown mercy." [Sahih Bukhari]
128
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
said, "Some of the Bedouins came to the

Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
and said, 'Do you really kiss your
children?' He said, 'Yes.' They said, 'But,

by Allah, we do not!' The Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) said, 'There is
nothing I can do if Allah has removed
mercy from your hearts!'" [Sahih
Bukhari]
Emulate the Prophet (peace be upon
him) and be affectionate towards your
children.
129
What Makes Allah

Unresponsive
upon him said
I swear by Him
Who has power over my life, you

must enforce virtue and curb evil,
otherwise Allah shall very soon send

such calamity over you that you will
cry and seek mercy from Allah but
you will get no response.

[Tirmidhi]
130
Nowadays it is not considered polite,

or anybody s right, to tell someone
else what to do or what not to do. But
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells us that
when we stop reminding others to do

that which Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
has enjoined, and when we stop
telling others to leave doing what

brings llah s wrath, then we will
soon be stricken with calamities and
misfortunes ourselves.
131
You come home to find that your

house has been wrecked by your
younger children: windows are
broken, toys, food and clothes are
strewn all over the house, sofas are cut

open and walls scribbled on. Your
older children were at home and
silently allowed all of this to take

place while they watched. Will you
punish only the younger children or
the older children even more than the
younger ones?
132
People say such things as, We asked

Allah for help to take us out of our
troubles but He didn t answer. This
hadith tells us why. They might be of
those people who had forgotten

llah s rights over them in their good
times. They didn t bother to tell
people to abide by llah s commands.

Now that the time of their
punishment has come, Allah will not
respond to them, as they had been
unresponsive to Allah. May Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) save us from this!
133
134
135
Muslim s Six Rights on You

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him)
reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
said, "The Muslim has six rights.
(1) When you meet him, you should greet him.
(2) When he invites you, you should accept his
invitation.
(3)When he asks you for counsel, you should
counsel him.
(4) When he sneezes and praises Allah, you should
bless him.
(5) When he is ill, you should visit him.
(6) When he dies, you should follow him (i.e. his
funeral procession)." [Sahih Muslim]
136
How many of these did you consider

another Muslim's right upon you? Ask
yourself:
(1) Do you greet other Muslims whenever
you come across them, whether you
know them or not?
(2) Do you accept invitations from
Muslims or do you reject the invitations
of those you consider beneath you? To
view yourself as superior because of
what Allah has bestowed upon you is an
act of arrogance, one of the major sins in
Islam.
137
To keep away from events where Allah

is disobeyed is commendable and a
Muslim should not participate in
disobedience to Allah because of having
been invited by another.
138
(3) Do you give sincere advice when asked,

putting yourself in your Muslim
brother/sister s shoes? If not, this is a
betrayal of trust and a form of lying.
(4) When a Muslim sneezes and says
'Alhamdolillah' do you say
'Yarhamakullah'?
(5) Do you visit, or at least call, when you
hear of a Muslim's illness?
(6) Do you take time out to join the funeral
of a Muslim when he/she dies?
139
These are required of you. This means

that doing these earns sawaab/hasanaat
for you, while neglecting them accrues
sins for you.
140
You Will Be With Those Whom You

Love
A man asked the Prophet (peace be
upon him), "When will the Hour be
established O Allah's Apostle?" The
Prophet (peace be upon him) asked,
"What have you prepared for it?" The
man said, "I haven't prepared for it
much of prayers or fast or alms, but I
love Allah and His Apostle." The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "You
will be with those whom you love."
[Bukhari]
141
There are three important points to note

here:
1. There is something more important
than knowing when the Day of
Judgement will occur. The more

important thing is our preparation for
that Day. What good or bad deeds have
you sent forth for that Day? Each
person's Judgement begins as soon as
they die, and their grave becomes either a
pit of fire or a garden of Paradise.
Therefore, the most relevant thing to

worry about are our daily deeds, as we
never know when we will die and our
Judgement commence.
142
2. The questioner in the hadith did the

required (Fardh) prayers, fasts, and
charity but not a whole lot extra. Some
people do the opposite; they neglect
the Fardh while doing a lot of the

Sunnah (supererogatory). This is
misguided because the greatest
reward is for Fardh deeds and

punishment is for neglecting the
Fardh, not the Sunnah.
143
3. Most sobering is that you will be

with the people you love on the Day
of Judgement. If you love the
Muslims, you will be with the
Muslims and will follow them where

they will go (Jannah). If you have love
for the Kuffar, you will be with the
Kuffar on the Day of Judgement. Peer

into your heart to see who it is you
really love. This will tell you where
you will be on the Day of Judgement.
144
On the Day of Judgement llah will tell

the people, Follow the gods you used to
worship. So whoever used to worship
the cross will follow the cross, and
whoever used to worship an idol will

follow that idol." What Allah is telling us
is that if somebody didn t worship Him,
they shouldn't expect the Reward from
Him either. They should go to the gods
they worshipped for their reward. That s
the justice of Allah. Then Allah (subhana
wa ta'ala) will take all the false gods and

throw them in Hell; and their people will
have to follow them. And there is No god
besides Allah.
145
146
147
llah s Compassion
Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be
pleased with him): "I heard Allah's
Apostle (peace be upon him) saying,

llah divided Mercy into onehundred parts and kept ninety-nine
parts of it with Him and sent down

one part on earth. And because of that,
its one single part, His creations are
Merciful to each other, so that even the

mare lifts up its hoofs away from its
baby animal, lest it should trample on
it. " [Sahih ukhari]
148
The other ninety-nine parts Allah has

reserved for the Day of Judgement. The
one single part of Mercy which He sent
down is the cause of all the love and care
that is seen on earth by any and all

creatures, since creatures first came into
existence, until the end of their existence
at the end of time. It is a part of this

mercy that a mare carefully lifts her legs
so she does not trample her foal and a cat
does not scratch her kittens and that a
mother loves her child.
149
It is estimated that there are 10-100

different species of organisms alive on
earth today, and each species has an
uncountable number of organisms.
The sum total of this love thus
becomes difficult to imagine. Yet this
is not even close to one hundredth of
llah s Mercy.
150
Imam Ibn Qayyim said that a believer

has two wings, one of good hope in
Allah and the other of fear of Allah's
punishment. These two feelings should
balance each other out in a believer, so

that he/she becomes neither overconfident of llah s forgiveness nor
despairs of the mercy of Allah.
151
Warn Your Nearest Kin

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with
him) narrated that when Allah revealed the
ayat, Warn your nearest kinsmen,
Prophet pbuh got up and said, O people
of Quraish! Buy (i.e. save) yourselves (from
the Hellfire) as I cannot save you from
Allah's Punishment; O Bani Abd Manaf! I

cannot save you from Allah's Punishment,
O Safiya, aunt of Allah's Apostle! I cannot
save you from Allah's Punishment; O

Fatima bint Muhammad! Ask me anything
from my wealth, but I cannot save you from
llah's Punishment. [Sahih ukhari]
152
Our relatives are entitled to our good

treatment in this world. But their
greatest right on us is that we save
them from the worst thing that could
happen to them. Definitely, the worst

thing that could happen to a person is
that they burn for eternity. Therefore,
of all people we should make special

effort with our nearest relatives to
save them from the Fire of Hell.
153
Though our relatives may object, it is

because they are unaware of the
danger of which they are being
warned and from which they are
being saved. A man who is being

delivered from the danger of a fierce
lion does not object to who saves him
or how he saves him. But since

Jahannum is hidden from our eyes for
now, this service is generally not
appreciated at this time.
154
The Prophet (pbuh) told his relatives

to buy themselves . This refers to the
deal we made with Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) in which we sold our lives and
wealth in exchange for Paradise. Thus,

he/she who uses his/her life and
wealth according to how the new
owner (Allah) wishes for them to be

used will have fulfilled their end of
the bargain and can hope for
deliverance from the Fire and
entrance into Jannah.
155
ehold, llah has bought of the

believers their lives and their
possessions, promising them Paradise
in return, [and so] they fight in Allah's
cause, and slay, and are slain: a

promise which in truth He has willed
upon Himself in the Torah, and the
Gospel, and the Qur'an. And who

could be more faithful to his covenant
than Allah? Rejoice, then, in the
bargain which you have made with
Him: for this, this is the triumph
supreme! [Quran :
]
156
157
158
Among the Workers of Allah

A Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with
him) said, "O Prophet of Allah (pbuh) I
have a wife. When I meet her she says,
'Welcome my chief and the chief of my
household.' When she finds me in a sad
mood she says, 'Why worry about this

world when the provision for your afterlife
is being earned (anyway)?'" Upon hearing
this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

"Inform that lady that she is among the
workers of Allah, and she earns half the
rewards of Jihad." [Kanz]
159
This is the great reward for just

verbally honoring one s husband. We
should try to greet our spouses with
cheer and encouragement.
160
What's My Future
upon him) said: "Whoever wants to
know what Allah has prepared for
him, should look to what he has
prepared for Allah." [Abu Nu'aym,
al-Hilyah. Silsilah as-Saheehah]
161
What a beautiful, simple formula to

calculate one's future with! Match
yourself against the Quran and the
Sunnah to know who you are, and
look what you have set aside for Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) to know what
Allah the Almighty and Majestic has
prepared for you.
It is imperative that a person take his
soul to account and treat his
deficiencies. Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) said, "Take account

of yourselves before you are taken to
account, weigh your deeds before they
are weighed."
162
Hasan al Basri (rahimahu Allah) said

about the ayah, "No. I do swear by the
criticizing self..." [Surah Qiyamah: 2],
"A believer will always be critical of
himself in his food, his drink and his
speech. A sinner will not criticize
himself." He also said "A believer is a
guardian over himself: he takes
account of himself for Allah. Those
who take account of themselves in this
world will be audited lightly in the

Hereafter. Those who take this issue
lightly will find their auditing very
difficult."
163
When a Muslim takes account of his actions, he is able to
realize the right of Allah over him. Ibn Qayyim said, "A
benefit of understanding Allah's right over the servant is
that it breeds condemnation of oneself and delivers one
from showing off and vanity. It also opens the door of
humbleness in front of Allah and closes the doors of
conceit. It allows one to realize that salvation is only
through Allah's grace and mercy. It is Allah's right that He
should be obeyed and not disobeyed: that He should be
remembered and not forgotten and that He should be
appreciated and not unappreciated. Whoever thinks over
these things will know with certainty that he cannot fulfill
these conditions and, thus, has to resort to Allah's mercy.
Such a person will be convinced that he cannot rely on his
actions, lest he be destroyed. Many people think about

their rights over Allah and do not about His rights over
them. This is how they are detached from Allah and
deprived of the desire to meet Him. This is the epitome of
ignorance of their Lord and of themselves." (Ighathatul
lahfaan 1/99-101; secondary reference)
164
165
166
Asking About the Nature of

Allah Most High
said, "People will keep wondering
and asking each other until it is said,
'This is Allah's creation, but who
created Allah?' Whoever finds

anything like this, let him say, 'I
believe in Allah and His
messengers.'"
167
It is not possible to answer questions

about llah s nature. This territory is a
slippery slope into the abyss of Kufr.
We have been warned against
exploring it and told to say that we

believe in Allah and what He has
revealed to us through His
messengers, and to wait patiently for

the Day of Judgment for all our
questions to be answered.
168
Human beings have limited abilities of
sight, sound, hearing, experience and

intellect. It is a fact of life that we are not
all-powerful. For example, out of the
whole electromagnetic spectrum all that

human beings can see are the
wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm.
This we call visible light. ees on the
other hand are able to see ultraviolet
radiation markings on flowers, which
guide them to nectaries. Cobras are able
to see the infrared radiation that warm
bodies give off. This allows them to see
animals in what is pitch dark to us.
169
As for our audible abilities, we can hear

sounds in the range of 20 Hz to 20,000
Hz. We cannot hear sounds that are
above or below this range. Dogs on the
other hand can detect frequencies as

high as 45,000 Hz, cats as high as 85,000
Hz, bats 120,000 Hz and dolphins an
amazing 200,000 Hz. While dogs, cats,

bats, and dolphins have an unusual
ability to detect ultrasound, an elephant
possesses the ability to detect infrasound
of a frequency as low as 5 Hz.
170
Similar is the case of the limitations of

our sense of smell as well as other
senses. It is no wonder that Allah says:
He knows all that is beyond the
reach of a created being's perception

as well as all that can be witnessed
by a creature's senses or mind - the
Great One, the One far above
anything that is or could ever be!
[Al-Quran 13:9]
171
Earlier nations used to pester their

prophets to ask Allah all kinds of
questions. Allah says that this resulted
in their getting answers that they were
not capable of understanding with their

limited experience and intelligence. As a
result, they turned to disbelief after
having experienced belief.
Imagine a flat two dimensional worm
that sees and moves in only two
directions: forward-backward, right-left.
It has no concept of up and down.

Should an apple begin to descend into
its plane of existence, what would it see?
172
The worm would see a red point that slowly
begins to expand. It mysteriously grows

larger and larger. Then as the apple begins
to descend through the plane of the worm s
existence, the red expanding circle begins to
contract until it becomes a point again and
disappears. Once the apple is below the
plane that the two dimensional worm exists
in, it has disappeared from the worm s sight.

Should the apple speak to the worm, the
worm would hear something but not know
where the sound is coming from. Were the
apple to try to explain its three dimensional
spherical shape to the worm, would the twodimensional worm be able to make any
sense of it?
173
We too should accept our limitations

and not deny ourselves belief in Allah
just because our current abilities do not
allow us to fully comprehend His
Existence.
174
Wish for Death

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) said, "None of you should wish
for death because of a calamity

befalling him; but if he has to wish
for death, he should say: 'O Allah!
Keep me alive as long as life is better

for me, and let me die if death is
better for me.'"
175
Sometimes people are tested with

such calamities that there is no joy to
be found in living any more, and life
becomes a burden. In case any person
should happen to be in such a state,

the Prophet (peace be upon him),
nevertheless, told the person not to
wish for death. What matters most is

our second life, which is never going
to end and only Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) knows whether staying alive or
dieing is going to benefit our next life.
176
This life, however it is will end. That's

the good news for those who are
going through trials. Since the afterlife
does not end, and Paradise gets better
with each day in eternity, while the

Fire of Hell only gets worse with each
passing day, we should try our best to
keep our focus on the next life.
177
178
179
Avoid Exaggeration
"Those who exaggerate will be ruined;
those who exaggerate will be ruined;

those who exaggerate will be ruined."
[Sahih Muslim]
180
Simple advice that we can start
changing our lives with! Speech that is

devoid of exaggeration is almost
necessarily devoid of lying. For if a
person is careful enough to avoid

even exaggeration, it is not possible
that they would be careless enough to
lie. And one who avoids lying stays
on the path to Jannah.
181
Wudhu/Ablution
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
said, When a Muslim, or a believer, washes
his face (in the course of Wudhu), every sin
which he committed with his eyes, will be
washed away from his face with water, or
with the last drop of water; when he washes
his hands, every sin which he committed by

his hands will be effaced from his hands with
the water, or with the last drop of water; and
when he washes his feet, every sin his feet
committed will be washed away with the
water, or with the last drop of water; until he
finally emerges cleansed of all his sins.
[Sahih Muslim]
182
This hadith informs us of the fantastic

blessings of Wudhu. Wudhu is a
means of purification of the body as
well as of the soul. Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) in His mercy has made clearing

ourselves of our sins as simple as
washing off dirt. Wudhu removes
minor sins, provided that these sins

are not related to the rights of people.
Sins which result from harming
another person are only forgiven by
either compensating the aggrieved,
obtaining his or her forgiveness, or
praying sincerely for him/her.
183
184
185
A Tolerant Man
upon him) said: "Allah likes a tolerant
man." [Sahih Muslim]
186
Learn to ignore unpleasant things when
they concern your personal likes and

dislikes, and are not disobedience of
Allah. You will find that most of the
things you find intolerable are not

infringements of Allah's rights but rather
related to pleasing or displeasing you. If
you notice, hear, or see something,
which is unpleasant but can be tolerated,
act as though you have not seen it. Be
tolerant of the mistakes of others.
187
What s Your Legacy

said
Verily, what reaches the momin of his
good works and good acts, after his death, is

the knowledge benefitted from and a
righteous child which he has left (behind
him), or a book which he has given to
inherit, or a place of worship which he has

built, or a house for the homeless which he
has built, or a canal which he has caused to
be dug, or an act of charity which he has
done out of his wealth while in his health
and life. (The good effects thereof) reach him
even after his death. [Bayhaqi, Ibn
Majah]
188
Ask yourself what legacy you are

leaving behind.
Have you made an effort to leave
behind any sadaqa jaariya?
Did you do it for the sake of Allah's
pleasure?
189
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) only

rewards our efforts when we do deeds
for His pleasure alone. Did you do
good deeds so people would
recognize you, praise you or reward

you? To the extent that your motive is
other than Allah's pleasure, your
reward in the akhirah is diminished.

For why should Allah reward you for
something you didn't do for Him in
the first place? Try to do good deeds
secretly in order to preserve the
benefit of your good deeds for the
akhirah, when you will really need it.
190
191
192
Allah is Shakoor
said: "Restore the trusts of those who
trust you, and deal not falsely with

him who deals falsely with you."
[Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi]
193
The only way that a person can acquire
steadfastness in doing good is by

purifying their intention and doing good
only for Allah's pleasure, expecting
reward from Him alone. As said: "If you

do a good deed by a human they will
repay you with ten bad deeds, but if you
do a good deed by Allah, He repays
with a minimum of ten goodnesses."
194
When we look at people's reactions they

can be very discouraging. But he/she
who has Allah in mind is never
discouraged from doing good. One of
Allah's names is Ash-Shakoor (the one
who appreciates in the best possible way).

Not the slightest thing goes by Him
unnoticed. He is the one who notices the

good that you do even when no one is
looking. Only when a person becomes
aware of this, can they keep people's

trusts.
195
Virtue Saves from Consequence

of Wickedness
upon him said
cts of kindness
and virtue save a man from the

adverse consequences of his wicked
deeds. The charity that is given

discreetly cools down llah s anger
and kindness to relatives increases a
man s age. [Tibraani]
196
When we throw a ball against a wall it

comes back at us, because every action
has an equal and opposite reaction. So
also we should be aware that all our
evil deeds will come back and hurt us.

But while we are helpless against
having a ball bounce back, we can
prevent the fallout of our bad actions

from hitting us.
llah s Messenger peace be upon
him) told us that by being kind and

doing good deeds we can escape the
consequences of our wicked deeds.
197
He (peace be upon him) told us that

by giving Sadaqah in such a way that
people don t notice so there is no
worldly recognition and self-
glorification , we cool down llah s

anger directed at us due to our
disobedience of His commands.
And he (peace be upon him) told us

that treating relatives kindly increases
a person s lifespan.
198
199
200
Ayat ul-Kursi after Fardh

Salat
Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrated that the
him) said, "Whoever recites Ayat ul-
Kursi immediately after each

prescribed Prayer, there will be
nothing standing between him and
his entering Paradise except death."

[Nasai, Ibn Hibban, Darimi]
201
Ayat ul-Kursi is so important because it
contains a description of the attributes of

Allah. The only way we can know Him is
through His sifaat/characteristics.
One of the attributes of Allah mentioned

in Ayat ul-Kursi is that He is always
awake and fully alert. No sleep overtakes
him, nor does He ever get drowsy. To

sleep is one of the attributes of created
beings, and all of creation is limited in
many ways.
202
Bani Israil asked Musa (alaihis salaam)

to ask Allah if He ever slept. Allah's
response to Musa (alaihis salaam) was
to tell him to take two glass bottles and
remain standing with them. A day
passed, and then two. Finally Musa
(alaihis salaam) was overcome by
tiredness and sleep. For the fraction of
a second that his eyes closed and his

grip on the bottles loosened, the bottles
crashed to the ground and shattered
into tiny fragments. Allah told Musa
(alaihis salaam) that if He were to sleep
for the blink of an eye, the universe
would similarly be destroyed.
203
Knowing that Allah does not sleep

allows us to sleep soundly. We put our
trust in Him since no one can do a
better job than Him in watching over
us.
204
Value-Added Recording
him said llah, the Mighty and
Majestic, has said, When My slave
wants to do an evil action, you should
not write it down until he does it. If he
does it, then write down the equivalent
of it. If he does not do it for My sake,
then write it down as a good action for
him. If he wants to do a good action and
does not do it, then write it down as a
good action. If he does it, then write
down ten to seven hundred of its like.
205
This hadith describes llah s orders to

the recording angels on how to record
our intentions and deeds. It shows us
how greatly Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
values our good intentions as well as

good deeds, how eager He is to
reward us, and how reluctant He is to
punish us. We find that even evil

intentions carry reward when we
refrain from acting on them out of
consciousness of Allah (subhana wa
ta ala).
206
Sufyan (rahimuhulla) was asked:

How do the angels know that a
person intends a good or evil action?
He replied, When someone intends a
good action, they smell the scent of

musk coming from him, and when he
intends an evil action, they smell a
putrid smell coming from him.
Ibn Hajar said in Al-Fath Al-Bari,
This hadith indicates that the angel is
aware of what is in the heart of the
human being, either by Allah

acquainting him with it or by creating
for him knowledge by which he
perceives it.
207
Al-Hasan al-Basri said about the ayat When the
two angels meet together, sitting one on the right,

and one on the left, not a word he utters, but by
him is an observer ready at hand. [Quran
: 7] :
O son of dam! scroll has been unfurled for
you and two noble angels have been entrusted

with you, one on your right and the other on your
left. The one on your right records your good
actions. The one on your left records your evil
actions. So do what you wish, whether it is a little

or a lot. Then, when you die, your scroll will be
rolled up and placed by your neck with you in
your grave until you emerge on the Day of Rising.
Then llah lmighty will say: We have fastened
the destiny of every man about his neck and on
the Day of Rising We will extract a book for him
which he will find spread open in front of him.
Read your book! Today your own self is reckoner
enough against you! [Quran 7:
- ]
208
209
210
ttacking another s ncestry

Two qualities in people are unbelief
attacking another s ancestry, and
wailing over the dead. [Sahih
Muslim]
211
This hadith does not mean that these

things put one beyond the pale of Islam,
but that they are the actions of the
unbelievers and therefore sinful deeds
that must be abstained from.
212
Verify Your Words

said
It is lying enough for a man
to repeat everything he hears.

[Sahih Muslim]
213
This is an exhortation for us to choose
our words carefully and speak only

after ascertaining the facts about which
we speak. This is because there are
angels with us that record every word

that we utter. Every gesture, every
glance, and our every deed are
recorded. After we have said something
we no longer have control over it. It is
like an arrow that has left the bow, or a
bullet that has exited the gun. We will
continue to be responsible for it for as
long as it circulates among people and
any good or harm that it does.
214
215
216
Acquiescing to Disobedience
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
Whoever of you sees something
wrong, let him change it with his

hand. If unable, then let him change it
with his tongue. If unable, then with
his heart. And that is the weakest
degree of faith. [Sahih Muslim]
217
And in the hadith related by Imam
Muslim concerning oppressors, the

Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Whoever fights them with his hand is a
believer, whoever fights them with his tongue

is a believer, whoever fights them in his heart
is a believer. Beyond that, there is not a
mustard grain of faith.
This hadith proves that whoever does not
condemn acts of disobedience in his
heart, or wish they would cease, is devoid
of faith. Fighting with the heart includes
asking Allah Most High to annihilate the
falsehood and its perpetrators, or guide
them if they are worthy of guidance.
218
Unsuccessful Fisherman
upon him said
If llah has
decreed a rank for one of his servants

to reach, but his deeds will not
suffice him to reach this rank, then
Allah afflicts him with hardship

with respect to his body, wealth and
children. Then he perseveres through
this until he reaches the high rank
that Allah has decreed for him to
reach. [hmad]
219
Once upon a time two men went

fishing. One was a disbeliever and the
other was a Muslim. When the
disbeliever would throw his fishing
net he would take the names of his

gods and his net would fill with fish.
When the Muslim would throw his
net out he would do so with llah s

name, but no fish would get caught in
his net. This state of affairs continued
till sunset when, finally, the Muslim
caught one fish.
220
However, this fish jumped out of his

hands back into the water. So this
poor Muslim had to return home
without a single fish, while the
disbeliever s bag was overflowing

with fish. On witnessing this strange
and sad outcome the angels
accompanying the Muslim were upset
and asked Allah (subhana wa ta ala),
O our Lord! How is it that your
Momin servant, who takes Your
Exalted Name returns empty handed

while your disobedient, disbelieving
servant returns with such success that
his bag is full of fish?
221
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) showed the

Muslim s angels the beautiful palace
that He had prepared for him in
Paradise and asked, O angel, after
reaching this place do you think that

any of the anguish and sadness that
my Momin servant experienced
because of his failure to catch fish will

remain with him?
222
And showing the horrible place

prepared for the disbeliever in Hell,
Allah (subhana wa ta ala asked: Will
those things that were granted to the
disbeliever in life, be able to rescue

him from the eternal punishment of
Hell?
The angel replied, O my Lord! I

swear by Your existence that this can
never happen. [Imam hmad]
223
224
225
As You Will Be
s you will be, so will be those who
shall be put in command over you.

[Baihaqi]
226
This is true on all levels. Regarding corrupt
leaders this is true.

This is also true for marriage. Every person
has the power of bringing out the best in
their partner. Just try the time-tested
formula of becoming the way you want
them to be. What happens mostly is that
instead of earning respect we expect respect
or instead of giving love, we demand love.

Allah only helps those who help
themselves. Do not sit around and
complain. Make an effort to become a better
person yourself and bestow your partner

with whatever you need, in order to witness
the enchantment of getting all the things
that you long for.
227
Ummah's Most Blessed Time

prayed
O llah! Make the rising
in the morning of my Ummah

auspicious. [bu Dawud]
228
Early morning, the time from dawn

onwards, is especially blessed for
Muslims. To safeguard this time,
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has required
Muslims to arise early to pray.

If we realize that our days are
numbered, and that the time gone by
will never be given to us again, then

we will begin the day with
determination to derive maximum
benefit from it and we will take care to

see that we rise early and use the most
blessed time of the morning well.
229
230
231
Are Your Two Days Equal

He whose two days are equal, is a
loser. [Daiylami]
232
A Mumin is racing towards Jannah.
He/she is always trying to have their

today better than their yesterday. They
want to keep increasing in piety and good
deeds. They try to devote more time,
energy, and resources with each passing
day to win llah s pleasure. They want
their inner self to be better today than it
was yesterday and their tomorrow to be

better than today. They don t want to
repeat their mistakes, they learn from
their experiences, and try to purify their
hearts and their intentions to make them
better all the time. Thus, a Mumin s two
days are not equal.
233
A Mumin s competition is with

himself/herself because they know that
as they get better they win more of
llah s pleasure and thus higher and
better places in Jannah. It is immaterial

how good one is compared to others.
However, when a believer sees another
trying harder than oneself for llah s

pleasure, it motivates them too. The
Sahabah competed with each other, but
not for the things of this world.
234
In order to finance the expedition to Tabuk
against the Romans, the Prophet (pbuh)

made a public request for charity. Umar
thought that this was his chance to outdo
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with
him). It was almost impossible to outdo
Abu Bakr in any good deed, so Umar (may
Allah be pleased with him) brought half of
his belongings and placed them before the

Prophet (pbuh). It turned out that Abu
Bakr had brought everything that was in
his house as sadaqah for Ghazwa Tabuk.
When he was asked by the Prophet (pbuh)
what he had left for his family, he replied,
llah and His Messenger.
235
We compete with each other so that we can
have a nicer house than our friends and

relatives, or a bigger car, or are more welldressed, or are held in higher esteem due to
our education or job titles. But the Sahabah
competed for the Hereafter. They were
always trying to outdo each other in good
deeds and piety. Their motivation was not
money or fame or social standing, but

llah s Pleasure.
If each day you make only one tiny
improvement; tell one less lie, do one
additional act of sadaqah, learn one small
hadith, think of how much you will
improve over time. Are your two days
equal in accomplishment?
236
Unfulfilled Wishes Converted to

Good Deeds
him said
There shall not be a single
prayer offered by a pious person

concerning which llah will not state, I
granted this prayer (Dua) of yours in the
world and I added that desire of yours to

the balance of your reward in eternity.
The pious person will ponder then,
Would that none of my prayers Duas)
been granted in the mortal world! Hence,
the servant should continue to pray under
all conditions. [Hakim]
237
This hadith gives us the wonderful

news that those wishes of ours that
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) does not
grant us in life will be stored for us as
good deeds, to be placed in our

balance on the Day of Judgement.
When we see on the Day of
Judgement that in place of our

unanswered supplications Duas)
are the bounties of Jannah, we will
then wish that none of our wishes had
been granted in the life of this world!
238
A point to note here is the use of the

word pious regarding that person
whose every wish is converted into
something good for him (whether in
this life or the next). Try not to

disobey Allah (subhana wa ta ala) in
any matter big or small, in order to be
counted among the pious.
239
Then put complete faith in Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) as to the
acceptance of your Duas. Don t give
up supplicating Allah if quick results
in the form of the fulfillment of your

wishes are not forthcoming. Instead of
feeling anxious about the acceptance
of your Duas, concentrate on doing

your duties as the slave of Allah and
on asking for all things from Him.
240
241
242
Appoint a Leader
him said
When three people go on a
journey they must appoint one of them

as their ameer leader . [bu-Dawud]
243
Every successful organization is headed
by a single leader. Having multiple

leaders results in clashing wills and
efficiency and the purpose of
organization is lost. This hadith

indicates the necessity of being
organized at all times, even if it is only
three people on a journey. Leadership in

Islam is to be entrusted to the most
capable and Allah fearing, whose job it
is to take counsel from those around
him. It is the duty of the rest to give
good counsel but obey their leader in
whatever he decides.
244
It must be remembered though that
obedience to any human being is subject

to llah s obedience. He who disobeys
Allah for the sake of obeying a person is
then enslaved by that person as a

punishment from Allah. One example of
this is the enslavement of our countries
to the back breaking and poverty

engendering laws of the IMF and World
ank. We disregarded llah s
prohibitions on interest (riba) and thus
we are now in their clutches.
245
Unlawful for Hell to Consume

said
I will tell you the
distinguishing marks of a person for

whom the fire of Hell has been made
unlawful and who is a forbidden
person for Hellfire to consume; He is
a man who bears a sweet temper,
tender heart and is soft-spoken.

[Tirmidhi]
246
Tenderness, politeness and civility

generate feelings of affection and love
in the heart and it is on the basis of
these virtues that a good society can
be formed.
Begin practicing your sweet temper,
tender heart and soft spokenness on
your family your parents, your

spouse, your children, your siblings.
They are first and foremost deserving
of your good conduct. Then expand

this manner of behavior to all whom
you come in contact with.
247
248
249
As Fire Consumes Wood

eware of envy, for envy consumes
good works as fire consumes wood.
[Abu Dawud]
250
Envy takes eeman away as a fire
reduces wood to ashes. A person who

envies desires that the goods granted to
the envied person be taken away from
him. That is to say, the main objective of

a man who envies his affluent neighbor
is not to be affluent but that his
neighbor be poor. He doesn t like for

another person to be at parity with him
or better than him. This is a disgraceful
and mean property not befitting of
Muslims.
251
Envy and pride go hand in hand. When a
person allows himself false pride then he

envies others so that he can have more
than what the other has in order to exhibit
greater pride. Whereas, Allah made us
and either directly gave us what we are
proud of or allowed us the opportunity to
become who we are. In each and every
case all good is from Allah. Therefore, all

pride is false. It is attributing to oneself
what can only be attributed to Allah.
Thus, pride is also the biggest lie one tells
oneself. It is the lie that, I am
something.
252
Envy and pride are two major sins and

fundamental flaws of character. If there
are two huge cracks in the foundations
of a building the smallest of tremors
will bring the building crashing down.

Thus also does eeman come crashing
down if these flaws of envy and pride
are present in a Muslim.
253
Look at what envy and pride did to

Iblees. He was such a devout worshipper
of Allah that he had been raised from the
level of the Jinn to the level of angels. But
pride in himself and envy at the station

that Allah had destined for Aadam
(alaihis salaam) and humans, caused his
years of worship to evaporate instantly
and He refused to submit to Allah. He
continued in his disobedience of Allah,
getting bolder and bolder in his
insolence, because his false pride in who
he was wouldn t let him bow down
before Allah and seek forgiveness.
254
Useless and Immoral

upon him said
The greatest in
sins on the Day of Judgement will be

the one most given to speaking about
the useless and immoral. [Ibn Abi
Dunya]
255
Conversing about what is useless or

immoral means discussing acts of
disobedience, such as stories about
drinking sessions and fornicators when
there is no legitimate purpose connected

with the conversation. Gossip, soap
operas, etc. are all unlawful because they
manifest one s own disobedience or
another s without there being any need
to.
Now judge what T.V. shows, movies and
novels are all about. Will they add to

your good deeds on the Day of
Judgement or burden the Scale in
evidence against you?
256
257
258
Always Alhamdulillah
Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (may
Allah be pleased with him) reported
that the Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him said How wonderful is the
case of a believer; there is good for him
in everything and this applies only to a

believer. If prosperity befalls him, he
expresses gratitude to Allah and that is
good for him; and if adversity befalls
him, he endures it patiently and that is
good for him. [Sahih Muslim]
259
For a Muslim there is reward (hasanaat),

and thus eternal good (khair), in every
circumstance. Since Allah is responsible
for all the good that comes to us we
thank and praise Him by saying and

feeling lhamdulillah in all
circumstances.
There was once a courtier of a king who
would always say, lhamdulillah. One
day the king s hand got cut. The courtier
exclaimed, lhamdulillah. The king got
very upset at this and had the courtier
thrown into prison. The courtier again
said lhamdulillah on being put in jail.
260
Some time later the king went on a hunt. As
he was sleeping under a tree a lion came to

attack him. But on smelling the blood and
flesh from the king s cut hand he left him
alone considering him to be already dead.
When the king realized how his cut hand
had saved him he thought of his courtier. He
had him recalled from prison and asked
him, I understand your wisdom in

proclaiming lhamdulillah when my hand
got cut, but why did you say lhamdulillah
when you were thrown into prison? The
courtier replied, If I hadn t been put in jail I
would have accompanied you on your hunt.
The lion would have left you alone but gone
after me.
261
Thus, a Muslim always says

lhamdulillah. When he is happy and
feels grateful to Allah he is rewarded by
Allah. And when he is sad but patient
with llah s Decree, he is again
rewarded by Him.
262
Household Work Equivalent to

Jihad
Women asked llah s Messenger peace

be upon him , O Messenger of llah, by
performing Jihad the men have grabbed
llah s favors. Is there any deed that we
women can do through which we can
obtain the same reward of performing
Jihad? The Messenger of llah peace be
upon him said, Yes, if one of you does
the work of her house it will fetch her the
same reward as performing Jihad.
[Baihaqi]
263
All the work that is performed inside

the house - whether it be related to
cooking, cleaning, taking care of
children or organizing things - can be a
source of great reward for women. So

don t complain about it. If you want
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to give you
Jannah in return for this simple work,

thank Him for providing you with this
easy way in which to earn the great
reward of Jihad, and do it happily.
264
Nobody can reward you as

extravagantly as Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) can for changing diapers, reading
to your children, washing dishes,
sweeping floors, etc. So don t look

towards anyone else for compensation
and feel grateful that while men have to
participate in the most difficult of

activities Jihad - you get the same
reward by cheerfully doing the work of
your house instead. Subhan-Allah!
265
The Slave Who Taught

Manners
upon him taught us to say O

Allah, I ask You for the good that
Your slave and Prophet has asked
You for, and I seek refuge with You

from the evil from which Your slave
and Prophet sought refuge. [Ibn
Majah]
266
While this is a short yet

comprehensive Dua and part of a
larger invocation it also tells us that
regardless of the position any one of
us holds with respect to any other

human, in relation to Allah (subhana
wa ta ala), we are all His slaves. The

him was llah s slave and each
human being is llah s slave, willing
or unwilling!
267
Hasan Basri (rahimatullahu alaihi), a

Tabiee who had the good fortune of
having met a hundred and twenty
Sahabah, bought a slave. He asked the
slave, O slave, what is your name?

The slave replied, Sir! Slaves do not
have a name except that by which
their master addresses them.

Hasan Basri (rahimatullahu alaihi)
then asked him, What do you prefer
to eat? The slave replied, Sir, a slave

has no preferences of food. Whatever
the master provides, he eats.
Whatever he feeds one, one eats.
268
Hasan Basri (rahimatullahu alaihi) then
asked, What clothing do you prefer to

wear? To this, the slave replied, Sir, slaves
have no preferences pertaining to clothes.
Whatever the master dresses them in, are
their clothes. With whatever he clothes, one
wears.
On hearing this Hasan Basri (rahimatullahu
alaihi) fell unconscious.
On regaining consciousness he said, I have
set you free. The freed slave firstly thanked
him by saying Jazakllah and then asked,
What was the basis of freeing me? Due to

what happiness do I owe my freedom?
Hasan Basri (rahimatullahu alaihi) replied,
You have taught me the meaning of true
servitude to Allah (subhana wa ta ala .
269
Thus, whatever Allah feeds one with,

one must happily eat; whatever He
clothes one with, one must happily
wear; and the wife He grants one, be
pleased with her.
270
271
272
273
Asr Salat
mong the Salat (prayers) there is
one Salat (prayer), whoever misses it,
it is as if he were deprived of his family
and his wealth. [Sahih Muslim]
Imagine how a person would feel if

they heard that a fire had burnt
down their home, all their belongings
had been destroyed and their family
killed. May Allah save us from such a
fate! It is similar to this what a person
loses, when they miss the Asr prayer.
The Air Conditioning of

Worship
upon him said
To cast a glance at
the charms of a woman is one of the

poisonous arrows of Iblees. Allah
grants him the taste of exhilarating

worship who refrains from such
glances. [Minhaaj ul Abideen by
Imam Ghazzali]
You are traveling in a desert and it is

burning hot. You are in a new car with
good air conditioning. You have
turned the air conditioning on but
somehow don t feel its cooling effect.

On investigation it turns out that a
window has been left partially open.
This is letting the scorching heat in

and preventing you from experiencing
the coolness generated by the air
conditioning.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has guaranteed

peace and contentment of the heart to
those who remember Him. Those who
believe and whose hearts are peaceful
with the remembrance of Allah. Listen,

only in the remembrance of Allah do
hearts find peace. [Quran: Surah ArRaad, Ayat 28]
But worship is like air-conditioning. Its
coolness is felt in the heart and mind
when the windows of the eyes, the ears,
the tongue, the hands, the heart, and the
stomach are closed to sin by Taqwa the
fear and awareness of Allah (subhana wa
ta ala).
If a man looks at women other than his wife,
the hot air of this sin ruins the cooling effect

of the worship he performs. Similarly, if a
person backbites, then it is as though they
have left the window of their tongue down,
and the hot wind coming in through it
doesn t allow the air conditioning of worship
to cool their heart. If they harbour jealousy or
eat Haraam food, the windows of their heart
and stomach weren t shut against the heat,
again depriving their worship of providing
them peace of mind. Thus, despite praying
and much recitation of the Quran, Duas and

performance of Nawafil, such a person
remains mentally disturbed and uneasy with
himself and the world around him.
8
We should try to give up our sins. But

we should continue with worship
even if we are involved in some sin
and find it difficult to give up. The
day we give up sinning, the utterance

of one llah will allow us to
experience the air-conditioning of the
heavens and the earth. The heart will

be granted perfect peace and
tranquility.
10
11
At the Hands of Their Tongues

eware, for what else throws men

into the Fire upon their faces or upon
their noses, but the harvests of their
tongues. [Tirmidhi]
12
Some people use their tongues without

reservation and without giving any
thought to its consequences. Anything is
fair game for them - the Sahabah, llah s
Laws (Shariah), ordinary Muslims,

Mujahideen. They liberally slaughter
them at the hands of their tongues.
Keep in mind that The Prophet (peace

be upon him) was warning Muslims
with this hadith. This is because often a
Kaafir will not dare to say what a

Munafiq will casually utter confident of
impugnity.
13
ut llah s appointed angels keep track of
every word uttered against Abu Bakr

(may Allah be pleased with him), Aisha
(may Allah be pleased with her), Abu
Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with
him), Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him), Uthman (may Allah be pleased with
him) and everybody else near and dear to
llah. Those who criticize llah s laws as

backward or excessive need to think
about whether they would dare to say
this to Allah on the Day of Judgment,
because their words will be played, audio
and video, for all to see, when they stand
before Him on that frightful Day.
14
In a gathering of doctors no layman

dares to say what a patient s diagnosis
and treatment should be. Nor would
such a person be paid any attention.
Then why is it that when it comes to

Islam, every Islamically illiterate person
feels that they have the right to spout
their opinion?
15
A person may plant a seed and then
leave to come back years later to find

that it has become a deeply rooted,
gigantic, tree. When you plant a seed
of doubt in Islam - in the Prophethood

of Muhammad (peace be upon him),
in the authority of his Sunnah, or in
the integrity of his Sahabah - in
people s minds, then don t be
surprised if this seed becomes a tree of
corruption, a tree of Kufr, and a
lifetime of wrong-doing. Then don t be
surprised if this tree causes you to be
thrown on your face into Jahannum.
16
Types of People Anger Wise

him) said: "Some are swift to anger
and swift to cool down, the one

characteristic making up for the other;
some are slow to anger and slow to cool
down, the one characteristic making up

for the other; but the best of you are
those who are slow to anger and swift
to cool down, and the worst of you are

those who are swift to anger and slow
to cool down." [Tirmidhi]
In other words, the best people are

those who spend the shortest time
being angry, and the worst people are
those who spend the longest time in a
state of anger.
A point to realize and remember is
that a short tempered person thinks
very highly of himself for hidden

within anger is the trait of pride.
18
When striking out in anger a person

has the inferiority of the opposite
party embedded in his heart and
attempts by his anger to prove his
own superiority.
When you succumb to anger, study
your face, and if you can record your
voice, the inflections therein. You will

realize that it is very much like
Shaytaan s.
19
20
21
Asking Allah to Bless His

Messenger
him said
If anyone invokes blessings
on me once, Allah will grant him ten

blessings, wipe out ten of his wrong
actions, and raise him up ten levels.
[Muslim, Kitab as-Salah]
22
The Quran has stated that a good deed
is multiplied by ten, and invoking

blessings on the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) is, according to the
Quran, a good deed which accordingly

gives the one who does it ten grades in
the Garden.
Furthermore, Allah has granted the
servant who remembers Him the
reward of his being remembered by
Him. In the same way, the servant who
remembers His Messenger (peace be
upon him), is rewarded by his being
remembered by Him.
23
The Prize for Self Control

upon him said
One who desires
that lofty mansions be constructed

for him in Jannah and that he be
granted high levels in Jannah should
forgive those who deal unjustly with
him, he should give to those who
deprive him and he should establish

ties with those who sever them.
[Rooh ul Ma aani]
We are wounded by words, attitudes

and behavior all the time. ut aren t
the high, beautiful, strongly built
mansions of Jannah worth
suppressing our negative feelings

for?
But how many times do we retort and
how many times do we swallow our

anger, forgive the person who deals
unjustly with us, give to him who
exclude us, and keep taking steps to

enhance relationships with those who
cut off from us?
25
Sometimes we don t even forgive the

people nearest and dearest to us such
as our children, our spouses, our
parents, our aunts and uncles. With
every sunset ask yourself who did you

forgive today and who were you
exceptionally nice to despite their
angering you?
26
27
28
A Thousand Hindrances
If people became aware of the rewards
and blessings of offering prayers in

Jamaat, they would hasten to join the
Jamaat for prayer despite a thousand
hindrances. The first row of a Jamaat

for prayer is like the row of angels. It is
better for two men to offer prayers
together than separately. The larger the

congregation the dearer it is to llah.
[Abu Dawud]
29
What is there on earth for which you are

willing to work through a thousand
hindrances? Is there anything worth it?
Allah tells us that the benefit a man will
obtain by offering prayer in Jamaat is
worth having to work through a
thousand hindrances to get to.
For men, the best place to perform their

prayer is the Masjid. If the Masjid is too
far away, make a Jamaat of Muslims
wherever you are. But do your best to

avoid praying all by yourself.
30
The Three States of Self

upon him said
The intelligent
person is the one who brings his self

to account and acts in preparation
for what lies beyond his death; and
the foolish person is the one who
abandons himself to his desires and
cravings and expects Allah to fulfill
his futile wishes. [Tirmidhi; Kitab
Sifat al-Qiyyamah]
The self/nafs is a single entity,

although its state may change: from
the self that urges evil (an-nafs alammara), to the reproachful self (an-
nafs al-lawwama), to the self at peace

(an-nafs al-mutma inna), which is the
final aim of perfection. In the Quran,
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has

described these three states of the self.
32
Qatadah described the self at peace (an-nafs
al-mutma inna as the soul of the believer,

made calm by what llah has promised.
When the self can rest at peace in the
Presence of Allah, and is made tranquil when
His Name is invoked, and always relates all
matters to Him, and often turns to Him, and
is impatient to meet Him, and experiences
the intimacy of His nearness, then this is a
soul at peace. It is the soul to whom it is said
at the time of death: O soul at peace, return
to your Lord, well pleased and well-pleasing.
Enter with My servants, enter into My

Garden. [Quran: Surah al-Fajr, Ayaat 27-30]
The self at peace has an angel to help it, who
assists and guides it.
33
The reproachful self (an-nafs allawwama) is the one that blames itself
because of its shortcomings in
obeying Allah. This is the self that
endures criticism from others in its

quest to please Him, so that no one
can find fault with it as regards his
worship of Him. This one has escaped

being blamed by Allah.
34
The self that urges evil (an-nafs alammara) is inside each person and
must be curbed because by its very
nature it directs its owner towards
every wrong action. nd I do not say

that my self is free from blame: surely
the self urges evil. [Quran: Surah
Yusuf, Ayat 53] This is the self that

brings punishment on itself. It has
Shaytaan as its ally who leads it on
with hope after hope and presents
falsehood to it in a form that it will
accept and admire.
35
36
37
Allah Talks About You

No people gather in any of the houses
of Allah to recite the Book of Allah and

to study it between them but that the
Sakeena descends on them and mercy
covers them and the angels surround
them and Allah remembers them to
those in His presence. [Sahih
Muslim]
38
Sakeena is the special tranquility that
Allah causes to descend as a unique

favor on those who study the Book of
Allah the Quran. It is a coveted gift
that cannot be bought with any

amount of money. It is the happiness
that is the ultimate quest of every
human, which is sought through
relationships, money, careers, thrills,
vacations, etc. This gift from Allah is
the peace of mind and soul that no
amount of drink, drug, anti-depressant
or tranquilizer, can induce.
39
When you sit to remember Allah,

Sakeena descends on you, llah s mercy
engulfs you, His angels surround you,
and Allah Himself takes your name and
mentions you to those in His company.

What an honour!
40
The Cycle of Conduct

Maintain your chastity and refrain
from other people s wives, your wives
will remain chaste. And observe good
behavior towards your fathers, your sons
will observe good behavior towards you.
And whomsoever is approached by his
brother offering an apology, should
accept his apology whether he is right or
wrong. If he does not do accordingly, he
will not come to the Haudhe-Kauthar.
[Mustadrake Hakim]
This hadith tells us that as you do

unto others, so will be done to you:
Don t think of other people
adulterously and your spouse will be
loyal to you.
Behave well towards your parents and
your children will be courteous and
pleasant with you.

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says:
Whatever hardship befalls you is
because of what your own hands have

committed, while He overlooks many
of your faults . [Quran: Surah sh-
Shura, Ayat 30]
42
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) wishes for

us to live in harmony with each other.
To this end He commands us through
His beloved Prophet (pbuh), to
forgive each others faults. Thus, He

tells us that if any Muslim; our son,
daughter, husband, wife, aunt, uncle,
neighbor, in-law, friend, cousin, coworker, niece, nephew, stranger,

mother, father, grandparent,
grandchild asks us to forgive them
some fault of theirs, we should readily
forgive them.
43
This hadith tells us not to make our

forgiveness dependent on the way
their apology is worded, or on
whether they are right or wrong. We
are to forgive them and put the matter

behind us forever if we wish to see the
Prophet (pbuh) at the reservoir that
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has granted

him and drink from its refreshing
water on the Day of Judgement.
If we forgive others, Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) will forgive us our sins.
44
45
46
An Extraordinary Dream (I)
The Messenger of llah pbuh would often say to his

Companions, Who among you had a dream last night?
Then anyone who Allah willed would recount his
dream. One morning he said to us, During the night
two men came to me and said to me, Come on! So I
went with them. We came upon a man who was lying
on his back while another man was standing over him
with a stone which he dropped onto his head and
crushed it. Then the stone rolled away from him and he
went after the stone to retrieve it. When he returned to
him, his head was whole again and had become as it had
been in the first place. So he went back and hit him as he
had done the first time. I said to them, Glory be to
llah! Who are these two? They said, Go on! Go on!
47
An Extraordinary Dream (I)

I said to them, This night I have seen
marvels, but what are these things
which I have seen? They said to me,

We will tell you. The first man you
came to whose head was being crushed
with the stone is a man who
memorized the Quran and then
abandoned it and slept through the
obligatory prayers. [Sahih
Bukhari]
48
The two men, as has come in another

variant of the hadith, were the angels
Jibreel and Mika eel. The Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) saw in
his dream that they came and took
him to the heavens or an open land
where he was shown many people in
different states. The reason for these
different states was finally explained
to him.
49
The first situation that the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) witnessed

was the punishment being meted out to
a person who had memorized the
Quran but did not value it. As a result

he did not act upon its teachings, nor
did he recite it regularly to keep it in his
memory. Additionally, when it would be
time to pray he would sleep through it
and did not guard his prayers.
50
The Quran is a gift. He who is

honouored by Allah with it, should
value it, recite it, and live his life by its
guidance.
This hadith also emphasizes the

importance of praying the Salah in its
proper time.
51
An Extraordinary Dream (II)

We went on and
came to a man lying on his back and there was another

man standing over him with an iron hook. He went to
one side of his face and gashed open the side of his
mouth until it reached the back of his neck and then his
nostril to the back of his neck and his eye to the back of
his neck. Then he moved to the other side and did the
same thing as he had done to the first side. When he had
finished that side, the first side had become whole again.
Then he did the same thing all over again. I said, Glory
be to llah! Who are these two? . They said, s for

the man you came to whose jaw was split to his neck,
whose nostril to his neck and whose eye to his neck, he
was a man who went from his house and told lies which
spread everywhere. [Sahih ukhari]
52
May Allah save us from inclusion
among such liars. Although we may not

be media people, anchors or news
broadcasters who portray Allah-fearing
people as terrorists and terrorists as

well-wishers, or politicians that take
countries to wars on lies; we should be
very careful that we do not participate
in the spreading of their lies either. May
Allah save us from being counted
among those who spread lies.
53
54
55
An Extraordinary Dream (III)

said They said to me, Go on! Go on! and
we went on until we came upon something

like an oven. In it was a babble and shouting.
We looked down into it and it contained
naked men and women. The flames leapt up
at them from underneath, and when those
flames reached them, they cried out. I said,
Who are they? . They said, s for the
naked men and women who were in
something like an oven, they were adulterers
and adulteresses.
[Sahih ukhari]
56
Hollywood, Bollywood, and their

contemporaries, have desensitized
people to the enormity of adultery. This
sick behavior is glamorized in the name
of love. The break-up of families, the

disintegration of societies, the smashing
of llah s commands, and total
disregard of His displeasure, may go

unpunished in this world, but will
definitely meet with its consequence in
the next life - where death will provide
no relief.
57
An Extraordinary Dream (IV)

They said, Go
on! Go on! and we went on until we came to a river,

red like blood. In the river there was a man swimming
and on the bank of the river was a man who had many
stones with him. When that swimmer swam and
reached the one who had gathered the stones, he forced
his mouth open and made him swallow a stone. Then he
would begin to swim and would come back to him
again. Whenever he came back to him, he forced open his
mouth and made him swallow a stone. I said to them,
Who are these two? . They said, The man you

came to who was swimming in the river and being made
to swallow stones used to consume usury.
[Sahih
Bukhari]
58
Usury has been given many innocuous,
harmless sounding names like interest,

mortgage, etc. Riba is a part of housebuilding loans, car-financing loans, credit-card
bills, and present in many other shapes and
forms. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him) said that there would come a time when
the smoke of Riba would reach everybody. It
seems that we are in that period of time. Almost
all over the world societies are based on liberal
capitalism, in which money is an end in itself,
required for the fulfillment of unlimited
desires. Riba is bread and butter to such
societies. So while we try to avoid the fire of
Riba - its obvious forms, its smoke makes its
way insidiously to the unsuspecting.
59
Those who consume Riba are made to

continuously swallow stones probably
because nothing satisfied them in the
world either. No matter how much
money they made by Riba, they kept on

taking more. The one who takes Riba
imagines that his wealth will increase,
but Allah wipes it out from behind him.
60
61
62
An Extraordinary Dream (V)

him said
They said to me, Go on! Go
on! and we went on until we came to a

man with the most repulsive appearance
you have ever seen. He was at a fire
which he was kindling and which he was

running around. I said to them, Who is
this? . They said, The man with the
disagreeable appearance who was at the

fire, kindling it and running around it,
was Malik, the custodian of Jahannum.
[Sahih Bukhari]
63
From this hadith we learn that Malik,
the angel in charge of Jahannum, is very

scary to look at. This is to add to the
misery of the people in Jahannum. May
Allah save us from it.
64
An Extraordinary Dream (VI)

They said to me,
Go on! Go on! and we went on until we came to a

green meadow with every type of spring flower in it.
There was, in the middle of the meadow, a man so tall
that I could scarcely see his head, so high it was in the
sky. Around the man were the greatest number of
children I have ever seen. I said, Who is this? Who are
those? . They said, The tall man in the meadow
was Ibraheem. The children who were around him are all
those who were born and died in the natural state.
Some of the Muslims asked, Messenger of llah, the

children of the idol-worshippers as well? The
Messenger of llah pbuh said, The children of the
idol-worshippers as well. [Sahih ukhari]
65
This hadith presents us with a scene

from Jannah: a green meadow with
every type of spring flower in it. Can
you imagine it?
The height of humans has been

diminishing ever since Adam (pbuh).
But on the Day of Judgement and in
Jannah and Jahannum, people will be

the height of Adam (pbuh). Thus, when
the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw
Ibraheem (pbuh) in Jannah, he

described him as being so tall that he
could scarcely see his head.
66
This hadith also informs us about the

fate of children who die in childhood
before deviating from the condition of
Islam that they were born in. They are
with Ibraheem (pbuh), living happily in

Jannah.
Ibn Hajar says in al-Fath al-ari,
regarding Ibraheem (pbuh), that it is
probable that he is residing in the green
meadow only temporarily, on account of
his tutelage of those children. His
station is a station which is higher than

that of the Shuhada (martyrs). On the
Day of Rising, all people will be
residing in their proper places.
67
68
69
An Extraordinary Dream (VII)

They said to me,
Go on! Go on! and we went on until we reached a huge

tree and I have never seen any tree bigger or more
beautiful than it. They said to me, Climb it. We
climbed it and came to a city built of gold and silver
bricks. We came to the door of the city and asked for it to
be opened and it was opened for us and we entered it.
We were met by men half of whose physique was the
most beautiful you have ever seen and the other half was
the ugliest you have ever seen. The two said to them,
Go and plunge into that river. There was a wide river
flowing there whose water was pure white. They went
and jumped into it and when they returned to us, that
evil had left them and they had the most beautiful
form.
70
An Extraordinary Dream (VII)

They said to me, This is the Garden
of Eden, and that is your place. I
raised my eyes upwards and there was

a castle like a white cloud. They said to
me, This is your place. I said to them,
May llah bless you, let me enter it.
They said, No, not now. ut you will
enter it.
[Sahih ukhari]
71
From this hadith we learn the following things:
1)
One of the cities of Jannah is built of bricks of

gold and silver.
2)
Those who have a palace in the Garden do not

reside in it while in this world, but that
happens after death, even in the case of
prophets and martyrs.
3)
Those who do good deeds as well as bad
deeds while believing in Allah may go to

Jannah, but will be part ugly as a reflection of
their deeds. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
said: s for the people who were half
beautiful and half ugly, they are the people

who mixed righteous actions with evil actions.
llah pardoned them. [Sahih ukhari]
72
Dua
O Allah! Pardon us by
Your mercy before our
deaths, so we may be
wholly beautiful!
73
An Extraordinary Dream (VIII)

The Messenger of llah pbuh said Then we went
on and there were men and women of the ugliest
appearance and the foulest smell, like that of sewers. I
said, Who are these? He said that they were corpses
which were very swollen and had the foulest stench. I
said, Who are these of? He said, Those are the dead
of the unbelievers. Then we went on and there were

some people asleep under the shade of a tree. I said,
Who are these? He said, Those are the Muslim
dead. Then we went on and there were some men
who had the handsomest faces and most fragrant
perfume and I said, Who are these? He said, Those
are the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous.
[Sahih Bukhari]
74
This hadith informs us of the fate of the

Muslim dead as opposed to that of
those who die in a state of Kufr. After
death we turn inside out. In this world it
is possible for the Kuffar, Munafiqeen

and Murtaddeen to look beautiful,
despite their rebellion to Allah. But as
soon as they die, the ugliness of their

beliefs and deeds will become apparent
in their outward appearance. They will
become disgusting to look at and stink
terribly.
75
We take so much care of our

appearance, investing in expensive
creams and diets. Some even go to the
extent of surgeries to look good. But this
will all become useless in a very short

time. If you really want to look good,
then invest in your deeds. Even if you
were average looking in life, Allah will

ensure that you are gorgeous to look at
forever after.
76
77
78
The Reward of Sufferers

upon him said
The people who
were safe (in this world) will wish

on the Day of Resurrection that
their skins had been torn with iron
combs (in the world), when they see
the reward of the people who suffered
trials. [Sunan at-Tirmidhi]
What should our response be when we
are faced with grief and distress, by

means of which Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
tests His slaves?
nd certainly, We shall test you with

something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth,
lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to
As-Saabiroon (the patient): Who, when
afflicted with calamity, say, Truly, to

Allah we belong and truly, to Him we
shall return. They are those on whom are
the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and
will be forgiven) from their Lord, and

(they are those who) receive His Mercy,
and it is they who are the guided ones.
[Surah al-Baqarah: Ayaat 155-157]
80
When the people who were saved in

the world from calamities,
misfortunes, imprisonment, tortures,
illness, hunger, war and other
disasters, see how great is the reward

of those who bore with faith what
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) had decreed
for them, they will wish that their

skins had been torn with iron combs
instead, so that they too could have
the reward of those who suffered
trials.
81
Tongues of Fire
upon him said
Whoever is two-
faced in this world, will have a

tongue of fire on the Day of
Resurrection. [bu Dawud]
The most evil of people on the Day of

Resurrection will be the one who is
fickle, who is not consistent in his
attitude, but presents one face to some
people and another face to others.

The problem with us is that as soon as
we read ahadith such as these we
immediately begin to look around us

to see who fits this description. We
don t look at ourselves, and if we do
try to look at ourselves a voice from

within us says, You re wonderful!
There s nothing wrong with you.
83
We need to look carefully at ourselves

and examine our behavior:
Do we say one thing in one
gathering and its opposite in a
different gathering?
Do we support one person or
group in one sitting but speak
against them in another sitting?

Are we friendly with some people,
but as soon as they leave, we begin
to backbite them?
If so, we may well end up with
tongues of fire.
84
85
86
The Day Will Come
On one occasion the Prophet peace

be upon him) accompanied a funeral
procession to the graveyard and

sitting down beside a grave shed so
many tears that the earth became
wet. Then addressing the
Companions (may Allah be pleased
with them) the Prophet (peace be
upon him said rothers! Prepare
yourself for this day.
[Ibn Majah]
Men should accompany the funeral

procession to the graveyard and
attend the burial. Women should visit
the graveyard separately. These visits
remind one of the life hereafter and

induce one to start making
preparations for their years in the
grave.
88
Traits Leading to Happiness and

Ruin
upon him said May I tell you who
the dwellers of Jannah are? (They are)
every person who is considered weak
and is despised, and who, if he takes
an oath of reliance upon Allah, will
fulfill it. Now may I tell you who the
people destined for Jahannum are?
(They are) everyone who is ignorant,
impertinent, proud and arrogant.
[Bukhari]
A Muslim who is humble, who lives for

the Akhirah, who sends his goods in
Sadaqah for his Hereafter, who takes a
stand for Islam and not for himself, can
be mistaken as weak. Since the majority

of people adore power and want to
associate with it, they look down upon
those whom they consider weak.
However, whether it is this weakness, or
the weakness of pressing poverty, both
keep a person humble and reliant on
Allah (subhana wa ta ala). Such a person

doesn t forget to call upon llah for the
fulfillment of his needs. Nor does he wait
for other than llah s Decree.
90
On the other hand, proud people

forget their insignificance in the
greater order of things, their utter
dependence on Allah (subhana wa
ta ala), and His rights over them. They

lord it over others as though they had
power independent of what Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) has temporarily

bestowed upon them as a test. Such
are the people who then commit the
deeds of the people of Jahannum and
are forever ruined.
91
92
93
The Truth Brings Tranquility

upon him said
Leave what puts
you in doubt for what does not put

you in doubt. The truth brings
tranquility while falsehood sows
doubt. [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
Anything that creates doubt in the

mind also makes the heart feel uneasy.
A believer should only do things that
make his heart and soul feel tranquil,
at peace and at ease.
95
The Eloquent Hypocrite

upon him said
The thing I fear
most for my Ummah is the eloquent

hypocrite. [hmad]
A hypocrite (Munafiq) is a person

who hates or dislikes Islam yet claims
to be a Muslim. The damage from
Munafiqeen is far worse than the
damage that can be caused by the

Kuffar. This is because since they
claim to be Muslims, Muslims trust
them and have their guards down

with them. They attack from within
the community. The enemy within
your house can do more damage than
the one outside it.
97
Eloquent hypocrites artfully use their

tongues to sow seeds of doubt (in
Islam) among the Muslims. That is
why Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has
said that the place of the Munafiqeen

in Jahannum is worse than the place
the Kuffar will occupy.
When we look at how many Muslims

are led astray by people claiming to
know Islam and ostensibly following
it, it is no wonder that the Messenger

of Allah (pbuh) worried so much for
his Ummah regarding artful
hypocrites.
98
99
100
Taqwa and Good Conduct

upon him) was asked about the deed
which will be foremost in causing a

man to enter Jannah. He replied,
Taqwa of llah and good conduct.
Then he was asked about the thing
which will admit a man to
Jahannum the most, and he
answered, The tongue and the
private parts. [Tirmidhi]
Taqwa (consciousness of Allah)

connects a man to Him, and moral
refinement prevents him from falling
short in his duties to others.
Adherence to this two-fold practice

will cause the entry of many people to
Jannah.
102
Many people, on the other hand, have

a long, sharp, and dangerous tongue.
This causes them to pour out heretic
utterances and indulge in backbiting,
slandering, abusive and non-sensical

talk. All this activity leads to
Jahannum. As for the private parts, a
loose and unrestrained attitude incites

one to indulge in immoral pursuits
which will also lead countless people
into Jahannum.
103
It is thus imperative for everybody to

develop Taqwa, refine their behavior,
and shun the wickedness of the
tongue and sexual organs, so that
their life in the Hereafter is not ruined.
104
Teaching the People Good

upon him said
llah and His
angels, and even the ant in its stone,

and the fish in the sea, pray for the
one who teaches the people good. In
another variant, man of
knowledge has those in the heavens
and the earth, even the fish in the
sea, ask for his forgiveness.
[Tabarani]
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said, Some

scholars have mentioned that the
secret of the animals of the earth
asking for forgiveness for men of
knowledge is that the men of

knowledge along with llah s other
commands) tell people to treat all
creatures well and to kill only those

animals it is permitted to kill or
slaughter properly. Therefore, their
good influence extends to all animals
and that is why they ask for
forgiveness for them.
106
nother meaning is also evident from this
hadith, and that is that all animals obey Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) willingly, and glorify
Him without disobeying Him. Therefore, all
creation which obeys Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) also loves the people who obey Him.

So how much more so it is in the case of
someone who truly knows Allah, His rights
and the obedience due to Him! If anyone has
this quality, Allah loves him and purifies him

and praises him and commands His slaves
among the people of the heavens and the
earth and all creatures to love him and pray
for him. That is their prayer on him, and He

places love for him in the hearts of His
believing slaves. [The World of the ngels
by Sheikh Abdul-Hamid Kishk]
107
108
109
A Drop, A Clot, A Morsel ?

llah has put an angel in charge of
the womb. He says, O Lord, a drop?
O Lord, a clot? O Lord, a morsel?
When Allah desires to complete the
creation of the fetus, he says, O Lord,
male or female? Wretched or happy?
How much provision? How long a

lifespan? and he writes that for him in
his mother s womb. [Sahih ukhari]
110
This hadith informs us that Allah has
charged an angel with the responsibility

of the development of fetuses. It is only
with llah s permission that the angel
allows conception to take place. The

angel then seeks llah s permission to
proceed at each stage of the
development of the embryo.
The matters of gender, happiness or
sadness, Rizq (provision), and lifespan,
are decided for a person while they are
still in the womb.
111
That is why we are told not to adopt
Haraam means to earn our living

because how much we will receive of
sustenance is already preordained.
Resorting to activities prohibited by

Allah will not increase your wealth. One
way of looking at it is that what you
obtain by Haraam means you would
have gotten some other Halaal way.
Another way of looking at it is that what
you obtain by Haraam means, forcefully
trying to increase your Rizq, you will
lose in some other way (e.g medical
treatment, robbery, etc).
112
Similarly, this hadith tells us to live our
lives as respectable, brave, Muslims. A

single day lived like a lion is better than
a hundred years lived like a hyena. Even
if you got to live for a thousand years

you would still die and enter the ocean
of the Hereafter. When your time of
death cannot be changed by even a
second then why compromise your
Akhirah for it?
113
So also, events that will make us happy
or sad are written in our destiny. Our

test is what our reaction to those events
is going to be. Do we thank Allah when
something makes us happy or do we
become proud and credit ourselves for
the good fortune. Similarly, when the
going gets tough do we display patience
with llah s decree or utter words of
ingratitude.
We must remember that all of life is a
qualification exam for Jannah. The

events (questions) are pre-ordained
(decided) while our reactions (answers)
are in our control.
114
Tray of Food
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him)
relates that he said to the Prophet
peace be upon him
O Messenger of
Allah, we give in charity, perform the

pilgrimage, and supplicate for our
dead. Does this reach them? He

replied, Yes, indeed it reaches them,
and they rejoice thereat just as one of
you rejoices at the gift of a tray of
food. [bu Hifs Al-Kabeer AlAkbari, Fath-ul-Qadeer]
Once someone near and dear to you

dies, you don t have to stop giving
them gifts. There are gifts that you can
continue to give them which they will
be as overjoyed to receive as you

would be if you were presented with a
delicious buffet on a big tray.
116
Think of how even a little bit of

different types of food presented to
you by your neighbor in Ramadhan
makes you happy; how eager you are
to sample what they have sent for

Iftar. You can send this type of
happiness to your deceased Muslim
friends and relatives. The charity you

give on their behalf, Hajj you perform
on their behalf, and Dua you make for
them, reaches them with your name
tag on it, and makes them happy.
117
The position of Hanafis and Hanbalis

is that a Muslim is entitled to donate
the reward of any kind of worship he
performs to whomever he wishes of
the Muslim dead. As for Shafi is and

Malikis, they distinguish between acts
that are valid to perform in another s
stead and those that are not, the

former being valid to donate the
reward of to the deceased, while the
latter are not. [Reliance of the
Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib AlMisri]
118
119
120
Angels Pray for Your Refund

him said
There is no day which
dawns on the slaves of Allah without

two angels descending and one of them
saying, O llah, refund those who
give money and the other saying, O
llah, ruin those who withhold it.
[Sahih Bukhari]
121
In the hadith of Abu Darda, the

said: There is no day on which the sun
rises but that it is accompanied by two
angels who call out and all of llah s

creation hear it except for men and jinn O
people! Hasten to your Lord. What is little
and adequate is better than what is

abundant and heedless. nd the sun does
not set but that it is accompanied by two
angels who call out and one of them says, O
llah, refund those who give money, and
the other, O llah, ruin those who withhold
it.
122
Imam An-Nawawi says that
praiseworthy spending is what is spent

in acts of obedience and on behalf of
your family and guests and in voluntary
acts of charity. Imam Al-Qurtubi said

that this includes both obligatory and
recommended giving, but that those
who withhold from recommended
giving do not merit this supplication
nor those dominated by miserliness to
the extent that they are not happy about
giving out what is due from them, even
if they do it.
123
May we become those
whom the angels pray in

favour of.
124
The Right of the Guest

him said
Whosoever believes in llah
and the Last Day, should entertain his

guest generously. The guest s reward is to
provide him with a superior type of food for
a night and a day, and a guest is to be
entertained for three days, and whatever is
offered beyond that, is regarded as
something given in Sadaqa. And it is not
lawful for a guest to stay with his host for
such a long period as to put him in a
critical position. [Sahih ukhari]
This hadith tells us that it is the right of a

guest to be cheerfully and decently fed
for three days. The first day the host
should trouble himself to provide his
guest with food of a better quality than

what he normally eats himself. The next
two days he may be provided with the
same type of food that the host eats. The
host is highly rewarded for doing this if
he does so with the intention of fulfilling
llah s commands. fter the three days
are over, whatever the host provides to

his guest is also written down in his
favor. He is rewarded for it as he would
be for giving Sadaqa.
126
It is a part of the culture of Islam that

guests be hosted generously and
hospitably. They should be made to
feel welcome and not a burden. On
the other hand, it is incumbent on the

guest that he does not become a
burden on his host. The Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) said that a

guest must avoid putting his host in a
critical position.
127
128
129
A Cow and a Wolf Speak to Man

him) offered the Fajr Salat and then
turned towards the men and said, man

was driving a cow but soon he mounted
its back and began to beat it (to hasten it).
The cow said, We were not created for

this, but only for tilling the ground.
The
people said, Glory be to llah. cow

speaks! The Messenger of llah peace be
upon him said, I believe it, as also do
Abu Bakr and Umar although they were
not there when it happened .
130
A Cow and a Wolf Speak to

Man
then said, man was shepherding some
sheep when a wolf attacked and seized one of

them. The shepherd caught up with it and
rescued it and the wolf said to him, You have
saved it today, but who will look after it when
the beast of prey s day comes and it has no
shepherd but me?
The people said, Glory be
to llah! wolf speaks, indeed! The

Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
I believe it, as also do bu akr and Umar
although they were not there at the time .
[Sahih Bukhari]
131
The Prophet s saying that surely bu akr and
Umar believe it, is a testimony to the great Eeman

that these two illustrious Sahaba (may Allah be
pleased with them) had in the prophethood of
Muhammad (pbuh) . He said it not once, but twice,
confident that even if no one else believed it these
two men nevertheless would confirm whatever
issued from him. The Miraj (ascension to heaven)
which Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)
instantly confirmed while the Kuffar joked about
it, is an evidence of this statement, and it earned
him the title of s-Siddique. This is the level of
belief in the Unseen that is demanded from

Momineen. Momineen are described in the Quran
as people,
Who believe in the Unseen.
[2:3]
132
Most people who take antibiotics have
never seen bacteria with their own eyes.

ut they have faith in scientists and
their doctor s having seen them and so
they believe in the existence of

microbes. Angels, Jinn, Jannah and
Jahannum are also things people don t
normally see for themselves. Prophets
see the things of the Unseen and we
believe in what the prophets have seen.
133
It is obligatory for a Muslim to believe
and confirm all that is known from the

Quran and authentic Ahadith
irrespective of whether it is
comprehended by human intellect or

not. Belief in the Unseen does not mean
verifying only that which our intellects
can understand or that which science
propagates. We cannot call that belief in
the Unseen and in the Prophet but
belief in intellect and science, while
Islam calls us to believe in the Unseen
and in the Prophet.
134
Allah has created animals for different
purposes and they have different

characteristics. This hadith tells us that
we must employ every animal for the
purpose for which it was created. The

cow said the same thing to its owner.
135
As for the day when the beasts of prey will
have a field day, the Ulama have suggested

that it could refer to the Day of
Resurrection when every one will be
concerned about his own safety and no one

will care about protecting sheep from
wolves. Or it could refer to the days of
festival of the earlier people and their
national days when they rejoiced and held
fairs. Those people used to be so engrossed
in fun and frolick that they didn t bother to
look after their animals. The wolves seized
their domestic animals at such times.
[Sharah Nawavi of Muslim]
136
The Huge Tree in Jannah

upon him said
There is a tree in
Jannah (so huge) that a fast rider

may travel for one hundred years (in
its shade) without being able to cross
it. [Sahih ukhari]
Trees are called the jewelry of the earth.

When you live in the hot desert, with
sand all around, a cloudless sky, and heat
so intense it creates mirages you realize
the value of trees. Wouldn t a shade-tree

be appealing then?
Imagine a tree that has gorgeous yellow
roses hanging from it, another patch is of
orange honeysuckle, travel a short
distance and the flowers are pink
morning glory. Purple bunches of grapes
hang low within your reach, the sweet

smell of jasmine fills the air, and you can
stay in the shade of the tree as long as
you like
138
139
140
Al-Ghabn
him said
There are two blessings in
which many people incur al-Ghabn

(loss). (These are) health and free time
for doing good . [ukhari]
141
Al-Ghabn in Arabic means loss. What it

really signifies is to sell something of
one s own on less than its due price, or
to buy something on double or triple its
price. In both cases, one is a loser. When

a person comes to know about such a
loss, he repents and feels sorry for it.
This loss coupled with regret is called

Al-Ghabn.
142
In this hadith, man has been compared

with a trader, and the health and leisure
enjoyed by him to merchandise. One who
uses his merchandise with care, gains
profit, while he who wastes it, using it

carelessly, will be a loser on the Day of
Resurrection.
The majority of people do not take proper

care of both of these blessings, with the
result being that they waste their time,
strength and energy in useless activities.
On the Day of Resurrection they will wish
that they had used their free time more
productively.
143
The Cave of Death

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
Three men from among those who
were before you, set out together till

they reached a cave at night and
entered it. A big rock rolled down
the mountain and closed the mouth

of the cave. They said (to each other),
Nothing can save you from this
rock but to invoke Allah by giving
reference to a righteous deed which
you did for llah's sake only .
The Cave of Death

So, one of them said, O llah! I had old parents
and I never provided my family (wife, children)
with milk before them. One day, by chance I was
delayed, and I came late (at night) while they had
fallen asleep. I milked the sheep for them and took
the milk to them, but I found them sleeping. I
disliked to provide my family with the milk before
them. I waited for them and the bowl of milk was
in my hand and I kept on waiting for them to get
up till the day dawned. Then they got up and
drank the milk. O Allah! If I did that for Your

Sake only, please relieve us from our critical
situation caused by this rock. So, the rock shifted
a little but they could not get out.
The Cave of Death
The second man said, O llah! I had a cousin

who was the dearest of all people to me and I
wanted to have sexual relations with her but she
refused. Later she had a hard time in a famine year

and she came to me and I gave her one-hundredand-twenty Dinars on the condition that she
would not resist my desire, and she agreed. When
I was about to fulfill my desire she said, It is

illegal for you to outrage my chastity except by
legitimate marriage. So I thought it a sin to have
sexual intercourse with her and left her though
she was the dearest of all people to me, and I also

left the gold I had given her. O Allah! If I did that
for Your Sake only, please relieve us from the
present calamity. So, the rock shifted a little more
but they still could not get out from there.
The Cave of Death
Then the third man said, O llah! I employed a

few laborers and I paid them their wages with the
exception of one man who did not take his wages
and went away. I invested his wages and I got

much property thereby. (Then after some time) he
came and said to me, O llah's slave! Pay me my
wages. I said to him, ll the camels, cows, sheep
and slaves you see are yours. He said, O llah's
slave! Don't mock me. I said, I am not mocking
you. So, he took all of the herd and drove them
away and left nothing. O Allah! If I did that for
Your Sake only, please relieve us from the present
suffering. So, that rock shifted completely and
they got out walking. [Sahih ukhari]
This hadith tells us about pious deeds

and their effects. Three men got
trapped in a cave whose opening got
blocked so completely that if the rock
hadn t moved from its mouth the cave

would have become their grave. At
such times man forsakes all means
and agencies and looks only to the

Creator of the means and agencies.
148
From the example of the first man we

see that there is no limit to kind
treatment of parents as long as one
does not commit sins in order to
please them. Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

tremendously rewards those people
who are kind and considerate to their
parents.
149
From the example of the second man we learn
the value of Taqwa. Taqwa is that a man refrain

from sin only because he fears Allah (subhana
wa ta ala), although he has the means and
ability to sin, is surrounded by a sinful
atmosphere, and is not afraid of being caught

or punished in this world. This man was able to
put a check on his desire, although he longed
for that woman, only because of being
reminded of Allah (subhana wa ta ala). This is

how elievers are: When Allah is mentioned
their hearts are filled with fear. [Quran :2] As
a result of this man s Taqwa, llah subhana wa
ta ala) removed the rock from the mouth of the
cave a little more. Allah says: nd whosoever
fears llah, He appoints a way out for him.
[Quran 65:2]
150
From the example of the third man we

learn that those people are very dear to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) who recognize
the rights of their fellow men and give
them their rights faithfully. As an

employer, the man not only kept the
wages of his employee safely but also
invested them profitably although it was

not binding on him to do so. He gave to
his employee many times over the
principal amount, an example of
excellent dealings with a fellow-man.
Can the greedy world present an
example of such a character today?
151
From this hadith we learn that man

should turn to Allah when he is faced
with difficulty, anxiety and trial. If he
does this, the difficulty becomes a
blessing for him, as he is rewarded for

asking Allah and depending on His help.
Some people do not turn to Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) even in times of

distress. This is a very dangerous trend
and a sign that they have hardened
themselves against the remembrance of
llah because of which llah has sealed
their hearts. [Quran 2:7] May llah
(subhana wa ta ala) protect us from this.
152
153
154
Acceptance of Dua
Guaranteed
him said
There is no person who
goes to bed in a state of purity, then

wakes up at night, and asks Allah for
something in this world or in the

Hereafter, but it will be given to him.
[Sunan Ibn Majah]
155
Sleeping with Wudu (ablution) is a

cause of great blessings. So, sleep with
Wudu and when you awaken at night
ask Allah for something. You may ask
for guidance, for forgiveness, for cure
from disease, for protection from
worries, for settlement of debts, or
anything big or small. It would be a

waste though, not to utilize every
opportunity to ask for the best things of
the everlasting Akhirah and protection

from every bad thing in the everlasting
Akhirah as well.
156
Thank the Channel Too

upon him said
He who is not
thankful to men is not thankful to

llah. [Tirmidhi]
Why is the word Thank you so

difficult to utter? Some can spit it out,
but can they say what it is supposed
to mean: I am grateful to you. Some
think that it is a formality not

necessary to use in the immediate
family, with one s spouse, children,
siblings, parents, etc; while, in fact,
these are the relationships that require
acknowledgement the most! If
someone gets you a glass of water, or
irons your clothes for you, or drives

you somewhere, or cooks for you, or
helps you with your homework
they deserve your gratitude!
158
If they did it for llah s pleasure, He

will surely reward them; but that does
not mean that the recipient of the
favor should not express his/her
gratitude. This is something that

Prophet (peace be upon him)
promotes in this hadith, that we thank
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and the

channel through which He chose to
do us the favor.
159
160
161
Antidote for Harshness

It was narrated that Hudhaifa (may
llah be pleased with him said
I was
harsh in the way I spoke to my family,

but not to others. I mentioned that to
the Prophet (peace be upon him) and
he said, Why don t you ask for
forgiveness? Ask Allah to forgive you,
seventy times each day.
[Sunan Ibn
Majah]
162
In this hadith the Prophet (peace be

upon him) tells us what to do if we find
it difficult to be gentle and loving to
those closest to us. He (peace be upon
him) told us to seek forgiveness from

Allah many times a day.
163
This can be a sincere, heart-felt,

Astaghfirullah, or one of the
longer versions mentioned in
Ahadith, such as Astaghfirullaha
wa atubu ilaihi.
164
Repenting and asking for llah s
forgiveness are good deeds in

themselves because they are a way of
feeling and demonstrating servitude to
Allah. When we consider how small and

insignificant we and our Allah-gifted
talents are, in comparison to Him, it
removes false pride from us that
hardens our hearts and makes us
arrogant and harsh.
165
The People have Gone to Ruin

upon him said
When a man says,
The people have gone to ruin, he is

the most ruined of all. [Sahih
Muslim]
This hadith means that a person who

continually finds fault with people
and mentions their failings is the most
ruined of all, i.e. he becomes worse
than they are because of the sin he

commits in disparaging and attacking
them, which may also lead to
conceitedness and seeing himself as

better than they. [Reliance of the
Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib alMisri]
167
Scholars concur that the

condemnation only applies to
someone who says the like of this out
of contempt for people, considering
them inferior and himself superior,

despising the way they are because of
his ignorance of the divine wisdom in
llah s creating them. ut if one says

it out of sadness at seeing one s own
religious failings and those of others,
there is no harm in it. [Reliance of the
Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib alMisri]
168
169
170
A River In A Matchbox
man came to the Prophet peace be

upon him and said O Messenger of
llah, teach me but make it concise.

He peace be upon him said
When you stand to pray, pray like a

man bidding farewell. (2) Do not say
anything for which you will have to
apologize. (3) And give up hope for
what other people have.
[Sunan Ibn
Majah]
171
If we pray as though it is our last prayer
we will implore Allah very humbly and

supplicate Him very seriously. If our
every prayer is like this then how much
sin could we possibly accumulate

between prayers?
The second piece of advice that the
Prophet (peace be upon him) gave was

concerning the use of the tongue. Before
uttering words, their results should be
considered carefully, since spoken
words cannot be taken back, and ill
speech may cause unlimited losses.
172
When we do not vie for that which
other people possess, our hearts will be

clear of envy, jealousy, rancour and
other negative feelings. We will be able
to focus on acquiring the ever-lasting

goods of the Hereafter rather than the
temporary adornments of the world.
When we do not look at others
possessions enviously they will also feel
more secure with us and relationships
will improve.
173
him) rarely gave long speeches. He

would keep his words brief and to the
point. He didn t want to burden or bore
anybody. Since what he said he felt from

the bottom of his heart, it left its impact
on the hearts of those who heard him.
His speech wasn t just the result of the
activity of his vocal cords, but a
manifestation of his own condition. So a
few words were enough to convey his
thoughts and confer change in others.
174
Subhan-Allah! Such concise advice that
will simultaneously straighten my

relationship with my Creator as well as
my relationship with His creation! With
this advice the Messenger of Allah

(peace be upon him) has fit a river into a
matchbox.
175
The Levels of Paradise

The Prophet peace be upon him said, The
people of Jannah will look at the people
dwelling in the chambers above them in the
same way that people look at a brilliant star
shining far away on the horizon, in the East
or West, because of their superiority [in
reward] over them. The people asked, O

Messenger of Allah, are these the dwellings
of the Prophets which no one else can
attain? He replied, No, by the One in
Whose Hand is my soul, they are for the
men who believed in Allah, and also
believed in His Messengers. [Sahih
Bukhari]
The Prophet (pbuh) explained that

people will be in different levels in
Jannah according to their status. In
Jannah, there are a hundred levels, between
every two levels is (the distance of) a hundred

years. [Jami t-Tirmidhi] Another hadith
states, What is between every two levels
is like what is between the heavens and
the earth. Al-Firdaus is the highest of
Jannah and its most expansive, and above
that is the Throne of Ar-Rahman (the
Most Merciful), and from it the rivers of

Jannah are made to flow forth. So when
you ask Allah, ask Him for Al-Firdaus.
[Jami At-Tirmidhi]
177
The more good deeds one does with the

intention of pleasing only Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) with those deeds, the higher
one s level will be in Jannah.
In life don t we desire to move from one

locality to a better locality? We want to
move from ordinary neighborhoods to
more prestigious neighborhoods. Some
people like to move from small towns to
big towns, others like to move from cities
to suburbs. Everybody likes to move to
areas with better facilities, greater

comfort and beauty. Everybody enjoys
spaciousness.
178
We reach for the best things in life,

although we know with certainty that we
will lose them upon death. Should we not
then aim for the best things for that life in
which whatever we obtain will be ours

for keeps?
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is not limited in
any way. So the Prophet of Allah (pbuh)

told us that when we ask of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala), we should ask Him
for the best: Al-Firdaus. Our deeds
should also be such that it is apparent we
really believe in the existence of AlFirdaus and are aiming for it.
179
180
181
All Drinks that Intoxicate

him) was asked about Al-Bit. He
peace be upon him said, ll drinks
that intoxicate are unlawful (to
drink .
[Sahih ukhari]
182
In the time of the Prophet (peace be upon
him) various alcoholic beverages used to be

made. Some were made from dates, others
from grapes, honey, raisins, wheat, or
barley. They were made in different types
of containers: the empty skin of gourds,

bowls coated with pitch, pieces of datepalm trunk hollowed out in the shape of
bowls, etc.
Through this hadith the Prophet (peace be

upon him) has made the criteria clear: If the
drink intoxicates, it is unlawful. What it is
made from, what type of container is used,
or what process is utilized is irrelevant:

What needs to be known is if the drink
intoxicates or not. If it intoxicates when
used in a large quantity then even a drop of
it is unlawful to consume.
183
The Pebbles of Paradise are

Pearls and Sapphires
The Sahabah asked the Prophet (peace
be upon him) about the buildings of
Jannah and he replied ricks of gold
and silver. Its mortar is fragrant musk.
Its pebbles are pearls and sapphires. Its
soil is saffron. Whoever enters it will

live in luxury and happiness and will
never experience any hardship or
misery; he will live forever and never

die. Their clothes will never wear out
and their youth will never fade.
[Ahmad, Tirmidhi]
Just try to imagine a home that belongs to
you, made of delicate bricks of gold and

silver.
A perfume binds the bricks together, not
grey mortar!
The driveway leading to your house isn t
full of grey pebbles but lustrous pearls
and clear dark blue sapphires. Imagine
walking on them as you lead your guests

into your new home. They don t tarnish,
break, get dirty or messed up with use! It
looks like a brand new driveway every
time.
Imagine soil that is sweet smelling
saffron what kind of flowers would
grow out of it
185
186
187
Artificially Lengthening Hair

him said
llah has cursed the lady
who lengthens hair artificially and also

the one who gets it lengthened.
[Sahih Bukhari]
188
When Muawiya came to Madina for
the last time and delivered a Khutba, he

took out a tuft of hair and said, I
thought that none used to do this (i.e.
use false hair) except Jews. The Prophet

(peace be upon him) labeled such
practice (i.e. the use of false hair), as
cheating.
[Sahih ukhari] This
narration indicates that soon after the

death of llah s Messenger peace be
upon him) Muslim women had begun
emulating the practices of those cursed
by Allah.
189
Unfortunately, many such Haraam
(forbidden) practices are prevalent

among Muslims today as well. Salons
and beauty parlours pamper to such
fashions. Muslim women must stop

using false hair and wigs themselves
and refuse to arrange it for others if they
wish to avoid llah s wrath.
190
The Pen Wrote Everything

When he was dying, Ubadah ibnu as-Saamit
(may Allah be pleased with him) told his son: O
son, you will not find the taste of Emaan until
you know that whatever you receive, you would

have never missed it; and whatever you have
missed, you would have never received it. I
heard Messenger of llah pbuh saying The
first thing which Allah created was the Pen. He
commanded it to write. It asked What should I
write? He said Write the Decree l-Qadr) of
everything until the Day of Judgement.
son, I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say:

He who dies not believing in this is not one of
my people. [bu Dawud Jamu al-Fawaaid]
Where you will be born, where and

when you will die, what you will
receive, what you will miss, what joys
or sorrows will come in your life
these are all written. This is the exam

paper of life that you are presented
with. How you will deal with these
events will determine your rank

before Allah (subhana wa ta ala). Pray
to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to
strengthen your Emaan, pour His
tranquility over you and keep you
steadfast in faith, whatever your
circumstances.
192
Concerning the issue of Al-Qadar, the
Sahabah, the Tabieen, and all Ahlus-Sunnah

have agreed that everything which will be in
existence until the Day of Judgement is
written in Al-Lawh al-Mahfud (The Book of
Decree).
Watching from a high tower you can see
which cars are headed which way. You can
see where there is construction going on and

which cars will have to take a detour. It is in
your knowledge but you are not causing the
car to detour. Similarly, Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) knows what we will do and it is the

knowledge of all the events that will take
place that is written down in The Book of
Decree.
193
194
195
Angels Attend Funerals

him) said concerning Sa d ibn
Muaadh
Seventy thousand angels
attended his funeral, and he was

squeezed (in his grave) once, then he
was released. [Sunan An-Nasaai]
196
Thus, we learn that angels attend the

funerals of the righteous. Sa d ibn
Muaadh was one of the illustrious
Sahabah whose Eeman and contribution
in fortifying Islam were particularly

noteworthy. Allah held him in such high
esteem that llah s Messenger peace be
upon him) told us regarding him: This

is the one at whose death the Throne has
shaken and for whom the gates of heaven are
opened. [Muslim]
197
May we all become righteous

Muslims like Sa d ibn Muaadh.
And may our funerals also be
crowded with angels. Ameen.
198
The Ender of Pleasures

upon him said
Remember often
the Ender of Pleasures. [Nasai]
Those who sleep on velvet, will surely,

one day sleep in soil. Kings and paupers
alike will have a bed in the earth. Traveler
through life, your destination is the
grave. What you are traversing is two

days journey.
To remember death is like for a student to
remember that there will be an exam at
the end of the year. The more conscious
he is of it, the more he will consistently
prepare for it, and the better he will do
when the time comes. He who parties

away, heedless of his studies, will not fare
well, and at the end of the year the exam
will bring an end to his pleasures.
200
It is recommended for everyone to

frequently remember death, and to
prepare for it by obeying Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) and repenting of
his/her sins. A saying in Persian goes,

If childhood is spent in play, old age
in laziness, and youth in mischief,
when will one worship llah?
201
202
203
Abdullah bin Salam becomes a

Muslim (I)
bdullah bin Salam heard the news

of the arrival of llah s Messenger in
Madina) while he was on a farm
collecting its fruits. So he came to the
Prophet (peace be upon him) and said,
I will ask you about three things
which nobody knows unless he be a
Prophet What is the first portent of
the Hour? What is the first meal of the
people of Jannah? And what makes a
baby resemble its father or mother?
204

Muslim (I)
The Prophet peace be upon him

said, Just now Jibreel has informed me
about that. bdullah said, Jibreel?

Yes. bdullah said, He, among the
angels is the enemy of the Jews. On
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
recited this ayat, Whoever is an
enemy to Jibreel (let him die in his
fury), for indeed he has brought it (this
Quran down to your heart
205

Muslim (I)
Then he added, s for the first portent of
the Hour, it will be a fire that will collect
the people from the east to west. And as for
the first meal of the people of Jannah, it will
be the caudate (i.e., extra lobe) of the fish
liver. nd if a man s discharge preceded
that of the woman s then the child
resembles the father, and if the woman s
discharge preceded that of the man, then
the child resembles the mother.
206

Muslim (I)
On hearing this, bdullah said, I
testify that La ilaha illAllah (none has
the right to be worshipped but Allah)
and that you are the Messenger of
llah. [Sahih ukhari]
207
Abdullah bin Salam was one of the most learned
men of the Jews, a rabbi of aristocratic lineage.

He was esteemed by the Jewish as well as nonJewish residents of Madina. He would spend
some time everyday in worship, teaching and
preaching in the synagogue. As such, he was
well versed with the Torah and the verses it
contained regarding the coming of the last
prophet. His knowledge helped him to identify
Muhammad (peace be upon him) with certainty
as the foretold prophet. Since he was sincere in
his worship of Allah, he did not hesitate to

embrace Islam once convinced of its authenticity
as divine revelation. Unlike most of his coreligionists, he was quick to accept Islam.
208
Abdullah bin Salam becomes a Muslim (II)
bdullah bin Salam said O llah s Messenger the

Jews are liars, and if they should come to know that I
have embraced Islam, they will accuse me of being a
liar. In the meantime some Jews came to the Prophet

and he asked them, What is bdullah s status amongst
you? They replied, He is the best amongst us, and he is
our chief and the son of our chief. The Prophet pbuh
said, What would you say if bdullah bin Salam

embraced Islam? They replied, May llah protect him
from this! Then bdullah came out and said, I testify
that La ilaha illAllah (none has the right to be
worshipped but Allah) and that Muhammad (pbuh) is

the Messenger of llah. The Jews then said, bdullah
is the worst of us, and the son of the worst of us, and
disparaged him. On that bdullah said, O llah s
Messenger! This is what I was afraid of.
[Sahih
209
Bukhari]
When the Prophet (peace be upon him)
migrated to Madina there were three

Jewish tribes settled there. They had
come there a while ago in anticipation
of the arrival of the new prophet. Their

scriptures described Madina as the
place to expect him, and so they had
settled there. They had assumed that
this prophet would also be of their own
lineage, i.e., among the descendents of
Ishaq (peace be upon him). Little did
they suspect that he would be of the
descendents of Ismaeel (peace be upon
him).
210
When the awaited prophet turned out to
be an Arab, the jealousy of the Jews

knew no bounds. They had looked upon
the Arabs as an inferior race and so they
refused to acknowledge Muhammad

(peace be upon him) as a prophet. They
were so intent on maintaining their
superiority over the Arabs that they
didn t even hesitate to instantly revoke
the status that their most learned rabbi
and leader, Abdullah bin Salam, enjoyed
amongst them when he acknowledged
that the last prophet was an Arab.
211
Since Abdullah bin Salam was well
aware of the nature of the Jews, he had

foretold what kind of treatment would
be meted out to him once he became a
Muslim. His courage to stand by the

truth, at the cost of losing the prestige
and status he enjoyed amongst his
people, made him one of the great
Sahabah of the Prophet (peace be upon
him and worthy of llah s Jannah.
212
213
214
As Leaves Off a Dry Branch
The Prophet peace be upon him shook a

dry branch of a tree briskly so that all the
leaves of the branch fell off. Thereupon, the
Prophet peace be upon him observed The
sins of those who say prayers drop off as the
leaves of this dry branch fell off. Then the
Prophet (peace be upon him) recited this Ayat
of the Quran Establish worship at the two
ends of the day and in some watches of the
night. Lo! Good deeds annul ill deeds. This is
a reminder for the mindful. 11 114
[Musnad Ahmad]
215
The Prophet (peace be upon him), in his
capacity as the best teacher mankind

has seen, used a striking simile with a
visual aid to impress upon the Sahabah
how the Salat purifies a person of their

sins.
216
The leaves of a dry branch fall off easily.
He took one and shook it vigorously. It

quickly shed its leaves. Having shown
this, the Prophet (peace be upon him)
told the Sahabah that the prayer causes

sins to drop off a person in the same
way that the leaves fell off the dry
branch. Having provided them with the
incentive for Salat, he then recited the
Ayat in which Allah tells us to establish
prayer. Good deeds, such as Salat, annul
the evil deeds that we accrue over the
day.
217
The Mercy of Allah Looks for

Pretext
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
narrate this hadith and he did not hear him say it
once or twice or even seven times, but he heard it more
frequently than that. He pbuh said
Kifl was a man
of Bani Israil. He never shied away from committing a

sin. A woman (once) came to him (on an errand) and
he coaxed her to let him perform the immoral act with
her against sixty dinars which he gave her. Thus,
when he sat down with her to perpetrate the immoral
act, she began to tremble and shake violently in fear.
He asked her why she was crying, did he not like her?
She said that it was not (what he thought) but that she
had never committed the sin before and her destitution
had compelled her to do that (otherwise she would
never have agreed .
The Mercy of Allah Looks for

Pretext
He said that on the one hand she spoke
thus and on the other she had committed
herself (having taken the money). He
added, Go, go away from here! That
money too belongs to you. No! I swear by
Allah, after now, I will never disobey
llah.
That night he died. In the morning there
was an inscription at his door, Surely,
Allah has forgiven Kifl.
Tirmidhi]
[Sunan
This hadith tells us that if anyone

repents sincerely he becomes innocent
of sins, and becomes like one who has
never committed a sin. Allah in His
Mercy caused Kifl to die after his

repentance to save him from accruing
any new sins. When Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) shows mercy to anyone then

he gains pardon through a sincere
repentance.
220
This hadith also reveals llah s attribute of
As-Samad The Independent. He is

independent of anyone else s suggestion or
permission. He does what He likes and no
one may question Him about what He does.
He Who is The Forgiving, The Merciful, does
not need anyone to do any particular deeds
in order to forgive them. He bestows His
favors on anyone He likes and there is no one
to stop Him from doing that. He is the One
Who accepts a sincere repentance from the
heart, which may leave everyone else in
surprise.
This hadith also indicates that we should
strive to save ourselves from dependency

and destitution, and seek refuge with Allah
from them. Poverty is a thing that can draw
man towards the most detestable deed and
compel him to do it.

221
Finally, we learn from this hadith that the
Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them)

were very careful in narrating a hadith.
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased
with him) said that if he had heard this
hadith from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
once, twice, three or four times, or even five
times or six times, he would not have related
it to other people, for he feared that he might
ascribe to the Prophet (pbuh) what he had
not said, or he might make a mistake in
narrating the hadith which would be a very
grave sin. He had in fact heard the hadith

more than seven times from the Prophet
(pbuh). That is why he related it with full
confidence and authority.
222
223
224
llah s Name: l-Hakeem

him said
llah has ninety-nine
names, one hundred less one. Whoever

ahsaaha [enumerates them, believes
in them, ponders their meanings,
supplicates with them, and acts
according to one's belief in them] will
enter Paradise. [Saheeh Muslim]
225
Ibn Jareer (may Allah be pleased with

him) defines Al-Hakeem as that entity
whose plans are solid, without fault and
which none can interfere with. [n-
Nahj ul-Asma]
bn Katheer (may Allah be pleased with
him) saysa: l-Hakeem is that entity
who is most wise in all His sayings and

doings in such a way that by His
knowledge, wisdom and justice He puts
everything in its proper place. [Tafseer

Ibn Katheer]
226
There was once a pious elderly man
who lived in a jungle with his wife.

They had a donkey which would carry
their loads for them. They had a dog
which guarded their house and a

rooster which would wake them up in
the morning with its crow.
227
Allah so willed that one day a fox came

and took their rooster away. The man s
wife began to cry over this loss, but he
said, Don t cry. This is for our own
good. Then a wolf came and killed

their donkey. The wife became sad
again but the man said, There is good
for us in this, it is not something to cry

over. Then their dog suddenly died
and the wife became sad at the loss of
all three of their animals in a single day.
The pious man again said, Don t
grieve. This was better for us.
228
When morning dawned forces of the
enemy attacked. They looted all the

homes they could locate in the jungle
and took the men, women and children
away as slaves. The only people who

were left undetected were the old man
and his wife. This was since all their
animals had died, there was no crow of
a rooster to give them away, no braying
of a donkey to alert the enemy to their
existence, and no barking of a dog to
pinpoint the location of their house.
229
The old man said to his wife, See how
their animals caused the ruin of these

people. It was such a blessing from
Allah that all our animals died
yesterday, otherwise we too would have

been enslaved today. [ Sharh Asma-eHusna, by Muhammad Haneef AbdulMajeed]
230
llah s name l-Hakeem comes in the
Quran 94 times, usually in combination

with another name, e.g. Wallahu
azeezun hakeem. [Surah al-Baqarah:
Ayat 228] This combination reminds us

that not only is Allah Most Wise (AlHakeem) but also Most Powerful (AlAzeez); thus, He is not helpless in
implementing His wisdom.
231
The Use of Knowledge

Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah
be pleased with him) that the
him said
The most severely
tortured on the Day of Judgment

shall be the scholar who did not
benefit from his knowledge.
The knowledge that the Prophet

(peace be upon him) is talking
about in this hadith is religious
knowledge. A scholar is one who
knows what he needs to know to
save himself from the Fire of Hell.
If he does not use his knowledge
for this purpose, rather, uses it only
to beautify his worldly life with it,
then it will be a source of
punishment for him.
233
The greatest purpose of any kind of

knowledge is to acquire llah s
forgiveness and Jannah through it and
to save oneself from the Fire of Hell
with it. We spend decades acquiring

the education that we think will help
provide us with a certain standard of
living. We worry about being

deprived of the luxuries the world has
to offer. But this world is a drop
compared to the Hereafter which is
the ocean. So, looking at the bigger
picture, any knowledge that does not
help us with the ocean is useless.
234
The story goes that there was once a man

who owned some livestock. When he
heard that a certain prophet knew the
language of animals, he prevailed upon
him to teach him. Armed with this

knowledge he listened to what his
animals said. The cock told the dog that
the horse was going to die soon, and the
man understood. So he sold the horse
before he incurred any loss.
Some time later, again using his
knowledge, he overheard the cock telling

the dog that the mule would die before
long, and so he was able to sell him, too,
to avoid any loss.
235
The cock next said that the man s slave was
about to die. The man gleefully sold the

slave, in order to save himself money. He was
very pleased with himself, and imagined that
this was the value of knowledge, to help man
in his day-to-day affairs.

Now, however, the man heard the cock
telling the dog that he, the man, was about to
die. He ran in panic to see the prophet
seeking his advice as to what to do. The

prophet said, You can go and sell yourself
now.
What the man had bothered to learn did not
benefit him. True knowledge, worthy of
being called knowledge, is only knowledge
of Allah, our Maker, the way to His Pleasure,
and the Hereafter.
236
237
238
Are You Easy to Socialize With?

The most complete in faith are those
best in their character, those who are
easy to socialize with, and those who
get along with others and others get
along with them. There is no good in
the one who cannot get along with
others and others cannot get along

with him. [Tirmidhi]
239
A believer worships Allah by being well

mannered and dealing pleasantly with
all, not for the sake of people s praise,
nor for attaining status, nor to get
married, nor to improve his business

relationships but only so that llah
may love him and make him beloved to
His creation.
Whoever considers exercising good
manners as worship, will deal
courteously with all; be he rich or poor,

an executive or a tea-boy, a blood
relative or an in-law.
240
If one day a poor cleaner on the street

stretches out his hand for you to
shake, and then another day a
director of some company stretches
out his hand, will you treat their
hands in the same way. Will your
clasp be equally firm and will your
smile in each case be genuine?
would certainly have treated them
both equally in terms of welcoming
them and showering on them sincere
compassion.
241
The Root of All Evil

Abdullah bin Amr Al-Aas narrated that the
Messenger of llah pbuh said
One of the kings of
the Bani Israil arrested someone and put before him
certain choices. He could drink wine, kill an infant,

commit adultery or eat pork. But if he rejected all of
these then he must be prepared to be put to death. He
chose wine. Hence, when he drank wine, none of the
other things remained forbidden to him (in his eyes

and he did them all .
The Prophet pbuh said at this time, Whoever

drinks wine, his salat are not accepted for forty
nights (and days) and if he dies while there are

traces of wine in his bladder then Jannat is forbidden
to him but if he dies within forty days then he dies
the death of the Days of Jahilliyah.
Tabarani]
[Nasai,
Once Abu Bakr, Umar and some other

Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with
them) were sitting together and
discussing what the gravest of sins
would be. They were not sure and so

sent a messenger to ask Abdullah bin
Amr Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased
with him) who told him that drinking

was the gravest sin. They disagreed
and so they all went to the house of
Abdullah bin Amr Al-Aas for an
explanation. That is when he told
them this hadith.
243
In the version of this hadith narrated by
Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)

the man was a great worshipper and an
ascetic who was ensnared by an immoral
woman. She sent a servant to him to ask
him to come over and witness a
transaction. The pious man went since
acting as a witness is a virtuous deed.
There he was locked in with the beautiful

woman who asked him to commit adultery
with her, kill the infant boy present there or
drink a bottle of wine. Considering
drinking to be the least harmful, the man
drank the bottle of wine, got intoxicated,
and ended up committing adultery as well
as killing the child.
244
This hadith is a reminder of the great

evil that can be wrought under the
influence of alcohol. While intoxicated
a person is unaware that he is beating,
maiming, raping or killing anyone.

Yet he will still carry the sins for his
actions since by voluntarily
consuming the intoxicant he gave

himself permission to do anything.
That is why Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
calls alcohol an abomination of
Shaytaan s handiwork. [Quran 5: 0]
245
This hadith also shows us the difference
between a pious worshipper and a man of

religious understanding. A man of religious
understanding would have shown will
power and placed his reliance on Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) to get him out of the
difficulty without committing any sins, as
Yusuf (alaihis salam) had done. The
knowledgeable pious have shown many a
times that they are prepared to die if
necessary to avoid being sinful. Death is
certain for everybody anyway, and a man
only dies once.

Every Muslim should constantly pray to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to preserve him
from being misled.
246
247
248
The Insolent
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the
There were two men of the
Bani Israil who were very close friends. One of them was a great
sinner while the other exerted himself to perform pious deeds.
The man who exerted himself in worship continued to see the

other in sin and would say, Refrain from sin. One day on
finding him in sin, he said, Keep away from it, but he said,
Leave me alone, for God s sake. re you sent as a watchman
over me? He said, I swear by llah, He will not forgive you nor
will he admit you to Paradise. Then their souls were taken away
and were presented before the Lord of the worlds. He said to him
who had striven hard in worship, Did you have knowledge about
Me or did you have power over that which I had in My Hand?
He said to the sinner, Go, and enter Paradise by My Mercy.

nd for the other, He said, Take him to Hell.
Abu Hurairah may llah be pleased with him said, y Him in
Whose Hand is my soul, he spoke a word which destroyed him in
this world and the next. [bu Dawud]
People often pre-suppose that a sinner

will not be forgiven and continue to
rebuke him that he will not be
forgiven considering him inferior and
lowly. While it is a sign of faith to

despise sin, this does not mean that
the sinner too must be despised. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) may guide a

sinner to the Right Path at any time or
take away from a righteous person the
inclination to practice piety at any
moment. It may also be that a sinner
does certain deeds that earn him
llah s forgiveness and Paradise.
250
Considering someone inferior is a

dangerous sin that derives from
arrogance. Shaytaan often prompts those
who have taken their first steps in piety
to act in this manner. To command the

right and forbid the wrong is an
obligation on all Muslims; but we learn
from this hadith that the man who lost
his temper after constant preaching and
swore by llah s name that llah
(subhana wa ta ala) would not forgive the
man, destroyed all his good deeds by

doing so.
251
The man disgraced the sinner, made

him despair of llah s Mercy, and
swore that Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
would do or not do something. Only
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) knows what

He will do. We do not know what He
knows, we are nothing compared to
Him, and we do not know what He

will do. To claim to know what Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) will do is
insolence against Him. [Stories From
The Hadith by Mohammad Zakariya
Iqbal]
252
Who Should be Visited by

Whom
upon him said
The rulers who
frequent the learned are good and the

learned men who frequent the rulers
are bad. [Ihya Ulum Id-Din by
Imam Ghazali]
253
Sayyidna Sufiyan said: There is a
valley in Hell. The learned men who

frequent the rulers will live in it. [Ihya
Ulum Id-Din]
religiously learned man s reliance

on Allah (subhana wa ta ala) should be
greater than an ordinary Muslim s. Yet
his frequenting those in power shows

his reliance on material resources and
love of this world. He compromises
llah s Deen to maintain his position in
society and benefit from the ruler s
association. Thus, he is denounced.
254
However, for a ruler to visit the people
of (Islamic) learning is a sign of his

Eeman and his desire to get closer to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala), by increasing
in Eeman and good deeds.

This is why, historically, the scholars of
worth have not approached the courts
of kings and kept a distance from them.

Those princes and rulers desiring to
learn would go to the scholars and sit in
their gatherings amidst ordinary folk;
the scholars would not go to pamper
the rulers.
255
Ask Your Heart

said
sk yourself for a decision, ask
your heart for a decision (saying it

three times.) Righteousness is that
with which the soul is tranquil and
the heart is tranquil, but sin is that
which rouses suspicion in the soul
and is perplexing in the breast, even
if people give you a decision in its
favor. [Mishkat]
256
Everybody has within them the sense to
distinguish right from wrong. And each

person will be held accountable for
using this sense. It is possible to twist
facts and get people to give the decision

that you want to hear, but if your heart
is not at peace with the decision then
know that it is most likely sinful for you
to act on it. Unfortunately, if a person
sins enough then the heart becomes
dead and the ability to feel disquiet
dies.
257

Leave that which causes you doubt for
that which does not cause you doubt.
[Tirmidhi]
This hadith is one of the ahadith around
which the whole religion revolves: it is
the foundation of scrupulousness
(wara) around which revolves certainty;
and it brings relief from the dark
oppressiveness of doubts and
speculation.
258
259
260
261
Be Careful What You Ask For

Narrated Abu Huraira (r.a) that he heard from Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) saying, "While a lady was nursing
her child, a rider passed by and she said, 'O Allah!
Don't let my child die till he becomes like this (rider).'
The child said, 'O Allah! Don't make me like him,' and
then returned to her breast. (After a while) they passed
by a lady who was being pulled and teased (by the
people). The child's mother said, 'O Allah! Do not make
my child like her.' The child said, 'O Allah! Make me
like her.' Then he said, s for the rider, he is an infidel,
while the lady is accused of illegal sexual intercourse

(falsely) and she says: Allah is sufficient for me (He
knows the truth . " [ook of Virtues and Merits of the
Prophet and his Companions: Sahih Bukhari]
4
We learn three things from this hadith:
1. A lot of karamat or supernatural things happened

for the Bani Israel. In this case an infant spoke
and he knew about the two individuals.
2. Parents in their eagerness sometimes push their
children towards the Dunya while neglecting

their Akhira. The woman in this hadith was
impressed by the handsome looks and
expensive horse of the rider. Similarly today we
look at outward appearances; fancy cars,

clothes, degrees, houses, jobs and titles. We
push our children to acquire these things or
marry for them. But what counts with Allah,
and will determine everlasting happiness, are

eeman and the character that results from it,
even if it is possessed by a person who does not
appear attractive by worldly standards.
5
3. Be careful what you ask Allah for! We
may ask for things that are not good for

us in the long run, as the mother in this
case did. In terms of Akhira we know
that Jannah is good for us but only Allah

knows what of this Dunya will allow us
to have a good Akhira. Since the Dunya
compared to the Akhira is like a drop
compared to an ocean, we cannot afford
to compromise our Akhirahs for the sake
of this Dunya. We should always ask
Allah to give us what is best for us in
both worlds.
6
The Hour is at Hand

On the authority of Anas ibn Malik
(may Allah be pleased with him), the
Prophet peace be upon him said, I

have been sent when the Hour is like
this and he pointed with his
forefinger and his middle finger.
[Sahih Bukhari]
The Prophet (pbuh) put his noble
forefinger and middle finger together,

symbolizing with the former, human
history until his time, and with the latter,
history until the Day of Judgement.
With the Day of Judgement so close we still
do nothing to prepare for it, instead waste
our health and time on worthless pursuits.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala asks, re they

waiting for anything except the Hour, that
it should come upon them unawares? Its
warning conditions have already come.
[47:18] Nobody can avoid the Day of

Judgement, irrespective of when they die.
Then what is the use of being so involved
with worldly pleasures?
8
Like all Islamic virtues, zuhd is a golden
mean between two extremes; in this case the

extremes of worldliness and of monkery.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal defined zuhd as
Not to be pleased when given the things of
this world, and not to be sorry when they are
taken away. He also taught that there are
three degrees of zuhd: that of the common
people, which involves avoiding what is

forbidden (haram), that of the elite, which is
to avoid what is permissible (halal) but
unnecessary, and that of the highest elite,
which is to avoid everything which distracts
one from God. [Translator s note, The
Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith, p.56, The
Quilliam Press]
The early Muslims were indifferent to
the things of this world: gold was as

dust in their sight, but this did not
make them into monks or recluses;
instead they conquered great empires

and created a new civilization.
Similarly, the Prophet (pbuh) foretold
that the Muslims would one day
become weak, and that the reason for
this would be love of the world, and
hatred of death.
[Translator s note,
The Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith,

p.56, The Quilliam Press]
10
11
12
Bankruptcy
Narrated Abu Hurairah (r.a) that Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) asked: "Do you know who is
bankrupt?" They (the Companions of the Prophet)
replied: "A bankrupt man amongst us is one who has

neither dirham with him nor wealth." Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said: "The poor of my Ummah would be
he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with
prayers and fasts and Zakat but since he hurled

abuses upon others, brought calumny against others,
unlawfully consumed the wealth of others, shed the
blood of others and beat others, his virtues would be
credited to the accounts of others (who suffered at his

hands). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the
account, then the other's sins will be entered in (his
account) and he will be thrown in the Fire of Hell."
[Sahih Muslim]
13
So a person may arrive on the Day of
Judgement with a mountain of good deeds,

content in his wealth of hasanaat: But that
mountain will be as if made of ashes which the
slightest breath can blow away.
The bankrupt man discussed in this hadith was
not poor to begin with. He had mounds of good
deeds. But he lost everything because of having
to repay all the people whom he had harmed or
whom he owed anything to in any form. On
that Day the only currency available will be
one s deeds. Therefore, he will have to part with
some of his good deeds to settle his accounts

with others. And should he run out of good
deeds to give to others, he will have to take on
some of their bad deeds till he no longer owes
anybody anything.
14
It is a sobering thought; how one who
comes content in his wealth, can end up

bankrupt! We should try to ensure we
don t end up that way. If we owe anyone
money, time, an apology, or anything

else we should do our best to settle our
accounts while still in this world.
15
Tall Buildings
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah
be please with him : llah s
Messenger (peace be upon him) said,

The Hour will not be established till
the people compete with one
another in constructing high
buildings [Sahih ukhari]
16
Thus, competing in the construction of
tall buildings is one of the signs of the

Day of Judgement. In a hadith recorded
in Sahih Muslim, the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) told us that

you shall see barefoot, naked,
penniless shepherds vying in
constructing high buildings. This
hadith describes people who become
rich all of a sudden and then build not
for need but only in competition.
17
We see this today in the Gulf states,
after the oil boom. People who had no

money are now competing with one
other in erecting tall buildings. They are
competing in building taller and taller

structures where there is no need to
make such buildings, as there is a lot of
space! It is not like Singapore or New
York or Japan, where people had to
build vertically for lack of space.
18
Building superfluous structures was
one of the characteristics of the people

of Aad, who were destroyed by llah s
punishment. Prophet Huud (alaihis
salam) questioned their building

unnecessary monuments on top of
mountains. But do we even question
today what kind of development is
happening? Or are we too busy
gloating in this senseless competition
with the Kuffar, that if they can build
tall buildings, we can build taller?
19
20
21
Belief in Angels
narrated that the Prophet (peace be
upon him) said: "Angels were created

from light, Jinn were created from
smokeless fire, and Adam was created
from that which has been described to

you (in the Quran and Sunnah)."
[Sahih Muslim]
22
Belief in angels, according to what has
been revealed concerning them in the

Quran and Sunnah, is one of the pillars
of eeman. The angles are the noble
servants of Allah, they do as He

commands and never disobey Him.
They are beings created from light,
neither male nor female. They do not
have fathers, mothers, mates, or
children. Their sustenance is the
remembrance and glorification of Allah.
They act without restriction in creation
according to what Allah has permitted
for them.
23
Ten angels we are informed by name

about are:
1) Jibreel: duty to dispense revelation to
the Messengers of Allah.
2) Mikail: in charge of rain.
3) Israfil: in charge of blowing the horn
on the Day of Judgement.
4) Izrail: the angel of death, in charge of
taking souls from their bodies.

5 & 6) Munkar and Nakeer: the angels
that question the dead in the graves.
7 & 8) Raqeeb and Ateed: the angels

that record the good and bad deeds.
9) Ridwaan: the gatekeeper of Paradise.
10) Maalik: the gatekeeper of the Fire.
24
The virtue of belief in angels is that it
helps us to appreciate the dignity of

Allah, His might, and His sovereignty. It
helps instill gratitude in us toward Allah
because He put some of the angels in

charge of His servants, recording their
deeds, protecting them and praying for
them. We also love and admire the
angels because of their worshipping
Allah in the best possible manner and
because they pray for the believers.
25
The Grave
It is related from Abu Hurairah (may
Allah be pleased with him) that the

him said: The grave is more
horrifying than any horrible scene I
ever saw. [Tirmidhi, Baihaqi, Hakim
Hasan]
26
Once you are carried to the graveyard you are
brought close to the ground so that you dwell

in a small, dark lonely hole. The nearest of kin
and the most beloved to you have lowered you
into your grave, where you will rest placed on
your right side, with the top of the shroud on

your face untied and a stone placed on the hole
(Lahd) inside the grave you were placed in.
They then threw soil in your grave and when
they finished, one of them said, Invoke llah

for forgiveness for your brother and for
making him firm (so that he affirms to the
angels Munkir and Nakir that Allah is his
Lord, Islam is his religion and Muhammad is

the Messenger he followed), for he is now
being asked. [Silent Moments The
Description of Before and After Death Aspects
by Abdul-Malik Al-Qasim]
27
Whenever Uthman (may Allah be
pleased with him) stood next to a grave,

he used to weep until his beard became
wet. He was asked, You mention
Paradise and do not weep, but you

weep from this scene? He said, The
Messenger of llah pbuh said The
grave is the first in the stages of the
Hereafter. If one is saved from it, what
is afterwards is even easier. If one is not
saved from it, what comes after that is
even harder. [Az-Zuhd p.189. Hasan
hadith collected by Tirmidhi, Baihaqi,
Hakim.]
28
29
30
Best Charity Spend on Family

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased
with him) reported Allah's Messenger
(peace be upon him) as saying: "Of the
dinar (money) that you spend as a
contribution in Allah's path, or to set
free a slave, or as charity given to a
needy, or to support your family, the
one yielding the greatest reward is that

which you spend on your family."
[Sahih Muslim]
31
Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased
with him) : Allah's Apostle (pbuh) said, "The
best alms is that which you give when you are

rich, and you should support your dependants
first." [Sahih Bukhari]
Therefore, one must not neglect those who are
closest to one. Providing for the basic needs of
the family are an obligation on the
husband/father, for which he is rewarded. But

to spend a little extra for their comfort or
happiness is also a source of reward. In
addition, there are many people in a person's
extended family whose condition the relatives

know best about. If they don't take care of their
relatives who will? It is therefore said that
charity begins at home.
32
The Safest Vault

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon
him) said: "Allah said (to man),
'Spend (in charity), for then I will

compensate you (generously).'"
[Sahih Bukhari] #7496
33
No matter how carefully you try to guard
you wealth, it could get robbed, it could

get consumed in a fire (Allah Forbid), the
bank could file bankruptcy, the stock
market could crash, any number of things
could happen. But the wealth which you
deposit with Allah is in the safest Hands. It
never perishes, it is in no danger, and in
fact there is guaranteed increase in it.
Whatever you spend in charity, is saved
with Allah and you do not need to bother
to keep it safe from thieves or anything
else. Furthermore, Allah will not only give

it back with an increment in the next life,
but will do the same in this life too. There
is no compensator better than Allah.
34
35
36
Be Useful: Live Longer

him) said: "Nothing keeps away the
decree (of Allah) except prayer, and

nothing increases the life (of man)
except goodness; and man is only
denied the provisions (of life) because
of sins upon which he falls." [Ibn
Majah] "Almsgiving extinguishes the
wrath of Allah." [Tirmidhi]
37
This hadith tells us many important
things:
1. If we want to prevent misfortunes,
accidents, and bad things in general
from happening to us, we should make

dua. Dua alone has the power to stall
some misfortune that was decreed to
befall us.
2. If we want to live longer, then we should
practice what Allah defines as goodness.
3. If we want our rizq/provisions to
increase, we should not commit sins.
4. If we don't want to be punished by Allah
for our sins, we should give
sadaqa/charity.
38
Research suggests that those who spend
4-6 hours in various voluntary activities

weekly live 6-8 years longer than those
who don't. This is one of the benefits of
helping others that modern research has

revealed. There are hundreds of other
benefits. Make yourself useful so that
Allah may let you live a few more years
to serve His creation. [30 Second
Successories by Faiez H. Seyal]
39
The Heat of Jahannum

upon him) said: "This fire of yours,
which the sons of Adam kindle, is one

part from seventy parts of the heat of
Hell." They said: "By Allah! Would
it not have been enough O Messenger

of Allah?!" He (peace be upon him)
said: "It is sixty-nine parts more - all
of them similar in heat." [Jami AtTirmidhi]
40
We know different types of fires on earth,
and the degree of heat varies for each. For

instance, grass on fire emits less heat than
burning wood. Burning coal, on the other
hand, is much hotter than burning wood.
Similar is the case of the heat generated by
welding and electricity. Far more intense
than all these, is the heat generated by
bombs. Hellfire, however, generates more

heat -- sixty-nine times more than earthly
fire!
The main purpose behind the description
of Hellfire is to kindle in the hearts of
humans the urge to take the necessary
measures to avoid that fire.
41
42
43
Bad Dream
Narrated Abu Salama: I used to see a dream
which would make me sick till I heard Abu
Qatadah saying, I, too, used to see a dream
which would make me sick till I heard the

Prophet pbuh saying, good dream is
from Allah, so if anyone of you saw a dream
which he liked, he should not tell it to
anybody except to the one whom he loves,
and if he saw a dream which he disliked,
then he should seek refuge with Allah from
its evil and from the evil of Shaitan, and spit

three times (on his left) and should not tell it
to anybody, for it will not harm him.
[#7044: The Book of the Interpretation of
Dreams: Sahih Bukhari]
44
This hadith provides guidelines regarding what
to do with dreams. The first comforting thing

we are told is that bad dreams are nothing to
fear. Rather than get upset and worried after
having a nightmare, we are told not to fret over
it as bad dreams are from Shaitan and have no
power to harm us should we follow the advice
of the Prophet (pbuh). What we should do when
we awaken from a bad dream is seek llah s
refuge from the evil in the dream and from the
evil of Shaitan and then spit (lightly) three times
to the left. Once we have done that and placed
our trust in Allah then we can forget about the
dream for it will have no power to harm us. It is
crucial though that one not tell a bad dream to
anybody either.
45
As far as good dreams are concerned,
we should also exercise caution with

them. If we must tell the dream to
anybody, then to safeguard a good
outcome from a good dream, we should

only tell it to those whom we love and
trust and are sure harbour no ill feelings
or jealousy towards us.
46
The Greatest Ayat

Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him)
reported: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
'Abu Mundhir! Do you know which Ayat in
Allah's Book is the greatest?' I said: 'Allah and His
Messenger know best.' He (pbuh) again said: 'Do
you know which Ayat in Allah's Book, according to
you, is the greatest?' I (Abu Mundhir replied: It

is 'Allah la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum...''
[2:255] Thereupon, he (pbuh) patted me on the
chest and said, 'Rejoice by your knowledge, O Abu

Mundhir!' (i.e, may this knowledge be a source of
respect, honor and benefit to you)." [Sahih
Muslim]
47
The reason that Ayat al-Kursi is the most
excellent Ayat (verse) is that it mentions the

names of Allah Most High more than any
other Ayat does, thus it contains the most
remembrance (dhikr) of Allah Most High.
In Ayat al-Kursi, the names of Allah Most
High have been mentioned seventeen
times. Ayat al-Kursi mentions six attributes
(sifaat) of Allah Most High, all six being

mentioned in this single Ayat. The
attributes mentioned are: the Divine
Oneness (Wahdaniyyah) of Allah Most
High, His Life (Hayah), His Knowledge
(Ilm), His Kingdom (Mulk), His Divine
Power (Qudrah), and His Will (Iradah).
48
Regarding Ayat al-Kursi and the last
two Ayaat of Surah Baqarah, Shaytan

said that since these three ayaat were
revealed it became difficult for the
devils to remain in Madina. No doubt it

was because of people's frequent
recitation of these great Ayaat. Not only
are these recited at bed time, but Ayat
al-Kursi was recited by the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh) after each Fardh prayer
too.
49
Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrates, "I cannot

understand how a person, who is a
Muslim, and owner of reason (intellect)
can spend the night without reading

Ayat al-Kursi. If you knew the benefits
of it, then you would never discard it
under any condition."
50
51
52
Be the Wiser Person

him said, O Muslims! Sit with your
elders, question the scholars, and meet
wise people. [Tibrani, Mishkat]
53
In other words, one should benefit from
knowledge at every opportunity. Elders

have life experience from which one
may benefit. We should sit with them to
benefit from their experiences and also

to provide them with company. Scholars
have religious knowledge from which
one may learn. Asking questions is a
way in which we can learn from them.
54
Besides elders and scholars, Prophet
(pbuh) advised us to keep the

company of the wise. The wise are
those whose destination is Paradise.
Whoever ends up in the Fire will

consider himself/herself to be the most
stupid of people. They may have been
Nobel laureates in the world but when
they get to their final destination they
will realize how they had wasted their
brains and will say: Had we but
listened or used (any of) our
intelligence, we should not (now) be
among the Companions of the Blazing
Fire! [Quran
55
The scholars and the wise are those who
have the awareness, love and fear of

Allah Imam Malik once referred to
someone as a scholar. When it was said
that he is not a particularly learned

person, Imam Malik replied, He has the
fear of Allah, which is the fruit of
knowledge.
56
How should we recognize these wise
people whose destination is Jannah?

Allah says that the wise are:
1) Those who forbid others from doing
wrong: Why were there not, among the

generations before you, persons
possessed of balanced good sense,
prohibiting (men) from mischief in the
earth. [Quran
2) Those who practice what they preach:

Do you enjoin righteousness upon
mankind while you yourselves forget
(to practise it)? And you are readers of
the Scripture! Have you then no sense?
[Quran 2:44]
57
3) Those who give every preference to the
life of the Hereafter and spend their life

working for it: Naught is the life of the
world save a pastime and a sport. Better
far is the abode of the Hereafter for those

who keep their duty (to Allah). Have you
then no sense? [Quran 6:32]
4) Those who believe in the message
brought by Muhammad (pbuh): The
likeness of those who disbelieve (in
relation to the messenger) is as the
likeness of one who calls to that which
hears nothing except a shout and cry.
Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have no
sense. [Quran :
58
Although everybody has something to

teach and something to learn, the harm
of the foolish, ignorant or frivolous
person is more than their good. Time is a
precious commodity that should not be
wasted in useless chatter. For a
capitalist, time is money. For a Muslim,
time is much more precious than that. It
is our Jannah or Jahannum. Our never
ending life depends on how we use it.
59
A wise person is one who learns from

his experiences, while the wiser person
is one who learns from the experiences
of others. This hadith is telling us to be
the wiser person and learn from the
experiences of our elders, the scholars
who fear Allah and the wise.
60
The Wife is the Neck

upon him said: woman is
married for four things: her wealth,

her family status, her beauty and her
religion/piety. So you should marry
the religious woman otherwise you

will be a loser. [Sahih ukhari]
61
Getting the prerequisite right is an
important step towards making a success

of marriage. Regarding the most important
quality to search for in a prospective
spouse, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said
that it is a woman's piety.
In Jannah every woman will be so beautiful
that when a husband first sets eyes on his
wife, he will stand staring at her for forty
years so mesmerized will he be by her
beauty. The important thing is to choose a
wife who will make easy for you the path

to Paradise.
62
Usually people look for three things in
a woman: wealth, beauty, and

lineage/family. But these things end
with the life of this world. If you want
to have these things for eternity then

you have to make it to Jannah. The man
is described as the head of the
household, while the woman is its neck.
The neck turns the head any way it
wants. You want a wife who turns you
towards Jannah.
63
64
65
Branches of Iman
with him) reported that the Prophet
pbuh said: Iman has some sixty or

seventy branches, the best of which is
the declaration that, None has the
right to be worshipped but llah , and
the least of which is the removal of
harmful objects from the road, and
modesty is a branch of Iman. [Sahih
Bukhari]
66
If you ever planted a tree you would
know that first the trunk is a very thin

stick and there are just four or five twig
like branches. But as the tree matures it
grows not only taller but the trunk

thickens, branches increase in number
and in size, and the tree begins to look
more and more like the image we have
of a tree.
67
Iman is also like a tree. As it grows and
matures it grows more branches and

the tree itself becomes sturdier and
strong. The stronger the Iman of the
Muslim the more practice of Islam will

be seen in him. He will exhibit the
branch of the Kalima (la ilaha il-Allah)
and the branch of Haya (modesty) and
the branch of caring about the safety of
others, while looking only for llah s
reward. There are many more branches
of faith. When all the branches grow
and the tree attains its natural shape it
is a beautiful and imposing work of
art.
68
Tie Your Camel

Anas (may Allah be pleased with
him) reported that a person asked

him , Should I tie my camel and
have Tawakkul (trust in Allah for her
protection) or should I leave her
untied and have Tawakkul. llah s
Messenger (peace be upon him)
replied, Tie her and have Tawakkul.
(Hasan) [Jami At-Tirmidhi]
69
Tawakkul means to put in one's best
efforts to do what Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) expects one to do and then leave
the results to Allah's will. Tawakkul
comes from conviction in qada wa

qadar, one of the six pillars of eeman:
What Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has
written for me must come to pass.
70
Tawakkul in Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
includes tawakkul in His provision of

rizq. 50,000 years before the creation of
the universe, what provisions would
come to me were written down in Lawh

Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet). Our test
in this world is of the means we choose
to earn these provisions. Do we adopt
halal means and work seeking the
pleasure of Allah (subhana wa ta ala); or
do we resort to haraam, not trusting the
rizq to come to us through halal means?
71
To seek one's livelihood is the way of
the Prophet (pbuh). Even he did not sit

at home waiting for provision to fall out
of the sky. But he (pbuh) also said not to
kill oneself in trying to earn more and

more; since only that which is ordained
for us will come to us.
72
73
74
Be Choosy
man follows his friend s religion.
So each of you should consider whom

he makes his friend. [Mishkat AlMasabih]
75
There is a principle according to which
you are said to become like the people

with whom you associate.
Be amiable with all but very choosy
about whom you befriend. Slowly and

gradually the way you talk, what you
talk about, the way you dress, the way
you behave, what you eat, how you

spend your time, all end up becoming
like that of the company you keep.
76
If you befriend somebody who doesn t

pray regularly, eventually you will start
missing prayers too. If your friends like
to eat out at expensive restaurants you
will start spending more money eating
out too. If your friends mock bearded
Muslims or women in Hijab you will
end up participating in their sins.
On the Day of Judgement you will be
raised with those whom you loved. May
it never happen that we are grouped
with those people who are to be thrown
into the Fire.
77
Tawakkul or Fatalism
Umar Bin Khattaab (may Allah be
pleased with him) heard the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) saying,

If you trust llah with the right
kind of Tawakkul, He will provide
you sustenance as He provides for the
birds they go out in the morning
with empty stomachs and come back
in the evening with full stomachs.
[Tirmidhi]
78
A bird sitting in its nest, praising Allah
(subhana wa ta ala), will not have its

stomach filled. It has to go out to seek
food. It is only the bird that after
glorifying Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

goes out and makes an effort to find
food, that comes back full.
79
Belief in Allah's qada and qadar does not
preclude action. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be

pleased with him) asked a group of people
sitting around
Who are you? They replied
We are resigned to the will of llah and have

placed our trust (made Tawakkul in Him.
These people refused to bother with trying to
earn a living using Tawakkul as an excuse.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) hit
them and told them not to twist the concept of
Tawakkul. He said, You lie! Such a person is
resigned to the will of Allah who sows the seed
and then places his trust in Him. It is not
Tawakkul to sit with idle hands. Gold and
silver do not descend from the sky.
80
81
82
Best Talk
Enjoining every kind of l-Maroof is
a Sadaqa. [Sahih ukhari]
83
l-Maroof means, all that is good. There
is nothing better than Islamic monotheism

and what Islam orders us to do, since it
comes from Allah who has prepared
Jannah for us. It is a part of being Muslim
that you love for other people the same
that you love for yourself. The best that
you could want for others is that they end
up in Jannah with you. So, in the most

effective way that you can, work on giving
Eeman to your children, spouse, parents,
relatives, friends, acquaintances,
colleagues, and whoever of humankind
you can reach. This hadith tells us that
your doing so will be counted as Sadaqa
on your behalf.
84
As for formal preaching (Dars), keep in mind
the advice of the great Companion, Abdullah

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Preach to the people once a week, and if you
won t, then preach to them twice, but if you
want to preach more, then let it be three times (a
week only), and do not make people get bored
with this Quran. If you come to some people
who are engaged in a talk, don t start
interrupting their talk by preaching, lest you
should cause them to be bored. You should
rather keep quiet, and if they ask you, then
preach to them at the time when they are eager
to hear what you say. And avoid the use of
rhymed prose in invocation for I noticed that
llah s Messenger pbuh and his Companions
always avoided it. [Sahih ukhari]
85
Treasure Your Capital

Amar bin Maymoon Al-Audi (may
Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that once llah s Messenger peace be

upon him) gave the following advice
to a Sahaabi: Treasure five things
before five: Your youth before old-age;
your health before illness; your
wealth before poverty; your free time
before becoming occupied, and your
life before death." [Tirmidhi]
86
This wonderful hadith describes the
four major assets of life: youth, health,

wealth, and free time. Although life is
counted as the fifth point, but by
mentioning it last the implication is that

the previous four factors make up the
capital of one s life. The word
treasure at the start of this hadith is
quite significant. A human being
treasures things that are valuable. A
Muslim in particular, is taught to value
and appreciate the four major funds
that make up a person s capital for
investment in the hereafter.
87
88
89
Believer Embodiment of
Love
The believer is an embodiment of love
and affection. And the man who
neither loves others nor is loved by
others has no good or virtue in him.

[Mishkat]
90
Allah says in the Quran: The believing
men and believing women are

protecting friends of one another.
[9:71]
Love and you will be loved. The person
who avoids the company of other
people, and whom the believers regard
with feelings of disgust, is a deprived
man.
91
The Story of Alqamah
Alqamah (may Allah be pleased

with him) was a very pious person.
He spent his time in prayer and

fasting. At the approach of death he
was unable to proclaim the Kalima
Shahada, in spite of repeated
instruction by those present.
Alqamah's wife sent a messenger to
llah s Messenger pbuh to inform
him of Alqamah's grave condition.
92

llah s Messenger pbuh enquired
whether the parents of Alqamah were
alive. He was informed that

Alqamah's mother was alive. llah s
Messenger (pbuh) asked the aged
mother about Alqamah. She replied:
Alqamah is a very pious person. He
passes his time in Salat and Saum.
He performs Tahajjud, but he always
disobeys me for the sake of his wife. I
am, therefore, displeased with him.
93

llah s Messenger pbuh said: It
will be best for him if you forgive
him. However, she refused. llah s

Messenger (pbuh) ordered Bilal (may
Allah be pleased with him) to gather
firewood. On hearing this order,
Alqamah's mother asked in
consternation: Will my child be
burnt in the fire?
94

llah s Messenger pbuh said: Yes!
Compared to the punishment of Allah,
our punishment is light. I take oath by
Allah that as long as you remain
displeased with him, neither his Salat
nor his Sadaqah is accepted.
The old lady said: I make you and all
people present witness that I have
forgiven Alqamah. llah s Messenger

(pbuh) addressing the gathering, said:
Go and see if the Kalima is on the
tongue of Alqamah or not.
95

After returning from Alqamah the people
informed him that he was reciting the Kalima.
Thus, he left this world with the Kalima on his
lips. After burying Alqamah, llah s

Messenger pbuh said: The curse of llah is
on the one who causes difficulty to his mother.
The curse of the angels and the curse of
mankind be on him. Allah Ta'ala neither
accepts his Fardh nor his Nafl Ibadat as long as
he does not repent and obey his mother. He has
to gain her pleasure as best as he can. Allah's
Pleasure depends on the mother's pleasure and
His Wrath is concealed in her wrath.
[Ahmad]
96
This hadith is a sobre reminder for us to
be respectful and obedient to our

parents and try to keep them happy
with us. It is not a small matter to upset
them for the sake of our friends or

others who we value more. The only
time that we are allowed to give
preference to others is in the matter of
others llah-given rights, since no
obedience can supercede obedience to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and His
Messenger (peace be upon him).
97
Therefore, it is important to find out
what the rights of our children,

spouses, relatives, friends, and other
Muslims are, so we know what Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) wants us to do in

case there is a clash between what
different people want from us. This is
the only proper way to balance
relationships as it seeks llah s
pleasure. Otherwise, mothers deserve
our utmost attention, respect and
obedience.
98
99
100
Best Sinners
him said: ll human beings without
exception are sinful, but the best

sinners are those who repent the
most. [Tirmidhi]
101
Whatever the magnitude of your sins,
purify your soul by offering repentance

and be hopeful of llah s mercy. Despair
is the characteristic of disbelievers. The
integrals of seeking forgiveness are that

you recognize the sin that you have
committed and determine never to do so
again. Thus, to be repentant dictates that
you stay away from all such situations
and events wherein it is likely that you
will falter and commit the evil again.
102
nd who, when they have

committed a shameful deed or have
[otherwise] sinned against
themselves, remember Allah and pray
that their sins be forgiven - for who
but Allah could forgive sins? - and do
not knowingly persist in doing
whatever [wrong] they may have
done. [Quran :
103
The Mother s Pleasure

Prophet Muhammad pbuh said: The
curse of Allah is on the one who causes
difficulty to his mother. The curse of the
angels and the curse of mankind are on
him. Allah neither accepts his fardh nor
his nafl worship as long as he does not

repent and obey his mother. He has to
gain her pleasure as best he can. llah s
pleasure depends on the mother s
pleasure and His wrath is concealed in
her wrath. [hmad]
104
This hadith highlights the importance
of mothers and tells us how necessary it

is to try to keep one s mother happy.
The only situation in which a person is
not required to obey their mother is if it

entails disobedience to Allah (subhana
wa ta ala).
105
For example, if a mother wants her
daughter to not dress Islamically then she

would not obey her mother in this matter,
but would still try her best to keep her
mother happy with her. Or if a mother

asked her son to deprive his wife of the
rights Allah has ordained for her, then he
would not obey his mother in this instance,
but he would obey her in all other matters
that did not involve disobedience to Allah.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, comes before
all else. We do our best to obey Him and in
doing so, obey those whom He asked us to
obey after Him.
106
107
108
Body Fed on Haraam

him said: The body fed on illicit
(Haraam) earnings is proper fuel for
Hell-Fire. [Sahih ukhari]
109
Earn a lawful living. To earn money by
any of the means forbidden by Allah is

to feed the Fire of Jahannum into your
own and your children s bellies. Like a
bag full of dung doesn t belong in a

Masjid, a body full of Haraam earnings
doesn t belong in Jannah.
No Ibadah (worship), done by a body
fed on Haraam earnings, is accepted by
Allah. This is because Allah is pure and
accepts only that which is pure. Would
you accept a delicious box of treats from
a hand covered in shit?
110
Taqwa in Settling Disputes

Narrated Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with
her , the wife of the Prophet pbuh : llah s
Messenger heard some people quarrelling at the
door of his dwelling. He came out and said, I am
only a human being, and opponents come to me (to
settle their problem); may be someone amongst you
can present his case more eloquently than the other,

whereby I may consider him true and give a verdict
in his favour. So if I give the right of a Muslim to
another by mistake, then it is only a portion of

(Hell) Fire, he has the option to take it or give it up
before the Day of Resurrection .
Mazalim: Sahih Bukhari]
[The ook of l111
This hadith reminds us of the importance of
taqwa in settling disputes. The judgment of the

judge is subject to the evidence brought before
him and the eloquence of the disputing parties.
The judge might, therefore, make a mistake in
his judgment. However, each party knows
what the truth is. Just because a judge ruled in
one party s favor does not give that party the
right to take what the judge gave him. If he

takes something he knows is not his or he does
not deserve, he will be punished for it. The
form of punishment will be that he will appear
on the Day of Judgement weighed down from
carrying the unjustly acquired thing (land,
property, animals) on his neck.
112
Another hadith says that even if a
single handspan of land is acquired

unjustly then the usurper will have his
neck encircled with the weight of seven
earths on the Day of Resurrection. [The

Book of Al-Mazalim: Sahih Bukhari]
Therefore, the judge should remind the
parties to have taqwa and remind them
about the accountability they will face
before Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
113
These days the excellence of a lawyer is
judged by his/her glibness and their

ability to win their client s case while a
lawyer s lobbying for injustice makes
him/her a part of the injustice. Their

arguing in favor of an oppressor or
usurper will make them also carry the
burden of the seven earths for their
promotion of sin and injustice. All parties
-- clients, lawyers, judges -- need to have
taqwa of Allah (subhana wa ta ala) in
settling disputes, rather than wait for

llah s judgement to descend on them.
114
115
116
Blameworthy Learning
him said: nyone who seeks sacred
knowledge to vie with scholars, argue

with fools, or win people s hearts will
go to hell. [Tirmidhi]
117
The purpose of seeking knowledge of
the Deen Islam should only be to

become dearer to Allah with it. Learning
sacred knowledge for the sake of this
world means that if not for this-worldly

reasons, a person would not have
bothered to learn it.
118
The Moderate Muslim

him said: Love your beloved
moderately, perhaps he becomes hated

to you someday. And hate whom you
hate moderately, perhaps he becomes
your beloved someday.
Hasan)
[Chapters On Righteousness: Jami

At-Tirmidhi]
119
Situations and circumstances keep on
changing in a person's life. As a result,

old friends become new adversaries
and vice versa, and nobody knows
what is in store for him in the future. It

is, therefore, advisable not to go beyond
the limits of moderation either in
friendship or enmity.
120
This hadith advises us to be moderate
in our dealings and not go overboard.

Even if you don t like someone, do not
go to extremes for it might be a cause of
embarrassment and regret for you, if

you end up having to change your
mind about them. Similarly, one should
be moderate in one s show of love, for it
is only in love of Allah and His
Messenger that our love should be
extreme. Out of love of Allah and His
Messenger we love what Allah loves
and hate what He hates. This is the
Muslim s criteria of love and hatred.
121
When it is said that we should be
moderate, it is very important to identify

the end points/extremes. To be a moderate
Muslim, does it mean that you stay the
middle course between Abu Bakr (may
Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Jahl?
Is the moderation supposed to be between
these two end points? No. Moderation is
never between Islam and Kufr, between

belief and disbelief! The moderation of a
Muslim is to be between Abu Bakr and
Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), or
to be between Uthman and Ali (may Allah
be pleased with him)! May Allah help us
all to be moderate Muslims.
122
123
124
Barakah of Shared Food

The Prophet pbuh said: The food for
one person suffices for two, the food for
two suffices for four, and the food for

four suffices for eight persons. [Sahih
Muslim]
125
llah s Messenger pbuh is telling us
through this hadith that Allah blesses

food and rewards us when we share it. If
on some occasion a person gets guests
unexpectedly and feels that the prepared

food is too little to offer to them, they
should nevertheless say Bismillah and
share it according to the formula of food
being sufficient for twice as many
people as it was prepared for.
InshaAllah, Allah will make it sufficient
for them and reward them.
126
The Best Insurance

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said
in the hadith of Ibn bbas, If you
take care of the commands of Allah,

Allah will take care of you (and you
will find llah with you .
127
How does that happen? Ibn Rajab al-
Hanbali explains the hadith:

1. If you take care of Allah's commands
and prohibitions, Allah will take care of
you by keeping you away from vain

desires and doubts in Imaan (Belief);
2. If you take care of the commands of
Allah when you are young, Allah will
take care of you in your old age;
3. If you take care of the commands of
Allah, Allah will take care of your
children.
128
As an example of the last point Ibn Rajab gave the
story of Musa and al-Khidr. Allah says in the

Quran, Then they both Musa and al-Khidr)
proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a
town, they asked them for food, but they refused to
entertain them. Then they found therein a wall
about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight.
Musa said: If you had wished, surely, you could
have taken wages for it!
] Then Al-Khidr
explains why he fixed the wall for free in a town
whose people were so mean and inhospitable, nd

as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in
the town; and there was under it a treasure
belonging to them; and their father was a righteous
man, and your Lord intended that they should
attain their age of full strength and take out their
treasure as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not
of my own accord. That is the interpretation of
those (things) over which you could not hold
patience. [l-Quran 18:82]
129
From this story we learn that Allah took
care of the orphans because their father was

righteous! These orphans were not old
enough to be considered righteous or not,
but the reason that Allah took care of their
treasure was because their father had been
a righteous man. Since the father had
passed away, llah protected the man s
children by sending al-Khidr all the way

just to fix that wall. So if you are righteous,
not only will Allah take care of your
children while you are alive, but He will
take care of them after you die too. What s
better than that? Therefore, we need to take
the commands and prohibitions of Allah
seriously.
130
131
132
Building a Masjid
Whoever builds a Masjid for the sake
of Allah, Allah will build something

similar for him in Paradise. [Sahih
Muslim]
133
Uthman bin Affan (may Allah pleased
with him) wanted to rebuild the Masjid

of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) but
people disliked it. So he told them this
hadith that he had heard from the

Messenger of Allah (pbuh).
Building a Masjid where there isn t
one, repairing one that has fallen into
disrepair, or helping to maintain one
are all deeds worthy of llah s pleasure
and the highest rewards; provided that
they are done for the sake of pleasing
Allah alone and not for showing off or
any other reason.
134
However, paying for the decoration of
Masjids is not virtuous or praiseworthy.

The adornment of Masjids is condemned
in ahadith, and reflects Muslims
moving away from the spirit and

substance of Islam.
135
The Best Believer

said: The most perfect of the
believers in faith is he who is the best

of them in conduct, and the best of
you in conduct are those who are best
to their wives. [Tirmidhi]
136
The state of marriage is part of one's
adherence to the Sunnah and an exalted

state of life indeed. In the words of the
Prophet (pbuh), it permits one to meet
llah pure and cleansed
tahiran
mutahharan).
A person's behavior towards his wife is
the measure of the perfection of his

belief. He also warned that among the
greatest of responsibilities that had
been placed upon men is that
pertaining to the treatment of their
wives.
137
Marriage must be approached with
utmost seriousness, entered with the

purest intent, and cultivated religiously
as it does not come cheaply while it
carries immense reward. The Prophet

pbuh called marriage his way
al-
nikahu sunnati and half of religion

and he also said Two rakaat of the
married person are better than seventy
rakaat of the unmarried.
138
139
140
Bring Goodness to Your

Homes
The Prophet pbuh said: Offer some
supererogatory prayers at home after

saying obligatory prayers in the
Masjid. Allah shall bestow goodness in
your homes as a reward for these

prayers. [Muslim]
141
Pray your Sunnah and Nafl off and on in
your homes too, not just in the Masjid.

The Prophet (pbuh) himself frequently
offered his Sunnan and Nawafil prayers
at home after praying the Fard in the

Masjid.
142
True Strength
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah
(may Allah be pleased with him) that
the Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him said: The strong man is
not the one who wrestles others;
rather, the strong man is the one who
controls himself at times of anger.
[The Book of Al-Birr: Sahih Muslim]
143
That is why we see that people with weak
characters suppress their anger when dealing

with their superiors but take it out on those
weaker than them. A weak man will take his
frustrations out on his family, a woman on her
children, the rich on the poor. Giving free rein
to one s anger results only in crime against
llah s creatures. It is natural to feel anger in
certain situations but the successful person is
he who is able to control the expression of his
anger. Not all crimes in Islam are recognized as
crimes in secular law, but what matters to a
Muslim is how their action is viewed by Allah.
Anger is justified when the crime is against
Allah and his Messenger, but even then it is
best handled with a cool mind.
144
Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with
him said moment of patience in a

moment of anger prevents a thousand
moments of regret.
145
146
147
Bathing Obligatory for

Attendance
The Prophet pbuh said: The person
who comes to offer prayers in the

Friday congregation should bathe
himself first. [ukhari]
148
Clean and purify yourself on Fridays.
Bathe and adorn yourself as best you can

before heading out to the Masjid. Your
presence should enhance the gathering
in llah s house and not be a source of

discomfort to llah s other guests.
149
The Doors of Sadaqah

Abu Dhar al-Ghafari said: The Messenger of llah
pbuh said: Sadaqah is prescribed for every person
every day the sun rises. I said: O Messenger of
Allah, from what do we give sadaqah if we do not

possess property? He said: The doors of sadaqah are
takbir (Allahu Akbar), Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah,
La-ilaha-ilAllah, Astaghfirullah, enjoining good,
forbidding evil, removing thorns, bones and stones
from the paths of people, guiding the blind, listening
to the deaf and dumb until you understand them,
guiding a person to his object of need if you know
where it is, hurrying with the strength of your legs to
one in sorrow who is appealing for help, and
supporting the weak with the strength of your arms.
These are all the doors of sadaqah. [hmad]
150
In other words one does not need to
have financial resources to earn the

reward of sadaqah. There are many
deeds that qualify as sadaqah with
Allah (subhana wa ta ala). In addition to

those listed above the following
ordinary courtesies are also sadaqah if
we do them with the intention of
pleasing Allah with them.
151
1. To administer justice between two
people is sadaqah.
2. To assist a man upon his mount so
that he may ride it is sadaqah.
3. To place his luggage on the animal is

sadaqah.
4. A good word is sadaqah.
5. Every step taken toward prayer is
sadaqah.
6. Your smile for your brother is
sadaqah.
7. Planting anything from which a
person, an animal or anything eats is
sadaqah.
152
153
154
Birth of a Girl
The Prophet pbuh said: nyone
who is blessed with the birth of a girl
and does not bury her alive in the

manner of the pagan days and does not
look down upon her; neither shows
preference to the boy over the girl, nor
considers the boy in any way superior
to the girl, such a man will surely be
admitted to Jannah by llah. [bu
Dawud]
155
Do not look down upon the female
child, nor show preference to the boy

over the girl. Treat both with love and
behave towards both in an equal
manner.
156
Same Act Rewarded in Marriage

Once a Companion, having heard the
Prophet pbuh praise coitus with one s
wife as a charitable act for which a

divine reward was to be awaited, asked:
O Messenger of llah! Would a person
satisfy his lust and anticipate divine
reward for it? The Prophet pbuh said:
Would he be punished if he does so
with the wrong partner? In the same
way, fulfillment of sensual satisfaction
in the legitimate way shall be
rewarded. [Sahih Muslim]
157
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) created us and
wants us to live in a manner that fulfills

our needs and satisfies us.
He (subhana wa ta ala) knows better than
us what suits us and will work out to our

benefit in the long and short run.
On top of this, for following His
Manufacturer s Instructions for est Use,
He rewards us. So, He (subhana wa
ta ala) has told us to have relations with
our spouses with the expectation of being
rewarded for it, while that same act
outside the bonds of marriage is
forbidden and punished.
158
159
160
Betrayers Humiliated
When llah gathers the first and the
last on the Day of Resurrection, a
banner will be raised for every
betrayer, and it will be said, This is
the betrayer of So and so, the son of So
and so.
[Muslim]
161
A betrayer is one who makes a promise
then does not fulfill it, or whose loyalty

and support is counted on but who does
not deliver it.
For example, your sister in Islam is in

dire straits and instead of helping her
you turn your eyes away from her. She
had the right to expect your help,

because Allah had enjoined it upon you,
calling the Muslim Ummah one body.
But if you neglected to help her, then
you betrayed her.
162
A banner is a large flag which is carried
by the leader of the army at war, or the

standard-bearer of an army, so that
people follow him. [Sharh an-Nawawi
ala Muslim]
So a banner will be erected for every
betrayer, on which his/her betrayal will
be written, and they will be exposed on

the Day of Resurrection. This banner
will be placed at their back. [Muslim]
163
Surah Waqiah Shields Against

Starvation
Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be
pleased with him) narrated that the
him said: Whoever recites Surah
Waqiah every night will never be
afflicted with starvation. [Tafseer
Ibn Katheer]
164
When Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah
be pleased with him) was on his

deathbed, Uthman bin Affan (may Allah
be pleased with him), who was the
Khalifa at that time, came to visit him

and enquire about his health.
He asked, What is ailing you?
pleased with him replied, My sins.
Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)
asked, Is there anything you wish for?

pleased with him replied, The mercy of
my Lord.
165
Uthman (may Allah be pleased with
him persisted, Should I send a doctor

for you?
pleased with him replied, It is the

doctor llah Who has made me sick.
him asked, Then should I send some

money for your expenses.
pleased with him said, No, I don t
need it.
166
him suggested, This money will be of

use to your daughters after you are
gone.

pleased with him said, Do you fear
poverty and starvation for my
daughters? I have already taught them
to recite Surah Waqiah every night
because I heard the Messenger of Allah
pbuh say, Whoever recites Surah
Waqiah every night will never be
afflicted with starvation.
[Tafseer Ibn
Katheer]
167
May Allah (subhana wa ta ala) give us
the belief (Eeman) and sufficiency

(Qana at) of the Sahabah. Indeed, they
are our role models as their behavior
was the best behavior of any generation

and Allah (subhana wa ta ala) promised
them His Pleasure and reward.
168
169
170
Bishr the Barefoot

The Prophet pbuh said: llah said,
I have prepared for My righteous
slaves (such excellent things) as no eye

has ever seen, nor an ear has ever
heard, nor a human heart can ever
think of.
[Bukhaari]
171
llah refers to us as bd slaves. Allah
has made Jannah for His righteous

slaves. The question is do we act like
righteous slaves? The following true story
is narrated in
Qissatin min Qisasis
Saalaheen
Bishr was enjoying himself in his home,
drinking and passing time with his friends
when a righteous man knocked on his

door. A slave girl opened the door. He
asked her
Is the owner of this house a
free man or a slave? She replied

free man. He said
He is a
You have spoken the
truth, for if he were a slave he would have

had the etiquettes of a slave and would
have left his desires.
172
Bishr heard what the man said and ran to the door
barefoot. Woe to you! he said to the slave girl,
Who was at the door? She told him what had
happened. He asked her which way that man had
gone then went after him until he found him.
Dear Sir, were you the one who came to my

door? Bishr asked him, to which he replied,
Yes. Bishr asked
Please repeat what you said.
So he repeated it.
Bishr rubbed his cheeks on the floor and said
No,
but I am a slave! After that Bishr would always

walk barefoot, even if his feet would begin to hurt
until he became famous for being barefooted. Once
he was asked
Why is it that you don t wear your
shoes? He replied
ecause my Lord corrected
and guided me while I was barefoot. So I will

remain like this until I die. Thus, he came to be
known as Bishr al-Haafi (Bishr the Barefoot).
173
The first thing about a slave is that he is not free.
He is bound by the commands of his master.

His life in its entirety is spent in obedience to
the commands of his master. From the moment
he awakes till he falls asleep he is alert to his
master s wishes.
The righteous slaves of Allah obey Him
promptly and sincerely. They honor and respect
His commands and prohibitions. They do not
cut corners. We dislike insincere employees who
leave half the work undone if we are not
looking. A slave is more indentured than a
servant and held to a higher level of obedience
and sincerity. Yet, we have one standard for
ourselves and what is due to us, but another for
Allah and what is due to Him.
174
m I living my life as llah s slave? Or do I act like

my own master? Do I wake up at Fajr because my
Owner is calling me? Do I wash up as He tells me
to? Do I wear the dress He gave me and told me to
wear? Do I do the tasks He set out for me to do?
Do I respect and obey those He commanded me to
respect and obey? Is His Pleasure my aim and
objective? Am I as humble as a slave? From my
expression and demeanour, from the way I walk
and talk, from the things that I do, could anyone
mistake me for a free man? Do I exhibit the
etiquettes of a slave?
To enjoy the five star hotels of the world we put
forth so much. Besides the cash, our clothes and
behavior also have to be of a certain standard. Is
there nothing we have to pay, and no behavior we
have to adopt, to enter llah s multi-billion star
Jannah? Bishr the barefoot realized in time what
was required of him. Will I?
175
Slap a Lion
him said: Only that thing overpowers the
son of Adam (man) which he feels afraid of.
If he does not fear anything besides Allah,
nothing will overpower him except Allah.
Man is turned over to only that thing
which he believes (with certainty) can
bring him benefit or harm. If the son of
Adam does not believe that benefit or harm
can come to him from anyone other than
Allah, Allah will never consign him to
anything else. [Kunzul Ummaal]
176
Will created beings overpower you or
be subjugated by you?
Once, bdullah Ibn Umar set off on a

journey. On the way he saw some
people stopped in their tracks. When he

inquired about the reason, he was told
that there was a lion in the way and the
people were afraid of it. Ibn Umar

dismounted and went up to the lion. He
caught the lion s ear, twisted it, slapped
it on its neck and pushed it away from
the path.
177
Then he said, The Messenger of llah
pbuh didn t inform us incorrectly. I heard

the Messenger of llah pbuh say, Only
that thing overpowers the son of Adam
(man) which he feels afraid of. If he does
not fear anything besides Allah, nothing
will overpower him except Allah. Man is
turned over to only that thing which he
believes (with certainty) can bring him

benefit or harm. If the son of Adam does
not believe that benefit or harm can come
to him from anyone other than Allah, Allah
will never consign him to anything else.
[ l-Bidaya wa an-Nihaya, by Imaam Ibn
Katheer]
178
179
180
Bright Faced or Scared

He who pursues the lawful things of
the world to show glory or boast will

meet Allah in His enraged condition.
But he who searches the world to
abstain from begging and to save
himself will come on the Day of
Resurrection with a face as bright as
the full moon. [Ihya Ulum Id Deen
by Imam Ghazali]
181
Allah tells us that he who restrains
himself from vain desires will have

Paradise as his destination.
It seems that nowadays everything we
do is for others appreciation and to

show off; what we eat, what we wear,
where we go to school, who we marry...
The deadly disease of showing off has

claimed our normal course of behavior.
182
If eating, drinking, dressing, educating
ourselves and getting married, are done

for the sake of Allah they are nextworldly actions, but if they are done to
satisfy lusts and win acclaim they are

worldly actions that bring us no benefit
of the Hereafter.
It is up to us to choose how we wish to
meet Allah on the Day of Judgment;
bright faced and joyous, or scared.
183
Sheepdog Instead Of Sheep

him said: The likeness of the one who
sits and listens to wisdom then only

speaks of the bad things that he has
heard, is that of a man who comes to a
shepherd and says, O shepherd, give me

one of your sheep to slaughter, and the
shepherd says, Go and grab the ear of
the best of them. Then he goes and

grabs the ear of the sheepdog. [Sunan
Ibn Majah]
184
Some people have the habit of picking faults.
This is especially pathetic when the person

has been listening to a speaker calling people
to the proper worship of Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). Should he make a mistake, we should
ask Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to forgive him;
after all we also have faults that we want
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to forgive. The
person who holds on to the mistakes and
refuses to take any lesson from all the
worthwhile things that the speaker
mentioned is likened in this hadith to a man

who was given a chance to take the choicest
of sheep to roast and feast but took the
sheepdog instead and remained hungry.
185
186
187
Confused By Prosperity
Once when Umar (may Allah be please with
him) was in the house of the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) he looked around and saw nothing of
importance except three hides. He narrated, So I

said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Invoke Allah to make
your followers rich, for the Persians and the
Romans have been made prosperous and they
have been given (the pleasures of the world),
although they do not worship Allah.' Thereupon
the Prophet (pbuh) sat up, as he had been
reclining, and said, 'Are you of such an opinion,

O son of Al-Khattab? These are the people who
have received the rewards for their good deeds in
this world.' I said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Ask Allah
to forgive me.' [Sahih ukhari]
188
Unfortunately, many Muslims today get

similarly confused by the prosperity that
they see non-Muslims in. They say that it
is the non-Muslims who must be the
beloved of Allah as they have been
bestowed with His favors. It is implied
that the non-Muslims should now be our
role models. The Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) states in this hadith, as does Allah

in the Quran, that whatever qualities the
non-Muslims have, they will be
recompensed for them in this world, since
they have no share in the Hereafter. On

the other hand, the main reward of the
Muslims is saved for the Hereafter.
189
Allah says that if this world had any
importance in His eyes, He would not have

given the disbelievers even a mouthful of
water to drink! What they are getting in this
life is in no ways any kind of reward.
Reward and punishment is for the next,
never-ending life. This life is the
examination hall. If a teacher has been
teaching her students all year that 2+2=4 and

she notices some students writing 2+2=6, she
will not correct them during the exam. It is
when they get their reports that they will be
rewarded or face the consequences for their
lack of effort. During the examination she
will not be rewarding or punishing those
who are excelling or those who are failing.

190
Furthermore, the prosperity of Muslim

societies in this worldly life will never
happen, by their only having the qualities of
the Kuffar. No matter how hardworking,
honest, scientifically advanced, or punctual
Muslims become, their societies will not

prosper if eeman and the implementation of
Islam/Shariah are missing. This is because
Allah holds Muslims to a higher standard. A
student of Masters level and a PhD student
may both be taking the same Chemistry
course, but for the Masters student the 'A'
may be given at 80% while for the PhD

student, obtaining 90% or above will get
him/her the same grade. In the same way,
since Muslims have guidance with them,
they are held to a higher standard.
191
Sirat Mustaqeem
Indeed llah has described a parable of
the Sirat Mustaqeem (Straight Path to

llah s Pleasure and Jannah): On the
two sides of the path are walls with
many unlocked doors, each door having

a curtain. There is a caller appointed at
the head of Sirat Mustaqeem who calls
out, O people keep to this straight path.
Don t look at or go on the crooked paths
breaking off from it.
192
Sirat Mustaqeem
When a person traveling this path wishes to
open one of these doors then a caller calls out,
eware, do not open it. If you open it then you
will adopt this path and leave the Sirat
Mustaqeem. The Sirat Mustaqeem is Islam,
and the walls are llah s Hudood (legal
limits), and the open doors are the Haraam
things forbidden by Allah, and the caller at the
doors is the Quran Kareem, and the caller on
the straight path is the living conscience gifted

as a guide from Allah to the heart of every
person possessing faith. [Musnad Ahmed]
193
The Sirat Mustaqeem is the straight
path that leads to llah s Pleasure and

Jannah. It is the surest, quickest and
safest way of getting there.
This hadith informs us that the

conscience that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) has gifted each human being
with, is to keep us on this straight path.

It keeps calling to the person reminding
him/her to stick to the straight path and
stay away from the things disliked by
Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
194
Our conscience tells us not only to not step
on those paths but also not to even take a

peek at them. This is because sin is tempting
and many are those who will not be able to
resist its pull. Once a person gets off a path, a
deviation of even the slightest degree with
time results in putting a great distance
between the person and his/her desired
destination.
The walls on the sides of the straight path are
the legal limits that Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
prescribes us to stay within. The doors in the
walls are the Haraam (forbidden) things that
take a person off track. The Quran is another
caller warning us to not open any of these
forbidden doors.
195
196
197
Consistency
Abu Huraira (r.a) narrated from the Prophet (pbuh)
that once while a man was traveling in the wilderness
he heard a voice in a cloud ordering the angel of the
cloud to pour its rain on a particular farm. So the man
followed the cloud and saw that it poured its rain on a

rocky volcanic plain. All the water gathered in a stream
and poured into a farm. The man saw the owner
working in that farm and asked him his name. The name
was the same one that he had heard from the cloud. The
man then related what he had heard and seen, and
inquired from the owner of the farm what was special
about him that would explain all of this. Given the
reason for the inquiry, the owner explained that he
would plant his farm and then split the harvest into
three equal parts. One part he gave as sadaqa, the
second part he kept as food for himself and his family,
198
and the third part he replanted. [Muslim]
There are two important lessons that we
obtain from this hadith:

1. The importance of consistency in doing
good deeds: The man was giving one
third of his earnings as sadaqa on a

regular basis. This is why Allah was
sending rain especially for him. The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us that

the deeds most loved by Allah are those
that are done regularly even though
they may be few. [Bukhari]
199
2. The importance of sadaqa: Allah was
sending rizk to this man (in the form of

rain) because of his sadaqa. Allah, therefore,
used him as a channel to provide for the
needy. Money is a trial from Allah, it is not a
sign of a person s righteousness. Some of

the prophets of Allah were poor and some
of the enemies of Allah were rich.
Allah's reward is the everlasting, beautiful
Jannah, which contains only happiness and

delight. Allah says that if the significance of
this world was even as much as the wing of
a mosquito in His eyes, He would not give
those who deny Him even a sip of water to

drink. Therefore, the good things of this
world are of no significance when
compared to the Hereafter.
200
Sustenance from Heaven

upon him said: If he had left it to
itself the millstone would have circled

on and on till the Day of
Resurrection or kept on grinding the
flour (which would never have
exhausted . [Tabarani]
201
The story behind this hadith is that
there was once a pious couple who was

very needy and lived a life of
destitution. But the couple was blessed
with faith and trust in Allah (subhana

wa ta ala). Extreme hunger forced the
husband to go out into the desert and
look for food while his wife turned to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) in this terrible
predicament, as He alone is the support
of those who have no one to lean on.
She prayed to Him saying, O llah,
grant us what we may knead into
bread.
202
When the husband returned home, he
observed an amazing scene. There was a

vessel full of flour and the millstone filled
with wheat was grinding it into flour,
while the oven was roasting fresh meat. He
asked his wife in amazement, Where did
all this come from? She said, This is from
the provision of llah. The man then
started to sweep the place around the

millstone with a broom. The Messenger of
Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) revealed
to us that if he had not swept the particles
around the millstone, it would have
continued to grind in that manner until the
Day of Resurrection. [Tabarani; Bayhaqi;
Ahmad]
203
Some people refuse to believe in such
events saying that they do not measure up

to man s knowledge of how things work.
Unfortunately, we have blind faith in what
scientists say but not in what Prophets tell
us. Denial of such cases which are
confirmed in Ahadith is tantamount to
denial of Hadith and denial of llah s
powers. Man is dependent on means, but

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is not dependent
on anything. In fact the means too, are
created by Him. He is the Lord of the
worlds and He nourishes His slaves by any
means He chooses, with or without known
agencies.
204
This Hadith also confirms that Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) helps His pious

slaves and provides them their
livelihood. Unusual occurrences may
occur for them, but it happens for them

according to llah s will and not on
their demand.
205
Finally, this Hadith also tells us to refrain from
putting a stop to the unexpected blessings of

Allah or to show ungratefulness for them. A
similar miracle occurred in the Battle of
Ahzab/Trench at the hands of the Prophet
(pbuh). The food prepared by Jabir (may Allah
be pleased with him), though little, was made
sufficient for a large army. Here, too, the
Prophet (pbuh) had said to Jabir (may Allah be

pleased with him , Do not open the vessel
until I come. Then he poured out the broth
with his own hands but he would cover the
utensil again after taking out each person s
broth and bread. We should not try to
investigate into the unseen help from Allah but
have faith in His help and His blessings.
206
207
208
Charity Increases Wealth

Those who spend in causes seeking
the pleasure of Allah remain in His
shelter. Angels send blessings on them
and pray for increase in their wealth.
[Muslim]
209
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) swore
that spending for the pleasure of Allah

did not decrease wealth, rather
increased it. When you feel financial
hardship, give more in the path of Allah

to increase your wealth!
210
Showing Off in Good Deeds

upon him said: The slightest bit of
showing off in good works is as if

worshipping others with llah.
[Hakim]
211
If you work for a company then go to
their competitor to get your salary do

you think the competitor will pay you?
A man hires a servant but instead of
doing work around his house he s

always running errands for the
neighbors. Who should he expect will
pay his wages?
212
When we do good deeds to make Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) happy, He will

reward us with Jannah insha llah. But
if we do those deeds in order for other
people to praise us then why should we

expect Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to
compensate us for what was not done
for Him?
Thus, he who shows off in doing good
deeds is setting up partners with Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) by seeking their
appreciation rather than llah s.
213
When a Muslim does a good deed that
he intends to conceal but Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) reveals it, then he
should admit it and thank Him for it.
That will not be showing off. For

example, if asked if one is fasting, and
one is, then one should say Praise be
to Allah (Alhamdu-lillah .
214
215
216
Charity Not To Rich Or

Healthy
"It is not permissible to give charity to

a rich man (or one who is independent
of means) or to one who is strong and
healthy." [Sunan An-Nasai - Sahih]
217
'Strong' means the one who is capable of
earning his livelihood. nd healthy

means the one whose hands and feet are
wholesome and not handicapped, and
he is not incapacitated by some illness. If

such a person is poor despite his labor or
is unable to find employment, then he
will be entitled to receive Zakah or
Sadaqah.
218
Seek to Make Lawful

The Messenger of llah pbuh said: There
will be (at some future time) people from my
Ummah who will seek to make lawful:
fornication, the wearing of silk, wine-drinking
and the use of musical instruments (ma aazif).
Some people will stay at the side of the
mountain and when their shepherd comes in

the evening to ask them for his needs, they will
say, Return to us tomorrow. Then llah will
destroy them during the night by causing the
mountain to fall upon them, while He changes
others into apes and swines. They will remain
in such a state until the Day of Resurrection.
[Sahih Bukhari]
219
This hadith is clear in its prohibition of
(1) fornication, (2) wearing of silk, (3)

wine-drinking and (4) musical
instruments. It is clearly established
that the word ma aazif - according to

correct Arabic usage indicates a
specific number of things: (a) musical
instruments, (b) the sounds of those
musical instruments music, and (c)
singing to instrumental
accompaniment.
220
An analysis of this hadith s wording
clearly indicates the unlawfulness of

music. The text says that people from
the Prophet s Ummah will seek to
make lawful that which is termed

ma aazif. Obviously, one can only seek,
desire or attempt to make lawful that
which is not lawful. For if something is
already lawful, it is nonsensical for one
to seek to establish it.
221
Other things that people will attempt to
make lawful are named along with

ma aazif. These additional matters are
also well known to be prohibited in
Islam namely, illegal sexual

intercourse, the drinking of wine or
liquor, and the wearing of silk (by men).
Had ma aazif not been prohibited, they
never would have been associated with
other prohibited objects in one and the
same context. [The Islamic Ruling on
Music and Singing by Abu Bilal
Mustafa Al-Kanadi]
222
223
224
Convey An Ayah
The Prophet pbuh 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]
225
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 wellversed 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.
226
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 (pbuh) 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.
227
Same Thing Increases and

Decreases Wealth
upon him said: Remember often the
Ender of Pleasures, for truly, it is not
remembered in a plentitude save it
diminishes it, and not remembered in

a dearth save it increases it. [Nasai]
228
A person may have a large family,
much wealth and good health, but if he

begins to seriously consider his death
(the ender of pleasures) - the coming of
the angel of death, the taking out of his

soul, the questioning in the grave, the
punishment for those who lived their
life heedless - then he cannot help but
think that what he has of family and
wealth is insignificant. When his life is
over, all that will help him are his faith
and deeds.
229
On the other hand, a person who has
very little but remembers death often

will also feel the insignificance of his
situation. Rather than being depressed
about his lack of resources, he will

realize that what he needs are good
deeds to attain a never ending life of
happiness and comfort. So he will feel
that what he has of worldly fortune is
actually more than what he needs, for
he does not need any material resources
to earn llah s pleasure and to prepare
for the questioning that begins with
death.
230
231
232
233
Congratulations
Narrated Muawiya (may Allah be
pleased with him): I heard the Prophet
(pbuh) saying, "A group of people

amongst my followers will remain
obedient to Allah's orders and they
will not be harmed by anyone who will

not help them or who will oppose
them, till Allah's Order (the Last Day)
comes upon them while they are still
on the right path." [Sahih Bukhari]
234
These are really good tidings for us, that
no matter what the enemies of Islam try,

they will never be able to annihilate
Islam. There will always, till the Day of
Judgment, be Muslims who are rightly

guided and rightly guiding.
Congratulations to such people, for
Allah promises that nobody will be able
to harm them.
235
Regarding the qualities of these people who are
fully obedient to Allah's shariah, Yahya ibn

Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"Congratulations to those who leave the world
before it deserts them; to those who build their
graves before they enter them; and to those who
please their Lord before they meet Him.
Ahmad bin Bindar narrated that Abu Hurairah
(may Allah be pleased with him) cried during his

last illness, and when asked about it said, "Surely I
am not crying because of being attached to your
world, but rather for the long journey awaiting me,
and the little provisions I have prepared for it. This

morning, I am descending upon either paradise, or
hell, and I have no idea towards which of the two I
will be taken!"
236
This was the state of Abu Hurairah s taqwa

of Allah, although his efforts for Islam were
such that he is a primary source through
which Islam has reached us. Abu Hurairah
(may Allah be pleased with him) was the
famous Companion of the Prophet (pbuh)

from whom the most ahadith, 5374, are
reported. He would divide his nights into
three parts. In one third of the night he
would perform salaah, in one third he would
sleep and in one third he would memorize
the ahadith of the Prophet (pbuh). If Abu
Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) ,

the narrator of the greatest number of
ahadith, worried so much about his
hereafter, how much more cause do we have
to worry about it!
237
Slim Real Fast

llah s Messenger pbuh said: Do you
know what slander (Gheebah is? The
Sahabah answered: llah and His

Messenger know best. He pbuh said:
It is to mention of your brother that
which he would dislike to hear .

Someone asked: What if he is as I say?
llah pbuh replied: If he is as you
say, you have slandered him, and if not,

you have calumniated (Buhtan him.
[Sahih Muslim]
238
Slander is saying anything about a
person that he would dislike to have

said about him, whether aloud, in
writing, by a sign, or a gesture.
Anything by which one conveys a

Muslim s shortcomings to another is
slander (Gheebah), and as such it is
unlawful (Haraam). It includes doing
imitations of someone, such as by
walking with a limp, with a stoop, or
similar posture, intending to mimic the
person with such a deficiency. Anything
of this sort is unquestionably Haraam.
239
Our pious predecessors understood that
listening to slander or desiring to hear it

constitutes slander itself. Ibraheem ibn
Adham (may Allah be pleased with him)
answered an invitation to come to a

wedding feast, where some of those
present mentioned that a certain person
who did not attend was unpleasant.
Ibraheem said, I myself have done this
(become unpleasant) by coming to a
place where others are slandered, and
he left and would not eat for three days.

[Reliance of the Traveller by Ahmad ibn
Naqib al-Misri]
240
If we stopped eating for three days each
time we heard a negative comment on

someone, we d be thin as toothpicks by
now. Why not start this? Fast for three
consecutive days each time you either

slander someone or listen to anyone
being slandered.
241
242
243
Commitments
"He has (really) no faith who fulfills
not his trust, and he has (really) no

religion who fulfills not his promise."
[Baihaqi]
244
Always keep your word. Each time you
keep a commitment you are rewarded

by Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) for obeying
Him. If you mix a few drops of wine in a
glass full of water, it spoils the whole

glass of water and makes it unfit for
consumption. Similarly, dishonesty in
any sphere of your life permeates and
corrupts your entire nature and eeman.
When a person s words carry no weight,
it only reveals his/her treacherous
nature.
245
If you promise to be somewhere, make
sure you are there on time. If you

promise to call somebody back, do so on
time. Don't commit what you cannot do.
One minute means 60 seconds

everywhere, no more. Make a habit of
under-committing rather than overcommitting.
246
She Chooses Her Entrance

upon him said: If a woman prays
her five daily prayers, guards her

honor and chastity, and obeys her
husband, then she may enter Jannah
through whichever one of its
entrances she chooses. [Sahih Ibn
Hibban]
247
This hadith informs women of the great
position and status that they have in Islam.

Compared to someone else s children what
do your children have to do to earn your
favors? Very little! You wish to reward
them highly for the slightest of
achievements. This is llah s state of affairs
with us. The Shariah has promised women
Jannah in exchange for few and easy deeds:

They should keep away from prohibited
deeds, pray regularly, and keep their
husbands happy by caring for and obeying
them. Voila: She may enter Jannah through
whichever of its doors she chooses.
248
Take care not to miss any of your prayers. Pray
them in their proper times. If Allah (subhana

wa ta ala) has blessed you with a husband, he
is your ticket to Jannah. Serve him with love.
Take care of his needs. Anything you do for
him - whether it is washing his clothes, cooking

for him, taking care of his children, talking
respectfully and affectionately to him,
adorning yourself for him stockpiles
mountains of Hasanaat for you. There is no

work you can do outside the home that will
earn you the same amount of reward for the
Akhirah. So remember llah s rights on you
(prayer, fasting, Zakat) and obey your husband

in all matters that do not go against the
Shariah. It is this simple to make a home for
yourself in the place of everlasting comfort and
happiness.
249
250
251
Cheerful Countenance
Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with
him) reported that the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) said:

Don't consider anything
insignificant out of good things, even
if it is that you meet your brother with

a cheerful countenance. [Sahih
Muslim]
252
Every little good counts with Allah.
Even meeting another Muslim with a

smile increases your balance of good
deeds.
Seeing a cheerful face makes others feel

happy. Giving someone this little bit of
happiness is a source of reward for you
when you do it for the sake of earning

llah s pleasure.
253
Same Standards
It was asked of the Prophet (peace be
upon him) what rights a wife had
over her husband. He replied: That
he feed her when he eats himself, and
that he clothe her when he clothes
himself, and not strike her upon the
face, nor revile her, nor leave her
alone unless in her own house. [bu

Dawud]
254
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is
telling us to set the same standards for

our families that we set for ourselves. It
does not befit a Muslim to eat, drink or
clothe himself at a higher standard than

what he can do for his dependents.
Although this may appear to be
common sense and what a Muslim
would naturally do, Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) spelt everything out for us,
making it crystal clear for all men, for
all times.
255
To provide for his wife and children is
incumbent on a man, since Allah (subhana

wa ta ala) says: Men are the protectors
and maintainers of women, because
Allah has given the one more (strength)

than the other, and because they
support them from their means
[Quran 4:34] Other Ayaat and Ahadith

also make it clear that men are the
providers for their families. It is because of
this that they are given the upper hand in

decision making for their family. A Muslim
woman is the queen of her house and is
taken care of by her king.
256
Faraid are more valuable and more
highly rewarded than Nawafil. Taking

care of the family s basic needs is
recompensed by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) as a Fard and is therefore highly

rewarded. Whatever is not required but
done for the family anyway, is
rewarded as a Sadaqa. It should be
remembered that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) is pure and accepts only purity.
Therefore, the man must take care of his
Fard and Nafl with pure, Halal,
earnings in order to be rewarded by
257
wife s emotional and physical
security is also detailed as being the

responsibility of her husband. She
should be treated with respect and
protected. If she is left alone anywhere

and should some incident happen to
her, her husband will be held
accountable by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) as he was responsible for her
protection. In return, it is her job to
make her husband s home a peaceful
sanctuary for him, so that when he
returns from work he can rest and enjoy
his family life with her.
258
259
260
Cursing
Cursing a believer is like killing
him. [Sahih ukhari]
261
Curse la n
means to put someone far
from divine mercy. Such a person, who

does not get llah s forgiveness, will be
ruined on the Day of Judgment. This is a
very serious thing. We are not used to
guarding our tongues and enormous
utterances roll off them easily while the
Prophet (peace be upon him) guaranteed

Jannah to those who could control their
tongues.
262
How grave the condition is of one

cursed, can be judged by the Messenger
of llah s orders regarding the camel
that had been cursed. Once while the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was on a
journey, there was a woman of the Ansar
riding a camel which annoyed her,
whereupon she cursed it. The Messenger

of Allah (pbuh) heard this and said,
Take off what is on its back and release
it, for it has been cursed.
The camel
walked along among the people and no

one would stop it. [Sahih Muslim]
263
Who s Invited
upon him said: The worst of feasts
is a feast of marriage to which the
rich are invited and the poor are
ignored. [Mishkat Al-Masabih]
264
Never forget to invite poor people to
your Valima. Check your guest list. Are

you using this occasion to climb up the
ladder or to please Allah (subhana wa
ta ala)?
265
Steep Mountain-Climbing
upon him said: In front of you is a
difficult ascent, which those who are
heavily laden cannot get over.
[Mishkat Al-Masabih]
266
Life is described here as a steep
mountain we have to climb over. It is

hard enough to climb with just the
necessary supplies in a backpack.
However, he/she who tries to climb it

with two heavy suitcases in hand, in
addition to the backpack, will not be
able to reach the top. They may well die
before they are successful in their
mission.
267
Why is it important to climb high?
Because only the successful mountain

climbers will enter Jannah.
What is the luggage that is weighing
you down? It is your unnecessary

involvement in the matters of this
world, the things that will not count in
your favor when your deeds are

weighed in the Balance on the Day of
Judgement.
268
The following ayaat of Surah Balad
describe some aspects of this ascent:
ut he made no haste on the scent

(path that is steep). Ah, what will
convey unto you what the Ascent is!

(It is) to free a slave, and to feed in
the day of hunger an orphan near of
kin, or some poor indigent (down) in

the dust, and to be of those who
believe and exhort one another to
perseverance (constancy, selfrestraint) and exhort one another to
compassion. [
-17]
269
270
271
272
Curse Comes Back

When a servant curses something,
the curse rises up to the sky, where the
doors of the sky shut it out, and then it

falls back to earth, where the doors of
the earth shut it out. Then it searches
right and left and when it does not
find anywhere to go it comes back to
the thing which was cursed, should it

deserve it. If not, it returns upon the
person who uttered it. [Abu Dawud]4
Cursing someone who does not deserve

it is a major sin (kabair/enormity). An
undeserved curse returns to the one who
uttered it. Thus, we should be very
careful and guard our tongues vigilantly.
Souls in Existence
with him) narrated that the Messenger of

Allah (peace be upon him) said: When
Allah created Aadam He wiped his back
and every soul of his offspring He was to
create up to the Day of Resurrection fell
from his back. He put on the forehead of

every one of them a flash of light, then
presented them to Aadam who asked, My
Lord, who are they? Allah said, They are

your offspring.
6
Souls in Existence
He saw one of them and was charmed by
the flash on his forehead, hence he asked,

My Lord, who is this? Allah told him
that he was a man from his children of the
final group of people who would be called
Dawood. Aadam asked, My Lord! What
age have you assigned to him? Allah

said, Sixty years. Aadam requested, My
Lord! Increase his age and give him forty
years of my life.
Souls in Existence
When Aadams period of life came to an
end, the angel of death came to him. He

protested, Are there not forty years of my
life remaining? The angel reminded him,
Did you not give them to your son

Dawood? Aadam denied it (with the
result that) all his children denied. And
Aadam forgot (with the result that) all his
children developed (the malady of)
forgetfulness. And Aadam slipped and his
children faultered. [Sunan Imam
Tirmidhi Hasan Sahih hadith]
8
There are several lessons to be learnt

from this hadith:
1. The first thing that this hadith
confirms is that man was created as we
see him now. Allah (subhana wa taala)
created Aadam (alaihis salam) in a
perfect form directly. From the very first
day, he was intelligent, able to speak,
and feel and understand, and to

distinguish between right and wrong. It
is not as some people believe that man
was an ape and gradually evolved into

his present form.
9
2. We also learn from this hadith that characteristics

are inherited by mankind whether they are
temperamental, physical or mental. Aadam (alaihis
salam) denied having made a gift of his age to
anyone, not out of disobedience but forgetfulness.
His progeny inherited this weakness and
forgetfulness became a peculiarity of the children of
Aadam.
The most important thing that humans forget is the
covenant they made with Allah (subhana wa taala)
at the time of their creation. Allahs books and
prophets are thus there to remind them. In everyday

matters Allah (subhana wa taala) has made it
necessary that every important affair, especially
financial, should be recorded to forestall every
denier and every forgetfulness. The Shariah has
prescribed recording dealings and having witnesses
to ward off disputes and unpleasantness.
10
3. This hadith also confirms our

eeman in divine ordainment or fate
(qada wa qadar). Allah (subhana wa
taala) has determined which
individuals will come into existence
and created their souls. Nothing can
prevent them from coming into this
world at the time appointed for them.
Nor can anyone bring into this world

any individual without Allahs Will.
Furthermore, the age of all living
things is also pre-determined and

there will be no increase or decrease
in it.
11
4. This hadith expresses the grandeur of

Prophet Dawood (alaihis salam) and
confirms the strength of his faith and
intelligence which is reflected in the
brightness on his forehead.
5. This hadith also informs us that it is

alright to reckon the years of ones life
because Aadam (alaihis salam) had kept

a record of his age.
12
13
14
Cowardice and Stinginess

The most evil (traits) in a man are:
severe stinginess and uninhibited
cowardice. [Sunan Abu Dawud]
15
To love wealth is a part of human

nature. But to let this love control you
and prevent you from spending in the
Path of Allah is sinful. Whatever we
have, is bestowed on us from Allah in
order to see what we do with it. The
purpose of life on earth is not to reward
or punish anybody here but to see
whether we fulfill our commitment to

Allah and qualify for His Jannah or not.
16
Similarly, to feel fearful is natural. But to

let your fear control you to the extent
that it prevents you from fulfilling your
obligations (of obedience to Allah and
protection of His deen and Muslims) is a
sin.
Do you control the stinginess and
cowardice of your soul or is it
controlling you?
17
Surah Baqarah keeps Shaitaan

Out
with him) reported that the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Do
not turn your houses into graves.
Shaitaan is barred from any house in
which Surat al-Baqarah is recited."

[Sahih Muslim]
18
Some houses have a happy, welcoming

feel to them while others have a
depressing, desolate aura about them. A
house that is haunted inspires in the
person who enters it, the feeling that
one should not be there and makes one
feel like running away from it. One of
the ways to keep the Shayateen (devils)
out of your house is by reciting Surah

Baqarah in it frequently. When a house
is free of Shayateen you will feel
peaceful and comfortable in it.
19
20
21
Cleanse Yourself Properly

passed by two graves and said: The
two are being tormented, and not for
anything excessive: one of them did

not free himself of traces of urine,
while the other was a talebearer.
[Sahih Muslim]
22
In other words, these two deeds we

must avoid having traces of urine on
ourselves, and telling tales on people.
This is because the torment of the grave
is too awful to risk undergoing because
of them. Why incur it on things that can
be avoided with a little care.
After youve relieved yourself, clean
yourself properly. If you have access to

water, use that as well to clean yourself.
Allah (commands us in the Quran about
keeping our clothes clean: And your
raiment purify [74:4]

23
As for telling tales on people, we spot it

easily in children, but dont realize how
often grown-ups do it, and what a huge
factor it plays in souring our
relationships and ruining our peace of
mind.
24
Surah ad-Dhukhan
with him) narrated that the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
"Whosoever recites Surah ad-Dhukhan

every night, seventy thousand angels
will ask forgiveness for him."
[Tirmidhi]
25
When one is aware of the content of this

surah it cannot help but act as a nightly
cleanser of one's faith. We are very
concerned about removing the minutest
amount of dirt and filth from our faces
and bodies, with expensive facials and
body scrubs, but what about the dirt
that accumulates on our souls and on
our eeman? This filth needs to be

regularly removed too.
26
Although the whole Quran is for

recitation, not just portions of it, yet the
surahs that Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)
associates particular reward with and
which were recited at particular times
by the Prophet (pbuh), must definitely
contain certain key reminders for us
that are cleansers of our faith.
27
Reaffirming and cleansing our faith

before we go to sleep each night is
important, so that if our time of death
comes during our sleep, we die in a
state of eeman. In addition, who would
not like to have 70,000 angels praying
for his/her forgiveness?
28
29
30
Clean Up Time
him) said: Cleanliness is half the faith
(Emaan). [Sahih Muslim]
31
When you clean up your home, or room,

wash your clothes, wash the dishes, take
a bath, trim your nails, tidy up do you
realize that you are getting rewarded by
Allah for it, if you are doing it because
Allah told us to take care of cleanliness?
Next time make a conscious intention to
clean up for Allahs Pleasure and pray to
Allah to reward you maximally for your

efforts.
Filthiness does not go with Eeman and
Islam.
32
Shaytan an Alim without Amal

him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
deputized me to keep (guard over) Sadaqah of
Ramadan. Someone came and started taking
handfuls of the Sadaqah quickly. I took hold of
him and said, 'By Allah, I will take you to the
Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'I am needy and
have many dependents.' I released him, and in
the morning the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
asked me, 'What did your prisoner do
yesterday?' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah!

The person complained of being needy and of
having many dependents, so I pitied him and
let him go.'
33
Shaytan an Alim without

Amal...
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, 'Indeed,
he told you a lie and he will return.' I believed

that he would return again as the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh) had told me that he would
return. So I waited for him watchfully. When
he returned and started stealing handfuls of
foodstuff I caught hold of him again and said,

'I will definitely take you to the Messenger of
Allah.' He said, 'Leave me, for I am very
needy and have many dependents. I promise I
will not come back again.' I pitied him and let
him go.
34

Amal...
In the morning the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
asked me, 'What did your prisoner do?' I

replied, 'O Messenger of Allah! He complained
of his great need and of too many dependents, so
I took pity on him and set him free.' The

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, 'Verily, he told
you a lie and he will return.' I waited for him
attentively for the third time, and when he came
and started stealing handfuls of the Sadaqah, I
caught hold of him and said, 'I will surely take

you to the Messenger of Allah as it is the third
time you promise not to return, yet you break
35
your promise and come.'

Amal...
He said, 'Forgive me and I will teach you
some words with which Allah will benefit

you.' I asked, 'What are they?' He
replied, 'When ever you go to bed, recite
Ayat al-Kursi: 'Allah There is no God
but He, the Living, the Everlasting', till
you finish the whole verse. If you do so,
Allah will appoint a guard for you who
will stay with you and no devil will come

near you till morning.' So, I released
him.
36

Amal...
In the morning, the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) asked, 'What did your prisoner do

yesterday?' I replied, 'He claimed that he
would teach me some words by which
Allah will benefit me, so I let him go.'
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked,
'What are they?' I replied, 'He said to
me, When ever you go to bed, recite Ayat
al-Kursi from the beginning to the end:

Allah There is no God but He, the
Living, the Everlasting.
37

Amal...
He further said to me, If you do so, Allah
will appoint a guard for you, who will

stay with you, and no devil will come
near you till morning. The Prophet
(pbuh) said, 'He really spoke the truth,
although he is an absolute liar. Do you
know whom you were talking to, these
three nights, O Abu Hurairah?' Abu
Hurairah said, 'No.' He said, 'It was

Shaytan (the Devil).'" [Sahih Bukhari:
Book of Wakalah]
38
This hadith reminds us that Shaytan is

also an alim (learned one), but an alim
who does no amal (acts) according to
his knowledge. His transgression is that
he chooses to disobey Allah (subhana
wa ta'ala) despite his knowledge of
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala), Jannat and
Jahannum. Let us not be like the Devil.
39
The second thing that we learn from this

hadith is that reciting Ayat al-Kursi at
night keeps Shaytan away from us till
the morning. Who wouldn't want their
houses to be free from evil during the
night, while they are asleep? Make a
habit of reciting it at night and teach
your children from a young age to read
Ayat al-Kursi as soon as they lay down

in bed. Habits made at an early age are
the easiest the keep.
40
41
42
Crossing Thorny Fields

him) said: The lawful is clear, and the
unlawful is clear, and between them
are things which are doubtful and not

known to most of you. So anyone who
keeps away from doubtful things, in
fact protects his faith and honor, and
he who indulges in doubtful acts, falls
into fault. [Bukhaari]
43
In Islam, forbidden things are known as

Haraam and permitted things are known as
Halaal. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him) advised us to stick to what we know with

certainty to be Halaal and steer clear of things
that we dont know for sure to be Halaal,
matters about which the heart feels doubtful.
Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased
with him) asked Ubbay ibn Kaab (may Allah be
pleased with him), What is the meaning of
Taqwa? Ubbay ibn Kaab said, O Amir ul

Muminin, have you walked in a field that had a
lot of thorny plants? Umar said, Yes Ubbay
ibn Kaab asked, So what did you do? Umar

replied, I lifted up my clothes and I was very
careful, Ubbay ibn Kaab said, That is Taqwa.
44
Living in this world is like walking in a

field full of thorny plants. Shaytaan and
his followers try to seduce us and invite
us to evil which they make attractive
with benefits. Having Taqwa is being
careful so that one doesnt get caught on
these thorns. We ask Allah to make us of
the Muttaqoon.
45
Speak Less and Listen More

him) said: "Those who believe in Allah

and the Last Day, let them speak well
or keep silent." [Tirmidhi]
46
In other words, if you do not have some

truthful, useful, nice thing to say then
you should not say anything. Ever
notice that Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has
given you two ears, two eyes and only
one mouth? This means that we need to
look and listen more and speak less.
Relationships will improve
tremendously, and we wont be

amassing sins right and left either by
thoughtless words.
47
48
49
Charity or Snake
The wealthy man who has not paid

the rights of others from his wealth,
will have his treasure become a snake
on Doomsday, which will chase him
with open mouth. Then a voice will be
heard, Catch hold of your wealth

which you had concealed, and I am
unconcerned with this. When he will
see that there is no escape, he will put

his hand in its mouth, and it will bite
him as a bull eats grass. [Bukhaari] 50
Wealth, from which the rights of poor

and needy people are not met, becomes
the cause of its owners punishment and
disgrace. A person may lie in this world
and say that he doesnt have any money
with which to help others, but such
concealed wealth is like a snake hiding
in its hole waiting to bite him. This
wealth will be turned into a living snake

on the Day of Judgment and it will chase
to attack and bite its owner.
51
The next time Shaytaan or your Nafs try

to prevent you from giving to those who
have rights upon your wealth, ask
yourself whats preferable: Putting your
hand in your pocket now, or having it
bitten off by a snake later as a bull bites
grass?
52
Spreading Lies
Narrated Samura bin Jundub: The Messenger
of Allah (pbuh) often used to say to his

companions, Has anyone among you seen a
dream? Then whoever Allah willed would tell of
his dream. One day he said to us, Two (angels)
came to me last night and woke me up, then they
said to me, Lets go! so we set out and came
to a man who was lying flat on his back and
another man standing over his head with an iron
hook, and behold, he would put the hook in one
side of the man's mouth and tear off that side of
his face to the back (of the neck) and similarly
tear his nose from front to back and his eye from
front to back.
53
Spreading Lies
Then he turned to the other side of the man's face
and did just as he had done with the other side.
Hardly had he completed this side when the first
side was restored to its normal state. Then he went
back and did that all over again. I said to my two
companions, 'Subhaan Allah! Who are these two
persons?' They said to me, Move on, move on!'
.(Then he said, describing how the two angels
explained the things that he had seen): As for the
man you came across, the sides of whose mouth,
nostrils and eyes were being torn off from front to
back, he is the symbol of the man who goes out of

his house in the morning and tells so many lies
that it spreads all over the world. [Sahih
Bukhari]
54
In this age of false information, the

media is a powerful tool of propaganda.
It has proved itself to be biased and a
disburser of whatever is required to

support a particular foreign policy
position. Not only are the people
working for TV channels, movies,

newspapers, magazines, etc. cautioned
in this hadith, but also the common man
who close-mindedly repeats whatever

he/she hears. Each propagates lies that
spread all over the world and do untold
damage. We should desperately seek

Allah's help to sift through correct
information and lies.
55
56
57
Cleanliness Prerequisite for

Prayer
Allahs Messenger (peace be upon
him) said: The Salaat (prayer) of a
person who does Hadath (passes urine,
stool or wind) is not accepted till he
performs (repeats) the Wudhu.
[Bukhari]
58
Allah says: O you who believe!

When you intend to offer prayer,
wash your faces and your hands up
to the elbows, lightly rub (by passing
wet hands over) your heads, and
(wash) your feet up to the ankles. If

you are in a state of Janaba, purify
yourselves (bathe your whole body).
[Surah al-Maidah: Ayat 6]
59
The method that Islam has adopted to

keep the body clean is in accordance
with mans material nature. If man were
merely a soul, there would have been no
necessity to bathe or wash. But since his
soul resides in a material cover made of
the earths elements, and he makes use
of its vegetables and minerals, and he
leaves the excreta of his stomach on it,

Islam has made Wudhu (ablution) and
Ghusl (bathing) compulsory for him so
that he may keep clean of filth.
60
Shielding A Muslim
The Prophet of Allah (pbuh) said: A
Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so

he should not oppress him, nor should he
hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever
fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will
fulfill his needs; whoever brought his
(Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah
will bring him out of the discomforts of the
Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a
Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of

Resurrection. [Bukhari]
61
We all know that we cannot make it alone.

Without the help and assistance of Allah, we
cannot go anywhere. If you want the assistance of
Allah to be on your side, jump to the assistance of

your brother. Thats how you will protect
yourself. If you let your Muslim brother down,
dont think that will please your enemy, no! It
wont! The enemy will carry on. You will be next

in line. Take it as a rule, Shaytan will never be
satisfied until he is able to destroy the entire
Ummah. Nothing will satisfy Shaytan. He has

been our enemy since the time of Adam (alaihis
salam) and he will carry on being our enemy until
the time of the Day of Judgement. Dont think that
you can please him and keep him quiet by

feeding him one of your brothers. His hunger is
never satisfied. His thirst is never quenched.
62
There were once four cows. One of them was white

and the other three were black. They used to live in
a dangerous area surrounded by wolves. The way
they protected themselves was by sticking together,
and watching out for each other. So they survived.
But one day the three black cows had a meeting.
They said, This white cow is giving us away. When
we try to hide at night, because we are black no one
can see us, but the enemy is able to see the white
cow, so why dont we just let him go. So from that
day on, the three black cows would be on one side
and the poor white cow was boycotted.

The wolf is very intelligent. He was able to detect
the disunity that was amongst these cows. So he
made his move and attacked the white cow, and
while the wolf devoured his flesh the three black
cows did nothing. They watched as their brother
was torn to pieces!
63
But the following night the wolf attacked

the three black cows. Why? Because now
they were one cow short, so they were not
as strong as they were the day before. Then

there were only two black cows left. So the
night after, it was even easier for the wolf
and he ate one more of them. And then on

the final night there was only one cow left
with no supporter and no helper. So the
wolf pounced on the cow and grabbed him
by the neck. As the cow was dieing he
pronounced his last words. This black cow
said, I was eaten the day the white cow
was eaten. In other words, that was the

day he sealed his fate and signed his own
death certificate.
64
65
66
Crossing the Bridge over Hell

It was said: O Messenger of Allah, what
is the bridge? He (peace be upon him)

said: It is the void in which one is likely to
slip. In it there are hooks and tongs and
spikes like the thorns of the plant in Najd

which is called As-Sadaan. The believers
then will pass over it within the twinkling
of an eye, like lightning, or the wind, or
birds, and like fine horses and camels.
Some will escape and be safe, some will be
scratched (by the hooks, etc.) and let go,
and some will be piled up in the Fire of
Hell. [Muslim]
67
After the Reckoning and weighing and

intercession, finally, we will have to cross
the Bridge over Hell. He/she who is able to
cross it goes to Paradise, while he/she who
cared not for that Day will fall into Hell.
The Ayah, There is not one of you but will
pass over it (Hell) [Quran: Surah
Maryam, Ayat 71] affected the attitude of
the righteous and kept them awake at

night. It changed their whole life and kept
them from laughing and enjoying their
pleasures to the full.
68
Ibn Katheer mentioned that when Abu

Maysarah went to bed he said, Would
that my mother had never given birth to
me! Then he wept. He was asked,
Why are you weeping, O Abu
Maysarah? He said, Allah has told us
that we will pass over it (Hell), but He
has not told us that we will be saved
from falling into it. [Tafseer Ibn

Katheer]
69
Reflect Upon the Creation

him) said: Reflect upon the creation
and do not reflect upon Allah. [At-
Targheeb]
70
The reflection which is forbidden here is

to try to reflect about Allahs Self, asking
how? and why? and so on. Trying
to reflect deeply about Allah (subhana
wa taala) causes doubt in the heart.
However, one should reflect on Allahs

creation, His dominion, the blessings
which He has bestowed, His greatness
and His names and attributes.
71
The following is an example of how Imam

Shafii reflected. He was asked what made
him believe in Allah. He replied to the
question in the following way, The leaves

of Toot (berries) are all but one. Each leaf
tastes exactly the same. Insects, honey bees,
cows, goats, and deer live off of it. After

eating these, the insects produce silk; bees
produce honey; deer give musk (a special
kind of scent), cows and goats produce
feces (and milk). Is this not clear evidence
that one kind of leaf has so many qualities,
and who created these qualities? It is the
Khaliq (Creator) who we call Allah

(subhanahu wa ta`ala) Who is the Inventor
and the Creator. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]
72
73
74
Definition of Success
him) said: He is successful who has
accepted Islam, who has been provided
with sufficient for his wants and been

made contented by Allah with what He
has given him. [Muslim]
75
Nowadays when people say, So and so

is very successful what they mean is,
He/she is making a lot of money. In the
above mentioned hadith Allah explains
who qualifies to be called successful. Its
not having Car X, House in W and Job Z
but:
1. Islam.
2. Needs fulfilled.
3. Possession of a thankful heart.
76
Rizq is of Two Kinds

taught us to pray, Allahummarzuqna min fadhlika wa laa tah-rim-na
riz-qaka. [Hilyatul Awliya]
77
The meaning of this Dua is: Oh

Allah! Grant us Rizq from your
bounty and do not let us be deprived
of our Rizq.
When you say Allahummar-zuqna
then keep the two kinds of Rizq in

mind:
General (Aam) Rizq: This is for
everyone, whether they be good or evil.

This is sustenance for the body.
Special (Khaas) Rizq: The sustenance of
the heart and soul. This is Ilm

(knowledge leading to awareness of
Allah) and Eeman (unpolluted belief in
Allah).
78
79
80
Do You Pass?
him) said: None of you is truly a

believer until he wishes for his brother
what he wishes for himself. [Muslim]
81
If you get two similar things, one for

yourself and one to give as a gift, which
one do you keep? You have passed the
test of eeman (faith) if you give the
better one away. If you give the inferior
one away then you need to cultivate
your eeman. Strangely, if you behave as
though you had eeman, i.e. give the
better one away for the pleasure of

Allah, even though you dont feel like it,
then eeman will automatically develop
in you. Eeman and behaviour are

mutually reinforcing.
82
Once Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had two

miswaks (natural toothbrush). One was
crooked and the other was straight. Since
Allahs Prophet (pbuh) was of the finest

character, he truly wanted everyone else to
have the best. So he gave the straight
miswak to his fellow Sahabah and kept the

crooked one for himself.
Is this what you practice in your
transactions or do you wish that no one had

a car, house, children, education, job or
clothes better than yours? Does the good
fortune of others make you happy or

unhappy? The sign of a true Muslim is that
they are happy at the good fortune of
others and sad at the misfortune of others.83
Records, Deeds, Person, All

Weighed
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: The scales
will be set up on the Day of Resurrection, and a

man will be brought forth and placed in one pan,
then everything that was recorded against him
will be placed in the other. The scale will tip
against him, and it will be said, Send him to the
Fire.
When he will turn back, a voice will cry out
from the presence of the Most Merciful, saying,
Do not hasten! There is something left for him.
A piece of paper will be brought forth on which
would be written Laa ilaaha ill-Allah, and it

will be placed in the pan with the man and the
balance will tip in his favor. [Ahmad]
84
This hadith indicates the value of the

Kalima Shahadah Laa ilaaha ill-Allah;
the value of acknowledging Allah
(subhana wa taala) as the One and Only
worthy of worship.
This hadith also indicates that the

person will be weighed in one pan
along with his Hasanaat and his record
of good deeds, and his Sayiaat and

record of bad deeds will be placed in the
other pan. Ahadeeth mention that the
doer of the deed, the deed, and the

record of his deed will all be weighed.
85
86
87
Dont Let Shaytaan In

Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported
that he heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
saying, "If a person mentions the Name of
Allah upon entering his house or eating,
Shaytaan says addressing his followers: 'You
will find nowhere to spend the night and no
dinner.' But if he enters without mentioning
the Name of Allah, Shaytaan says (to his
followers); 'You have found (a place) to spend

the night in.' And if the person does not
mention the Name of Allah at the time of
eating, Shaytaan says: 'You have found (a

place) to spend the night in as well as food.'"
[Muslim]
88
What might happen if an evil person entered your

house? He might steal, plant false evidence, anger
relatives against each other, cause fights, hurt
people, make people abuse their time on sinful
activities... Shaytaan is the most evil entity. If you

allow him and his followers to enter your house
with you, don't be surprised if the harmony of
family life goes missing. To prevent this from

happening, the Prophet (pbuh) told us to recite the
following dua when entering our house:
Allahumma inni as'aluka khairal-mawliji wa khairalmakhraji. Bismillahi wa lajna, wa bismillahi kharajna,
wa `ala rabbina tawakkalna. (O Allah! I ask you for
what is good of entrance and what is good for exit. With
the Name of Allah do we enter, and with the Name of
Allah do we leave, and upon our Lord Allah have we put
our trust).
89
If one doesn't know or remember the

dua, one should at least say 'Bismillah'.
By taking Allah's name we seek His
protection. We should say 'Bismillah'
when starting any activity.
90
91
92
Rewarded both Places if

Pure of Shirk
him) said: Allah does not deal
unjustly with the believer with regard
to his Hasanaat. He gives him things
in return for it in this world and will
reward him for it in the Hereafter.

[Muslim]
93
A believer is rewarded for his/her good

deeds in this world as well as in the
Hereafter. This is true for those who not
only believe in Allah (subhana wa taala)
but also keep away from associating
partners with Him. The Kuffar in the
Prophets time did believe in Allah but not
in the way that was His right to be believed

in: They did Shirk.
Shirk (associating others with Allah)
negates Islam and cancels out good deeds.

Allah (subhana wa taala) says: If you
join others in worship with Allah,

(then) surely, (all) your deeds will be in
vain. [Quran: Surah Az-Zumar, Ayat
65]
94
Shirk is of four types:

1. Shirk in Allahs Lordship. Allah is the
Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher of all
that exists. An example of Shirk in

Allahs Lordship is to believe that
nature or natural law operates
independently or outside of His Will

and Control. It makes nature a God
along with or in place of Allah.
2. Shirk in Allahs Names and
Attributes; to believe that anyone or
anything shares any of Allahs attributes
is Shirk, e.g. to believe that anyone
besides Allah is Knower of the

Unseen, as Shiah claim about their
Imams, is Shirk.
95
3. Shirk in Allahs Sole Right to

Legislate; to believe that anyone has the
right to make laws against what Allah
(subhana wa taala) has legislated or

outside the limited scope in which Allah
has allowed us to legislate. For example,
modern parliaments make laws on the

basis of what the majority allows,
disregarding what Allah has allowed or
forbidden. This is Shirk in Allahs
Haakimiyyah.
4. Shirk in Allahs Right to Alone be
Beseeched for Help; to pray to any
entity other than Allah, such as to idols,

or pious people in graves, or at shrines,
is Shirk.
96
In order for us to be rewarded by Allah

(subhana wa taala) in this world and in
the Hereafter, our beliefs and deeds
need to be pure of Shirk.
97
98
99
Daughters
Narrated Ibn Abbas (may Allah be
pleased with him): "There is no Muslim,
whose two daughters reach the age (of
adulthood), and he is good to them as a

companion, and they do not cause him to
enter Paradise." [Sahih Bukhari]
100
It is to be noted that Muslim women

enjoy special privileges not only as
mothers and wives but also as
daughters. They are a cause of blessing
in a way unique to them. Daughters
and sons, each has their own virtues,

and daughters are not to be underestimated in the blessings that they
bring to their parents.
101
Rulers Betrayal Worst

him) said: On the Day of
Resurrection, for every betrayer a
banner will be raised according to the

extent of his betrayal, and no betrayal
is greater than that of a ruler.
[Muslim]
102
Rulers are responsible for the greatest

number of people, thus their betrayal is
the greatest. A leaders or rulers
betrayal is regarded as being so bad
because it affects many people, and
because he possesses power and
authority, so he has no need to resort to
betrayal.
103
The greater the act of betrayal, the

higher the banner will be raised on that
Great Day.
Allah (subhana wa taala) will make the
punishment take this form because this
is the way in which people understand

the punishment The Arabs used to
raise a banner beside betrayers in their
gatherings and on the occasion of Hajj,

and they paraded the offender with a
description of his crime. [At-Tadhkirah
by Qurtubi]
104
Imagine In this life, if a single one of

our crimes/sins is posted on our backs
and we are forced to go about with this
humiliation, how will we feel? Then
how will we be able to stand it on the
Day of Judgement when all of mankind
is witness?
105
106
107
Displaying Satisfaction at a
Muslims Troubles
The Prophet (pbuh) said, Do not
show joy at the misfortune of your
brother, lest Allah have mercy on him
and afflict you with misfortune.
[Tirmidhi Hasan hadith]
108
We should always be fearful of

displeasing Allah. To be happy at the
misfortune of one of Allahs creatures is
asking for trouble. Nobody should take
their blessings for granted, but should
always be thankful to Allah and do ones

best to please Him so that He grants us
His blessings for eternity. Aameen.
109
Reins of Fire
him) said: There is no man who has
knowledge which he conceals but he
will be brought forth on the Day of

Resurrection bridled with reins of
fire. [At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb by

Al-Haafiz al-Mundhiri]
110
Those who conceal what Allah (subhana

wa taala) has revealed of right and
wrong, in order to please people, benefit
from rulers, gain popularity, or justify
their own wrongdoing, are among those
warned in the above hadith. For those
who say such things as, Hijab is not
mandatory in Islam, or Interest is not
categorically forbidden, or This is not

the time for Jihad, Allah (subhana wa
taala) declares:
111
Verily, those who conceal what Allah

has sent down of the Book, and
purchase a small gain therewith (of
worldly things), they eat into their
bellies nothing but fire. Allah will not
speak to them on the Day of
Resurrection, nor purify them, and
theirs will be a painful torment. Those
are they who have purchased error at

the price of guidance, and torment at the
price of forgiveness. So how bold they
are (for evil deeds which will push

them) to the Fire. [Quran: Surah
Baqarah, Ayaat 174-175]
112
113
114
Dont Abuse Time

Dont abuse Time, for it is Allah Who
is the Time. [Sahih Bukhari]
115
Time exists in different forms in the

universe. Allah is the Creator of
everything tangible and intangible in the
universe. Thus, to abuse something which

is simply operating according to the
physical laws Allah has defined for it, is to
abuse its Creator.

A common trait of losers is that they
blame time for not being able to do things;
I didnt get the time to do __. There

wasnt enough time. I was too busy with
__. Winners, on the other hand, get the
same 24 hours but manage to do whatever

they want in it. Prioritise!
116
Roosters See Angels

him) said: If you hear the crowing of
the rooster, then ask Allah of His
Bounty, for it has seen an angel. And

if you hear the braying of a donkey,
then seek refuge with Allah from the

Shaytaan, for it has seen a devil.
[Bukhari]
117
Allah (subhana wa taala) loves being

asked and though we are entirely
dependent on him we tend to forget in
the busy routine of living to make Duas.
Thus, the roosters crow can function as
a reminder for us to specially ask Allah
(subhana wa taala) for His continued
favors; and the braying of donkeys and
barking of dogs can be our alarm clocks

to wake us up to seeking Allahs
protection.
118
119
120
Disease of Stinginess
him) said: What disease is worse than
stinginess? [Sahih Bukhari]
121
Disease ruins the health of the body. When a

person has the flu his/her whole body feels
weak. It is only when he/she recovers that
strength comes back to their limbs. If the

person had to live with flu the rest of their life
it would be a compromised existence. As flu is
a disease of the body, stinginess is a disease of
the soul. It ruins the health of the soul and
eeman becomes weak. As long as the person
does not recover from stinginess the condition
of his/her eeman remains poor and the person

is not able to do much good.
Allah says: Here you are, called upon to spend
in the Path of Allah, and some of you are being

stingy, while whoever is stingy is only
ungenerous towards himself. It is Allah who is
rich and you who are the poor. [Quran 47:38]
122
Allah is reminding us in this ayat that He has no

need for our donations whatsoever. Whatever we
have was given to us by Him who owns all the
treasures in the universe and much, much more.
When we are called to spend in the Path of Allah it

is just to see who is stingy in giving back to Allah
and who believes and trusts in Allah and is
anxious that a home is made for him/her in

Paradise.
The person who is niggardly in spending in Allahs
Path is actually being ungenerous only towards

himself. This is because whatever we spend in
Allahs Path is what we are spending on our own
home in Jannah. In fact, Allah multiplies what we
spend and gives it back to us both in this world as
well as putting it towards our homes in Jannah.
Thus, the miser is only miserly towards
123
himself/herself.
Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man

who would spend his wealth freely in the Path of Allah
seeking the pleasure of his Lord. Abu Hurairah (may
Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Uthman bought
Jannah from Allahs Messenger twice: 1) Once in a
business transaction when he bought the well of Rumah
(from the disbelievers), and which he made a public
property for all Muslims, and 2) he bought it a second
time when he fully financed and equipped the Army of

Hardship (Jaish al-Usra). The Army of Hardship was
the name given to the Muslim army when it marched
out to confront the Romans in Ghazwa Tabuk. This was
a very difficult journey for the Muslims to undertake,
which is why their army was called the Army of
Hardship. Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)
gave so much to finance this Ghazwa that the Prophet

(pbuh) said: Uthman does no longer need a deed of
righteousness (i.e. to please Allah) after this. [The
Beauty of the Righteous and Ranks of the Elite by Imam
124
Abu Naim al-Asfahani]
Stinginess when it comes to spending in

the Way of Allah is classified as an
enormity (kabair) by Imam Dhahabi in
his Kitab al-Kabair (Book of
Enormities).
125
Revenge
Musa (alaihis salam) asked Allah
(subhana wa taala), My Lord! Which
one is the dearest to You among Your

creatures? Allah (subhana wa taala)
said, The one who has the power to
take revenge, yet forgives. [Mishkat]
126
To forgive is a divine attribute. Nobody is

more powerful than Allah (subhana wa
taala) and able to exact retribution, yet no
one is more forbearing and forgiving than

Him.
If somebody came to my house, started
insulting me, misusing my property, and

disregarding my feelings, how long would
I allow them to stay? This is how we
behave with regard to Allah (subhana wa
taala). We deny Him, insult Him, disregard
His injunctions, all the while living on His
planet, yet we dont hear that so-and-so
fell off the earth today. Allah (subhana wa
taala) puts up with us, giving us time and a
chance to change.
127
He who desires to take revenge is

entitled to, without exceeding what was
done to him. If he is powerless to take
revenge in his life he may do so on the
Day of Judgement. On that Day each
person will get the good deeds of the
person who did them an injustice or
owed them anything (be it good
behavior). If the oppressor has no good

deeds left to give, then the bad deeds of
the oppressed will get loaded onto him,
in proportion to what he owed them.
128
It is one thing to not take revenge in life

because one is powerless to do so. It
takes a character of much greater
magnanimity to forgive when one has
the power to exact revenge. Since Allah
(subhana wa taala) is ever willing to
overlook our faults and forgive us if we
repent, to become beloved to Him we
need to practice the same in our

relationships with His creatures. To err
is human, but to forgive is divine.
129
130
131
Death will be Slaughtered

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: On the Day of
Resurrection death will be brought forward in the shape of a
black and white ram. Then a call maker will call, O people of
Jannah! Thereupon they will stretch their necks and look
carefully. The caller will say, Do you know this? They will
say, Yes, this is death. By then all of them will have seen it.
Then it will be announced again, O people of Jahannum!
They will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will
say, Do you know this? They will say, Yes, this is death.
And by then all of them will have seen it. Then it (that ram)
will be slaughtered and the caller will say, O people of
Jannah! Eternity for you and no death. O people of
Jahannum! Eternity for you and no death. Then the Prophet
(pbuh) recited: And warn them of the Day of Distress
when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in
a state of carelessness (i.e. the people of the world) and
132
they do not believe. (Quran 19:39) [Sahih Bukhari]
After people have reached their places in

Jannah or the Fire, Allah will destroy death.
Nobody will ever die again after this. Eternal
life will be a source of great joy to the people in

Jannah.
But the people in Jahannum will wish for only
one thing from the bottom of their heart: death!
If only they could cease to exist, then they
would not feel the punishment that is now their
due. They will not wish for any of the things
they wished for in the world, because of which

they disobeyed and ignored Allah and the
warnings of His Messengers. They will not
want eternal life, they will not want Jannah. All

they will want is to die. And it will be denied
them. This is really scary if we think about it.
133
Response of I Love You

On one occasion a man passed in front of the
Prophet (pbuh). Some people were with the
Prophet (pbuh) at that time. One of them said:
O Prophet of Allah (pbuh)! I love this man for
the sake of Allah alone. On hearing this, the
Prophet (pbuh) enquired from him: Have you
told this to the man? The man said: No, I have
not. Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) urged the
man: Go and tell the man that you love him for
the sake of Allah. The man stood up at once and
approaching the passerby expressed to him his
sentiments. The passerby answered: May Allah

love you for whose sake you entertain feelings of
love for me. [Tirmidhi]
134
When you love someone for the sake of

Allah, it means that you love them only
because of their closeness to Allah (subhana
wa taala). Perhaps you feel inspired by

their devotion, or you feel indebted to them
for their having brought you closer to
Allah, or you see them practicing a high

standard of Islamic behavior and that
makes you love them. Loving someone for
the sake of Allah is not something you can
always explain. However, when you love
someone for the sake of Allah then you
desire no personal benefit from that person,
your love is unselfish, and it is related to

your love of Allah (subhana wa taala).
135
This hadith tells us how to respond

should we be the person to whom
someone expresses their feelings of love.
It may be that you dont really know
that person and so saying I love you
too would be untruthful. But you
beautifully appreciate the others
feelings and pray for him/her with these
words, May Allah love you for whose

sake you entertain feelings of love for
me. And it is so much better for that
person too to be loved by Allah rather

than anyone else!
136
137
138
Dont Repel People

him) said: Make things easy for the
people, and do not make it difficult for
them, and make them calm (with glad

tidings) and do not repel them (i.e.
make them hate good deeds and run
away from Islam). [Sahih Bukhari]
139
Al-Azraq bin Qais narrated that they

were in the city of Al-Ahwaaz on the
bank of a river which had dried up. Abu
Barza Al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased
with him) came riding a horse and
started offering Salat while he let his
horse loose. The horse ran away, so Abu
Barza interrupted his Salat and went
after it till he caught it and brought it

back. Then he offered his Salat again.
140
There was a man among them who was of

the Khawarij (deviant sect who called
themselves Muslims) who said: Look at
this old man! He left his Salat because of a
horse. On that Abu Barza came to them
and said: Since the time I left Allahs
Messenger (pbuh), nobody has
admonished me; my house is very far

from this place, and if I had carried on
offering Salat and left my horse, I could
not have reached my house till night.

Then Abu Barza (may Allah be pleased
with him) mentioned that he had been in
the company of the Prophet (pbuh) and
that he had seen his leniency. [Sahih
Bukhari]
141
A modern day analogy might be of a

robbery attempt being made on a
persons car while they pray. If they
were not to break their prayer the thief

would make off with the car. To make
things easy for the people does not
mean to alter Allahs Laws (Shariah) to

suit people. Allah loves us more than
we love each other, so we cannot bring
any good to people by altering what

Allah wants from them. What the
Khawariji man was doing, on the other
hand, was to criticize a Halal action
and make the good deed of Salat
unnecessarily difficult.
142
Rides
said: On the Day of Qiyamah, people shall

be divided into three groups; those walking
on foot, those riding on mounts, and those
who shall walk upon their faces. The

Companions were shocked, Ya Rasul Allah!
How will these people walk upon their
faces? He replied, God who gave them the
ability to walk on their feet will make them
walk on their faces and let it be known that
they shall avoid every hurdle, rocks and
thorns with their faces as well. [Tirmidhi]
143
We are consumed by petty rivalries in Duniya

(this world): small car, big car, old car, new
car, the very best shining huge car. We are
occupied with rides in this world while we

neglect to arrange appropriate rides for
ourselves for the Day of Judgement that is
50,000 years long!

In the Akhirah, ordinary Muslims will be
walking on foot, the pious will be riding
mounts, while those who refused to walk

straight on the guidance brought by
Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) will
have to walk upon their faces.
Rabbana la tajalna minhum abada Oh our
Lord! Do not make us amongst them ever
144
145
146
Dont Abuse the Dead

him) said: Do not abuse the dead, for
they have discharged (met the result
of) what they have done (sent forward

of good or bad deeds). [Sahih
Bukhari]
147
A certain Governor-General died and was

buried. When his will was read, it was
discovered that he had instructed to be
buried in a particular graveyard. So his

grave was opened in order to shift his
body to the stipulated place.
When his body was uncovered a thick

black snake was seen to be encircling him,
coiling and twisting around his body with
lightening speed. Since it was the

Governor-General whose wills execution
was in question, they tried to get rid of the
snake to shift his body. They first hit the

snake with sticks. Then they tried
shooting at it. But nothing would cause
the snake to slow down or go away.
148
Finally, a very toxic chemical was sprayed into

the grave and the grave closed. A little while
later the grave was reopened, with the
expectation that the snake would at least be

unconscious if not dead. To everyones
amazement the snake was seen to be completely
unaffected by the spray; encircling the
Governor-Generals body just as speedily as
before. The execution of his will was declared
unachievable and his grave shut.
Snakes are one of the punishments of the grave

on the Kuffar and Munafiqeen. May Allah save
us from the punishment of the grave. Whoever
is spared this will find the following stages to be

even easier.
149
Rules and Laws Today

him) said: "The most hated person to
Allah is the Muslim who seeks the
ways of the days of ignorance and he

who seeks to shed the blood of a person
without justification." [Tabarani]
150
"Do they then seek the judgment of (the

days of) ignorance? And who is better in
judgment than Allah for a people who have
firm faith." [Surah Al-Maida, ayat 50]
In the commentary of the above verse Ibn
Katheer states: "Allah criticizes those who
ignore Allah's commandments... (and) refer
instead to opinions, desires and customs

that people themselves invented, all of
which have no basis in Allah's religion.
During the time of Jahiliyyah, the people

used to abide by the misguidance and
ignorance that they invented by sheer
opinion and lusts. The Tatar (Mongols)
abided by the law that they inherited from

their king Genghis Khan who wrote AlYasiq, for them.
151
This book contains some rulings that were

derived from various religions, such as
Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Many of
these rulings were derived from his own
opinion and desires. Later on, these rulings
became the followed law among his
children, preferring them to the Law of the
Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His
Messenger. Therefore, whoever does this,
he is a disbeliever who deserves to be
fought against, until he reverts to Allah's
and His Messenger's decisions, so that no

law, minor or major, is referred to except by
His Law.
152
We should examine our lives and see

how many of our customs and choices
are in contradiction to the commands of
Allah (subhana wa taala). We cannot
call ourselves Muslims if we refuse to
submit to His commandments. Some
people openly say, We know what is
better for us! while others quietly reject
Allahs laws and do as they please.

Whoever believes that he/she
understands his/her situation better
than Allah (subhana wa taala) commits

shirk in Allahs attributes (asma wa
sifaat).
153
Who is more just in decision than Allah?

Allah (subhana wa taala) is the best
among those who give decisions and He
is more merciful with His creation than
the mother with her own child. Allah
(subhana wa taala) has perfect
knowledge of everything, is able to do
all things, and He is just in all matters.
Therefore, it is senseless and ungrateful

of us to reject Allahs wisdom for that of
any of His creation.
154
155
156
Delaying Repayment
For someone to put off repayment of a
debt when able to pay is an injustice.
[Sahih Bukhari]
157
If you are unfortunate enough to have a debt

on you, do repay it as soon as you are able. It
is often a cause of bitterness among family
when a loan is taken from a relative and the

creditor sees the debtor spending money on
unessential items but not repaying him/her.
According to this hadith, you are listed

among cruel people if you have the money to
repay your creditor but choose to delay
repayment.
Keep in mind that while it is obligatory to
pay back your loan as soon as you can, it is
Haraam (forbidden) for you to pay interest
on it. If you take an interest bearing loan, you
do a great injustice to yourself by inviting
Allahs wrath on you.
158
Quraishi Women Praised

How excellent are the women of the
tribe of Quraish! They are most
affectionate towards children and most

efficient guardians of their husbands
homes. [Bukhari]
159
Safeguard the home, property, children

and reputation of your husband. After
marriage consider your husbands home
as your own and spend the wealth of

your husband wisely and economically.
Honour your husband in his presence
and in his absence. Your prestige is

based on his prestige.
Shower your children with love and
affection. Do your best to make your
home a warm, comforting and peaceful
refuge for them. Do it with the intention
and desire to please Allah (subhana wa
taala). Your children are His creatures
first and your children secondarily.
160
161
162
Dua
Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be
pleased with him) said that the Messenger

of Allah (peace be upon him) used to teach
them this supplication in the same way
that he used to teach them a Surah of the
Quran. He would say: O Allah, I seek
refuge with You from the punishment of
Jahannum and I seek refuge with You from
the punishment of the grave. I seek refuge
with You from the trial of the Masih adDajjal and I seek refuge with You from the
trials of life and death. [Sahih Muslim]
163
Firstly, this hadith tells us that the punishment of

Jahannum is a reality, the punishment of the
grave is a reality, the Fitnah of Dajjal (anti-
Christ) is something very serious, and that

there are trials in both life and death.
Secondly, this hadith also indicates the severity of
various punishments and trials. The order in
which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sought
refuge from them is indicative of their
seriousness. The worst that could happen to a
person is that they get thrown into Jahannum.

The next worst thing that could happen to
them is for them to be punished in their grave.
Then comes the severity of the Fitnah of Dajjal,

then other trials that afflict people at different
times in their lives.
164
Even without revelation the Arabs knew

that strange things happened in graves.
If their horses got stomach ailments they
would take them to graveyards. The
horse would jump and twist so violently
that its cramps would straighten away.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) told us
that the punishment of the grave is
heard by all creatures except men and

Jinn, and that if we were cognizant of it
we wouldnt bury our dead.
165
The greatest trial of the living will be at

the hands of Dajjal. Other than that there
are numerous trials people go through
as a result of which they are purified of
their sins, as metal is purified from its
ore through burning.
Trials also separate the wheat from the
chaff. People will be rewarded according
to the level of suffering they have

patiently borne, and the trials they have
dealt with keeping their Eeman intact.
We should try to keep the ingredients of

this Dua in our prayers.
166
Quick Onset of the Hour

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: The
Hour will certainly come, whilst two men

will be spreading out a garment between
them, but they will not be able to sell it or
fold it up; and the Hour will come when a

man will milk his she-camel and will take the
milk away, but he will not be able to drink it;
and the Hour will come before a man who

repairs his trough will be able to bring his
animals to drink from it; and the Hour will
come when a man will raise a morsel of food

to his mouth but he will not be able to eat
it. [Bukhari]
167
This hadith informs us of the

suddenness with which the Day of
Resurrection will commence and how
quickly people will die (before all
human beings are brought to life again
with the second blast of the Trumpet).
The Hour will come so suddenly that
there will be no time to reconsider ones
life or repent.
168
169
170
Denying Yourself Entrance

him) said: Everyone of my Ummah

will enter Jannah except those who
refuse. He was asked: Who will

refuse? He (peace be upon him) said:
Whoever obeys me shall enter Jannah,
and whosoever disobeys me refuses to
(enter Jannah). [Sahih Bukhari]
171
Suppose a restaurant you wish to go to

has a dress code. You have the
appropriate clothes but dont wish to wear
them. Then whose fault is it if you are

denied entry? By refusing to wear the
proper dress you refused to enter the
restaurant yourself.
Jannah has the best country-clubs, the
finest restaurants, the poshest hotels and
theyre yours for keeps. The only

requirement for everlasting, irrevocable,
membership is obedience of Allahs
Messenger (peace be upon him) . He

described Jannah to us and also illustrated
the path to it. Its our choice whether we
wish to enter it or refuse to.
172
Qul and Muwadhatayn for

Protection
upon him) commanded Abdullah ibn
Khubayb to recite Qul Huwa Allahu
Ahad and Al-Muwadhatayn three
times in the evening and in the
morning, and he said to him, Allah

will protect you from everything
thereby. [Sunan an-Nasaai]
173
Al-Muwadhatayn refers to Surat alFalaq and Surat an-Naas. The best

words with which a person can seek
refuge with Allah are these three
Surahs.
174
It is narrated that one of the scholars of the

Salaf said to his student: What do you do with
the Shaytaan when he incites you to sin? His
student said, I strive against him. The scholar

asked, And what if he comes back? His
student replied, I strive against him. The
scholar said, What if he comes back again?
His student replied, I strive against him.
The scholar said, That would never end. What
do you think you would do if you are to pass
by some sheep and the sheepdog barks at you
or stops you from going past? The student
said, I would fend him off. The scholar said,
That would never end, but if you were to ask

the shepherd to help you, he would keep the
dog away. [Talbees Iblees]
175
This is an important insight from a great

scholar: Seeking the protection of Allah
and turning to Him is the most effective
way of expelling and banishing the
Shaytaan.
176
177
178
Double Reward for Weak

Student
Such a person as recites the Quran
and masters it by heart, will be with
the (angels) honourable and obedient.
And such a person as exerts himself to
learn the Quran by heart, and recites it

with great difficulty, will have a
double reward. [Sahih Bukhari]
179
Allahs system of reward is based on

intention and effort. Allah is the
Bestower of capabilities, opportunities,
and success. Thus, a person is not
rewarded for being intelligent, but for
using his/her intelligence in Allahs Path
for His pleasure alone; and they are
rewarded for the effort that they make
even if the outcome appears to be

fruitless, according to the standards by
which we judge outcomes in the world.
180
There is no one more fair, nor more

appreciative, than Allah in rewarding
His creatures.
To learn the Quran, with ease or with
difficulty, is highly rewarded by Allah
181
Quran Only
him) said: When I order you with
something, then do as much of it as
you can, and when I forbid you from

something, then avoid it. [Sahih
Bukhari]
182
A woman came to the Sahabi, Abdullah ibn

Masud (may Allah be pleased with him),
and said, I have heard that you forbid
tattooing and the use of false hair is that

something that you have found in the Book
of Allah or from the Messenger (pbuh)?
He said, Rather it is something which I

have found in the Book of Allah and from
the Messenger (pbuh).
She said, By Allah, I have read the mushaf (Quran) from cover to cover and I have
not found in it what you say.
He said, Did you not find in it, And take

what the Messenger gives you and refrain
from what he forbids you [59:7]?
183
She said, Yes.

He said, Certainly, I have heard the
Messenger forbid the use of false hair,
tattooing and plucking out facial hair.

She said, Perhaps it is present in some
of your family.
He said, Then enter and look.

So she entered and looked then left.
She said, I did not see anything
(objectionable).
So he said to her, Have you not
memorized the testament of the
righteous servant, I do not wish to do
in opposition to you concerning what I

forbid you to do. [Quoted by Ibn
Katheer in his Tafseer]
184
By this answer Abdullah ibn Masud

(may Allah be pleased with him)
pointed out that this Ayat is so
comprehensive that it embodies all the
orders and prohibitions of the Prophet
(pbuh), and since the questioned
prohibitions were enforced by the
Prophet (pbuh) they form part of this
Ayat, though indirectly.
185
Allah (subhana wa taala) made it

obligatory on us to obey the Messenger
(pbuh) in whatever he commanded us
with; do as he told us to do and keep
away from whatever he ordered us to
stay away from. This is as necessary as
the obedience of Allah, because the
latter has always been mentioned in the
Quran combined with the former

(Whosoever obeys Allah and His
Messenger).
186
Whenever the obedience of Allah is

mentioned in the Quran, it is always
followed by the obedience of the
Messenger. There is no Ayat in the
entire Quran where the obedience of
Allah has been mentioned alone with
no reference to the obedience of the
Messenger.
187
This is because the obedience of the

Prophet (pbuh), in practical terms, is the
obedience of Allah; and the latter cannot
be carried out except through the former.
The Quran commands obedience of the
Messenger (pbuh) as it is only through
him that we understand how to
implement the commands of the Quran.
The Quran only approach to Islam is
nothing but an attempt to castrate the
religion, since the details of Islam, and its
practical manifestation is in the Sunnah.
For example, the Quran orders us to pray,
but the method is in the Sunnah.
188
189
190
Darkness before the Bridge

One of the Jewish rabbis asked the
him): Where will the people be on the
Day of Resurrection when the earth is

changed to another earth and so will be
the heavens? The Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) replied: They
will be in darkness just before the
bridge. [Muslim]
191
This hadith mentions the time when the

earth will be changed to another earth
and the heavens will be changed too. It
will be the time shortly before people
have to pass over as-Siraat (the bridge).
As-Siraat is the bridge over Jahannum
which each person has to cross to enter
Jannah. Those who deserve Jahannum
will fall off this bridge into it. May Allah

save us from that. Ameen.
192
Paradise is on High Ground

him) said: Beware! Paradise is
situated on a high steep ground and
Hell is situated on a smooth low

ground. [Minhaaj ul Abideen by
Imam Ghazali]
193
This means that it is difficult to climb up

to Paradise and easy to get down to
Hell. In other words, the way to
Paradise is very difficult and the way to
Hell is very easy.
He who desires Paradise has to pass

through many repulsive and unpleasant
situations in this life and he who wishes
Hell is absorbed in satisfying his lusts

and desires.
194
195
196
Dua for Lifes Hiccups

him) said: There is no Muslim who,

when afflicted with a misfortune, says
as Allah has ordered him to say,

Surely to Allah we belong, and
surely to Him we are returning,
(Quran 2:156) O Allah, reward me in
my misfortune and give me better than
it afterwards, except that Allah grants

him better than it. [Muslim; Kitab alJanaiz]
197
When a Muslim says, Surely to Allah we

belong, the Muslims accepts that he
belongs to Allah and that Allah does as
He wishes with His possessions. And
when the Muslim says, and surely to
Him we are returning, it means that
when we return to our Lord, He rewards
us for our perseverance for the reward
for perseverance is never lost.
198
There are four levels (stations) of

responding to misfortune, each higher and
better than the previous one.
The first level is the station of inability to
cope. This is the response of the person
uneducated about Allah and the Akhirah.
When misfortune strikes, this person
becomes agitated and complains.
The second level and appropriate response

is patient endurance and perseverance,
keeping up with good deeds and
refraining from bad deeds not letting the
misfortune harm your Islam.
199
The third and better kind of response to

misfortune is the station of acceptance and
contentment with the Will of Allah.
The fourth and best kind of response to
misfortune is the station of gratitude, in
which the misfortune is viewed as a
blessing and so the one who is afflicted is
thankful to the One Who Afflicts him for it.
This feeling of gratitude can only come
about when one knows that whatever Allah
has chosen for me is better than what I
could choose for myself and that with
patience through this misfortune and
asking Allah to reward me for it and
replace it with better than what I had
before, I will end up better off than I was
200
before the misfortune struck.
So dont forget to recite this Dua

whenever theres a hiccup in the
smooth running of your life.
201
Purity Necessary for Prayer

him) said: Allah (subhana wa taala)
does not accept the prayer which is
performed without purity. [Muslim]
202
The people of a suburb of Madeenah,

Quba, were very particular in
cleanliness for performance of prayers
for which Allah (subhana wa taala)
praised them: In it (the masjid of
Quba) are people who like to observe

purity; and Allah loves those
observing purity. [Quran: Surah
Taubah, Ayat 108]
203
The leading newspapers in India in 1975

carried the Hindu Prime Minister Mr
Morarji Desais statement: I drink my
own urine every morning. A certain
Hindu sweetmeat seller sprinkles cow
urine (considered holy) on his
sweetmeats when he opens the shop for
the day, in order to acquire abundance.
Perhaps this is because in no single

book on the Hindu religion is any
mention made on the precepts of purity
and cleanliness. So it is up to an
individuals sense of cleanliness and
decency to live like a human being.
204
In a similar manner, the concept of

purity and cleanliness in the Sikh
religion can be gauged from the fact that
if a Sikh shaves his head or removes
hair from his armpit or below the navel,
or undergoes circumcision, he is
excluded from the religion.
All praise is to Allah (subhana wa taala)
who taught us through Islam how to

stay clean and pure.
205
206
207
Destination is Beyond Life

The Prophet of Allah, Muhammad
(peace be upon him), said: Be in this
life as if you were a stranger or a
traveler. [Bukhari]
208
A traveler does not waste time in games

and diversions; he travels light, with
only a fraction of what settled people
use; and he doesnt stop at every eatery
along the way, but only when necessary.
This is because he cares most about
reaching his destination safely and
knows the difference between the route
and the destination.
209
The sons of Adam are divided into two

types: The first type denies the existence
of an abode which awaits Allahs
servants after this life is over, where
reward and punishment are
experienced. Such people have only one
concern, which is to enjoy life and
pursue all its pleasures and the Exalted
says: And those who reject take it
easy and eat like cattle eat and the

Fire will be their abode. [Quran:
Surah Muhammad, Ayat 12]
210
The second type are those who accept

that there is an abode after death,
where there is both reward and
punishment. These are the ones who
follow the Messengers. They fall into
three categories:
211
First, those who are unjust to themselves form

the majority. Most of them are content with
the blossoms of this life and its pleasures,
helping themselves to them and using them
in ways which Allah has not commanded.
The world appears to them to be their
greatest concern, and with it they are
satisfied; they only love and hate for its sake.
These are the people who play about and
chatter and are diverted by the attractions of
this world. Although they may believe in the
Akhira in a general way, they have not
discovered what this life is meant for, nor
are they aware that it is only a stopping
place where provisions for the final journey
can be acquired.
212
Second, those who are mean to themselves are those

who take what is permitted from this world and
fulfill their duties in it, but who then pursue what
lies beyond these duties for the sake of their own
pleasure and in order to enjoy the delights of this

world. Such people will not be punished for doing
so, but their pleasure seeking will result in their
rank being diminished.

Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: If it had not been for the fact that my
station in the Garden might be diminished, I

would have imitated you in your life of ease; but
Allah has warned some people by saying, You
squandered the good things that you had in the life
of the world, and you sought contentment in
them. [Quran: Surah al-Ahqaf, Ayat 20]
213
Third, those who are swift in doing good

deeds are the ones who understand
what the world is meant for, and they
act accordingly. They know that Allah
has only put His servants in this world
in order to see which of them have the
best actions. Surely We have put
what is on the earth as a glittering
show so that We may test them, as to

which of them have the best actions.
[Quran: Surah al-Kahf, Ayat 7]
214
This means that Allah has put what is on

the earth in order to test us, to see who is
going to avoid the pleasures of this
world and look for success in the next
world, for: And surely We shall turn
what is on it into a heap of dust.

[Quran: Surah al-Kahf, Ayat 8]
Those who race to do good deeds only
take from this world whatever

provisions are necessary for the journey.
215
Punishment Withheld from

Forbearer
Allah will withhold His punishment
on the Day of Qiyaamah from one who

withholds his anger. [Mishkaat]
216
On an occasion an Alim became displeased

with his employee and began scolding him
with these words, Why did you commit
such a foolish act? To this he replied,

Forgive me for I have erred since I am a
human being after all. The Alim retorted,
You have committed this error no less than

a dozen times, had it been once or twice it
could be understood but you have gone way
beyond the limit. You keep committing this

error, how long do you expect me to tolerate
your faults? Another Alim who was sitting
close by whispered in his ears, Tolerate him
as much as you desire to be tolerated on the
Day of Qiyaamah.
217
Therefore, one should forgive in

proportion to the forgiveness one
anticipates for oneself. Do not say,
How much must I tolerate? Keep on
forgiving without measure.
218
We should remember that peoples

intellect is not all at one level. There are
those whose faculties are deficient.
Therefore, deal with people according
to the level of their intellect. Do not
have the same expectation from each of
them. I spite of being aware of others
limitations people still say, He
understands fully well but is merely

doing this to irritate me. Is this form of
suspicion permissible? [Peace of Mind
by Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar]
219
220
221
Eeman Is The Judging Criteria

him) said: A time will come when it
will be said about a man how
intelligent he is, and how cool he is,
but there wont be a single grain of
eeman in his heart.
222
This is one of the minor signs of the Day

of Judgment. Today we see that people
in many walks of life are admired as
being cool or brilliant; athletes, pop
stars, actors, scientists, businessmen,
entertainers, politicians, etc. Yet these
are often people who exhibit no
morality, conscience, character or taqwa.
When the people that we look up to are

devoid of the fear of Allah, undoubtedly
our behavior will model theirs. We
should seek refuge with Allah from

making people who have no eeman in
their hearts our role models.
223
Poor in Majority
I stood by the gate of Jannah and saw

that the majority of those who entered
were the poor and wretched. The rich

(Muslims) were detained while the
people of Jahannum were ordered to be
taken to Jahannum. [Bukhari]
224
Not all the people who are to enter

Jannah go together into Jannah. Even
those who are to enter Jannah without
any sort of punishment may be delayed.
The more wealth a person has, the
longer and more arduous is his
auditing. So, the rich among the
Muslims account for the wealth that
Allah (subhana wa taala) placed at their

disposal and this delays their entrance
into Jannah.
225
There are some people who travel by

bus. They have to wait in the sun and
rain for their ride, and the bus ride is
uncomfortable and tiring. But when
they arrive at their destination they go
straight in. On the other hand are
people who travel comfortably in their
own cars, arriving in good shape at their
destination, but their entrance is

delayed because they have to first find a
spot in the parking lot to responsibly
dispose off their cars. With benefits

come extra responsibilities.
226
227
228
Empathy and Your Face

him) said: You cannot be a true
Muslim until you are kind among
yourselvesKindness is not this that

you sympathize with your companion,
but kindness is this that you think all
men deserving of it. [Tibrani]
229
In order for your dawah or advice to

others to be effective they have to feel
that you genuinely care about them. 90%
of communication is non-verbal. If you
want people to feel that you genuinely
care about them then only saying so is
not going to be sufficient, because they
will read your true feelings from your
non verbal communication. Human

beings can make more than ten
thousand facial expressions. At least
three thousand of them have distinct

meaning. [Blink]
230
Your face is a billboard for your feelings.

In addition, the expressions you make
influence what you feel. Notice that the
discusses both aspects: That you show
sympathy, and also that you feel
sympathy because the expression and
the feelings both work on each other.
Develop true empathy and it will be

communicated.
231
Plant a Tree
Never a Muslim plants a tree, but he

has the reward of charity for him; for
what is eaten out of that is charity,

what is stolen out of that, what the
beasts eat out of that, what the birds
eat out of that, is charity for him.
[Bukhari]
232
Plant a tree, preferably a fruit tree. Dont

worry about whether you get to enjoy
its fruits or not. Let bird, beast and man
benefit from it. Without even realizing
how much, you will be accruing good
deeds in your account.
233
This hadith states that a Muslim who

plants a tree will have that count as
charity for him. This is because good
deeds are only worthy of reward when

they are done for Allahs sake. He who
does something because Allah (subhana
wa taala) told him to, can hope for

Allahs reward; but he who does it for
fame, personal morality, or any other
reason, should expect no reward from

Allah. If he sought fame then his reward
is to be appreciated by people; if he did
it to suit his personal inclinations then

his personal satisfaction is his reward;
and so on.
234
235
236
Even If Sins Reach the Clouds

The Prophet (pbuh) said: Allah, Blessed and
Exalted is He, says, O son of Adam, as long

as you call on Me, I shall forgive you of what
you have done, and think nothing of it. O son
of Adam, even if your sins were to reach up to
the clouds in the sky, and then you were to ask
for My forgiveness, I would forgive you and
think nothing of it. O son of Adam, even if you
were to come to Me with sins nearly as great
as the earth, and then you were to meet Me
after death, not worshipping anything besides
Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as
great as the earth. [Tirmidhi]
237
Allah loves it when people ask Him to

forgive their sins. He is overjoyed with
their repentance, since He hates to
punish anybody. At the slightest excuse
He washes peoples sins away. The only
condition is that the human being must
truly regret in his/her heart that they did
what they did. The sinner should be
ashamed of their misdeeds, and

discontinue committing such sins. If the
resolve to avoid the sin is not there then
one has not actually repented.
238
In this hadith, Allah tells us that no

matter how many a persons sins are,
should they even reach the sky in heaps,
Allah would forgive the sinner if they
were to turn to Allah in repentance. In a
different hadith, the Prophet (peace be
upon him) told us that Allahs bounty is
so vast that He would actually convert
all the sins into good deeds, should the

person truly repent. We should not
postpone repenting of our sins and
reforming ourselves to when we become

old, since nobody knows when they will
die.
239
Poor Enter First

him) said: The poor Muslims are

admitted into Jannah before their rich
by half a day. And that is five hundred

years. [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
240
A day in the Hereafter will not be of the

same duration as a day of this life. In
this hadith we are informed that at the
time that people are being admitted into

Jannah, half a day will be equal to five
hundred years; which means that one
day will be equal to a thousand years.

Poor Muslims will enter Jannah five
hundred years before rich Muslims do.
They will begin to enjoy its blessings
that much sooner. However, it is
possible that a rich Muslim, though
coming later, is admitted to a higher
and better place in Jannah. Then why
the delay?
241
If I go out of town and leave cash with

one of my children, when I come back I
will ask for an account of how it was
spent. I will ask the child I gave it to,

while the other children are busy
enjoying the gifts I brought back for
them. This child entrusted with the

responsibility of managing the money,
first has to give an account of how he
discharged his duties.

Thus is the case of the rich Muslim
compared to the poor Muslim. The rich
Muslim must explain what he did with
the wealth that Allah (subhana wa
taala) entrusted him with.
242
243
244
Eat From What Is Near You

him) said: Mention Allah's Name
(i.e., say 'Bismillah' before starting to
eat), eat with your right hand, and eat
from what is near you. [Bukhari]
245
For every act that a Muslim does, there is

a chance for him to earn some reward for
it from Allah. These rewards and blessings
can be attained only by those keen to

follow the guidance and example of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), thereby
seeking nothing but the pleasure of their

Creator. The entire life of such a person
can become an act of worship. Even eating
and drinking upon which all living things

depend, can become acts of worship.
Thus, by acquainting ourselves with the
Sunnah of eating and drinking, we can
turn this mundane exercise into a source
of hasanaat (reward) for the Akhirah and
blessing for this world.
246
There are three things we are told in this

hadith:
1. We should start eating or drinking by
saying 'Bismillah'. Once a bedouin came
and ate the food available in two
mouthfuls. Allahs Messenger (peace be
upon him) said that had he said
'Bismillah' before eating, the food would
have been sufficient for six people.

Taking the name of Allah before starting
to eat puts blessing in the food.
247
2. We should use our right hand for eating

and drinking. The left hand is used to
clean ourselves with in the bathroom.
3. We should eat from our side of the dish,
without stretching our hand to the side
where someone else is eating from. This
is the case when more than one person is
eating the same kind of food from a
single dish. But in case a variety of foods

or fruits are lying before us on the table,
we are free to take our pick.
248
Pluralism Rejected
him) said: By Him in whose hand is

the soul of Muhammad, any person of
this Community, any Jew, or any

Christian who hears of me and dies
without believing in what I have been
sent with will be an inhabitant of
hell. [Sahih Muslim]
249
Allah (subhana wa taala) has not

forcefully made us Muslims, nor has
Islam ever undertaken forced
conversions as some other religions
have. A person is free to live and die as
a disbeliever in Islam and as a rebel to
Allah (subhana wa taala), his Creator
and Sustainer. However, let no one
imagine that this means that all ways

and philosophies of life are acceptable
to Him (subhana wa taala).
250
Allah (subhana wa taala) states:
Whoever seeks a religion other than

Islam will never have it accepted of
him, and he will be of those who

have truly failed in the hereafter.
[Quran 3:85]
This hadith confirms that no-ones way
or spiritual works are acceptable unless
they conform to the Shariah (Sacred
Law) brought by Muhammad (sal

Allahu alaihi wa sallam). As for people
prior to his prophethood, anyone who
followed the messenger of his own time

was guided, on the right path, and was
saved. [Tafseer al-Quran al-Azeem]
251
252
253
Entertain Generously
him) said: Anybody who believes in
Allah and the Last Day should not
harm his neighbor, and anybody who

believes in Allah and the Last Day
should entertain his guest generously,
and anybody who believes in Allah and
the Last Day should talk what is good
or keep quiet. [Sahih Bukhari]
254
The only thing that allows a person to

behave morally, when there is no one to
notice any lapses, is the belief that Allah
is always watching and that each
moment of our existence will be either a
source of reward or punishment for us on

the Day of Judgment. Those who believe
this are told by the Prophet (pbuh) to do
three things:
1. Not harm their neighbors.
2. Entertain their guests generously.

3. Abstain from useless, immoral and every
kind of sinful speech.
255
It has become somewhat of a trend to view

guests as burdens, when the fact of the
matter is that they are providing us with
additional opportunities of earning Jannat.

Regardless of who they are, Allah will
reward us for what we spend on them of
time, effort and material resources.

Regarding the duties of hosts, the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) advised us to
provide guests with food of a higher

quality than what we normally eat
ourselves, on the first day. On the second
and third day we may give the kind of

food that we regularly consume. Beyond
this, what we do for them counts as
Sadaqa.
256
Whether we obey a Fard (obligatory)

command or a Sunnah/Nafl (voluntary)
one, we are rewarded for it by Allah,
though the reward for fulfilling a Fard is
greater.
257
Every Disease has a Cure

Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet

(peace be upon him) said: There is no
disease that Allah has sent down

except that He also has sent down its
treatment. [The Book of Medicine:
Sahih Bukhari]
258
The reason that Muslims advanced so much in

Medicine is because the Prophet (pbuh) had
told them that for every disease there is a cure
and that they should seek treatment. He pointed

to many cures himself. He encouraged the
women of his household to learn medicine from
those who knew it. Women, in the time of the
Prophet (pbuh), excelled in medicine. The
Prophet had pitched a tent in the yard of his
mosque in Madina and appointed a lady named
Rufaidah to run it as a field hospital, nurse the

wounded and care for homeless newcomers to
Madina. [Tarikh at-Tabari]
259
In Baghdad in 1168 C.E., there were no less

than sixty well-organized medical institutions
and the Mustansiriyya Medical College at
Baghdad had magnificent buildings, luxurious

furniture, library with rare scientific books and
a great dining hall to serve good food to
students.
The first hospital in Europe was set up by
Louis IX in Paris after his return from the
Crusades (1254-60 C.E.). The Crusaders were
inspired by the magnificent hospitals
(Bimaristans) of Damascus and Cairo and the
establishment of hospitals in Europe in the
fourteenth century resulted. [Islam and

Evolution of Science, by Muhammad Saud]
260
Muslims developed the institutions of

hospitals in the eighth century. Many of
their hospitals had their own gardens in
which medicinal plants were cultivated.
The Muslims invented teaching
hospitals. Large hospitals had medical
schools attached to them. The rules for
the practice of medicine were very
progressive. According to al-Razi a

physician had to be well versed in new
and old medical literature and have
worked in hospitals as a house surgeon

before he could be employed in one.
261
Al-Razi was the most outstanding

physician of the ninth century. The first
hospital in the history of Baghdad was
established on his advice under the rule
of Abbasi khalifa Harun al-Rashid. In
order to find a suitable site for the
hospital, al-Razi hung pieces of meat
around the city and chose the site based
on where the meat rotted last. There

were also a large number of traveling
hospitals in the Muslim world.
262
Excellence -- Ihsan
him) said, "Allah has commanded that
everything (one does), they should do
with excellence (ihsan). When you

sacrifice, sacrifice well. Sharpen your
knife and make it easy for the animal
to be slaughtered." [Sahih Muslim]
263
According to another hadith, the

Sahabah were preparing somebody's
grave. The Prophet (peace be upon him)
told them to make it in a straight line.
He told them that it made no difference
to the deceased whether their grave
were straight or not, but when Muslims
do anything they should attempt it with
excellence.
264
Don't just aim to be 'good', be

outstanding! This is what is
required of a Muslim, in
everything they do!
265
266
267
268
Experience the Sweetness of

Eeman
him) said, Sight is a poisonous arrow
of the devil. Whosoever, whether male

or female, protects himself or herself
from evil glances, will be granted a
sweet eeman (faith) which will please
his/her heart. [Tabrani]
The heart is like a container that you can

keep filling with eeman. But each glance at
a non-mahram makes a hole in this
container of eeman. Like a bucket full of

holes cannot hold water, so also does eeman
keep pouring out of the heart of the person
who does not restrain his/her glances to

what Allah has permitted looking at.
The disease of checking out the opposite sex
has unfortunately become quite common.

Allah calls it an act of the devil that causes
eeman to turn sour. Therefore, if you would
like to taste the true sweetness of eeman,

you need to guard your glances and not
look at what Allah has prohibited.
5
One needs to protect himself/herself

from allowing their aurah (parts of the
body men and women are required to
keep covered and hidden from the eyes
of others) to be seen by others. As we
would wear armour if physical arrows
were assaulting us, so we should wear
concealing clothes to protect ourselves
from the poisonous arrows of the

Shaytaan. These do not attack our
physical body, but they attack our soul
and tear holes in our faith.
Pressurizing for Batil

him) said: He who presses for
something he knows is false (Batil)
remains under the hatred of Allah
until he gives it up. [Abu Dawud]
We should be very careful about asking,

let alone insisting, on things contrary to
Allahs likes and dislikes. For example,
sometimes parents dont like the
practice of Islam by their children, and
harass their daughter to take her scarf
off, or their son to shave his beard off.
Many times this insistence is subtle, yet
all the more powerful.
This pressure to live by standards set by

Shaitaan is actually common place in
society. It is normal to tell
friends/relatives to buy a house on
mortgage, or go to events where men
and women socialize together, or to take
an interest bearing loan for education,
etc. Asking a person to do anything that
is Haraam (forbidden) or Makruh

(disliked), or telling them to avoid a
Fardh (obligatory deed) or Sunnah
(recommended deed), is to press for

Batil.
9
There are many ways in which a person

may press for something that is false.
Sometimes, in business transactions or law
suits, people insist on what is not rightfully

theirs in Allahs Sight, only because their
feelings or the law of the land allows them
to ask for it.

People who apply pressure for Batil should
know that Allah (subhana wa taala) hates
them so long as they dont repent, ask for

His forgiveness, and try to make up for
their wrongs. There can be nobody more
ruined than one who is hated by Allah

(subhana wa taala). May He save us from
joining the ranks of the ruined.
10
11
12
Excessiveness in Religion
him) said: Beware of going to
extremes (in religion), for those before
you were only destroyed through
excessiveness. [An-Nasai]
13
Allah Most High says in the Quran,
Say: O people of the Book, do
not be excessive in your

religion. [4:171]
14
Imam Qurtubi says, According to exegetes,

this refers to the extremism of the Jews
concerning Eesa (pbuh) in accusing
Maryam (may Allah be please with her) of

fornication, and the extremism of the
Christians in considering him to be a god.
For both excessiveness and remissness are
evil, and both may be unbelief. [Al-Jami li
ahkam al-Quran]
Ibn Taymiya says regarding this hadith of
the Prophet (peace be upon him), His
saying Beware of going to extremes in
religion is a general prohibition applying to
all types of extremes, whether in beliefs or

works. [Fayd al-Qadir sharh al-Jami alsaghir]
15
Going to an extreme means to leave the Sunnah

of the Prophet (pbuh) and define piety for
oneself. Once a group of three men came to the
house of the Prophet (pbuh) and comparing their
worship to that done by the Prophet (pbuh)
thought that they should do more. So one of
them said, I will offer the prayer throughout the
night forever. The other said, I will fast

throughout the year and will not break my fast.
The third said, I will keep away from women
and will not marry ever. Prophet (pbuh) said to
them, By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah
and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and
break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry
women. So he who does not follow my tradition

in religion, is not from me (not one of my
followers). [Sahih Bukhari]
16
What the Christians invented in terms of

monasticism and the extremes they went
to in it was partly due to the fact that they
did not have with them the original or

comprehensive teachings of Eesa (pbuh).
But with the comprehensive code of
conduct that Allah Most High has

revealed to us in the form of the Quran
and Sunnah, there is no justification to
make anything up, add anything to the

religion or leave anything that is in it. In
fact, to do so is to reject what Allah has
revealed in favour of ones personal
opinion, and this is shirk.
17
On the one hand are those Muslims who

Shaitaan misguides by making them
subject their bodies to deprivation and
pain in the name of greater piety. On the
other hand are those Muslims who
Shaitaan misguides by telling them that
to follow the religion of Allah in those
areas one finds difficult, is to go to
extremes. Such Muslims then consider

following the original teachings of Islam
as extremism. May Allah save us from
both these extremes of excessiveness and

remissness.
18
Pulling Back From the Fire

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: I am
like a person who lit a fire and when the

surrounding area became bright with light,
the moths and insects began to drop in the
fire. The person is now trying with all the

force at his command to stop these moths and
insects from dropping in the fire, but the
moths and insects are rushing towards the
fire rendering all his efforts ineffective.
Likewise, I am trying my best to draw you
back and keep you away from the fire, yet
you are bent on falling into it. [Mishkat]
19

him) came as a mercy for all mankind.
After being commissioned with the
message of Islam, he spent every day
and night for the remaining twentythree years of his life consumed with
worry, concerned that no one should fall
into Jahannum.
20
The love of the Prophet (pbuh) for mankind

was such that he would spend the whole
night crying, Allahumma Ummati,
Allahumma Ummati (O Allah my

Ummah, O Allah my Ummah). Every
Prophet is given one wish to use as he
pleases. Tears rolled down Rasul Allah

(pbuh)s face as his son Ibraheem was dying
in his arms, but he didnt use that wish to
save his sons life. He didnt use that wish

to save anyone of his family - not any of his
daughters (radi Allahu anha), not his
beloved uncle Abu Talib, nor anyone else.

He saved that wish to use for you and me
21
Allah (subhana wa taala) testifies to the

concern of the Prophet (peace be upon
him) in this ayat: But will you,
perhaps, torment yourself to death

with grief over them if they are not
willing to believe in this message?

[Quran 18:6]
He (peace be upon him) worried about
us so much, yet how worried are we
about ourselves?
22
23
24
Evil Thoughts
him) said: Allah has forgiven my
followers the evil thoughts that occur
to their minds, as long as such

thoughts are not put into action or
uttered. [Sahih Bukhari]
25
Sometimes evil thoughts come to us the

occurring of which we have no control over.
When Shaytaan or our nafs puts such
thoughts in our minds, and we do not
entertain them, then Allah in His Infinite
Mercy and Justice does not hold us
accountable for them. Not entertaining such
thoughts means to not continue to think

about them, not speak of them, and not act
according to them.
If our mind keeps mulling the thoughts
over, or God Forbid takes pleasure in such
thoughts, then we will not automatically be
forgiven them, for we chose then to think on
such lines. In order to stop thinking about

something it helps to get up and start doing
some physical work.
26
Pulpits of Pearl
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Some
people shall be raised from their graves on the

Day of Judgement in a state that their faces will
be glowing with radiant light. They shall be
seated on pulpits made of pearls. Other people

shall envy their elevated state. These dignified
people, however, will neither include Prophets
nor Shuhada (martyrs). The Companions

submitted: O Messenger of Allah (pbuh)! Who
are these people? Tell us their distinguishing
qualities. Allahs Messenger (pbuh) observed:

These are the people who love each other for the
sake of Allah only. [Tabrani]
27
When there is no benefit you wish to obtain

from someone, and you love them only
because of their devotion to Allah (subhana
wa taala), and because they are devoted to

safeguarding Allahs Deen, then your love
of them is for the sake of Allah.
Those who love others for the sake of Allah
(subhana wa taala) are actually loving
Allah. A saying in Urdu goes, When you
love Layla, even her dog becomes dear to

you. So how is it possible that a person be
true in their love of Allah, yet not love
others who love Allah and are striving in

His cause?
28
The greatest sign of love is obedience.

When you love someone you want to do
whatever pleases him/her. You hate to do
what you know your beloved dislikes out
of fear of displeasing him/her. Allah
(subhana wa taala) says about the
Momineen: But those of Faith are
overflowing in their love for Allah. [Quran

2:165] Thus, the Momineen are most careful
about sticking to Allahs Shariah minding
His likes and dislikes.
Loving for the sake of Allah is to love those
Muslims who ardently strive to please
Allah with His obedience. Pulpits of pearl,
faces radiant with light, and honour with

Allah; these are the rewards for being true
in your love of Allah.
29
30
31
Excessive Joking
The Prophet (pbuh) said to his Companions (may Allah
be pleased with them): Who will take these words and
apply them, or knows someone who will? Abu
Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) answered, I
will, O Messenger of Allah, whereupon the Prophet
(pbuh) took his hand and enumerated five things,

saying:
Avoid the unlawful (deeds) and you will be the most
religious of people.
Be satisfied with what Allah has alotted you and you
will be the richest of people.
Treat your neighbour well and you will be a believer.
Love for others what you love for yourself and you will
be a Muslim.
Avoid excessive laughter for too much laughter kills
32
the heart. [Ahmad]
Imam Nahlawi says: The necessary

condition for the permissibility of joking
is that it does not contain lies or occasion
fright, because this hurts others, and we
are forbidden to do so.
Excessive joking is blameworthy since
it eliminates ones dignity and reserve,
and creates resentment in certain
situations and people. It also causes

immoderate laughter, which kills the
heart. [al-Durar al-Mubaha fi al-Hazr
al-Ibaha, quoted in "Reliance of the

Traveller" by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri]
33
Pious Woman is Half of Deen

him) said: Whoever Allah blesses

with a pious woman has in fact been
helped by Allah with half his Deen. So

he should fear Allah (struggle to
achieve) regarding the other half as
well. [Majma Az-Zawaid by Imam
Al-Haythami: Kanz-ul-Ammaal]
34
This hadith informs us of the importance

of having an Allah-fearing woman as
ones wife. Having such a wife has been
equated with having half of Eeman and
Islam. Such a woman is to be treasured
for the benefits she brings to her husband
in this world and in the next.
In this life she makes his home a peaceful
sanctuary for him. Her love and
obedience enables his family life to be
spent pleasantly. The children are brought
up lovingly to be righteous Muslims and

they become Sadaqah Jaariya for their
parents.
35
The benefit a pious wife brings to her

husbands Akhirah is that she facilitates
his religious obligations. She encourages
him to be a better Muslim, to pray
regularly, to perform his prayers in the
Masjid. If he is involved in activities to
earn Allahs pleasure she doesnt bother
him with demands. She allows him to
keep his focus on earning Allahs

pleasure.
36
She lives contentedly with his income

and doesnt goad him to increase their
standard of living by Haraam means.
She doesnt taunt him by saying things
like, Look at so-and sos household,
how comfortably they live, how well
they eat! Instead, she thanks Allah and
her husband that he does not bring ill-
gotten wealth into the house.
37
A pious wife spends her time positively

and so the other members of the
household also learn from her example
to utilize their time to benefit their
Akhirah. Since she doesnt watch TV or
movies, a lot of evil and un-Islamic
influences are kept at bay.
It is thus no wonder that Allah (subhana
wa taala) says that a pious woman is

half of the Deen.
38
39
40
Entrance Ticket for Ar-Rayyan

him) said: There is a gate to Paradise
that is called Ar-Rayyan. On the Day
of Resurrection it will say, Where are
those who fasted? When the last (one)
has passed through the gate, it will be

locked. [Sahih Bukhari]
41
Just as there are tickets to enter carnivals,

concerts, and movie theatres, Paradise also
has a price. The difference is that carnivals,
concerts and movie theatres are places

where Shaitaan and his corrupt followers
are found: while Paradise is a purely good
place. Nothing bad can happen to anyone in

Paradise. Nobody can get pick-pocketed,
molested, drugged or abused in any way. It
is pure fun with no evil consequences.

One way to get in this beautiful Paradise is
by fasting. One of the eight gates of
Paradise accepts fasts as the entrance ticket.

Lets make sure we can at least enter
through this gate called Ar-Rayyan.
42
Permissible Lying
He who settles disagreements

between people to bring about good or
says something commendable is not a
liar. Umm Kulthum (radi Allahu
anha) added: I did not hear him
permit untruth in anything people say,

except for three things: war, settling
disagreements, and a man talking with

his wife or she with him (in smoothing
over differences.) [Sahih Muslim]
43
This is an explicit statement that lying is sometimes

permissible, scholars having established criteria
defining what types of it are lawful. Imam Abu
Hamid Ghazali says: Speaking is a means to
achieve objectives. If a praiseworthy aim is

attainable through both telling the truth and lying, it
is unlawful to accomplish through lying because
there is no need for itIt becomes obligatory to lie if
an obligatory deed cannot be achieved except by

lying. When, for example, one is concealing a
Muslim from an oppressor who asks where he is, it
is obligatory to lie about his being hidden. Or when
a person deposits an article with one for safekeeping
and an oppressor wanting to appropriate it inquires
about it, it is obligatory to lie about having
concealed it, for if one informs him about the article
and he then seizes it, one is financially liable to
cover the articles cost. [Reliance of the Traveller
by Ahmad ibn Naqib Al-Misri]
44
45
46
Exchange Gifts
Exchange gifts. This will generate
mutual feelings of love and eliminate
feelings of animosity and

estrangement from your hearts.
[Mishkat]
47
The Prophet (pbuh) often sent gifts to

his illustrious Companions (may Allah
be please with them). The Prophets
Companions (may Allah be please with
them) also frequently exchanged
presents among themselves.
The exchange of presents augments
sentiments of love and creates a soft
corner in the heart of the receiver for the

donor.
48
In the matter of exchanging gifts, always

keep within your means. Whatever the
status of the receiver, do not think that
your gift should necessarily be a costly
one. Give according to your means and
whatever is easily available.
The real worth of your gift depends on
your sincerity and the nature and depth
of feelings with which you have

presented the gift. It is sincerity, love
and devotion that unites hearts.
49
Prayer for Fulfillment of a Need

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: When
someone seeks fulfillment of a need from Allah or
man, he should first carefully perform ablution, say
two Rakahs of superoragatory (Nafl) prayer and
then offer thanksgiving and praise to The Lord;
afterwards, he should invoke peace and blessings of

Allah on the Prophet, and finally utter this prayer
to Allah: La ilaha illallahul-halimul-karim.
Subhanallahi rabbil-arshil-azeem. Wal-hamdu

lillahi rabbil-alameen. As aluka mujibati rahmatika
wa azaaimi maghfiratika wal-ghanimata min kulli
birrin was-salamata min kulli ithmin la tada li

dhanban illa ghafartahu wa la hamman illa
farrajtahu wa la haajatan hiya laka ridan illa
qadaitaha ya arhamar-rahimeen. [Tirmidhi]
50
Whenever any need arises, big or small, stand

before Allah (subhana wa taala) and ask
through this prayer. The translation of the
words of this dua are: There is no deity save
Allah, the Clement, the Bountiful. Glory be to
Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne! Praise
be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds! I beg of You
the means of (obtaining) Your Mercy and
securing Your Pardon; participation in every
righteousness and protection from every sin.
Leave no sin of mine unforgiven, no anxiety
unrelieved, and let no need of mine go
unfulfilled wherewith You are pleased. O You
the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!
51
When your children ask you for favors,

direct them to ask Allah (subhana wa
taala) through this dua and Salaat.
Make their connection with Allah
strong. It is only if Allah puts it in your
heart and provides you with the means,
that are you able to fulfill the needs of
your children. Put your reliance and the
reliance of your children in Allah

(subhana wa taala). It is He who loves
us more than we love each other or
ourselves.
52
53
54
Earths Transformation on Day

of Resurrection
him) said: On the Day of
Resurrection, mankind will be
gathered on an earth that is Afra, like
a fine loaf of bread (made from pure
fine flour). [Bukhari]
55
The colour Afra has been translated by

various scholars as dull white, white
which has a hint of red, and pure
white.
56
The land on which mankind will be

gathered on the Day of Resurrection will
not look like this earth of ours. Allah
says in the Quran: On the Day when
the earth will be changed to another
earth and so will be the heavens, and

they (all creatures) will appear before
Allah, the One, the Irresistible.
[Surah Ibraheem: Ayat 48]

The above mentioned Hadith tells us
what this new land will look like. It will
have no landmarks for anybody to make
use of.
57
Punctuality in the Asr and Fajr

Prayers
Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reported
that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

There are angels who take turns in visiting
you by night and by day, and they all assemble
at the dawn (Fajr) and the afternoon (Asr)
prayers. Those who have spent the night with
you, ascend (to the heaven) and Allah, Who

knows better about them, asks, In what
condition did you leave My slaves? They
reply, We left them while they were
performing Salat and we went to them while
58
they were performing Salat. [Sahih Bukhari]
When the principal of a school makes

special mention of the high achievement
of one of the students in assembly, it is
not because the Principal doesnt know,
but because he/she wants to honor the
high achiever by mentioning their
achievements before all the other
students and faculty. Almighty Allah
knows everything but even then He

asks the angels about His pious slaves
so that the piety of the believers and
their merit and distinction become

evident to all.
59
The angels for the night come at the

time of Asr when the angels from the
morning are present. The angels of the
two shifts assemble at this time and
exchange duties. The angels of the night
shift then leave their duty in the
morning at Fajr, and the angels of the
morning shift resume their duty. Thus,
the two groups assemble again at this

time.
60
Angels are very punctual. They know

no such thing as procrastination or
delay. Thus, when they are exchanging
duties only the people who are punctual
in their Salat are engaged in Fajr or Asr
prayers. Therefore, we should try very
hard to be punctual in praying the Asr
and Fajr Salat so that when Allah
(subhana wa taala) asks the angels

about us He is told that the angels left
us while we were remembering Him
and praying and not while we were

sleeping, busy in games, watching T.V.,
or some other worthless activity.
61
62
63
Eavesdropping
upon him) said: Whoever
eavesdrops on peoples conversations
when they do not like that or they try

to move away from him, will have
molten lead poured into his ears on
the Day of Resurrection. [Bukhaari]
64
People who eavesdrop on others will be

punished on the Day of Judgment by
having molten lead poured into their
ears. It isnt worth it to eavesdrop!
65
Pick up the Food you Drop

him) said, When a morsel of any of
you falls, he should pick it up and
remove any of the dirt on it and then

eat it, and should not leave it for
Shaitaan... [Sahih Muslim]
66
This hadith tells us to pick up a fallen

dry morsel of food and eat it after
brushing off any dirt that might be on it.
This is an expression of humility and
also prevents Shaitaan from deriving
blessings from our food.
67
Present-day Muslims hardly care for

this directive of the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) thinking that picking up
dropped food will bring disgrace and
dishonour upon them. To make matters
worse, some even throw away
unconsumed food in the garbage, while
others deem it necessary to leave a little
food in their plates as a sign of their

manners or affluence! How far the
Muslim community has departed from
the teachings and excellent example of

their Prophet (pbuh)!
68
69
70
Earths Information
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) recited
this Ayat: That Day it (the earth) will

declare its information. [Quran:
Surah Az-Zalzalah, Ayat 4] He (pbuh)
then asked his Companions: Do you

know what its information is? They
said: Allah and His Messenger know
best. He (pbuh) said: Its information

means that it will testify against every
man and woman about what they did on
its surface. It will say, On such and such

a day they did such and such. That is its
information. [Tirmidhi]
71
Among the witnesses against a person

will be the earth, and days and nights;
they will testify about what was done
on/in them and against them. Wealth
will testify against its owner; a persons
own body will testify against him; and
the angels who record deeds, both good
and evil will also be witnesses. Imaam
Qurtubi devoted a chapter to this subject

in his Tadhkirah.
72
Patience on Death of Child

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: When a
person's child dies, Allah the Most High asks
His angels, Have you taken out the life of the
child of My slave? They reply in the
affirmative. He then asks, Have you taken the

fruit of his heart? They reply in the affirmative.
Thereupon he asks, What has My slave said?
They say: He has praised You and said: Inna

lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun (We belong to Allah
and to Him we shall be returned). Allah says:
Build a house for My slave in Jannah and name

it Bait-ul-Hamd (the House of Praise).
[Tirmidhi]
73
One of the greatest worldly calamities for

a person is to lose his or her child. None
but those who have gone through it know
what it is like. This hadith highlights the
great merit of exhibiting patience at this
time of calamity. Rather than wailing and
complaining, one should submit to the
Will of Allah (subhana wa taala) and try
to remember His promised reward.
Children who die before reaching the age
of puberty cause their parents to be
brought to Jannah through them. An
attitude of patience brings great reward
from Allah (subhana wa taala).
74
How does one reconcile with such

events? Another hadith tells us the story
of a pious man who loved his wife very
much. When she died suddenly he was
devastated. He shut himself off from
society, refusing to talk to or see anyone.
Finally, a woman sat outside his house
and refused to budge until he talked to
her regarding a problem that she had.
75
She told him that a friend of hers had given

her jewelry for safekeeping which she
would often wear. She had had it in her
possession for a long time but now her

friend had come to ask for it back. The
problem was that since she had had the
jewelry for so long she had gotten used to

having it and didnt want to give it back.
The man immediately replied from inside
the house that she must return her friends
amanah (possessions given in trust). He
also realized that the problem she had
come to discuss with him was just to make
him realize how in fact he must reconcile
with Allah (subhana wa taala) taking back
what belonged to Him.
76
Death is only a temporary separation

for family members going to Jannah.
People going to Jannah will be reunited
therein where they will never suffer
separation again.
77
78
79
Exchange of Deeds
Whoever wronged his brother with

regard to his honour or any other matter,
should seek his forgiveness today, before
there are no longer any dinars or
dirhams; and if he has any righteous
deeds, they will be taken from him, in

accordance with the wrong he did; and if
he has no Hasanaat (good deeds), some of
the Sayiaat (bad deeds) of his

counterpart will be taken and added to
his burden. [Bukhaari]
80
When the Day of Resurrection comes, a

mans wealth and capital will be his
Hasanaat (good deeds).
If he had wronged any people, they will
take from his Hasanaat to the extent that
he mistreated them. If he does not have
any Hasanaat, or if his Hasanaat run out,
then some of their Sayiaat (bad deeds)
will be taken and added to his burden,

till all scores are settled.
Then his deeds will be weighed in the
Balance!
81
Purchase Garments of Paradise

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: If
any Muslim clothes a Muslim when he
is naked, Allah will clothe him with
some green garments of Paradise; if any

Muslim feeds a Muslim when he is
hungry, Allah will feed him with some
of the fruits of Paradise; and if any
Muslim gives a Muslim drink when he
is thirsty, Allah will give him some of

the pure wine which is sealed to drink.
[Abu Daud]
82
Allah (subhana wa taala) has made

some things easy for us to acquire, that
we otherwise would not have known
how to obtain. Had Allah (subhana wa
taala) not told us, we would not even
have known of Paradise let alone the
garments therein. Not only has he
informed us of their existence but made
it possible for each one of us to easily

get some.
83
Are we getting as excited about it as we

do about a clearance sale at our favorite
clothes store? If not, then there is
something wrong with our eeman.
Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with
him) said that if he were to see Paradise
with his own eyes he would not long for
it more than he already longs for it. Nor
would he by seeing Jahannum with his

own eyes fear it more than he already
does. This shows us the level of belief
the Sahabah had in the words of Allah

(subhana wa taala).
84
85
86
Evil in the Self and Deeds

him) taught us to say: All praise is
for Allah, we praise Him and seek His
help and His pardon. We seek refuge in

Him from the evil in our selves and
from the evil of our deeds. [Abu
Dawud; Kitab an-Nikah]
87
There is agreement amongst those who

seek Allah, despite their different
schools and practices, that the self (Nafs)
stands between the heart and reaching
Him. Only the silencing of the self by
turning away from it and ignoring its
whims and overcoming it can lead you
into the domain of Allah and make it
possible to reach Him.
88
Allah, the Exalted, says: Then as for

whoever exceeded the limits and
preferred the life of this world, surely
his abode will be the Fire; and as for
whoever feared to stand before his
Lord and restrained the desires of his

self (Nafs), surely his abode will be
the Garden. [Quran: Surah Naziaat,
Ayaat 37-41]
89
The self urges you to wrong actions, and

to preferring this life to the next life;
while Allah, the Exalted, tells His
servants to fear Him, and to restrain the
self from following its whims and
impulses.
There are two kinds of people in life:
intelligent and foolish. The foolish kind
are those whose Nafs have overcome

them and led them to ruin because they
yielded to them and obeyed their
impulses. The intelligent kind of people

are those who have overcome their Nafs
and made them obey their commands.
90
Evil lies hiding in the self, and it is this

that leads it on to do wrong. If Allah
were to leave the servant alone with his
self, the servant would be destroyed
between its evil and the evil that it
craves; but if Allah grants him success
and help, then he will survive. We seek
refuge in Allah the Almighty, both from
the evil of our selves and from the evil of

our deeds.
91
Protect Your Children

him) said: Act upon the obedience to
Allah and avoid the prohibitions of
Allah, and order your children to abide

by the commandments of Allah and to
avoid the prohibitions of Allah, and by
that you protect yourselves and them
from the Hellfire. [Ibn Jurayr]
92
This hadith holds a couple of important

lessons for us:
1. It is the right of children to be brought
up in accordance with the guidelines of
Islam. It is the duty of parents to protect
their children from the Fire of Hell by
teaching them Allahs commands and
prohibitions.
93
2. The Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him) first commands the parents
to act upon the commands of Allah
(subhana wa taala). It is a well known
fact, that children learn by imitation.
What a parent says, carries a lot less
weight, than what a parent does.
Children automatically do what their
parents do, but not necessarily what

they say.
94
95
96
Extinguish Anger With Water

him) said: Anger comes from the
devil and the devil was created from
fire. Fire is but extinguished with
water; so if one of you gets angry, he
should perform ablution. [Abu

Dawood]
97
When a fire breaks out, water is used to

extinguish it. Since anger is like fire, using water
will cool your temper. Do Wudhu.
To summarize the instructions of the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh), when assaulted with anger:
1.
Say "Audhu billahi minash-shaytan nirrajeem.
2.
If you are standing, sit. If the anger fails to

subside, lie down.
3.
Remain silent.
4.
Make Wudhu.
5.
Pray two Rakaat Nafl.
6.
Remember to be merciful to Allahs creation if
you desire Him to be merciful towards you

and continue to have Him overlook and
forgive your faults.
98
On the Back of Every Fish

him) said: It is written on the back of
every fish and bullock that it will be
the sustenance of such and such

persons. As such, it is only
unnecessary labour for a greedy person
to be in search of his sustenance.
[Minhaaj ul-Abideen by Imaam
Ghazali]
99
Mans sustenance was allotted and

distributed in the very beginning of the
creation of the universe.
It is necessary for me to have complete
faith in this Divine Dispensation and
conviction that no alteration in it is

possible.
After putting faith in the eternally
original distribution of sustenance, it is

a matter of disgrace in the world and
loss in the Hereafter to search for
sustenance desperately and fretfully.
100
I should work for a lawful income. The

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: It is
compulsory on every Muslim to seek
lawful earnings. [Ihya Ulum Id-Din by
Imam Ghazali]
However, I must pay full attention to

my prayers, not compromising on them
or any other order of Allahs (e.g. loyalty
to Islam and Muslims, behavior, speech,

dress, or anything else) to make a living.
Nobody can take away what is destined
for me. And nobody can give me what is

not written for me.
101
102
103
First to Enter
"The first of those who shall enter
Paradise are the people who do acts of
kindnesses." [Tibrani]
104
This story comes to us through the

that there was once a prostitute in the
tribe of the Bani Israil. She passed by a
dog going around a well about to die of
thirst. So she took off her shoe and, tying
it to her head wrap, lowered it into the
well to get some water for the dog.
Because of this one act of kindness,

Allah forgave her her sins.
105
This shows us not only Allahs love for

humans and how He loves to forgive us,
but also His love for all His creatures.
him) told us that we are rewarded for
every act of kindness we do to any
creature. Every time a bird eats from
your fruit tree you are rewarded by
Allah for that too.

In today's society though, it seems that
kindness is reserved for animals while
one's relatives and fellow Muslims are

not considered worthy of it. Don't
neglect them.
106
Instead of asking somebody to bring a

glass of water for you, bring it for them.
This is a kindness. To pay attention to a
child's story is a kindness. To give the
elderly your time is a kindness. To share
a particular skill you have is a kindness.
To wash someone else's dishes is a
kindness. To make room for somebody
is a kindness. There are hundreds of

kindnesses to do. Make it your goal for
this week to seek out acts of kindness
throughout the day, and do them! Every

little deed will count on the Day of
Judgment.
107
Obedience to Parents Opens Doors

to Paradise
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: He who
arises in the morning as obedient to both parents
for the pleasure of Allah, then Allah opens out
two doors of Paradise for him. If he has a single
parent, a single door is opened for him. If he

arises in the morning as a disobedient child to
his parents, two doors of Hell are opened out to
him and if there is one parent then one door is

opened out. A person asked, Even if the
parents are cruel to him or oppress him? He
(pbuh) replied, Even if they oppress him! Even

if they oppress him! Even if they oppress him!
[Bayhaqi; Shabil Imaan]
108
Allah (subhana wa taala) has left no

room for us to be disrespectful or
disobedient to our parents. Only if they
command us to go against any
injunction of Allahs are we allowed, in
fact required, to respectfully disobey
them. We are in all other matters to bow
down to their will and try to please
them for the sake of Allah (subhana wa

taala).
109
If we adopt this behaviour because

Allah (subhana wa taala) asks us to,
then our reward is with Him. It is He
who will reward us and He is the best of
rewarders.
When you wake up in the morning ask

yourself, would Allah (subhana wa
taala) rate you as a child who is
obedient to his/her parents or

disobedient?
110
111
112
Four Signs of A Hypocrite

him) said: Whoever has (the following)

four characteristics will be a pure
hypocrite: If he speaks, he tells a lie; if he
gives a promise, he breaks it; if he makes a
covenant he proves treacherous; and if he
quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent,
evil, insulting manner (unjust). And
whoever has one of these characteristics,
has one characteristic of a hypocrite unless

he gives it up. [Sahih Bukhari]
113
Make a check list of all un-Momin like

traits that you find within yourself. At
the end of each day check which
shortcoming you succumbed to. Give
yourself marks. See how long it takes
you to achieve full marks, i.e. you
display only Momin (believer vs.
Munafiq/hypocrite) like characteristics
that day. Then keep this up. Having a

visual check list and a grading system
helps.
114
Overlooking the Faults of

Muslims
him) said: Whoever conceals the
faults of a Muslim in this world, Allah
will conceal his faults in this world
and in the Hereafter. [Muslim]
115
It is a sign of noble character to overlook

the mistakes of our Muslim brothers
and sisters. As we err, they err. As we
would like to be forgiven and have our
deficiencies concealed, we should
forgive and conceal their deficiencies.
116
This is relevant to those faults of a

Muslim which pertain to his self. This
does not apply where the rights of other
people are involved. For example, you
will conceal the fact that a person
overeats, but you will not stay quiet
when that same person behaves
dishonestly with public funds.
117
118
119
Focus on Yourself
him) said: "O you who have entered Islam

with your tongues but whose hearts faith
has not entered: do not slander people, and
do not ferret 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, be sure that
He will disgrace him even if he should
remain in the middle of his house." [Abu
Dawud]
120
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

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 or her time in such
a disgraceful activity. This is because a
Momin knows that in the Final Reckoning

they will be asked about their own faults
and not those of others.
121
3. The punishment for someone who tries

to find flaws in others is that Allah will
surely disgrace them by making their
shameful deeds public. These may be
things we considered done and hidden
forever. But if Allah chooses to disgrace
somebody, there is nowhere they can
hide to escape the wretchedness of
disgrace.
122
We waste so much time looking for and

discussing the faults of others. Allah
says, "That is a nation which has
already passed away: there awaits it

whatever it has earned, while you
will have what you have earned. You

will not be questioned about what
they have been doing." [Quran 2:141]
Focus on that which is your
foremost responsibility and in your
control. Yourself!
123
Oath on Patience and Begging

him) said: There are three men about

whom I can take an oath. No mans
wealth can be reduced by charity. Any

man who shows patience in the face of
oppression, Allah honors him. And a
man who opens the door to begging,
Allah opens on him the door to poverty
and want. [Ibn Majah]
124
It often happens that with the people

nearest and dearest to us we are least
forgiving. Somebody says something
harsh and Shaitaan immediately jumps
to our side telling us to throw a brick in
exchange for a stone. He incites us
saying that unless we crush the other
person in retaliation we will never get
any respect.
But this is not the formula for honor
given by our beloved Prophet (pbuh).
He told us to forbear the personal

insults we receive if we desire honor.
125
It is sad that we are willing to show

forbearance when Allah (subhana wa
taala) is insulted, and patience when
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is
maligned, but quick to react when the
lowly persons of ourselves are treated
contemptuously.
126
It is against the honor of a Muslim to ask

of others let alone beg. This hadith tells
us that begging brings us no good
anyway. Allah (subhana wa taala)
guarantees that person poverty who
stretches his hand out in front of others
instead of Allah.
If you want anything pray and ask Allah
(subhana wa taala) for it. He is the source
of everything anyway. Teach your
children also to ask from Allah, rather
than from you. If it is written for them,

Allah will put it in the heart of the person
through whom it is to reach them.
127
128
129
Farewell Advice
him) said: "O people, your wives have
certain rights over you and you have
certain rights over them. Treat them

well and be kind to them, for they are
your partners and committed helpers."
[Tirmidhi]
130
Fair dealings and good behavior is

necessary towards everyone, but the
Prophet (pbuh), mercy for all mankind,
emphasized it especially towards women.

A man is rewarded for every morsel of
food that he puts into his wife's mouth.
The best sadaqah is that which is spent on
one's family and kindness to the wife is an
aspect of faith. Aisha (may Allah be
pleased with her) reported Allah's
Messenger as saying, "Among the
believers who show most perfect faith are
those who have the best disposition, and
are kindest to their families." [Tirmidhi]
131
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her),

the Prophet's wife, is one of the most
famous women in Islamic history. She
was gifted with outstanding intelligence
and memory, and is considered to be one
of the most reliable narrators of ahadith
of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
132
Rich Begging
him) said: The begging of a rich

person will appear as a disfigurement
on his face on the Day of

Resurrection. [Musnad al-Imam
Ahmad]
133
One who asks from other people when

he is not in need, will be humiliated
with disfigurement on the Day of
Resurrection, as he had unnecessarily
disfigured his image in the world with
begging.
Teach your children from day one not to
ask people for things. All bad habits
begin small.
134
135
136
Forty Women to One Men

"A time will come when a man will go
about with alms from his gold and will
not find anyone to receive it. One man

will be seen being followed by forty
women dependant upon him on

account of the scarcity of men and
excess of women." [Sahih Muslim]
137
This hadith reveals two of the prophecies of the

Prophet (pbuh) which have not been fulfilled
yet. One is that wealth will be abundant and the
other is that females will greatly exceed males in

number. This may happen due to wars, when
more males will be killed. It might be that the
birth rate of females exceeds that of males. Or it
may be due to any other reason. As a result of
pollution with oestrogen like compounds in
Britain's rivers, genetically male fish in the
rivers have been found to be physically

feminized in large numbers. SubhanAllah,
when fitnah appears in society, nothing remains
safe and everything is affected!
138
Retaliation
People shall be mustered on the Day of

Judgement naked, uncircumcised, and
possessionless, and a call will be made to
them in a voice that those who are far
shall hear as well as those who are near,
saying: I am the King, I am He who
gives recompense: it is not meet for any
inhabitant of hell to enter it while any of

the inhabitants of paradise owes him
something until I exact it of them.
139
Retaliation
And it is not meet for any inhabitant of
paradise to enter it while he owes any of

the inhabitants of hell something until I
exact it from him, even if it be the
requital of a single slap of the face. We
asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh),
How will this be, when we meet Allah

Mighty and Majestic naked,
uncircumcised, and without a thing?
He replied, With good and bad deeds.
[Musnad Ahmad]
140
Just retaliation is a fact of the Day of

Judgement. No one will be able to avoid
it. It is the day when Allah (subhana wa
taala) as King and Judge will distribute
justice and nothing will escape His notice.
Every gesture and every intention will be
weighed in the balance. That day people
will pay each other with their good deeds.
If one person slapped another unjustly he
will have to hand over some of his good
deeds to make up for it. If a persons good
deeds finish while he still owes people,
their bad deeds will begin to be loaded
into his account.
141
This news is a warning to each of us to

watch ourselves, for no deed, big or
small escapes Allahs knowledge. It is
also balm on the aching wounds of the
oppressed. Such perfect justice is not
possible on earth where you cant undo
most harm, you cant turn back the
clock, you cant catch every criminal,
you cant prove many injustices.
142
143
144
Fifteen Traits of the Doomed

The Prophet (pbuh) said: If my Ummah bears fifteen
traits, tribulation will befall it. Someone asked, What
are they, O Messenger of Allah? He said, When any
gain is shared out only among the rich, with no benefit
to the poor; when a trust becomes a means of making a
profit; when paying Zakat becomes a burden; when a

man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats
his friend kindly whilst shunning his father; when
voices are raised in the mosques; when the leader of a
people is the worst of them; when people treat a man

with respect because they fear some evil he may do;
when much wine is drunk; when men wear silk; when
female singers and musical instruments become

popular; when the last ones of this Ummah curse the
first ones - then let them expect a red wind, or the earth
to swallow them, or to be transformed into animals.
145
[Tirmidhi]
This hadith lists some of the evils that will

befall the Ummah in its last days. Because of
our committing these sins we will deserve to
be punished. It is scary to see how many of

these sins are now rampant amongst
Muslims.
The first sin mentioned is that the wealthy

will keep wealth among themselves
exclusively, not letting it circulate and
benefit the poor. Look at current tax laws

and you will see this to be true. Another
manifestation of this sin is the invitation of
rich relatives to celebrations but not poor

ones. This is also a way of keeping good
things among the rich only, as it excludes the
poor from even benefiting from a meal.
146
When people hold certain positions but

only do their job when they are bribed,
this amounts to using a trust to make a
profit. Holding a position of
responsibility is a trust/amanat, but we
see politicians, government servants and
many others, instead bent on
profiteering. Another example of using a
trust to make a profit is the practice of

banks loaning out to others on interest
the money that people keep as
safekeeping with them.
147
The third trait mentioned in this hadith is

that zakat will become a burden. This is
also evident today. How many people
happily give zakat, despite it being a

purification of wealth and source of great
reward with Allah ?
A man obeying his wife in preference to
his mother is also a sin. This is provided
that neither of them is asking him to do
something haraam or that which
compromises any others rights. There is
no obedience if that obedience entails
disobedience of Allahs prescribed rules
and laws.
148
Unfortunately, we also see among

Muslims today that friends take
precedence over family, although rights
through kinship are highly stressed in
Islam. We also see people raising their
voices in mosques in argumentation and
quarrels. The worst of a people being the
leader of that nation also appears to be
the case in many Muslim majority

countries around the world.
Consequently, people are afraid of the
evil of their leaders and despite their

wickedness thus treat them with respect.
149
As for the last four traits: Many

members of the Muslim Ummah are
gripped in the vice of drinking alcohol;
many dont think much of the sin of men
wearing silk; female singers and music
are entrenched in the popular culture of
Muslims; and some deviant sects also
engage in the repulsive sin of bad
mouthing the first generation of

Muslims.
We need to seriously repent and ask
Allah to save us from the punishments

that befall the sinful.
150
Old Dress
Whosoever puts on a new dress and
has means, should give away his old
dress to the poor. [Tirmidhi]
151

guided us in all matters of life. A
Muslims wardrobe is limited because
they care about their fellow human
beings, for the sake of Allahs happiness.
So when they get a new dress they
should give away one of their old
dresses to the poor. This is a way of
recycling usable material and also

taking care of the needs of the needy.
152
As with all deeds, the intention should

be to seek the pleasure of Allah
(subhana wa taala) rather than
humanitarianism, taking care of the
environment, or any other motive.
Allahs laws and recommendations
already take care of people, their
environment and, in fact, all creatures. It
is our Maker and Cherisher we should

seek to please.
153
When oil riggs are set up, the trillions

spent are not for the useful by-product
we call Vaseline. It is oil for which the
expenditure is incurred and petroleum
jelly is just a useful by-product. So also,
when we follow Allahs laws and
recommendations, the thing of real
value is Allahs Pleasure, while the
resulting benefits to humans and other

creatures is the useful by-product.
154
155
156
Fear of Allah
narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: A man who had
never done a pious deed said to his family members,

When I die burn me to ashes and divide the ashes into
two parts. Scatter one of them on land and the other in
the ocean. By Allah! If Allah gets hold over this body,

He will punish it as severely as He may not have
punished anyone else.
When he died, his family members obeyed his
instructions. Allah commanded the land to gather his
ashes and it collected every particle of his ashes on it.
And He commanded the ocean and it too gathered all
particles even from its depths. (Then He gave it life and

speech and) He asked him, Why did you do that? He
said, My Lord! Fear of You! So Allah forgave him.
[Sahih Bukhari]
157
This hadith highlights the importance of

having fear of Allah. The man had done
no good deed throughout his life despite
Allahs blessings on him, but at the time
of his death the events of his life flashed
before his eyes and made him so fearful
of Allahs punishment that he instructed
his family members to burn his body
and scatter his ashes over land and sea

in the hope that Allah would not be able
to put his body together again to punish
him.
158
The man made a gross misjudgment of Allahs

attributes and supposed that by treating his
body in this way he would be able to defeat
Allahs plans to revive him. Allah, who has

created life out of nothing, is fully capable of
gathering scattered particles in the expanse of
the universe and reviving the dead. However,
Allah forgave the man because his wrong
approach had been prompted by fear of Him
and punishment at His hands.
Thus, having the fear of Allah is a noble and

valuable asset. Allah says in the Quran, But as
for him who feared the standing before his Lord
and restrained his soul from caprices, surely the

Garden shall be his abode. [79:40-41]
159
This hadith also teaches us never to despair of

the mercy of Allah Most High. We should
hope that He will forgive everyone who
makes a sincere repentance and seeks

forgiveness. A believer must maintain two
balanced approaches; that of fear and hope
fear of being punished and hope for His

mercy. It is not correct to lean on any one
approach alone. As a bird with one wing
heavier than the other cannot fly so also
having a disbalance in fear and hope will not
allow a person to be a successful Muslim. An
extremity of fear makes one too despondent
to do good deeds, while over dependence on
hope makes one neglect piety.
160
One Whom Allah Loves

him) said: By Allah, Allah will never
throw one who loves Him and whom
He loves into the Fire. [Musnad

Ahmad]
161
Love is a reciprocal thing. Suppose you love

someone from the bottom of your heart but
regardless of what you do for them they do not
reciprocate your feelings. While you look at

them adoringly, they look past you as though
you were invisible. You put everything on the
side to serve them day and night but they dont

acknowledge your selfless love or any of your
sacrifices. You stand by them through thick and
thin but they dont value your feelings. You

always try to do what pleases them but they
dont ask for your opinion. They say about you
things that are untrue and listen silently while

your reputation is trashed. How long will your
love last?
162
Allah (subhana wa taala) has shown

His intense and unceasing love for me;
but have I loved Him in return? Have I
given preference to Allah, His feelings

and His opinions?
May Allah (subhana wa taala) help me
to become such that I reciprocate His
love. Those who believe are
overflowing in their love for Allah.

[Quran: Surah Baqrah, Ayat 165]
May my love for Him become greater
than my love of my own desires and

may I value His opinion more than that
of people.
163
164
165
Fitnah of Duyna
Abu Musa Ashari (may Allah be
pleased with him) narrated that the
him) said: He who loves his dunya

hurts his Akhirah, and he who loves
his akhirah hurts his dunya. Therefore
you should give preference to the one
that lasts over the one that is to
perish. [Hakim in Mustadrak]
166
If you live in a rented house and are having

your own house built will you spend a
great deal of money, if any, on the rented
house or will you try to save as much as
you can for the construction of your own
house? When one works for the everlasting
next life they try to send whatever they
have forward. That means that they

compromise their life styles in order to
spend their money in Allahs path. They
compromise on their leisure in order to put

in more effort for their akhirah. They
compromise on their desires so that Allah
fulfills their every desire in the Hereafter. In
short, they try to maximize the return on
whatever Allah has given them in this
world.
167
A look at the life of any of the Sahabah

will show the practical application of
this hadith. Allah repeatedly calls this
world a deception. Despite being
warned, we act as though it will last
forever. We spend two or three decades
on acquiring the education that will
only serve us in this life. We then spend
the rest of our decades trying to enjoy

this life as much as we can. But for the
everlasting life that will begin with the
blink of an eye we do not bother to

prepare much.
168
Sufyan Thawri narrated that Eesa ibn

Maryam (alaihis salam) said: As fire
and water cannot coexist within the
same bowl; in the same way love of the
akhirah and love of this world cannot
coexist in the heart of a Momin. [Dham
ad-Dunya li Ibn Abi ad-Dunya]
169
On the Most Evil

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (radi Allahu
anhu) narrated that the Prophet (peace be

upon him) said: Islam will wear out as
embroidery on a garment wears out, until
no one will know what fasting, prayer,
(pilgrimage) rites and charity are. The
Quran will disappear in one night, and

not one verse of it will be left on earth.
And there will be some people left, old
men and old women who will say, We

saw our fathers saying these words: la
ilaha illa Allah, so we say them too.
170
On the Most Evil

Silah asked Hudhayfah, What will
saying la ilaha illa Allah do for them

when they do not know what prayer,
fasting, (pilgrimage) rites and charity
are? Hudhayfah ignored him; then Silah
repeated his question three times, and
each time Hudhayfah ignored him.
Finally he answered, O Silah, it will
save them from Hell, and said it three
times. [The Chapters on Tribulations:

Sunan Ibn Majah]
171
This indicates that in the last days, knowledge

will be taken from the people, and even the
Quran will disappear from the Mushafs and
from people's hearts. People will be left without

knowledge. Only old people will tell them that
they used to hear people saying la ilaha illa
Allah; and they will repeat it to feel close to
Allah. So it will give them some blessing, even
if they do not have any good deeds or beneficial
knowledge. Knowledge will be taken away
from men and ignorance will increase during

the last days. Ignorance and misguidance will
increase until the end of time, as in the hadith
of the Prophet (pbuh): The Hour will not come

upon anyone who says, 'Allah, Allah'; it will
only come upon the most evil of men.
172
173
174
Friends of Allah
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Allah
Most High says, He who is hostile to a friend

(Wali) of Mine I declare war against. My slave
approaches Me with nothing more beloved to
Me than what I have made obligatory for him,

and My slave keeps drawing nearer to Me
with voluntary works until I love him. And
when I love him, I am his hearing with which

he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand
with which he seizes, and his foot with which
he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to

him, and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely
protect him. [Sahih Bukhari]
175
Allahs friends are those who are

constant and sincere in obedience to
Him. A friend (Wali) of Allah is one who
is close to Him because of his devotion
to Him, through obeying His commands
and shunning the acts which he has
forbidden. Allah declares war against
those who harass people because of their
Islam. Allah says that He will fight such

people Himself. And whoever such a
thing should happen to, should expect
only the worst possible things to happen

to him or her.
176
This hadith also tells us that the obligatory

deeds (Faraid) are the most beloved to
Allah. Nothing makes Allah happier than
performance of Faraid and keeping away

from the forbidden deeds (Haraam). This
is what makes a person a friend of Allahs.
We should also keep the performance of
obligatory (Fard) and recommended
(Sunnah/Nafl) deeds in perspective. It is
said that the recommended deed amounts
to but one-seventieth of the value of an
obligatory deed. [Reliance of the Traveller
by Ahmad ibn Naqib Al-Misri]
177
Thus, whoever draws near to Allah

through what is obligatory, and then
through the recommended deeds, Allah
draws him nearer to Himself and
elevates him from the level of true faith
(Iman) to the level of perfection of faith
(Ihsan). The consequence of this is the
preservation of the individuals whole
person, so that he forsakes selfish

desires and is wholly absorbed in
obedience.
178
This hadith is also a metaphor for Allahs

help and assistance. By Allah becoming
someones hearing or sight or hand what
is meant is that Allah helps the Momin to

perceive what He wants him to perceive
and do through his limbs what He wants
him to do.
When a Momin becomes a friend of
Allahs, Allah grants the Momin what he
asks for. This happened to many of the

early Muslims, and Allah protects such a
person from whatever he fears. Whoever
draws near to Allah through the above

will not have his duas rejected.
179
Naked on Day of Resurrection

When Aishah (may Allah be pleased
with her) heard the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) say: Mankind will be gathered on
the Day of Resurrection, barefoot, naked
and uncircumcised, she said, O
Messenger of Allah, men and women
together, looking at one another? He

(pbuh) said, O Aishah, it will be too
distressing for them to be looking at one
another. [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh]
180
On the Day of Judgement all human

beings who ever lived will be
resurrected and gathered together. They
will be naked, barefoot and
uncircumcised. But the Day of
Judgement will be too stressful for
anyone to even notice the other people
around them, let alone look at them.
Each person will be consumed with

worry, so concerned about their fate that
everything else will cease to be of
significance to them.
181
And warn them (O Muhammad) of

the Day that is drawing near (i.e. the
Day of Resurrection), when the
hearts will be choking the throats,
and they can neither return them to
their chests nor can they throw them

out. [Quran: Surah Ghafir, Ayat 18]
182
O mankind! Fear your Lord and be

dutiful to Him! Verily, the
earthquake of the Hour (of
Judgement) is a terrible thing. The
Day you shall see it, every nursing
mother will forget her nursling, and

every pregnant one will drop her
load, and you shall see mankind as
in a drunken state, yet they will not
be drunken, but severe will be the
Torment of Allah. [Quran: Surah

Hajj, Ayaat 1-2]
183
184
185
Five Pillars
him) said: Islam is built upon five
pillars: testifying that there is no God
except Allah and that Muhammad is

His Messenger, the establishment of
the prayer, the giving of Zakah, the
fast of Ramadan and the pilgrimage
(Hajj) to Makkah. [Sahih Bukhari]
186
A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon

him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, tell
me what Allah requires of me as regards
fasting. He answered: The month of
Ramadan. The man asked: Is there any
other (fast)? The Prophet (peace be upon
him) answered: No, unless you do so
voluntarily. [Sahih Bukhari]
187
The edifice of Islam is built on five

pillars. The fasts of Ramadhan are one of
the pillars that support the structure of
Islam. The whole Muslim nation agrees
that the fast of Ramadan is obligatory. It
is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one
disputes this, he cannot be called a
Muslim.
188
Necessary Education
The best gift that a father can bestow

upon his son is to arrange good
education and training for him.

[Mishkat]
189
Concentrate all your efforts on training

and educating your children in piety.
Consider the greatest sacrifice too little
to achieve this purpose. This is an
obligation laid upon you by your
religion, it is a favor you owe to your
children, and it is the greatest good that
you can do to yourself. Allah (subhana
wa taala) says in the Quran: O you
who believe, save yourselves and

your families from a fire whose fuel
is men and stones. [Surah Tahreem:
Ayat 6]
190
The only way to save oneself from

Hellfire is by passing ones life in loyalty
and devotion to the commands of Allah
(subhana wa taala) and His Messenger
(pbuh). For this one must gain the
requisite knowledge of religion.
191
In a house alone at night, an old woman

was teasing some wool and speaking
aloud: The prayer of the good be upon
Muhammad, may the blessed bless him!
I was standing in tears before dawn. If
only I knew, when death gives us
different forms, whether the Abode will
join me to my beloved! She meant the
Prophet (pbuh). Umar (may Allah be

pleased with him) wept as he overheard
her.
192
Since this is the desire of all true

Muslims, not only for themselves, but
for other Muslims too, Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) as the Khalifa of
the Muslims, prescribed compulsory
education for them that would enable
them to unite with their beloved: All
Muslim boys and girls were required to
commit at least Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah

An-Nisa, Surah Maidah, Surah Al-Hajj
and Surah An-Noor to memory. These
Surahs elaborate the Islamic laws and

principles that none of us can afford to
not know about.
193
194
195
Free to Believe
him) said: Allah does not compel
belief, and leaves the people free to
believe or disbelieve. [Sahih Muslim]
196
Winners carefully choose their beliefs

whereas losers adopt them from others.
Supreme success and the greatest
success (as defined by Allah in the

Quran) is admittance into Jannah.
Just as a person cannot be compelled to
try to get admission into an excellent

university, nobody can be forced into
having the set of beliefs (and resulting
actions) to get into Jannah either. There

must be sufficient motivation in the
individual himself/herself to gain
admission.
What we choose to believe or disbelieve
is up to us. But the consequences have
been clearly spelt out.
197
No Body Hair in Jannah

him) said: The people of Jannah will

enter Jannah hairless, looking as if
their eyes are ringed with kohl, aged

thirty-three. [Tirmidhi]
198
One of the aspects of beauty of the people

of Jannah is that they will have no body
hair. Nobody has to make any effort to
keep themselves clean - its all taken care
of in advance! Think how much time it
will save us and what pains we are
spared once we make it to Paradise
inshaAllah.
Our eyes will look like they are anointed
with kohl. No need for make-up, its all
naturally beautiful!
Each person will enter Jannah aged thritythree, the age of strength, vitality and
youth.
199
200
201
Final Prophet
him) said: My likeness among the

prophets is as a man who, having built a
house and put the finishing touches on it
and made it seemly, yet left one place
without a brick. When anyone entered it
and saw this, he would exclaim, How
excellent it is, but for the place of this
brick. Now, I am the place of that brick:
through me the line of the prophets (Allah

bless them and give them peace) has been
brought to completion. [Bukhari]
202

him) was the last in a long succession of
prophets, that Allah sent to mankind
over the millennia. Anyone claiming to

be a prophet or messenger after him is a
fraud, misled and misleading. Since the
last prophet has come, we can deduce

that we are in the final stages of life on
earth.
Since no prophets are to come after

Muhammad (peace be upon him), Allah
has taken it upon himself to guard the
final revelation from being tampered

with. It will remain in its original form
till the Blowing of the Trumpet.
203
Noblest Thoughts
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) went out to a
circle of his Companions and said, What is
it that has caused you to sit together? They
said, We sat down to remember Allah and
praise Him for He has guided us to Islam

and been gracious to us. He said, By Allah,
is that the only thing that made you sit
together? They said, By Allah, we sat down

for that reason alone. He said, I did not
make you swear out of any suspicion of you,
but Jibreel came to me and reported to me

that Allah Almighty is boasting about you to
the angels. [Sahih Muslim]
204
Imagine! Allah (subhana wa taala)

boasting about us! Us? All praise
belongs to Him alone. It is His
graciousness that He consider us worth
talking about, let alone boasting of.
This boasting on the part of Allah

Almighty is an indication of the nobility
of Dhikr in His sight. The Dhikr that the
Companions were engaged in, that

caused Allahs boasting, was mention of
Allahs favors on them and gratitude
towards Him for being guided to Islam.

These are the noblest thoughts and
feelings a human being can have.
205
206
207
False Advertising
Avoid swearing falsely in order to sell
your goods. Apparently it appears to
be promoting your business, but in

fact it lets your business down and
damages the goodwill of your
business. [Muslim]
208
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught

us everything of use to us, including
business ethics. He told us how false
advertising - making incorrect claims
about the product we want to sell - hurts
the business. Even if it appears to be
increasing sales, it is damaging in the
long run.
Does this mean that if I am willing to

take on long term loss for short term
gain, I am free to do so? No, because
false advertising is still lying and lying

leads to the fire of Jahannum.
209
No Indulgence in Rebuking
him) said: It is not possible that you

indulge in rebuking and reproaching
and at the same time remain Siddique

(truthful) and straight. [Mishkat AlMasabih]
210
When a person gets into the rebuking

mode, he very easily goes overboard. It
suddenly becomes next to impossible
for the person to control himself and
limit himself to saying only that which
is strictly true, without making
generalizations and exaggerating. The
situation quickly develops into an
argument and each person becomes

bent on proving that they are right and
the other is to blame.
211
If you must let someone know of their

shortcomings, decide in advance on exactly
what statement you are going to make.
Make sure that it is 100% factually true and
limit yourself to saying only that much. For
example, assume you felt insulted when
you were cut short in front of your friends.
Keep your tone neutral; simply describe the
bahaviour and your feelings: When you
interrupted me in front of my friends, I felt
insulted. Please do not interrupt me like
that again. Should the other person start

attacking you, control yourself; hold your
tongue and say no more.
212
If that statement had been said to you,

you should have evaluated it quietly in
your mind and fixed your shortcoming,
without starting an attack in return.
213
214
215
First Ummah to Enter

Jannah
We are the last (Ummah to appear),
but we will be the first on the Day of
Resurrection. We will be the first of
mankind to enter Jannah. [Bukhari]
216
The Muslim Ummah will be the first

nation to enter Jannah. This is because
they followed Allahs commands most
closely, in particular the command by
which He has distinguished them and
which is the basis of their excellence.
217
You are indeed the best community

that has ever been brought forth for
(the good of) mankind: you enjoin the

doing of what is right and forbid the
doing of what is wrong, and you
believe in Allah. Now if the followers
of earlier revelation had attained to
(this kind of) faith, it would have been

for their own good; (but only few)
among them are believers, while most
of them are iniquitous. [Quran: Surah
Al-e-Imran, Ayat 110]
218
Therefore, encouraging people to do

good deeds and trying to prevent them
from doing evil deeds, while believing
truly in Allah, His names and attributes,
is what distinguishes Muslims from
other nations. It is what makes them
worthy of entering Jannah before other
nations. It is not the job of a clergy to

bring people closer to Allah, but every
Muslims job to work in his/her own
capacity to connect people with Allah
and His commands.
219
Allah does not group people on the basis

of race, color or ethnicity. People are
either His followers or the followers of
Shaitaan; even though Shaitaan
promises nothing but lies while Allah
promises Jannah. Therefore, it is not a
particular race or ethnicity that will
enter Jannah but those most obedient to
Allahs commands.
220
Modesty Indicator of Eeman

him) said: Indeed Haya (modesty)
and Eeman (faith) are companions.
When one of them is lifted, the other

leaves as well. [Baihaqi, Shuabul
Iman]
221
Haya is a special characteristic of a

Mumin. People who are ignorant of the
teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) do not
concern themselves with Haya.
Haya and Eeman are interdependent ;
therefore, they either exist together or

they both perish. One begins to do
immodest deeds, these lead to vulgar
deeds; then a person begins to justify his

lewd actions, thereby negating the
teachings of Islam. Denying the
teachings of Islam (e.g. that Hijab or

guarding ones gaze is not required of
Muslims), is Kufr (disbelief).
222
Thus, we see that Haya and Eeman go

together, when one leaves the other
leaves as well. You can judge the level of
your Eeman by your level of modesty.
223
224
225
Family Counts in Sadaqah

him) said: What a Muslim spends on

his family, for seeking the pleasure of
Allah, is also counted as charity.

[Bukhaari]
226
Allah advises man to first be kind to

himself and to the people in his home,
then to his larger circle of relatives, and
then to all human beings.
When a man provides for his wife,
children, parents and any other

dependents, he is worshipping Allah by
obeying Him. If his intention is to fulfill
the responsibilities Allah has assigned
to him, he gains the reward of
performing good deeds, by paying for

his familys food, clothes, housing,
medicine, etc.
227
Allah has forbidden both miserliness

and extravagance (wasteful spending).
We should spend in a balanced manner,
keeping well away from these two
extremes.
228
Molten Lead in Whose Eyes

him) said: On the Day of Judgement,
molten lead will be dropped in the eyes
of a person who lustfully looks at a

womans beauty. [Az-Zawajir]
229
Beware of what you see when you go

out of your house and beware of which
book you open or what screen you turn
on!
Take for example television: What can
one not help but see if they turn their

T.V. on? Its not just movies and
entertainment programs that need to be
avoided; Is it worth watching

educational programs or the news if the
sight of the news-casters or
advertisements littering the program,

can be converted into molten lead in
one's eyes on the Day of Judgement?
230
231
232
Fasting Recompensed
Without Measure
upon him) said: Every good deed of
the son of Adam will be multiplied
between ten and seven hundred
times, but Allah says, Except for
fasting, because it is for Me and I

will give the reward for it.
[Bukhaari]
233
Among the actions which will be

multiplied beyond measure, to an extent
known only to the One Who gives the
reward, is fasting.
234
The reason that the one who fasts will be

given reward without measure, is that
fasting requires Sabr (patience), and
those who are patient will be given

reward without measure. Allah says in
the Quran: Only those who are
patient shall receive their reward in

full, without measure. [Surah AzZumar: Ayat 10]
Imaam Qurtubi said: The scholars
said, Every reward will be measured
and weighed out, except (the reward

for) fasting, which will be poured out
and heaped up. [Tafseer al-Qurtubi]
235
Manner of Advising
him) said: O Umar! You are a strong

person. Do not jostle through the
crowds to reach the black stone lest

you injure the weak. If you find an
opening, then touch it, otherwise
simply face it and utter Tahleel and
Takbeer (laa ilaaha illallaah and
Allaahu akbar). [Musnad Ahmad]
236
On one occasion the Prophet (pbuh) noticed

that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
was making Tawaf around the Kaabah and as
he wished to touch the black stone, he jostled

through the crowds and kissed it. Umar (may
Allah be pleased with him) was very
muscular and strong and on his way to the

black stone he could have harmed someone.
The Prophet (pbuh) wanted to advise him in
this regard, so in order to mentally prepare

him for advice he started by saying, O
Umar, you are a strong person. Umar (may
Allah be pleased with him) became pleased
upon hearing this. The Prophet (pbuh) then
said, Do not jostle through the crowds to
reach the black stone.
237
There was once a king who saw in a

dream that all his teeth had fallen out.
He called a dream-interpreter, told him
what he had seen, and asked him to
interpret it.
When the interpreter heard the dream

his complexion changed and he began
to repeat, Allahs refuge is sought!
Allahs refuge is sought! The king

became worried and asked, What is the
interpretation of my dream? The
interpreter said, After many years pass,

your wife and children will die and you
will be all alone in your kingdom!
238
The king screamed, became furious, and

began to hurl abuses and insults. He then
ordered that the interpreter be
imprisoned and called for another one.
He again related to him what he had seen
in his dream and asked him for the
interpretation.
The dream interpreter smiled and said,
Glad tidings dear king! The king said,
What is the interpretation of the
dream? The interpreter said, It means
that you will live for very long so long

that you will be the last of your family to
die, and you will remain a king your
entire life.
239
The king became very pleased,

showered him with gifts, and remained
content with him whilst angry with the
first dream-interpreter. In reality, both
interpretations were the same, the
difference was in the way in which the
interpretation was conveyed.
A mans flesh is not fit for eating nor is
his skin fit for clothing there is nothing

in him except the sweetness of his
tongue.
240
241
242
Forbearance and Patience Most

Loved
The Prophet (pbuh) said to al-Ashaj
bin Abd Qays (may Allah be pleased
with him): You have two qualities
that Allah and His Messenger love.
Al-Ashaj (may Allah be pleased with
him) became overjoyed and said:

What are the two qualities, O
Messenger of Allah? The Prophet
(pbuh) said: Forbearance and
patience. [Ahmad]
243
Before you rush to settle scores with

people remind yourself of this hadith.
One of the most striking examples of
forbearance and patience is that of the
Prophet Yaqub (pbuh). Consider how he
dealt with his sons knowing they had
been involved in foul play with his
beloved Yusuf (pbuh), their step brother.
His love of his son Yusuf (pbuh) was

such that he did not even like him to go
out to play with his step brothers. Yet
how many decades did he forbear while

his heart bled and his eyes became blind
with silent weeping.
244
Allah tells us the stories of prophets in

the Quran so we may model our
behavior on their exalted characters.
245
Misled by Debaters after

Guidance
After receiving guidance no
community went astray and did not
deviate from the path it was following,
except when debaters turned them
away from it. [Tirmidhi]
246
On account of their tongues, debaters do

not stay within limits. They keep talking,
feeling conceited and strutting along. For
this group, the import of their words is of
primary importance, while truth takes
second place. They are responsible for
their own misguidance as well as the
misguidance of their victims.
Such debaters may be among our
families, colleagues or friends. They are
very prevalent on mass media, on T.V.,
radio, in the print media and scholarly

circles. Their slickness makes many
people slip.
247
Each person should take care to avoid

the gatherings and spell-casting talk of
such people. We need to be very vigilant
because, while they will shoulder blame
for misguiding us, we will still be
punished for allowing ourselves to be
misguided by them.
248
249
250
Forbearance Required of
Muslims
Patience comes with forbearance.
[Ad-Daraqutni]
251
Forbearance means to suppress ones

anger and other negative reactions that
naturally and immediately surface in the
untrained person when they are
insulted, abused, hurt or taken
advantage of. Forbearance means to
tolerate perceived harm and control
ones reaction, exhibiting only such
behavior as pleases Allah.
252
A Muslim preacher was once giving a

lecture in a prison. The lecture was
delivered in a special section of the prison
where most of the prisoners were guilty of

murder or manslaughter. When he had
finished his lecture and the prisoners were
going back to their cells, one of them came

forward to thank him. He was the one
responsible for cultural activities in the
prison. The preacher asked him about the

cause which led most of these men to
commit murder. He replied, Just anger. By
Allah, dear Shaykh, some of them have
killed over a few riyals during a dispute
with a shopkeeper or a petrol station
attendant!
253

ordered us to train ourselves on
forbearance. The first time a person
suppresses his anger, it may drain his
emotions 100%. The second time, it will
decrease to 90%. The third time, it will
be 80%, and so one until forbearance
becomes second nature. Eventually, on
experiencing unpleasant circumstances,

a person will exhibit patience, one of the
qualities most beloved to Allah.
254
Marry If You Can, Otherwise

Fast
Whoever among you can afford it, let
him get married, for it is more effective
in lowering the gaze and guarding
chastity. And whoever cannot afford it,
then let him fast, for it will be restraint

for him. [Sunan an-Nasai]
255
The Prophet (pbuh) recommended that

Muslims get married. It is against the
teachings of Islam to have the financial
ability to get married but choose to stay

single.
There is a specific code of conduct while in
this world that Allah (subhana wa taala)
has outlined for those who want to spend
eternity as they please in Jannah. One of its
requirements is to be careful with where

one looks and guard oneself from looking
at the opposite gender (except ones
spouse). What the eye sees, the limbs follow

to. To look at forbidden things is the first
step in the wrong direction.
256
Being married helps to guard ones gaze

and remain within the boundaries of
Islam. If a person is not able to get
married for some reason, then they
should fast. Fasting helps to guard ones
chastity.
257
258
259
Fifty Thousand Books of

Account
him) was asked about the deed on
account of which most people will
enter Paradise. He (peace be upon him)
said: Fear of Allah and good
manners. [Tirmidhi]
260
Adjust your accounts with everybody.

Account will be taken of you on the Day
of Resurrection, and of your dealings
with each and every person you

encountered in life.
A pious Muslim said: I saw a merchant
in a dream and asked him, What

treatment has Allah meted out to you?
He replied, Fifty thousand books of
accounts have been opened before me. I

asked, Are all these records of sins. He
replied, You will find one record for
each person you have dealt with in the

world. All have been recorded in these
books of accounts. [Ihya Ulum Id-Din]
261
Each person you come across in life

equals one book of accountability. We
dont just have monetary transactions
with people. Our books of account will
have our conduct with people recorded
in them, each word, each favor and each
injury.
Think of how many people youve come
across in life. Estimate how many books

of accountability you already have. Try
to keep the awareness of your mutual
book in mind every time you are in the

presence of another human being.
262
Unlawful Food Bars Acceptance

of Dua
Once Saad (radi Allahu anhu) said to
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him): Pray to Allah that He may
accept my invocation. The Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Eat
lawful food and for that your

invocation will be accepted. [Ihya
Ulum Id-Din by Imam Ghazali]
263
If you feel that your prayers are not

being answered, look into the source of
your income. Scrutinize it carefully. Are
you going against any of Allahs
injunctions to earn it?
264
Modesty before Allah

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Be modest
before Allah as it is proper to be modest. The
Sahabah (radi Allahu anhum) said: We are modest
before Allah, and for this we thank Him. The
Prophet (pbuh) said: This is not modesty. The
modesty that should be before Allah demands that

you keep your head and all parts safe from falsehood,
keep your belly and your food safe from forbidden
things, and remember the condition of death and that

of the grave; and he who wants to love the life of the
Hereafter, should give up the embellishments and
grandeur of worldly life, and should prefer the
Hereafter to the world. He who has done so has as if
fulfilled the right of being modest before Allah.
[Tirmidhi]
265
We try to display our best conduct and

behavior in the presence of those whom
we consider great and whom we want
to please. Before them we speak only as
much as necessary. Every step that we
take before them is with caution and
fear of their disapproval.
266
A Muslim whose religion teaches him

that he is never away from the sight of
Allah, because he is in His presence day
and night, is more awed by Allah
(subhana wa taala) than he is by
important people and more careful not
to displease Him than he is cautious
about displeasing important people. He
is, therefore, more careful to obey Him

than he is concerned about obeying the
people important in his life.
267
If a person conducts his life with the

consciousness that Allah (subhana wa
taala) is watching him, and if he hates
to be lax and defective in matters
concerning Allah, then he has fulfilled
the right of being modest before Allah.
268
269
270
271
Greetings
A man asked the Prophet (peace be
upon him), "What Islamic traits are
the best?" The Prophet (peace be upon
him) replied, "Feed the people, and
greet those whom you know and those
whom you do not know." [Bukhari]
One of the minor signs of the Day of
Judgment is that people will only give

salaam to the people that they know.
[Ahmad] Nowadays we see that
salaam is not considered the right of

every Muslim. It used to be that salaam
was given to any Muslim, whether one
knew them or not. In fact, if you offer
salaams to strangers today they might
look at you funny, trying to figure out
if they know you. Nevertheless, let us
make an effort to revive this sunnah for
the love of the Prophet (peace be upon
him) and as a practice of one of the
best traits of Islam.
Miskeen
The Miskeen (poor person) is not the
one for whom a date-fruit or two, or a

morsel or two (of food) is sufficient,
but the Miskeen is he who does not
(beg or) ask the people (for anything)
or show his poverty at all. Recite if you
wish, llah s statement , They do
not beg of people at all Quran
. [Sahih ukhari]
5
One of the categories of people entitled

to receive Zakat is the Miskeen. This
hadith defines who a Miskeen is. It is
not someone who is obviously poor, or
who begs of people, but someone who

is ashamed to let people know of his
need and poverty. Such people can be
recognized by their faces and by our

sensitivity. Out of self-respect they do
not ask others to help them but suffer in
silence. They are especially deserving of
our help.
Gift or Bribe
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) once sent somebody to
collect zakat from a certain region. When the man
returned he handed some of the zakat over and kept
some for himself saying that he had received it as a gift
from the people. llah s postle then ascended his
pulpit and addressed everybody. In it he said
I employ
some men from among you for some job which Allah has
placed in my charge, and then one of you comes to me
and says, This amount is for you and this is a gift
given to me. Why doesn't he stay at the house of his
father or the house of his mother and see whether he is

given gifts. By Allah whoever takes anything
unlawfully will bring it on the Day of Resurrection by
carrying it over his neck. [ukhari]
9
Giving or taking bribes is at the root of
corruption. Islam clearly states that both

the giver and the receiver of a bribe end up
in Jahannum (Hell). But how is one to
recognize that he or she is involved in this
practice? In this hadith, the Messenger of

Allah (pbuh) describes a simple test that
each person can perform to check
themselves, when receiving favors while
serving in a particular position. They

should ask themselves whether what they
receive is something they would be gifted
had they been sitting at home, i.e. not
serving in that position. If the gift you

receive is because of your office, so that
you can use your position to do the giftgiver a favor, then this is a misuse of
authority.
10
Mouth to the Trumpet

him said
How can I enjoy myself
when the one with the Trumpet has

raised the Trumpet to his mouth,
knitted his brow and is waiting to
blow. They said
What should we
say, Messenger of llah? He said

Say, llah is enough for us and the
best Guardian. We have put our trust
in llah. [hmad]
11
The angel entrusted with the Trumpet is

Israfeel (alaihis salam). He will blow
three blasts on it at the command of his
Lord, the Almighty and Majestic. The
first is the Blast of Terror, the second the

Blast of Swooning, and the third the
Blast of the Rising for the Lord of
heaven and earth.
12
What the Prophet (peace be upon him)

was saying in this hadith is that when
one is aware of the imminent end the
world is coming to and the
immediateness of his accountability

before his Lord, then how can he enjoy
himself mindlessly with the soon to end
amusements of this world.
13
It is not possible for a Muslim to give

precedence to entertainment over
responsibility. Those who do not believe
in reward in the afterlife may try to cash
whatever they can in this world. But a

Muslim knows that the rewards of the
afterlife are far greater. To him it is like
taking $100 now or $1,000,000 after a

month. The cash is not equal to the
credit. So he/she prefers credit over
cash.
14
15
16
Good In Every Affair

him said
Strange are the ways of a
believer for there is good in every affair

of his, and this is not the case with
anyone else except in the case of a
believer: For if he has an occasion to

feel delight, he thanks (Allah), thus
there is good for him in it, and if he
gets into trouble and shows
resignation (enduring it patiently),
there is good for him in it. [Muslim]
17
A Muslim is thus truly blessed,
regardless of the circumstances of

his/her life. A non-Muslim considers
himself fortunate only if he is healthy,
wealthy, happy and more. But a Muslim

is lucky all the time. This is because
he/she is accruing reward for Jannah
whether they are healthy or terminally
ill, prosperous or needy, relaxing in
palaces or rotting in jails. This is indeed
a unique favor of Allah to his pious
servants.
18
Make Your House Spacious

The Messenger of llah pbuh said The
house in which the Quran is recited is
spacious for the people in it and its good

is abundant and the angels are present in
it and the Shayateen leave it. The house
in which the Book of Allah, the Mighty
and Exalted, is not recited is narrow for
the people in it and has little good and the
angels leave it and the Shayateen are
present in it. [Ihya Ulum ud-Deen by
Abu Hamid al-Ghazzali]
19
The Quran is the uncreated, eternal,

word of Allah (subhana wa ta ala). So its
no wonder that its recitation in a house
causes that house to become inhabited
by the angels that bring llah s special

mercy with them and it acts as a strong
repellant against devils.
20
Recitation of the Quran also creates

spaciousness in the hearts of the people
living in a house, and so they live
together harmoniously. A house feels
spacious when the people in it are

welcoming. If the household members
are petty, mean, stingy and unfriendly,
even a mansion becomes suffocating. So

recite the Quran in your house to make
it spacious and bring about the good in
it. Houses in which the Quran is not
recited become breeding grounds for
Shayateen.
21
22
23
Gratitude
"He who does not thank people is
unthankful to Allah." [Abu Dawud]
24
Although Allah is the ultimate Bestower
of all the good we receive, yet He

commands us to thank the immediate
source of the good too, the person or
people through whom Allah sent the

good to us. The people to whom we are
most obliged during our lives, are our
parents. Regarding them Allah says, "...
show thanks to Me, and to your

parents..." [Al-Quran 31:14]
25
One of the early Muslims said: "Ingratitude
for a kindness is one of the enormities (major

sins). Gratitude consists of reciprocating it or
supplicating for the person." So, saying
'Thank you' is not enough. Allah in His
mercy has guided us to an appropriate
course of action to show gratitude. We
should be genuinely grateful and if we are
able to return the favor we should do so.
Otherwise, or additionally, we should pray
for the person who did the favor. You need
no wealth to make dua for somebody, yet it
fulfills your obligation of showing gratitude
to the person who does you a good turn.
26
Making Pictures
him said
Every maker of pictures
will go to the Fire, where a being will

be set upon him to torment him in Hell
for each picture he made. [Sahih
Bukhari]
27
A man came to Abdullah Ibn Abbas (radi
Allahu anhu and said, My livelihood comes

solely from my hands, and I make these
pictures. Can you give me a legal opinion about
them? Abdullah Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu)
told him, Come closer, and the man did.
Closer, he said, and the man did, until he put
his hand on the man s head and said: Shall I
tell you what I heard from the Messenger of

Allah (pbuh)? I heard the Messenger of Allah
say, Every maker of pictures will go to the Fire,
where a being will be set upon him to torment
him in Hell for each picture he made. So if you
must, draw trees and things without animate
life in them. [Sahih ukhari]
28
One should realize that the prohibition

of picture making is extremely severe. It
is counted among the enormities
(Kaba ir major sins), and the warnings
against indulging in it are very

emphatic.
29
30
31
Gone to Ruin
"When a man says, 'The people have
gone to ruin,' he is the most ruined of
all." [Sahih Muslim]
32
Imam Nawawi explains that this hadith

means that a person who continually
finds faults with people and mentions
their failings is the most ruined of all. He
becomes worse than they are because of
the sin he commits in disparaging and
attacking them, which may also lead to
conceitedness and seeing himself as
better than they.
33
Scholars concur that the condemnation
only applies to someone who says the

like of this out of contempt for people,
considering them inferior and himself
superior, despising the way they are

because of his ignorance of the divine
wisdom in Allah's creating them. But if
one says it out of sadness at seeing one's
own religious failings and those of
others, there is no harm in it.
34
Muddy Puddle
Aisha (radi Allahu anha narrated
man
asked permission to see the Prophet (pbuh). He

said, Let him come in. What an evil man of
the tribe he is! Or said, What an evil brother
of the tribe he is. ut when he entered, the
Prophet (pbuh) spoke to him gently, in a polite
manner. I said to him, O llah s Messenger!
You said what you said, then you spoke to him
in a very gentle and polite manner? The
Prophet pbuh said, The worst people to
Allah are those whom the people leave
(undisturbed) to save themselves from their
dirty language.
[Sahih ukhari]
35
What will happen to you if you throw

stones at a muddy puddle?
The mud will splash you.
Similarly, there are people who you save
yourself from, keeping a distance, and if
you must pass close by you does so with
as little provocation as possible, for
nothing can be gained by engaging with

them. These people are hated by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) the people whose
dirty language and vicious talk one

saves oneself from as much as possible.
36
37
38
Good Morning
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
said, "When one of you sleeps, the Shaitan
ties three knots at the back of his head and

says for each knot: have a long night, so
slumber. When you wake up and mention
Allah, one of these knots is untied. When

you perform ablution, another knot is
untied; and when you establish prayer, all
of the knots are untied and you become
alert and pleasant. Otherwise, you become
wicked hearted and lazy. [Sahih Bukhari]
39
So if you want to have a really good day,
its not coffee that will keep you alert or

antidepressants that will keep you in a
good mood. What you need to do is
wake up, take Allah's name, do wudhu

and pray before morning arrives. Have a
great day!
40
Meaningful Words
The Messenger of llah pbuh said llah
likes sneezing and dislikes yawning, so if
someone sneezes and then praises Allah

(saying Alhamdu-lillah), then it is obligatory
on every Muslim who heard him to say:
May llah be merciful to you Yarhamukallah . ut as regards yawning, it is

from Shaitaan, so one must try his best to
stop it as much as possible if one says Haa
when yawning, Shaitaan will laugh at him.
[Sahih Bukhari]
41
When a Muslim says Alhamdu-lillah

upon sneezing, it becomes incumbent
on those Muslims who hear him to say
Yar-hamukallah in response. This is
the right of one Muslim on another.

Instead of saying less you,
Gesundheit, or anything else, it is
better to say that which pleases Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) and is a source of
Hasanaat for oneself.
42
This hadith also tells us to suppress our

yawns and not make sounds when
yawning. Whatever we do in order to
obey Allah (subhana wa ta ala) will be
put as a good deed on The Scale on the

Day of Judgement when our deeds will
be weighed to determine our future.
43
44
45
Go Out and Get It!

"Seek out that which benefits you, seek
help only from Allah and never say

you can't do it. If any adversity comes
to you do not say: 'If I had only acted
in such-and-such a way, it would have

been such-and-such;' but instead, say:
'Allah has decreed (it) and what He
willed, He has done,' for verily, (the
word if opens the way for the work
of Satan." [Sahih Muslim]
46
Through this hadith the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) tells us to:

1. Seek the beneficial.
2. Ask Allah for help.
3. Be optimistic. Nothing is impossible if Allah

wills it for you.
4. Don t cry over spilt milk.
5. Trust Allah in what He has willed for you.
Time is like a river . . . You cannot touch

the same water twice, because the flow has
passed and will never pass again. If there
is something that will benefit you, make
every effort and go after it! Seek it out!
There is no failure, only lessons.
47
The Beautician of Firawn s Daughter

When I was taken towards the heavens I
got a very pleasant odour. I asked Jibril
about it and he said that it was the odour
of the beautician of the daughter of
Firawn and her children. I asked him to
tell me more about them and he said:
One day she was engaged in the routine
task of beautifying the daughter of
Firawn when the comb fell down from her
hands. While picking it up she said,
Bismillah In the Name of llah .
48
The Beautician of Firawn s

Daughter
Firawn s daughter asked her if she
referred to her father when she called the
name of llah. She replied, No! ut my

and your father s Lord is only llah! The
girl asked, Shall I reveal what you say to
Firawn ? She replied that she may tell

him if she liked. So, she revealed it to her
father, Firawn, who summoned the
beautician and asked, Do you have any

other Lord besides me? She answered,
Yes, my and your Lord is llah.
49

Daughter
Firawn had a fire kindled and a brass
cow-shaped vessel was heated over it.
When it was ready (very hot), he ordered

that the woman and her children be
thrown into it. She interjected, I have
something to say. He said, Go on say,

what is it? She said, fter we are burnt
down, our bones (mine and the
children s should be placed together in a

cloth and buried in the earth. He agreed
that he would do so.
50

Daughter
Firawn commanded that her children
should be thrown into the fire first. So,
they were cast into it one by one. She
watched that until it was the turn of the
last child, the new-born baby suckling its
mother s milk. This made her sob a little.
The infant suddenly spoke to her, saying,
Mother! Jump into this fire! For the
punishment of this world is very minor
compared to that of the next. Hence, she
jumped into the fire. [hmad]
51
The Prophet (pbuh) learnt of this story on

the night of Miraj (his ascension to the
heavens). Through this hadith we learn of
one of the beautiful rewards that Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) gives to the Shaheed.

The Prophet (pbuh) smelt the scent of the
beautician and her children in Jannah and
indeed the people who die in the path of
Allah go straight to Jannah. Everybody
dies, but Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells us
in the Quran not to call the Shuhada dead,
for they do not in reality die but move

directly into their existence in Jannah. That
is why there is no funeral prayer that is
prayed over the Shaheed.
52
In the midst of frightfully strong people

there is sometimes a weakling who
manages to create panic in the hearts of
disbelievers. This is the story of one
such woman who agreed to be plunged

into a worldly fire than risk being
thrown into the fire of the next world.
The beginning of the beautician s trial

was when Firawn questioned her, Is
there any Lord besides me? She could
have concealed her faith to save her life

and the lives of her helpless, innocent
children. But she stood firm in her love
of Allah and her testimony of faith.
53
It is the peculiarity of the field of love that those
who enter it face a fresh trial every time. Allah

says: Alif Lam Meem. Do the people think
that they will be left alone because they

say, We believe, and that they will not be
tried? And certainly We tried those who
were before them. So Allah will certainly
determine those who speak truly, and He
will certainly determine the liars. [Quran

29:1-3]
The faith of a person is tried according to his
religious standing. The more religious a person
the more he should be prepared to face trial. It
is easy to make a claim but to get through with
steadfastness is the real thing.
54
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) displays His

power by raising believers in the centres
of polytheism. Faith is the fragrance that
spreads out through the thickest of
seals. This is what happened to the

beautician when she uttered Bismillah
on picking up the comb. When that
happened she decided not to conceal
her faith anymore. It is generally
believed that a man s life is his dearest
possession. But this is not true for a
mother. mother s life is meaningless

without her children, and it takes
terrible will-power to be responsible for
their being thrown into fire.
55
There have been six new-born babies

who have spoken in the cradle as a
manifestation of the power of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala): Eesa bin Maryam
(alaihis salam), the child who spoke in

favour of Jurayj Al-Abid, the baby who
made a supplication counter to its
mother s, the child who testified to the

truth of Yusuf (alaihis salam), the one
indicated in Surah Burooj concerning
the Companions of the Ditch, and the
child of the beautician of Firawn s
daughter in this hadith.
56
This is not only a story of the past.

Hazrat Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said
concerning the emergence of Imam
Mehdi, He will come at the end of time
when a person will be killed only for

saying: llah, llah.
[Hakim in
Mustadrak. Sahih on the conditions of
Imams Bukhari and Muslim.] Each

Hadith and each Ayat carries a message
till the end of time. How receptive we
are to the message, depends on us.
57
58
59
Grazing Around the Edges

The Messenger of llah pbuh said The
lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear
and between the two are doubtful matters
that many people do not know about. Thus,
he who avoids these doubtful matters
certainly clears himself in regard to his

religion and honor. But he who falls into
the doubtful matters falls into that which is
unlawful: like the shepherd who pastures

around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein
and llah's sanctuary is His prohibitions.
[Sahih Muslim]
60
The haraam matters are like a private
ground, going into which we have been

forbidden. It looks beautiful, but as soon
as one sets foot on it, he/she falls into the
deepest quicksand. In order to be safe,

we should try to stay as far away from
the boundaries of this forbidden land as
we can. This means that those matters
we are not sure about, we should stay
clear of. One may find several matters
that lie in the grey area and are not
clearly halal or haraam. The safety of
one's eeman and akhirah is in avoiding
them.
61
Most Severely Tried

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was
asked which people suffered the
greatest affliction. He replied The

prophets, then those who come next to
them. A man is afflicted in keeping his
religion. If he is firm in his religion his

trial is severe, but if there is weakness
in his religion it is made light for him.
A man is continuously tried with an
affliction till he walks on the earth
having no sin. [Sahih ukhari]
62
Aasia was crucified by Firawn. The

People of the Ditch dug trenches out,
filled them with fire, and then threw
believers alive into them. The beautician
of Firawn s daughter and her children

were thrown into fire. Zakariya (alaihis
salam s body was cut in two by a saw.
Yahya (alaihis salam) was killed for his

head to be presented to a dancer. In
their eyes, they crucified Eesa (alaihis
salam).
63
Many attempts were made on the life of

Muhammad (pbuh). Bilal (radi Allahu
anhu), his Sahabi, was dragged by a rope
tied around his neck on burning hot sand.
Khabbab bin Arat (radi Allahu anhu) was

weighed down on burning coals so that the
fat from his skin would sizzle on the coals.
Sumayya (radi Allahu anha) was martyred

by being repeatedly stabbed by a spear.
Habeeb bin Zaid Ansari (radi Allahu anhu)
was killed by having pieces of his body
chopped off bit by bit. The list of Muslims
tried is long and grows with each century.
64
All scholars have unanimously agreed

that patience (Sabr) is obligatory.
However, higher than patience is Rida -acceptance of and satisfaction with llah s
decree and judgement. Rida with llah s

Al-Qadar means that there is no looking
back, no moment of regret or feeling
sorry. Only Allah decides and what He
wills He does. Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
pours tranquility (Sakeena) on the people
who display Rida in excruciatingly
difficult circumstances wherein they are
helpless. Angels bring good news to them
and show them their places in Jannah.
65
When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)

saw the family of Yasir bin Amir (radi
Allahu anhu) who had been chained,
whipped till blood flowed, and bodies
burnt by torches, he wept, and said:

Yasir's family, be patient! Your reward
will be Paradise!
When news of Habib bin Zaid nsari s

death reached his mother, she simply
said, I bore him for these days. I ask
God to reward him. As a child, he

pledged loyalty to the Prophet on the
night of Aqaba. As an adult, he fulfilled
his pledge.
66
67
68
Going Early to Jum a

him said
On the Day of Jum a, the
angels stand at the door of the Masjid

and write down the first to come and
then those who follow. When the Imam
comes out, they roll up their scrolls
and listen to the reminder. [Sahih
Bukhari]
69
Ibn Hajar said in Fath-ul-ari, On the
Day of Jum a, Allah sends angels with

scrolls of light and pens of light. The
angels mentioned in this hadith are
special angels deputed by Allah to note
down on scrolls the names of all the
people who go early to the Jum a prayer.
Once the Khutbah starts (reminder to
Muslims of their obligations towards their

Lord), these angels roll up their scrolls, sit
to listen to the Khutbah themselves, and
note no further names. At the end of this
hadith in Ibn Majah we find, nyone
coming after that, comes merely for the
sake of the prayer.
70
The angels mentioned in this hadith are
not guardian angels. Guardian angels

continue to write down a person s deeds
at all times. A person who arrives at the
Masjid after the Khutbah has started

misses getting noted down by the
special angels on their scrolls of light but
still accrues the benefits of listening to
the Khutbah, catching the prayer, Dhikr,
supplication, humility, and other such
things.
71
Minor Offences
him) 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]
72
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 llah , displeasing one s
parents, murder, bearing false

testimony, adultery, fornication,
practicing black magic, devouring riba
interest , stealing from an orphan s
wealth, etc.
73
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 (pbuh) further explained
this by saying: llah does not wipe out bad
deeds through bad deeds; rather He blots them
out through good deeds.
74
To repent, one must quit sinful behavior

cold turkey 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.
75
The Prophet (pbuh) 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 (pbuh) 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. [l-Mutaffifeen: 14]
76
Abdullah bin Mas'ud (radi Allahu anhu)

reported the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him) as saying: "Beware of
minor sins, for they will gather together
on man so much so that they will kill

him. [Musnad Ahmad]
77
78
79
Greatest Delight
him said When those deserving of
Paradise enter Paradise, the Blessed and
Exalted will ask Do you wish Me to give
you anything more? They will say Have
You not brightened our faces? Have You
not made us enter Paradise and saved us
from Fire? He llah will then lift the
veil (from their eyes), and of things given
to them nothing will be dearer to them than
the sight of their Lord, the Mighty and the
Glorious." [Sahih Muslim]
80
Doubtless we, men and women, are
promised to have what we want in Jannah;

Allah says in the Quran: Therein you
shall have (all) that your inner selves

desire, and therein you shall have
all which you ask for. [ 1: 1-32]
But the greatest reward for the people in
Jannah will be to view the Countenance
(Appearance) of Allah.
Despite having all that their hearts desire,
the greatest treat for the inhabitants of
Jannah will be to look at the Countenance of
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. There will
be nothing more delightful, satisfying and
fulfilling, than looking at Him.
81
When we view a really scenic place on
earth, for example a green valley

carpeted with flowers and surrounded
by majestic mountains or a white beach
with palm trees and clear turquoise

water, our eyes wish to keep feasting on
the gorgeous scene forever and never
have to look at anything drab again.
Imagine how beautiful Allah must be
that the greatest pleasure in Jannah will
be to look at llah s Face.
82
Making Up a Missed Prayer

him) said, "When any of you sleeps
through the prayer or forgets it, then

let him pray it when he remembers, for
Allah Mighty and Majestic says,
'Perform the prayer for my
remembrance.'" [Sahih Muslim]
83
The scholarly majority state that the

evidence from this hadith is that despite
sleep and forgetfulness being lawful
excuses, the obligation to perform the
prayer is not eliminated by its time having

passed. The person who has slept or
forgotten to pray in its proper time is
required to make it up when he awakens or
remembers. A delay in the obligatory
prayer beyond its proper time without a
lawful excuse, being a sin, is a separate
issue. Nevertheless, the obligatory prayer

must still be made up as it is a debt owed to
84
The words of the Prophet (pbuh) are, "A debt to
Allah has better right to be fulfilled." [Sahih

Bukhari] This hadith's context is that of making
up a deceased person's vowed Hajj by the
offspring. The Prophet (pbuh) likened the missed
worship to a debt. Similar ahadith exist about

fasting; proving that acts of worship when
missed, regardless of the reason, become a debt
that must be repaid just as other debts are, and
with even better right. We say "regardless of the

reason" because the Prophet (pbuh) did not ask
the questioner about the reason for the vowed
Hajj having been missed. If this is established in
relation to making up the worship of another, it
holds with still better right for making up one's
own missed acts of worship. [Reliance of the
Traveler]
85
86
87
Glance of Love
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)
narrated that the Prophet pbuh said The
pious offspring who casts a single look of
affection at his parents receives a reward from
Allah equal to the reward of an accepted
Hajj. The people enquired O Prophet of
Allah (pbuh), if someone casts a hundred
such glances of love and affection at his
parents, what then? The Prophet pbuh
said Yes, indeed, even if one does so a
hundred times a day, he will get a hundred

fold reward. Allah is far greater than you
imagine and is completely free from petty
narrow mindedness. [Sahih Muslim]
88
Love your parents and consider this act
as a privilege and a source of reward in

the eternal world. How much parents
love their children, how much they
happily sacrifice for them, and how

much they want their child to be more
privileged than they are, can only be
understood when a person becomes a
parent themself. Nobody likes to see
others get ahead of him/her in this world
except parents, who love to see their
children better off than them in every
way and for this they willingly sacrifice
whatever they have.
89
Allah is the only one who really knows
what is inside a parent s heart. In order

to help us to acknowledge and be
grateful for their love Allah gives us
mountains of reward from Himself for

loving our parents. Truly, no-one is as
appreciative as Allah of the love that
parents shower on their children.
90
Should a person look at his/her parents
lovingly even a hundred times a day,

Allah will give them the reward of a
hundred accepted Hajjs. There is no
scarcity with Him. He needs to set no

quotas on how much reward a person
may earn in a day. It is humans who are
petty and stingy towards each other.
91
Mentioned in the Highest Circles

said
llah says, I am in accordance with
the thoughts of My slave about Me; and I am

with him, when he remembers Me. If he
remembers Me in his heart, I also remember
him in My heart. If he remembers Me in a
group, I remember him in a better group (i.e.
angels). If he draws near Me by the span of a
palm, I draw near him by a cubit. If he draws
near Me by a cubit, I draw near him by the

space covered by outstretched arms. If he
walks towards Me, I go to him running.
[Sahih Bukhari]
92
This hadith shows how willing and eager Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) is to befriend us and draw

close to us. Anybody who sincerely wants Allah
in his/her life will find Him. It cannot be that a
person is sincere in their search but are not
guided to Allah (subhana wa ta ala). The case of
Salman Farsi is a perfect example of how the
search for truth brought him to Allah (subhana
wa ta ala). It is said about him that even if Islam

were to be found on the moon, he would have
made his way to it. Allah has His own ways of
bringing people to that which they seek.
Nobody is left helpless in their search. If they
are confused, it is only because they wish to
remain so.
93
In our everyday dhikr we should rejoice

in the fact that when we remember
Allah Mighty and Majestic, He takes
special note of it. When we talk about
Him in any gathering, He mentions us

in a much superior gathering. Imagine!
The most important entity that exists,
discusses you with the angels...
94
95
96
Gift Giving
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used
to accept gifts and used to give
something in return. [Sahih ukhari]
97
Gift giving increases love and affection

among people. For this the gift does not
have to be given on a particular occasion
or of a particular standard. Whatever is
given to promote harmony between
Muslims, seeking with this llah s
Pleasure, will be a source of happiness
on the Day of Judgment. The more we
love Allah the more we will love His
creation and desire to give people good

things, good sentiments and good
advice.
98
If we give presents to each other because
it is the Sunnah of llah s eloved

Messenger and because following his
Sunnah will make Allah pleased with us,
then this gift giving is praiseworthy. On

the other hand, if we give gifts in order
to receive something in return, then this
type of gift giving will bring us no
lasting good. When we give presents in
order to show off what we can afford to
give, this arrogance invites llah s wrath
and punishment.
99
Some other corrupt practices associated
with gift giving are: belittling others

gifts and opening presents in the middle
of a gathering of people. When we
expose everybody s gifts to a crowd we

risk embarrassing those who had a
smaller budget. Some people end up
having spent more than they could
afford to in order not to be publicly
humiliated. All in all we take a practice
of love and sincerity and turn it into an
ugly competition, creating hardships for
our brothers and sisters in Islam.
100
Musical Instruments
him said
llah Mighty and
Majestic sent me as a guidance and

mercy to believers and commanded me
to do away with musical instruments,
flutes, strings, crucifixes, and the
affair of the pre-Islamic period of
Ignorance. [bu Dawud]
101
The evidence against musical instruments,

in particular wind and string instruments,
is irrefutable. There are many sahih ahadith
forbidding the use of musical instruments.
The Sunni schools of fiqh all prohibit wind

instruments (e.g. flutes, trumpets) and
string instruments (e.g. violins, guitars)
categorically, while they differ in their
ruling on percussion instruments (e.g.
drums . The Islamic Ruling On Music nd
Singing In Light Of The Quraan, The
Sunnah, And The Consensus Of Our Pious

Predecessors, by bu Bilal Mustafa AlKanadi, is a detailed discourse on this
topic.
102
The duff tambourine , a percussion

instrument, is allowed as an exception
to the general prohibition on musical
instruments. This is proved by
numerous instances of the Messenger of

llah s taqriri Sunnah (i.e. he saw its use
but did not forbid it.) The duff,
accompanied by song, was used in the

Prophet s time on special occasions and
weddings, but not as a general pastime.
103
A hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari, on

the prohibition of musical instruments
is: From among my followers there
will be some people who will consider
illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of

silk (by men), the drinking of alcoholic
drinks and the use of musical
instruments, as lawful. llah will

destroy them during the night and will
let the mountain fall on them, and He
will transform the rest of them into
monkeys and pigs and they will remain
so till the Day of Resurrection. [Sahih
Bukhari]
104
Singing is not forbidden, provided that

the content is appropriate. However,
singing to the accompaniment of
musical instruments becomes forbidden
because of the haraam (forbidden)

element of music. We see a large part of
the Ummah being deceived about life
and morality, wasting the precious little

time they have of this life, while
engrossed in musical 'entertainment.'
105
The obsession with music has become as

common as the air we breathe. The
seriousness of this sin can be judged by
the following hadith of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), on

the authority of Anas (radi Allahu
anhu : On the Day of Resurrection,
Allah will pour molten lead into the

ears of whoever sits listening to a
songstress. [Ibn Asakir in Tareekha]
106
107
108
Good News for Runners Up
man came to llah s Messenger

peace be upon him and said, O
llah s Messenger! What do you say

about a man who loves some people
but cannot catch up with their good
deeds? llah s Messenger peace be
upon him said, Everyone will be with
those whom he loves.
[Sahih
Bukhari]
109
There are some people who are as rarely to
be found as salt is in flour, but when you

find them you love them intensely and only
because of the love they have for Allah.
There is nothing you want from them,
except perhaps that they might also love
you. You see their good deeds and true
nature as much better than yours. You
would like to be like them but see that you

fall very short. You are not envious or
jealous of them but love them sincerely. This
love that you have for them is because of
your love of Allah. The good news for you
then is that on the Day of Judgment you
will be with those whom you love.
110
Looking Away brings Sweetness

to Worship
him said
Muslim who
accidentally looks at the beauty of a

woman and, instead of continuing to
look at her, lowers his gaze will be

rewarded by Allah with such worship,
the sweetness of which he will clearly
feel. [Musnad Ahmad]
111
We wonder what we are doing wrong

that we don t feel the connection with
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) in our heart
and in our lives. We are given tips on
how to achieve Khushoo in prayer and

focus, on where to look, what to think,
and what kind of prayer mat to use: But
how can any of these tips be effective

when we have ruined our connection
with Allah (subhana wa ta ala) by His
disobedience?
112
Looking at non-Mahram women is like

drinking salty water, the more you
drink the thirstier you become. Even a
sip will make you ill. If your throat is
parched with thirst, you are still better

off not drinking anything than drinking
salty water, for it will only increase your
thirst and make your suffer more. If you

have no sweet water (wife), strengthen
yourself with fasting.
Refuse to look at women (except your
wife). Be your own boss!
113
114
115
Gifts of Miraj
him said
On the night I was taken
from Makkah to Jerusalem, Allah

imposed fifty obligatory prayers upon
my Ummah. So I kept petitioning Him
in the matter, asking they be lightened,
until He made them but five each day
and night. [Sahih ukhari]
116
When your best, most beloved friend
comes to your house, and you know it is

just going to be once in his lifetime, you
want to give the best of everything you
have to him. If you could, you d take

your heart out and gift that to him too.
So when llah s most beloved, the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh), came to visit
him on the Miraj (journey to the
heavens), one of the two gifts Allah
bestowed upon him was the five daily
prayers. The other was the last two
Ayaat of Surah al-Baqara.
117
These gifts were not limited to the person of
the Prophet (pbuh) but extended to all of his

Ummah. parent can t fully enjoy good
food or an outing unless his/her children
are also benefiting from the same blessings,
so the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was given
gifts which his Ummah could share in with
him.
The prayer is each person s direct
connection with Allah no need for
intermediaries. Allah has allowed each of us
to present ourselves personally before Him
five times every day and ask for whatever

we want. If nothing else, unburden
ourselves before the Most Merciful, and
return to life calm and at peace.
118
The prayer is obligatory upon Muslims
who have reached puberty, are sane, and

in purity. Obligatory deeds are highly
rewarded by Allah and performing them
is more beneficial than performing any

other deed.
Although the prayers were reduced to
five, they are rewarded as much as fifty.

Where else can you find the example of
such a profitable scheme?
119
List We Are On
him said dopt truth, for truth shows
the path of righteousness, and
righteousness shows the path to Paradise.
A man speaks the truth regularly and
adopts truthful ways till he is recorded as a
truthful person before Allah. And keep
away from falsehood, for falsehood leads to
wickedness, and wickedness throws in
Hell. A person tells lies regularly and
attaches himself to falsehood till he is
recorded as a liar before llah. [Fathul
Bari]
120
Each person ends up on one of two lists

with Allah (subhana wa ta ala): that of
Truthful People or that of Liars.
If a person feels that lying is not an
option for him, he automatically stays
away from many bad things out of the
realization that if he is caught he will
have to face a great deal of

embarrassment in admitting to those
deeds.
121
The person who realizes that on the Day of

Judgement he will not have an option to lie,
and that even his own body will speak out
against him and admit to the things he used
to do, will restrain himself from doing as he

pleases.
Such a person will adopt good conduct and
eventually be admitted to Jannah because
of it. His ultimate success of admittance to
Jannah will have come out of adopting
truth as his policy.
On the other hand, he who feels no

compunction in lying behaves as he
pleases, and will have to pay the heaviest
penalty for it on the Day of Judgement.
122
123
124
Guarding Spouse s Privacy

him said
mong the worst people in
llah s sight on Judgment Day will be

the man who makes love to his wife
and she to him, and he divulges her
secret. [Sahih Muslim]
125
In the Quran, Allah has described
spouses as garments for each other.

Garments beautify as well as clothe the
body, covering it, protecting its privacy,
hiding its faults, and shielding it. The

more private the matter the more it
needs to be guarded from others eyes.
mong the worst in llah s eyes on the
Day of Qiyamah will be he/she who
exposed the privacies he/she had access
to and that were his/her responsibility to
guard.
126
Lying about the Prophet (PBUH)

him said
Whoever attributes to me
words that I did not say, let him take

his place in Hell. [ukhari]
127
Lying about the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh) is not like lying about anyone
else. Since all that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) communicated to us was
conveyed to us through Muhammad

(pbuh), lying about him is the same as
lying about what Allah said. Attributing
to the Prophet (pbuh) something that he

did not say, do, or approve of, is the
same as attempting to change the
message of Islam. This is one of the sins
for which Allah has promised Hell. May
He (subhana wa ta ala) save us from it.
128
129
130
Grave Widens for Believer

When the believing worshipper is
buried, the grave says to him, Welcome,

make yourself comfortable. Indeed, to me,
you are the most beloved of those who
walked upon me. Since you have been

entrusted to me and delivered to me
today, you shall see what I have arranged
for you. It will then widen for him to the
extent that his sight extends, and the door
to Jannah is opened for him. [Tirmidhi]
131
One day I will enter my grave. What will
I feel then? Will my grave welcome me,

widen for me till the limit of my sight?
Will I feel comfortable in it and secure?
Will a door to Jannah be opened from it

so that I might see my place in Jannah
from my grave, enjoy its sight and spend
my time in my grave in joyful
anticipation?
132
I hope so. I hope that I do such deeds
that I become beloved to Allah. Then I

will become beloved to all the angels, all
the animals, birds, fish, and plants. I will
also become beloved to the earth that I

walk upon. Then when I enter my grave,
it will be happy to see me and I will be
happy to see it.
133
Love and Sincerity

ny person who cherishes in his
heart sentiments of love and sincerity

for his brother, should express his
sentiments to his brother and tell him
clearly that he holds him in love and

affection. [bu Dawud]
134
If you love someone you should express

your love to that person. Its
psychological effect on that person is
that he will develop a sense of nearness
to you. Love will then not merely be a

feeling confined to your heart but will
begin to play a potent role within
practical life.
135
In the conduct of mutual relationships

adopt a moderate course that may be
enduring and long lasting. Umar (radi
Allahu anhu observed: Your love should
not assume the form of madness, nor

should enmity excite you to perpetrate
torture on another. When asked how we
exhibit these extremes in behavior he
stated: In this manner that if you love
someone you start hugging him in a
childlike fashion and display other forms of
childish behavior. And if you feel angry

with someone, you resolve upon the
destruction of his life and property and
utter ruination. [Al-Adab-ul-Mufrad]
136
137
138
Grave Constricts for Disbeliever

The Messenger of llah pbuh said When
the wicked worshipper or the disbeliever is
buried, the grave says to him, You are not

welcome, do not get comfortable. Indeed, to
me, you are the most hated of those who
walked upon me. Since you have been

entrusted to me and delivered to me today,
you shall see what I have arranged for you.
It will begin closing in on him (squeezing
him until his ribs are crushing each other.
[Tirmidhi]
139
O Allah! I take refuge with You from the
punishment of the grave. None has the

right to be worshipped but You. Don t
let me become one of those whose grave
does not welcome him. This one home

that I will definitely have, don t let it
squeeze and crush me.
140
I hope that I am not one of those who
think of themselves as pious but are

actually wicked. I must examine my
heart to see that I don t harbor any
resentment towards Allah, His chosen

Deen, or His obedient slaves. I must not
rebel against Allah and what He has
chosen for me.
The earth, my grave, will not welcome
me if I have been insolent towards its
Creator.
141
Long for the Heart of a Bird

him said
There will enter Jannah
people whose hearts will be like the

hearts of birds. [Muslim]
142
This hadith sums up the qualities of the

people worthy of Jannah.
Firstly, just as the hearts of birds are free of
jealousy, the hearts of the people deserving
Jannah are free of jealousy, rancour, and

envy.
Secondly, just as birds are always alert
(cautious of any danger), the hearts of the

people of Jannah are also alert and wakeful.
They worry about their Akhirah, they are
alert to not stray off the Straight Path, they

are vigilant against the whisperings of
Shaitaan, and their hearts are active in the
remembrance of Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
143
Thirdly, just as birds trust in Allah for

their food, the people of Jannah have
complete trust in Allah (subhana wa
ta ala . irds don t store food for the
next day, nor indeed for any

contingency. They go out hungry from
their nests every morning but return
witth full stomachs every evening. The

people worthy of Jannah similarly have
complete trust (Tawakkul) in Allah
regarding not only their sustenance, but,
their very existence.
May my heart become like the heart of a
bird. Ameen.
144
145
146
Gratitude for Blessings

him said
llah will be pleased with
His slave if, when he eats some food he

praises Him for it and when he drinks
something he praises Him for it.
[Muslim]
147
Are we grateful for what Allah bestows
upon us or not? If we give thanks while

feeling it from our hearts, Allah will be
pleased with us and bless us with more.
If we refuse to thank Him and are

ungrateful, Allah will be angry with us.
We must make it a habit to say
lhamdulillah after we eat or drink

anything.
148
Gratitude also entails putting gifts to
appropriate use. For example, fancy new

clothes should be worn to dress up. If
the gifter sees us mop floors with them
they won t appreciate it.

So we must use the energy and health
we derive from food and drink, to obey
Allah. To use His blessings to rebel

against Him is ingratitude of the highest
order.
149
Learn the Laws of Inheritance

him said
Learn the laws of
inheritance and the Quran, and teach

the people, for I am a mortal.
[Tirmidhi]
150
There are numerous ahadith to learn

and teach the laws of inheritance in
Islam. The rabic word l-Fara id is
the plural of Faridah which means
an enjoined ordinance or a duty

prescribed by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala . Since the shares of inheritors
are meticulously determined by Allah

and described in the Shariah, the field of
knowledge dealing with these laws is
known as Ilm Al-Fara id.
151
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)

reminded people that he was a mortal
and would die, therefore, people should
learn the laws of inheritance from him
in order to be able to continue practicing

them after his death.
Whoever learns the laws of inheritance
with the intention of preserving the

Sunnah and llah s commands thereby,
will be rewarded by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) for doing so, inshaAllah.
152
153
154
Gentle Examination of Account

llah will bring
the believer close to Him and shelter him and cover him,
then He will say, Do you acknowledge such and such a

sin, do you acknowledge such and such a sin? He will
say, Yes, O Lord, until he will have acknowledged his
sins, and he will think to himself that he is doomed.
Then llah will say, I concealed it for you in the world,
and I forgive you for it this Day. Then he will be given
the book of his good deeds. But as for the Kaafireen and
Munaafiqeen, the witnesses will say, These are the ones

who lied against their Lord! No doubt! The curse of
Allah is on the Zaalimoon. Quran Surah
[Bukhaari]
, Ayat
155
Imaam al-Qurtubi said concerning the

phrase will shelter him : This means
He will cover him with kindness and
generosity, and will speak to him gently
and converse with him in a conciliatory
manner. llah will say to him, Do you
acknowledge? and he will say, Yes, O
Lord, I acknowledge. Then llah will
remind him of His blessings and show
His favor upon him by saying, I
concealed it for you in the world and I
did not expose it, and I forgive you for
it this Day.
[t-Tadhkirah]
156
Such a person will return to his family
rejoicing, his face white, his every joint

adorned, increased to the height of
Adam (pbuh), with a crown on his head,
and dressed in beautiful garments. He

will be accompanied by an angel who
will call out before the people, This is
So and so, the son of So and so, he has
attained happiness and will never feel
sorrow again. [t-Tadhkirah]
157
Leaving One s Leader

him said
He who obeys me obeys
Allah, and he who disobeys me

disobeys Allah. He who obeys the
leader obeys me, and he who disobeys
the leader disobeys me. [Sahih
Bukhari]
158
The leader referred to in this hadith is the

caliph (Khalifa) of the Muslims, or his
authorized representative.
Whenever there is a group of three or more
Muslims, it is Sunnah for a leader (Ameer)

to be chosen. It is Sunnah to obey such a
leader, and leaving him or not obeying him
contravenes what is recommended, but is
not unlawful.
In all cases, Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is the
most worthy of obedience. It is out of
obedience to Him that we obey who He

asks us to of humans. So there is no
obedience where it requires one to disobey
159
Once a commander of the Muslims,

upset at a mistake of theirs, told them to
jump into a fire. They did not obey him.
When they returned to the Messenger of
Allah (peace be upon him) they asked

him what they should have done. He
(peace be upon him) told them that if
they had jumped into the fire they

would have burned in it for ever.
160
161
162
Good Conduct
him said
The heaviest thing that
will be placed in a person s alance on

the Day of Resurrection is good
behavior, and Allah hates the obscene
immoral person. [Tirmidhi]
163
The thing which will weigh most
heavily in the Balance for a person, out

of his dealing with other people, is
manner and good attitude for the sake of
securing llah s Pleasure.

Work on your decency, sincerity,
cheerfulness and genuine good conduct
towards others.
164
Luck or Allah
Whenever any good news or glad

tiding was told to the Prophet (sal
Allahu alaihi wa sallam), he would
prostrate in gratitude to llah.
[Sunan Abu Dawud]
165
What do you do when you get good news?

Do you thank Allah (subhana wa ta ala) for
His bounty or do you think you are
responsible for your good fortune? Isn t
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) the one who gave

you the body and mind you used? Isn t
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) the one who
opened the doors of opportunity for you?

Should He close them, is there anyone who
can open them again?
We call ourselves lucky (thanking our lucky
stars) or we blame our luck, as the case may
be. While, doing so, is nothing short of our
denying llah s Will and His Provision.
166
167
168
Gentleness Beautifies
him said
Gentleness beautifies
everything. Harshness disfigures.

[Muslim]
169
There was once a very pious woman
who didn t like to have any pictures in

the house because angels do not enter a
house in which there is a dog or a
picture. She had a young daughter who

had toys but not a doll, since it would be
an imitation of an animate object, like a
picture. One day the girl s maternal aunt
gave her a doll and said, Play with it in
your room but don t let your mother see
it.
170
After a couple of days the mother found
out, so she decided to give advice in an

appropriate manner. When they sat at
the dinner table the mother said, Dear
children, for a couple of days I feel that

there have been no angels in the house.
If anybody has any ideas why this could
have happened please let me know.
There is neither might nor power except
with llah!
171
The young girl listened quietly. After
dinner she returned to her room to

notice the doll amongst her many toys.
She picked up the doll and brought it to
her mother and said, Mum! This is
what caused the angels to leave. You
may do with it as you please!
How wonderful is this approach in
correcting people s wrongs and giving
advice, being gentle and not striking
with thunderbolts!
Allow the one being advised to retain

his/her honor. It is possible to drink
honey without destroying the
honeycomb.
172
Lawful Earnings
him said
He who lived on lawful
earnings, observed my Sunnah, and

did not cause mischief to people will be
admitted to Jannah. The people
submitted
O llah s Messenger
(peace be upon him)! There is a great

number of such people at the present
time. llah s Messenger peace be
upon him said
Such people will
exist even after me. [Tirmidhi]
173
One must not under-estimate the

importance of earning a Halaal
livelihood. It is not always easy to keep
away from income that has some
element of Haraam mixed in it. It

becomes especially trying when one has
dependents to take care of. That is why
the reward is no less than Jannah for the

one who is mindful of llah s defined
boundaries and stays within them while
trying to feed himself and his family.
174
A lady was married to a man who

worked in a bank, i.e., dealt with
financial contracts involving Riba
(interest). She asked and encouraged
him to find some other work. When he

wouldn t, she started stitching clothes
for people to earn a little money herself.
She would cook meat for her husband

from his income and prepare lentils to
feed herself and her children from her
own Halaal earned money.
175
Observing the Sunnah of the Prophet

(pbuh) does not only mean observing
the Prophet s code of conduct in praying
and fasting, but is suggestive of taking
his example as one s guide in every

matter of life and death. Those who do,
earn llah s pleasure, and are admitted
to the Jannah He (subhana wa ta ala) has

prepared for us.
176
177
178
Going After Mugs

Riches does not mean having a great
amount of property, but riches is selfcontentment. [Saheeh Bukhaari]
179
A group of alumni well established in
their careers went to visit one of their

old teachers. The conversation soon
turned to complaints about stress in life
and work. Offering his guests coffee, he

went to the kitchen and returned with a
big pot and an assortment of mugs;
porcelain, plastic, ceramic, bone china some plain looking, some expensive and
exquisite.
180
When all the students had helped

themselves to a cup of coffee, the
teacher said, If you notice, all the nice
looking expensive mugs are taken up
leaving behind the plain and cheap
ones. Each of you wants only the best
mug for himself, and that is the source
of your problems. What all of you really
wanted was coffee, not the mug, but
you all consciously went for better
mugs and are eyeing each other s mugs.
If life is coffee then the jobs, money and
position in society are the mugs.
181
Each of us has life. Each of us has equal
opportunity to earn any level of Jannah.

The routes will be different depending
on whether you have a handicapped
child to care for, piety through

starvation to display, or restraint to
exhibit from spending your wealth to
maintain a high standard of living for
yourself. But instead of worrying about
what we can earn of Jannah with our
lives and llah s obedience, we are busy
going after nicer mugs.
182
Foolish people exchange their peace of
mind and tranquility of heart to acquire

wealth, while wise people exchange
their wealth for peace of mind and
tranquility of heart. [Sukun-e-Qalb]
183
Where do hearts find peace?
Listen, hearts find

peace only in the
remembrance of llah.
[Quran: Surah ar-Raad,
Ayat 28]
184
Lying to Find Fault Takes to

Hell
him said
He who, in order to find
fault, says something about a person

which was not there, will be thrown by
Allah in Hell, till he tastes fully what
he had fabricated. [Tibrani]
185
It is very important not to go overboard in
disliking someone. Going overboard would

be to leave the truth, to say whatever you
feel like in order to vent your feelings or
justify your behavior.
Stick to saying what you have observed,
rather than what is in the other s thoughts,
feelings, or intentions. A person who lies
about someone else should be prepared to

go to Jahannum for it.
Is your anger worth going to Jahannum
for?
Is the other person worth going to
Jahannum for? They will surely get what
they deserve. Worry about yourself.
186
187
188
Good Deeds Rewarded by

Intentions
The Prophet pbuh said
ctions are
only by intention, and every man
shall only have what he intended.

Thus, he whose migration was for
Allah and His Messenger, his
migration was for Allah and His
Messenger, and he whose migration
was to achieve some worldly benefit or
to take some woman in marriage, his
migration was for that for which he
migrated. [ukhari]
189
This hadith means that the reward for an
action depends upon the intention

behind it. This relates to obligatory,
recommended, or permissible actions
and not to forbidden ones. Bad
intentions can spoil the fruit of good
deeds but having good intentions do not
make forbidden acts permissible.
Good deeds which are apparently
identical may differ because the
intentions behind them are different in
degrees of goodness and badness from

one person to another. The Prophet
(pbuh) explained this point with the
example of Hijra (migration).
190
Some of our pious predecessors said:
Many small actions are made great by

the intentions behind them. Many great
actions, on the other hand, are made
small because the intentions behind

them are lacking.
191
Loved by Him
him said
llah gives worldly things
to those He loves and to those He does

not love, but He gives eeman (faith)
only to those He loves, so he who is
given eeman by Allah, has been loved
by Him. [hmad, Bayhaqiy]
192
The most priceless treasure on earth is

eeman. This is the currency that will
buy you eternal happiness and all the
riches you want to keep forever. Thus,
whoever is given the treasure of eeman

is among the most beloved people to
If something is not in your share in this

worldly life (e.g. car, house, nice clothes,
good food), it makes no difference. The
duration of this life compared to the life

that starts after this, is so short, that it
will be as though it never happened.
193
Material riches in this life could also be

the lot of him/her who ends up for
eternity in the Fire of Hell. Again, this
life is so short compared to the
Hereafter, that despite having every

luxury in the world, a person who ends
up in the Fire of Hell will say that they
never experienced anything good.

Thus, the only thing of real value is
eeman, as this will take one to Jannah.
This treasure is only given to the one

whom Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
especially loves.
194
195
196
Gratitude for Increase in

Blessing
him said
Look to those lower than
you, and do not look to those above

you, lest you view the favors of Allah
as trivial. [Sahih Muslim]
197
Allah divides people into those who are
grateful and those who are ungrateful;

and the most displeasing thing to Him is
ingratitude and its people; and the most
precious thing to Him is gratitude and

its people.
He puts no limit on His reward for
gratitude when He refers to it: We
shall reward those who are

thankful. [Quran: Surah Aal-e-
Imran, Ayat 145]
198
When the enemy of Allah, shaytaan,
learned of the value of gratitude and

that it is one of the most exalted and
highest states he directed his efforts
towards distancing people from it:
Then will I approach them from in

front of them and from behind them,
and from their right and from their

left; and You will find that most of
them are not grateful. [Quran: Surah
Al-Araf, Ayat 17]
199
Allah says: If you are thankful, I will
certainly give you more, but if you

are ungrateful, then surely My
punishment is terrible indeed.
[Quran: Surah Ibraheem, Ayat 7]
In this ayat, Allah makes the granting of
more blessings conditional on gratitude.
There is no limit to the increase in His
blessings, just as there is no limit to
being grateful to Him.
200
Lenient in Collecting
Hudhaifah bin al-Yaman (radi Allahu anhu)
said that he heard the Messenger of Allah
pbuh say
From the people preceding your
generation, there was a man whom the angel

visited to take away his soul. (After it was
taken away) he was asked if he had done any
good deed. He replied, I do not remember any

good deed. He was asked to think it over, and
he said, I cannot recall any save that I used to
trade with people in the world and was lenient
with them. I gave respite to the rich and
forgave the poor. So llah made him enter
Paradise. [Sahih ukhari]
201
Another version narrated by Abu

Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu says:
trader used to allow debts to his
customers. When he found anyone hard
pressed, he ordered his employees,

Forgive them! Perhaps llah will
forgive us because of that . So llah
forgave him. [Sahih Muslim]
202
This hadith teaches us to forgive and

show favour. These are the attributes of
Allah (subhana wa ta ala). If anyone
adopts these characteristics in this
world then Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

will deal with him in the Hereafter with
these very characteristics.
203
While a creditor has every right to

demand his money back, it is better that
he is accommodating towards his debtors.
Generally businessmen are not concerned
with making their profits in the Hereafter

but are focused on maximizing their
return in this life. However, a Muslim
should never neglect the affairs of the
Hereafter. Should he be benevolent
towards others even in business dealings
hoping for llah s reward, then llah
(subhana wa ta ala) has a greater right to
be benevolent towards him. [ Stories
from the Hadith by Mohammad
Zakariya Iqbal]
204
205
206
Houses on Bridges
him said
e in this world as if you
were a stranger or a traveler.

[Bukhari]
207
The above narration clearly indicates
that we are in this world for a purpose

and not for entertainment. We are like
travelers during this life on earth. A
traveler has a final destination that

he/she is eager to reach. They need to
use the time of their stop-over wisely, so
as not to miss their connecting flight.
208
We should remember that earth is not
our final destination. We have been

encouraged to utilize the blessings Allah
has put here for our use, yet we are told
not to lose sight of the temporary nature

of this life, and to use it to make
preparations for the next life. Our souls
are on a journey. Remembering death
defeats joy. It kills our tastebuds for the
pleasures of this life. But it is the only
wise thing to do, in our own interest.
209
Concerning the life of this world Hazrat
Esa (pbuh) said, "This world is like a

bridge, cross it and do not build on
it." This life is a bridge from our previous
existence as soul to our next existence in
the grave, then on the Day of Judgment,
then either in The Garden or (Allah Forbid)
The Fire. Houses are built on land,
connected by bridges where the need

arises. The most appropriate place to build,
the focus of our attention, should be the
land that we will set foot on once we cross
the bridge that is our earthly existence.
Where are you focused on building? On
land, or on a delicate bridge that can
collapse anytime with your death?
210
Loudly Lamenting the Dead

He who slaps his cheeks, rips his
pockets, or calls out the cries of the

pre-Islamic period of ignorance is not
of us. [Sahih ukhari]
211
It is the beauty of Islam, and llah s favor

on us, that He (subhana wa ta ala) did not
leave us unguided in any matter of life. For
every situation, we were told how to earn
llah s pleasure. Thus, there is also an

etiquette to mourning in Islam.
Sorrow is a natural feeling and the flowing
of tears is from the tenderness of the heart.
These are allowed and were experienced by
the Prophet (pbuh) on the death of his baby
Ibraheem, and no one had a softer heart
than he. But to shout and wail, hit oneself,

tear one s clothes, and in general act out of
control in grief is not a part of the Islamic
etiquette of mourning.
212
When we do deeds according to how

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has asked us
to, we draw closer to eternal happiness
in Jannah. As Muslims we made a
bargain with Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

in which we sold our lives and our
wealth in exchange for life in Paradise.
[Al-Quran 9:111]
213
Suppose somebody sells their car. Once the

payment has been made, does the seller
have any rights left on the car? Would it be
fair for him/her to continue to use it as
he/she pleases and even give it to the

buyer s enemy to misuse? Then we should
keep in mind that since we have sold our
worldly lives and wealth to Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) in exchange for Jannah, we no
longer get to do what we please with
ourselves or our assets. We have to conduct
ourselves according to how Allah (subhana

wa ta ala) wants us to, rather than how
Shaitaan, llah s enemy and our enemy,
incites us to.
214
215
216
How to Teach
him said
Teach! Make things easy!
And do not make things complicated!

He repeated this three times and then
he added: And if you get angry, keep
quiet! [Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, AlMatalib Al-Aliyah; Ahmad Ibn
Hanbal]
217
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came
with the most important of teachings.

He was sent by none other than the
Supreme Most Being, the Creator of all
that exists. Therefore, it stands to reason

that Allah must have chosen
Muhammad (pbuh) because he would
be the best teacher for this all important
message. Considering this, let s see what
we can learn from this hadith regarding
the qualities of excellent teachers:
218
1a. Make things easy for the students. A
teacher should not try to complicate

matters. In order to teach effectively, the
teacher must know his/her material very
well. For this adequate preparation is

necessary.
1b. In order to communicate effectively, it
is essential to keep the intellectual level

of the audience in mind. The Messenger
of Allah (pbuh) would teach people
according to their level of
understanding.
219
1c. Keep the message short. Few ahadith
can be found that are more than a few

sentences long. When the message is
short, the most important thing is clearly
spelt out and it is easy to keep the

attention of the target audience. Some
days the Prophet (pbuh) would not
teach the Sahabah. They asked him why.
He answered that he did not want to
bore them or make it too much for them.
220
2. Repeat important things (three times).
3. Keep your cool. If the teacher gets

frustrated, he or she should remain quiet
and under no circumstances vent on the
students.
These are some techniques we can start
practicing when trying to communicate

with others.
221
Lying while Joking

Shame on him who tells lies in order
to make people laugh! Shame on him!

Shame on him! [bu Dawud]
222
We can say without doubt that lying is

one of the most evil characteristics,
against which all religions and systems
of ethics warn, and which man's innate
common sense (Fitrah) also recognizes

as wrong. However, many people do
not take seriously telling lies when they
are joking. Lying is not permissible

whether the one doing it is joking or
serious. Practical jokes are another form
of lying.
The Prophet pbuh said: I joke, but I
speak nothing but the truth. [Tabarani]
223
224
225
Help Your Brother, Wronging or

Wronged
Anas reported that the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said, "Help your brother,
wronging or wronged." A man said,
"Messenger of Allah, I can help him if
he is wronged but tell me how I can
help him if he is wronging?" He
(pbuh) said, "You can restrain him - or
prevent him - from injustice. That is

helping him." [Sahih Bukhari]
226
The current standards of loyalty and love
that prevail are the same as those that

prevailed at the time of pre-Islamic
Jahiliyyah (Ignorance); i.e., stand by your
brother, family, clan, friend, or country,
regardless of their injustice. This is justified
in the name of patriotism, nationalism,
friendship and relations.
But sincerity towards another is that which

will help them on the Day of Judgment.
Brotherhood in Islam requires that we
explain, stop and prevent our loved ones

from oppressing others. Do you truly love
those around you or are you only concerned
that they think you love them?
227
Love of Muslims
Narrated Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu
anhu) that the Messenger of Allah
peace be upon him said
llah will
say on the Day of Resurrection,

Where are the two who loved one
another for My sake? Today I will

shade them with My shade, on a day
when there will be no shade but My
shade.
[The ook of l-Birr: Sahih
Muslim]
228
To love someone for the sake of Allah is

to love them because of their Islam; to
not expect or want any favors from
them but visit them and wish them well
only because they are your brother or

sister in Islam. There is no relationship
or bond other than this that you both
love Allah (subhana wa ta ala), and by

keeping each other s company you both
increase in your love of Him.
229
Love has many levels. If you love

someone you want to give them gifts.
Love makes you want to spend time
with your loved ones. The love of
parents for their children makes them

willing to sacrifice their sleep and
comfort for the well being of their
child/children. The height of love is that

you are willing to lay your life down to
protect or rescue your loved one. Many
parents can imagine that they would be
willing to risk their own lives to save
the life of their child.
230
What about the love that a Muslim is

supposed to have for another Muslim? In
the words of Syed Qutb Shaheed, Our
words are meaningless until we give
them life with our blood. llah subhana

wa ta ala is asking you and me: nd
what reason do you have not to fight in
the cause of Allah, to rescue the helpless
oppressed old men, women, and children
who are crying: Our Rabb! Deliver us
from this town whose people are
oppressors; send us a protector by Your
grace and send us a helper from Your
presence?
[l-Quran 4:75]
231
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) commands:

O believers, fight them until there is no
more mischief/fitnah and the Deen of
Allah (way of life prescribed by Allah) is
established completely. [l-Quran 8:39]

Fitnah means shirk as Ibn Abbas and
As-Sudi (radi Allahu anhum) said:
When the disbelievers attack and

control a country, the Ummah is
endangered in its religion and it
becomes susceptible to doubt in its
belief. Fighting them becomes an
obligation to protect the religion, lives,
honour and wealth. [l-Qurtubi 2/253]
232
Do we love our Muslim brothers and

sisters enough to try to rescue them? To
save their lives, their honor, their
wealth, but most importantly their
Islam, that is endangered by

occupation? The reward of this love is
nothing less than shade under the
Throne of the All-Merciful on the Day

when there will be no other shade, and
the sun will be directly overhead, and
the sinful will be up to their ears in their
sweat.
233
234
235
Health, Youth and Eternal

Life
him) said that a caller will call out in
Paradise when people enter it:
Indeed may you be healthy and
never be sick again, may you live and
never die again, may you be young
and never grow feeble again, may you
enjoy, and never feel sorrow and

regret again. [Sahih Muslim]
236
One cause of pain and suffering in this life
is disease. But it is non-existent in Jannah.

Nobody will feel any sickness or pain in
Jannah. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said
about the people of Paradise: They will
never fall ill, blow their noses or spit. [Sahih
Bukhari] In other words, there is nothing
that is the slightest bit unpleasant in
Jannah. We get used to having to blow our

noses, but we do not need to do even this
in Paradise. The pleasure and enjoyment
therein is untainted by anything that is not
a cause of happiness itself. Furthermore,
no one will die in Paradise. All shall live
eternally, enjoying the pleasures therein.
237
Love of the Prophet
During the lifetime of the Prophet pbuh

there was a man who used to make Allah's
Apostle laugh. The Prophet (pbuh) lashed
him because of drinking (alcohol). One day
he was brought to the Prophet (pbuh) on
the same charge and was lashed. On that, a
man among the people said, "O Allah,
curse him! How frequently he has been
brought (to you on such a charge)!" The
Prophet (pbuh) said, "Do not curse him,
for by Allah, I know he loves Allah and His
Apostle." [Sahih Bukhari]
238
We must not underestimate the

importance of love of Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) and His Prophet (pbuh). This
does not mean that a public sinner shall
not be punished if he loves Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) and His Prophet
(pbuh). But when a person has been
punished, their account is cleared, and

there is no need to hate them or curse
them.
239
Only Allah (subhana wa ta ala) knows

the sincerity of a person s repentance.
No human can judge what is in
another's heart. So we leave the case of
the hearts and intentions to Allah

(subhana wa ta ala). A person is treated
in this world according to what they do
and say. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) will

treat them according to what He knows
about their reality.
240
241
242
Hating or Honoring
Somebody
him said
Do not hate one another,
nor be jealous of one another. [Sahih

Bukhari]
243
Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him),
one of the earliest converts to Islam, had

been appointed by Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) to be the Muaddhin (the one who
makes the Adhan call to prayer). He
was of African descent and had been a
slave before being bought and freed by
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with
him). Once, after the conquest of

Makkah, while Bilal (may Allah be
pleased with him) was calling the Adhan,
three men belonging to the Quraish tribe
began to comment on him. These people
had only just accepted Islam, in order to
be with the winning side, and had not yet
been cleansed by its teachings.
244
One of the men remarked how happy he
was that his parents were not around to

see such a disgusting sight. The second
man sarcastically called Bilal (may Allah
be pleased with him) a black crow and

wondered how the Prophet (pbuh)
couldn t have found anyone other than
him to appoint as the Muaddhin. The
third man was afraid that Allah would
make known their comments to Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) and so did not say
anything.
245
Allah did reveal this conversation to
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and in

addition revealed this ayat of the Quran:
O mankind, truly we have created
you from a male and a female, and

made you peoples and tribes, so that
you may recognize each other. Truly,
the most honored of you to Allah is

(he who) safeguards himself against
evil with full awareness of llah s
Laws. Truly, Allah is All-Knowing,

All-ware. [Quran 9:1 ]
246
The three men had been discriminating
against Bilal (may Allah be pleased with

him) because of the color of his skin,
because of his lineage as he wasn t of the
Quraish or even Arab, and because of

what his social status had been before
Islam. What this ayat clarified is that
regardless of whether the Prophet
(pbuh) finds out or not, Allah is always
aware of everything you say and do.
247
dditionally, in llah s sight a person s
color, lineage, and social status have no

importance. It is only piety that makes a
person respectable or lovable in the sight
of Allah and the ones who lack it,

detestable in the sight of Allah. Thus,
color, lineage and social status are not
parameters that Muslims should be
using either, to honor or humiliate one
another, nor are these valid reasons to
love or hate one another.
248
Judge your relationships and

see what criteria you use:
Piety or something else?
249
Khinzab Devil Confuses in Prayer

Uthmaan ibn bi l-Aas (radi Allahu
anhu) came to the Prophet (pbuh) and
said The Shaytaan comes between me

and my prayer and recitation of Quran,
and he is confusing me. The Messenger
of llah pbuh said That is a devil

called Khinzab. If you notice that, then
seek refuge with Allah from him, and
spit drily to your left three times.

Uthmaan ibn bi l-Aas (radi Allahu
anhu said I did that, and llah took
him away from me. [Muslim]
250
This hadith tells us what to do if in the

middle of Salaat we feel distracted or get
confused.
If the Shaytaan is not able to prevent people
from obeying Allah, then he strives to
corrupt their acts of worship and
obedience, so that he can deprive them of
the reward. We should seek protection with
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) from the devil by
saying Aoodhu billahi minash shaytaan irrajeem before beginning any good deed.
251
252
253
How to Ask Allah

him said
When anyone of you
appeals to Allah for something, he

should ask with determination and
should not say, O llah, if You wish,
give me, for nobody can force llah to
do something against His Will
anyway. [Sahih ukhari]
254
Suppose you had bought a lovely doll
house for your daughter, or a great gift

for your son and you asked him or her
whether they would like to receive the
surprises you had ready for them. How

would you feel if their responses were,
Well, you can give it to me if you want
to ?
255
So ask Allah passionately, from the
bottom of your heart, for the good things

that you want. Don t just recite Duas,
beg from Allah through your Duas.
People get irritated when you keep

making requests from them. But Allah
dislikes it when people don t make
requests from Him and they don t ask

Him for anything. To not ask Allah for
good things is to be ungrateful towards
Him. He wants to give us, so we
shouldn t have the attitude of not caring
to receive what Allah wants to give.
256
Allah will give according to His Will,
when and what He knows to be best for

you. If your wishes are not granted in
this life then you will be given your
wishes in the form of good deeds on the

Day of Judgment. So you always win by
asking from Allah.
257
Unlawfully Earned Food

Fattens for Hell
him said
That flesh is more
deserving of Hell-Fire which has

grown from unlawful food. [Minhaaj
ul-Abideen by Imaam Ghazali]
258
Once Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) drank
a little milk given by his female slave

and asked her about it. She said, I
prophesied to a people who gave it to
me for that. So he thrust the fronts of

his fingers into his throat and vomited in
such a way that his life was in danger.
Then he said, O llah, I pray to You for
forgiveness of what remains attached to
my throat and to my stool.
259
In another narration it is related that
when the Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him) was informed of it, he said,
Don t you know that bu akr does not
allow anything to his belly except lawful

food? [Ihya Ulum Id-Din by Imam
Ghazali]
260
Knowledge of Religion Edible Fruit

him said
Whoever llah wishes
well, He gives knowledge of religion.

[Sahih Bukhari]
261
Eesa (alaihis salam) is reported to have

said, There are many trees: not all of
them bear fruit. There are many fruits:
not all of them may be eaten. Many, too,
are the kinds of knowledge: yet not all

of them are of value to men.
Useful knowledge is like the tree that
bears edible fruit. If the knowledge can

be used to please Allah, then it is useful.
If the utility of that knowledge ends
with your death -- in the bigger picture

of our never ending existence -- it is
useless.
262
263
264
Home Displayed
him said
When anyone of you dies,
his destination is displayed before him

in the forenoon and in the afternoon,
either in the Fire or in Paradise, and it
is said to him, That is your place till
you are resurrected and sent to it.
[Sahih Bukhari]
When a Momin sees his beautiful
mansions, his rolling hills, his streams

and lakes, his family, his attendants, and
the banquets prepared for him in
Paradise, he longs to go to them - his

real home. Thus, the Momin waits
eagerly for the Day of Resurrection.
On the other hand, the Kuffar,
Munafiqeen and Murtaddeen are shown
the blazing hot fire, the darkness, the
boiling water and pus, that is their due.
Thus, they pray that the Day of
Resurrection never comes.
4
May Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) give us death while we
are Momineen.
Just in Families and Elsewhere

him said
Those who are fair and just
will be with Allah on thrones of light,

on the Right Hand of the Most
Merciful and both His Hands are
Right Hands those who were just in
their judgments towards their families
and in any matter which was

entrusted to them. [Muslim]
To judge fairly and impartially between

people is highly rewarded by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). Unfortunately, it is
not common because we let personal
likes and dislikes, the pressure of

relatives, friends and society, the fear of
loss of face, popularity or favor, get in
the way of justice. Other times, we

simply don t hear both parties out and
pronounce a judgment after having
heard only one side of the story.
May Allah (subhana wa ta ala) help us
to be upright.
7
Horoscopes, Fortune-Tellers
and Astrologers
him said
Whoever goes to a fortune-
teller and asks him about anything, his

prayer will not be accepted for forty
days. [Muslim]
10
The belief that any person has
knowledge of the unseen is a sinful and

misguided notion. It goes against
Islamic teachings which say that
knowledge of the unseen belongs to

Allah Alone.
He lone is the ll-
Knower of the Ghayb (Unseen), and
He reveals to none His Ghayb.

[Quran: Surah Jinn, Ayat 26]
11
Astrology has to do with decrees and

influences, i.e., finding the connection
of events on earth and astronomical
movements. This is Haraam according
to the Quran and Sunnah. The

commentator on Al-Aqeedah atTahhaawiyyah said strologers are
included in the word fortune-tellers,

according to some of the scholars, and
according to some of them both are the
same.
12
When astrologers and fortune-tellers get
a prediction right on occasion, it may be

either because of insight and intuition,
or these words may be something that
the Jinn have snatched from the

heavens.
13
If the matter concerning which true
words were spoken is something that has

already taken place, such as knowing the
name of a thief, or knowing the name of a
person who has come to him for the first
time, this may be achieved by sending a
person to find out about people, or
having a means of listening to what they
say before they come to him, or it could

be done with the help of devils and
Qareens. The knowledge that the devils
have about events that have already
taken place is not something out of the
ordinary. [ The World of the Jinn and
Devils, by Dr Umar S. al-Ashqar]
14
Lying to Yourself
him said
Mankind will not perish
till they make excuses for their conduct

to themselves. [Mishkat]
15
The worst kind of deception is self

deception. There is very little hope for a
person s success in any sphere of his or
her life, in relationships, in religion or in
their careers, till they view themselves

and their shortcomings realistically.
Only then can they improve themselves.
So stop blaming, complaining and

procrastination. Successful people take
full responsibility for their lives.
16
17
18
Heavens Rolled Up
him said
llah will roll up the
heavens on the Day of Resurrection,

then He will hold them in His Right
Hand, and will say, I am the King.
Where are the tyrants? Where are the
arrogant ones?
[Muslim]
19
This most awe-inspiring of days, when
each arrogant or tyrannical person will

be brought to justice, will make our life
on earth seem so insignificant as though
it never happened. This same life on

which we expend all our strength, our
time, our wealth and our planning, will
not seem to have been longer than a day
at best.
20
nd on the Day that the Hour will

be established, the Mujrimoon
(criminals, disbelievers, sinners) will
swear that they stayed not but an
hour [Quran: Surah Room, Ayat
55]
The best among them in knowledge

and wisdom will say, You stayed no
longer than a day!
[Quran: Surah
Ta-Ha, Ayat 104]
21
Jinn Eavesdrop on Angels

The angles speak in the clouds about
things that will happen on earth. The

devils listen to what is said, then they
drop that into the ear of the
fortuneteller like dropping something
into a bottle, and they add a hundred
lies to it. [ukhari]
22
The devils among the jinn eavesdrop on the

angels who come down to the clouds with
the new decrees of their Lord. When they
try to eavesdrop higher up in the heavens
they are chased by flaming fire (a shooting

star). Sometimes they are able to catch
something. These jinn are the collaborators
of fortunetellers who use this truth and mix
it up with a bunch of lies. All that the
fortuneteller says is believed because of
that one truth heard from heaven.
23
24
25
Hearing unlike Seeing

him said
Hearing is not like
seeing. [hmad]
26
Allah says: The mutual rivalry for
piling up (the good things of this

world) diverts you (from the more
serious things). Until you see the
graves!
[Surah At-Takathur, Ayah
1-2]
Truly, competing in accumulating
wealth causes destruction in both
worlds. ut what is its cure? Until you
see the graves!
27
Imam Qurtubi (may Allah be pleased
with him) explains in his Tafseer The

scholars say: It is recommended for him
who wants to cure the diseases of his
heart and who sincerely wants to begin

obeying Allah to, (1) think about the
destroyer of pleasures, the separator of
groups and the finisher of sons and
daughters - death, (2) see those who
have passed away, and (3) visit the
graves.
28
These three things are recommended
for him whose heart has become hard

and who persists in sins, as a cure for his
spiritual diseases and as a shield against
temptations and Shaitaan. If

contemplating on death benefits him
and his heart becomes soft once again,
well and good. But if he persists in
sinning, he should also visit the dead
and their graves. It is possible that he
take heed from the viewing of that
which only thinking of did not benefit
him.
29
For remembering death notifies the
heart about where it is going to end and

is a warning to it: But seeing him who
has already passed away and visiting
the graves of the Muslims is witnessing

it with one s own eyes. This has a
different and special impact. Prophet
(pbuh) said: Hearing is not like seeing.
(Ahmad) Thinking about death is not
always possible and does not work for
him who wants to cure the diseases of
his heart immediately. Seeing a grave is
faster, and its impact is greater.
30
He should learn from him who is
already under the ground. (He should

think about) how this person got
separated from his family and his loved
ones, after leading soldiers and armies,

starting new generations and families,
and gathering wealth and provisions.
Then suddenly, death approached him
in a time he never expected and he was
caught in such shock he wasn t able to
handle it!
31
He who has come to visit the grave
should contemplate on the condition of

his brothers who have already passed
away. These brothers of his had set
such high hopes and accumulated so

much wealth, now look at how their
hopes are finished and their wealth
doesn t do them anything. The soil has
now erased the different qualities and
traits of their faces and has separated
the different parts of their bodies. After
them it did the same to their women, it
orphaned their children and divided
their wealth among their heirs.
32
He should remember how these people
ran after the world, how they strived in

fulfilling their desires, how they even
used deception to get what they wanted
and how they depended on their health

and their youth. He should realize that
his inclination towards his desires and
worldly things is like the inclination of
these people, and his negligence of
death is like their negligence. He should
realize that he will end up where they
are, for sure.
33
He should contemplate on the condition of
him who was persistent in achieving his

ambitions, and now his legs have perished
This person who is now in his grave would
enjoy looking at whatever he felt like. Now, his
eyes too are gone This dead person would
debate and overcome others with his eloquent
speech and insects have now eaten his tongue...
This person would laugh when he was pleased
and things went according to his way and now
dirt has replaced his teeth The believer who
has come to visit the grave should understand
that his condition is and will be like this
person s condition.
34
fter this contemplation and
observance all worldly desires should

become meaningless and the observer
should start working for his Aakhirah.
He should become austere and should

begin obeying his Lord, his heart should
soften and he should humble himself
before his Lord.
35
Jannah Surrounded by Difficult

Things
When llah created Paradise, He said to
Jibreel Go and look at it. Jibreel went
and looked at it, then came and said O
my Lord! By Thy might, no one who
hears of it will fail to enter it.
Allah then surrounded it with
disagreeable things, and said Go and
look at it, Jibreel. He went and looked at
it, then came and said O my Lord! y
Thy might, I am afraid that no one will
enter it.
36
Jannah Surrounded by Difficult

Things
When llah created Hell, He said Go
and look at it, Jibreel. Jibreel went and
looked at it, then came and said O my
Lord! By Thy might, no one who hears of
it will enter it.
Allah then surrounded it with desirable
things and said Go and look at it,
Jibreel. Jibreel went, looked at it, then
came and said O my Lord! y Thy
might and power, I am afraid that no one
will remain who does not enter it. [bu
Daud]
37
Hellfire is surrounded by tempting

things and sin appears attractive to us;
but where sin leads to is horrific. On the
other hand, Jannat is surrounded by
difficult things such as sharing wealth,

exercising self control and sacrifice; yet
these deeds lead to unimaginable
beauty and happiness.
38
In school, for instance, we do not

consider it fair to give the student who
worked hard and did well the same
grade as one who did not bother with
his or her studies. Similarly, llah s

justice does not allow the compensation
of the doer of evil and the doer of good
to be the same either. It would not be

fair for human beings to be given
eternal life and eternal happiness
without our having at least attempted to
earn it.
39
40
41
Hope versus Stupidity

When llah created the creation, He
decreed something for Himself, and a

clear record is with Him confirming
that, Truly, My mercy prevails over
My wrath.
[ukhari Kitab Bad al-
Wahiy]
42
The one whose hope in llah s
forgiveness guides him to obedience of

Allah and deters him from rebelling
against Him has true hope; whereas the
hope which leads a person on to idleness

and being immersed in wrong actions is
only stupidity in disguise.
43
Yahya ibn Muadh said, In my opinion,
the worst kind of self-delusion is for

someone to sin excessively and then to
hope for forgiveness without feeling any
remorse; or it is to expect to draw near to

Allah, the Exalted, without obeying or
worshipping Him; or it is to hope for the
fruits of the Garden after having only
planted the seeds for the Fire; or it is to
seek the abode of the obedient through
committing wrong actions; or it is to
expect a reward after having done

nothing worthwhile; or it is to place hope
in Allah, Glorious and Mighty is He, after
having exceeded all the limits.
44
The poet bu l Atahiyyah said,
Do you hope for forgiveness

when you have not trodden its
paths? A ship does not sail on
dry land.
45
Imprison My Tongue
him said
One of the merits of a
person s Islam is his abandoning what

does not concern him. [Tirmidhi]
46
The least harmful of a tongue s faults is

talking about what does not concern it.
It has worse faults too, like backbiting,
gossiping, obscene and misleading talk,
two-faced and hypocritical talk,

showing off, quarrelling, bickering,
singing, lying, mockery, derision,
falsehood...
47
So there are many faults which can

affect a servant of llah s tongue,
ruining his heart and causing him to
lose both his happiness and pleasure in
this life, and his success and profit in the

next life.
Perhaps this is why Abdullah ibn
Masood (radi Allahu anhu said y

Allah, besides Whom no God exists,
nothing deserves a long prison sentence
more than my tongue.
48
49
50
Increase your Love

y Him in whose hand is my soul,
none of you will enter Paradise until

you believe (have eeman), and none of
you will believe until you love each
other. Shall I not tell you of something
which if you do, will create love among
you? Increase the custom of greeting
each other with as-Salamu alaykum.
[Sahih Muslim]
51
Let us increase our love for each other
with this simple formula. Loving our

brothers and sisters, will help us gain
eeman/belief and belief is the key to
Paradise. Additional recommended

etiquettes of greeting are that, "The
younger person should greet the older
one, and the walking person should
greet the sitting one, and the small
number of persons should greet the
large number of persons." [Sahih
Bukhari]
52
Leave lone what doesn t

Concern You
Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu)
narrated that the Messenger of Allah
Indeed
among the excellence of a person s
Islam is that he leaves alone that which

does not concern him. [Chapters on
Zuhd: Jami At-Tirmidhi]
53
Abstinence from needless talk and

meaningless activity is a necessary
requirement of good faith and an
adornment of personality which lends
beauty to the faith of the person

concerned.
54
In Fayd ul Qadeer, the author writes, "It is

understood from this that from a man's
deficiency in his religion is his indulging in
that which does not concern him. What
should concern him is all that relates to his

salvation in the Hereafter, that being Islam,
emaan, and ihsan. In this way he stays safe
from all forms of evil Part of that which
does not concern the worshipper is his
learning fields of knowledge of lesser
importance whilst leaving knowledge of
greater importance, like the person who

abandons knowledge which causes benefit
to himself and engages himself in learning
that which he could correct others with.
55
Islam consists of acting as well as

abstaining. The only way one abandons
all that does not concern him is by
busying himself with that which does
concern him, in beliefs and in hurrying

to do good deeds mentioned in the
Quran and Sunnah. He should busy
himself with correcting himself and his

heart, by removing bad characteristics,
such as jealousy, showing off, pride,
haughtiness towards others and other
destructive attributes.
56
There is no way of recognizing what

concerns us and what doesn't concern
us, except through knowledge. ctions,
characteristics and mannerisms are
sifted out so that every attribute

denounced in the Book and the Sunnah
is removed and what remain are the
beneficial worthy actions. This is Islam

and depending on how well these
things are accomplished, determines the
position of the worshipper with Allah
(subhanahu wa ta'ala) and Allah knows
best.
57
58
59
If You Look Above Then Look

Below
When one of you looks at one who

stands at a higher level than you in
regard to wealth and physical
structure he should also see one who

stands at a lower level than you in
regard to these things. [Muslim]
60
Comparing ourselves to people whom
Allah has given better looks to, more

money to, nicer possessions to, better
education to, higher status to, etc., is a
common cause for our showing

ingratitude to Allah. We then
automatically discard the blessings that
Allah has bestowed on us and can think
of only that which we are lacking and
someone else has. There will always be
something more that we could have.
61
However, Allah is the Originator of all

Good/Khair. Nothing comes from Him
that is not good. Therefore, we should
not have the attitude, that when we see
ourselves having the blessings of this
world we say, "Rabbi akraman" (Allah
has blessed/honoured me) and when
we face anything lacking in our lives
we say, "Rabbi ahanun" (Allah has
humiliated me). A believer always says
"Rabbi akraman" only, since in his or
her every affair Allah is honoring them.
62
Human beings are greedy and
ungrateful by nature. Prophet (pbuh)

told us that even if we were given two
valleys full of gold we would wish for a
third and there would be no end to our

greed till we died. Therefore, the advice
of the Prophet (pbuh) makes perfect
sense that whenever we get to see
people who have more or better than
what we have, we should immediately
look at those people too who have less
or worse than what we have. Only then
will we be able to remain thankful to
Allah.
63
Inquire About Relatives

him said
Inquire after your relatives
so that you can perform Silah Rehmi.

Without doubt Silah Rehmi creates
love among relatives, abundance in
wealth, and increase in life span.
[Musnad Ahmed]
64
To fulfill the rights of Silah Rehmi, when

dealing with relatives keep the
following five points in mind:
1. Inquire about them,
2. Help and cooperate in their time of

need,
3. Try to remove the hardships they are
encountering,
4. Meet them with a cheerful face,
5. Pray for their well-being in both
worlds.
65
What is not Silah Rehmi?

Suppose your relatives need help in
kidnapping a person or in planning a
burglary, should you help them? No,
because this will get you in trouble. If

you get caught then you risk going to
prison. If you don t get caught, llah
(subhana wa ta ala) is still watching and

will punish you severely on the Day of
Judgement.
66
Thus, helping relatives with crimes is not

Silah Rehmi: Silah Rehmi is to advise them
against it, try to stop them from acting on
their bad intentions, and if nothing else
works, then dissociating from them so you

don t get punished along with them.
The same logic applies if your relatives
want to commit the crimes of backbiting,
free mixing among men and women,
having music in gatherings, mocking
llah s religion or Messenger, etc. It is no
favor (Silah Rehmi) to your relatives for

you to aid them in this or participate in
their sins.
67
68
69
Insignificant Good Deeds

him) said: "Save yourselves from the
fire of Hell even if it be by giving away
a bit of a date, or by uttering a good
word." [Sahih Bukhari]
70
Even a most ordinary good has its weight
and value, and the same is true of evil.

Even a most ordinary evil will be
considered and taken into account; it will
not be overlooked. Therefore, no good act

however small and insignificant should be
left undone, for many such good deeds can
collect and be regarded as a major good in
the reckoning with Allah. Likewise, even a
most ordinary evil deed should not be
committed, for a large number of such
ordinary errors can become serious sins.
71
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
encouraged us to do good deeds, even if

they appeared to be very small. He
(pbuh) said: "Do not look upon any
good work as insignificant, even if it be

emptying a bucket into the vessel of one
asking for water, or receiving a brother
of yours with a pleasant face." In an
advice to women he said: "O Muslim
women, no woman should look upon
sending a gift to her neighbor as mean, even
if it be the hoof of a goat." [Sahih Bukhari]
72
I Don t ear Witness

Once a man went to the Prophet (peace
be upon him) and requested him to
bear witness that he had given his
child a gift of an orchard. The Prophet
pbuh asked him, Do you have
another child? The man said, Yes.

The Prophet pbuh asked, Have you
given him an equal gift?
No,
replied the man. The Prophet (pbuh)

then said, I do not bear witness to an
injustice. [Sahih Muslim]
73
Treat all your children equitably.

Favoring one over the other provokes
destructive jealousies. Don t ruin the
harmony in your house with your own
hands.
Also keep in mind the rule not to bear
witness to an injustice. Don t be a part of
any injustice or you will also get a share

of the sin. Don t help any injustice to
happen or approve of it, even by silence.
74
75
76
Indecent Speech
The worst man in the eyes of llah
on the Day of Judgment will be the one
whom the people avoided on account of
his indecent and foul speech.
[Bukhari]
77
Restrain your tongue even if friends,
relatives, or strangers, behave in a

manner that is offensive to your temper
or taste. Do not utter harsh or offensive
words in retaliation. Instead, let the

matter pass with tact and gentle
conduct.
78
I am the Best of You to My

Family
him said
The best of you is the one
who is best to his family and I am the

best of you to my family. [Tirmidhi]
79
Study the life of the Messenger of Allah

(peace be upon him) to find out what he
was like. Emulate him as proof of your
love for him! When we love someone
we consciously and sub-consciously

copy them.
80
81
82
Iblees Doesn t Tire

The Shaytaan said, y Your Glory
and Majesty, I will never cease to

misguide Your slaves so long as their
souls remain in their bodies. The Lord
said, y My Glory and Majesty, I will
continue to forgive them so long as
they seek My forgiveness.
[hmad]
83
Iblees is persistent in doing the evil that

he has vowed to do; he never gives up or
gets tired. In addition, he has extensive
experience in the field of misguidance
millennia of experience. He always uses
the same tricks, yet we continue to fall
for them generation after generation.
The stories in the Quran and hadith are
there for us to wizen up and avoid his
traps. We should learn from the
experiences of those who came before
us.
84
It is most heartening though to know
that despite our falls, Allah is there to

forgive us and help us up again. The
way that we behave if someone falls is
that instead of helping them up we start

throwing stones at them. But Allah is
pure of defects and not vengeful. He
helps us up again. We just need to
recognize that we fell and that we need
a hand to get up. Once we realize this
and seek llah s help and forgiveness,
He forgives us and puts us on track
again. Alhamdulillah!
85
Iblees Leads Assault

The Prophet pbuh said
Iblees sets up his
throne on the water, then he sends out his

raiding parties. The closest to him of these
troops are the ones who cause the most
tribulation (fitnah). One of them comes and
says, I have done such and such. He the
Shaytaan says, You have not done much.
Then another one comes and says, I didn t
leave him alone until I created troubles and
caused division between him and his wife.
Then he comes close to him and says, How
good you are.
[Saheeh Muslim]
86
It s chilling to see how evil Iblees is!

Iblees is the one who is planning and
leading the battle against mankind.
From his base, he sends out troops and
raiding parties in all directions, and he

holds gatherings with his troops and
armies to discuss what they have done.
He praises those who have done well

and succeeded in misleading and
tempting people.
87
However, the devil whom he honours

the most is the one who causes
misunderstandings between husband
and wife. This is the greatest tribulation
(fitnah) for society as it shakes its

foundations. The worst societies on
earth are those where the institution of
marriage is in worst shape. When

husband and wife aren t in harmony
their children and a lot of other people
become vulnerable to Shaitaan s attacks.
88
89
90
Immersed in Sweat According to

Deeds
him said
The people will sweat on
the Day of Resurrection until their

sweat penetrates seventy cubits into
the earth, then it will come up to their

ears. [ukhari]
91
People s sweat will flow until it drenches
the earth, then it will start to rise until it

reaches a height that will vary according
to their actions. For some, their sweat
will reach their ankles, for others it will

reach their knees, or their waists, and for
some it will reach their mouths, like
reins.
Only those who are in the shade of
llah s Throne will not sweat. O llah!
Grant us shade under Your Throne that
day, when there will be no other shade.
92
Insulting Allah
llah said, The son of dam tells a
lie against Me, though he has no right

to do so. As for his telling a lie against
Me, it is that he claims that I cannot
recreate him as I created him before;

and as for his abusing Me, it is his
statement that I have a son. No!
Glorified be Me! I am far from taking a
wife or a son.
[Sahih ukhari]
93
The universe, of even whose extent we are

not aware, is just one of the many things
that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has created.
To think that such a miniscule part of the
universe, a human, cannot be recreated by

the One Who created him in the first place,
is illogical and highly ignorant. As it is,
doing something for a second time is
always easier than doing it for the first
time.
Attributing a wife or son to Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) is equivalent to insulting Him

since it negates His total independence, His
Uniqueness, and His Oneness.
94
95
96
In Shade on the day of Judgment

There are
seven whom (Allah) will shade with His shade on

the Day when there will be no shade except His:
the just ruler; the young man who grows up
worshipping his Lord; the man whose heart is
attached to the Masjid; two men who love one
another for the sake of Allah, meeting and

parting for that reason; a man who is invited (to
sin) by a woman of high status and beauty, but
he says, I fear llah a man who gives in charity
so secretly that his left hand does not know what
his right hand gives; and a man who remembers
Allah when he is alone, and his eyes fill with
tears. [Saheeh Bukhaari]
97
When people are standing in that vast
arena, beneath the harsh glare of the

sun, tasting a torment which even the
mighty mountains could not bear, a
group of the best among them will be at

peace, in the shade of the Throne of the
Most Merciful, and they will be spared
the distress suffered by the rest of
mankind.
Who are these people?
98
Illness of a Mushrik
Jewish boy used to serve the

Prophet (peace be upon him) and
became ill. The Prophet (peace be upon
him) went to pay him a visit and said
to him, Embrace Islam, and he did
embrace Islam. [Sahih ukhari]
99
A Mushrik is a disbeliever in the

Oneness of Allah and a disbeliever in
the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).
When a person is sick, it might be
his/her final illness. This last chance of
inviting them to Islam should not be
wasted. Illness is a vulnerable time
when a person naturally feels closer to

Allah (subhana wa ta ala). Your caring
visit should be used to invite the person
to answer the call of their Creator. The

Prophet (pbuh) did not lose any
opportunity to invite a person to Islam.
100
101
102
Intercession on the Day of

Judgment (I)
When the Day of
Resurrection comes, the people will be milling around,

then they will come to dam pbuh and say, Intercede
for your offspring. He will say, I am not able for that,
but you can go and ask Ibraheem (pbuh), for he is the
Close Friend of Allah (Khaleel-llah . So they will go
to Ibraheem, but he will say, I am not able for that, but
you can go to Musa (pbuh), for he is the one who spoke
with Allah (Kaleem-llah . So they will go to Musa,
but he will say, I am not able for that, but go to Eesa
(pbuh), for he is the Spirit created by Allah and His

Word. So they will go to Eesa, but he will say, I am not
able for that, but you can go to Muhammad.
[Saheeh
Bukhaari]
103
When the people are distressed on the
Day of Judgment and are seeking relief

from its harshness they will approach
the Prophets one by one.
However, despite the high station

enjoyed by each of them, each will feel
shy before Allah because of a single
mistake they may have made. Each will

feel worried about himself and not fit to
intercede for anyone else. Other ahadith
mention what each Prophet will say
about his mistake and his concern about
his own fate with, Myself, myself,
myself.
104
When this is the depth of concern that
llah s chosen Prophets and

Messengers, so pure and high of rank,
have about themselves, how much more
should we be concerned about ourselves

and our fate?
105

Judgment (II)
So they will come
to me and I will say, I am able for it. Then I will go

and seek permission from my Lord, and He will grant
me permission. So I will stand before Him and praise
Him in a manner that I could not do unless He inspired
me to do it. Then I will fall down prostrating before our
Lord, and He will say, O Muhammad, raise your head.
Speak and you will be heard, ask and it will be given to
you, intercede and your intercession will be accepted. I
will say, O Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah. He will
say, Go, and whoever has in his heart faith equal to a

grain of wheat or barley, bring him forth from it (the
Fire . So I will go and do that. [Saheeh Bukhaari]
106
Allah has chosen Muhammad (peace be
upon him) for the great intercession.

This honor will be his on the Day of
Judgment.
Allah says to the Prophet (peace be upon
him): It may be that your Lord will
raise you to Maqaam-e-Mahmood (a
station of praise and glory, i.e., the

honor of intercession on the Day of
Resurrection.
[Quran: Surah Isra,
Ayat 79]
107
108
109

Judgment (III)
The Messenger of llah pbuh said Then I
will come back to my Lord and praise Him in a
similar manner. Then I will fall down

prostrating before our Lord, and He will say, O
Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and you
will be heard, ask and it will be given to you,
intercede and your intercession will be accepted.
I will say, O Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah.
He will say, Go, and whoever has in his heart
faith equal to a grain of mustard seed, bring him
forth from the Fire. So I will go and do that.
[Saheeh Bukhaari]
110
Smaller than a grain of wheat or barley is a
grain of mustard seed. But how much faith is

faith equal to a grain of mustard seed?
Consider the words of the Prophet (pbuh) on
this
Never before me had a Prophet been sent
by Allah to his nation who had not among his

people disciples and companions who followed
his ways and obeyed his command. Then there
came after them their successors who said
whatever they did not practice, and practiced
whatever they were not commanded to do. He
who strove against them with his hand was a
believer; he who strove against them with his
tongue was a believer; and he who strove
against them with his heart was a believer; and
beyond that there is no faith, not even as minute
as a mustard seed. [Muslim]
111
So the least amount of faith (faith as small as a
grain of mustard seed) requires that we at least

hate in our hearts the practices that are against
Islam. Less than this there is no faith!
How do you feel when you see non-Mahram
men and women socializing together? What is

the condition of your heart when Muslims live
in houses, drive cars or go to college on interest
(Riba) bearing loans? Examine your feelings
when you see a pretty woman not covered as

Allah advised her to cover, or a man staring at
women on T.V. How do you feel when Muslims
turn away from the problems of Muslims? Do
you find sadness, disgust and abhorrence in

your heart when llah s commands are violated
or not?
112

Judgment (IV)
The Messenger of llah pbuh said Then I
will come back to my Lord and praise Him in a
similar manner. Then I will fall down
prostrating before our Lord, and He will say,
O Muhammad, raise your head. Speak and
you will be heard, ask and it will be given to

you, intercede and your intercession will be
accepted. I will say, O Lord, my Ummah, my
Ummah. He will say, Go, and whoever has in

his heart faith even less and less and less than
that, bring him forth from the Fire. So I will go
and do that. [Saheeh Bukhaari]
113
Sad is the case of the Muslim who
commits sins on the assurance of

eventually being taken out of Hell. They
should strike a match and try burning
their little finger with it.

If their instinct of self-preservation
doesn t allow them to roast their finger,
then they should let that same instinct

kick in to hold them back from llah s
prohibitions.
114
If they can t bear for a finger of theirs to
burn for a few seconds, how will they

tolerate their whole body being
incinerated, in a much hotter fire, for
Allah knows how long?

Keep a match box in your pocket with
you as a constant reminder. When you
feel inclined to sin strike a match and

bring it close to your finger!
115
116
117
Intelligent Retaliation
Aisha (radi Allahu anha narrated
The
Jews used to greet the Prophet (pbuh) by

saying, s-Saamu alaika (i.e., death be upon
you , so I understood what they said, and I
said to them, Alaikumus-saamu wal-la natu
i.e., death and llah s curse be upon you .
The Prophet pbuh said, e gentle and

calm, O Aishah, as Allah likes gentleness in
all affairs. I said, O llah s Prophet! Didn t
you hear what they said? He said, Didn t

you hear me answering them back by saying,
Alaikum i.e., the same be upon you ?
[Sahih Bukhari]
118
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was

aware of what was being said to him.
And he retaliated; but intelligently without causing a big stir. Without
using the bad words the Jews used for

him, he returned their evil wishes on
them. Thus, he set an example of the
tone and manner in which a Muslim

responds to provocation.
119
Think of how reactive we are. We

immediately jump at the throat of
whoever hurts us. Our voices are raised,
our tone becomes harsh. Our reproach
is not characterized by calmness or

gentleness, although it is possible to
retaliate in a mild manner as well.
Retaliating while forcing oneself to

remain in a calm state ensures that we
do not transgress the limits of revenge
and become sinful ourselves by
overstepping the bounds of the lawful.
120
He who uses foul language should think

of himself as a Munafiq (hypocrite) as
the use of coarse and evil language,
while in a disagreement, is a particular
characteristic of the hypocrites. To be a

hypocrite is worse than to be a Kafir.
121
Istikhara -- Best Advice

Jabir (radi Allahu anhu stated s the
Prophet (pbuh) taught us the Quran, so also
he instructed us to observe Istikhara in every
matter. The Prophet (pbuh) used to say,
When anyone among you is perplexed over
an important matter, he should perform two
Rakahs of supererogatory (nafl) prayer and
then make this dua: O Allah, I ask You to
show me what is best through Your
knowledge, and bring it to pass through

Your power, and I ask You of Your immense
favor; for You are All-Powerful and
122
Istikhara -- est dvice

I am not, You know and I do not, and You
are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if
You know this matter to be better for me in
my religion, livelihood, and final outcome,
then bring it about and facilitate it for me,
and bless me with abundance therein. And
if You know this matter to be worse for me
in my religion, livelihood, and final
outcome, then keep it from me, and keep me
from it, and bring about the good for me
whatever it may be, and make me pleased
with it.
[Sahih ukhari]
123
Istikhara means to ask for goodness

and welfare. Suppose you have two job
offers. Both are halal. Both are
comparable. Which one should you
take? Only Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

knows which will be better for your
Akhirah and Dunya, long-term and
short-term. There are so many hidden

factors that we cannot possibly know
about. So why not ask the One who
does know and is the Most Sincere for
your welfare?
124
It is Sunnah (recommended) to pray two

Rakahs and then make the Istikhara
dua. However one may make the dua
on its own, or pray the two Rakahs
alone with the intention of seeking

llah s guidance in the matter. The two
Rakahs may be prayed at any time of
day or night except for the forbidden

times of prayer. After you have sincerely
sought llah s guidance, then you
simply follow the course suggested to
your heart or that you find is made easy
for you to do.
125
126
127
Insulting One s Parents

Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas (radi
Allahu anhu) reported that the
It is one
of the gravest sins (kaba ir/enormities) to

abuse one s parents. It was asked
Oh
Messenger of Allah! Can a man abuse his

own parents? The Messenger of llah
pbuh said
Yes! He insults the father of
somebody who in return insults his
father; he then insults the mother of

somebody who in return insults his
mother. [Sahih ukhari]
128
We learn from this hadith that one

should not insult anyone s parents,
because if his parents are abused in
return he will be responsible for
disgracing his own parents. This is

practical advice that encourages us to
think about the consequences of our
utterances.
129
Increase in Loveliness
Narrated Anas (radi Allahu anhu) that the
Messenger of llah pbuh said, In Jannah
there is a market to which the people will come
every Friday. The northern wind will blow and

shower fragrance on their faces and clothes and,
consequently, it will enhance their beauty and
loveliness. They will then return to their wives
who will also have increased in their beauty and
loveliness, and their families will say to them:
We swear by llah that you have been increased
in beauty and loveliness since leaving us.

Thereupon they will reply We swear by llah
that you have also been increased in beauty and
loveliness since we left you.
[Sahih Muslim]
130
Another feature of Jannah is this, that

the beauty and charm of the men and
women in Jannah goes on increasing
with time and thus the love and
affection between husbands and wives

also keeps on increasing. It is the
opposite of what happens here in this
world; people lose their good looks with

time. In Jannah, you just keep getting
more and more beautiful, without any
effort, forever.
131
132
133
Important When Asking

Allah
him said
The supplication of any
one of you will be fulfilled (by Allah),

provided he does not become so
impatient as to say, I asked, but my

request has not been fulfilled.
[Bukhari, Kitab ad-Da awat]
134
The one who asks Allah should not
insist on the immediate fulfillment of his

wishes, nor should he say, I prayed to
Allah, but He has not responded to my
Dua. llah knows better what the best

time is for the fulfillment of the Dua.
There are some additional observances
that are good to follow when

supplicating. It is good to be in Wudu, to
be facing towards Makkah, and to repeat
the Dua three times.
135
The supplication should begin with
praise of Allah, by referring to His

Names and His Attributes and His
blessings, followed by invoking His
blessings on the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh). Then the one who asks should
describe his needs and make his
requests, then finally conclude with
reciting more prayers on the Prophet
(pbuh), and praise of Allah, Mighty and
Glorious is He.
136
Incentive for the Selfish

him said, He who supplicates for his
brother behind his back (in his

absence), the angel commissioned (for
carrying dua to his Lord) says:
'Ameen, and it is for you also.'
[Sahih Muslim]
137
So the advantage of praying for the

eeman, safety, health, prosperity, or any
good, for another Muslim, is that we
have an angel make the same dua for
us. When a person thinks selfishly, they

are selfish even in their prayers; why
pray for someone instead of for
ourselves only, why pray for a Muslim

in some remote part of the world? This
hadith provides incentive even for a
selfish person to make dua for all
Muslim brothers and sisters.
138
139
140
Ice in the Sun
man came to the Prophet peace be

upon him and said O Messenger of
Allah! Guide me to such an action that

when I do it, Allah will love me and
the people will also love me. He peace
be upon him said, e detached from

this world and then Allah will love
you, and do not be attached to what
people have and then people will love

you.
[Ibn Majah; Kitab az-Zuhd]

141
This hadith shows that Allah loves those
who live simply in this life. It has been

said that if having love for Allah is the
best state to be in, then living simply is
the best condition to be in.

Living simply means that you should
restrain your desire for worldly things in
the hope of receiving something better

instead. In order to achieve this more
easily you should first realize that the
things which people yearn for in this
world are in fact worthless when
compared with what we hope for in the
next world.
142
If we know that what Allah has will
remain and that the life to come is better

and more lasting, then we realize that
the life of this world is really like a piece
of ice left out in the sun it soon melts

and vanishes. The Akhira, however,
never vanishes. The desire one has to
exchange this life for the one to come is
strengthened by the certainty that there
is no comparison between this life and
the next.
143
Allah says: Yes, you prefer the life of

this world, but the next world is
better and more lasting. [Quran:
Surah al-Ala, Verses 16-17]
Allah says: the Life of this world
is only the enjoyment of
deception. [Quran: Surah al-Imran,
Verse 185]
144
Allah says: Truly, the life of this

world is nothing but a (quick
passing) enjoyment, and verily, the
Hereafter, that is the home that will
remain forever. [Quran: Surah alGhaafir, Verse 39]
Allah says: the life of this world is
only a deceiving enjoyment. [Quran:
Surah al-Hadid, Verse 20]
145
Intercession by the Quran

I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him saying, Read the
Quran, for it will come as an

intercessor for its reciters on the Day
of Resurrection. [Sahih Muslim]
146
This hadith tells us one of the many

benefits of reciting the Quran and acting
upon it. The Day of Judgement will be
extremely hot for sinners and 50,000
years long. The fear that will grip

people will be so severe that it will
produce in them a drunk like condition.
People will be desperate for an

intercessor, to save them from the Fire
of Hell.
147
On that Day, none will intercede except

whom Allah (subhana wa ta ala) grants
permission to, and Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) will allow the Quran to do so.
The Quran will be endowed with the

power of speech and it will request
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to forgive the
sins of its reciters who acted upon its

teachings. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) will
accept the request of the Quran, as
signified in other ahadith.
148
nother hadith states The Quran and

the people who applied it, will be
brought on the Day of Resurrection
preceded with Surah Al-Baqarah and
Surah Al-e-Imran arguing on behalf of

those who applied them. [Sahih
Muslim] Let s increase our chances of
being saved from the Fire of Hell, by

reciting the Quran and applying its
teachings to our lives.
149
150
151
In-Laws and Hijab

him said
Do not go near non-
Mahram women. One man asked

him, O Prophet of llah, what is the
Command about the in-laws of a
woman? The Prophet pbuh
responded, The dangers in not
observing Hijab with) in-laws are like
death. [ukhari]
152
Non-Mahram means those with whom marriage
is permissible.
The Prophet (pbuh) compared the men of the inlaws to death. This means that a woman should be
even more careful in observing Hijab with her
brothers-in-law. The reason for this is that since
these men are considered part of the family, they
freely enter the ladies quarters and are even invited
in, becoming too close, which at times results in

illegitimate affairs. The husband considers them a
part of his household and does not even think about
stopping them from freely mixing with his wife. But
when they come to his house frequently, and if the

husband is frequently away, all kinds of seemingly
impossible things may occur. It is not as easy for a
neighbor to kidnap a woman as it is for a brother153
in-law to kidnap or abuse his sister-in-law.
What is Hijab? Hijab literally means

screen, curtain, partition, and
concealment. In Islamic Shariah, the
word means to cover, conceal or hide
oneself from the view of non-Mahrams.
The Ayat of Hijab was revealed the day
after the Prophet pbuh s marriage to
Zainab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased
with her). It is, nd when you ask his
Wives) for anything you want, ask them
from behind a Hijab - curtain; that
makes for greater purity for your hearts
and for theirs. [Quran: Surah Ahzab,
Ayat 53]
154
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased
with him), who used to serve the

Prophet (pbuh), said that after the
Prophet (pbuh) recited this Ayat he drew
a curtain between himself and Anas

(may Allah be pleased with him). [Hijab
by Dr Mohammed Ismail Memon
Madani]
155
Indulge in the Meadows of

Paradise
him said
When you pass by the
meadows of Paradise indulge freely in

them!" The Sahabah asked: "O
Messenger of Allah! What are the

meadows of Paradise?" He replied:
"The circles of Ilm. [Tabarani, Al-
Mu jam Al-Kabir]
156
Ilm that is mentioned here is 'beneficial

knowledge'. This is the knowledge that
brings us closer to our Creator and
Sustainer. Many are the rewards for the
seekers and teachers of ilm. This is

because it is through beneficial
knowledge, knowledge of the reality of
this world and knowledge of the

Hereafter, that we draw nearer to Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala), which in turn
brings us closer to Jannat.
157
It is a great blessing from Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) when a person is
able to see and value the things of this
world as they really are. That is when he
or she will be able to utilize their

learning to benefit their Akhirah. As the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to, we
should also ask Allah (subhana wa

ta'ala) to show us the reality of things as
they really are.
158
159
160
Jannah Unimaginable
Sahl bin Sad As-Saidi (may Allah be
pleased with him said
I was present
with the Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him) in a gathering where he
described Jannah, and at the end of his
talk he said, There is in it that which
no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor
has it ever crossed the heart of man.

[Sahih Muslim]
161
Imagine what a baby can see while inside
its mother s womb. t that point a baby s

world is very limited. If anyone were to try
to explain to the baby that it is about to
enter a world full of color, of flowers,

butterflies, lakes and trees, how well could
the baby imagine such things of which it
has no experience. If we tried explaining
the colors golden and silver or even purple,
pink and blue, could we really
communicate anything meaningful to the
unborn infant? We would be similarly
incapable of describing the wonderful
smells and sounds that exist on earth.
162
An unborn child transitions from its
extremely confined existence in a womb

to a world much larger in size and
multifold in experience. Similar is the
transition we will make when we enter

the next world after the confines of
earthly existence. It is as impossible for
us to understand the nature and scope
of what Allah has kept in store for us in
Jannah as it is impossible for an unborn
child to know of the sensory pleasures
that await it outside the womb.
163
Allah says in the Quran: Their sides

forsake their beds, to invoke their
Lord in fear and hope, and they
spend in llah s Cause out of what
We have bestowed on them. No
person knows what is kept hidden
for them of joy as a reward for what
they used to do. [s-Sajdah: 16-17]
164
Is Your Ship Afloat

him said
y llah, I am not afraid
that you will be poor, but I fear that

worldly wealth will be bestowed upon
you as it was bestowed upon those who
lived before you. So you will compete
amongst yourselves for it, as they
competed for it, and it will destroy you
as it did them." [Bukhari]
165
Wealth is like water and human beings

are like ships. Ships reach their
destinations by using water to cover
distances. However, if water goes inside
the ship, then it causes the ship to sink.

Similarly, if we use wealth to earn
llah s pleasure and bring us closer to
Jannah, there is nothing like it. But if the

love of wealth enters our hearts, then it
destroys us.
166
After we begin to love wealth then we

compete with each other for it. Jealousy
and ill-will enter our lives. After that it
ceases to matter to the person how they
earn wealth, by halal means or haram,

and they forget about preparing for the
Hereafter. They do not use their wealth
to earn Jannat. Thus, the person is

destroyed.
167
168
169
Jahilliya in Me?
Once when bu Dharr al-Ghifari, in

a fit of anger, called Bilal, You son of a
black woman, the Prophet pbuh

turned angrily to him and said, You
are a man who still has Jahilliya in
him. bu Dharr immediately put his

head on the ground at ilal s feet in a
gesture of humility and refused to lift
his head until Bilal had stepped over
it. [ukhari]
170
Jahilliya refers to the period of ignorance
that preceded Islam. In this ignorance

people buried their daughters alive; ten
men with one woman was a type of
marriage; people killed others for

generations just to maintain the
superiority of their tribe In other
words, bereft of llah s guidance, they
lived disgusting lives, not
acknowledging llah s rights over them
nor knowing how to live decently with
other people.
171
One of the hallmarks of this period was
the condescension with which people

viewed each other, each culture,
ethnicity, tribe, and nation, held itself in
higher esteem than others. One of the

criteria of distinction was to be fair
skinned as opposed to colored or black.
172
This incident that took place between
Abu Dharr Ghifari (may Allah be

pleased with him) and Bilal (may Allah
be pleased with him) cautions me to
look inside and check myself for the

remnants of Jahilliya. I should ask
myself:
Do I consider myself superior to others
because I look better or speak better?
Do I hold myself in higher esteem than
others because I enjoy a certain worldly

status?
173
Do I genuinely honor each person who

is more fearful of Allah than myself,
regardless of their appearance and
possessions?
Is llah s opinion of me the only thing
that matters to me?
Do I have the Jahilliya (ignorance) of
nationalism or ethnicism or racism in
me?
Can I behave like the great Sahabah,
who when they sinned, immediately
repented, cleansed themselves of their
errors, and begged for forgiveness?
174
Ignoring the Family

him said
It is enough sin for a
person, that he ignores those whom he

is responsible for. [bu Daud]
175
Is it sufficient for a man to provide for

his own food, clothing, relaxation,
intellectual needs and spiritual needs?
Can he neglect the same needs of his
wife or children? No! A man will be

held accountable for taking care of his
dependents. Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
has declared the leader of the Muslims

as responsible for each and every one of
them, a husband/father as responsible
for his family, and a woman as
responsible for her children. [Bukhari]
176
177
178
Jannah in Exchange for Poverty

Spent in Obedience
Paradise and Hell engaged in an
argument. Hell said, I was only given the
proud and arrogant. Paradise said, Why
will only the poor and weak of mankind
enter me? llah said to Paradise, You are
My mercy, which I will bestow upon
whomever I will of my slaves. nd He said
to Hell, You are My wrath, with which I
will punish whomever I will of My slaves.
[Bukhari]
179
It is only fitting that after a life of
destitution and resulting humiliation,

that was nevertheless spent in complete
obedience and devotion to Allah one
should be rewarded with Jannah.

Unfortunate indeed is the person who
was poor and deprived in the world but
is also thrown into Hell because of his
rebellion against Allah.
180
Pride and arrogance mislead a person
into thinking that they need not bow

down before Allah. It is befitting such
people that they should enter Hell.
181
Human Heart Flip Flops

him said
Do not be delighted by the
action of anyone until you see how he

ends up. [hmad]
182
Do not say anything good or bad about

a person until you see how he ends,
because the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
said The heart of the son of dam is
agitated more severely than the cooking

pot when it boils. [hmad]
183
Do not say about any Muslim that he is

a person of Paradise or of the Fire due to
good or bad deeds, since you do not
know what his final action before his
death will be. You hope for llah s

Mercy for him and fear for him because
of his sins. You do not know what has
been destined for him at the time of his

death as regards repentance. So you
pray and hope that something good has
been destined for Him at the time of his
death. Pray for a death in the state of
Islam for yourself too.
184
185
186
Jealousy Destroys like Fire

him said
Keep away from jealousy,
for jealousy eats up virtues in the same

way that fire eats up wood. [bu
Daud]
187
As wood is consumed by fire, good
deeds are destroyed by jealousy. When a

person is jealous, they don t want to help
others since they don t wish for good
things to come to fellow Muslims. They
backbite about them, hold grudges
against them, and host all sorts of
negative emotions.
The only way out of this losing situation
is to lessen one s love of the world.
Jealousy arises out of competition for the
things of this world its riches, its

acknowledgement, its power. Since these
things are transitory, why sweat over
them?
188
How can one lessen one s love of this
world so that they may devote their

energies to amassing the Hereafter
instead? This is achieved by not caving
in to the demands of one s desires

(Nafs). The Nafs is like a spoilt child, the
more you pamper it, the worse it
becomes.
189
How is Your Mattress?

him said
What have I to do with this
world? As regards this world, I am like

a rider who rests under the shade of a
tree, and then continues his journey
and leaves it. [Tirmidhi; Kitab azZuhud]
190
This is what the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh) said in response when Umar
(radi Allahu anhu) expressed his
dismay on seeing the marks left on the
Prophet s skin from not having a decent

mattress to sleep on! It is not that the
Prophet (pbuh) did not let his need be
known rather, he didn t consider it to

be a need at all! What need does a rider
have of a mattress if he is only resting
for a short while under the shade of a
tree?
191
Life is nothing other than a road

that leads to the Garden,
or to the Fire.
Its nights are a man s workshop,
and its days are his market place.

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says: Know
that the life of this world is only playing
about and idle talk and showing off and
boasting amongst yourselves, and
competing in wealth and children. It is
like a crop after rain whose growth
pleases the farmer but then it dries up,
and you see it turn yellow, and then it
becomes straw. [Quran: Surah al-
Hadeed, Ayat 20]
192
193
194
Jannah through Serving

Parents
him said
Woe to him! Woe to him!
Woe to him!
Who is he, O Prophet
of llah? the Sahabah enquired. He

He who
finds both or any one of his parents in

old age and he does not enter Paradise
by serving them.
[Muslim]
195
One of the routes to Paradise goes
through serving one s parents in their

old age, when they are old and irritable
and we are young and have lots of
things to do. It is the reverse of when

they were young and had lots of things
to do but took care of us.
196
How to be Grateful
him) once told Muadh (radi Allahu
anhu
y llah, you are dear to me!
So do not forget to say at the end of

each prayer, O llah, help me in
remembering You, in being grateful to

You and in serving You well.
[Ahmad; al-Musnad]
197
Gratitude is thanking the One who

grants blessings for His generosity. The
gratitude of a servant should have three
qualities, without which it can hardly be
considered to be gratitude. They are the

inner recognition and appreciation of
the blessing, speaking about it openly,
and using it as a means to worshipping

Him.
198
Gratitude is a matter for the heart, the

tongue and the limbs. The heart is for
knowledge and love of Him; the tongue
is for thanking and praising Him; and
the limbs are to be used in obeying the

One Who is being thanked, and in
holding back from committing
disobedient acts.
199
Abu Hazim said s for the one who

uses only his tongue to express his
gratitude, he is like a man who only
covers himself with the hem of his
garment without putting it on, so it is of

no use to him in either the heat, or the
cold, or the snow, or the rain.
We have to remember Allah (subhana

wa ta ala) in our hearts, be grateful to
Him with our tongues, and serve Him
with all our faculties.
200
201
202
Judge Your Soul

him said
When lewdness is part of
anything, it becomes defective; and

when Haya is part of anything, it
becomes beautiful. [Tirmidhi]
203
Modesty and maintaining one s honor are
of primary importance in preserving the

moral fibre of any society. Allah has made
it easy for us to maintain the integrity of
society by making modesty beautiful.

Whoever has a wholesome, unaltered
Fitrah (nature) finds the practiser of
modesty appealing and charming and

he/she finds vulgarity ugly. It is only a
person whose mind and soul have gotten
twisted who finds the opposite attractive.

Judge the wholesomeness of your soul by
what attracts you.
204
If somebody s face got partially paralyzed
and their mouth got twisted from one end,

wouldn t it bother them? If you tried to
feed them or give them water to drink, it
would pour out from the lopsided end.

Having a lopsided soul is more alarming
than this, because it is the wholesomeness
of the soul that allows a person to go to
Paradise. Except to him who will come to
Allah with a sound heart (wholesome
soul), and Paradise will be brought near to
the God-fearing, and Hell will be fully
uncovered for the perverse. [Quran: Surah
Ash-Shu ara, Ayaat 89-91]
205
On the Day of Judgment we will be
inside out. The people who took the

greatest care to preserve their soul from
getting soiled by llah s disobedience
will be the most beautiful, regardless of

their physical appearance on earth;
while those who neglected to follow His
instructions will turn up as ugly as the
hearts and souls their harbored on earth.
Then only good things will enter
Paradise while the perverse will go to
Hell.
206
How to Work for the Ocean

him said
This world, in comparison
with the world to come, is the same as

if one of you were to put his finger in
the ocean. Consider how much you
would have when you pulled it out.

[Muslim; Kitab al-Jannatu wa
Na imuha]
207
While we know that this world is short

lived and our life in the next world is
never ending, yet we don t undertake
actions for the ocean, instead devoting
our efforts to the drop that will soon

vanish. Why do we behave so foolishly?
208
To reach my happy ever after the

most difficult challenge I must
overcome is to free myself from the
influence of shaytaan and my nafs al-
ammara. If my nafs undertakes this

struggle, then it becomes nafs allawwama, the reproachful self; and if
the struggle is won, then it becomes nafs

al-mutma inna.
209
The nafs al-ammara urges evil and openly

opposes the nafs al-mutma inna.
Whenever the latter presents a good deed,
the former presents an evil deed in return.
The nafs al-ammara tells the nafs almutma inna that jihad is nothing more
than suicide, a widowed wife, orphaned
children, and wasted wealth. It tries to
convince the nafs al-mutma inna that
zakat and sadaqa are nothing less than an
unnecessary expense and a burden, a hole
in my pocket, which will lead me to
depend on others, so that I too will then
be like the poor. [The Purification of the
Soul]
210
I have to control my nafs, what it does

and what it does not do, even its most
insignificant activities, for each and
every breath I take during my life-time
is precious. It can be used to acquire one

of the treasures which ensure a state of
bliss that is everlasting. If I waste it, or
use it to acquire things which may cause

my destruction, I will suffer great losses,
which are only allowed to happen by
the most ignorant, foolish and reckless
of people. The true extent of such losses
will only become apparent on the Day
of Judgement.
211
212
213
Kind to Neighbors
heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him say, So frequently did

Jibreel advise me to be kind to
neighbors that I thought that he would
give them a share in one s
inheritance. [Sahih ukhari]
214
Allah says in the Quran: e kind to
parents, and near family, and

orphans and the impoverished, and
the neighbor who is dhu al-qurba,
and the neighbor who is junub, and
the sahib bil-janb [ :
] An
interpretation of the neighbor who is

dhu al-qurba is the neighbor who lives
close, while the neighbor who is
junub refers to a neighbor whose
residence is more distant, and the sahib

bil-janb is a fellow traveler.
215
Among the Allah-given rights of
neighbors is that they should not go

hungry if you have food to eat. You
should not bring fruits or other things
to your house in such a manner that the

neighbors' children see it and feel
deprived. You may not raise your walls
in such a manner as to block the light or
air of your neighbor. And your
neighbors should feel safe and
protected in their property, person and
reputation by your presence rather than
bothered or ill at ease.
216
Humble before Tongue

him said
When the son of dam
wakes up in the morning, all of his

body parts humble themselves in front
of the tongue and say, Fear llah with
regards to our rights! Our wellbeing

depends on you. If you remain upright,
so shall we. If you become crooked, so
shall we.
[hmad]
217
We have been warned against uttering

something callously without
contemplating its consequences.
How many women have been divorced
by their husbands merely due to the
tongue! A man falls into an argument
with his wife and she begins to
repeatedly challenge him, Divorce me!

I challenge you to divorce me! Divorce
me if you are a man!
218
He orders her to be silent, perhaps

shouts at and scolds her. When things
get out of hand, he destroys his own
household by eventually telling her that
she is indeed divorced.

For this reason, the Prophet (pbuh)
advised that when a person gets angry,
he should observe silence, because he

otherwise will not be able to control his
tongue.
219
Animals have long tongues, yet they

cannot speak. Man has a relatively short
tongue, yet he cannot keep silent.
220
221
222
Knowledge will Vanish

him said
Near the establishment of
the Hour there will be days during

which (religious) knowledge will be
taken away (vanish) and general
ignorance will spread, and there will
be Al-Harj in abundance, and Al-Harj
means killing. [The ook of l-Fitan:
Sahih Bukhari]
223
If you think about it, the ignorance of
religious knowledge, or lack of conviction

in it, is the cause of all evil: Shirk, Bidaat
(innovations), ignoring the commands of
Allah, lying, deception, untrustworthiness,

disobedience of parents, immorality, loss
of Haya (modesty), murder and killing,
not caring for blood relatives, obedience of
the Jews and Christians and subservience
to them, etc. As people are getting further
away from the knowledge of the Quran
and hadith they are getting deeper into
misguidance and trials.
224
By the time a person reaches middle age
they ve read several hundred books of all

sorts. Even the person with only
compulsory education has gone through
tens of books. Had Allah asked us to read

this many books of His we might have had
an excuse not to. But it is only one single
book that He has asked us to go through.
Can we not find the time to go through one
book that suffices for all of our lives? Must
we delay it till the angel of death comes to
us unannounced?
225
Muslims literacy of the Quran was
abysmal enough when a president

declared in 2001 that they would drain
the swamps (madrassas) that produce
the mosquitoes (ulema). The time has

come that each person take it as a Fardh
(obligation) to read the Tafseer of the
Quran for themselves.
226
Health Better than Riches

him said
There is nothing wrong
with being rich for those who fear

Allah, but for those who fear Allah,
good health is better than riches. And
peace of mind is also a blessing.
[Musnad Ahmad]
227
This hadith tells us:

(1) If we fear Allah (subhana wa ta ala) then
wealth won t hurt us because we will use it
appropriately.
(2) If we do not have adequate fear of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) but do have wealth, it is
very unfortunate for us. This is because we
will spend the wealth in ways displeasing
to Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and earn His
Wrath on the Day of Judgement for
misusing the trust He placed with us. All
the needy people of the world, to whom the

wealth should have been channeled
through us, will take our good deeds on the
Day of Judgement.
228
(3) Health is a greater blessing for the

God-fearing than wealth is. Health
allows us to perform deeds pleasing to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala). The more
wealth we have, the longer our

Reckoning will be. The less wealth we
have, the shorter our Reckoning will be
and the sooner we can reach Paradise if

we have been God-fearing.
229
(4) Peace of mind is a great favour of

llah s. It is an enormous blessing to be
depression, anxiety and frustration free.
Peace of mind and tranquility of heart
have no connection with wealth. They

come from obeying Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) and rejecting Shaitaan s offers
and advice.
230
Shaitaan s name is Iblees, which

means the one who causes despair. If we
allow him to hang around us (for
example, by having music or animate
pictures in our environment, by not

praying regularly, by not keeping
ourselves clean of impurities, or by
doing anything Allah has forbidden us

from doing), then we allow him to
transfer his germs to us and we begin to
suffer from tension and depression. But
the despair his obedience causes is
greatest on the Day of Judgement.
231
232
233
234
Kiraaman Kaatibeen
Recording Angels
him said
person may say
something that is pleasing to Allah but

he does not realize it, and Allah raises
his status by many degrees because of

it, and a person may say something
that angers Allah, but he does not
realize it, and for that he may be

thrown deep into Hell. [ukhari]
235
We must always be wary of the words
that slip out of our mouths. Allah has

appointed angels to record the deeds,
both good and bad, of the children of
Adam (pbuh). These are the angels

referred to in the Ayaat: ut verily,
over you (are appointed angels) to
watch you, Kiraaman Kaatibeen

writing down. They know all that
you do. [Quran
-12]
236
Kiraaman Kaatibeen means
honorable scribes and refers to the

two angels that Allah has appointed for
each person who are always present and
who never leave him; they record in

detail all that he does.
237
Allah says:
Remember that the two
receivers (recording angels) receive,

one sitting on the right and one on
the left. Not a word does he (or she)
utter but there is a watcher by him
ready to record it . [Quran
-18]
238
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with
him), the honorable Sahabah and

Mufassir of the Quran, said Everything
that you say, good or bad, is written
down. Even when a person says, I ate ,

I drank , I went, I came, I saw .
Ibn Katheer mentioned that Imaam
Ahmad used to moan when he was sick.

Then he heard that Taawoos (one of the
Tabi een narrators of hadith) said,
Everything is written down, even a
person s moans. fter that, Imam
Ahmad never moaned until he died,
may Allah have mercy on him.
239
Horns of Shaytaan
him said
When the sun starts to
rise, then delay your prayer until it

has risen fully, and when the sun
starts to set, then delay your prayer
until it has set fully, and do not
deliberately set out to pray at the time
when the sun is rising or setting, for it
rises between the two horns of the
Shaytaan. [Bukhaari]
240
Groups of Mushrikeen used to worship

the sun, and they would prostrate to it
when it was rising and when it was
setting. So the Shaytaan would set
himself up in the direction of the sun, so

that the sun-worshippers would be
prostrating to him.
241
If the Qibla is due east and one

performs Salah while the sun is rising or
if the Qiblah is due west and one
performs the prayer when the sun is
setting then he/she would inadvertently

be bowing down to the Shaytaan. Thus,
we were told to avoid praying at these
two times, of the rising and setting of

the sun.
242
243
244
245
Kings Called to Account

him said
llah will seize the earth
on the Day of Resurrection and will

roll up the heavens in His Right Hand,
then He will say, I am the King,
where are the kings of the earth?
[Bukhaari]
246
The kings of the earth and those who
hold power will have to pay for each

creature whose life their authority
adversely affected.
It was this accountability that the Ulema

feared because of which they kept
themselves and their families away from
positions of power and authority. So

much so that the great Tabi'ee scholar of
Madeena, Saeed bin Musayyab, rejected
the marriage proposal sent for his

beloved, beautiful and gifted daughter,
from an Umayyad prince (Abdul Malik
bin Marwan s son).
247
Instead, he got her married to one of his
favorite students whose wife had just

died, although his student was very
poor. The reason he gave was that his
daughter was a trust bestowed on him

by Allah, and he did not want to put her
to trial (in Fitna) regarding the
temptations of the world, by getting her
married into wealth.
248
Do I understand that I m here only to

take an exam and that I shouldn t add to
my exam questions by seeking positions
of power?
Am I enchanted by royal families?
Would I consider marrying myself or
anyone I love into one?
Do I understand the nature of this world
as explained by Allah and His Prophet
(pbuh)?
Do I want to be royalty in Jannah or are
the pleasures of the world all I seek?
249
Hell for Mistreating Allah's

Creation
him said
I was shown Hell, and I
saw a woman of Banu Isra eel who was

being punished because of a cat that
she had owned. She tied it up and did
not feed it, or let it eat of the vermin of
the earth, until it died of hunger.
[Mishkaat al-Masabeeh]
250
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is Ar-Rahman

and Ar-Raheem. He has commanded us
likewise, to be merciful to His creation.
If this is the case for one who

tormented a cat, then how will it be for
those who use all kinds of methods to
torture human beings, especially when
it is the righteous who are being

tortured for their faith and their Islam?
[Islamic Creed Series: Paradise and Hell
in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah by

Dr. Umar S. Ashqar]
251
252
253
Lying Blackens The Heart

him said
Truthfulness leads to
righteousness and righteousness leads

to Paradise; a person remains truthful
until he is written as a Siddeeq
(truthful person) with Allah. Lying
leads to sin and sin leads to the Fire; a
person keeps lying until he is written
as a Kadhdhab (liar) with
llah.
[Bukhari, Muslim]
254
Imam Malik records that Abdullah ibn
Masud would say, Each time someone

lies a black spot appears on his heart
until his whole heart becomes black and
he is written with Allah as a Kadhdhab.

He also records that it was asked of
Luqman, How have you reached this
level in excellence? He replied, y
being true in speech, fulfilling trusts and
leaving what does not concern me.
255
Such is the importance of remaining
truthful that the Prophet (pbuh) said

that a Momin could at any one time
perform one sin or the other but he
could never be a liar. Shaitan incites us

to lie, saying it is only one lie. But that is
how the habit develops and before a
person knows it, each black dot has had
its cumulative effect of blackening the
whole heart. The complete blackening of
the heart is the proof a person presents
to Allah to have him or her written
down as a kadhdhab -- a confirmed liar.
256
Honest Trader is Companion

of Prophets
truthful and honest trader will be a
companion of the prophets, the
righteous and the martyrs on the Day
of Judgement. [Tirmidhi]
257
Be honest and trustworthy in your

business dealings. Do not turn your
lawful earnings into unlawful income
by supplying defective goods, by
indulging in profiteering, or by lying.

The reward for honesty in business
transactions is fantastic. Through this
honesty you can gain the

companionship of the best people who
walked the surface of the earth.
258
We are willing to go to such great lengths

to be able to hang out with the influential.
Honesty in business dealings is a very
small price to pay in return for which we
may be blessed with the companionship

that all of mankind will be dieing to have
You will in any case make only as much
money as is written in your Rizq. Don t let
the Day of Judgement become Yaum alHasara The Day of Regret for you.
Control yourself now, so that you don t
end up wishing on that greatest of days
that you had done better in the world.
259
260
261
Leaves from an Autumn

Tree
him) said: "No Muslim is afflicted
with any harm but for that Allah will
cause his sins to be shed as the leaves
of a tree fall down." [Sahih Bukhari]
262
According to Islamic faith, Allah in His
wisdom prescribed suffering for essential

purposes. For the unjust, suffering is a
punishment. This is a fact that has long
been proved in scriptures when the fate of
the people of Lut, the Pharaoh and his army,
the people of Nuh, etc, is told.
As for those who believe, even if they are
sinners, suffering carries a different
message. It could be a test through which
Allah wants to elevate His pious servants to
higher ranks in the hereafter. It could be a

means to wash away the believer's sins and
bring him or her back to his or her earlier
purity.
263
In this context, Prophet (pbuh) said, "If Allah
wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him

with trials." [Sahih Bukhari] This is the reason
all of Allah's messengers were tried in this life:
Think of Eesa (pbuh) when he was betrayed
and driven to the threat of the cross, before he
was rescued by Allah. Think of Muhammad
(pbuh) who lost five of his six children,
including the only male child, during his life as
a father. Think of Ayyub (pbuh) and his long
suffering with sickness. Think of all the rest:
None of them led a normal, cozy life. Allah
made them suffer because He loved them, He
wanted them to return to Him absolutely pure,
and He wished to grant them such high
stations in reward as could not be achieved by
their efforts.
264
Two reactions are expected from
believers when they are exposed to any

suffering. The first is to show patience,
and the second is to show gratitude to
Allah for sending them this test. Allah

says: "...those who patiently persevere
will truly receive a reward without
measure..." [Al-Quran 39:10]
265
Patience and gratitude are not easy
reactions. In fact, they need a lot of

training till they become an inherent
behavior. It is useful for suffering
people to understand that showing

intolerance or feeling annoyance or
displeasure in relation to what Allah
destines for them, may deprive them of
the fruitful reward of their suffering.
This fact should help them to discipline
themselves to these nobler feelings of
acceptance and contentment and
overcome the natural human reactions
of shock and panic.
266
Urine of Shaytaan
Ibn Masud (radi Allahu anhu) related
that mention was made before the
Prophet (peace be upon him) of

someone who sleeps throughout the
night until dawn (without praying
Tahajjud). The Prophet (peace be upom

him said
That is a man in whose
ears Shaytaan urinates.
267
Given that Tahajjud brings one on

intimate terms with their Creator, and it
clothes them in some of His light, and it
enhances their experience of the
sweetness of faith, and it provides them

with the strength to shoulder the
burdens of life, then how is it that such
few people pray Tahajjud?
268
Al-Hasan said man commits a sin

and so (because of it) he is deprived of
staying up at night.
man once said to a righteous man I
am unable to keep on staying up at

night give me a remedy. The righteous
man said Do not disobey Him during
the day and He will keep you up,

between His Hands, at night. [The
Purification of the Soul]
269
If you have committed a sin don t

despair of the mercy of Allah Most
Merciful. Repent, seek His forgiveness,
resolve never to do it again, ask for
llah s help in implementing your

resolve, and ask Him to help you wake
up for Tahajjud.
270
Additionally, recite the evening Duas

recommended by the Prophet (peace be
upon him) for protection against the
Shaytaan and your Nafs, so they don t
prevent you from waking. At least,

recite Ayat-ul-Kursi.
Don t think that you missed Tahajjud.
Think of what you did that prevented

you from offering Tahajjud.
271
Haste is from Shaitaan

him said
Deliberateness is from
Allah, and haste is from the Shaitaan.

[Tirmidhi]
272
Doing one s tasks with serenity,

composure and dignity is a
commendable trait. On the other hand,
haste and hurry is an evil trait provoked
by Shaitaan.
Serenity, composure and dignity should
not be confused with slowness and
tardiness. Nor should haste and hurry

be confused with efficiency and speed.
273
When you plan your time wisely and live

in a disciplined manner you can do your
work efficiently yet calmly. On the other
hand, if you live in an indisciplined way,
without prioritizing your time, or

working by any schedules, then you jump
from one thing to the next and are
constantly in a fire-fighting mode.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has already set
a framework for your day with the Salah.
Decide how best to use your time in
between. Use the Sunnah as your guide
and you will be blessed in your time
inshaAllah.
274
275
276
Like Lightning or Crawling

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said about crossing over
the Siraat bridge over Hell : The first of you will cross
it like lightning. bu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased
with him asked: May my father and my mother be
sacrificed for you! How can it be like lightning? He
pbuh said: Have you not seen lightning, how it goes
and comes back in the blinking of an eye? Then (some
will pass) like the wind, or like birds and fast horses,
and the speed at which people cross will be according to
their deeds. until the people s deeds will be failing in
strength, and a man will come who can only move by

crawling. At the edges of the Siraat will be hooks,
hanging ready to catch anyone whom they are
commanded to catch . [Muslim]
3
In life we have choices: We can choose to
travel on Siraat-e-Mustaqeem, llah s

prescribed Path to Jannah, or we can
keep off it and live as we please.
Even if we choose to stay on Siraat-eMustaqeem (the Straight Path), we

choose the speed with which to move on
it. Some people rush to obey Allah

(subhana wa ta ala), some go crawling,
some stand still on it, hardly moving,
and some sometimes hit reverse.
Pay heed to what you are doing! The
manner and speed with which you

travel on Siraat-e-Mustaqeem in life, will
determine the manner and speed with
which you will cross the Siraat over

Hell.
Hard Work
upon him said: The Momin dies
with his sweat on his brow. [nNasai]
To have sweat on one s brow indicates labour
and hard work. This means that a momin

dies working. Our concepts have gotten
messed up. We think that the place of
recompense is this world; that once you reach
a certain age you should be living in luxury,
if not all your life. But where in the Quran
does Allah (subhana wa ta ala) say that a
luxurious life (eeshatin raadhia) is supposed
to happen anytime on earth? ll of llah s
promises of never-ending ease, of comfort to
your heart s content, unblemished happiness,
freedom and plenitude, are regarding
Jannah. This life is our qualifying exam to get
there. As a sensible person in the middle of

an exam does not say, I m tired of writing,
and retire from the exam, Muslims also need
to realize that death is the only time of
retirement for him/her.
7
Some girls think that the place where all
their wishes should come true is their

husbands home. Nowhere does llah or His
Messenger state this to be the case. When
you get married you simply move from one
exam room to another. There is an increase
in the number of questions you now have to
answer correctly to successfully pass the
exam of life. First you had to correctly deal
with your parents, siblings and other
relatives. Now there is an increment in your
responsibilities and you also have to
correctly deal with your husband, children,

in-laws, etc. The place where all your wishes
will come true is only and only Jannah. It is
not possible that this should happen in the
temporary life of this worldly.
Hard work is considered to be one of

the most important traits of Muslim
men and women alike. Never shy away
from work. It is your key to Jannah. If a
man works to earn for his family and

his wife takes care of the children and
other household chores, this does not
mean that either person s work is more
important or valuable than the other s.
You are both just managing different
areas to efficiently run your home. Both
of you contribute to this partnership, as
the two wheels of a bike, so make sure
that no one is treated less in any way.
9
10
11
Least Punishment
The least punished person of the
people of Hell-Fire on the Day of

Resurrection will be a man under
whose arch of the feet two smoldering
embers will be placed, because of which
his brain will boil just like Al-Mirjal
(copper vessel) or a Qum-qum
(narrow-necked vessel) boils with
water. [Sahih ukhari]
12
Nobody can bear the least punishment
of Hell-Fire. But whoever enters it will

have to endure the punishment as there
will be no death anymore. How stupid
is the person who barters away the

Hereafter for the enjoyment of the
world. This is what the people of HellFire will say about themselves: Had
we but listened or used our

intelligence, we should not (now) be
among the Companions of the

lazing Fire! [Quran
13
The Nobel laureates, the Pulitzer prize
winners, the scholarship holders of the

world, the business tycoons, the crafty
politicians, all will realize that their
intelligence was of no use to them if it

does not secure them from the worst
calamity nor allow them to attain the
greatest felicity.
14
Momin Dies Working

upon him) said: "The momin dies
with his sweat on his brow (i.e. with
labour and hard work)." [Tirmidhi,
Nasai]
15
A momin's work is never done. If a
conscientious student is sitting for a three

hour exam and gets done in two and a half
hours, he/she will go over their work making
sure that they did not miss anything or make
any mistakes. Moreover, if an exam has been
designed for three hours, it is meant to take
around three hours to finish.
Our lifespan should likewise be fully utilized

to make sure we have not left anything
undone that we could have earned Jannat
with. This is the only chance we get; there
will be no exams after this, only results.
Therefore, we have to give this one exam our
best shot.
16
If somebody is sitting around with

nothing to do, it means that they have
not understood the purpose of life,
what Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) gave it
to us for! There is no time to waste, no

moment to lose. As long as we are
alive we can keep earning sawaab. A
momin, therefore, keeps working to

please Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)
before death overtakes him, and his
exam paper is taken away from him.
17
18
19
Last Third of Night

him said: Every night when it is the
last third of the night, our Lord, the

Exalted, the Blessed, descends to the
nearest heaven and says, Is there
anyone to invoke Me that I may
respond to his invocation? Is there
anyone to ask Me so that I may grant
him his request? Is there anyone
asking My forgiveness so that I may
forgive him?
[ukhari]
20
This hadith informs us of the excellence
of the last third of the night, how Allah

is hoping for someone to ask him for
something at that time, so He may grant
it to them. Although Allah hears us,

watches us, and is aware of our feelings
at all times, but the time before dawn is
extra special.
Wake up a little before Fajr to capitalize
on these moments of extraordinary
nearness to Allah, the Exalted, the
Blessed.
21
Hand-Shaking Wipes Away

Sins
Al-Bara (radi Allahu anhu) reported
that the Messenger of Allah (peace

be upon him said: No two
Muslims meet and shake hands
except that their sins are forgiven

by llah before they depart. [bu
Dawud]
22
This hadith tells us that Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) forgives the minor
sins of the two believers who shake
hands. Thus, when two Muslims meet
they should follow the Sunnah of

shaking hands to increase their
mutual love and to have their minor
sins pardoned by Allah (subhana wa

ta ala).
We should make the Sunnah of the
Prophet (pbuh) our culture so that we

can be close to him on the Day of
Judgement and are blessed with his
intercession.
23
If I only understood how much effort

the Prophet (pbuh) made for me, and
what he suffered so that Islam could
reach me, I would love him. And once
I love him I would love to copy every

thing about him. And by loving
llah s eloved I would become
eligible for even more of llah s love.
24
25
26
Meaningless Work
him said: It is the excellence of a
man s faith that he gives up

meaningless work. [Tirmidhi,
Ahmad]
27
List all your activities and label them to

see which belong to the category of
meaningless. If the activity is not taking
you towards a meaningful goal for any of
the roles that arise from your ideology

(e.g. Muslim, parent, son/daughter, self,
breadwinner, daee, etc), then it would be
to your advantage to replace it with more

meaningful activity. Anything that does
not bring you closer to Jannat and distance
you from the Fire is meaningless in the
long run, and will cause you to regret
when it is too late why you bothered to
waste your time with it.
28
Height of Aadam
The Messenger of llah pbuh said: llah
created Aadam. His height was sixty cubits.
He said to him, Go and greet that group of
angels and listen to how they reply, for that
will be your greeting and the greeting of your
offspring. Aadam went and said, s-salamu
alaykum Peace be upon you . nd they
answered, s-salamu alayka wa rahmat

Allah (Peace be on you and the mercy of
llah . So, they added the words and the
mercy of llah. So, whoever will enter
Paradise will be of the shape and picture of
Aadam. Since then the stature of the children
of Aadam is being diminished continuously
till the present time. [Sahih ukhari]
29
When Aadam (alaihis salam) was

created he had a height of about 90
feet. Height has been decreasing for
humankind ever since. In the
Hereafter people will have the same

height as Aadam (alaihis salam).
Scientists today believe that the earth
was once much smaller, hence had

less gravity. With less pull of gravity,
living creatures would be much larger
and taller.
30
31
32
My Best Day
him said: llah will say to the
inhabitants of Paradise: O inhabitants

of Paradise!.... re you contented?
nd they will say: nd how should
we not be contented, O Lord, when
You have given to us that which You
have given to no one else of Your
creation?
[ukhari]
33
Out of all His creations, Allah chose me
to give eternal life to. He made Jannat for

me. Allah wishes to be with me for
eternity. For this He bestows eternal life
to me. After I reach Jannat I become

immortal. The ultimate pleasure in
Jannat is that I will be allowed to look at
llah s face. ll that exists is perishable

except llah s face. [l-Quran 28:88]
Allah tells us that He was a hidden
treasure. He created us so that we could

have this treasure. Those who realize this
are intense in their love of their Lord.
[Al-Quran 2:165]
34
llah s justice demanded that He ask us to do
something, no matter how insignificant, in

exchange for which we are loved more than all
creation and granted immortality. So He gave
us free will the choice to recognize Him or

deny Him. But He loaded the scales heavily in
favor of our being able to recognize Him. He
created all our souls at the time that He created
Adam (pbuh) and we all testified to Allah
being our Creator and Cherisher at that time.
Our testimony is embedded in our sub-
conscious mind, because of which we know

instinctively that He is to be worshipped and
that the beauty of the universe is His doing.
35
May we love Allah as He should be
loved, and may we worship Him as He

should be worshipped. A dua made by a
bedouin that particularly impressed the

was Oh llah Make my best day the
Day that I meet You.
36
Hearts as One
upon him said: There will be no
hatred or resentment among them,
their hearts will be as one, and they
will glorify Allah, morning and
evening. [Sahih ukhari]
37
This hadith explains the state of the

people in Jannah. Remorse felt due to
rifts in personal relationships will be
non-existent in Paradise. There will be
no enmity between people, nor any

ill-feelings: nd We shall remove
from their breasts any (mutual)
hatred or sense of injury (which

they had, if at all, in the life of this
world) [Quran :
38
People will never hear any evil or

hurting comments or speech in
Paradise. They will only hear pleasant
words and words of peace. The hearts
of the people of Jannah will be pure,

their speech will be good, their deeds
righteous. There will be no offensive,
upsetting or provocative talk there, for

Paradise is free of all things worthless.
If we were to discuss all the causes of
anguish in this life, we would surely
find their absence and opposite to be
true in Paradise.
39
40
41
Most Beloved
Abdallah ibn Amr (may Allah be
pleased with him said: The
him) was never immoderate or
obscene. He used to say, mong those
of you who are most beloved to me are
those who have the finest character.
[Sahih Muslim]
42
The character of the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) was the best of all humankind

and testified to by Allah . Therefore, if
we would like to be among the most
beloved to the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh), and also most beloved to Allah ,
we must make his character our model,
as it was displayed in the masjid, in the
market place, in the battle field, in his
home and everywhere.
43
Allah has told us explicitly through the
Quran and Hadith what is good and

what is bad . So this is not for any
individual or human rights group to
determine for anyone anymore. Some of

the attributes of good character are:
suppressing anger that is for the sake of
one s ego, not vindicating or justifying
oneself when in the wrong, hating
oppressors and the immoral, being
gentle and humble with believers, being
honest and decent in speech.
44
Imam al-Bayhaqi gives a few practical
examples of good character saying person

with good character makes what is better the
imam of his soul, and obeys it completely,
making it the basis of his dealings with others.
When he deals with other people, he is
tolerant in claiming what is his right, and does
not ask for anything which is not; but he
discharges all the duties which he has towards
others. When he falls ill or returns from a trip,
and no-one visits him, or when he gives a
greeting which is not returned, or when he is a
guest but is not honoured, or intercedes but is
not responded to, or does a good turn for
which he is not thanked, or joins a group of
people who do not make room for him to sit, or
45
speaks and is not listened to, or proposes to a
woman but is not allowed to marry her, or

asks for more time to repay a debt, but is not
given more time, and all similar cases, he
does not grow angry, or seek to punish
people, or feel within himself that he has
been snubbed, or ignored; neither does he try
to retaliate with the same treatment when
able to do so, but instead tells himself that he

does not mind any of these things, and
responds to each one of them with
something which is better, and closer to
goodness and piety, and is more
praiseworthy and pleasing to llah . [The
Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith by Imam
Al-Bayhaqi, p.48-49]
46
Hardening of the Heart

said: "Do not speak much without
mentioning Allah, for too much

speech without mentioning Allah
hardens the heart, and the hard
hearted are the furthest of all people
from Allah Most High." [Tirmidhi]
47
Imam Nawawi explains: "Every legally
responsible person should refrain from

saying anything except when there is a
clear advantage to speaking. Whenever
speaking and not speaking are of equal
benefit, it is sunnah to remain silent, for
permissible speech easily leads to that
which is unlawful or offensive, as actually
happens much or even most of the time -and there is no substitute for safety. The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
whoever believes in llah and the Last
Day, let him say what is good or remain
silent. uthenticated by Imams ukhari
and Muslim)" [r 1.1: Reliance of the
Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri]
48
49
50
Maintaining Relations with

Relatives
him said: Whoso desires that his
sustenance may be made ample for him
and that his term of life be prolonged,
let him keep affinity with his

relatives. [Tirmidhi]
51
Being kind to relatives, visiting them,
honoring them, being present on their

occasions of sadness and joy, when done
for the sake of llah s pleasure will
make one s entry into Jannah easier,

Allah willing. The additional worldly
benefit of keeping relations with
relatives is that because of it Allah
(subhana wa ta ala increases one s
provisions and prolongs one s life span.
52
How Do You Smell

upon him) said: "The example of a
good companion and a bad one is the
bearer of musk and the worker on the
fires. A bearer of musk would give
you some, you might buy some from

him, or you might enjoy the fragrance
of his musk. The worker on the fires,
on the other hand, might spoil your

clothes with sparks from his bellows,
or you get a bad smell from him."
[Sahih Bukhari]
53
Who are the top 5 people you hang

out with? List them. Now look at their
qualities and you'll notice that you are
a product of the sum of them. Do they
have the outstanding qualities that

you seek? If not, then it's time to find
some bearers of musk that you can
truly smell great from.
54
55
56
Make Dua After Burial

Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be
pleased with him) relates that when the
Prophet (peace be upon him) used to

finish burying someone, he would
stand by the grave and say, ll of you,
ask Allah to forgive your brother and

make him steadfast, for he is now being
asked. [bu Dawud]
57
The dead are questioned in their graves.
It is legally valid and recommended

after burial for a living person to ask
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to forgive the
deceased and keep him steadfast during

the questioning of the two angels about
to ensue.
58
Have Book But Knowledge Is Lost

Imam Ahmed narrates that the Messenger of
llah pbuh said regarding something: That
would happen when knowledge is lost. One of
the Sahabah asked, O Messenger of llah
(pbuh), how could knowledge be lost when we
have studied the Quran, we are teaching it to
our children and our children will teach it to

theirs. The Messenger of llah pbuh said:
Woe to you! I thought you were one of the
most learned men of Medinah. Can t you see
the Jews and Christians are not benefiting even
though they have their scriptures (Torah and
Injeel right with them?
59
This hadith makes clear that if there is no

application of the Quran, its recitation
becomes useless. If we know what the
Quran contains but don't apply it, we
become like donkeys carrying books as

our burdens, not benefitting from our
loads.
How did the Sahabah study the Quran? If
we take the example of Abdullah ibn
Umar (radi Allahu anhu), it took him 14
years to finish memorizing Surah
Baqarah. He was so happy after he

completed memorizing it that he
slaughtered a camel and invited all the
people to come celebrate with him.
60
Abdullah ibn Umar (radi Allahu

anhu) was a companion of the
him) and the Quran was revealed in
his own language. Abdullah ibn Umar

(radiAllahu anhu) was also an
eminent scholar. Then how is it that
he took 14 years to memorize what is

done nowadays by Muslims in a
matter of months?
61
This is because the way that the

Sahabah would study the Quran is
that they would take ten ayaat at a
time only. They would study these ten
ayaat, study the eemaan, the ilm, the

halal and the haram in these ayaat.
They would memorize the ayaat and
apply its rulings to their lives. They

would not move onto the next ten
ayaat until they had brought their
lives into compliance with the first
ten. The Quran thus became alive and
second nature to them, its knowledge
was not wasted and lost.
62
63
64
Monopoly
him said: He who holds a monopoly
is a sinner. [Sahih Muslim]
65
A Muslim is one who likes for others
what he likes for himself. To hoard and

monopolize what others need, and overcharge for it, contradicts the character
that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) wants us

to develop and exhibit towards each
other. A Muslim cannot be a capitalist,
because for him llah s Pleasure has the
highest priority, not money.
There is no shortage with Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). So instead of
squeezing what you want out of other
people, ask Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to
give it to you.
66
Grateful Servant
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is
reported to have stayed up in prayer
all night until his feet swelled up.

He was asked, Why do you do this
when Allah has already forgiven you
all your past and future wrong

actions? He peace be upon him
said, Should I not still be a grateful
servant? [l-Bukhari; Kitab atTahajjud]
67
If your friend gave you a beautiful

sweater as a gift should you feel
grateful to her in your heart? And if
you feel grateful to her in your heart,
shouldn t you also use your tongue to

show your appreciation of her favor?
Gratitude doesn t end here Shouldn t
you then wear it on appropriate

occasions? How would your friend
feel if she saw you mopping the floor
with her gift?
68
True gratitude involves the heart,

tongue and limbs. That is why the
Prophet (pbuh) would stand up long
during the night in prayer to show
with his limbs that he was grateful to

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) for his
blessings on him.
69
70
71
Most Hated
him said: The most hated man
(person) to Allah is the one who is the

most quarrelsome of the opponents.
[Sahih Bukhari]
72
Quarreling never settles disputes.
Extricate yourself from quarrels as soon

as possible. Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
does not like either of quarreling
opponents, but the more quarrelsome

one is the more hated to Allah (subhana
wa ta ala).
73
Keep this checklist in mind if a quarrel seems to
be in the offing:
1. Let your opponent have the last word
(ostensibly). In reality, the one who is quiet is
the one who is defended eloquently by angels.
2. Stop trying to prove that you re right.
3. Accept blame where the fault is yours.
4. State your position just once and then listen.
5. Before the blaming becomes unbearable, politely,

either change the topic or physically leave the
place of argument.
6. Remember that all cases will be reopened and
settled on the Day of Judgment, and on that day
none will be able to lie, trick or deceive in any
way, to support their position.
74
Get Married
upon him said: Get married,
reproduce, and let your number

increase. [Sunan Ibn Majah]
75
Islam stresses the importance of the

institution of marriage and the
desirability of having children and
taking good care of all members of the
family. Healthy societies are built on

healthy families. Remaining single,
having relationships outside of
marriage, or neglecting one s family,

are looked down upon and contrary
to the teachings of Islam.
76
Whoever desires to gain llah s

Pleasure and win his/her everlasting
abode in Paradise needs to take care
of the responsibilities that Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) wants us to

shoulder on earth and which
(anyway) satisfy the demands of
human nature. Marriage should be

looked forward to as a way to earn
good deeds and the most responsible
and fitting way in which to satisfy the
cravings of human nature.
77
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) mentions as

one of His favors on us: nd llah
has made for you mates of your

own nature; and made for you, out
of them, children and
grandchildren; and provided for
you sustenance of the best. Is it,
then, falsehood that they believe in,
and the blessing of Allah that they
reject? [Quran: Surah an-Nahl,
Ayat 72]
78
79
80
Mingle because Aloofness

Disliked
The Muslim who participates in
social matters with other men and
shows forbearance if he suffers any
pain from them is a far better person

than the one who isolates himself from
people and is dismayed at the
hardships caused by others.

[Tirmidhi]
81
Maintain amicable social relations with
your friends and relatives. Avoid

adopting an attitude of annoyance with
them or keeping aloof from them.
82
When a person lives in the society of
other men and has to participate in social

matters, it is inevitable that he suffer
different kinds of shocks. Sometimes his
sentiments are hurt, at other times his
reputation is tarnished, one time his peace
is disturbed, at another his usual activities
are interfered with. Sometimes things are
done against his temperament and

desires, at other times his patience and
endurance are severely tried, and at times
he has to suffer great financial loss. In
other words, he has to face all kinds of
trials and tribulations.
83
ut when a person suffers these
hardships, his heart is strengthened and

he gains in wisdom and experience. Good
morals develop in his personality and
passing through a natural process of
training and purification he makes rapid
spiritual and moral progress. He thus
acquires the sublime virtues of patience,
forbearance, selflessness, affection,

sympathy, humanity, respect, loyalty,
devotion and co-operation, sincerity and
love, generosity and gallantry, kindness
and favor to the highest degree and he
becomes an instrument of goodness and
blessing for human society. [Etiquettes of
Life in Islam by Muhammad Yusuf Islahi]

84
Greed Destroys Deen

upon him said: Greed is the cause
of destruction of Deen and safety
and protection from it lie in Taqwa.
[Minhaaj ul-Abideen by Imaam
Ghazali]
85
You will only get what is destined for

you, so don t compromise your Deen
in the delusion that you can gain more
by disobeying Allah, Mighty and
Majestic.
None other than you can chew the
sustenance which has been destined
for you to chew. So eat your

sustenance with grace and do not eat
it with disgrace.
86
87
88
Morning and Evening

When any one of you dies, he is shown his
position (in Paradise or Hell) morning and
evening. If he is one of the people of
Paradise, he will be shown his position in
the Garden as one of the people of Paradise,
and if he is one of the people of Hell, he will
be shown his place in Hell as one of the
people of Hell, and he will be told: This is
your position until Allah resurrects you to
it on the Day of Resurrection. [Muslim]
89
Whoever dies, regardless of where he is
buried, or how his body is disposed of,

is shown his place in the gardens of
Paradise or the fire of Hell, morning and
evening.
Being shown their everlasting homes in
Jannah is an additional reward for the
people who are about to enter it. They,
thus, spend their time in Barzakh in
happy anticipation of their destination.
Being shown their homes in Hell is an
additional punishment to the people

deserving Jahannum because being
constantly reminded of the horrors that
they are soon going to face is scary.
90
May Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) make us one of the
people of Jannah.
Aameen.
91
Give and Take with Right

said: Let any one of you eat with
his right hand, drink with his right

hand, take with his right hand and
give with his right hand, for the
Shaytaan eats with his left hand,
drinks with his left hand, gives with
his left hand and takes with his left
hand. [Sunan Ibn Maajah]
92
If we know that something is one of the things
that Shaytaan likes, or is one of his characteristics,

then we must do the opposite. From early
childhood we practice how to use our hand to eat,
drink, write, draw, and do all manner of things
with it. We just need to ensure that we teach our
children to use the right one for eating, drinking,
giving and taking. If a child is inclined to use the
left, gently remind him/her, holding their hand
back, till they get used to using the right one.
There is no advantage to eating, drinking, giving
or taking with the left hand. Nobody who says so
should be believed. The Shaytaan always comes
in the form of one keen to offer sincere advice, for
if he said, I hate you and the goal of my life is to
send you and your family to Hell, so listen to me
nobody would listen to him.
93
Since Shaitaan is a liar and deceiver one

has to do the opposite of what he says,
i.e., do exactly what Allah and His
Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) tell us to
do.
Shaitaan should be told, If you want to
offer sincere advice to anyone, offer it to
yourself, for you have doomed yourself
to Hell and brought upon yourself the
wrath of the Almighty. How can anyone
offer advice to others when he cannot
take it himself? [Islamic Creed Series

The World of the Jinn and Devils In the
Light of the Quran and Sunnah, by Dr.
Umar S. al-Ashqar]
94
95
96
Masjid in Mind
The man whose heart is devoted to
the Masjid will rest in the shade of

llah s Throne. [ukhari]
97
The best portion of the earth in the sight
of Allah is that upon which a Masjid is

raised. The distinctive feature of the
devotee of Allah is that he loves the
Masjid. On the Day of Judgment, when

there will be no other shade anywhere,
Allah will keep that person in the shade
of His Throne whose heart was devoted
to the Masjid.
98
Grave's Call
Once when he was seated near a grave, the
Prophet pbuh said: Every grave
proclaims in the most horrific voice, O
progeny of Adam! Have you forgotten me?

I am the house of loneliness. I am a strange
land of wilderness! I am a hole of mites and
worms. I am a place of hardship and trial,
save those fortunate ones for whom Allah
makes me commodious and wide. I am for
all other human beings a tortuous place.
In addition, the Prophet pbuh said: The
grave is either one of the pits of Hell or a
small flower garden out of the gardens of
Paradise. [Tabarani]
99
Given that a less rewarded person s

property in Jannah will be much more
than all of the land on earth, a small
flower garden might be as big as a
small country such as Switzerland. This

could be your grave. Alternatively, it
could be one of the trenches from Hell
filled with scorpions, snakes and fire.
May Allah (subhana wa ta ala) save us
all from a bad end.
Take heed from the sight of the grave
and concentrate your thoughts and
imaginative powers on meditating life
after death.
100
101
102
Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Each one of you serves as a mirror to
his brother. Hence, if you see any fault

in your brother, eliminate it.
[Tirmidhi]
103
When a person stands in front of a
mirror, it causes him to remove any

apparent defect on his person and adorn
himself. Let s look at what qualities a
mirror has so that we can be proper

mirrors to our Muslim brothers and
sisters:
104
1. A mirror that works well is one that is

clean. If a mirror is dirty, smudgy, has oil
stains on it, or is rusty, it won t give a
good reflection. To be a good mirror, you
have to purify yourself of defects first. In
the light of your exalted conduct and
character others will see the
shortcomings in their own, without your
even having to say anything. For
example, when a person witnesses your
scrupulous honesty, their own
untrustworthiness will strike them.
105
2. Since a dirty mirror will project onto you
the dirt that is on it, look for your

reflection only in another Momin, not in
a Faajir, Faasiq or Kaafir.
3. A mirror reflects the spots and stains on
your person when you stand before it.
When you stand aside, the mirror ceases
to reflect these blemishes. Similarly, you
should expose the foibles of your friend
only if he presents himself before you
for criticism. Make sure his heart is
receptive and eager to accept

suggestions. In the absence of these
conditions, keep silent and put the
matter off wisely for a later occasion.
106
4. A mirror honestly reflects shortcomings;
it neither hides their number nor adds to

them. Likewise, you should present a
true picture, neither suppressing the
exposure of faults, nor exaggerating

their dimensions or number.
5. A mirror only reflects those deformities
that are outward and apparent. It

doesn t expose hidden blemishes nor
does it probe inward. So a Momin points
out only those faults which are exposed
in the normal conduct of life without
curiosity about others secrets or
searching out their faults.
107
6. A mirror shows your reflection but
doesn t store the image to show it to

others. Likewise, don t expose the
shortcomings of your Muslim brothers
and sisters to others.
7. A mirror informs a person of how they
look without any motives. A mirror
nurses no grudge against anyone, nor
wreaks vengeance on them. You should
also be unaffected by personal motives.
A Muslim is an emblem of sincerity and
love for other Muslims. If the criticism is

offered with sympathy, love and
sincerity it will unite hearts and correct
wrongs.
108
8. No one feels annoyed at seeing his true
image in a mirror, nor commits the

blunder of breaking the mirror in a fit of
rage. Instead, they begin to remove
defects on their persons and adorn

themselves based on what they see.
Similarly, when someone presents your
true picture to you, do not retaliate in
annoyance; express your gratitude to
him and be thankful.
109
Goodness of the Good Won't

Save
Aisha (radi Allahu anha) narrated
that the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him said: In the end of
this Ummah there will be a collapse,
transformation, and Qadhf. She
asked: O Messenger of llah! Will
they be destroyed while there are
righteous among them? He said:

Yes, when evil is dominant. [Jami
at-Tirmidhi]
110
Maskh is transformation. It means

that the appearance of some humans
will be transformed, for example, into
dogs or monkeys. Qadhf means to
have stones cast down upon it from the

heavens.
This hadith is explicit on the point that
when sinfulness and moral depravity
become rampant in society, and people
of goodness and virtue find themselves
powerless to stand up to it, or choose
not to resist it, then the people shall
suffer llah s retribution, and not even
the goodness of the good among them
shall save them.
111
Death has to come to all creatures. For

evil people it is the beginning of
eternal punishment, while for the
righteous it is the end of suffering.
112
113
114
Misers Cursed
him said: Every morning two angels
come down to earth. One of them says,

O llah! Give full recompense to the
spender in good causes . The other
one says, O llah! Ruin and destroy
the miser.
[Muslim]
115
Those who spend in the cause of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) remain in His sight

and shelter in both the states of plenty
and adversity. The angels send blessings
on them and wish for increase in their
wealth.
As for those who hoard money miserly,
the angels pray for their loss and ruin.
Will anyone s wealth remain with them
forever? The wealth has come to us from
others and will again go to others.
The only way we can make the wealth

ours forever, is by spending it in the
Path of Allah.
116
Gender Differences
Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu)
narrated: The Prophet peace be
upon him) cursed the effeminate

men and those women who assume
the similitude of men. He also said,
Turn them out of your houses. He

turned such-and-such person out,
and Umar also turned out such-andsuch person. [l-Jaami Al Saheeh]
117
Men and women are two of the

wonderful creations of Allah (subhana
wa ta ala). He has made them of the
same species, but different. He
(subhana wa ta ala) has appointed

some tasks to them that are the same.
For example, each of them must pray
and fast and perform Hajj. And he has

appointed some roles that are distinct
for each of them. Like two wheels of a
motorbike, each must work in its
place if the bike is to go anywhere.
118
A woman is like a precious goblet that

is protected, wrapped carefully when
transported, and handled with care.
She is saved from the hardship of
having to earn for the family. She is

devoted to the task of making the
home a sanctuary of peace and a
fortress of Islam. A man is given the

overall responsibility for the family.
He is to provide for them and defend
them. He must be respected as the
final decision maker.
119
Each will be rewarded equally for

performing the tasks Allah has set for
them.
Each of them gets Jannah in reward.
Everything in the universe is humbly
Muslim. We don t see chickens
rebelling, We re not going to lay eggs
anymore, we re giving milk. Nor do

we see cows swapping their roles with
chickens. But it is human beings that
are prone to discontent and revolt.
120
The Prophet (pbuh) warned us against

trying to distort our natures. Men should
dress, walk, talk and behave like men and
women should dress, walk, talk and
behave like women. A genderless society

is the product of Shaitaan s handiwork. It
is Shaitaan who tells people that they
should have the right to choose their
own gender.
Love yourself the way Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) made you. Maintain the gender
differences defined by your Creator and

work for your Jannah where there is no
discontent, only satisfaction, happiness
and peace.
121
122
123
Misfortunes Enrich You for Day

of Judgement
him said: The believer continues to
be afflicted with hardships in his or her
body, wealth and children, until he or
she meets Allah completely free of all

wrong actions. [l-Hakim; Kitab arRiqaq]
124
Hardships and afflictions erase our bad
deeds from our records. Our patience

through misfortunes is recorded as good
deeds. When Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
wishes to favor us, He helps us with our
Record of Deeds in this way, so that
when we meet Him we are free of sins
(them having been wiped out with
misfortunes) and our Record is in good
shape. Then its smooth sailing to
Paradise, inshaAllah!
That is why some of our predecessors

used to say, Had it not been for
misfortunes, we would have arrived in
the Akhirah completely destitute.
125
Make Extra Use of Your

Sajdas
upon him said: The slave is

nearest to Allah at the moment when
he is in Sajda before Him. Hence,
while you are performing Sajda,

pray fervently. [Sahih Muslim]
126
When you are praying remember that

you are in the presence of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). Even though you
do not see Him, He is with you and
watching you. The moment that you

are most beloved to Him is when you
are in Sajda. So, utilize this time to ask
of Him whatever you want.
127
128
129
Neighbors
him said: He will not enter Paradise
whose neighbor is not secure from his

wrongful conduct. [Muslim]
130
Make sure that a wedding, construction
or other event at your house does not

encroach upon the privacy, peacefulness
or clean environment of your neighbors
or neighborhood. Does noise from your

house disturb your neighbor? Did you
park your car in such a way as to cause
your neighbor inconvenience? Do you
even know who your neighbor is? The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: If you
are kind to your neighbor you will be a
believer. [Tirmidhi]
131
Mika eel has not Laughed

said to Jibreel (alaihis salam : Why
do I never see Mika eel laugh? He
replied: Mika eel has not laughed
since the Fire was created.
[Musnad Ahmad]
132
The sight of Jahannum and imagining

its punishment has taken away the
mirth of so great an angel as Mika eel
(alaihis salam). This should be
sobering for us all.
133
134
135
Never Tires of Good

him said: believer never gets
satisfied doing good until he reaches

Jannah. [Tirmidhi]
136
According to this hadith, it is a quality of
a Muslim that he or she is very concerned

about acquiring virtues and doing good,
and never tires of struggling for and
living by virtuous deeds. This is because

a believer sees his sins as if he were
sitting under a mountain which, he is
afraid, may fall on him; whereas the

wicked person considers his sins as flies
passing over his nose and he just drives
them away like this. Abu Shihab (the subnarrator of this statement of Abdullah ibn
Masud s) moved his hand over his nose
in illustration. [Sahih ukhari]
137
High achieving students never stop

studying because they never feel
satisfied that what they know is
sufficient. They don t limit themselves
to the bare minimum amount of

knowledge needed to pass. One who
does so is in danger of failing. Even
when they are well prepared they feel
that they could know more, or that they
might make a mistake which they
would have to compensate for with
something else. Another reason that

high achieving students keep on
studying is because of their love for
learning.
138
Similar is the case of a Muslim with good
deeds. They love to please Allah and enter His

Jannah. Additionally, they are afraid that what
they have prepared of good deeds may not be
sufficient so they keep doing what is pleasing
to Allah. A borderline pass is not what they
aim for, because one could easily make a
mistake and end up failing. They aim for a
high . They do not underestimate the
enormity of the sins that they commit and see
their sins as a huge mountain looming over
them. Thus, they are always trying to
compensate for their shortcomings. In this

struggle a Muslim reaches the end of his or her
life. Such is the successful person for he
achieves Jannah.
139
Miserly Beyond Words

upon him said: The miser is the
one in whose presence I am
mentioned and yet he does not
invoke blessings on me. [hmad,
al-Musnad]
140
How much effort does it take to say

sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam ? Is it so
much to ask for, for the person who
spent 23 years of his life for me? So
that Islam could reach me and I could

be with him in Paradise?
Indeed, I would be a miser if I could
not take a few seconds out to ask

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to bless the
Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi
wa sallam).
141
142
143
No Free Time
Narrated Ibn Abbas (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
There are two blessings which many
people lose: health and free time for
doing good. [The ook of Ar-Riqaq:
Sahih Bukhari]
144
When in an examination hall, with the
exam incomplete, does anyone have

free time? As long as we are alive, our
life is an ongoing exam. We will be
judged on what we did with every

moment of it. The results determine our
Hereafter the rest of our life for
eternity. Then how can one who has no
free time preoccupy himself with this
world? How can one whose exam is
incomplete, experience free time?
145
So consider, may Allah have mercy
upon you, what one of the scholars said

about one of the Imams I was a
neighbor of his at the school in Cairo,
my house was above his house. For

twelve years, I did not awake on any
night, at any hour of the night except
that I noticed candle light in his house
and he was occupied with knowledge.
Even when he was eating, his books
would be with him and he was
occupied with them.
Bustaanul
Aarifeen of an-Nawawi)
146
Imam Nawawi is the author of the
famous eighteen volume commentary

on Sahih Muslim, known as Sharh
Sahih Muslim. He is also the author of
Minhaj at-Talibin, Kitab al-Adhkar and

Riyad as-Salihin. He would drill himself
on lessons he learnt by heart while
walking along the street. That is how,
although he died at the age of 44, young
in years he was great in the service of
Islam and Muslims.
147
Mu awwidhat
The Messenger of llah peace be

upon him) used to seek refuge from
the jinn as well as from the evil eye

until Surah al-Falaq and an-Naas
were revealed. When they were sent
down, he utilised them and left other
things." [Tirmidhi]
148
This hadith affirms the reality of the

harm that can befall an individual from
the envious, jealous gaze of a person
who when he/she looks at you does not
wish well for you. After the revelation

of these two surahs, the Prophet (pbuh)
sought refuge with Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) against the evil of the envious
person, the evil of magic and all other
evil, by using these surahs. Regarding
Surah al-Falaq and an-Naas, the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that
these are ayaat "the likes of which have
never been seen before." [Sahih
Muslim]
149
Aisha (radi Allahu anha) reported that

when the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed
every night, he used to cup his hands
together and blow over them after
reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah AlFalaq and Surah An-Nas, and then rub
his hands over whatever parts of his
body he was able to rub, starting with

his head, face and front of his body.
He used to do that three times. When
he became seriously ill, she used to
recite (these two Surahs) and rub his
hands over his body hoping for its
blessings. [Sahih Bukhari]
150
These two surahs are the best to seek

Allah's protection with. Uqbah ibn Amir
(radi Allahu anhu) reported that the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "No
seeker of refuge can seek refuge with

anything like these two." [Abu Dawud]
And he (pbuh) said: "O Uqba, learn to
recite Surah al-Falaq, for you will never
recite a surah more cherished by Allah
and more profound in His sight than this
surah." [Hakim, Dhahabi]
Both of these surahs as well as surah alIkhlas, to be recited three times each, are
included in the morning and evening
supplications/duas.
151
152
153
No Faith, No Religion
him said: He who is not trustworthy
has no faith, and he who does not keep

his word has no religion.
Bayhaqi)
154
Truthfulness is the foundation of

prophethood. When Heraclius, the
ruler of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan about
the characteristics of the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh), one of his questions was,
Did you ever accuse him of lying
before he said what he said? bu
Sufyan, though an enemy of the
Prophet (pbuh) at his time, replied,
No. Heraclius said If he refrained
from telling lies about people he would
not go and tell lies about llah.
155
Truthfulness is the result of taqwa and
is the cause of praiseworthy

characteristics. It is not possible for a
person to be a Momin if he is not
truthful. If you want to count yourself

among those who have a religion then
you must adopt truthfulness and
honesty in every sphere of your life and
fulfill each of your promises, big or
small.
156
Like Cow Chewing Cud
It is narrated that once a deceitful man,

wearing beautiful clothes, went in the
presence of the Prophet (pbuh) and during
conversation raised his voice higher than
the voice of the Prophet (pbuh). When he
went away the Prophet pbuh said: llah
does not like people of this type. They
work their tongue in the way a cow does
when it chews the cud. In the same way

Allah will twist their faces and mouths on
Doomsday in the fire of Hell.
[Tibraani]
157
We have to be very careful in what we

say and how we say it. Words are like
arrows; once they leave our mouths we
no longer have control over them. Our
prosperity in the next life depends on our

controlling our tongues today, not being
conceited about ourselves, and keeping
our feelings within the bounds of the
Shariah.
Keeping our voices lower than the voice
of the Prophet (pbuh) for us today means
to not argue against his teachings and not

raise our voices higher than the voice of
those who command us with his
teachings.
158
Having the fineries of the world often

makes people conceited. Sometimes
they consider themselves to be more
valuable and of higher caliber than the
Ulema who dress ordinarily and live

humbly. Since righteous Ulema are the
inheritors of prophets, we should be
careful not to raise our voices higher

than theirs.
159
160
161
No Obedience in Disobedience
to Allah
him) said: "There is no obedience to
the creation in disobedience to the
Creator." [Ahmed and Haakim]
162
If a father and son sleep in one place,

and the son wants to pray fajr but his
father sleeps, does anyone suggest that
the son needs to take permission from
his father to pray the obligatory prayer?
Suppose that the father forbids his son
from performing the prayer, should the
son obey his father? The answer is clear
according to the above mentioned
hadith, as well as the following one:
"Obedience is in what is right." [Sahih
Bukhari and Sahih Muslim]
163
Therefore, it is clear that no permission
is required for anyone from anyone

when an act is fard ayn (individual
obligation), just as no permission is
required from the father, the husband

or the ruler for the obligatory fajr
prayer.
164
Leaving Fast without

Reason
upon him said: Whoever breaks a

fast of Ramadan without an excuse
or dispensation could not requite it
by fasting a lifetime, were he to do

so. [Tirmidhi]
165
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has excused

the ill, the traveler, the pregnant and
nursing women from keeping the fasts
of Ramadan. Some are required to
make the fasts up later while others

may pay Kaffara, feeding the needy,
instead. If someone does not keep the
fasts of Ramadan without having an
excuse from the Shariah, their sin is
enormous. Making up those missed
fasts of Ramadan, while obligatory,
cannot remove the sin. One must also
make a sincere repentance to Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) in order to be
forgiven.
166
Imam Adh-Dhahabi says ccording

to the established believers, anyone
who leaves the fast of Ramadhan
without being sick is worse than a
fornicator or an alcoholic. In fact, they

doubt his Islam and they suspect that
he might be a zandiqah (one who
claims to be Muslim in order to

destroy it from within) and one of
those who destroy Islam. [quoted in
Fiqh us-Sunnah by As-Sayyid Sabiq]
167
168
169
Natural Phenomena or Our

Sins
him said: If a community decreases
the measure and weight (of sold grains
or food), they will be overcome by
poverty, their provisions will decrease
and their ruler will be unjust. [Ibn
Majah, al-Bazzar, al-Baihaqi]
170
We complain all the time about the evil
of our rulers - how they cheat us, lie to

us and are the cause of our ruin. It is
easy to point fingers at others. Much
more under our control are our own

actions. But how much do we analyze
what we do?
171
The first lesson that we get from this hadith is
that it is the result of our own sinning that we

are afflicted with the rulers that we have.
Everybody thinks of changing the world;
nobody thinks of changing themselves. It is in
exchange for the deception that we practice that

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) punishes us with
poverty and unjust rulers.
During the khilafah of Hazrat Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) three minor earthquakes

afflicted Madina. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) addressed the people and
told them that if they did not stop sinning he
would leave Madina. He did not explain away

the earthquakes as natural phenomena. They
surely are, but all natural phenomena are under
llah s control.
172
Hazrat Umar s sagacity and wisdom can
be judged from the fact that several of

the recommendations that he made to
the Prophet (pbuh) were confirmed by
revelation from Allah (subhana wa

ta ala). The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
also said that if there were to be any
prophet after him it would be Umar!
173
The second lesson we get from this
hadith is of llah s mercy. While poverty

and cruel rulers are certainly not
desirable, it is llah s mercy that he does
not save the punishment of the cheating

Muslims for the Day of Judgment.
What about those who themselves are
not unethical traders but do not

discourage others from sinning either?
Such are also sinful in the eyes of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala).
174
Sometimes those who apparently did
not sin and also advised others to obey

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) also appear to
be caught in punishment when it
descends on a community. In such a

case, the punishment may be a
purification for their other sins or a
means of earning higher and better
levels in Jannah.
175
Have an Angel Make Dua

for You
upon him said: Whoever visits the

sick, or visits his brother in Allah
faith , a caller calls out, May you
have goodness and your livelihood

be good, and may you dwell in an
abode in Jannah.
[Tirmidhi]
176
There are two reasons given in this

hadith that cause Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) to appoint an angel to pray
specifically for you. These are:
(1) Visiting a person in his illness, and,

(2) Maintaining relations with a
brother/sister-in-faith for the sake of
For the sake of llah means to love

a Muslim only because that Muslim
loves Allah (subhana wa ta ala) or

because maintaining relations with
that Muslim will please Allah
177
The angel prays for all kinds of good

in your life, in particular your
livelihood, and that you end up in
Jannah. And since the angel is
assigned by Allah, his supplication is

sure to be answered by Him (subhana
wa ta ala). Visiting a sick person or a
brother/sister in faith prompts an

angel to make these Duas for you.
178
179
180
Ninety-Nine Murders and

llah s Mercy
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri that the
Prophet pbuh said, mongst the men of
Bani Israil there was a man who had

murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he
set out asking (whether his repentance
could be accepted or not). He came upon a
monk and asked him if his repentance
could be accepted. The monk replied in the
negative and so the man killed him. He
kept on asking till a man advised to go to
such and such village. (So he left for it)
but death overtook him on the way.
181
Ninety-Nine Murders and

llah s Mercy
While dying, he turned his chest towards that
village (where he had hoped his repentance
would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy
and the angels of punishment quarreled
amongst themselves regarding him. Allah
ordered the village (towards which he was
going) to come closer to him, and ordered the

village (whence he had come), to go far away,
and then He ordered the angels to measure the
distances between his body and the two
villages. So he was found to be one span closer
to the village (he was going to). So he was
forgiven. [Sahih ukhari]
182
This hadith is an illustration of llah s
Mercy and His love of repentance. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) loves repentance and
the repentant so much that he caused
the earth between the man and the

village of good people to shrink and the
earth between the man and the village
he had left to expand, so that the angels
of mercy might have cause to take his
soul.
183
The man had killed a hundred people and
had not been able to begin his new life in

the village of good people, so hadn t done
any good deeds to make up for his previous
sins. But Allah (subhana wa ta ala) erases all
the sins of the true repentant and so He
saved the repentant man from the angels of
punishment.
Thus, we must never despair of the Mercy

of Allah (subhana wa ta ala). Hazrat Fudail
bin Ayaadh says that fear is best while one
is healthy, so that one may excel in good

deeds. However, during weakness and
illness, hope is best so that one does not
grow despondent.
184
Half Body Paralyzed

upon him said: If a man has two
wives, but does not treat them with
equality and even-handed justice, he
shall be resurrected on the Day of
Judgement in such a condition that
half of his body is paralysed.
[Tirmidhi]
185
If you possess more than one wife,

treat them all impartially, fairly, and
equitably, in the time and material
resources you allocate to each of them.
Keep your behaviour the same with

all of them. As for the fact that a man
may be especially attracted towards
one wife or cherish deeper feelings of

love for her, Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
will award no punishment to a man
for that. The Prophet (pbuh) used to
take great care in dispensing equal
treatment to his wives.
186
187
188
No Obedience in Sin
him said: There must be no
obedience in respect of sin. Verily,

obedience is intended for good things
only. [Sahih ukhari]
189
Although Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has
enjoined obedience towards parents, the

husband, and the ruler of the Muslims,
nevertheless, nobody has the right to be
obeyed in preference to Allah (subhana

wa ta ala). In other words, if obedience
to any human being, system or law
entails disobedience of Allah and His
Messenger, then such obedience must be
rejected.
190
Allah Most High is the One who created
us, gave us life, gave us parents and

spouses and enjoined their rights on us.
Therefore, we obey them for the sake of
obeying Allah Most High. To obey them

by neglecting what Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) requires us to do is to doom
ourselves forever. It is to Allah that we
will return and it is Him to Whom we
will be held accountable for the way we
lived this life.
191
Good Planning
upon him said: There is no
wisdom equal to good planning.

[Mishkat]
192
Although the Messenger of Allah was

llah s Messenger he planned. ngels
came to assist him but after he had
planned to the best of his ability with the
best resources that he could muster. This

is because he had to set a precedent for
us.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) does not need
us to carry out His plans, or to serve His
Deen. The reason we work for llah s
Deen is only to give Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) an excuse to put us in Jannah. So

also for llah s pleasure we plan, in order
to do our best possible, and thus to show
our sincerity.
193
Suppose you invite 30 people over for dinner.
ut you don t plan a menu, don t do groceries

according to the menu, don t clean the house,
don t make any seating arrangements and
don t prepare any food. The doorbell rings
and your first guest arrives. Will you be
considered sincere in your invitation when
your guests find out that you are not
prepared to receive them and have no food to
serve them?
Sincerity shows in planning, while the
outcome is always in llah s Hands. While
we plan extensively for our education,

careers, and holidays, should we not also
plan for getting to Jannah?
To have no plan is to have a plan for failure.
What s your plan?
194
195
196
No One is Perfect
him said: Let no Mu min hate a
Mu minah: if he hate her for one trait

in her character, let him be pleased
with another that is in her. [Sahih
Muslim]
197
Love does not mean that we should
always agree with or feel good about

our partners. A man may like a quality
not in his wife, but he should be
conscious of the fact that she might have

other qualities that are even better.
198
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says that
spouses are like clothes for each other.

They hide the defects in the body, and
beautify the body. Each person wears
clothes that are just the right size for

their body. So also Allah gave you the
spouse just right for you, somebody who
complements your strengths and
compensates for your weaknesses.
Therefore, never compare your partner
with others. Somebody else s clothes
may look great on them but terrible on
you.
199
The same applies to the wife regarding
her husband. Perfection in humans is

only possible in Jannah; it does not exist
in humans on earth. So don t look for it
here.
As clothes and bodies go together but
are not the same, so also your and her
strengths will be different. Do not expect

your spouse to be good at the same
things as you. Do not compete with each
other, nor expect the other to become
just like you.
200
What happens if something falls on your
best clothes? You carefully wash the

stains off them. You don t junk the
clothes or exhibit the stains, but make
the clothes all beautiful again.

Sometimes the clothes are perfect.
Everybody says they look great. But you
don t like them. Then it is your own

sight that needs to be fixed. When
partners are able to accept and live with
their differences, love and respect will
grow and that is how this relationship
stays.
201
Gratitude to Others
said: He who does not thank people
is unthankful to llah. [bu
Dawud]
202
One of the early Muslims said:
Ingratitude for a kindness is one of the

enormities. Gratitude consists of
reciprocating the kindness or praying for
the person. Thus, thanking a person
consists of saying JazakAllahu khair
and returning the favor or asking Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) to bless the person.
Although Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is the

ultimate source of all good, and people
are only the channels through whom
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) sends His
blessings; nevertheless, it is a part of

thanking Allah (subhana wa ta ala) that
we thank the person who does us a
kindness.
203
204
205
Northern Wind Will Increase

Beauty
The Messenger of llah pbuh said: In Jannah
there is a market to which the people will come
every Friday. The northern wind will blow and

shower fragrance on their faces and clothes and,
consequently, it will enhance their beauty and
loveliness. They will then return to their wives
who will also have increased in their beauty and
loveliness, and their families will say to them,
We swear by llah that you have been increased
in beauty and loveliness since leaving us.

Thereupon they will reply, We swear by llah
that you have also been increased in beauty and
loveliness since we left you.
[Sahih Muslim]206
Not just the reward but the beauty of the
people of Paradise will also go on

increasing with time. This is another
speciality of Jannah that the looks and
charm of men and women will keep

increasing, and the love and affection
between husbands and wives will also
keep on progressing and increasing,
without any effort of theirs.
People will gather in the bazaar for a
time period equal to that of a Jumuah
(friday), as there will be no sun, nor
alternation of night and day.
207
Gaining Knowledge to
Revive Islam
Hasan Al-Basri narrated that
him said: He whom death
overtakes while he is engaged in
acquiring knowledge with a view to

reviving Islam with the help of it,
there will be (only) one degree
between him and the Prophet in

Paradise. [Tirmidhi and Darimi]
208
When Islam first came, society was so

corrupt that the teachings of Islam
appeared strange. The Prophet (peace
be upon him) foretold that there
would once again come a time when

people would have gone so astray that
the teachings of Islam would appear
strange to them.
209
This hadith promises a fantastic

reward to those who exert themselves
in acquiring the knowledge of Islam
for the sole purpose of reviving Islam
again. Before one may revive Islam in

oneself or in society, one must first
know what Islam is exactly. It is
therefore necessary to study Islam in

order to cleanse our understanding of
it from the cultural and whimsical
beliefs and practices that we have
added to it.
210
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) will bless,

with one of the highest levels of
Jannah, the Muslim who is engaged in
acquiring knowledge to ultimately
revive Islam with it. Our efforts are

within our control, whereas the
results of our efforts are not. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) in His mercy has

not made what a Muslim is able to
achieve by his/her efforts the basis for
reward. Rather, it is our desire,
intention, and effort which Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) values and
rewards.
211
When one s efforts for the Deen are going
well and many appear to benefit by it, it is

easy to feel content. It is important then not
to let worldly recognition of the effort
become the goal, rather than llah s
pleasure. On the other hand, it is easy to
get disheartened when one sees that one s
efforts are not bearing fruit. In llah s
system of assessment, each effort for His

sake is rewarded fully, regardless of its
worldly outcome. We need to stay focused
on seeking only llah s pleasure with
whatever we do.
Muhammad (pbuh) has the highest level in
Jannah. To be only a degree away from him
is the greatest success.
212
213
214
No Wedding, No Meat, No Bed?
There was a group of the Companions of

the Prophet pbuh , one of whom said: I
will not marry. nother said: I will not
eat meat. nother said: I will not sleep
on a bed. nother said: I will fast and
not break my fast. News of that reached
the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and he
praised llah then said: What is the
matter with people who say such and
such? But I pray and I sleep, I fast and I

break my fast, and I marry women.
Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is
not of me.
[Sunan an-Nasai]
215
The concluding words of this hadith are
an admonition. Turning away from the

Sunnah of llah s beloved Messenger
puts one s Islam in doubt. It is not
possible to exceed him (pbuh) in piety.
Whatever one tries to do against the
teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) is a
distortion of the religion.
In this hadith we are warned against
adopting the extremism of the people of
earlier religions, who forbade for
themselves those things which Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) had made lawful for
them. Then they were not able to live up
to these self imposed hardships.
216
Islam is the religion of the Fitrah; it
corresponds to human nature. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) has only forbidden
us those things which harm our Dunya
or Akhirah. It is extremely unwise to

start adding or subtracting from this list.
Doing so implies knowing better than
Allah; while no-one knows better than
Him and no-one loves us more than
Him.
217
Good News for the Blind

upon him) said: "Allah said, 'If I
deprive my slave of his two beloved

things (his eyes) and he remains
patient, I will let him enter Paradise
in compensation for them.'" [Sahih

Bukhari]
218
There was once a man who had spent his

whole life in piety. He came on the Day of
Judgement with a mountain of good
deeds, confident of his having earned his
way to Jannah. The angels asked him

whether he wanted to go Jannah by
Allah's mercy or by virtue of his good
deeds. Since he had spent his whole life
doing good, he felt confident and said
that he would like go to Jannah by virtue
of his deeds. So the angels put his
mountain of good deeds on one side of

the scale and on the other side put his
two eyes. The weight of his two eyes sent
all his good deeds flying into the air.
219
The immense blessings that Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) has bestowed
upon us in the form of our eyes, ears,
tongue, nose and sense of touch is
something we take for granted. If on

top of that we add all of the other
blessings Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
has bestowed on us, we will see that
nobody does enough good to deserve
Jannah. We do not even thank Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) enough for His
blessings. We use our eyes every

waking moment: Do we thank Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) for them every
waking moment?
220
Jannah is such a great place that there is no
chance that we could do enough good to

deserve it. Allah bestows it on us out of His
love for us. The Prophet (pbuh) said that
even he would enter Jannah by virtue of
Allah's mercy.
Those who have sight do not thank Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala) enough for this blessing.
Try to go half a day blindfolded to appreciate

the enormity of this blessing. Allah (subhana
wa ta'ala), therefore, promises Jannah to
him/her who is patient with Allah's decree on
losing their sight. Each person's life is an

exam for them. For the person who goes
blind, patience is the key to passing the
exam.
221
222
223
Net Over Us
him said: y llah, I am not afraid
of your poverty, but I fear that the

world will spread its net over you, as it
had spread it over the people that
preceded you. Then you will also

compete in world-seeking, as they
begun doing. So it will also destroy
you, as it destroyed the people before
you. [ukhari]
224
While total deprivation of material
goods may make a man helpless and

useless; competing for the things of the
world and trying to gain superiority
over others through them, puts one in

greater danger of losing one s religion.
225
Self absorption in the earning and
spending of wealth puts one in great

trouble on the Day of Accountability.
What the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) warned often as a source of

destruction was wealth and competition
for it.
Moderation is that the conditions of
living be brought under control so that
they may be used to reach the high ideal
(Jannah).
226
Give a Smile Instead of

Chocolate
Ibn Jaz said: I have not seen anyone
who smiled more than the
him .
Hasan) [Chapters on Al-
Manaqib: Jami At-Tirmidhi]
227
What do you gain when you smile?

When you smile, the actual movement
triggers the brain s pleasure points.
Smiling causes endorphins, which are
known as the body s natural

painkillers, to be released. Not
surprisingly, endorphins are also
released when laughing, exercising,

eating chocolate, getting massaged,
meditating, to just about anything that
leaves a smile on your face. A smile
makes a person feel as good as eating
2000 bars of chocolate.
228
Research shows that after being

shown pictures of smiling people, the
brain and heart activity of participants
is equal to that when given 2,000
chocolate bars. So the next time you

think of giving someone chocolate,
give a smile instead it will do 2,000
times better.
229
Research has also shown that women

who showed an intense happiness in
their smiles indicated a happier
future. When we smile our voices
project a warmer tone. So if you smile

while speaking you are likely to have
a better conversation. Smiling is also a
ticket to better health. Numerous
medical and psychological studies
have found that through the
triggering of certain hormones, a
smile promotes good overall health.

This leads to lower heart rates, steady
breathing and the ability to smile
through stressful situations.
230
Jarir ibn bdullah said I did not see

the Prophet, since I embraced Islam,
without a smile on his face. I saw him
smiling when he could not see me and
he would smile in my presence.

[Sahih Bukhari]
231
232
233
Nearness of Sun on the Day of

Judgment
him said: On the Day of
Resurrection, the sun will be brought
so close to the people that it will be as
close to them as one mile. [Muslim]
234
The sun will be brought close to people s
heads on that Day, until the distance

between it and them will be no more
than one mile.
If it were not for the fact that people will

have been re-created in a form in which
they will not die, the heat would melt
them and cause them to evaporate.

However, after their death on earth they
will not die again.
235
Frequently on Fridays
The Messenger of llah pbuh said: mong
the most excellent of your days is Friday
because on that day Adam was created, and on
it he died, and on that day the Trumpet will be
sounded, and on it shall come the Hour. So
invoke blessings on me frequently on that day,
for your blessings will be brought to me. He
was asked: O Messenger of llah, how will
our blessings be conveyed to you when your
body has become part of the decaying earth?

He replied: llah has prohibited the earth from
destroying the bodies of the prophets. [Ibn
Majah; Kitab al-Janaiz]
236
Frequently invoke blessings on the

him), especially on Fridays. The
blessings you send on him will be
conveyed to him.
237
238
239
No Light for Hypocrites

him was asked: Where will the
people be on the Day when the earth is

changed into another earth and the
heavens? He peace be upon him
said: They will be in darkness ahead
of the ridge. [Muslim]
240
This stage comes after the

Reckoning and Weighing of
deeds.
241
Allah describes this scene in the Quran:

On the Day you shall see the believing
men and the believing women, their light
running forward before them and by their
right hands. Glad tidings for you this
Day! Gardens beneath which rivers flow
(Paradise), to live therein forever! Truly,
this is the great success! On the Day
when the hypocrite men and hypocrite
women will say to the believers, Wait
for us! Let us get something from your
light! It will be said, Go back to your
rear! Then search for light!
242
Then a wall will be placed between them, with a
gate therein. Inside it will be mercy, and outside

it will be torment. The hypocrites will call the
believers, Were we not with you? The believers
will reply, Yes! ut you led yourselves into

temptations, you looked forward to our
destruction; you doubted (in faith) and you were
deceived by false desires, till the Command of

Allah came to pass. And the chief deceiver
(Shaitaan) deceived you in respect of llah. So
this Day no ransom shall be taken from you
(hypocrites), nor of those who disbelieved. Your
abode is the Fire. That is your Mawla (friend proper place), and worst indeed is that
243
destination. [Surah al-Hadeed: Ayaat 12-15]
Believing men and believing women, who
allowed themselves to be guided by the

light of Islam in this life, will be given light
on the Day of Resurrection, which will
show them the way to the Gardens of
Delight.
The hypocrites will ask the believers to wait
for them so that they can avail themselves
of their light. But it will be said to them to
go back and seek light. What is behind them
is the life of this world. This is where the
believers got their light from. The light of

the believers is in exchange for the good
deeds they performed in the world for
llah s Pleasure alone.
244
Another explanation offered, for the
hypocrites being told to go back to

search for light, is that this is to trick
them, just as they used to trick the
believers in this world.
So the hypocrites will retreat to the rear
and the believers will advance to the
front. Thus, the two parties will become
distinct. Then Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
will set up between them a wall. The
believers, who will be on the inside of
that wall, will be enveloped in llah s

Mercy; while the hypocrites, on the
outside, will have to endure llah s
Punishment.
245
Friday's Significance
him said: The best day on which the
sun rises is Friday. On this day Adam
was created, on this day he came down
(from Jannah), it was Friday when his
repentance was accepted, and this day
he died. The Hour will occur on Friday.
There is no creature which is not
waiting every Friday, from the moment
the sun rises, fearing the Hour apart

from jinn and men. [Sunan Abi
Dawood]
246
Friday is a significant day for

Muslims. It has been important
historically and there are many
recommended and obligatory deeds
that are especially rewarded on

Fridays. However, it is also a day
feared by all creatures except men and
jinn, because of their knowledge that

it is a Friday on which the Hour will
commence.
247
248
249
Noor of Believers
him said: Each one among them,
believer or hypocrite, will be given a

light (Noor), then they will follow
Him Then the light of the hypocrites
will be extinguished, and the believers
will be saved. [Saheeh Muslim]
250
Our Prophet (peace be upon him)
narrated that on the Day on

Resurrection, after each nation follows
its made-up god to Hell, and only the
people of his Ummah are left, and then

they begin to follow Allah, darkness will
be cast all around them, and they will
each be given some light.
251
The commentator on Sharh at-
Tahaawiyah said
Some of them will be
given light like a mountain, in front of

them; some will be given more light than
that. Some will be given their light like a

palm-tree, to their right, and some will be
given less than that, on their right. The
last one to be given light will be given it
on his big toe, in front of him, which will
shine on and off. When it will shine, he
will move forward, and when it will be
extinguished he will stand still. He and

they will move forward across the Siraat
(bridge over Hell), and
252
the Siraat will be like the edge of a sword, a
void in which one is likely to slip. It will be

said to them, Carry on as much as your light
enables you to. Some of them will cross it like
a falling star (i.e., very fast), others will cross it
like the wind, or like the blinking of an eye, or
like a man running or jogging, according to the
level of his deeds. Then the one whose light is
on his big toe will cross it, with one hand
slipping and the other holding on, and one foot
slipping and the other hanging on, with the
Fire hitting his sides, until when they pass it
and reach safely they will say, Praise be to
Allah who has saved us from you (Hell) after
we had seen you. We have been given what no
one else has been given.
253
The light of the hypocrites which was
initially granted them will be

extinguished before they can cross the
Siraat because of which they will fall
into Hell. When the believers see that

the light of the hypocrites has been
extinguished they will pray to Allah to
not let this happen to them: Our Lord!
Keep perfect our light for us and

grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are
ble to do all things. [Quran: Surah

Tahreem, Ayat 8]
254
The Tourism of My Nation

upon him said: The tourism of my
nation is Jihad in the Cause of
llah. [bu Dawud]
255
Real tourism, for relaxation and

enjoyment with one s family, is in
Jannah. This life is a test that qualifies
people for Jannah or Jahannum. Jihad
serves the purpose of removing the

barriers to the spread of Islam, so that
people are free to choose Islam
without fear of persecution, and are

free to live under the justice and
mercy of the Shariah. The Sahabah
and generations of Muslims
undertook difficult journeys to far
away lands, with no guarantee of
returning, for this purpose alone.
256
Uqba bin Nafi (radi Allahu anhu) was

one such person who spent his life
spreading the message of Islam to the
people of Africa. Uqba (radi Allahu anhu)
traveled as far as the coast of the Atlantic
ocean in present day Morocco. There, he
rode his horse into the pounding ocean
waves and asked Allah to be his witness:
O llah! If this sea of darkness had not
appeared before me, I would have
conveyed Your Name, which is the source
of light, to the most remote corners of the

world. The country of Morocco was thus
called in rabic, al-maghreb al-aqsa,
the land of the farthest west!
257
Falsehood is Falsehood
Big or Small
Asma bint Yazeed (radi Allahu anha)
narrated that she once asked the

him : If one of us women stated that
she had no desire to have a certain
thing even though she had that desire,
then would it be considered a lie? He
(peace be upon him) replied:
Falsehood is written as falsehood,
and a small falsehood is written as a
small falsehood. [Muslim]
258
There are many lies we tell in the course

of a day that, unfortunately, we don t pay
much attention to. They have become
standard forms of speech for us, even
though they are lies.

Like a few drops of urine, are not the
same as a chamber pot full of urine, but
are urine nevertheless; small lies, no
matter how insignificant they may
appear to be, will be noted in our record
of deeds as lies and not truths.
We need to remove even the small traces

of falsehood from our speech otherwise
they will soon desensitize us to big lies as
well.
259
260
261
262
Not Asking Allah is Arrogance

upon him said
Whoever does not
supplicate to Allah invokes His

wrath. [Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-Da awat]
Allah (subhana wa taala) says:

Surely those who are too arrogant
to worship Me will enter Hell in
humiliation. [Quran: Surah lGhafir, Ayat 60]
This shows that not asking Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) is from arrogance. The person

underestimates Allah Most Mighty and
does not acknowledge that all good comes
from Him alone and he overestimates
himself, his abilities and that of other
creatures.
Whatever you need, don t ask any human
being for it. Don t ask your husband/wife,

don t ask your children, don t ask your
parents, don t ask your brothers/sisters,
don t ask your friends don t ask
anybody! Ask only from Allah and you will

feel sweet contentment in your heart when
you hand your affairs over to Allah
5
You can keep a smiling face and good
behavior with everyone. You don t need

to manipulate anybody to get anything.
Since all good comes from Allah, obey
Him, and work on pleasing Him. And

for His sake maintain good conduct and
character with all. And never displease
Allah to please anybody. Your getting
things doesn t depend on them, it
depends on Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
alone.
Finger Dipped In Ocean

upon him said
y llah, this
world in comparison to the

hereafter is nothing but as though
one of you dipped his finger in the
sea. So ponder how much (of sea
water , the finger returns with.
[Mishkaat]
The duration of the Day of Judgment is

equal to 50,000 years. The sun will be
brought overhead so that it is unbearably
hot. People will be drenched in their
sweat according to the amount of their

sins. Some will be ankle deep in it, some
will be in it up to their ears. In this
condition, people will be standing for
hundreds of earth years and not even a
minute of that day will have gone by.
Those who love Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) in this world will be under the

shade of llah s Throne on the Day of
Judgment the only shade available that
Day.
8
That is why Luqman Hakeem

advised his son: Serve this world
according to the time you are going to
spend in it, and work for the akhirah
according to the time you are going to
spend in it. fter we have been
standing in the same spot for
thousands of years, our life on earth

is going to look like nothing!
Make a ratio of your time on earth compared

to your time on the single Day of Judgment.
If you live for a hundred years, it is 100:
50,000. The time to spend each day in the
pursuit of dunya comes out to be less than 3
minutes! The rest of the day should be spent
preparing for the Day of Judgment. If you
were to make a ratio between the time to be
spent in dunya compared to the time in

akhira, it would be 100 years: infinity. Any
number compared to infinity becomes zero.
Effectively, the significance of the duration on
dunya becomes zero. 0 minutes, not even 3
minutes! How is it possible that we spend all
our time preparing for the akirah?
10
Abdul-Malik LeBlanc writes in "The

Bible Led Me To Islam": "During my
Christian days.... I often wondered how
a person was supposed to "pray without
ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17)?....But

when I was introduced to Islam in 1987,
and began to read and learn more about
this way of life, I found that Islam
provided divine guidance from God and
Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon
him) by which a person could pray (be in
a state of worship) without ceasing, if it

was the will of God. Whether waking up,
eating, sleeping, putting on clothes,
being in the presence of a woman,
11
looking at a woman, going shopping,

going to the bathroom, looking in the
mirror, traveling, visiting the sick, sitting
in a non-religious meeting, taking a bath,
having sexual intercourse with one's

wife, yawning, cutting your nails,
sneezing, greeting people, talking,
hosting guests at home, walking,
exercising, fighting, entering my house,
praying and many other acts, Islam and
the guidance therein of the Quran, and
the acts and sayings of Prophet

Mohammed (peace be upon him)
provided ways in which I could observe
1 Thessalonians 5:17."
12
In other words, our dunya can be

spent working for the akhirah -- at
the same time that we fulfill our
duties on earth. This can be achieved
by fulfilling our roles and
responsibilities according to the
guidance of Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala). Ask yourself, "Am I spending

all my time on earth working for the
akhirah?"
13
14
15
One Body

him said
The similitude of believers
in regard to mutual love, affection,

fellow-feeling is that of one body;
when any limb of it aches, the whole
body aches, because of sleeplessness
and fever. [Muslim]
16
If your finger, foot, or any part of your
body is hurting, you cannot sleep. Your

body may develop a fever while it tries
to neutralize the pathogens in an
infected part. When one part of your

body is trying to fight the enemy, the
whole body invariably gets involved in
the process. The Prophet (peace be upon
him) described the Ummah as one
body!
17
So if a Muslim anywhere in the world, in
the centre of the body or the tips, on the

finger or on the toes, is hurting, you should
feel the same pain. If you are only
concerned about your safety and the safety

of your direct family, then there s
something wrong with you. You are not
really part of the body. The Prophet (pbuh)
said that the Ummah is one body: It doesn t
matter that they are split into different
political states or that they belong to
different Madhahibs/Fiqh, as long as the
person is a Muslim they are a part of your
body.
18
Sometimes we look at it as, Only me
and my group are Muslims. Why?

ecause he doesn t follow my Jamaa h,
he s not following my way? s long as
you cannot prove that that Muslim is a

Kafir (disbeliever), he is a Muslim. As
long as you don t have evidence that
such a person is a Murtad (apostate), he
is a Muslim; whether he belongs to the
same Madhhab or the same group or
the same country or not, makes no
difference.
19
We all talk about the importance of having unity.
If having unity means having one group,

abandoning all the different Jamaa ts and getting
rid of all of the different Madhahibs, then we ll all
just be copies of each other and that s an
impossible thing to have. The fact that the

Ummah is diverse and has these different
elements in it, is what makes us strong. If a
person running a business just has expertise in
one area then eventually that will limit how much

business he can get. But if he has people with
multiple areas of expertise then the amount of
business that they can go after will increase
accordingly. What we mean by unity is that even

though your approach to Islamic work might be
different, the Imam that you follow might be
different, you are there to help your brother when
your brother is in need; that is unity.

20
Focus On This Life Makes

Poverty Apparent

upon him said
Whoever is
preoccupied with this life, Allah

will make his poverty apparent in
his eyes, and scatter his people from
around him, and only what has
been written for him in this world
will come to him. [Tirmidhi; Kitab

az-Zuhud]
21
A person who is focused on this life

always feels poor because of seeing
all that he does not have of it; he is
not focused on Jannah, nor believing
in it or striving for it.
22
Since he believes it is he himself who has

to do what he can to gather the riches of
this world his outlook and behavior are
selfish. Selfishness begets selfishness.
Those who are preoccupied with getting
the most for themselves induce the same
feelings in those around them. Thus,
nobody sincere wants to be around a
person preoccupied with his worldly life

and its achievements.
Such a person gets in life what Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) had destined for
them a long time ago, but not llah s
special blessings to be bestowed in the
next life.
23
24
25
Omens

"Belief in a bad omen is polytheism
(shirk)." [Tirmidhi]
26
Many things are taken as good or bad
omens all over the world. Superstitious

people don't like to have black cats
cross their paths, or walk underneath
ladders, or are afraid of the number 13,

and so forth and so on. Every culture
has its own list of omens.
27
The problem with believing that
something such as a stone, cat, or any

other object, can change your fortune,
means that you are ascribing to it
powers that belong to Allah alone.
Giving Allah's attributes to other than
Allah is shirk in His attributes (shirk fee
asma wa sifaat). Allah is the Creator and
Sustainer of all that exists. Nothing
happens except with His Knowledge
and His Will. If some harm comes to
you, it does not come because of the

omen nor can it be avoided by avoiding
the omen. Only asking Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) for His protection can avert it.
28
Fast will Intercede

him said The fast and the Quran are
two intercessors for the servant of
Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The
fast will say, O Lord, I prevented him
from his food and desires during the

day. Let me intercede for him. The
Quran will say, I prevented him from
sleeping at night. Let me intercede for

him. nd their intercession will be
accepted. [hmad]
29
On the Day of Qiyamah everybody

will be desperate for intercession, if
only somebody of high rank could
plead on their behalf with Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). On that Day only
those will intercede whom Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) will allow to do
so. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)

told us that one s fasts will be granted
the power by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) to intercede.
30
31
32
Obligation of Love

to Muadh (may Allah be pleased with
him
y llah, I love you, so do not
forget to say at the end of every Salah,

O llah, help me to remember You
and to give thanks to You and to
worship You well.
[hmed,
Tirmidhi]
33
Thus, we see that it is one of the
obligations of love that we teach our

beloved people to love Allah, remember
Allah, thank Allah and worship Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). And as clarified in

other ahadith, one s love of llah is
manifested by obedience to His
commands.
34
Salmaan Al-Farsi narrated: There was a man
who was given many of the luxuries of this

world, and then they were taken away from him.
But he continued to praise and thank Allah until
everything had been taken from him, even his
bed. And then he still praised and thanked Allah.
Another man, who had also been given many of
the luxuries of this world asked him, What are
you praising and thanking llah for? The man
said, I am praising and thanking Him for
blessings which, if others asked me to give them
to them in return for all that they have, I would
never give them up. What can they be? asked
the second man. Can t you see? asked the first
man. I have my eyesight, my tongue, my hands,
my feet
[Uddat as-Sabirin wa Dhakhirat ash-
Shakirin, by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah]

35
Golden Opportunity

upon him said
There is a moment
on Friday when the slave shall not

ask Allah for anything save that He
will give it to him. [Sahih
Muslim]
36
It is recommended to supplicate
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) much on
Fridays, seeking the moment when
prayers are answered. This time lies
between the time the Imam first sits
on the pulpit and when the prayer
finishes. Others hold that the moment
occurs after the mid-afternoon (Asr)

prayer. [Reliance of the Traveller by
Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri]
37
38
39
One Hundred Good Deeds
llah s Messenger peace be upon him said

Whoever says, La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la
shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu
wa huwa ala kulli shai in qadeer , one hundred
times will get the same reward as given for
freeing ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds
will be written in his accounts, and one
hundred sins will be deducted from his
accounts, and it (his saying) will be a shield
for him from Shaitaan on that day till night,

and nobody will be able to do a better deed
except the one who does more than he. [Sahih
Bukhari]
40
The meaning of this Kalima is: None
has the right to be worshipped but

Allah (Alone) Who has no partner; to
Him belongs the kingdom (of the
universe), and for Him are all the

praises, and He has the power to do
everything.
41
All the sins we commit in life are because we
don t internally believe this. We believe other

people and forces to be more powerful than
Allah. So we commit sins to please the boss,
the children, the spouse, the parents, the
friends, etc, whoever we hold dearer to us
than Allah. We say that the universe belongs
to Allah but the good return that we expect
from people is greater than the good return

we expect from Allah, and so we worry more
about pleasing them than pleasing Allah. It is
but natural that who you hold in greater
esteem is the one who you are more
concerned about to keep happy.
42
If we repeat this Kalima one hundred

times every day we will be forced to
think about what it is we are saying.
This Kalima resonates with what our
souls know to be true and witnessed to
in Alam-e-Arwah (the world of souls).
When you hear something enough
times you end up holding it to be true.
This is how the media and advertising
work, and you end up gulping down
even the biggest lies. Allah tells us to
repeat the truth to ourselves to remain
on Tawheed belief in the Unity (the
Oneness) and the Power of Allah.
43
Naked Warner
Narrated Abu Musa (radi Allahu anhu) that

llah s Messenger pbuh said My
example and the example of the Message
with which Allah has sent me is like that of a
man who came to some people and said, I
have seen with my own eyes the enemy
forces, and I am a naked warner (to you) so
save yourself, save yourself! group of
them obeyed him and went out at night,
slowly and stealthily and were safe, while
another group did not believe him and thus
the army took them in the morning and
destroyed them. [Sahih ukhari]

44
fter revelation began llah s Messenger
(pbuh) consumed himself in trying to save

his people from Hellfire. His business got
ruined and he went from being one of the
wealthy people of Makkah to living in
economic boycott. His standing in society

suffered as a malicious campaign of slander
was launched against him to discredit his
message. His two daughters married to the
sons of Abu Lahab were divorced on Abu
Lahab s orders when Muhammad (pbuh)
began to call people to worship Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) alone. He was physically
persecuted in various forms as well. But
Muhammad (pbuh) bore all this with no

complain because he saw the Fire of Hell
towards which his people were headed and
that was much more serious for him.
45
It was an Arabian custom that a man, on

seeing the forces of the enemy, would take
off his clothes and use it as a signal of
warning to his people. In other words, the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was saying that
he was doing his best to warn his people of

the forces of Shaitaan and the Fire towards
which they were headed. But not everyone
heeded his warning. Those who did were
saved, while those who ignored him were

destroyed. This was true in Makkah where
very few people embraced Islam because of
the persecution Muslims were made to
suffer. This is true today as well with few

Muslims choosing to follow Allah and His
Messenger s commands while claiming to
believe in the Fire against which he warned.
46
47
48
Origin of Jinn

upon him said
The angels were
created from light, the jinn were

created from smokeless fire, and Adam
was created from that which has been
described to you. [Muslim]
49
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells us that

jinn were created from fire, as He says:
nd the jinn He created from a

smokeless flame of fire. [Quran:
Surah Rahmaan, Ayat 15]
Ibn Abbaas, Ikrimah, Mujaahid, AlHasan and others said concerning the
phrase a smokeless flame of fire this
means the edge of the flame. According
to another report, it means the purest
and best part of it. [Al-Bidaayah wa lNihaayah]
50
An-Nawawi said: The smokeless flame
means the flame which is mixed with

the blackness of the fire. [Sharh anNawawi ala Muslim]
nd the jinn, We created aforetime

from the smokeless flame of fire.
[Quran: Surah Hijr, Ayat 27]
This Ayat also tells us that the creation

of jinn came before the creation of man.
51
No Greater Temptation

upon him said
Woman is awrah
and when she goes out the Shaytaan

raises his glance to her. [Saheeh
Sunan At-Tirmidhi]
52
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told

us that he was not leaving behind any
greater temptation for men than
women. For this reason women are
commanded to cover all of their
bodies and men are commanded to
nevertheless keep their gazes lowered
and not look at them. Yet it seems

that the opposite behavior is in
vogue.
53
Today women go out for no reason at all,

clothed yet naked. Institutes employ
armies of women and men to propagate
immorality by means of TV and movies.
Their promiscuous stories tell tales of

immorality, their characters glamorize
lewd behavior, and evil gains currency
as the norm.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade

being alone with a (non-mahram)
woman, and said that no man is ever
alone with a non-mahram woman

(khalwah) but the Shaytaan is the third
one present.
54
55
56
Old Man Young Hopes

upon him said
The son of dam
reaches old age and two of his habits

do not leave him. One is greed and the
second is the unending succession of
hopes desires . [Muslim]
57
Man s body becomes old but he
continues to think of himself as young.

He doesn t give up hoping for and
desiring all the things that he did in his
youth. It doesn t happen that as a

person gets nearer to his grave he
automatically becomes pious.
Man has to consciously orient his greed

and desires towards worthwhile goals.
Allah put greed in man so that he may
be greedy for Jannah and thus do good
deeds on earth, but we have become
greedy for this world instead.
58
A sound intellect tells a person that it is
not wise to be greedy for a life that will

end quickly: We should be greedy for
that which lasts forever. Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) tells us in the Quran:
Moreover, whatever of anything

you are given is (no more than) an
enjoyment of worldly life and its

decoration, and that which lies with
Allah is much better and far more
lasting. So do you not use reason?

[Surah al-Qasas: Ayat 60]
59
No Questioning for 70,000

upon him said
I have been given
seventy thousand of my Ummah,

who will enter Jannah without
being called to account. Their faces
will be like the full moon, and their

hearts will be as one. I asked my
Lord, may He be glorified, for more,
and He gave me, along with each of

them, seventy thousand more.
[Saheeh al-Jaami]
60
The first group of this Ummah to enter Jannah

will be those who were pre-eminent in their
Eeman (faith), Taqwa (piety or consciousness
of Allah), righteous deeds and adherence to
the true religion. They will enter in one rank:

the first of them will not enter until the last of
them enters i.e. they will all enter together.
Their faces will be as bright as the full moon.
These people will not be questioned by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) in what activities they
spent their lives and wealth. Every human
being commits sins, but this special group will

have their sins overlooked by Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) and will not have to justify how they
spent the health and wealth they were granted
by Him.
61
Although Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

informed Muhammad (pbuh) about
the large number of Muslims whom
He was going to favour in this way,
Muhammad (pbuh) in his care and
concern for his Ummatis wished for
the number to be increased. So Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) in His

magnanimity increased the number
to 4.9 billion. He (subhana wa ta ala)
said that He would grant 70,000 x

70,000 = 4,900,000,000 Muslims this
special rank and status.
62
63
64
Owners Rights

upon him said
man will not be
let go on the Day of Resurrection

until he has been asked about four
things; his life and how he spent it, his
knowledge and what he did with it, his
wealth and how he earned it and spent
it, and his body and how he used it.
[Sunan at-Tirmidhi]
65
Allah (subhana wa taala) says:

ehold, llah has bought of the
believers their lives and their
possessions, promising them Jannah
in return [Quran: Surah Taubah,
Ayat 111]
66
If I have sold my body, my life and my
wealth in exchange for Jannah then do I

have any right left over it? If I sell someone
my car can I tell them what speed to drive
it at, whom to seat in it, what color to paint
it, or which days of the week to use it? It
belongs to the new owner: They now have
the rights to determine how it is to be used.
My eyes, ears, brain, tongue, hands, feet

every part of me belongs to Allah, as do my
wealth, my family and my children. I
bartered them in exchange for Jannah. They
must now be used in accordance with the

new Owner s llah s wishes. He has
informed me how to use them and what
not to do with them.
67
My brain is to be used to understand
the guidance that has come from Allah.

My brain is to be used to take man out
of the slavery of Shaitaan and his own
Nafs, and into the slavery of his Creator,

Sustainer and Cherisher. My brain is to
be used to stay on Sirat-e-Mustaqeem,
the Straight Path to Jannah and llah s
Pleasure.
68
My senses and faculties are more tools

gifted to me by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). I must not misuse them. I must
not use my eyes to watch movies in
which men and women disregard
llah s injunctions on how to dress. Nor
can I watch movies in which people
have relationships Allah has forbidden.
Why? Because we are not allowed to
witness sin. When you watch sin being
committed you become insensitive to its
evil and it begins to find acceptability in
your heart.
69
If a person is beating an innocent child
and breaking their bones are you

allowed to watch it happen? You will be
punished for beating the child too,
because you saw it happen and allowed

it to continue. If nobody else punishes
you, Allah will. Why? Because Allah
forbade such behavior and the
witnessing of such behavior.
70
So Allah has forbidden looking at non-
Mahrams and having Haraam

relationships. When you see all of this
in movies you are witnessing it and
doing nothing about it. In fact you are

paying people (by buying the ticket,
renting the movie, or subscribing to the
channel to violate llah s commands
and you are paying them to influence
other people in society to behave like
that as well.
71
With my hands that I have sold to Allah
in exchange for Jannah I can only help

Muslims and not hurt them. With my
feet I need to walk to the Masjid and not
to a gathering where Allah has no

significance. With my tongue I should
help people recognize Allah and not use
it to backbite. With my ears I should
listen to llah s remembrance and not
music. With my stomach and intestines
I can only consume Halaal food and not
that bought with ill gotten money.
72
Thus it is that we will have to answer to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to what use

we put His possessions that were in our
safekeeping - our bodies and our
wealth.
73
Nothing Remains Except the

Shoulder
isha radi Allahu anha) narrated

that they slaughtered a goat and the
Prophet (peace be upon him) asked:
How much of its meat remains?
They replied Nothing remains
except the shoulder piece. The
Everything remains except the

shoulder piece. [Tirmidhi]
74
This hadith is in accord with the words

of Allah (subhana wa ta ala) in the
Quran: Whatever is with you is
perishable, and whatever is with Allah
is permanent. [Surah Nahl: Ayat 96]
Aisha (radi Allahu anha) had

distributed the meat of the goat among
poor people and hadn t saved any of it
for themselves, except for the shoulder
piece. The Prophet (pbuh) informed
her that the meat given away was
actually the meat that was saved for
them (in their account with Allah).

75
What we spend in llah s cause comes

to our credit on the Day of Judgement,
and Allah (subhana wa ta ala) will
exchange it with the choicest of
blessings in Jannah, in-sha-Allah.
When a man spends his salary on

different items of expenditure, he allots
its major portion to such items as are

perishable. He thinks of them as dues
from which there is no escape. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) informs us that the
wealth which we spend in the cause of
Allah is such that never perishes.
76
77
78
Purpose of Knowledge

upon him said
Do not attain
learning in order to express pride

before the ulema (scholars), nor by its
help quarrel with foolish people, nor
through it try to overwhelm meetings,

but he who does so, his destination is
fire. [Ibn Majah]
79
The purpose of seeking knowledge of
the Deen is to be in a better position to

seek Allah's pleasure. All Muslims are
required to obtain that knowledge by
which they may enter Jannah and

escape the Fire. Ignorance is not bliss,
for we will be held accountable for that
which we could have found out. If we
acquire this knowledge to seek worldly
gain then it will be rejected by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). Knowledge that is
gained so that we may show it off and
appear knowledgeable is a source of
destruction.
80
No Touching
Umaimah (radi Allahu anha reported
and some other women came to the

Prophet (pbuh) to pledge our allegiance
to Islam (make ai ah). The women said,
O Prophet of llah, we take an oath with
you that we will not associate anyone
with Allah, that we will not steal, that we

will not indulge in fornication and
adultery, that we will not kill our
offspring, that we will not wrongfully
ascribe our illegitimate children to our
husbands, and that we will not disobey
you in doing good deeds.
81
No Touching
to them, nd say that you will follow
all these to the best of your ability.
The women responded, llah and His
Prophet are more merciful on us than
we are on ourselves; make ai ah with
us (i.e. take our pledge from us by

holding our hands . The Prophet
pbuh said to them, I don t shake
hands with women; when I said to you

(what I just said), it is as if I had said
it to one hundred women.
[Muwatta
Imam Malik, Chapter ai ah]

82
The Prophet (pbuh) himself followed the

commands of Hijab (curtain in between)
with non-Mahram women. Like men,
women also used to pledge allegiance to
Islam and make their vows of obedience

to Allah and His Messenger. However,
while the Prophet (pbuh) used to take
the hands of men in his hands while

taking their oaths; with women he made
ai ah from behind a curtain, and
without holding their hands, since
touching a non-Mahram is as forbidden
as looking at her is.
83
Aisha (radi Allahu anha said: y

Allah, his (pbuh) hands never
touched a woman s hand even at the
time of taking ai ah from them.
[Bukhari, Book of Tafseer]
Don t shake hands with nonMahrams, hug them, or touch them in
any other way. Just because

something has become the norm in
society doesn t make it acceptable in
llah s eyes.
84
85
86
Pit of Grief
llah s Messenger pbuh said Seek

refuge in llah against the pit of grief. The
Companions asked, llah s Messenger,
what is the pit of grief? He replied, It is a
river in Hell against which even Hell seeks
refuge four hundred times a day. They
again asked, llah s Messenger, who will
enter it? He remarked, It has been
prepared for reciters of the Quran desiring
to show off their deeds. The most detestable

of the reciters in the sight of Allah are those
who frequently visit the rulers (for worldly
ends .
[Ibn Majah Sahih]

87
This hadith tells us the punishment
prepared for the one who sells religion

to secure worldly benefit. There are two
acts that reciters of the Quran (i.e.
scholars of Islam) are specifically

warned against, but that also apply to
all other Muslims:
1. Showing off knowledge of Islam or one s
good deeds.
2. Visiting rulers.
88
The responsibility on the shoulders of
one who visits the people in power is

great. They must enjoin them to do
good, i.e. implement Islam. They must
also warn them to refrain from evil, i.e.

un-Islamic practices and policies. The
reason for being warned against visiting
the rulers and political leadership is that
in one s desire to please them many will
not be honest in assessing their deeds.
89
Muslims, especially scholars, who
compromise the teachings of Islam, to

make it more palatable, lose their
religion. Therefore, whatever benefit
comes at the cost of making well known
the true teachings of Islam, is no benefit
at all. It will cause the person to burn
painfully in Hell for an extremely long
time. We must purify our intentions and
seek Islam for a better Hereafter and not
to show off with it. And we must never
use it to gain power, contacts, wealth, or

recognition. We must flee from such
sins with the speed of one who has mad
dogs chasing him/her.
90
At the time of the Abbasid Khalifa Al-
Mansur, Imam Abu Hanifa was offered

the position of Qadhi-ul-Qudaat
(Chief Justice/Judge of the Islamic
State). This was a most honouored

position at the side of the Khalifa, along
with a handsome salary. Imam Abu
Hanifa declined to accept the post,
fearing to be influenced by the ruler and
used as a rubber stamp to endorse his
actions whatever they may be. Imam
Abu Hanifa preferred to continue
selling cloth to earn his living than
compromise his Islam.
91
Al-Mansur was so enraged that he had
the Imam thrown into prison. Time and

again Imam Abu Hanifa was dragged
before Al-Mansur and asked to accept
the post of Qadhi-ul-Qudaat. But Imam

Abu Hanifa refused every time even
though he was starved, flogged and
paraded in the market for his defiance.
The great Imam eventually died in
prison in 150 A.H. (767 CE) rather than
serve the ends of the ruler of the day.
92
Similar was the stance and persecution that
our other great Imams such as Ahmed Ibn

Hanbal, Malik Ibn Anas and many others
faced, because true understanding of Islam
does not allow a person to lie about llah s

religion. Such was the example of our pious
predecessors and is the example of a few
pious people that Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
has also blessed our times with.
Unfortunately, the majority of scholars
today, especially those promoted in the
media, have sold their services to the
highest bidder, to issue fatwas (religious
rulings) and recommendations that serve
the purposes of their paymasters.
93
Overstaying Welcome

said
It is not permissible for a
guest to stay so long with the host

as to cause him trouble. [l-Adabul-Mufrad]
94
It is praiseworthy to visit people and

ask about them. It promotes feelings
of Islamic brotherhood and increases
love. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) likes
us to show our affection for other
Muslims and care for them.
95
However, one should keep in mind

that the host should not be
inconvenienced. Since we now have
phones, call before you visit, and ask
what a suitable time would be for you

to visit. This way you avoid arriving at
a time inconvenient for them. They are
better prepared to receive you and can
give you their full attention when you
arrive.
Don t overstay your welcome. Stay

only as long as your host would like to
have you around. Don t become a
burden on the host, or you risk making
them and yourself sinful.
96
97
98
Permissible Envy
Ibn Masud narrated that the Prophet

There is
no (permissible) envy except in two

(cases); a person whom Allah has
given wealth and he spends it in the
right way, and a person whom Allah

has given wisdom (i.e. religious
knowledge) and he gives his decisions
accordingly and teaches it to others.
[Sahih Bukhari]
99
In other words, there is nothing in this

world that is worth envying except the
two things through which one can
attain the stations of Paradise. These
two enviable things are wealth and
wisdom when they are being used to
earn llah s pleasure. y itself neither
wealth nor wisdom is good or bad. It is
what one does with them that makes
them good or bad.
100
person who spends in llah s Path is

to be envied, for he is earning Paradise
for himself with this wealth. Similarly, a
person who is taking the decisions of
his life according to his knowledge of
the Shariah, is teaching people how to
earn llah s pleasure and avoid His
displeasure, and is judging between
people in light of this knowledge, is a
person who should be envied. This is
because his knowledge is gaining him
high ranks in Paradise because of his
proper use of it.
101
When money or knowledge are not

being used in llah s Path they are
useless and nothing to envy. Would you
envy the crumb that an ant is carrying
away? It is insignificant! The wealth and
status that one has in this world is more
insignificant than a crumb in the bigger
picture of our existence.
102
According to Imam An-Nawawi's

explanation, the word Hasad (jealousy)
is used here in the sense of Ghibtah, i.e.
envy. In Islam, jealousy is forbidden and
is held unlawful. The reason being that
one who is jealous wants the one he is
jealous of to be deprived of that
blessing. Envy is permissible for the
reason that when one sees that a person
has been graced by Allah with certain
gifts and qualities, he also desires to be
blessed with those gifts. In the latter
case, he does not grumble and grieve
but eagerly prays to Allah for those
103
Knowledge stands for the knowledge
of the Quran and Hadith because this

knowledge alone is beneficial for man,
and it is through this knowledge that
correct judgments can be made. This

hadith encourages acquiring useful
knowledge and wealth to spend only in
the ways pleasing to Allah.
104
Overpowering Heart of a
Believer

upon him said
I can see the
devils among the Jinn and mankind

running away from Umar. [Sunan
at-Tirmidhi]
105
Obeying llah subhana wa ta ala)

revives and gives life to the heart,
making it strong and firm. Obeying
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) cleans the
dirt which is on the heart and makes
it shine. Continuous obedience of
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) makes the
heart clean, pure, luminous and as

shiny as a mirror. Strange and
amazing are the effects of this
illuminated heart.
106
When a Shaytaan approaches a

person with such a heart, then the
light of that person s heart hits the
Shaytaan in the same way that
meteorites (shooting stars) thrown at
them by the angels in the heavens do,
when they try eavesdropping on the
conversations going on in the

heavens. The Shayateen fear these
types of hearts as much as a wolf
fears a lion; in fact, even more than

this.
107
Sometimes, when believers with such

hearts cross the path of a Shaytaan and
the Shaytaan is assaulted by this light,
then other Shayateen rush to
sympathize with him and ask each

other what happened. They are told
that some human overwhelmed him.
They say: You appear to have been
overcome by the evil eye the look of
a believer.
The light from a heart illumined by
llah s obedience has such an effect,
that even Shayateen made of fire begin
to burn in its intensity. [Dawaa-e-Shafi
by Imaam Ibn al-Jawzi]
108
109
110
Punishment Indiscriminate

upon him said, If llah afflicts
punishment upon a nation, it befalls

the whole population indiscriminately
and then they will be resurrected and
judged according to their deeds.
[Sahih Muslim]
111
This hadith tells us that when Allah's
punishment comes to pass, it does not

distinguish between the upright and the
wicked.
112
The upright are possibly afflicted
because they did not attempt to stop the

evil in their midst. For example, once
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) sent Jibreel
(alaihis salam) to destroy a nation.

Jibreel (alaihis salam) asked Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) what to do about
the extremely devout worshipper
constantly engaged in prayer, residing
in the same town. Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) ordered for him to be punished
first since he hadn t bothered about the
heedlessness of his fellow citizens.
113
Another advantage of hardship is that
by it a person reaches those ranks of

Jannah that Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
wishes to bestow upon him/her, but
which he/she is not able to reach by

their deeds.
114
On the other hand llah s punishment
befalling the upright could also be

purification for their minor sins, so that
when they appear before Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) on the day of

Judgment they are pure of sin and can
go straight to Jannah. This earth is the
best place to be purified. Punishment
only increases in severity going from
earthly life to grave, to Day of
Resurrection, to the Fire of Hell. May
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) save us from
punishments everywhere. Aameen.
115
Only One Tenth from the Sewers

upon him said
If a man
purchases a cloth with ten dirhams

and if one dirham out of them is
unlawful, his prayer will not be
accepted till a portion of that cloth
remains on his body. [Ihya Ulum
Id-Din by Imam Ghazali]
116
Ill-gotten money is like water from

the sewerage. If you are given a glass
of water to drink, of which nine out of
ten parts are pure distilled water and
only one tenth of which is water from
the sewers, would you drink it?
Don t let ill-gotten money
contaminate any of your lawfully

earned money. Don t let it stand
between you and the acceptance of
your prayers.
117
118
119
Protect your Private Life

him) said: "The worst person on the
day of Qiyamah will be the one who
reveals the private life of his wife to
others." [Sahih Muslim]
120
Men and women, some of both, have
the habit of revealing their private

matters to their friends. This is a major
sin which should be abstained from.
In another hadith, the Prophet (pbuh)

asked the people, after prayer in his
mosque, whether they discussed with
others what they did with their spouses.
The Muslims were quiet. Then a woman
spoke up and admitted to the Prophet
(pbuh) that both men and women did
so. The Prophet (pbuh) said that to

discuss private matters with others was
akin to behaving like dogs that copulate
on streets with no regard to onlookers.
121
This hadith is a stern warning to people
to give up such habits that they may

have acquired, regardless of who taunts
them for safeguarding their modesty
and the modesty of their family.
122
Pleasant Attitude with Wife
Aisha (radi Allahu anha) related

that the Prophet (peace be upon
him) would enter the house with a
pleasing disposition and a smile on
his lips. [Uswa-i-Hasna]
123
Again, the advice is for spouses to be

cheerful, pleasant and light-hearted
so that the home is a sanctuary from
the problems of the world and not the
very place that one wants to flee
(Allah Forbid).
Ibn Masud (radi Allahu anhu) said,
"Mix with the people on the condition

that your religion is not injured, and
joke with your family." [Sahih
Bukhari]
124
125
126
Pride

Whoever has pride in his heart equal
to the weight of a mustard seed shall

not enter Paradise. Someone asked,
person likes to wear beautiful
clothes and fine shoes. He replied,

llah is beautiful and likes beauty.
Pride means rejecting the truth and
looking down on other people. [Sahih
Muslim]
127
It is no sin to wear beautiful things or to look

good, but to have pride means to feel that one is
superior to another because of the provisions
that llah has provided one with. It is llah s
will who He decides to give what to in this
world. It is not a sign of llah s pleasure or
displeasure. The Prophet (pbuh) told us that
were this world the place of reward and
punishment, the Kuffar would not be given even

a sip of water to drink. Complete reward and
punishment are reserved for the never ending
hereafter. This worldly life is in its entirety a test.
And what we are provided with in terms of
family, wealth, health and opportunities are part
of our question papers. What we do with them is
our test.
128
Pride inflates a person s ego to the extent that his/her
rationality ceases to function. Abu Jahl s denial of the

prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) was because of pride
in his clan and inter tribal rivalry with the Banu Hashim.
He was one of the fiercest opponents of Islam till the day
he died, despite believing that Muhammad (pbuh) was
truly a prophet. The words of Abu Jahl in this regard are:
y God, I know that he is not a liar, but I cannot simply
join him; my tribe (Bani Makhzoom) and his have always
competed against one another. They took the
responsibility of providing water for the pilgrims, so we
took the responsibility of providing assistance. We host
many with food and drink exactly as they do. Now that
we are of an almost equal status, they say that amongst
them is a prophet! That is too much to compete with! So

Abu Jahl rejected the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh)
to protect his pride, even if it meant going to hell for it.
Thus we see how shortsighted pride makes a person.
129
The denial of Muhammad s prophethood by the
Bani Israel was also because of pride. They had been

expecting the last prophet to come from the children
of Ishaq (alaihis salaam) as all the other prophets of
Bani Israel had. Instead, Muhammad (pbuh) came
from the descendants of Ismail (alaihis salam). Both

were the sons of Ibraheem (alaihis salam) but from
different mothers. The various Jewish tribes that had
settled in Madina, leaving their lands of origin, had
only done so because they were awaiting the arrival

of the last prophet, and based on their scriptures
they believed Madina to be the place of his arrival.
But their pride in their lineage and their superiority
complex over the Arabs caused them to reject the
Prophet (pbuh) when he did come, despite
recognizing him better than they did their own
families.
130
The shortsightedness that pride inspires
causes one to overlook the most serious

of consequences. What is most relevant
for each of us is to investigate which
truths we are denying or brushing aside

because we don t like the people who
are the carriers of that truth or because
we consider them to be beneath us.
131
Protocol of Salam
Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu)

reported that the Messenger of Allah
pbuh said
rider should salute a
pedestrian; a pedestrian should salute

one who is sitting; and a small group
should salute a large group (of
people . nother narration adds
The young should greet the elderly.
[Sahih Bukhari]
132
The greeting of As-Salamu Alaikum

should be offered in the prescribed
way. When Muslims are not aware of
the rules of their religion then they
make an issue of their imagined
importance and worldly status. It is
the situations that are given
consideration here in being the first to

offer Salam, and not the rank and
status of people. Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) has blessed us with these rules

to pre-empt false pride and
confusion.
133
134
135
Purity of Intention

narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
The first of men whose case will be decided on the
Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a
martyr. He shall be brought forth. Allah will make
him recount His blessings (i. e. the blessings which
He had bestowed upon him) and he will recount
them (and admit having enjoyed them in his life).

Then will llah say What did you do to requite
these blessings ? He will say I fought for You
until I died as a martyr. llah will say You have
told a lie. You fought so that you may be called a
brave warrior. nd you were called so. Then
orders will be passed against him and he will be
dragged with his face downward and cast into Hell.

136
Then a man will be brought forward who acquired
knowledge and imparted it (to others) and recited the

Qur an. He will be brought forth and llah will
make him recount His blessings and he will recount
them (and admit having enjoyed them in his
lifetime . Then llah will ask What did you do to
requite these blessings ? He will say I acquired
knowledge and disseminated it and recited the
Qur an seeking Your pleasure. llah will say You

have told a lie. You acquired knowledge so that you
may be called a scholar, and you recited the Qur'an
so that you may be called a Qari and such has been
said. Then orders will be passed against him and he
shall be dragged with his face downward and cast
into the Fire.
137
Then a man will be brought whom Allah had

made abundantly rich and had granted every
kind of wealth. He will be brought forth and
Allah will make him recount His blessings and
he will recount them and (admit having
enjoyed them in his lifetime). Allah will (then)
ask What have you done to requite these
blessings ? He will say I spent money in
every cause in which You wished that it should
be spent. llah will say You are lying. You
did so, so that you may be called a generous
person, and so it was said. Then llah will
pass orders and he will be dragged with his
face downward and thrown into Hell. [ook
on Government: Sahih Muslim]

138
It is important to remember when you

show generosity to anyone that your
intention be good. Your intention
should be to improve brotherhood
amongst the Muslims and earn their

love, as well as of course getting close
to Allah by showing them kindness.
One should not be generous for fame,

leadership, or to hear praises.
139
Thus, it is imperative that whatever good
we do, we do it sincerely seeking llah s

pleasure and His approval alone. A wise
man once coined the similitude of a
person who performs actions to show off

to others as that person who fills his purse
with stones instead of money. These will
not help him at all. It will only make the
purse seem heavy to others, who will
think that he is wealthy. In a similar
manner, the ostentatious person will
appear to be pious to others, but will
receive no reward for his actions from
140
Poorly Hosted, What Should I

Do?
A Sahabi asked the Prophet pbuh , If

I come across someone and he does not
perform his duty of hospitality and
entertainment towards me and later
he happens to meet me, is it obligatory
upon me to show him hospitality? Or
should I act towards him in the same
impolite and indifferent manner?
The Prophet pbuh observed, No,
you should perform your obligation of
hospitality towards him in any case.
[Mishkat]
141
Even if the person now your guest

has treated you rudely in the past and
given you a cold shoulder on an
occasion when he/she should have
hospitably hosted you, don t return
the insult: Behave towards him/her
with generosity, liberality and
magnanimity.
142
143
144
Prayer on Laylat al-Qadr

He who prays on Laylat al-Qadr in
faith and expectation of its reward will

be forgiven his previous sins. [Sahih
Bukhari]
145
The excellence of Laylat al-Qadr (the
Night of the Divine Decree) can be

judged by the reward of worship in it
and the words of Allah Most High that
it is, better than a thousand
months [Quran 9 : ] meaning that

spiritual works therein are better than
works of a thousand months lacking

Laylat al-Qadr.
146
Laylat al-Qadr is the anniversary of the
night that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) sent

the first ayaat of the Quran to
Muhammad (pbuh) through Angel
Jibreel (alaihis salam). It comes within

the last ten nights of Ramadhan, more
likely on the odd numbered ones
(remembering that the night of an
Islamic date comes before the day of
that date).
147
Pill for Envy
The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa

sallam said
Death is sufficient as
a reminder. [Tabaraani]
I am a man who has stretched

forth his neck with a sword held
above it awaiting the order to cut it
off. [l-Ihya]
148
We know this sword, for we witness

it every day coming down on a loved
one, a relative or a friend, thus,
severing their ties with this life and
taking them away from their loved
ones and companions. Allah has
given us respite with regards to our
life term, but only to an appointed

time that will not come early or late
even by an instant.
149
Abu Darda (radi Allahu anhu) said:

He who remembers death often,
then his delight becomes less and his
enviousness of others diminishes.
[Siyaru lami an-Nubalaa]
This is because he who remembers

the end and places its imminence
before his eyes, will have no cause to

rejoice or envy others, for he reminds
himself of the horrors of death which
will separate him from this earthly

life.
150
151
152
Parents are the Gates
Abu Umama (may Allah be pleased

with him) narrates that a man
enquired from the Prophet pbuh
Messenger of Allah (pbuh)! What are

the rights of parents over their
offspring? The Prophet replied
Your entry into Paradise or Hell
depends on your good or bad conduct

towards your parents. [Ibn Majah]
153
In other words, if you treat them well
the gates of Paradise will be opened for

you and you will be admitted therein,
but if you violate the rights that your
parents have over you, the gates of Hell

will be opened for you and you will be
consigned to serve as fuel for it.
154
The following is the advice that
Abdullah bin Umar gave to Abdullah

ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with
him) regarding how he should treat his
parents: If you talk to them in a polite

manner and look after their needs and
feed them well, you will certainly be
admitted to Paradise provided you
abstain from major sins. [l-Adab-ul
Mufrad]
155
with him) once saw two men. He asked

one of them, What is your relationship
with the other man? The man replied,
He is my father. bu Hurairah (may

Allah be pleased with him) thereupon
advised him, Look, never call him by
his name, walk ahead of him, or sit
before he takes his seat. [l-Adab-ul
Mufrad]
156
In other words, it is not just their
material needs of food, clothing, shelter,

and medicine that we need to be
mindful of. We also need to show them
respect and consideration in every deed.

We should address them with titles of
respect, and make sure that they are
comfortable before we make ourselves
comfortable.
157
The most important right of parents over their

children is their right to eeman. Should the
child be blessed with faith and find it lacking in
the parents, they need to try with utmost love,
gentleness and concern to explain and try to
instill the love of Allah and His Messenger in
them. Didn t they try their best to save us from
all sorts of hazards and dangers while we were
growing up? Who tried to save us from putting
our fingers in electric sockets? Who taught us to
be careful with fire? Who taught us to beware of
strangers? Who tried to protect us from falling
or getting cut or getting burned? Is it not then
their right that we try to protect them from the
Fire of Hell?
158
An onlooker should be able to tell by
the deference shown, the outward

behavior and demeanour, who the
parent is and who the child is. It is
nothing but Godlessness in the society,

whether it be of Muslims or nonMuslims, when children are observed
talking to parents with gritted teeth and
high handedness.
159
Price also Forbidden

upon him said
When llah
forbids a thing, He also forbids its

price. [bu Dawud]
160
Some people who lived outside

Madina did not find out about the
absolute prohibition of alcohol till
later. One day Amir bin Rabi ah (radi
Allahu anhu) returned from a journey
and presented a bottle of alcohol to
the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa
sallam) a bottle full of alcohol after

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) had made it
Haraam!
161
The Prophet (pbuh) never drank

alcohol, neither in the pre-Islamic
days of ignorance, nor in Islam.
However, people still used to offer
him gifts some of which he wouldn t
use himself but give to others or sell.
People would sometimes give him
gold or silver which he would not

wear but give to his wives or others.
But the Prophet (pbuh) looked at the
alcohol in surprise and said, Don t

you know that this has been
forbidden?
162
Amir bin Rabi ah (radi Allahu anhu)

replied, Forbidden? No! I didn t
know about it, O Messenger of
llah!
The Prophet pbuh said, Yes. It has

been forbidden.
Amir (radi Allahu anhu) then took
the bottle away. Some people
suggested that he should sell it. When
the Prophet (pbuh) heard about it he
said, No. When llah forbids
something, he also forbids its value.

Upon hearing this, Amir poured the
alcohol out onto the ground.
163
Notice how the Sahabah immediately

acted upon the teachings of Islam,
putting aside any other
consideration!
Notice how briefly and to the point

the Prophet (pbuh) gave instructions
and made corrections. He didn t go
on and on about it.
164
Notice that the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh) did not question the Sahabi s
integrity by saying such things as,
How could you not have known that
alcohol is now forbidden! He never

doubted the intentions of the people
around him, nor abused them.
This Hadith makes clear that when

something is forbidden to consume
(such as alcohol), then it is also
forbidden to sell it and use the
money. Notice that the Sahabi did not
gift the bottle on to one of the nonMuslims around either.
165
166
167
Purpose of Marriage
When a man married, the Prophet

(peace be upon him) would say,
llah bless you, and unite you both

in good works. [bu Dawud]
168
The purpose of all our actions in life
should be the pleasure of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala). This is true for
marriage as well. Together husband and
wife make a fantastic team but for this

their mutual relationship has to be
strong.
169
Regarding the husband-wife
relationship Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

says: They are as a garment for you
and you are as a garment for them.
[Quran 2:187] The following two ayaat

of the Quran explain what the function
of a garment is: Indeed, We have
bestowed upon you garments to

cover your shame, and as a thing of
beauty. [Quran :
] Thus, clothes 1)
cover the parts of our body we should

keep hidden, 2) beautify the person who
wears them.
170
What clothes do for us is what
husbands and wives are supposed to do

for each other.
1) They should never divulge those
aspects of their spouse s personality that

are shameful and which their spouse
would like to keep concealed. If you are
hiding your spouse s shortcomings from

others then you are doing what Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) is asking you to do.
171
2) Clothes beautify us. This is why we spend so
much time and effort on getting clothes for

ourselves so we can look good. Thus,
husbands and wives are supposed to beautify
each other. Their representation of their spouse
should only be positive.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) further elaborates on

the function of garments: God has endowed
you with garments to protect you from heat

[and cold], as well as such as might protect you
from your [mutual] violence. [Quran
16:81] Thus, clothes 3) provide protection
against the weather (e.g. jackets) and 4) are
armour against violence (e.g. bullet proof
vests).
172
3) Thus, spouses are the first line of defense.

He/she whose spouse does not defend them
becomes very vulnerable to attack by others. We
should protect our spouse s person and
reputation from harm. 4) A very serious
violence to protect our spouse from is the attack
of the Shaitaan. We should help our spouses to
understand and follow Islam so they can fight
effectively against Shaitaan. The person with
the least resistance gets sick first. But then that
disease spreads to other people in the house.
Thus, if we don t strengthen our spouses against
Shaitaan and he makes our spouse sick, then the
disease of Shaitaan s obedience can spread to
other members of the household too.

173
Piety in Personal Life

said, Live immaculately both
personal life and social life.

[Minhaaj us-Saaliheen]
174
When the shadow of darkness would

spread and everyone fell asleep, Imam
Zain ul-Abideen (rehimatullahu) the son
of the Prophet s grandson Hussain (radi
Allahu anhu) would get up. He would

put some food in a sack and carry it on
his shoulders to the houses of the poor,
especially those who hesitated to beg.

His original name was li. Zain ulAbideen
Ornament of the worshipers
of Allah) was a title conferred on him

because of his consciousness of Allah
175
Despite becoming rich through trade, he was

humble and utilized his wealth as a means to
attain eternal success. His specialty was secret
charity. From him, many poor people of
Medina used to receive food daily. Yet, they
never found out that it was Zain ul-Abideen
(rehimatullahu) who gives them food until he
passed away and that anonymous man never
came to them anymore. It was then that they

found out that their anonymous caretaker had
been the Prophet s grandson! When Zain ulAbideen was being given his funeral bath, a
thick dark scar was seen on his back. When
people asked about it, someone revealed, It is
the scar from the sacks of flour that Imam used
to carry to the poor of Medina during the
middle of every night.
176
There are two ways through which

our moments of leisure can be made
valuable. The first is through self
evaluation and introspection. A
cautious lifestyle in which one
examines what one has said to others
and desired, is the best way to attain
inner purification. Scrutiny of oneself

at lonely moments helps wash away
the dirt that latches on during the
course of life.
177
The second way to make your

moments of leisure valuable is
through good deeds. When nobody is
around to know or applaud, we can
perform good deeds purely for
llah s happiness, thinking about
Him alone and not desiring anything
from anybody but Him.
178
What crosses our minds when we are

alone? What is craved and done then?
In secluded moments, if our minds
crave evil, they are obviously in need
of strong guidance. Fearfulness and
devotion towards the Almighty is
more likely experienced in personal
moments. Make lonely moments

significant - with good deeds, self
evaluation and beneficial desires!
179
180
181
Proceed in a Dignified Manner

him) reported that the Messenger of Allah
pbuh said
When the Iqamah is
pronounced, do not come to it running.

Rather, you should walk calmly with
tranquility to join the congregation. Then
pray what you catch and complete what
you miss. [Sahih ukhari]
For
when one of you is walking to the Salat

(prayer), he is actually engaged in Salat.
[Sahih Muslim]
182
First of all, this hadith tells us not to run
or walk hurriedly in order to join a

congregational prayer because this is
undignified whereas we are
commanded to be self-composed and

dignified with regard to all matters.
183
Secondly, when a Muslim walks to a
Masjid after performing ablution at

home, he is considered to be in a state of
Salat. Thus, he is already earning the
reward for the Salat. Pushing, shoving,

and squeezing in between people are
not a part of the prayer and so a Muslim
should not hope to be rewarded if he is
doing these.
Thirdly, the first Rakah he prays behind

the Imam will be counted as his first
Rakah, so he must make up for the
Rakahs he missed, if any, after the Imam
has concluded his Salat.
184
Quoting to Each Other

upon him said
He who stirs up
enmity among people by quoting

their words to each other will not
enter Paradise. [Sahih ukhari]
185
It is scary to think how casually we

do those deeds for which Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) forbids Paradise.
Jannat is an extremely beautiful and
pure place. It must not be defiled by
anything impure. Its reward must not
be tarnished by anything ugly. That is
why all such impure and dirty acts,

such as backbiting and helping
Muslims to dislike one another, must
be removed from a person before

they can enter Jannah.
186
Impurities are removed from metals

by burning in fire. Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) has given us the much easier
option of asking for llah s
forgiveness with sincerity, repentant
of the deed and determined to try our
best not to do it again. This will
remove the stain of the sin from us

and purify us so that we can go to
Paradise without needing to be
purified by Fire.
187
188
189
Password Please!

upon him said
He whose last words
are, La ilaha il llah none has the

right to be worshipped but Allah), will
enter Paradise. [bu Dawud]
190
This hadith is like a password given
away. Is it really this easy to enter the

beautiful land of everlasting happiness?
Sometimes death comes after an illness
when it is anticipated, sometimes it

comes unannounced. Regardless, a
Momin is blessed with the ability to die
on the kalima (La ilaha il Allah). This is
because a Momin has lived his/her life
on the kalima and the fact is that a
person dies on the same that he/she has
lived on.
191
A pious man was called to make dua for an old

man on his deathbed. When the man entered the
house of the dying person he was surprised to
hear loud music being played. He admonished
the relatives, Is this the time to be listening to
the instruments of the Shaitaan? Why do you not
recite the Quran and ask the dying one to recite
the kalima? ccordingly, the music was turned
off and a recording of the recitation of the Quran

played instead. On hearing the Quran, the dying
man spoke up asking for it to be turned off
saying it troubled him, and he insisted for the
female singer s cassette to be played again as it
soothed his heart. Thus, the person died
listening to what he had spent his life listening
to.
192
Quarrelsome Debaters

said
efore llah the most hated
are quarrelsome debaters.

[Bukhaari]
193
There are people whom Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) has gifted an
artful tongue to.
This prompts some of them to

exercise their expertise on all and
sundry without hesitating to sift
through what is worth saying and
what displeases Allah (subhana wa

ta ala).
194
The desire burning in their hearts is

only to score points over others.
Other people are victim to their
power of speech.
If this quality of theirs is required to

be employed in expressing religious
realities then all the beauty and
grandeur of their speech vanishes.
Such people are hated by Allah

195
196
197
Pillars of Emaan
Jibreel (alaihis salam) came in human

form and said to Messenger of Allah
pbuh
Tell me about true faith
(Emaan . The Messenger of llah

pbuh answered It is to believe in
Allah, His angels, His inspired Books,

His messengers, the Last Day, and in
destiny, its good and evil. Jibreel
(alaihis salam said
You have spoken
the truth. [Sahih Muslim]
198
Belief in Allah's Books is to believe that
the Books of Allah are His Non-created

Speech, and that they are sanctified
above being comprised of letters and
sounds and that everything that they

contain is real and true. Four books in
particular are: 1) The Tawrah given to
Musa (alaihis salam) 2) The Zabur given
to Dawud (alaihis salam) 3) The Injeel
given to Eesa (alaihis salam) 4) and the
Qur'an given to Muhammad (pbuh).
199
Belief in Allah's messengers means to
believe that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) sent

them to His creation for guidance, in
order that they would teach them how to
perfect their lives in this world and the

Hereafter. He aided them with
miraculous occurrences that proved their
truthfulness. They delivered the message
Allah revealed to them. It is obligatory to
show respect and courtesy to all of them,
and to not distinguish between them (i.e.
by saying, "We believe in this one, but we

reject this other one.") They are all under
Allah's Divine protection from sins great
and small.
200
The number of messengers Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) sent to humankind
is 124,000, and from among them we are
required to know 25:
1) Adam
9) Ishaq
17) Ayyub
2) Idrees
10) Ya'qub
18) Dhul Kifl
3) Nuh
11) Yusuf
19) Yunus
4) Hud
12) Shu'aib
20) Ilyas
5) Salih
13) Harun
21) al-Yasa
6) Ibraheem
14) Musa
22) Zakariyyah
7) Lut
15) Dawud
23) Yahya
8) Isma'il
16) Sulaiman
24) Eesa
25) Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam)
201
The Muslim should also know that our
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a

Qurayshi Arab, the seal of the prophets
and messengers, that he was born in
Makkah, that he migrated to alMadinah, that he died and was buried

there, and that the system of law he
brought (the Shari'ah) abrogated all
systems of law that preceded it, and
that it is valid to the Last Day.
202
Readying for Death
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us that

there was a group from the Bani Israel who
went to visit a graveyard. There they said,
How about if we pray two rakahs and ask

Allah to resurrect someone, so we can ask him
about death. So they prayed two rakahs and
asked Allah to resurrect one of the dead. A
dark man was resurrected, who had the sign
of sujood (prostrations) on his forehead. He
said, What do you want from me? I died one
hundred years ago and the pain of death only
just stopped at this moment. Pray to Allah
and ask him to return me to as I was. [bu
Daud]
203
There are three lessons to learn from

this hadith:
1. The pain of death is severe and it
lasts for a long time. We should pray
to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to make
it easy for us.
204
2. The value of shahada. One of the

many honors that Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) will give a shaheed is that
his/her pain of death would feel no
more then the sting of a mosquito. We
should pray to Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) for shahada. The Sahaba
always had the desire to die as

shaheed.
205
3. The importance of thinking about

death. These men of Bani Israel went
to the graveyard to contemplate
death. We are living in a dream and
we only wake up when we die. Hasan
al-Basri said I have never seen
something so certain but people treat
as doubtful, as death. There is no

doubt that every one of us will die.
We should think about our death and
prepare for it, so that we may have a

good end.
206
207
208
Presenting Oneself in the Kings

Court

llah has made five prayers obligatory
whoever performs their ablution well and
prays them in their time, completing the
bowing, the humility, and the awe that is
due in them, has entered a solemn pact
with Allah to forgive him. And whoever
does not, has no pact with Allah: should
he want, He will forgive him, and should
He want, He will torment him. [bu
Dawud]
209
Prayer is llah s call, the invitation from
the King of kings to attend His court.

Whoever responds to the invitation,
having made themselves presentable
with ablution and clean clothes,

presents themselves at the invited time,
fulfills the etiquettes of courtly
behavior, and adopts the fitting
demeanour, will be entitled to llah s
Mercy and Forgiveness.
210
Would anyone ignore an invitation from
a generous, powerful, kind, and

beneficent president? Whoever does so,
not considering it worthy of his time,
has no reason to be considered worthy

of the president s time or favors.
Thus, the case of whoever does not
pray, i.e. does not present himself in

llah s court, is for llah subhana wa
ta ala) to decide.
211
Rewarded In All Cases
The Messenger of llah pbuh said man

(from amongst the people before you) said:
Indeed! I will give in charity. So he took his
Sadaqah out and (unknowingly) placed it in

the hand of a thief. In the morning people
talked about this incident and said Sadaqah
was given to a thief last night. The man said
O llah! Praise be to You. I have given
Sadaqah to a thief. Indeed, I will give in
charity! So he took his Sadaqah out and he
placed it (unknowingly) in a prostitute's hand.
In the morning people talked (about this
incident and said Sadaqah was given to a
prostitute last night. On hearing this, the
man said:
212
Rewarded In ll Cases
Praise be to You, O llah! I gave Sadaqah to a
prostitute. Indeed, I will give in charity! So he
took his Sadaqah out and placed it in a rich
man's hand. In the morning people talked (about

this incident and said Sadaqah was given to a
rich man last night. The man said O llah!
Praise be to You (for helping me) give charity to
a thief, a prostitute and a rich man. Then he had
a dream in which he was told that his Sadaqah to
the thief might result in his refraining from his
theft, his Sadaqah to the prostitute might help

her abstain from her immorality, and his
Sadaqah to the rich man might help him pay
heed and spend from what Allah had bestowed
upon him. [Sahih ukhari]
213
What we learn from this hadith is that

if the intention of the person giving
something in charity is good, it will
be accepted and rewarded by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) even though it
may have been given to an
undeserving person. This shows
llah s generosity towards us and His

love for us. However, one should try
to have one s Sadaqah reach
deserving, pious people.
214
215
216
People of the Fire

upon him said
Shall I inform you
about the people of the (Hell) Fire?

They comprise every cruel, violent,
proud and conceited person. [Sahih
Bukhari]
217
This hadith warns us against adopting
any of these characteristics: cruelty,

violence, pride and conceit. There could
be nothing worse than ending up in
Jahannum so we must purge ourselves

of the characteristics that take one there.
218
Ridicule
On the authority of al-Hasan (radi Allahu

anhu), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
gate of paradise will open to one of those
who mock people and a cry will be heard,
Come here, come here, and he will come
forward in concern and anxiety, but when he
reaches it, it will close in front of him. And
this will happen again and again, until the
gate will open and the cry Come here, come
here, will be heard as before, but he will not
approach because he knows it will only close
in front of him. [Ibn Abi Dunya]
219
Ridiculing others is forbidden in

Islam. Imam Nahlawi says: Ridicule
entails showing disdain, sarcasm, or
contempt for another in a way that
causes laughter, whether by
mimicking another's words or
actions, by a gesture or by allusion.
[Quoted in Umdat us Salik/ Reliance

of the Traveller]
220
Sarcasm that offends the person

ridiculed is unlawful because of the
insult and disdain involved, such as
by laughing at his way of speaking,
what he does, how he looks, or his
physique because of a defect therein.
To laugh at any of these is to commit
ridicule that is unlawful. [Reliance of

the Traveller (A Classic Manual of
Islamic Sacred Law) by Ahmad ibn
Naqib al-Misri]
221
Allah the Exalted says, O you who
believe: let not some men deride

others who might well be better
than them; and let not some
women ridicule others who might
well be better than they. Do not
belittle one another or insult one
another with nicknames. [lQuran 49:11]
222
In our society, it is considered cute to

hurt people's feelings and respond to
them with sarcasm. This tone is
evident everywhere, and is especially
prevalent in popular entertainment.
The Islamic demeanor is the opposite
of this. Even with people we dislike,
we are still supposed to observe

adaab: good manners, respect, and
kindness.
223
224
225
People of the Garden

Shall I not inform you about the
people of Jannah? They comprise

every obscure, unimportant, humble
person, and if he takes llah s Oath
that he will do that thing, Allah will

fulfill his oath by doing that . [Sahih
Bukhari]
226
A poor laborer who has Eeman (true faith in

Allah) is much luckier than the Presidents
and Prime Ministers of the world who do not
acknowledge llah s supremacy by word or
deed. The laborer who lives on dry bread and
sleeps under a tree, with no social security,
medical coverage or insurance is far better off
than rich kings whose final destiny is the
Fire. The characteristic of the people of
Paradise is that they are humble and do not
seek fame and glory in this world. They
mostly die unknown among men, but having
fulfilled their covenant with Allah (subhana
wa ta ala). Their high status and special rank
will be known to all on the Day of Judgment.

227
Refusal to Wed

upon him said
He who is able to
marry but still does not is not one

of us. [Kanz-ul-Ammaal]
228
It is also reported from the Prophet

(pbuh) in Marfu form that Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) has cursed those
men who say, We will not marry.
nd similarly, may llah s curse be
on those women who say, We will
not marry. [Kanz-ul-Ammaal]
229
To marry is a command from Allah

(subhana wa ta ala . He is lHakeem The Most Wise. Thus,
marriage is an institution in the best
interests of both men and women.

Those who think that they are better off
without the hassles of married life are,
obviously, devoid of trust in llah s
wisdom. Such people do not have their
sights set on the rewards of the
Akhirah, nor are they aware of the
short-term benefits of married life.
Even if they get by in their youth they
live to regret their decisions in old age,
or worse yet, in their grave.
230
231
232
Praying for Blessing on the

Prophet (pbuh)

upon him said
There is no slave
who prays for blessing on me but that

the angels pray on him as long as he
prays on me. So let the slave do a little

or a lot of it. [hmed]
233
him) is so beloved to Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) that He has ordered angels to
pray for blessings on every person who
prays for blessings on him (peace be

upon him).
As long as you are engaged in asking
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to bless

Muhammad (peace be upon him),
angels remain engaged in asking Allah
to bless you.
short form of this Dua is to say: Sal

Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam.
234
Realize Who It Is From

upon him said
No blessing is
bestowed on a slave and he realizes

that it is from Allah, but the reward
of giving gratitude for it is written
for him. [Uddat as-Sabirin wa
Dhakhirat ash-Shakirin; by Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah]
235
What are the etiquettes of love required

for Allah and His beloved Messenger?
If you have ever been in love, recall what

it was like to receive anything from your
beloved. Recall what it was like to pass

by the place where your beloved lived.
The dust of the beloved s street was more
valuable than gold in our eyes!
But that love was misplaced! The

emotion Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
created primarily for Himself, we didn t
give even secondarily to Him! We
wasted it on earthlings, on those who
couldn t return a fraction of the love
Allah lavishes on me!

236
We thought they were beautiful, because we

hadn t seen llah s beauty! Ignorant fools
that we were!
When our state was to cherish even the most

ordinary things coming from the beloved
how should we value the gifts of Allah?
Matches are made by the decision of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala). Therefore, the Gracious
Hand of Divine Fate has endowed me the
wife that is in my home. Thus, nothing can
compare to this Divinely granted gift!
Women should think likewise about their

husbands. Children should think likewise
about the blessings Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
chose to grant them in the form of their
parents. And parents should think likewise
about their children.
237
238
239
Providing for Widows and

Orphans

The one who looks after a widow and
a poor person is like the Mujahid in
the cause of Allah, or like the one who
fasts all the day and stands (in prayer)
all the night. [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
240
Taking care of the needs of weak or
poverty-stricken people is like

constantly remaining in a state of
worship. There are levels of worship
and different acts are rewarded

differently. Providing for widows and
orphans, who are very vulnerable
members of society, has been likened to
fasting during the day and staying up
during the nights in prayer.
241
Suppose you provide the meals for a
widow and her young orphaned

children for a week. While you eat
during the day and sleep comfortably
during the night, Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) will reward you for fasting that
entire week and staying up all night
long in prayer for every one of its
nights.
This hadith also likens the person who

takes care of widows, orphans, or needy
people, to the person engaged in Jihad
fee Sabeel Allah.
242
Regret Necessary

upon him said
Sincere regret on
sins is repentance. [Minhaj ul

Abideen by Imam Ghazzali]
243
The correcting of wrongs begins with

the recognition that one has
committed a wrong. Thus, in order
for repentance to be valid, it must
involve sincere regret for the deed
done. If this is felt then only will the
person try to make it up to the person
whom one wronged. And only if

regret is felt will the person try hard
not to commit the offensive deed
again.
244
If regret is not felt and repentance is

not offered then a person will not be
able to devote himself to worship. If
he is compelled to worship he does it
with difficulty and hesitation. Such
worship neither contains sweetness,
nor freedom from sins. Thus the first
need for repentance is to save oneself

from being deprived of the virtue of
worship.
245
A second reason for repentance is that

by virtue of repentance, worship and
obedience find access to the Divine
Court of Allah. A creditor does not
accept from his debtor presents and
gifts, because the creditor desires
repayment of the amount due by the
debtor. In the same way, if a person

presents to Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
the gift of worship without
repentance which is a right due to

Allah the gift of worship will not be
accepted by Him.
246
247
248
Perfection of Faith

Whoever gives for the sake of llah,
withholds for the sake of Allah, loves

for the sake of Allah, hates for the sake
of Allah, and marries for the sake of
Allah, he has indeed perfected his

faith. [Jami at-Tirmidhi]
249
The question to ask myself is:
m I doing this whatever it is

because I want to do it, or because Allah
(subhana wa ta ala wants me to do it?
250
If what I want to do coincides with what
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) wants me to

do, then I am indeed lucky because it is
then easy for me to do the right thing.
If what I want to do is different from

what Allah (subhana wa ta ala) would
like to see me do, and I put aside my
desires to do what pleases Allah, then I

am even luckier. I have given preference
to Allah (subhana wa ta ala) over
myself. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is
Most Appreciative Ash-Shukoor. He
will handsomely reward what I do for
Him.
251
When I love someone I honor his
friends and dislike his enemies. I give

what he would like me to give and
withhold what he wouldn t want me to
part with. This is the love I should feel

for Allah (subhana wa ta ala), my
greatest well-wisher and benefactor, the
One who loves me more than my
parents, spouse, children or anyone else
does.
252
It is perhaps hardest to tie the knot of
marriage keeping llah s

recommendations in mind. It is very
difficult in such matters to put aside my
own desires and marry for the sake of

Allah.
I will know that my Eeman is perfect
and complete when my love and hatred

are both for Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
253
Sinning Publicly

upon him said
ll of my ummah
are apt to be forgiven, except for

those who commit sins openly.
[Bukhari]
254
When a person commits a crime in

public, justice demands that the
criminal be punished. The purpose of
punishment is that it acts as a
deterrent. If a criminal is not
punished, it provides an incentive to
all would be criminals to go ahead.
255
Similarly, so long as a sin is known only

to the sinner and Allah, Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) may forgive it. But when sin is
committed publicly, the punishment
becomes incumbent on the sinner.

Sinning publicly shows a person's
insensitivity towards the enormity of
what they are doing. Seeing sins taking
place in public, also desensitizes other
people to the sin, taking them one step
closer to doing it themsleves. This is
why, even if we are to find out about

immoral activities happening, we should
not broadcast them, for to do so would
further spread evil in society.
256
257
258
Physical Forms of Surahs

Read the Quran, for it will come
forth on the Day of Resurrection as an

intercessor for its companions. Read
the two shining ones Surah alBaqarah and Surah Aal-e-Imran, for
they will come forth looking like two
clouds or two patches of mist, or like
two flocks of birds spreading their
wings, defending their companions.
[Mishkaat al-Masabeeh]
259
Many texts indicate that deeds will be
brought forth on the Day of

Resurrection in a form which is known
best to Allah (subhana wa ta ala). For
example, the Quran will come forth on
the Day of Resurrection as an
intercessor for those who read and
acted upon it. Surah al-Baqarah and
Surah Aal-e-Imran will come forth
looking like two clouds or two patches
of mist, or like two flocks of birds
spreading their wings, defending those

who read and acted upon them.
So, do read the Quran, think about it,

and live your life by it.
260
Sulaimans Decision
The Messenger of llah pbuh said, There were two

women, each had her child with her. A wolf came and
took away the child of one of them. One woman said to
her companion The wolf has taken your son. The
other said It has taken your son. So both of them took
the dispute to Prophet Dawud (David) (alaihis salam)
who judged that the boy should be given to the older
lady. Then they went to Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon)
(alaihis salam), son of Dawud, and put the case before
him. Prophet Sulaiman said Give me a knife so that I
may cut the child into two and give one half to each of
you. The younger woman said Do not do so may
llah bless you! He is her child. On that Prophet
Sulaiman decided the case in favour of the younger
woman. [Sahih ukhari]
261
Prophet Sulaiman (alaihis salam)

uncovered the truth of the case by the
wisdom and understanding of human
psychology that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) had bestowed upon him. The

difference between him and modern
Muslims is that he credited his
intelligence and abilities to Allah

(subhana wa ta ala): A modern Muslim
shouts in glee and jumps for joy when
they do extraordinarily well, and they
arrogantly receive congratulations as
though they are responsible for their
accomplishments.
262
Sulaiman (alaihis salam), as a pious

Muslim, always thanked Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) for conferring on
him the special abilities that he had.
He understood that even if he were
able to exercise his God-given talents,
that too was a favor from Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). How many are

the gifted individuals who are not
allowed by circumstance to achieve
anything much therewith.
263
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) had bestowed

upon Sulaiman (alaihis salam) many
miracles, including the ability to
understand the language of birds and
animals, a unique favour not given to

any before or after him. Sulaiman
(alaihis salam) would not only show
gratitude to Allah (subhana wa ta ala) for
His special grace to him, but also used it
to promote llah s Deen: Whereas our
attitude is to cash whatever ability Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) has blessed us with

right here and now. In our short
sightedness we don t even try to use it to
secure our everlasting future.
264
We would do well to adopt this dua

of Sulaiman (alaihis salam)
mentioned in the Quran: My Lord!
Inspire and bestow upon me the

power and ability that I may be
grateful for Your Favors which You
have bestowed on me and on my
parents, and that I may do
righteous good deeds that will
please You, and admit me by Your
Mercy among Your righteous
slaves. [Surah
-19]
265
266
267
Protection from Wealth and

Poverty

upon him taught us this Dua
Allah! I seek Your protection from the

trial of wealth and I seek Your
protection from the trial of poverty.

[Bukhaari]
268
In this supplication we ask Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) to protect us from

the trials of both excessive wealth and
excessive need.
Wealth in itself is not bad. Rather, it is a

blessing from Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
for the person who is able to fulfill its
dues and spend it in the way prescribed

by Him. It was through his excessive
spending in the Path of Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) that Uthman (may Allah be
pleased with him) was able to earn for
himself the rank and station that he did.
269
In the same way, if poverty is
accompanied by patience, sufficiency

and gratitude (Sabr and Shukr) then this
is also a great blessing from Allah
(subhana wa ta ala). This is what the
Prophet (peace be upon him) chose for
himself and his family members and
extolled the virtues of poverty and
those in poverty.
If wealth and prosperity result in pride

and arrogance taking over a person s
attitude and the person does not spend

his possessions according to the will of
Allah (subhana wa ta ala), then he is like
Qaroon and his destination is Hell.
270
Similarly, if a person afflicted with
poverty does not display patience, and

due to this deficiency becomes
disobedient to Allah (subhana wa
ta ala), then this is a punishment from

Allah.
Thus, in this Dua we seek protection
from any condition that brings on us
llah s wrath.
271
Surah Kahaf
Abu Sa eed Al Khudri (radi Allahu anhu) says

that llah s Messenger pbuh said Whoever
reads Surah Kahaf, on the Day of Reckoning he
will have noor (light) from his place until
Makkah; and whoever reads the last ten verses
of Surah Kahaf and Dajjal comes out, will not
be harmed by Dajjal; and whoever makes
Wudhu then says, Subhanakallaa humma wa
bi Hamdika, Ashhadu an laa Ilaaha illa anta,
Astaghfiruka wa Atubu ilaik, these words will

be written on a piece of paper and thereafter
sealed up, and this seal will not be broken until
the Day of Reckoning. [Nasaai]

272
This hadith tells us of two of the virtues

of Surah Kahaf. One is that the people
who recite it will have light with them
on the Day of Resurrection, while those
without light will be in pitch darkness.
The other advantage is of reciting the last

ten ayaat of Surah Kahaf. A variant of
this hadith in Sahih Muslim states that it
is the first ten ayaat that protect against

the Dajjal. Should a person acquaint
himself or herself with what llah s
Messenger (pbuh) warned regarding the
evil of the Dajjal, he or she would not fail
to make a habit of reciting these ayaat
daily to save themselves from the fitnah
of Dajjal.
273
When Allah (subhana wa ta ala) informs
us of the virtues of certain parts of the

Quran, He is drawing our attention to
them for a reason. Therefore, all of us
should acquaint ourselves with the
meaning of what we recite, so that our
repeated recitation isn t just a vocal
exercise, but also a reminder of the
content of that part of the Quran.
Although recitation of the Quran even

without understanding (the meaning) is
meritorious; only if we understand what

we read can we reap the much greater
reward of purifying our eeman and
applying the teachings of the Quran to
our lives.
274
275
276
Seek Refuge from the

Punishment of the Grave

upon him said "Seek llah s
protection from the punishment of
the grave, since the punishment of
the grave is a fact." [Tabaraani]
277
On another occasion, the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) admonished the Sahabah saying, "Seek

refuge with Allah from the torment of Hell." They
said, "We seek refuge with Allah from the torment
of Hell." He said, "Seek refuge with Allah from the
torment of the grave." They said, "We seek refuge
with Allah from the torment of the grave." He
warned, "Seek refuge with Allah from temptations
both visible and invisible." They replied, "We seek

refuge with Allah from temptations (fitnah) in
every visible and invisible form." Then he added,
"Seek refuge with Allah from the temptation of the
Dajjal." They said, "We seek refuge with Allah
from the temptation of the Dajjal." [Sahih Muslim]
A dua to the same effect is said after the last
tashahhud of the prayer.

278
The punishment of the grave is

compensation for a person s sins in
the world. We should always seek
refuge with Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
from the trial of the grave as the
Prophet (pbuh) did. Reciting Surat-ulMulk at night also protects from
punishment of the grave, inshaAllah.
279
Sitting Posture to Avoid
Ash-Shareed bin Suwaid (radi

Allahu anhu reported The

him) passed by me when I was
sitting with my left hand behind
my back and leaning on my palm.
On seeing me in this posture he
said, Do you sit like those upon
whom the Wrath of Allah has
descended?
[bu Dawud]
280
In every prayer, at least 17 times a day, we
ask Allah (subhana wa ta ala) in Surah Fatiha,

ghairil maghdhubi alaihim wa ladhaaleen /
do not make us like those on whom Your
Wrath descended, nor like those who went
astray i.e. the Jews and Christians.
Surprisingly we contradict ourselves on this

all the time -- celebrating Valentines,
anniversaries, birthdays, Halloween,

Mother s Day, Father s Day, Basant, Dewali,
Mehndi, Mayoun, and innumerable other
events like them. We copy their fashions,
mannerisms, and even weddings and

funerals, while we have been prohibited from
copying their example. We take pride in
imitating them and think it necessary or
cool!
281
We see in this hadith that copying the

mannerisms, style and behavior of the
Kuffar is so dangerous that the Prophet
(pbuh) forbade the Sahabah from even
sitting like them.
Suppose an employee broke all the rules of

the organization, flagrantly challenged the
authorities to do what they may and ended
up getting fired. Won t the other employees

take a lesson from his behavior and its
result? Would it be sensible for them to
imitate the fired employee? Then why is it
that we don t understand this when we

imitate the Bani Israil whom Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) has cursed as a result of their
disobedience and insolence?
282
Polish Your Heart

Temptations are presented to the heart, one by
one. Any heart that accepts them will be left
with a black stain, but any heart that rejects
them will be left with a mark of purity, so that
hearts are of two types: a dark heart that has
turned away and become like an overturned
vessel, and a pure heart that will never be
harmed by temptation for as long as the earth
and the heavens exist. The dark heart only

recognizes good and denounces evil when this
suits its desires and whims. [Muslim, Kitab
al-Iman]
283
Acts of obedience are essential to the
well being of the heart of the servant of

Allah, just in the same way that food
and drink are to that of the body. All
wrong actions are the same as
poisonous foods, and they inevitably
harm the heart.
The well being of the servant of llah s

heart, however, is far more important
than that of his body, for while the well
being of his body enables him to lead a
life that is free from illnesses in this

world, that of the heart ensures him
both a fortunate life in this world and
eternal bliss in the next.
284
Giving in to temptations and
disobeying Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

poison the heart and cause its sickness
and ruin. Like an overturned bowl
cannot hold any water in it, an

overturned heart cannot hold any Iman
in it.
Refusing temptations, on the other

hand, polish and illuminate the heart,
filling it with Iman and making it more
beloved to Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
285
286
287
288
289
Poisoned Arrows
The glance is a poisoned arrow of
Shaitaan. Whoever lowers his gaze for
Allah, He will bestow upon him a
refreshing sweetness which he will find
in his heart on the day that he meets
Him. [hmad, l-Musnad]
The unrestrained glance results in the one
who looks becoming attracted to what he

sees, and in the imprinting of an image of
what he sees in his heart. This can result in
several kinds of corruption in the heart of
the servant of Allah.

Shaitaan enters with the glance, for he
travels with it, faster than the wind blowing
through an empty place. He makes what is
seen appear more beautiful than it really is,

and transforms it into an idol for the heart
to worship. Then he promises it false
rewards, lights the fire of desires within it,
and fuels it with the wood of forbidden

actions, which the servant of Allah would
not have committed had it not been for this
distorted image.
4
It has been said that between the eye and
the heart is an immediate connection; if the

eyes are corrupted, then the heart follows. It
becomes like a rubbish heap where all the
dirt and filth and rottenness collect, and so
there is no room for love for Allah, relating
all matters to Him, awareness of being in
His presence, and feeling joy at His
proximity only the opposite of these

things can inhabit such a heart. The Prophet
pbuh said The glance is a poisoned
arrow of Shaitaan. Whoever lowers his gaze
for Allah, He will bestow upon him a
refreshing sweetness which he will find in
his heart on the day that he meets Him.
[Ahmad, Al-Musnad]
Sharing Domestic Work

said, "Helping wives (in their
domestic work) earns (men) the
reward of charity." [Kanz-ul-Amaal]
The Prophet's example teaches us to care
for women by sharing their domestic

chores. Narrated Al-Aswad (radi Allahu
anhu): "I asked Aisha (radi Allahu anha),
'What did the Prophet (pbuh) do at home?'
She said, 'He used to work for his family
and when he heard the call for the prayer,
he would go out.'" [Sahih Bukhari]
Instead of the wife or husband complaining

about housework, each should know that it
earns reward/hasanaat for them. Therefore,
there is no harm in doing whatever one has
to. We should try to keep the reward in
mind to cheerfully get on with our married
lives.
7
Purity is Half of Faith

him said: Purity cleanliness is half
the faith. [Muslim]
10
For the most important and fundamental pillar
of Islam, five daily prayers, Allah has prescribed

cleanliness of the body, cleanliness of the dress
and cleanliness of the place of worship as
preconditions.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has ordained in the
Quran that the purpose of the commands to
acquire cleanliness or purity before every prayer
by taking a bath or performing Wudhu is
llah s desire to keep us clean and pure for
which we should be grateful to Him. llah by
giving the commands in respect of Ghusl and
Wudhu) does not wish to place you in difficulty,

but to make you clean and complete His favor
upon you, so that you may be grateful. [Quran:
Surah Al-Maida, Ayat 6]
11
It was because of these Islamic
injunctions that to care for cleanliness

was associated with Islam and Muslims.
To take a bath was considered by
Christians to be such a sinful act that

when Pope Innocent IV passed the
verdict in 1250 AD against Frederick II,
King of Sicily and Germany, of being a

heathen, the first on his list of
accusations was that he took a bath daily
like Muslims.
12
Bathing was considered both sinful and
dangerous for one s health for many

centuries in Europe. People either
forwent bathing altogether or restricted
their hygienic arrangements to washing

hands, parts of the face, and rinsing their
mouths. Washing one s entire face was
believed to cause catarrh and weaken
the eyesight.
13
Member of the upper classes took full
body baths a few times a year, however,

King Louis XIV of France and Queen
Isabel I of Spain are reported to have
bathed only twice in their entire lives. As

one Russian ambassador to France noted
His Majesty [King Louis XIV] stunk
like a wild animal. Russians were not
so finicky about bathing and tended to
bathe once a month. Because of this,
they were considered perverts by many
Europeans.
14
King Louis XIV stench came from the fact
that his physicians advised him to bathe as

infrequently as possible to maintain good
health. He also stated that he found the act
of bathing disturbing. Queen Isabel I of
Spain confessed that she had taken a bath
only twice in her lifetime, when she was
first born and when she got married.
A daughter of one of the French kings died

of lice. Dysentery and scab caused fatal
terminations to Popes Clement V and
Clement VII correspondingly. Duke Norfolk

neglected bathing for religious reasons. As a
result of such disregard numerous abscesses
dotted his body.
15
Pope Sixtus IV considered every
Christian who took a bath daily to be a

heathen (Muslim). To punish the
heathens, the Pope established a
religious court in 1478 AD that executed

2000 people in the first year alone by
burning them alive and convicted and
sentenced 17,000 to imprisonment and
fines. [History of the Conflict between
Religion and Science, by John William
Draper]
16
When the Islamic State came to an end
in Spain, King Philip II in 1598 closed

down all public baths as they revived
memories of Islam. He also removed the
Governor of Isabel on the ground that he

washed his face and hands daily.
[Favours of Islam on Europe]
17
Surah Yaseen
him) said, "Whoever recites Surah
Yaseen in the night seeking Allah's

pleasure, Allah will forgive him."
[Ibn Hibban, Darimi, Tabarani,
Baihaqi]
him) also told us that whoever
recites Surah Yaseen in the morning
will have all his/her needs taken care
of for that day. [Mishkat]
What is so special about Surah

Yaseen?
This surah warned the Quraish of the
consequences of not believing in the
prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh)

and of resisting and opposing his
message with tyranny, ridicule and
mockery. The aspect of warning is

dominant in this surah but arguments
are also given for the correct
understanding that people need to
have. Arguments are given for three
things:
19
(1) For Tauhid -- from the signs in the

universe and from common sense;
(2) For the Hereafter -- from the signs in
the universe, from common sense,
and from man's own existence;
(3) For the prophethood of Muhammad
(pbuh) -- from the fact that he was
facing all kinds of hardships in

preaching the message of Islam,
gaining nothing personally, and from
this that whatever he was inviting

the people to was in their own
interest.
20

"Surah Yaseen is the heart of the
Quran." [Abu Daud, Nasai] It has
been called the throbbing heart of the
Quran because it presents the message

of the Quran in a most forceful
manner, so that hearts are shaken up,
inertness shattered, and those that

have any capacity for accepting the
truth left in them, not remain
unmoved.
21
22
23
Qada wa Qadar
him) said: "True faith is to believe in
Allah, His angels, His Books, His

Messengers, the Last Day, and in
divine destiny (qada wa qadar), its
good and its evil." [Sahih Bukhari]
24
Belief in certain circumstances of life
being predetermined, is belief in divine

destiny. Which parents I was born to,
how long I will live, where I will die and
what provisions/rizq I will receive

during the various stages of my life;
these were written in the Preserved
Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) long before
my birth. Belief in qada wa qadar
produces contentment and saves one
from depression and despair. This is due
to the conviction that:
25
1. Allah has put me in this world
temporarily for a test and all of my

good and bad circumstances are part of
the test.
2. The test is about my performance in

given circumstances, not about how
good or bad my circumstances are.
Regardless of what circumstances I

encounter, I must exhaust my efforts to
live by Allah's Deen.
3. My success depends on the effort and
sincerity I put in, not on the material
results they appear to produce.
26
4. Real success is attaining the pleasure of
Allah (subhana wa ta ala), not results in

this world. Whether my efforts bear any
visible result or not, I must continue on
my course steadfastly.
5. Whatever hardships, tests, trials and
sufferings I endure during my servitude
to Him are all part of His plan for my
ultimate success. Enduring them with
contentment, without complaint, and
without being disheartened, is part of
my job as His slave that I am doing for

His pleasure.
The result of belief in qada wa qadar is
tranquility of the soul.
27
Silence when Speech is

Better
upon him said: When you see my

Community too intimidated by an
oppressor to tell him, You are a
tyrant, then you may as well say
goodbye to them. [hmad]
This hadith tells us that the group of

Muslims too scared to even call a
tyrant a tyrant is soon to be destroyed.
When llah s punishment descends
on wicked people the only way to be

saved is to be from among those who
enjoin good and prevent wrong, as
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says in the

Quran: So, when they forgot what
they were reminded of, We saved
those who would forbid what was

bad. [Surah l-Araf: 165]
29
Some of the Salaf said The one who

is silent about the truth is a silent
devil, while the one who speaks
falsehood is a speaking devil. Thus
the person who fasts, prays, and is a

zahid, but does not speak the truth
and proclaim the command of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) is similar to

Shaitaan.
30
Thus, it is crucial not only to stay away
from sin oneself but also to speak out

against it. Everybody would like to be
loved by all, and the fear of people s
displeasure makes us stay quiet when
llah s commands are violated, llah s
friends are killed, and llah s wrath is
invited.
Umar bin Abdul Aziz (the fifth rightly

guided khalifa said general and
widespread punishment does not afflict
the masses due to the sins of certain
people. However, when sin becomes

rampant and no one attempts to forbid it,
then all and sundry are swept up in the
wake of llah's punishment.
31
32
33
Questions, Five.
him) said, "The two feet of the son of
Adam will not move from near his

Lord on the Day of Judgment 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]
34
So there is no escape from being questioned
about:
1. Your life - how you spent it. Was it in
righteousness and piety or in sin and
transgression? Was it a life, devoted to Allah

and His Prophet? Or was it a life, that was
just chasing the dunya? Was it a life, that was
just, doing everything else what everybody

else is doing? Was it a life, that the People of
Hell-fire are leading? What type of life were
they leading? So: your life. In other words,
your resuma for this life, is gonna be asked
about on the Day of Judgment.
35
2. Your youth - how you spent it. Was it in
acts of obedience or acts of disobedience

to Allah? Did they use it up, to study
about their religion, to study the Qur aan,
and to get closer to Allah, and to do the

things they had to do, to help the Cause
of Islam? Or did they waste it in partying,
and talking on the phone, and backbiting,

and dancing, and listening to songs
How did they use up their youth? What
did they do? This is going to be asked on

the Day of Judgment. How did they use
up their youth?
36
3. Your wealth - how you acquired it. Was
it from honest, halaal means? Or was it

from harmful, haraam means? How d
you make your money?
37
4. Your Wealth- Where did you spend it.
Did you give others their rights in it your relatives, the needy, the orphans, the
mujahideen... or did you squander it on
yourself alone? Did you spend it in going

to various entertainment places, did you
spend it on videogames? Where did you
spend your money? Or did you spend it
in the Masjid? Did you spend it in Islamic
Education? Did you spend it in building
a high school? Did you spend it in
helping the homeless, and the orphans?

Did you spend it in helping those who
didn t have enough? How did you spend
your money?
38
5. Your knowledge - how you acted upon it. How
much of your knowledge of llah s Deen did

you put into practice? Did you study Islam to
live by its teachings or did you acquire
knowledge of the Quran and hadith to appear
knowledgeable with it or gather wealth with it?
In other words, all the knowledge you learned
in a lecture or in a Halaqah, or in a Friday
Khutbah, or whenever anybody spoke Did
you just stash it away in some dark recesses of
their mind? And you just got a temporary high
out of it? Or did you go, and say, I am going to
take this seriously, I m going to practice it, I m
going to go forward with it. Did you practice
what you learned, or did you just store it away,
somewhere?
39
These things we seldom think about or
question ourselves over. Allah (subhana

wa ta ala) has promised us our
sustenance, but not promised us
forgiveness. Yet we fret over the

acquisition of wealth but not over
acquiring llah s forgiveness. Doomed is
the person who does not question
himself, but waits to be questioned!
40
Sleeping in a State of Wudu

upon him said: Purify these bodies
of yours and Allah will purify you.

There is no slave who spends the
night in a state of purity but that an
angel remains close to him. He does

not pass an hour of the night
without saying, O llah, forgive
your slave. He spent the night in a

state of purity.
Awsat]
[Tabarani in Al-
Trying to stay in a state of purity is a

reason to have an additional angel be
especially appointed to work for you.
That angel is ordered to stay at your
side and continually ask for your

forgiveness. So immense is the good
that comes out of Islam! So simple and
beneficial are the ways in which to

increase our reward!
42
43
44
Qareens Two Always With

You
There is no one among you but there
has been appointed for him a Qareen
(companion) from among the Jinn and
a Qareen from among the angels.

They said: You too, O Messenger of
llah? He said: Me too, but llah
helped me against him and he has

become Muslim, and he does not tell
me to do anything but good. [Muslim]
45
Every human being is accompanied by
several of llah s creation. We are

accompanied by many angels, and we
can increase or decrease their numbers
with our deeds. Alternatively, we can

allow Jinn Shayateen to flock with us or
chase them away.
This hadith tells us about the Qareens
that accompany each of us from birth to
death. There are two Qareens for each
person. One is a Jinn who incites us to
do evil, while the other Qareen is an
angel who helps us to do good.
46
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says in the Quran:
nd whosoever turns away blindly from

the remembrance of the Most Gracious
[Allah], We appoint for him Shaytaan to be
a Qareen to him. [ :
This Ayat further guides us in what we can

do to overcome the whisperings and
incitement of the bad Jinn Qareen. It tells us
that remembering Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
and taking guidance from His Book the
Quran is what is needed to stay in control
over the Jinn Qareen. The one who turns

away from the remembrance (and
obedience) of Allah is controlled by the
Shaytaan.
47
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has appointed
one angel for each person just to offset

the dirty work of the Jinn Qareen. It is
now up to me, who I allow to influence
me the Jinn or the angel.
48
Stopping a Wrongdoer
upon him said: There is no people
among whom acts of disobedience

are done, and they are able to change
them but they do not do so, but soon
llah will punish them all. [Sunan
Abu Dawud]
Ibn Abi ad-Dunya reported from

Wahb bin Munabbih that he said:
When Dawud made a mistake, he
said My Lord, Forgive me! So, llah
said I have forgiven you and placed

your sin on the Children of Israil.
Dawud asked Why, O Lord? How
can this be when You are the Just who

oppresses nobody? I fall into error
and You place the sin on others? He
said When you did this error, they
didn't criticize you for it.
50
In today s world of liberalism it is not

acceptable to use revelation (Wahy)
from Allah (subhana wa ta ala) as the
basis to tell people that what they are
doing is wrong. One may only

suggest based on humanly conceived
standards of acceptable behavior. One
is not allowed to infringe on another s

freedom to define good and bad for
themselves and live according to their
self-defined standards of right and
wrong.
51
However, Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

has granted freedom in only one of
two places. You may have it either in
this world, or in the Hereafter. If you
live according to llah s standards in

this world, then you are free to live as
you please in the next. But if you insist
on living as you please in this world

then there is no freedom for you in the
next world, in which death provides
no relief.
52
We are required to try to prevent

people from committing acts
displeasing to Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). If we are not able to do so then
we should at least warn them of the

consequences. If we don t have the
courage to do even that, then we
should try to put as much distance as

we can between us and them, so that
when llah s punishment comes on
them it doesn t encompass us in it.
53
54
55
Quran s Each Letter Worth Ten

Hasanaat
him said: Whoever reads one letter of
the Book of Allah, will have one
Hasanah for it, and each Hasanah will
be rewarded tenfold. I do not say that

Alif-Laam-Meem is one letter: Alif is
a letter, Laam is a letter, and Meem is a
letter. [Tirmidhi]
56
SubhanAllah! Is any book comparable to
the Quran in blessing? Thinking about

and investigating its meanings and
acting on its guidance is even more
rewardable than reading it is!

To not act on the commands and
prohibitions of the Quran is to deprive
oneself of its real benefit. It can be

likened to reading a cookbook all one s
life, memorizing it recipes, but never
making a single dish from it!
57
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has kept even
the simple reading of the Quran as

highly rewardable, as he/she who reads
it has a greater chance of some day
wanting to understand what they re

reading and trying it out.
58
Sincerity and Insincerity

A man once came to the Prophet (peace
be upon him and asked, What of a
man who joined us in the fighting, his
intention being for fame and booty?
He receives nothing. The man
repeated the question three times and
each time the Prophet (peace be upon
him said, He receives nothing. Then
he peace be upon him said, llah
only accepts actions that are intended
purely for His pleasure. [n-Nisai]
Sincerity is to ensure that the intention

behind one s acts of worship and
obedience to Allah is exclusively His
pleasure. It is the freeing of one s
intentions from all impurities in order

to come nearer to Allah. It is the
perpetual contemplation of the
Creator, to the extent that one forgets

the creation.
60
Sincerity is a necessary condition for

llah s acceptance of good deeds. In
addition, the good deeds must have
been performed in accordance with
the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

There are a great many instances
where a person acts, thinking that his
actions are purely intended for llah s

pleasure, but he is deluded, for he
fails to see the defects in them.
61
It is related that a man was used to

praying in the first row in the Masjid.
One day he was late for the prayer, so
he prayed in the second row. Feeling
embarrassment when people saw him

in the second row, he realized that the
pleasure and satisfaction of the heart
that he used to gain from praying in

the first row were due to his seeing
people seeing him there and admiring
him for it.
62
Insincerity (the seeking of reward

other than llah s pleasure is a subtle
and intangible condition and actions
are rarely safe from it.
It is much harder for the people of

action to purify their intentions than it
is to execute any of their actions.
63
64
65
Questioned First About on Day of

Resurrection
The Messenger of llah pbuh said: The
first of his deeds for which a person will be
brought to account on the Day of

Resurrection will be his Salaah (prayer). If it
is good then he will succeed and prosper, and
if it is bad then he will be a loser and doomed.
If anything is lacking from his obligatory
prayers, the Lord will say, Look and see
whether my slave has any voluntary
(prayers), and use that to make up whatever
is missing from his obligatory prayers. Then
all of his deeds will be reviewed in like
manner. [Sunan an-Nasaa i]
66
The first of his duties towards Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) for which a person

will be brought to account will be his
Salaah (prayers). So guard your prayers.
67
Respect and honor your prayers as they
will be the source of your respect and

honor on the Day of Judgment. Leave
whatever you are doing as soon as their
time commences as you would leave

what you are doing on the arrival of an
honored guest and get up to pray
beautifully and dutifully.
As evidence of the esteem in which you
hold prayers, begin to get ready for
them before their time commences, in
the way that you prepare beforehand to
receive your most important guests.
68
Sharing Feelings with Allah

said: O llah! I complain to You
about the weakness of my strength

and the lack of my ability. [lHaythami; Majma az-Zawa id]
There are three kinds of perseverance

(Sabr): perseverance in completing
acts of worship and being obedient,
perseverance in refraining from
forbidden actions and being

disobedient; and perseverance in the
face of destiny so that the servant does
not become angry in times of

adversity.
70
When afflicted by disaster it is permissible
to complain to Allah (subhana wa ta ala) as

when Prophet Yaqub (alaihis salam) said:
I only reveal my distress and sorrow to
llah. [
] To share one s grief and
worries with Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is

not inconsistent with perseverance. But it is
not permissible to complain about affliction
by objecting to its nature and character.

One day, a righteous man saw someone
complaining to his brother, so he said to
him, y llah what you are really doing
is complaining about the One Who is
merciful to you, as you complain to one
who has no mercy of his own to give to
you.
71
72
73
Questioning Versus
Presentation of Account
The Messenger of llah pbuh said: No one
will be called to account on the Day of
Resurrection but he will be doomed. isha may

llah be pleased with her asked: O Messenger
of Allah, does not Allah say, Then as for him
who will be given his Record in his right
hand, he surely will receive an easy
Reckoning.
[Surah Inshiqaaq: Ayat 7-8]
The Messenger of llah pbuh said: That is

only the presentation of the account, but no one
will have his account questioned on the Day of
Resurrection but he will be doomed. [Bukhaari]
74
On the Day of Judgment each person will be
given his Book containing a complete record of

the deeds which he did in life. The ways in
which people will be given these Records will
vary. The believer will be given his Book in his
right hand, and from the front. His reckoning
will be easy, which means the presentation of
his account will be easy.
The presentation is the presentation of the

believer s sins to him, so that he may appreciate
the extent of llah s blessings upon him when
He forgives them for him. He will not be
questioned in detail or harshly. Allah will

forgive him his sins and he will then return to
his family in joy knowing that he is one of the
people of Paradise.
75
As for the Kaafir (disbeliever), Munaafiq
(hypocrite) and people of misguidance,

they will be given their Books in their
left hands and from behind their backs.
At that point they will raise their voices

with cries of woe, praying for their own
annihilation.
76
Strand of Hair Approach

upon him said: The best of affairs
is that which is far from both
extremes. [l-Bayhaqi]
Muawiyah was once asked, How did

you manage to be a governor for twenty
years and then a Caliph for twenty
years? He replied, I placed a strand of
hair between myself and the people. I

would hold it from one end and they
would hold it from the other. If they
pulled it from their end, I would loosen it
from mine so that the strand of hair
would not break. If they loosened it from
their end, I would pull on it from mine.
If both partners in a couple are stubborn,

then they cannot live together in
happiness. Similarly, two stubborn
people can never be friends for long.
78
A fire is not put out by fire, it will only

increase the flames. Similarly,
coldness cannot be removed with
coldness. So, don t deal with a
stubborn person by using

stubbornness, it will only result in
fireworks. Remember Muawiyah s
strand of hair approach to deal

effectively with people. Keep your
behavior moderate and flexible while,
at all times, within the bounds of
Shariah.
79
80
81
Quran Only Approach is Wrong

There will come a time, when a man
sitting upon his couch is mentioned a

hadith and he replies, etween us and
you is the Book of Allah, the Mighty and
Majestic, so what we find in it to be
lawful we take as lawful and what we
find in it to be forbidden we take to be
forbidden. Indeed, what the Messenger
of Allah has forbidden is like what Allah
has forbidden. [hmad]
82
Unfortunately we see this in our time,
that people reject well known tenets and

rulings of Islam saying that they are (in
the hadith and) not in the Quran, while
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says in the

Quran: nd whatever the Messenger
gives you, take it, and whatever he
forbids you from, abstain (from it).

And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is severe
in punishment. [Surah l-Hashr,
Ayat 7]
83
If you hear a man criticizing the ahadith,
not accepting them or rejecting any of

the ahadith from the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh), doubt his Islam. He is indeed
attacking the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)

and his Companions, since we have only
come to know of Allah (subhana wa
ta ala), His Messenger (pbuh), the
Quran, what is good and bad, and of
this world and the Hereafter through the
ahadith. [ Explanation of the Creed by
Imam Al-Barbahaaree]
84
Self-Centred or Allah-Centred
Aisha (radi Allahu anha said: The
him) never sought revenge for

himself.He was never harmed in
regards to his person that he ever
sought revenge from the one who
harmed him, unless if one of llah s
sanctities were violated, in which
case, llah would avenge him.
[Muslim]
What is the difference between anger

for your own sake and anger for
llah s sake?
Suppose one of your relatives asks
you for some money. You have
graciously always helped your
relative but this time you are not in a
position to help him. Your relative

gets offended and tells everybody
how stingy and selfish you are and
how you don t care for your relatives.
86
What do you do? How angry would

you be? You may start bad mouthing
him and back biting about him in
return; how ungrateful he is and how
he wastes his money and then asks

from others. You tell all about the
many favors you have done him, and
how he has forgotten about them.

Such behavior on your part would
ruin the reward of all the good deeds
you have done, it would even accrue

bad deeds onto your record, while
bearing his harmful tongue would
have increased your good deeds.
87
But the point to consider here is how you

would have reacted had it been Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) who had been
insulted by this relative. llah s favors
pour unceasingly on us everyday. If

despite this, the relative had said, I pray
five times a day and do all that Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) has commanded, yet
He still does not enrich me like He has
enriched so-and-so, would you have
gotten as angry for llah s honor being
attacked, His wisdom and sincerity being

questioned, and His favors being
overlooked, as you did for your own
sake?
88
89
90
Reason to Forgive
him said: He who does not show
mercy to people, Allah also does not

show mercy to him. [ukhari]
91
When we want to be mean to somebody
or punish them, we are able to give

ourselves a hundred justifications for it.
This hadith gives us one huge
compelling reason to put our anger and

meanness aside, and practice
forgiveness and gentleness instead. No
one can do without Allah's mercy, so
don't shut the door of goodness on
yourself by being petty with others. It's
not worth it!
92
Saved from Seeing Hell

upon him said: There are three
kinds of men whose eyes will not see

Hell-Fire. One, the eye which is
busy watching the enemy during
Jihad in the path of Allah; second,
the eye which cries with the fear of
Allah; and third, the eye which is
held from looking at what Allah has
forbidden. [Majma uz-Zawaaid]
To safeguard one s eyes and to exert

effort to control one s desires Nafs) is
a good deed with a high reward. The
Prophet (pbuh) informed us that the
eye which refrains from looking at

what Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has
forbidden (non-Mahrams) will be
saved from the horrifying sight of

Hell.
94
95
96
Recipe for Love

Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "If Allah loves
someone He calls (angel) Jibreel and says: 'I
love so-and-so, so you love him.' Jibreel loves
him and calls the other angels in Heaven to
love that person. They love him, then his love is
made upon earth, and he becomes loved.
"And if Allah hates someone He calls Jibreel
and says: 'I hate so-and-so, so you hate him.'
Jibreel hates him and calls the angels in Heaven
and says: Allah hates so-and-so, so you all hate
him. They all hate him, and his hatred is made
upon earth and he becomes hated." [Sahih
Muslim]
97
People do all sorts of things to get others
to love them. All the love you need is to

be found in obeying Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). Do actions sincerely to win
Allah's love, and love from humans will

also be yours!
98
Shaitaan's High Expectations

upon him said: Desires and sins
sway hearts; and Shaitaan has high

expectations of the eye which is
raised to look at a non-Mahram.
[Baihaqi]
To create a virtuous society and to

protect it from sexual anarchy, the
Shariah, among other things, has
commanded safeguarding one s eyes
and not looking at non-Mahram

women/men.
This is because the eyes serve as a
messenger. Not guarding the eyes is

the first sign of moral decay and the
first step to adultery.
Shaitaan knows that he can expect

many bad things to follow after a man
or woman look at a non-Mahram.
100
101
102
Reward of One Hundred Rakahs

for One Ayat
O bu Dharr! If you learn one verse
from The Book of Allah (The Quran),
it is better for you than to voluntarily
pray one hundred rakahs; and if you
learn a category of knowledge
(religion), regardless if it is applied or
not, it is better for you than to

voluntarily pray one thousand
rakahs. [Sunan Ibn Majah]
103
The reason that acquiring religious
knowledge has so much superiority over

praying nafl rakahs is because of the
potential of much greater benefit to oneself
and society as a result of knowledge of the

Deen. The rules Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)
has set out for mankind are for our worldly
benefit, as well as for earning everlasting
happiness and perfection that can only be
enjoyed in the Akhirah. Even if a person
does not initially translate their knowledge
of right and wrong into action, the
possibility exists that they may do so. On
the other hand, without guidance one
wanders around blindly.
104
We can start earning the reward of a
hundred nafl rakahs daily by learning

one ayat, its meaning and implications,
every day. Similarly, we can hope for
great reward from Allah (subhana wa

ta'ala) for acquainting ourselves with
ahadith, one of the two major sources of
Islam.
105
The Beautifier
upon him said: The thing which
has obscenity will be spoilt by it and
the thing which has modesty will be
beautified by it. [Tirmidhi]
In this hadith Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) tells us the secret to appearing
truly beautiful. We especially need to
be reminded of this hadith in current
times when modesty is attacked as a

lack of confidence and vulgarity is
praised as boldness. SubhanAllah,
truly values are inverted as the Day of

Judgement approaches.
107
108
109
Reliance like Birds

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) say, 'If you were to rely upon

Allah with the reliance He is due, you
would be given provision like the birds:
They go out hungry in the morning

and come back with full bellies in the
evening.'" [Ibn Majah - graded hasan,
Tirmidhi]
110
The reliance of birds is that they do not
store their livelihood. They have full

trust that as Allah provided them with
their food today, He will surely grant
their food tomorrow as well.

Reliance does not mean that the lawful
means of earning a livelihood should be
abandoned. Even birds have to leave

their nests in search of their meal, and
they get their food after some effort. So a
Muslim should also seek his earnings
through lawful means, but not be
greedy.
111
There is so much good that Shaytan prevents us
from doing by scaring us with poverty and

making us hoard. Shaytan tells us that no matter
how much we have it is not enough, we need to
hoard whatever we have. It is true that regardless
of how much we have, it will not be enough to
maintain a particular lifestyle, should the
circumstances of our lives change sufficiently.
What we forget is that Allah gave us whatever we

accumulate. We did not snatch it from Him. Allah
lovingly gave it to us. And He is the One who
will give to us later as well. On the other hand, if
Allah destines calamity after calamity to befall us,
God Forbid, then no amount of savings will
help.
112
Most people who have stopped
themselves from giving, die without that

wealth having been of any use to them.
Keep a modest amount for your family's
needs and spend generously in the path

of Allah. Know that it is Allah who is
saving you from the calamities of which
you are afraid and for which you are
preparing. Hoarding is not the way to
save yourself. The Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) told us that the giving of sadaqah
is what keeps calamities away.
113
The Reward of Fasting

Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) narrated
that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
Every deed of the son of dam will be
multiplied, a Hasanah will be multiplied to

ten its like, up to seven hundred times.
Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said:
Except fasting. It is for Me and I shall

reward for it. He gives up his desires and
his food for my sake. The fasting person
will have two moments of joy: Joy when he
breaks his fast, and joy when he meets his
Lord. And indeed the smell of his mouth is
better to llah than the fragrance of musk.
[The Book of Fasting: Sahih Muslim]
The act of fasting is so beloved to

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) that the
reward He has reserved for it is
beyond telling. Normal good deeds
are rewarded ten to seven hundred

times, but Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
just leaves us to guess how much
more it is that He will reward us for

fasting for His sake!
115
116
117
Reward of Ramadhan
him) said: "Whoever fasts Ramadhan
out of faith and in the hope of reward,

he will be forgiven his previous sins."
[Sunan an-Nasai - graded sahih]
118
This is a great incentive to fast in
Ramadhan seeking the pleasure of Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) and His reward.
119
The Superiority of the Night of

Qadr
Narrated Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu
anhu) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
Whoever observed Saum (fast) in the

month of Ramadhan with sincere faith
and hoping for a reward from Allah, then
all his past sins will be forgiven, and

whoever stood for the Salat (prayers) in
the night of Qadr with sincere faith and
hoping for a reward from Allah, then all
his past sins will be forgiven. [#
4:
The Book of Superiority of the Night of

Qadr: Sahih Bukhari]
The excellence of the night of al-Qadr

is such that Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
chose this particular night to send the
Quran down. Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) discusses the value of this night

in Surat al Qadr of the Quran and
describes it as better than a thousand
months. A thousand months is a little

over 83 years. Thus if one worships
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) properly
and sincerely in this one night, they
can hope for the reward of having
worshipped for 83 years more than
the lifetime of many people!
121
122
123
Really Deprived
him said: The blessed month has
come to you. Allah has made fasting

during it obligatory upon you. During
it, the gates to Paradise are opened and
the gates to Hellfire are locked, and the

devils are chained. There is a night
(during this month) which is better
than a thousand months. Whoever is
deprived of its good is really deprived
of something great . [hmad]
124
Ramadhan is the month in which Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) pours down His

forgiveness and reward for good deeds.
How much we gather depends on us.
If it is raining and you want to collect

rain water how much you collect will
depend on how many and which
utensils you put out. If you keep a plate

in the rain, you ll catch a little of it. If
you put a bucket out you ll collect a lot
more water. And if you put all your
buckets, bowls, glasses, pots and pans
and tubs out, you ll collect the most that
you can.
125
Similarly, in Ramadan, Allah is pouring
His Rehma, Mercy, Forgiveness, and

Recompense for good deeds from the
sky. Do we want to spend Ramadan
sleeping away or collecting through as

many good deeds as we can? Would we
be as casual about it, if instead of llah s
Rahma and Maghfirah it were raining
$100 notes from the sky?
What Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is
offering is much better.
126
The Obligatory Prayers

said: "Between a man and
polytheism (shirk) and unbelief
(kufr) is the non-performance of the
prayer." [Sahih Muslim]
This hadith indicates the importance

of the five daily obligatory prayers. It
describes the performance of the
prayer as the line of demarcation
between a believer and an unbeliever.

While the importance of the
obligatory prayers cannot be stressed
enough, and not performing them is a

major sin, nevertheless, missing the
prayers does not take one out of
Islam.
128
The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Allah has

made five prayers obligatory:
whoever performs their ablution well
and prays them in their time,
completing the bowing, the humility,

and the awe that is due in them, has
entered a solemn pact with Allah to
forgive him. And whoever does not,

has no pact with Allah: should He
want, He will forgive him, and should
He want, He will torment him." [Abu
Dawud]
129
The evidence from this hadith is that

the case of someone who does not
pray is up to Allah's considered
choice, meaning that Allah could
choose not to torment him, while it is

necesasarily established that
unbelievers will be tormented and
enter Hell. This indicates that

someone who neglects to pray is not
an unbeliever. However, he could still
enter Jahannum as punishment for his
sins and after his purification he may
then enter Jannat.
130
To conclude, praying is highly

rewarded by Allah, as Allah's
forgiveness which one receives as a
result of praying, entails the entering
of Jannat, and this is priceless. Not

praying is a major sin, which brings
one close to disbelief. Nevertheless, so
long as someone accepts that it is an

obligation to pray, not praying does
not necessarily take them out of the
fold of Islam.
131
132
133
Repeating Carelessly
him said: It is lying enough for a
man to repeat everything he hears.

[Sahih Muslim]
134
We need to be very guarded with our
tongues. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says:
Pursue not that of which you have

no knowledge. The hearing, the
eyesight, the heart: all will be asked

about. [Quran
] Every word that
we utter is noted down by the angels
with us. Try to visualize this before

carelessly repeating whatever you hear.
Better still; be guarded about what you
hear to give yourself less material to

carelessly repeat!
135
Jalal-ad-Deen Muhammad Balkhi, known
commonly as Rumi, made a point with

the following story: Once upon a time a
Sufi by the name of Shareef stopped by a
Khanqah to get some rest. He tied his

donkey up and gave him plenty of grass
and water to eat and drink and left him to
rest. Then he went inside. The other Sufis
living in the Khanqah, since they did not
work, had gone without food for the past
three days. When they saw the donkey
they designed an evil plan. They decided

to sell the donkey off and with the money
buy themselves a delicious meal.
136
The Khanqah was lit with many lamps and
it was announced that there would be a

dinner party that night followed by a
Qawwali session. They made preparations
for the party, all the while doing their best
to please Sufi Shareef, the owner of the
donkey. Sufi Shareef began to feel special
and joined in with the festivities unaware
that his donkey had been sold. They all

had a delicious meal together. After that,
the Qawwali session began and the
Khanqah became full of dust as the people
in a state of great excitement thumped
their feet hard on the ground, clapping and
singing at the same time.
137
When the music and dance ceremony
reached its peak, the Qawwal said a

verse loudly and everybody ecstatically
repeated it in chorus The donkey has
departed, the donkey has departed, the

donkey has departed. Sufi Shareef was
one of those who was excitedly
repeating the verse and enjoying himself
with everyone else.
138
By dawn the people had calmed down,
and soon the Khanqah became empty.

Sufi Shareef also decided to pack up and
set off. When he came for his donkey, he
saw to his surprise that it wasn t there.

He held the caretaker of the Khanqah
responsible who admitted to what had
happened
What could I do? They were
four and I was one! They beat me and

took the donkey away.
139
ut at least you could have informed me! Now
that they have all left, who am I going to take to

the Qazi for justice? said Sufi Shareef. Hearing
this, the caretaker said that he had indeed come
inside many a time to inform him regarding what
had happened; but whenever he came in he saw
Sufi Shareef excitedly shouting the phrase, The
donkey has departed. So the caretaker did not
say anything to him thinking that Sufi Shareef

must be aware of what had happened and had
come to terms with it. Sufi Shareef replied
sorrowfully that the others had been singing the
verse so beautifully that he was simply imitating
them without understanding what they were
saying.
140
Imitating others statements without
thought could lead to great loss.
141
The Prayer of Dawud

upon him) said: "The most beloved
fasting to Allah, the Mighty and

Sublime, is the fast of Dawud (alaihis
salam). He used to fast one day and
not the next. And the most beloved

prayer to Allah, the Mighty and
Sublime, is the prayer of Dawud
(alaihis salam). He used to sleep half

the night, stand for one third of it (in
prayer), and sleep for one-sixth of it."
[Jami at-Tirmidhi - sahih hadith]
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) likes

moderation in prayer and fasting. He
wants us to pray and fast in such a
manner that we do not go to extremes
in it. In Islam one s body has rights on

oneself, relatives and society have
rights on a person, and family life is
highly valued. What Christian monks
enforced on themselves in the third
century and what was adopted a
century later by the Christian clergy as
piety, was not at all what Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) had asked them to
do nor was He pleased with it.
143
Saint Macarius, for instance, would always carry 80

pounds of iron on his back, slept in marsh for two
months and kept his body naked to be bitten by
poisonous bees. His disciple Saint Eusebius kept a
weight of 150 pounds on his back and slept for three
years in a dry well. Saint Sabinus would only eat that
corn that had rotted after having been soaked in water
for thirty days. Saint Besarion didn t allow his back to
touch the ground for forty years. Saint John stood in
worship for three years without sitting or lieing down,
only allowing himself to lean against a rock for rest.
Saint Simeon Stylites had a 20 feet high pillar with a 3
feet wide bowl on top built for himself, to which he
confined himself for thirty years. His disciples would
take food to him and remove his filth. Then he tied
himself with rope till the rope got buried in his flesh and
his flesh rotted. When worms would come out of his
wounds he would put them back in and tell them to
144
partake of what God had provided them with.
Similar were the extremes that the

Christian monks and clergy went to in
cutting themselves off from their
families. Marriage was looked down
upon and spouses and children

abandoned when one turned to a
religious life. Later marriage was
banned altogether and even relations

with one s mother, father, sisters and
brothers, not to mention other
relatives, had to be brutally severed.
145
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) does not consider
any of this piety. He clearly defined it for us

in Islam and made Muhammad (pbuh) set
the highest example of a noble and Godfearing life for us.
This hadith also gives us a glimpse into the
miracle of Muhammad (pbuh). If you add a
half and a third and a sixth, the total comes
out to one whole. Most educated people

won't think of this instinctively, yet
Muhammad (pbuh), who was illiterate and
had never been through any schooling, gave
this exact mathematical division in this

hadith. This is another small proof that
ahadith were revealed to Muhammad (pbuh)
from Allah (subhana wa ta'ala).
146
147
148
Roses or Thorns
him said: Keep away from ill-
thinking, because ill-thinking is the

greatest falsehood. [Sahih ukhari]
149
A person thinks of others as they are
themselves. A man was on his way to the

Masjid to pray Tahajjud when he saw a
man coming from the direction of the
Masjid. He thought, Oh, that pious man

beat me to Tahajjud. I must have missed
the prayer! The other man was not
returning from the Masjid but was
actually a robber on his way to rob a
house. When he saw the man going to
the Masjid he thought, Look at that
smart aleck robber returning from the
house that I planned to rob!
150
Evil deeds start with evil thoughts. For
example, when you first mistrust your

spouse, then you invite yourself and
others to provide you with reasons.
Once you ve proved it to yourself,

your behavior towards him/her reflects
your low opinion, and negatively
influences their behavior towards you.
Your ill-thinking becomes a selffulfilling prophecy. You can only fight
with someone if you have first come to
the conclusion that the person has
wronged you.
151
When you want to love someone, you
must not think about the negative

aspects of their personality but focus on
the positive ones. Think about and list
all their qualities and you will realize
that they are not as bad as you initially
thought. Bear in mind that there is no
end to finding fault with a person,
regardless of who it is.
Whether you prefer to look at the color,
shape, or fragrance of the rose or instead
focus on the sharpness of the thorns, is a

matter of your own choice. Think
positive thoughts and see how this
affects your relationships.
152
The Cruel Woman

Abdullah bin Umar (radi Allahu anhu)
narrated that Allah's Messenger (peace
be upon him said: woman was

tortured and was put in Hell because of
a cat which she had kept locked till it
died of hunger. llah's Messenger

further said, llah said to the
woman , You neither fed it nor gave it
water when you locked it up, nor did

you set it free to eat the insects of the
earth.
[Sahih ukhari]
This hadith teaches us that showing

mercy to animals is obligatory. If
animals or birds are caged then those
who keep them must be very
particular about feeding them and

taking care of their needs. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) has not created
insects and vermin without reason,

and the cat could have fed itself had it
not been locked up. It was hard
heartedness in the extreme to kill a cat
in such a manner. This cruelty landed
the woman in Hell.
154
Mercy, benevolence and compassion

are the attributes of the Ar-Rahman
and Ar-Raheem (the Most Merciful
Allah). When they are found in a slave
of Allah (subhana wa ta ala) he/she

becomes nearer to Him. In contrast,
hard heartedness, brutality and
cruelty are attributes of Shaytaan and

tend to take their owner to the Fire of
Hell.
155
156
157
Relieved or Relieving
funeral procession passed by llah s

Messenger pbuh who asked, Relieved
or relieving? The people asked, O
llah s Messenger! What is relieved and
relieving? He said, believer is
relieved (by death) from the troubles and
hardships of the world and leaves for the
Mercy of Allah (Azza wa Jal), while (the
death of) a wicked person relieves the

people, the land, the trees, (and) the
animals from his evil, wicked actions.
[Sahih Bukhari]
158
What kind of judgment will be passed
on you? Relieved or relieving?
159
The Value of Courtesy

Abu Darda (radi Allahu anhu)
reported that the Prophet (peace be
upon him said: Nothing will be

heavier on the Day of Resurrection
in the scale of the believer than good
manners. Allah hates one who utters
foul or coarse language. [Tirmidhi]
Imam Malik narrated that once Eesa

(alaihis salam) passed by a pig and
addressed it saying, Pass on
peacefully. He was asked in
astonishment, Do you talk to a pig in

this manner? He replied, I am afraid
that my tongue may get in the habit of
rude talk.
What kind of language is it our habit
to use?
161
162
163
Rudeness is in the Fire

him said: l-Haya is from faith, and
faith is in Jannah. Obscenity is from

rudeness, and rudeness is in the Fire.
[Tirmidhi]
164
Haya (bashfulness, modesty, and self-
respect) is a state of mind reflected in

one s behavior. If a person has this,
he/she feels unease and discomfort in
doing something hateful to Allah

Rudeness, crudeness, obscenity, lewd
jokes, and unpleasantness are all

impurities that belong in the Fire of
Jahannum. I should purge myself of
these traits before they have to be
cleansed from me.
165
The Last Prophet

upon him said: Messengerhood
(risalat) and prophethood

(nabuwwat) have ceased. There will
be no messenger or prophet after
me. [hmed]
A prophet (nabi) is a person who receives
revelation while a messenger (rasool) is a

prophet who is also given a scripture or
book. Thus, every messenger (rasool) is a
prophet (nabi) but not every prophet is a
messenger.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says in the Quran:
Muhammad is not the father of any man

among you, but the Messenger of Allah and
the Last of the Prophets. And Allah has
knowledge of everything. [
This ayat from the Quran is an unequivocally

decisive primary text establishing that there
will be no prophet after Muhammad (pbuh).
And since there will be no prophet (nabi), it
follows that there will be no prophetic
messenger (rasool).
167
Thus, everyone should know that

whoever claims to be either a prophet
or messenger, i.e. claims to be
receiving any revelation from Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) has disbelieved in

the Quran. The person who claims
such a rank is a lying pretender,
misled and misleading, even if he

should stage miracles and exhibit all
kinds of magic, talismans, and spells.
[Tafseer al-Quran al-Azim by Ibn
Kathir]
168
169
170
Rise As You Recite

He who recites the Quran will be told
on the Day of Judgment, Recite the
Quran now in the same clear and
distinct manner and in the same
harmonious style in which you used to
recite it with care and propriety in the
world and as a reward for the
recitation of each Ayat you shall be

elevated one degree higher and your
ultimate place is near the end of the
final Ayat. [Tirmidhi]
171
This hadith informs us of the wonderful
incentive that Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

has provided us with to memorize and
recite the Quran. The more that a person
has memorized and is used to reciting,

the higher and better will be their place
in Jannah.
It makes sense that it should be so, for
the more that a person recites of the
Quran the more will they be reminded
of their relationship with Allah, the
shortness of their sojourn on earth, and
their life in the Hereafter, and the more
they will work for it.
172
As far as possible, recite the Quran in a
clear and distinct manner. Pronounce

the letters correctly and recite with
proper style and slowly. The Prophet
(peace be upon him) used to recite each

word in a clear and distinct manner and
read each Ayat separately.
May we become one of those who avail
themselves of this tremendous incentive.
As we aim for better, fancier
neighborhoods in the world, may we not
forget the posher neighborhoods of the
everlasting Hereafter.
173
Travel to Visit Friends of

Allah
A person visited his brother (Muslim) in
another town and Allah deputed an angel to
wait for him on his way. When he came to

him he asked him, Where do you intend to
go? He said, I intend to go to my brother in
this town. He asked, Have you any right
over him (for the recompense of which you go
there ? He said, No, the purpose of the visit
is) nothing but I love him for the sake of
llah, the Glorious, the Majestic. The angel
then disclosed to him, I am a Messenger to
you from Allah (to inform you) that Allah
loves you as you love him for His sake .
[Sahih Muslim]
A believer loves for the sake of Allah and

hates for the sake of Allah. This hadith
teaches us to love those who love Allah. If
anyone is unselfish and sincere in his
love for a friend of llah s then he

becomes the beloved of his Lord. If we
love llah s friends sincerely, without any
selfish motives, then we become the
object of llah s love. Such people will
find themselves on pulpits of light on the
Day of Resurrection. The prophets
(alaihimus salam) and the Shuhada

(martyrs) will envy them for the
exceptional reception accorded to them
and for their nearness to Allah.
175
Do you know anybody personally who loves
Allah (subhana wa ta ala)?

Has anybody s love of llah inspired you to love
them?
This hadith affirms that in order to demonstrate
one s love for the sake of llah, it is proper and

rewarding to travel to meet and visit such friends
and companions.
This hadith also informs us that angels may
appear in human form. The angel had come to the
central character in this hadith in human, not
angelic, form.
What is the worth of sincerity in the sight of
Allah? This can be gauged from the fact that man
gets through the blessings of sincerity what he

cannot earn through years of effort. This man
earned the honor of the love of Allah because he
was sincere in loving those who love Him.
176
177
178
Rich Dressing Simply

llah will adorn that man with the
dress of honor and nobility who, in

spite of possessing means and power,
observes simplicity in dress out of
humility and obedience to llah.

[Abu Dawud]
179
Prior to colonization most Muslims
while well-off lived more humbly than

they do today. Even well-to-do people
found it sufficient to make only two new
outfits a year, which they would on Eid.

Display was irrelevant to the standardof-living.
180
When the education system of Muslim
populated lands was revamped, the

recognition of Allah (subhana wa ta ala),
His recommended code of conduct, and
Islamic values and processes, ceased to be
taught to the masses. Thus, later
generations took the simplicity of their
forefathers way of life as an oddity. They
didn t have the evidence from the Quran

and hadith to resist the onslaught of
materialism. So now we have
extravagance and waste in everything
from clothes, shoes, and hair accessories
to food, linen, crockery, furnishings, and
outings.
181
O Allah! Make us care only about being
dressed by You in honor and nobility

and may we cease to care about the
changing fashions and standards of the
world.
182
The Scissors of Love

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to invoke
llah in prayer saying: Allahumma inni a'udhu
bika min adhabil-qabri, wa a'udhu bika min
fitnatil-masihid-dajjal, wa a'udhu bika min
fitnatil-mahya wa fitnatil-mamati. Allahumma
inni a'udhu bika minal-ma thami wal-maghrami.
(O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the
punishment of the grave and from the afflictions of

Masih Ad-Dajjal and from the afflictions of life
and death. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from
sins and from being in debt . Somebody said to
him, Why do you so frequently seek refuge with

llah from being in debt? The Prophet pbuh
replied, person in debt tells lies whenever he
speaks, and breaks promises whenever he makes
them . [Sahih ukhari]
Those who get in the habit of living

beyond their means, on credit, end up
living with humiliation and disgrace.
When a loan is taken, it has to be
repaid. Not being able to repay it

compels a man to make promises he
knows he can t keep and tell lies to
justify not paying back the creditor. A

loan strains relationships and acts as a
sure scissor to cut the ties of love. In
the case of insistent or harsh creditors,
a person s whole life can become
deranged because of his debt.
184
Thus, where the Prophet (pbuh)

sought refuge from such great trials as
that of Dajjal, from the outcome of
one s sins, and from the afflictions of
life and death, he also sought refuge

from ever being in debt.
185
186
187
Race Not an Indicator

him said: n rab is no better than
a non-Arab. In return, a non-Arab is

no better than an Arab. A red-raced
man is not better than a black one
except in piety. Mankind are all
dam s children and dam was
created out of clay. [Bukhaari]
188
In the time of the Prophet (peace be
upon him the term red-raced referred

to those who had white skin. The fairer,
ruddy people, included the
Levantines, Persians, Turks, North

Caucasians, South Caucasians and
Europeans.
This hadith informs us that race is
llah s creation and no indicator of
llah s favour, past or future. The sooner
we free ourselves of this delusion the
better off we will be insha llah.
189
Three who will Not Enter

Paradise
upon him said: Three will not
enter Paradise: he who is
disrespectful to his parents, he who
lets his wife fornicate with another,

and women who affect masculinity.
[Hakim]
The onslaught of western culture,

primarily through cable T.V. and movies,
inculcates in children from a very early
age a disrespectful attitude towards
parents. Parents are portrayed as oldfashioned, not-with-it, and foolish.

Despite the countless favors parents
bestow on their children, they are shown
as burdens to be disposed of as soon as
possible. Save your children from this
brain-washing so that they may guard
their places in Jannah by maintaining a

respectful attitude towards their parents,
without whom their very survival would
have been at stake.
191
It has become a mark of being cultured

and civilized to flaunt one s wife to
friends, co-workers, and relatives. Other
men enjoy her company while her
husband feels no jealousy (Ghairat) for

his rights. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells
us that there is no good in such a man.
Not granted their Allah-given right to be
financially taken care of by their male
relatives, women have had to join the
work force and abandon their homes and
children. As a result, they have been

exploited in the male dominated work
force and taken to assuming masculinity
to prove as well as safeguard themselves.
192
The three traits mentioned in this hadith are
symbolic of a culture where the family

structure has broken down. Since intact
families are the basis of a psychologically
healthy society, societies are experiencing
nervous breakdowns. In the west, single
parenthood, the abuse of children, rampant
rape, shootings in schools, and psychopathic
killings have become the norm, while Muslim
societies blindly imitating western culture are
on the same path to destruction.
When society is structured on man-made
rules and norms, its breakdown becomes

inevitable. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells us
through this hadith how to safeguard the
individual, family, and society.
193
194
195
Rich will be Poor

him said: Those who have the most
will have the least on the Day of

Resurrection, except for those upon
whom Allah bestowed wealth, and they
started giving it away left and right,

front and back, and used it to do
good. [Bukhaari]
196
Those who own a lot of wealth and
worldly luxuries will have the least

reward on the Day of Resurrection,
unless they spent their wealth in llah s
Path without reserve.

Wealth and poverty are both tests from
Allah (subhana wa ta ala). Both require
patience to deal with.
197
In poverty, I must bear hunger, disease
and deprivation while restraining

myself from unlawful wealth and
ingratitude.
In wealth, I must restrain myself from

splurging on my desires and remember
that I have been chosen by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) as a channel through

whom the wealth must go to causes
delineated by Him.
198
ehold, you are those invited to

spend (of your substance) in the Way
of Allah. But among you are some
that are niggardly. But any who are
niggardly are so at the expense of
their own souls. [Quran: Surah
Muhammad, Ayat 38]
nd those saved from the

covetousness of their own souls, - it
is they, they that shall attain to a
happy state! [Quran: Surah lHashr, Ayat 9]
199
Three Leading Angels

said to Jibreel (alaihis salam : What
is Mika eel in charge of? He
replied: The plants and the rain.
[Tabarani]
Mika eel (alaihis salaam) dispenses

the rain wherever and whenever Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) commands him to.
He possesses a high position and
great honour with his Lord. He has

helpers who do everything he orders
them to by the command of his Lord.
They make the winds and clouds

move as Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
wishes.
201
Jibreel, Mika eel and Israfeel (alaihim

us-salam) are the leaders of the angels.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy
on him said These three angels are
the guardians of all life. Jibreel (alaihis

salam) is entrusted with the revelation
by which hearts and souls are brought
to life; Mika eel is entrusted with the

rain by which land, plants and
animals are brought to life; and
Israfeel is entrusted with blowing the
Trumpet by which all creatures will be
brought to life after their death.
202
203
204
Repentance and Forgiveness

him said: I swear by llah that I
supplicate for llah s forgiveness and

turn to Him in repentance more than
seventy times a day. [ukhari]
205
Al-Hasan said sk for llah s
forgiveness frequently in your homes,

at your tables, on your roads, in your
markets, at your meetings, wherever
you are. You never know when you will

be granted His forgiveness.
206
Repentance is turning away from wrong
actions with both heart and body.

Seeking forgiveness is associated with it.
Forgiveness is being shielded from the
harmful consequences of wrong actions,

and the veiling of them.
Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased
with him said llah does not inspire

seeking forgiveness in any servant
whom He wishes to punish. [The
Purification of the Soul]
207
Two-Faced
upon him said: You find that
among the worst people is someone

who is two-faced, showing one face
to some and another face to others.
[Sahih Bukhari]
Imam Nahlawi said It is seldom that a

person who visits leaders and important
people is free of spoken hypocrisy.
Spoken hypocrisy consists of saying what
contradicts one s true state. It is one of the

greatest of sins. It includes being twofaced. [Reliance of the Traveller, by
Someone told Ibn Umar radi Allahu

anhu , We visit our leaders and speak,
but when we leave, we say something
else. He replied, In the days of the

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) we considered
this hypocrisy.
[Tabarani]
209
210
211
Stay Centrally Located

llah has written for the son of dam
his inevitable share of adultery whether
he is aware of it or not: The adultery of
the eye is the looking (at something which
is sinful to look at), and the adultery of
the tongue is to utter (what it is unlawful
to utter), and the inner self wishes and
longs for (adultery) and the private parts
turn that into reality or refrain from
submitting to the temptation. [Sahih
Bukhari]
212
Immodesty, obscenity and any form of
adultery be it of the eyes, ears, tongue

or thoughts makes a hole in the heart.
Through this hole leaks out eeman. So
no matter how much you try to fill your

heart with eeman, it will constantly
flow out because of this hole. While an
inappropriate thought might occur to
anybody, as the Shaytaan is always
trying to inspire people with these, yet
it is the person who decides whether to
entertain such ideas, discussion,
temptation or turn away from them.
213
If you are on a plateau, the more centrally
you stand the safer you are. The more

you get closer to the sides, the greater is
the danger that you might fall off the
edge. Therefore, to avoid the major form

of adultery, the more we stay away from
the minor forms of it, i.e. the adultery of
the eyes, tongue, ears and thoughts, the
safer we will be. Avoid movies that
glamorize the immoral. Avoid hearing
obscene talk. If an indecent thought
occurs to you, seek refuge with Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) from the Shaytaan
and don't entertain such thoughts.
214
The Ten Near Signs
The Prophet pbuh was in a room and we

were below him. He looked out over us and
said, What are you talking about? We said,
The Hour. He said, The Hour will not
come until there have been ten signs: A
collapse of the earth in the east, a collapse of
the earth in the west, a collapse of the earth

in the Arabian Peninsula, the Smoke, AdDajjal, the Beast of the earth, Yajuj and
Majuj, the rising of the sun from its place of
setting, and a fire which will emerge from
the furthest part of Aden and drive the
people.
[Sahih Muslim]
The Hour is the Day of Judgement. This hadith

mentions nine of the ten events to occur closest to
the Day of Judgement. Another hadith mentions
the tenth sign as being the descent of Eesa ibn
Maryam (alaihis salam).
The ten signs mentioned in this hadith are the

Alamaat Qurba - the nearest signs to the Day of
Judgment. They are also known as the Alamaat
Kubra the biggest signs.
Regarding the fire that will emerge from Aden (in
Yemen); it will halt with the people when they
halt, and it will stop with them when they rest.

These ten signs are the last signs Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) will show us before the Trumpet is
blown.
216
217
218
Stung Twice
him said: believer does not allow
himself to be stung twice from one

and the same hole. [ukhari]
219
A Muslim is required to learn from his or her
mistakes, analyze their failures and if there is any

shortcoming that he can avoid repeating, then he
or she is required to avoid it. Once an individual
or group has shown evil behavior towards us, we
are not to become victims again. It is not only our
personal experience that we are required to learn
from, but the experience of the Muslim Ummah
and the guidance that we receive from Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) in recognizing our friends
and foes. Nobody knows better than Allah what
is in a creatures heart: therefore, a sensible person
will avoid harm by paying heed to the advice
from the All Knower, Allah (subhana wa ta'ala).
220
Trailing Clothes
him said: Whoever drags his
clothes (on the ground) out of pride

and arrogance, will not have Allah
look at him on the Day of
Resurrection. [Sahih ukhari]
It is forbidden to have clothes so long

that they drag on the ground behind one.
Such long trousers that they are stepped
on under one s heels come under this
category of forbidden dress.

woman s ankles are supposed to be
covered while a man s ankles are
supposed to be exposed. If a woman s
dress touches the ground because it is
long to cover her ankles, then there is
nothing wrong with that. It is the
unnecessary trailing behind that is done

for fashion s sake or to exhibit arrogance
that is not allowed. Men have no reason
to have their clothes trail on the ground.
222
223
224
SALE 100% Off!!

him said that llah said: I have
prepared for My righteous servants

what no eye has seen and no ear has
heard, nor has it occurred to human
heart. [ukhari]
225
In other words, Jannat is better than
anything you can imagine. Our human

experience does not prepare us to
imagine how wonderful it could be.
nd no soul knows what joy for

them (the inhabitants of Paradise)
has been kept hidden. [l-Quran
32:17]
226
Ever been to a sale where everything
was 100% off?

Actually you have. You bought Jannah
for practically nothing. Allah insisted on
buying our earthly lives from us in

exchange for eternal life in Paradise. He
made us and He made Jannah. He needs
neither. Then why make either?

Because He wanted US -- you and me!
227
Only when you really want something do
you insist on buying it despite its defects.

Humans are impatient, hasty, weak,
stingy and irritable, yet Allah insisted on
buying our faulty earthly lives in
exchange for infinite happiness. Our
bargain is in the Quran: God has bought
of the believers their lives and their
possessions, promising them paradise in

return a promise which in truth He has
willed upon Himself nd who could be
more faithful to his covenant than God?
Rejoice, then, in the bargain which you
have made with Him: for this, this, is the
supreme success! [l-Quran 9:111]
228
In exchange for a limited lifespan we
made a deal to get pure happiness for an

infinite amount of time. Make a ratio of
your time on earth compared to your
time in the akhira, it would be 100 years:

trillions of years. It doesn't matter how
long you live because any number when
compared to infinity (life in Jannat),
becomes zero. So we essentially got
Jannah for free. That is why the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that if a
person were to be dragged on his face

from the moment that he was born to the
time that he dies, he would consider that
insignificant on the Day of Judgment.
229
O llah, Make Your love the most
beloved thing to me of all loves, and

make my fear of you be the most fearful
thing to me of all fears. Free me of the
necessities of this world, by [granting

me] a desire to meet You. When the
eyes of the people of the world are
cooled by their worldly belongings, let
my eyes be cooled by Your worship.
230
The Angels Washed Adam

said: When dam died, the angels
washed his body with water an odd

number of times, then they buried
him in a grave with a niche (Lahd),
and said, This is the way of the sons
of dam.
[Mustadrak Al-Haakim]
The method of disposing off of the body

of the deceased is one of the many things
taught to humans by angels. When Adam
(alaihis salam) died, his children did not
know what they should do with his body,

so the angels taught them.
This hadith informs us that it is
recommended to wash the body of the
deceased with water an odd number of
times. It also tells us that it is preferable
to bury the deceased in a grave that has a
niche (Lahd) in the side of it, into which

the body is placed. This way the earth
doesn t go directly on the body when the
grave is closed.
232
233
234
Seven Hundred Times And More

The Prophet pbuh said: llah records good
and bad deeds in this way: If anyone intends
to do a good deed, but does not do it, Allah
still records it with Him as one full good
deed. If he intends a good deed and then
carries it out, Allah records it with Him as
ten to seven hundred times in reward or even
increases it many times more. If anyone
intends to do a bad deed but does not actually
do it, Allah records it with Him as one full

good deed. If he intends to do a bad deed and
does it, Allah records it with Him as only one
bad deed. [ukhari]
235
So easily does Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
reward us, that even intending to do a

good deed earns us the full reward of
having done it. This is great
encouragement to think along

constructive lines. Actually performing
the intended good deed, gets us the
reward of having done many good
deeds. Intending a bad deed will not be
punished, while abstaining from
actually doing it, earns us the reward of
a full good deed.
236
It is thus to be wondered how anyone can
doubt the love that Allah has for His

creatures! The root of mercy is love. This
method of taking account of our deeds
shows llah s extreme love for us. Suppose
your son or daughter gave you $7 for
safekeeping every week. Every time your
child would ask you for their money back,
you would return them $700 instead of $7.

Provided you could afford to do this, could
there be any reason for your doing this, other
than your extreme love for your child? This
is a little like llah s love for us, although His
love is much deeper and vaster than what we
are capable of imagining.
237
One of Allah's names is Shakoor, the One who
appreciates. Nobody can appreciate the way

Allah can, for even if the good deed or
intention is like a grain in the middle of a rock,
He will know of it. It is said that when you do
good by a person, the average person will
repay you by ten bad deeds. But when you do
something for, no matter how small it is, Allah
will know it and repay you by multiplying it
into at least ten good deeds. That is why, only
the person who does good for Allah's pleasure,
can remain committed in doing good: While
those who seek acknowledgement from people
for their deeds, can not stay committed (have
istiqamat) in doing good, because people
cannot appreciate and repay the way that Allah
appreciates and repays.
238
The Mother of the Quran

Abu Saeed Al-Mualla (radi Allahu
anhu) narrated that the Messenger of
llah pbuh said: Should I teach you
the greatest Surah in the Quran before
I go out of the Masjid? When the
Prophet (pbuh) intended to go out (of
the Masjid), I reminded him and he
said, That is Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil
alameen which is the seven
repeatedly recited Ayaat and the Grand
Quran which has been given to me.
[Sahih Bukhari]
Surah Fatiha is the Dua (prayer), in

response to which Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) has given the whole Quran.
In it we plead with Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) to show us the straight path to
Jannah, ihdinas sirat al-mustaqeem.
So Allah (subhana wa ta ala) put
floodlights on the path that leads to

Jannah. Through the Quran and
Sunnah, Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
tells us clearly what that path looks

like and what is off the path.
240
Then we specifically plead with Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) not to let us follow in the

footsteps of those who earned His anger (the
Jews) or those who went astray (the
Christians
ghairil maghzoobi ilaihim wa
ladh-dhaaleen . In response, llah subhana

wa ta ala) starts narrating to us right from
Surah Baqarah the stories of the Bani Israil
the Jews and the Christians; to show us
exactly what their misbehaviour was so we
may know precisely what to stay clear of.
There are seven Ayaat in Surah Fatiha. If one
prays only the Fard Salat, even then one

recites Surah Fatiha seventeen times a day.
This is why Surah Fatiha is referred to as the
seven, repeatedly recited, Ayaat.
241
242
243
Superiority of the Learned

him said: The superiority of the
learned over the devout worshipper is

like my superiority over the most
inferior amongst you (in good deeds).
Allah, His angels, the dwellers of the

heaven and the earth, even the ant in
its anthill and the fish (in water)
supplicate in favor of those who teach
people knowledge. [Tirmidhi]
244
An alim (learned person) here means
scholar of the Quran and Hadith, who

adheres strictly to Islam himself while
imparting his knowledge to others. Abid
(devout worshipper) is one who spends

most of his time in the worship of Allah.
The benefit of his voluntary prayer and
remembrance of Allah is restricted to his
own self, while the benefit of the
knowledge of the scholar reaches others
also. Hence, the scholar is more beloved
to Allah.
245
This hadith highlights the esteem in which
religious scholars are held by Allah, His

angels and His other creatures. If salat
is mentioned with reference to Allah, it
denotes llah's Grace with Mercy
if it is
mentioned with reference to the angels, it

denotes praying for forgiveness
and if
it is mentioned with reference to other
creatures - men, animals, etc., - then it

means prayer and supplication . Thus,
Allah graces that person with His Mercy
who teaches people beneficial knowledge,
(i.e., the knowledge of Islam); angels pray
to Allah to forgive his sins; and other
creatures pray for his well-being also.
246
The reason that Allah has put the love of
the great Imams of our Ummah in our

hearts is not only because of their
extraordinary learning but also because
they took a stand for the truth. Not only
did they spend their lives learning and
teaching Islamic knowledge for llah s
pleasure but, more importantly, did not
compromise their Islamic understanding

due to any maslaha . Imam Malik ibn
Anas, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam
Ibn Taiymiyyah, Imam Abu Hanifa and
others paid dearly for their adherence to
the truth. They did not sell out under
pressure.
247
Many scholars of this calibre are also our
contemporaries, who are paying with their lives

for standing clearly with Islam and the
Muslims, regardless of their nationality. In the
footsteps of Imam Malik ibn Anas, they do not
adopt a criminal silence. Imam Malik was
beaten until his arm dislocated from his
shoulder, but that did not make him hide the
hadith with which Muslims were rebelling
against their ruler. While the reward for a
religious scholar is so great that Allah
commands all creatures to pray for him, at the
same time being a caller to llah s Deen is a
heavy responsibility. Syed Qutb Shaheed
summed up this responsibility when he said:
Our words are meaningless until we give them
life with our blood.
248
The Culture of Islam

upon him said: Let not any one of
you fall upon his wife in the manner

a male animal suddenly jumps upon
his female partner. Let there be a
messenger to go between them.
He was then asked: What is the
messenger, O Messenger of llah?
He said: Kissing and endearing
speech. [Ihya Ulum Ud-Din by
Imam Ghazali]
Islam has a complete culture of its own.

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) teaches us
manners for every occasion and every
person. Will we not then be taught how
to conduct one of the most important

relationships in life?
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) asks us to dye
ourselves in the colour of Islam. We are to
replace the etiquettes (or lack thereof) of
our local and ethnic cultures with the
guidance of Islam.
We dye ourselves with the colouring of

Allah! For who is better in colouring
than Allah? We are to worship none but
Him. [Quran: Surah aqarah, Ayat 138]
250
251
252
Shaytaan Gone During

Ramadhan
with him) narrated that the Messenger
of llah pbuh said: When
Ramadhan comes, the gates of mercy
are opened and the gates of Hell are
shut, and the devils are put in chains.
[The Book of Fasting: Sahih Muslim]
253
The burden of Shaytaan is lifted from us
in Ramadhan and a real difference can

be felt. However, people still commit
sins during Ramadhan. This is because
year round the Shaytaan is busy training

our nafs, our lower self, to be just like
it and take over in his absence. He does
a pretty good job, how good can be
judged by the demands that our nafs
makes of us during this month! That
much sin we are ready to commit all by
ourselves, without any additional help
from Shaytaan.
254
The nafs is like a spoilt child. A spoilt child
is not dealt with by giving in to its

demands. Obeying a spoilt child only turns
him/her into a monster. This is why in the
duas of the Prophet (pbuh) he would ask
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) not to leave him
at the mercy of his nafs for even a moment.
Once Hazrat Umar saw a Sahabah (may
Allah be pleased with him) carrying a

package. He told Hazrat Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) that he had felt like
eating meat and so had gone to the market
to get some. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be

pleased with him) wonderingly asked him,
"Do you do everything that your nafs tells
you to do?"
255
The Field of Life

upon him said: Whoever is afraid
of being plundered by the enemy sets
out in the early part of the night,
and whoever sets out early reaches
his goal. Be on your guard! The
treasures of Allah are dear and
precious. Wake up! The treasure of

llah is the Garden. [at-Tirmidhi;
Sifat al-Qiyyama]
This hadith tells us that if we hope to

get some of llah s treasure the
Garden of Paradise - then we should
be making some effort for it.
This world is like land which is

cultivated for its fruits in the next
world: that the heart is like the earth,
that belief is like the seeds, and that

acts of obedience are like ploughing
up the soil and clearing it for planting
and digging channels to bring water

to it.
257
The heart which is in love with this

world is like barren earth in which
seeds cannot sprout. The Day of
Resurrection is like the day of the
harvest, and no one reaps what he did

not sow. No seed other than the seed
of belief can grow, and belief rarely
brings forth any fruit if the heart is

rotten and lacking morality.
In the same way that seeds do not
sprout in barren earth, so a servant s

hope for llah s forgiveness can be
compared to the hope of a farmer:
258
If anyone searches for fertile soil, sows it with
good healthy seeds, supplies it with what it

needs when it needs it, pulls out the weeds
and anything else that might hinder or ruin
the growth of the crop, and then sits waiting
for llah s blessings in the form of His
keeping unfavorable weather and destructive
pests away until the crop has finished
growing and is ripe then his waiting can be
described as hope.
If, however, he sows the seeds in hard, barren
soil which is too high up for water to reach it,
and does nothing to care for the seedlings,

and then sits waiting for a harvest then his
waiting can only be described as folly and
stupidity, not hope.
259
If the servant sows the seeds of belief,

and waters them with obedience to
and worship of Allah, and purifies his
heart of bad elements, and then waits
for llah s blessings in the form of His

keeping him steady in that state until
his death, and then granting him an
excellent end and His forgiveness

then his waiting is truly hoping for the
best.
260
261
262
Treasures of Life for Who Don t

Want Them
upon him said: Whoever is
preoccupied with the next life, Allah
will place his wealth within his
heart, and gather his people around

him, so that life will come and offer
itself to him. [Tirmidhi; Kitab az-
Zuhud]
The special blessings of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) descend on the
person who lives in a state of
preparedness for the next life to begin.
This person s first thought is always

about llah, What will llah think of
my doing this? Will he like it? So he
preoccupies himself with doing the

actions Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has
described as beneficial.
264
Since this person is working for Allah,

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) Himself sees
to it that his worldly needs are taken
care of.
Allah saves this person from worrying

about wealth and as a result he feels
content with his blessings.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) sees to it that
the people important to him love him
and are in sync with him.
Life itself throw its treasures at his feet,
but this friend of llah s cares nothing
for them, for it is less than a shadow of
the real thing which is the next life.
265
Speaking During the Friday

Khutbah
said: "When the imam is giving the
khutbah on Friday, and you tell your
companion 'Listen,' you have made
an impertinent remark." [Sahih

Bukhari]
It is offensive to speak during the

sermon on Friday, whether it be to say
Subhan llah, the blessings on the
Prophet (peace be upon him), or to
command the right or forbid the

wrong. The reason for this prohibition
is that listening to the Friday prayer
sermon is obligatory, as it takes the

place of two of the rakahs of the noon
prayer, so things offensive during the
prayer are offensive while listening to
the sermon. [Umdat us Salik/
Reliance of the Traveller, by Ahmad
ibn Naqib al-Misri]
267
Should You Boast

"Allah has inspired to me that you are
all to be humble towards each other

such that no one transgresses against
or exalts himself above another."
[Sahih Muslim]
268
Unfortunately, the tides have so turned,
that we now consider it a mark of

confidence to boast about ourselves.
Whatever you have, is because Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala) gave it to you or

allowed you to have it; whether it is
intelligence, looks, wealth, lineage, faith,
character or anything else.
269
If someone thinks that they worked hard
and achieved by their own merit alone

what they got, they should look at all
those who also work hard but do not
reach their goals. If you studied hard

and excelled, who made it possible for
you to have the time to study? You could
have been born into a family where
children have to go to work to make
ends meet.
270
If you excel in your business, who allowed
you to accumulate the capital to begin it, or

gave you the ideas for it, or prevented
accidents from befalling it? Who gave you
the health to work for your business and
kept debilitating illness away from you?
If you pride yourself on your Islam, who
put your ruh into a child being born to a
Muslim couple? Had you been raised on

some other religion would you have come
to Islam on your own? Who has surrounded
you with angels and allowed you to resist
Shaitaan and not turn to Kufr?

Lineage or looks are even more obviously
Allah given. Therefore, there is nothing at
all for you to boast about.
271
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) says, "Do not
praise yourselves: He knows best

who is godfearing." [Al-Quran 53:32]
The only thing worthy to boast about is
taqwa. And Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)
forbids boasting about that too. There
are two reasons for this. One is that only
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) knows how

good a person really is. And only His
knowing matters. He (subhana wa ta ala)
is the one who will reward us for it.
272
The other reason we are not to boast is
that it is contrary to taqwa. A person

who has true awareness of Allah (taqwa)
is painfully aware of their own
shortcomings, their dependence on

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and the many
sins they commit knowingly and
unknowingly. Therefore, a pious person
is necessarily humble and modest and
can never be a braggart.
273
274
275
276
277
Shaitans Last and Desperate

Attempt
Verily Shaitan comes to you at all

circumstances and affairs of your life,
even at the time of eating. [Sahih
Muslim]
Shaitan makes his most desperate
attempt at the time that a person is

dying. He sees this as his last chance
and is nearer to the dying person than
ever before. He tries his best to have the

person die as a disbeliever. This is a
very intimidating moment. May Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) protect us from
falling prey to the accursed Shaitan. The
son of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
narrates the following story about his
father s death.
Death had approached the pious and
scholarly Imam, and the people around

him were saying Laa ilaaha illallaah .
Imam Ahmad went into a semi-conscious
state and repeated, Nonot yet, not
yet. This worried people around him as
they did not expect a person of his piety
to be warding death off. When Imam
Ahmad regained consciousness, his son

asked him about his statement. Imam
Ahmad replied, "Shaitan came to me and
said: 'Ahmad, you are free (meaning, I
have lost you)!'" To this, Imam Ahmad
replied No, not yet, not yet.
Imam
Ahmad meant that a person never gets
rid of Shaitan until he actually dies.
Al-Qurtubi mentions that a great number of
pious and dependable scholars are known to

have witnessed the presence of Shaitan at
death. He relates that he heard one of his own
respected teachers, Imam Abul-Abbaas Ahmad
bin Umar al-Qurtubi, say, "I visited the brother

of our teacher, sheikh Abu Jafar Muhammad
al-Qurtubi at Cordova and found him near
death. It was said to him, 'Repeat Laa ilaaha
illallaah', to which he replied, 'No! No!' When

he came to, we mentioned what had occurred.
He said, 'Two devils came to me, one on my
left and the other on my right. One of them
said, 'Die as a Jew, for verily it is the best of

religions,' while the other said, 'Die as a
Christian, for truly it is the best of religions.' So
I answered them saying, 'No! No! How dare
you say such a thing to me!'"
May Allah Mighty and Majestic save us
from loosing our foothold at this last

and crucial moment.
Tolerance is the Trait of

Prophets
him said
strong man is not one
who pushes down another, but a

strong man is one who at the time of
anger controls his Nafs. [ukhari]
Imaam Fakhruddeen Razi narrates an
incident in his Tafseer-e-Kabeer. Once,

prior to receiving prophethood, Moosa
(alaihis salam s lamb ran away from his
flock. Moosa (alaihis salam) ran behind

it for miles on end in order to catch it.
In the process he hurt his feet by
running through thorn thickets which
pierced his skin causing him to bleed
profusely. The lamb continued running
until it too was bruised and battered.
Finally, it stood at one place, breathing
heavily, unable to run anymore.
9
Moosa (alaihis salam) caught the tired
little animal and instead of being angry

at it, consoled the animal with tears
flowing from his eyes, saying, O
sheep, if you did not feel sorry for

Moosa, you should at least have pitied
yourself. Why did you put yourself
through so much trouble? efore
removing the thorns from his own feet,
Moosa (alaihis salam) first removed the
thorns from the sheep, then rubbed and
pressed its legs, lifted it up onto his
shoulders and carried it back to the
flock.
10
Imagine what we would have done to
the animal it it had caused us so much

trouble and pain. Perhaps we would
have beaten the poor animal or even
slaughtered it. But what did Moosa

(alaihis salam) do? He showed no sign
of anger, instead he showed great
mercy for the weak creation of Allah.
11
Imaam Fakhruddeen Razi writes that the
angels said to llah, O llah! This

person is worthy of becoming a prophet
because of his qualities of tolerance and
patience. O Allah! Do make him a

prophet.
This incident took place before
Moosa (alaihis salam) was given

prophethood.) Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
replied, I have already chosen him to be
My prophet.
Those for whom Allah has destined high
stages, He imbues with noble qualities
and strength of tolerance. It is not correct
to become mad with anger at the slightest
provocation.
12
13
14
Smile and be Encouraging

him said
Make things easy! nd do
not make them complicated! Be

cheerful! nd do not be repulsive.
[Sahih Bukhari]
him said
Teach and give good
tidings! Make things easy, and do not

make them hard! [hmad ibn
Hanbal]
15
These ahadith highlight the importance of
being cheerful ourselves, encouraging

others and making them optimistic. Imam
Ibn al-Qayyim said that a believer should
have two wings; one of fear and one of
good hope in Allah. If a person were
unrealistically optimistic, they would stop
working to achieve their goals, thinking
that things will come to them anyway. On

the other hand, pessimism also prevents a
person from acting, since they have no
hope and see no good in doing anything.
Therefore, as teachers we should
encourage optimism at the same time that
we discourage overconfidence.
16
The first hadith also points out that
when a person is not cheerful, they do

not possess the ability to draw other
people to them, instead, they repel them.
One of the ways to be cheerful is to

smile. The Sahabah told us that nobody
smiled more than the Prophet of Allah
(peace be upon him). This is proof
enough for us to smile.
17
Current research tells us that the
physical act of smiling releases certain

chemicals in our bodies that help us
fight disease, produce happiness, and
properly modulate sleep and appetite. In

addition, when the brain and heart
activity of volunteers was measured, it
was seen that a smile gave the same
level of stimulation that 2000 bars of
chocolate would. Smiling encourages
others to remember happy events, feel
optimistic and be motivated. So, smile to
make others more receptive to your
message.
18
The Good Deeds Shaver

The diseases of the nations before you,
malice and hatred, may also overtake
you. Remember, they are like shavers;
but they do not shave hair, rather, they
shave virtues. [Tirmidhi]
19
If somebody bothers you, do you have to
hate them? If they underestimate you,

don t show you respect, or usurp your
rights, do you have to hate them? If
somebody has plenty of what you would

love to have in life but have none of, do
you have to hate them?
No! No! No! Focus on how you can be a
better Muslim, how you can draw closer
to Allah (subhana wa ta ala), how you can
increase your remembrance of Him so
that He increases His love of you. In
other words, focus on your Akhirah so
you can be happy and have all you desire
forever. .
20
This life is only a test! All situations and
circumstances are prescribed by Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) for His beloved
slaves so that they can earn their unique
way into Jannah.

Malice is a desire to harm others or to
see others suffer; extreme ill will or
spite. Malice arises out of hatred. If you

allow yourself to feel hatred towards
others you will then try to harm them
consciously or subconsciously. Your
harming others will shave your good
deeds from your record.
21
22
23
Sponsoring a Widow
him) said: "The one who strives to
sponsor a widow or a poor person is
like the one who strives in Jihad in the
cause of Allah, the Mighty and
Sublime. [Sunan An-Nasai - graded
sahih]
24
Sponsoring a widow, taking care of her
financial needs, is a deed of supreme merit,

provided that one's objective is to earn the
pleasure of Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and
one s motive for helping is not desire for
fame, or to make another indebted to
oneself, or some other worldly gain.
We should always seek reward from Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala) alone, as nobody and

nothing else can match what Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) can give. It is worthwhile to note
here that the reward for a person
sponsoring a widow or needy person is like

the reward for a Mujahid. The reward for
Jihad is so great that no other act equals it in
merit.
25
Ulama Su
There
will appear in the end times, people who seek

the Dunya with religion. In front of the people
they wear clothes made of wool to give the

impression of their humility, their speeches are
sweeter than sugar, but their hearts are the
hearts of wolves (very fond of wealth and
position . llah says, re you fooled by Me
(the mercy and opportunities I give) or that
you dare towards Me? By My Self, I swear. I
will send down disasters from among their
own on those who turn decent people into
confusion so they are not able to get away from
it.
[Tirmidhi]
26
Indeed, the Ulama are like the stars in
the heavens. It is through their hands

that mankind obtains guidance. They
are the ones who explain the way of
guidance and the way to remain upon

that guidance. It is through them that
the Ummah understands the ways in
which evil approaches us and how to
avoid it.
27
However, after the spread of Fitnahs, Su
Ulama emerge who sell the Deen to make

their Dunya. Sometimes they are more
eloquent and their explanations more easily
accepted than those of sincere, Allah-fearing
Ulama. They present bad things in the shape
of goodness. They bootlick rulers and take
orders from indirect colonizers for the sake of
obtaining positions, ranks, influence,
appreciation and the adornments of the
world. Or they do it to deliberately oppose
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and His Prophet
(pbuh). Their trade mark is that they twist the

well known principles and teachings of Islam
to suit popular opinion. Thus, they are no
other than the Khalifahs of Shaytan or the
representatives of Dajjal.
28
The Sahabi Hudhaifah (radi Allahu anhu)
said: If you see an Alim at the door of the

ruler, his Deen is debatable. So it is not of
them [the Ulama] to take a part from their
[the rulers] Dunya, except that those rulers
will take from their [the Ulama s] Deen in
proportion.
The righteous Ulama s sacrifices are proven
in the restrictions imposed upon them, the
torture they suffer in jail, and the
hardships they have to face living in
hiding. This is not the case of the Ulama Su

whose lives are filled with comforts and
whose work is facilitated by governments.
29
30
31
Supplicating for Deceased

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah
(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"When An-Najashi died, the Prophet
(peace be upon him) said, 'Pray for
forgiveness for him.'" [Jami atTirmidhi - sahih hadith]
32
We learn from this hadith that on being
informed of a Muslim s death one should

supplicate for his/her forgiveness. When we
pray for another s forgiveness we hope that
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) will forgive us as
well.
We should also say, "We belong to Allah and
to Him we return/ inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi
rajioon." This is a reminder to us that we all
have to die one day and return to our

Creator. Keeping this in mind will allow us
to lead a successful life; a life spent trying to
earn the pleasure of Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). This wordly life is the one in which

we plant the seeds: its harvest we are to
consume in the form of Jannat or
Jahannum.
33
Urine of Shaytaan is
Laziness
Mention was made in the presence of

the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon
him) of a man who slept a whole night
until morning. He said, That is a man
in whose ear the Shaytaan has

urinated.
[Bukhaari]
34
Imaam Ibn al-Jawzi, quoting one of the Salaf,
said: I warn you against Sawfa i.e. saying I

will do because it is one of the greatest
troops of Iblees. The likeness of the one who
strives resolutely and the one who is content
with the idea that he has plenty of time is that
of a group of people who are on a journey and
enter a town. The one who is resolute goes and
buys the supplies he needs to complete his
journey and sits ready to resume his journey.
The negligent one says, I will get ready, but
probably we will stay here for a month (so I
have plenty of time . So when the call to
resume the journey comes, the one who was
prepared is happy to move on, whilst the one
who was negligent becomes very confused and
distressed.
35
This is the likeness of people in this world.
Some of them are prepared and alert, and

when the angel of death comes they feel no
regret, but the others who are deluded and
procrastinate, will feel bitter regret at the
time of departure. If it is in a person s nature
to like to procrastinate and feel that he has
plenty of time, then Iblees comes and
encourages that person to act in accordance

with his nature, so it becomes difficult for
him to strive. But the person who is
concerned about himself knows that he is in
a battlefield and that his enemy will not give
up. Although he may appear to be leaving
him alone for a while, in secret he is plotting
against him and setting a trap for him.
36
[Talbees Iblees]
37
38
Speak Up
him) said: "Let not respect for men
prevent any of you from speaking the

truth when he knows it." [Sahih
Muslim]
39
Sometimes people are silent because they
are afraid of offending somebody, when

they should be speaking up with the truth.
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has more right
that He should not be offended. When the
truth is covered up it is distasteful to Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala). Truth leads to Jannah
and falsehood and lying lead to the Fire of
Hell [Sahih Muslim]. Therefore, we should
be careful to always side with the truth and
speak it when necessary.
Nothing is as important as your character.
Know when to keep silent and when to

speak up. Know truth, understand it,
believe in it, and practice it. In the end,
nothing survives but the truth.
40
Untruths and Eemaan Don't

Mix
Momin cannot have complete faith
unless he gives up falsehood in his
jokes and debates, though in all other
matters he speaks the truth. [hmed]
41
A person is not at the highest level of
honesty till he gives us telling untruths

even in jokes and debates.
Once we rid ourselves of lying to our
children, lying in ordinary household

matters, lying to relatives, lying in
business dealings, and lying in the
workplace, we need to move on to

remove lying from our jokes and lying
to substantiate a point that may itself be
completely valid.
Eemaan does not allow a person to lie.
Lies and Eemaan don t mix.
42
43
44
Superiority of Knowledge
him) said: "Superiority of knowledge
is better than superiority in worship."
[Mishkat al-Masabih]
45
If you hire somebody and he spends the
whole day admiring you, praising you,

honoring you and commending you but
does not do his job; would you be happy
with him? Then how can you expect

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to be pleased
with your worship if you do not execute
the rest of the duties that He has placed
upon you? And how can you know what
these duties are unless you seek
knowledge from the Quran and Sunnah?
46
Unconscious with TrumpetBlast

him said
Then the Trumpet will be
blown, and no one will hear it but will

tilt his head. The first one to hear it
will be a man who will be repairing a

trough for his camels. He will fall
unconscious and the people will fall
unconscious. [Muslim]
47
This strange and wonderful universe in
which we live, filled with constant motion,

teeming with life and living things, both
visible and invisible, will remain like this
until the Day comes.
When the Day of Judgement is to
commence, the Trumpet will be blown, and
this trumpet-blast will put an end to life on
earth and in the heavens, and only Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) will remain. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) says in the Quran:
Whatsoever is on it the earth will

perish. [Surah Rahman: Ayat 26]
and Everything will perish save His
Face. [Surah Qasas: Ayat 88]
48
49
50
Settlement on the Day of

Judgment
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased
with him
llah s Messenger pbuh said,
Whoever has oppressed another person

concerning his reputation or anything else, he
should beg him to forgive him before the Day of
Resurrection when there will be no money (to
compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good
deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him
according to the oppression which he has done,
and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the
oppressed person will be loaded on him. [The
Book of Al-Mazalim: Sahih Bukhari]
51
Nothing goes unnoticed by Allah (subhana
wa ta ala), nor does He, in His infinite

Justice, let the slightest injury go
uncompensated for. Should a person settle
his account with others before his/her death
it is best for them. Otherwise, they will have
to pay with their good deeds on the Day of
Judgment.
When all of one s good deeds vanish and

accounts still have to be settled with others,
they will be settled by having the sins of the
victim put to the account of the offending

party. May Allah (subhana wa ta ala) save
us from having to pay our debts on the Day
of Judgment.
52
Useless Deeds
Aisha (radi Allahu anha asked
Messenger of Allah! During the
Jaahiliya, Ibn Jad aan used to uphold

the ties of kinship and feed the poor;
will that benefit him at all? The
him replied
It will not be of any
benefit to him, because he never said a

single day, O Lord, forgive me my
sins on the Day of Judgement.
[Muslim]
53
nd whoever seeks a religion other

than Islam, it will never be accepted
of him, and in the Hereafter he will
be one of the losers. [Quran: Surah
Aal-e-Imraan, Ayat 85]
For deeds to be considered good by

Allah, they must have been done not
only as per His instructions, but also
only for Him, seeking His pleasure and
fearing His punishment. Otherwise, the
world may consider those deeds

good but they will carry no weight
with Allah (subhanahu wa ta ala).
54
If you do good deeds for the world, the world
repays you by praising you and remembering

you by good names such as noble, generous,
kind, courageous.
If you do good deeds for yourself, your ego
repays you by making you feel good about
yourself.
If you do good deeds for llah s Pleasure, He
repays you by granting you forgiveness for

your sins and an abode in Jannah.
Suppose you employed someone, but your
employee spent all his time working for some
stranger instead of you. Would you feel like

paying his salary at the end of the month?
Then how do we expect Allah to recompense
us if it is the world, or our ego, or other people,
55
we do things for?
56
57
So Allah and the People Love Me

Sahl bin Sad As-Sai di (may Allah be
pleased with him reported man
came to the Prophet pbuh and said, O

Messenger of Allah, guide me to such an
action which if I do Allah will love me
and the people will also love me. He
pbuh said, Have no desire for this
world, Allah will love you; and have no
desire for what people possess, people
will love you.
[Ibn Majah. Al-Albani
classified this hadith as authentic.]
58
To have no desire for what people possess
means to not be envious of others. When a

person is not envious of what others have,
they feel safe with him/her and like him/her.
To have no desire for this world means to
remember that our real home and time for
enjoyment are in Jannah. When a person
has mansions and palaces in one city will he
desire to stay in a cramped, dirty, motel
room in some other city? On earth we are
only taking an exam, which we would like
to have end as soon as possible, so we can

go to our mansions and palaces where
delicious food and a life of enjoyment and
relaxation awaits us.
59
As long as we live we are in an

examination hall. Till we die we are
taking the exam of life that will qualify
us for either Jannah or Jahannum. Some
academic exams take place in 5 star
hotels, and some take place in village
school rooms. He, whose exam is in a 5
star hotel, is in comfortable conditions
but cannot afford to forget that he is
there to take an exam. If he begins to
enjoy himself in the hotel, roaming
around and entertaining himself, he will
fail his exam.
60
A king once passed by a pious person in
the market place and asked him what he

was doing. The pious man replied, I m
trying to get people to be friends with
Allah (subhana wa ta ala . The king

asked, How s it going? The man replied,
llah is willing but the people are not
willing. Some time later the king passed

by the same man in a graveyard. The king
asked him again what he was doing. The
man replied, I m trying to get the dead

people to befriend Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). Now the people are willing but
llah is not willing.
61
May we not be those lowly creatures
that cling to earthly life but those who

have the vastness of Jannah before their
eyes.
62
Unnecessary Talking
him said
The faith of a servant of
Allah) is not put right until his heart

is put right, and his heart is not put
right until his tongue is put right.
[Al-Mundhari]
63
This hadith shows that the purification
of faith is conditional upon the

purification of the heart, and the
purification of the heart is conditional
upon the purification of the tongue.

Umar ibn al-Khattab (radi Allahu anhu)
visited Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu)
and found him pulling his tongue with

his fingers. Umar (radi Allahu anhu)
said, Stop! May llah forgive you!
Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) replied,
This tongue has brought me to
dangerous places. [bu Ya la]
64
65
66
Significance of Intention
Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be
pleased with him) reported that the
Deeds
are considered by intentions, and a

person will be rewarded according to his
intention. So whoever emigrated for
Allah and His Messenger, his emigration
would be for Allah and His Messenger;
and whoever emigrated for worldly
benefits or for a woman to marry, his
emigration would be for what he
emigrated for. [Sahih ukhari]
67
According to some other ahadith, the
context of this hadith is that a person

sent a proposal of marriage to a woman
named Umm Qais, which she turned
down saying that he would have to

emigrate to Madina to marry her.
Accordingly, he did it for this specific
purpose, and the two were married
there. On account of this event, the man
came to be known among the
Companions as Muhajir Umm Qais
(emigrant for Umm Qais).
68
On the basis of this hadith, Ulama are of
the unanimous opinion that the real basis

of one s actions is Niyyah (intention) and
everyone will be rewarded or punished
according to his Niyyah. Niyyah is

founded in one s heart, that is to say that
one has to first make up one s mind for
what he intends to do. It becomes evident

from this hadith that Ikhlas (sincerity) is a
must for every good deed. In other words,
in every righteous deed one should seek

only the pleasure of Allah (subhana wa
ta ala), otherwise it will not be accepted by
Allah.
69
There are many traditions in our Religion
that should be understood collectively to

have thorough understanding of our Deen.
So in addition to the tradition you posted,
there is another tradition narrated by AlBukhari and Muslim, from the way of our
Mother Aisha (may Allah be pleased with
her) that she said that: the Prophet (pbuh)

said: Whoever innovates an action that is not
part of this matter of ours will have it rejected ,
and in the narration of Muslim it clarifies
that: Whoever just does or acts upon an
innovated action will have it rejected, even if
he was not the one that innovated it himself.
70
Al-Nawawi (may Allah be pleased with
him) said in Sharh Muslim: "What this

means is that such deeds are invalid and
do not count. This hadeeth represents an
important principle of Islam, and it is an

example of the concise speech of the
Prophet (pbuh). It is a clear rejection of
every innovation. This hadeeth should
be memorized and used to demonstrate
the invalidity of reprehensible actions
and should be propagated as evidence
against all innovations".
71
Thus our scholars based on this tradition and the one

about the intention came with two general principles:
1) The bad/insincere Intention ruins a prescribed
righteous action:
This is evident from the tradition where a Mujahid
fought and died for what he claimed to be the sake of
Allah, a Scholar taught people the Quran for what he
claimed to be the sake of Allah, and Generous man
donated generously to the poor for what he claimed to
be the sake of Allah. In the Hereafter, when they
mention there actions and intentions for Allah they
would be told that they lied and it was not for His sake,
rather it was for the sake of the people and so that they
would praise them, and such was said ... so they would
be dragged to Hell.
So notice how these prescribed righteous actions had
their reward ruined due to the bad and insincere
intention behind them
72
2) The Correct intention does not Correct
the false action:

This is evident from the above tradition,
and can be seen in the case when a
companion (Rifaa'ah ibn Rafi' -may Allah

be pleased with him) entered the Masjid
and prayed. His intention was pure and
sincere, however his prayer lacked

elements of the prayer prescribed by the
Messenger of Allah, so when he returns to
the Messenger of Allah he told him: Go

back and pray for you have not prayed.
So see how the sincere intention did not
correct the action.
73
Another example is in the case of those
who mocked the Messenger and his

companions and by doing so fell into
Kufr, yet their intention was just to joke
and play around not to commit an act of

Kufr. Yet Allah stated in the Quran that
this intention of theirs and their
apologies that followed will not benefit
them and has no effect in changing the
fact that they have fallen into Kufr.
74
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) gathered
these in a verse Surat Al-Kahf, and said

that: Whoever expects to meet his
Lord, let him work righteousness, and,
in the worship of his Lord, admit no
one as partner [l-Kahf 18:110]
75
Ibn Katheer (may Allah be please with
him)- said in his Tafseer: (So whoever

hopes for the meeting with his Lord,) i.e.,
hopes for a good reward and recompense,
(let him work righteousness) meaning, in

accordance with the prescribed laws of
Allah, (and associate none as a partner in
the worship of his Lord.) This is what is
meant by seeking the pleasure of Allah
alone with no associate or partner. These
are the two basic features of acceptable
deeds: their intent is for the sake of Allah
alone, and are done in accordance with the
way of the Messenger of Allah.
76
Visiting the Sick

him) said, "The one who visits the sick
is in fact like one who is in the fruit

garden of Paradise so long as he does
not return." [Sahih Muslim]
77
There is great merit in paying a visit to the sick,
whether one knows the patient or not. The

following is a story of how a man came to take
the shahada.
The man was in a hospital sharing a room with
a Muslim. One day some people came to visit

the Muslim. They came in, hugged the Muslim
brother, kissed him, and talked to him with
love and affection. They stayed for a while and
shared a closeness that was true. After they left,

the man asked the Muslim if those were his
brothers who had just visited him. The Muslim
replied, "No, they learned that I was sick today,
at the Friday prayer, and so they came to visit

me. I just met them today." This shocked the
man. Those people had not acted in an
awkward stranger fashion but like true
brothers.
78
This led to the man asking more
questions and finally accepting Islam.

This duty of visiting the sick was as
always blessed by Allah (subhana wa
ta ala). In addition, this time it also

served as a vehicle to guide a man to
Islam.
79
80
81
Sweet Basil Waving in the Breeze

Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him)
said
The Messenger of llah pbuh said one day
to his Companions, Who will strive hard with

sincerity for Paradise? For there is nothing like
Paradise. By the Lord of the Kabah, it is sparkling
light, sweet basil waving in the breeze, a lofty
palace, a flowing river, abundant ripe fruit, a
beautiful spouse and many fine garments, in a place
of eternal abode, in ease and luxury, in beautiful,
strongly-built, lofty houses. They said, We will
strive hard for it, O Messenger of llah. He said,

Say In sha llah if llah wills . Then he
mentioned Jihad and encouraged them to engage in
it. [Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab az-Zuhd, Bab Sifaat
al-Jannah]
82
The delights of Paradise surpass the
imagination and defy description. They

are like nothing known to the people of
this world; no matter how
technologically advanced we may

become, what we can achieve is nothing
in comparison with the beauty and joys
of the Hereafter.
83
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has reserved a
place for you in Jannah. It is up to you whether

you wish to claim it or forfeit it. Try to imagine
it, it really is there waiting for you. A home in
hills, clouds near the base of it. The weather is
beautiful all year round. A gentle, pleasant
breeze sometimes carries the scent of basil and
sometimes the sweet smell of wild red roses.
Rivers flow by your palace. The view is
breathtaking. The architecture is splendid and
to your taste. There is never any plumbing
issue nor any need for maintenance or repair. A
gorgeously good looking spouse loves you and
is the delight of your eyes. You have a never
ending life of happiness and luxury
84
Vows Nazr
forbade vowing and said, In fact,
vowing does not prevent anything, but

it makes a miser spend his property.
[Sahih Bukhari]
85
llah said, vowing does not bring to

the son of Adam anything I have not
already written in his Qadar
preordainment Through vowing I

make a miser spend of his wealth.
Examples of vows are: If a son is born
to me I will feed
poor people. Or,
If I get admission in this university I

will give so much wealth in Sadaqa.
Or, If I recover from this illness I will
sacrifice a goat for the needy.
86
Whatever good deed one vowed to do,
they should have done without vowing.

They shouldn t have made it a sort of
bargain with Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is not in need of
any of our deeds. We do good deeds for
our own benefit and we are always in need
of our own good deeds, regardless of
whether the son is born, the admission

granted, or the illness recovered from. We
will not change the course of what was
destined to happen for us by vowing
anything. By vowing, a miser is made to
spend what he/she refused to spend before,
although it would have been for his/her
own benefit.
87
88
89
Sixty Years of Age

llah will not accept the excuse of
any person whose instant of death is

delayed till he is sixty years of age.
[Sahih Bukhari]
90
When a person reaches sixty years of
age, he has no right to ask Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) for a new lease of
life to make up for his past
shortcomings, for Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) says: Did We not give you lives
long enough, so that whoever would
receive admonition could receive it?

And the warner (of Allah) came to
you [Quran 35:37]
91
Some men go abroad to earn for their
families while their families remain behind

in their home countries. These men live on
the bare minimum, work hard, and save
whatever they can so that when they are
with their families again they can enjoy it all
together.
This is what Muslims are supposed to
understand about how to live in this world.

The place of real and never-ending
enjoyment is Jannah. That is where our real
home and family is. We came to this world
to earn and save for our real home, to enjoy

with our real family. Our problem is that we
forgot about that and started living only for
this world.
92
So we remain busy in our jobs, education,
relationships, lifestyles - trying to live as

enjoyable a life as we can - all our lives
long. We don t live with the intention of
trying to save all our good stuff to enjoy
in the next life. When we retire at sixty
years of age, we wish that we didn t have
to retire, because we can think of nothing
else to do with our lives. We are only

used to earning money to spend in this
life. We are used to only thinking about
and living for this worldly existence.
Even if it is at sixty that you turn to Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) -- better late than
never.
93
Vinegar Excellent Condiment

Jabir (radi Allahu anhu said
entered the house of the Prophet (peace
be upon him) with him and there was

some bread and vinegar. The
him said, Eat what a good
condiment is vinegar.
[Sunan an-
Nasai]
94
The foods eaten by the Prophet (peace
be upon him) were simple. The focus of

his life was the Akhirah. His concern
was to obtain llah s Pleasure, and do
his best to have everyone else taste the

sweetness of Eeman too.
95
When a caring person moves from the
hot sun into pleasant shade, he/she wants

to have others also partake of this relief.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was
sent by Allah (subhana wa ta ala) as a

mercy for all mankind. Thus, no one has
wanted more than him to bring others
into the shade of llah s mercy. Hence,
his life revolved around trying to share
the goodness of Islam with others, rather
than elaborate meals and menus.
Vinegar has been praised in this hadith as

something good. From this hadith we
also learn that bread and vinegar is a
meal.
96
97
98
Sins Like Sea Forgiven

him said
Whoever says, Subhan
Allahi wa bi hamdihi one hundred

times, his sins will be forgiven even if
they were like the foam of the sea.
[Sunan Ibn Majah]
99
Subhan Allahi wa bi hamdihi means
that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is pure of

defects and praise belongs to Him
alone.
100
To really understand that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) is pure of defects implies not ascribing

any shortcomings to Him. We think that we
don t ascribe any shortcoming to Him but
when we question fate, when we talk about
untimely deaths, or when it comes to
adopting a Hukm Shari and we don t,
justifying our stance with We know our
situation better we are in fact attributing

defects to Allah (subhana wa ta ala). With
such statements we are implying that Allah
doesn t know better, that His wisdom is not
infinitely more than ours, that His love of us
isn t infinitely more than our love of
ourselves. With such statements we negate
the Subhan Allahs that roll off our tongues.
101
Nothing is worthy of praise except
Allah, since anything praiseworthy is so

because He made it so. It is only a
minute fraction of the good and beauty
that is with Him.

Thus, when we say Subhan Allahi wa
bi hamdihi we should keep its meaning
in mind and feel it in our hearts. We

should stop for a moment to think about
what we are saying, so that we don t live
our lives in contradiction to it.
102
Saying Subhan Allahi wa bi hamdihi a
hundred times causes minor sins to be

forgiven no matter how many they are
in number. For the expiation of major
sins it is necessary that we be aware of

the mistake we are asking forgiveness
for and intend to avoid committing the
same in future.
103
Visit Cemeteries
I had forbidden you to visit
graveyards. But now if you wish you

may go to cemeteries, for the sight of
graves makes one remember the life
hereafter. [Muslim]
104
In the early days of Islam, when people
were still very close to Jahilliya, only

recently having forsaken its beliefs and
practices, they were forbidden from
visiting graves for fear that they might

revert to their ignorant practices of
Shirk with respect to graves. But once
Eeman was firmly rooted in their hearts
they were instructed to visit graves to
motivate themselves to prepare better
for the Hereafter.
105
Once li radi Allahu anhu) visited a
graveyard with Kameel (radi Allahu anhu)

accompanying him. On reaching the
graveyard, Ali (radi Allahu anhu) looked at
the graves and then addressing the inmates
of the graves said: O inmates of graves! O
inhabitants of ruins! O those who live in
isolation in a land of wilderness! Say, how
are you? As regards conditions over here,

the assets left over have been divided, the
offspring are rendered orphans, the
widows have entered into new marriage
contracts. This is the state of affairs in our
world. Now tell us what is happening to
you.
106
li radi Allahu anhu) then remained
silent for some time. Then turning to

Kameel (radi Allahu anhu) said:
Kameel, if the inmates of these graves
were allowed to speak they would say,

Piety is the most valuable treasure.
Having said this, Ali (radi Allahu anhu)
wept and continued to weep for a long
time. He later remarked: Kameel, the
grave is an enclosure where only deeds
matter and as soon as one meets death
he realizes this fact.
[Etiquettes of Life
in Islam by Muhammad Yusuf Islahi]

107
108
109
Simple Dress
him said
Whoever leaves valuable
dress out of humility to Allah while he

is able to afford it, Allah will call him
before all of creation on the Day of
Judgment so that he can choose
whichever Hulal of faith he wishes to
wear. [Tirmidhi]
110
Hulal of faith are the garments of Jannah
which are given to the people of faith. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) loves the act of a
Muslim who, though well-to-do and rich,
avoids wearing ostentatious garments out
of modesty, so as not to show off and make
other people feel inferior.
This recommendation to avoid ostentation
and display can be applied to housing,
furniture, dcor, mannerisms, meals
everything. Whatever I have is a gift and a
test from Allah (subhana wa ta ala). It

should be used to earn my Akhirah, so that
these blessings can be mine forever, and not
just for as long as I live on earth.
111
When I am given something by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) do I feel further

indebted to Him? Do I feel even more
love for Him than before? Do I desire to
serve Him with every ounce of my

strength, and every penny of my wealth,
and every second of my time? He who
has no need of me, compared to Whom a
trillion like myself have no significance,
has chosen to favour me with His
countless blessings! Will I show my
gratitude to Him (subhana wa ta ala) or
use His blessings to subdue others?
112
This hadith is a glad tiding to those who
do not use llah s blessings to rule over

other people by awing and humbling
them. Those who take care of the
feelings of others in this respect will be

granted garments of their choice before
all creation on the Day of Judgment.
Then everyone will come to know how
well-off they had been in the world and
that they had not flaunted their wealth.
113
Vessels of Gold and Silver

him said
The one who eats and
drinks from vessels of gold and silver

is pouring the Fire of Hell into his
stomach. [Muslim]
114
We have been sent to earth to earn our
everlasting abodes in Jannah and not so

that we try to make our Jannahs here.
Whoever tries to do so is actually being
very foolish, for the Paradise that one

makes on earth must come to an end
while the one prepared by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) will be enjoyed by
its inheritors for ever. Secondly, the
Paradise that one makes on earth
cannot compete in grandeur, beauty,
comfort or happiness with the Paradise
that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has
prepared for us.
115
To eat or drink from containers of gold
or silver betrays weak conviction in the

promises of Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
These luxuries are for the disbelievers
in this world and for us in the

Hereafter.
116
117
118
Seventy Snakes
him) clasped some of his fingers
between others and said
Seventy
giant serpents will constrict him, if

even one of them were to hiss on the
earth, nothing upon it would grow as

long as it remained. They will chew on
him and bite him until he is brought to
the Reckoning. [Tirmidhi]
119
him) said this about a person who is a

wicked worshipper or a disbeliever. The
grave does not welcome him, it punishes
him and constricts upon him. In

addition, seventy venomous snakes
wrap themselves around his body and
continuously bite him and chew on him.
Once in a while we get to hear of a
person s grave being opened for some
reason but then quickly closed when it is
found to be full of snakes. May Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) save us from such
punishment. Ameen.
120
Vault of Fate
him said
When any one of you
wants to have intercourse with his

wife, let him say, Bismillah,
Allahumma jannibna ash-Shaytaan
wa jannib ash-Shaytaan ma
razaqtanaa. Then if it is decreed that
they should have a child as a result of
that, the Shaytaan will never be able to
harm him. [Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh]
121
The meaning of this Dua is: In the
name of Allah, O Allah, keep the

Shaytaan away from us and keep the
Shaytaan away from what You may
bless us with. The Prophet peace be

upon him urged us to seek llah s
protection from devils at all times.
122
Some people wonder what the use may
be of making Duas. They say that since

everything is preordained and the good
and bad written in one s Taqdeer will
come to one anyway, why make Dua?

But Taqdeer (Qismet/preordainment)
should be understood as a vault, a very
big safe deposit box. In that vault is
one s Paradise and Hell, good and bad.
When we make Dua we ask for the
good things in the vault to be given to
us.
123
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim said to invoke
Taqdeer to counter Taqdeer. Thus, if

you have an accident, ask Allah for
recovery from it. Since Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) has kept every good thing

stored for us in our safe deposit boxes,
He gets angry if we don t ask Him for
any of those good things. To not ask
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) for things is
to be ungrateful towards Him.
124
We can understand this from our own
experience: Suppose you gather

together all the things your children
would love to have. Then you ask your
children if they would like to receive

these wonderful presents you got for
them. Some of your children run to you
happily saying Yes, please! and some
of your children keep sitting
indifferently, saying, Well, if you got
them for us, you ll give them to us
anyway. Which attitude of your
children would you be more pleased
with?
125
Ask for the good that Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) has deposited in the vault for

you, and ask Him to keep the bad in it
away from you.
126
127
128
Seal My Lips When Angry

If one of you gets angry, let him be
quiet. [hmad]
129
In Islam, the raising of voices is a sign of
bad character and bad manners. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) says in the Quran:
nd be moderate in your pace and
lower your voice, for indeed the

harshest of sounds is the braying of
the donkey. [Surah Luqman: Ayat
19]
130
Anger does not justify the raising of my
voice. And if I am not to raise my voice, I

certainly should not do worse than that
and start swearing, taunting, or hitting! I
should try to make my character worthy

of Jannah, inshaAllah.
When I become angry, I must seal my
lips.
131
Value of Bismillah
A Companion was riding behind the
Prophet (peace be upon him) when his
mount stumbled, so he said
May
Allah destroy Shaitaan. The Prophet

Do not say
this, for it makes Shaitaan grow in

stature so much that he becomes as
great as a house. Say, In the name of
llah, for this makes him as
insignificant as a fly. [bu Dawud]
132
Shaitaan s shrinking happens as a result of the
blessing of saying, In the name of llah

(Bismillah .
A scholar was expounding the virtues of
Bismillah when a man in his audience,
himself well known, wondered aloud how

such benefits were possible with only the
taking of llah s name. The scholar said, You
donkey! What do you know?!
The man broke out in a sweat and turned red

with embarrassment at being called a foolish
animal in front of such a large crowd. The
scholar asked him why he looked so peeved.
The man mentioned it was his use of the word

donkey for him. So the scholar said, When
the word donkey can have such an effect,
can t the word llah have any effect?
133
This Hadith teaches us that if you
stumble, or your child trips, or you

have a tire blowout, say Bismillah.
The mishap didn t happen because of
Shaitaan, but was from llah s Decree.

If a person attributes the accident to
Shaitaan such as by saying, May
Shaitaan perish!
this false attribution
of power to Shaitaan makes him swell

with arrogance. The remembrance of
Allah reduces Shaitaan in size and
humiliates him.
134
135
136
Seeing Allah is Most Precious
The Messenger of llah pbuh recited, For those who

have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Jannah) and even
more (i.e., having the honour of glancing at the
countenance of llah [Quran Surah Yunus, Aayat
6] and said When the people of Jannah have entered
Jannah, and the people of Jahannum have entered
Jahannum, a caller will proclaim, O people of Jannah,
llah made a promise to you that He wants to fulfill.
They will say, What is it? Did He not make our balance
weigh heavy, and make our faces white, and admit us to
Jannah, and save us from Jahannum? Then the veil will

be lifted, and they will see Him, and they will never be
given anything more precious to them than seeing
Allah, the All-Majestic. This is Az-Ziyaadah the
even more referred to in the Aayah .
[Muslim]
137
The rewards that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) will bestow on some people will be

even more than Jannah. It is difficult to
imagine what could be more than the
best. For the best includes everything
that the heart desires, things so
wonderful that no eye has ever seen
them, no ear has ever heard of them, and
no one has ever even imagined them. But,

in addition to all of this is even more.
This even more refers to seeing the
Face of Allah (azza wa jal). This is the
most precious gift that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) will bestow on the believers.
138
As for the evildoers, those who belied
Allah (subhana wa ta ala), is the Aayat:
Nay! Surely they evildoers will be

veiled from seeing their Lord that
Day. [Quran: Surah l-Mutaffifin,

Aayat 15] This is truly the greatest
deprivation mankind can suffer.
139
Imam Ash-Shafi i said: s those
(evildoers) will be veiled from seeing

Allah because of His wrath towards
them, this indicates that these people
(the believers) will see Him because He

will be pleased with them. [t-Tabari]
This is the greatest success of the
believers, and will be the greatest source

of happiness to them.
140
Which Women Enter Jannat

him said Shall I inform you which
woman will enter Paradise? The Sahaba

replied Yes, most certainly. The
said, The woman who has children, is
lovable, when she becomes angry the
husband consoles her, and when the
husband becomes angry she says that as
long as you do not become pleased with me,
I will not even apply surmah (antimony) to
my eyes. [Tibrani]
141
The love between husband and wife offends
Shaytaan more than anything else. If

husbands and wives are to care for each
other and try to keep the environment of the
house as peaceful and loving as possible,
every Muslim house can become a model of
Jannat. All kinds of quarrels will cease and
the misfortune of divorce will not prevail.
Children brought up in such environments

will be an example of piety, discipline, love
and sympathy. May Allah make every
Muslim house a model of Jannat.
If the hearts of both spouses are united, there
can be no greater bounty, and if there are
differences between them (Allah forbid),
there can be no greater calamity.
142
143
144
Sinners Among Believers

said The people of Jahannum will remain
there, never dying and never living. But there
are people who will enter Jahannum because
of their sins, and will be killed therein they
turn like coals. Permission will be granted for
intercession to be made, and they will be

brought out of it in groups and spread over by
the side of the rivers of Jannah, and it will be
said O people of Jannah, pour water on
them. Then they will grow like seeds in the
silt left by a flood.
[Muslim Kitaab al-
Eemaan]
145
The value of Tawheed is that it will enable
a person to escape from Jahannum. A

Muslim may be punished because of their
sins but no matter how severe the
punishment, at last they will be brought
out. They will have burned so much that
they will look like coals. But after the
Prophet s pbuh intercession for them,
they will be brought out of the Fire and

scattered on the banks of the rivers of
Jannah. The people of Jannah will be
asked to pour water on them and they will
do so. These people, burnt to coals, will be
brought to life again and with the pouring
of water will spring into beautiful
creatures once more.
146
This hadith tells us that the sinners
among the believers (Muwahhideen)

will eventually be brought out from
Jahannum and will enter Jannah
through intercession. May Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) save us from having
to spend even the shortest amount of
time in the Fire. Ameen.
147
When Words Count

"All of a human being's words count
against him and not for him, except

commanding the right, forbidding the
wrong, and the mention of Allah Most
High." [Tirmidhi]
148
The importance of keeping guard over
what our tongue utters is so important

that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
said that he would guarantee Paradise to
whoever could control his tongue and

private parts from sin. The misuse of
these is a common cause of being led to
Jahannum. When Hazrat Abu Bakr (radi
Allahu anhu) heard this, he put a large
stone in his mouth to prevent himself
from speaking without thinking. He
would take the stone out if he had to

speak, but then put it in again. How far
we are from the example of the Sahabah...
149
We should adopt silence as our modus
operandi, but silence when speaking is

required is not commendable. Our words
count in our favour, and should be uttered,
when we command the right, forbid the wrong
or are engaged in the remembrance of Allah
Most High. Abul Qasim Qushayri said, "Safety
lies in remaining silent, which should be one's
basis. Silence at the appropriate time is the
mark of men, just as speech at the appropriate
time is one of the finest qualities. I have heard
Abu Ali Daqqaq say, 'He who is silent when
something should be said is a tongueless
villain.'" [r 1.1: Reliance of the Traveller by
ll that is required for the triumph of evil is
for good men to remain silent.
150
151
152
Smile the Most

Abdullah bin Harith (may Allah be
pleased with him related I have
never seen a person who smiled more

often than the Messenger of Allah
peace be upon him . [Tirmidhi]
153
Behave cheerfully while you are in the
company of family or friends. Avoid

being gloomy and making them gloomy.
Be informal and good natured amidst
them. Do not frown nor behave with

formality. Try to act as an informal
companion, a good natured mate and a
cheerful friend. Your relatives and
friends should not feel bored with your
presence; rather they should feel happy
and alive in your company and should
feel drawn towards you.
154
Work on a Priority Basis

him said
Never save anything for
tomorrow. [Tirmidhi]
155
This hadith refers to those important
things which if you miss doing could be

a cause of eternal regret. For example, if
you have an opportunity to do sadaqah
today, don t put it off till tomorrow. You

could forget about it tomorrow,
Shaytaan could convince you not to do
it, or you could lose the means to do the
good deed. Thus, you end up missing
an opportunity to earn llah s eternal
pleasure.
156
Imam hmad ibn Hanbal narrated that a man
once visited Salman al-Farisi (radi Allahu anhu)

and saw him engaged in kneading dough to bake
his daily bread. The man was surprised, and he
commented: What are you doing! Do you
regularly do that yourself? Salman replied: I

have sent my helper on an errand, and I hate to
impose two tasks on him in the same day. The
man then said: I bring you the greetings of so
and so. Salman asked: When did you arrive in

this town? The man replied: It s been some time
since I arrived in this town! Salman then
commented: To convey someone s greeting is a
trust and should one fail to deliver it at the time

he reaches his destination, he will be asked about
it on the Day of Judgement.
[Hilyat-ul Awliya
wa Tabaqaat al-Asfiya by Imam Abu Naim al-
Asfahani]
157
Salman (radi Allahu anhu) explained
the delivery of salam to be required on

reaching one s destination. However,
even if it is not required to be done as
soon as possible, it is nevertheless an

obligation pending fulfillment. Should
one die before having fulfilled one s
obligations he/she will be held
accountable before Allah (subhana wa
ta ala).
158
The Sahabah had Akhirah before their
eyes all the time. This made them keen

not only to fulfill their obligations as
soon as possible but also to utilize the
resources at their disposal as soon as

possible, seeking llah s pleasure. They
didn t want to take the chance of losing
their resources without deriving
everlasting benefit from them. Time is
one such resource.
159
160
161
Stir the Sugar

Offer prayer Dua with firm
conviction in llah s favor. llah does

not accept a prayer sent forth by an
inattentive heart. [Tirmidhi]
162
Ask Allah (subhana wa ta ala) with
concentration and conviction in His

favor. Instead of looking at your
insignificance and the enormity of your
sins, look towards the unlimited

kindness and countless blessings of
Allah (subhana wa ta ala). The prayer of
a person whose thoughts aren t focused
on Allah and who is only mumbling
half-heartedly, on a whim, without
anticipating the favor of Allah, is in
vain.
163
It is as though you put sugar in your cup
of tea, but not really believing in its

sweetness you didn t stir it. Till you stir
it, it won t sweeten your tea. So also,
conviction in llah s powers and favors

is what must permeate you, in order for
your asking Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to
be effective.
164
What Your Heart Desires
The Messenger of llah pbuh said The situation

of this Ummah (Muslims) is similar to four people:
person that llah has given property and
knowledge to who uses his wealth according to his
knowledge. (2) A person whom Allah has granted
knowledge to, but not wealth. He prays to llah O
My Lord! If I had richness like that person I would
also do like him. So he gets the reward of the first

one and they become equal in merit. (3) A person
that Allah has given wealth to but not knowledge. He
spends his riches as a rebel to Allah. (4) A person
that Allah has given neither wealth nor knowledge

to. He tells llah If I had wealth like that person I
would also spend it on sinful acts like he does. So the
two of them become equal in committing sin. [Ibn
Majah, Tirmidhi]
165
This hadith is a serious call for us to examine
what is in our hearts and what it is that we

secretly desire.
The most highly rewarded are those who have
wealth which they spend Fee Sabeel Allah (in
llah s Path . Some people do not have much
money but sincerely feel that if only they did
they too would spend it in llah s Path. They
wish that they too could give as much as

those others are giving to make llah s Deen
strong. Such people get the reward of
spending as much money as they wished that
they could spend! Without doing anything

except wishing, they get the same reward as
the ones who are generous in discharging
their responsibilities towards llah s Deen.
166
On the other hand, there are people
who spend money on music, movies,

concerts, or in holidaying and
entertainment wherein llah s
boundaries are not respected, or

extravagance in food and clothing. If,
when we see such people, we wish that
we too had money to spend as they are
spending, then we get the same sin as
those actually spending the money in
disobedience to Allah (subhana wa
ta ala).
167
168
169
Serve Your Parents

Let that man be disgraced, and
disgraced again, and let him be

disgraced even more. The people
inquired O Prophet of llah pbuh
who is that man? The Prophet of llah

peace be upon him said I refer to the
man who finds his parents old in age
both of them or one of them and yet

does not get entitled to Jannah by
rendering good service to them.
[Muslim]
170
Take good care of your parents with
sincerity and love. If Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) has offered you the opportunity
to serve your parents, it is actually a
chance for you to earn a place in Jannah

and win llah s Pleasure.
Good service to parents will secure
blessings for you in both worlds. It will

also save you from calamities in this
world and the next.
171
Whats there to Forgive

It was reported that the Prophet (peace
be upon him) stayed up all night,
standing (in prayer) until his feet

became swollen. When he was asked,
Why are you doing this, when llah
has forgiven all your past and future
wrong actions? he replied, Should I
not be a grateful slave? [Sahih
Bukhari]
172
A worshipper worshipped Allah for fifty
years, so Allah told him that He had

forgiven him. The man said, O llah, what
is there to forgive when I have not
committed a wrong action? So llah
caused a nerve in his neck to give him pain,
so he could not sleep or pray. When the
pain eased and he was able to sleep, an
angel came to him. He complained to the

angel of the pain he had suffered. The
angel told him: Your Lord says to you that
your fifty years of worship is to pay for the
soothing of your pain.
[Uddat as-Sabirin
wa Dhakhirat ash-Shakirin, by Imam Ibn

Qayyim al-Jawziyyah]
173
The deeds of a man cannot pay for even
one of the many blessings of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala), because even the
smallest of llah s blessings and favors on
us far outweigh the deeds a human can
perform. So bear in mind the rights which
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has over us.
From the above story we may understand
the meaning of the hadith: If llah were
to punish the people of heaven and earth,
He would have done that without being
unjust towards them, and if He were to

have mercy on them, His Mercy would be
far better for them than their deeds. [bu
Dawud]
174
175
176
Sign of Faith: Simplicity of

Dress
Simplicity of dress is one of the signs
of faith. [bu Dawud]
177
Simplicity of dress is a sign of Eeman
because it shows that the person believes

in llah s promises of the Hereafter.
Such a person works for the everlasting
rewards and beautiful clothes of Jannah

and is thus not overly concerned with
the clothing of this world.
Wear simple, dignified clothes and
spend moderately on them. Avoid
extravagance and finesse in matters of
dress. Keep yourself focused on matters
of everlasting significance.
178
With Whom You Love
man asked the Prophet peace be

upon him , When will the Hour be
established, O llah s Messenger? The
Prophet peace be upon him said, What
have you prepared for it? The man said,
I haven t prepared for it much of Salaat
(prayers) or Saum (fasts) or Sadaqa
(charity), but I love Allah and His
Messenger. The Prophet peace be upon
him said, You will be with those whom
you love.
[Sahih ukhari]
179
Notice that when the Prophet (peace be
upon him) was asked when the Day of

Judgement would be, he asked in return
What have you prepared for it? This is
because what matters is not when it will

happen, but what will happen to you
when it happens. Although nobody
knows the exact time of its occurrence, it
is sure to happen. Each and every person
to have ever lived on the face of the earth
will be resurrected and present on the
occasion. So when it happens is

immaterial. Of much greater significance
is the preparation we make for it.
180
The second and extremely important
thing we learn from this hadith is the

value of loving the right people. Those
who love the prophets, the Shuhada, the
Mujahideen, the Siddiqeen, will be with

them. The man who asked the Prophet
(peace be upon him) was a sincere
Muslim. He would discharge his
religious obligations (Faraaid) but said
that he did not have a whole lot of extra
deeds of worship (Nawafil) prepared.
However, he loved llah and llah s

Messenger. This was reason enough for
the Prophet (peace be upon him) to tell
him that he would be with him.
181
On the other hand, those who love
sinners, liars, unfair and oppressive

people, fornicators, and rebels against
Allah, should be prepared to be thrown
into the Fire with them. Those who love

evil doers, hang out with them, and
suck up to them, should be prepared to
be their Companions in Hell as well.
182
183
184
Stolen Wealth on Shoulders

him said
I do not want to see any of
you coming on the Day of

Resurrection with a bellowing camel
on his shoulders, saying, O
Messenger of llah, help me, and I
will say to him, I cannot do anything
for you, I conveyed the message to
you.
[Muslim]
185
Whatever anybody steals,
misappropriates, or takes unjustly from

another, will be laden onto his shoulders
and be hanging around his neck on the
Day of Judgment. He will have to carry

that burden and everybody will see
what he stole. This includes the stealing
of rulers, employers, employees,
workers and governors from public
coffers.
186
There was once a rich and powerful king
called Hakam II who ruled over Spain. One

day he was riding around his country when
he saw a beautiful piece of land. It belonged
to an old widow who refused to sell it.
Hakam had her evicted and began
construction of a large palace on it. The old
lady went to the Qazi (judge) for help. He
told her he had an idea but that she would
have to wait.
When the palace was complete, Hakam
arranged a party in it and invited many
people, including the Qazi. They arrived

with magnificent presents, but the Qazi
arrived on a donkey with two empty sacks
and asked Hakam for two favors.
187
Hakam said he would oblige, so the first
request the Qazi made was to be

allowed to fill his two sacks with earth
from the palace garden. Hakam agreed.
Once they were full, the Qazi requested

Hakam to load the sacks onto the back
of the donkey. The request was strange
but Hakam obliged again.
188
Though he heaved and pulled, Hakam
could not lift the heavy sacks. I m sorry

my friend, but I cannot lift these sacks!
he said. The Qazi replied, If you cannot
lift these two sacks today, how will you

carry the weight of this whole garden
and palace on the Day of Judgment
when Allah asks you why you took it
from the widow?
Hakam realized his mistake, apologized
to the widow, and returned her land to
her with palace and presents.
189
Who to Criticize
Anas (radi Allahu anhu) reported:
On occasions when we went on
journeys with the Prophet (peace be

upon him), some of the Companions
observed fasts and others did not.
However, neither those who had kept
fast criticized those who had missed
the fast, nor did the latter object to the
fasting of the former. [Sahih ukhari]
190
If a person happens to be traveling
during Ramadhan, Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) has allowed such a Muslim not to
fast then, but instead make the fast up
after Ramadhan is over. This concession
may be used, but if a person wishes to
fast even while on a journey, he/she
may do so.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says: ut
whosoever among you is sick or on a

journey (he is required to observe
fasts in replacement of those days)
the same number of other days.
[Quran 2:185]
191
The attitude of the Sahabah is what is
particularly noteworthy here. They did not sit

to criticize each other over their personal
preferences. Whatever was Halal, they let be.
To fast or not to fast, while traveling, are both
Halaal. Both groups of Sahabah were acting in
line with llah s commands and they
respected each other for that.
Where Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has allowed
more than one course of action, we need to
tolerate it too, rather than insist on our
opinion. Today, we leave alone the person
who is involved in Haraam, and pick fights

with those who are following llah s
commands. May Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
give us the desire and strength to correct
ourselves. Ameen.
192
193
194
Saved for Me
him said
Every Prophet has one
supplication that is granted to him,

and every Prophet hastened to make
that supplication (in this world). But I
have postponed my supplication in
order to intercede for my Ummah on
the Day of Resurrection. [Bukhaari]
195
Every grief and injury that could touch a
person befell the Prophet (pbuh). His

beloved uncle Abu Talib died in the state
of Kufr, his beloved wife Khadeeja who
he could never forget died, three of his

daughters died in adulthood and his
sons died in infancy. Yet he didn t use
his wish to save any of them. He saved
that wish for you and me, so that he
could save us from the Fire of Hell on
the Day of Resurrection. Do I care to be
saved from the Fire of Hell?
196
What have I done for him (peace be upon
him) in return? How much have I loved him

in return?
Love demands sacrifice. What have I
sacrificed out of love for Muhammad (peace
be upon him)?
Love extracts a tax: to love those who love
the beloved and hate those who hate the
beloved. Do I love those who love him and

hate those who hate him (peace be upon
him)?
When I love someone their wish is my
command and their commands are
heavenly decrees. Is my love manifest in my
behavior? Can anyone tell I love my
Prophet (peace be upon him)?
197
White Hair is Noor

upon him) forbade plucking out white
hairs and said It is the light of the

believer.
[Sunan Ibn Majah]
198
Plucking white hair from one s head is
forbidden. Old age is a cause of honor for a

believer (Momin) that they grew old in the
service of Allah (subhana wa ta ala).
It is also a good reminder to one of his/her
fleeting stay in this world; the fact that their
time is coming to an end sooner rather than
later.
The white hair of a believer will be Noor (light)

for him/her on the Day of Judgement; a much
needed commodity that Day. Noor will allow
us to see on the Day when it is pitch dark and
none except those with light can cross over the
bridge spanning Hell. White hair should thus
be cherished.
199
200
201
Special Times for Dua

him said
servant is nearest to his
Lord when he is in prostration, so

increase your supplication when in
prostration. [Muslim, Kitab as-Salah]
202
Although a Momin remembers Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) all the time, there are

some special times and conditions that
are considered to be especially favorable
for making Dua.

Of the special times for supplication is
the day of Arafat from the days of the
year, the month of Ramadan from the

months of the year, Friday from among
the days of the week, and the early
morning hours from the times of the
day.
203
Some of the favorable conditions for
making Dua are at the time of rain fall,

at the time that armies fighting in the
way of Allah march out, the time
between the Adhan and the Iqama and

at the time of being in the position of
Sajdah.
204
While Waiting In Line

upon him said
The nearest to me on
the Day of Resurrection will be those

who invoke blessings on me
frequently. [Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Witr]
205
The closer we are to the Prophet (pbuh)
on the Day of Resurrection the greater

can be our expectation of happiness and
reward.
While you are sitting with nothing to

do, send blessings to the Messenger
(pbuh) by reciting the Durood that you
do towards the conclusion of the

prayers, right before the Tasleem.
In fact, while you are driving, or
cooking, or waiting in line, make extra

use of your time and increase your
nearness to the Prophet (pbuh) by
sending Durood on him (pbuh).
206
207
208
Show Love through

Obligatory Deeds
him said
llah subhana wa ta ala)
has said, My servant does not draw

near to Me with anything more loved
by Me than what I have made Fard for

him.
[Sahih ukhari]
209
The best love, the most exalted and
elevated love, the most sincere love and

the most beneficial kind of love is most
certainly the love of the One Whom
hearts were created to love, and for

whom creation was brought into
existence to adore.
Hearts, as they mature, come to love
whomever is merciful and kind towards
them. So how much greater is their love
for Him from Whom all kindness
springs.
210
Every good thing enjoyed by llah s
creation is one of His limitless blessings,

and He is One, with no associates and
no partners. nd whatever good you
have it is from Allah; and then,

when misfortune comes to you, you
cry to Him for help. [Quran: Surah
An-Nahl, Ayat 53]
211
How can a servant not love, with all his
heart and body, the One Who is

constantly Merciful and Generous
towards him in spite of all his wrong
actions? llah s Mercy descends upon

His servant from the heavens, while the
servant s wrong actions rise up to him
from the earth.
212
He, Glorious is He, created us for
Himself and He created everything for

us, both in this world and in the next.
Who else, then, deserves to be loved and
pleased more than Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) ? Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells us
that the deeds through which we best
show our love for Him are the deeds He
has made obligatory (Fard) for us. These
deeds please Him more than all others.
213
Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak recited:
You disobey Allah,

and yet you still claim to love Him.
By Allah, such behavior is disgusting,
by any standard!
You would have obeyed Him had your
love been true,
For the lover is always obedient to the
Beloved!
214
Who Overpowers Whom

upon him said
The most perfect
among the Mumineen in Emaan are

those with the best character and the
best among you are those whose
character with their wives is best.
[Mishkaat]
215
We learn from this hadith that the highest
standard of good character is good

treatment to the wife.
Allama Aaloosi (rehmatullah) has related
in Tafseer Rooh ul Ma aani that the

Those husbands who are merciful are
overpowered by their wives, while those
who are hard hearted, who have bad
character, overpower their wives.
This means that the wives start speaking
sharply, they become playful towards the
husband and display coquetry, but they
do maintain and fulfill their rights.
216
217
218
The Size Of The Universe

him said
The universe compared to
llah s kursi (footrest) is like a ring in

a desert. nd llah s kursi compared
to His ursh (throne) is like a ring in a
desert. [Ibn Hibban, Ibn Abi Hatim]
219
The size of our planet earth compared to the
size of the universe is like a grain of sand

compared to the size of the earth. Now read
again how the size of the universe compares
to llah s kursi and His ursh!
When we consider Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) as our Creator and the Creator and
Maintainer of the entire universe, when we
consider revelation to have come from Him,
of what value is our opinion and intellect
against His? Allah (subhana wa ta ala) as
our Creator knows our nature best and has

graciously informed us which laws are ideal
for us, so we can live by Divine Guidance
and avoid the pain of trial and error.
220
When mines are planted, mine maps are
made. Mine maps help the army that has

the mine map to safely cross the mine
field themselves. Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) has sent us the Quran as a mine

map, so that we may safely cross the
mine field of life. But our ignorance and
arrogance are such, that we wish to
negotiate this mine field with no regard
to the mine map!
221
What Remains

upon him) stood by a place full of
human bones and said to the people,
Do you like to look at the world? He
then took a rotten cloth and
decomposed bone and said, This is the
world.
[Ihya Ulum Id Deen by Imam
Ghazali]
222
What this means is that the wealth and
pleasures of the world will soon be as

ruined as the fine cloth and healthy
bodies that are now rotten and
decomposing. All that remains of this

world is the record of deeds each of us
prepares for himself.
223
It has been reported that Sulaiman
(alaihis salam) was roaming in the air

and birds were giving him shade while
men and jinn were on his right and left.
He met a hermit of Bani Israeel on the
way and the hermit said to him, O son of
Dawud, the Almighty God has given you
reign and power. t this Sulaiman
(alaihis salam said, One Tasbeeh (word

of praise and remembrance of Allah) in
the book of deeds of a believer is superior
to my reign, as what has been given to
the son of Dawud will end, but Tasbeeh
will remain. [Ihya Ulum Id Deen by
Imam Ghazali]
224
Each of us has the ability to remember
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and obtain

what is more valuable than the
kingship of Sulaiman (alaihis salam)
but we are busy pursuing superficial

goods which will rot with our deaths.
225
226
227
The Not So Rich Millionaire

him said
Richness does not lie in the
abundance of (worldly) goods, but

richness is the richness of the soul
heart, self . [Muslim]
228
There are millionaires who are obsessed
with making more money, always

worried that their wealth is not going to
be enough for them. Their insecurity
does not let them enjoy what they are

blessed with. Such a person despite
having riches cannot be called a rich
person. For what good is wealth that
does not allow its possessor to feel rich,
secure or happy? True wealth is the
wealth of contentment. This is a gift
from Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) and it
lives as contentment in the heart of a
person.
229
Yawning is from Shaitaan

Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) reported
that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
llah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning.
When any one of you sneezes and says lhamdulillah praise be to llah , it becomes
obligatory upon every Muslim who hears
him to respond with Yarhamuk-llah
(may Allah have mercy on you). Yawning is
from the Shaitaan. When one of you feels
like yawning, he should restrain it as much
as possible, for the Shaitaan laughs at you
when one of you yawns. [Sahih ukhari]
230
Sneezing is something that purifies the
body and brings one comfort. It is

therefore something good and one
should glorify Allah for it. However,
yawning is indicative of gluttony, sloth

and heaviness and is considered
disagreeable. The Prophet (peace be
upon him) commanded us to stop it
either by closing our mouth or by
putting our hand across it in order to
avoid an act which pleases Shaitaan.
231
232
233
Three Types of Soil

The Messenger of llah pbuh said, n
example of the guidance and knowledge with
which Allah has sent me is that of a rain that
falls on different kinds of lands. One land is

good; it accepts water and produces
vegetation and grass in plenty. Another kind
of land is dry with a solid bed that preserves
the rain water so that people can drink and
irrigate from it. The third kind of land is
porous that can neither retain water nor
produce vegetation. This is the example of

those who acquire knowledge of the Deen and
benefit from that which Allah sent me with,
and of those who do not take heed and insist
on rejecting llah's Guidance. [ukhari]
234
The Messenger (peace be upon him)
likens the knowledge of Islam to rain,

because both are causes of life. Rain is
the cause of life for the body, while
knowledge is the cause of life for the

heart. Thus, just as there are three kinds
of lands or soil, there are also three
kinds of hearts:
235
1) The first is fertile land which accepts
water and is ready to produce vegetation.

When rain falls on it, it absorbs the water
eagerly, giving rise to all sorts of pleasant
vegetation. This is the example of a

healthy, pure, and intelligent heart, which
embraces knowledge, is guided by its
intelligent nature, and thus blossoms

wisdom and faith. It is eager to take
knowledge, and ready to bear fruits. It is
like a rich businessman who has

experience and knowledge, which enables
him to invest his wealth in that which
brings the best profit.
236
2) The second kind of land is hard. It can
hold water as a reservoir does and can

be used to drink or irrigate from. This is
the example of the heart that preserves
knowledge so as to convey it accurately

to others. But this person cannot
extrapolate or derive conclusions from
the knowledge himself. He is like a rich
man who does not possess the ability to
invest his wealth and increase it, but
who knows how to preserve it.
237
3) The third kind of land is barren. It is
incapable of producing vegetation or

even holding water. No matter how
much rain falls on it, it does not benefit
by it. This is the example of the heart

that does not accept any knowledge or
wisdom at all. It is like a poor man who
neither possesses wealth nor can he
increase or preserve it.
238
The first of the above three examples
applies to a learned man who teaches

knowledge, and who calls people to
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) with clear
guidance; such are the inheritors of the

Prophets. The second applies to one who
preserves the knowledge and transmits
what he hears precisely; he carries to
other people precious goods that they
can use for trade and investment. The
third applies to one who neither accepts
Allah's Guidance nor benefits from it.
239
You Were Like Spit

One day the Prophet (peace be upon him) spat
on his palm, then putting his finger in it said:
llah subhana wa ta ala says, O son of
Adam! How can you run away from Me,

when I created you from something like spit
(semen). Then when I completed My creation
of you and molded you appropriately, you
started walking around in two sheets in such a
way that your strut caused the earth to begin
to shake. Then you gathered wealth and
hoarded it and when your soul reached your
collar bone then you began to say, Let me give
in charity, though the time for giving in
charity had passed.
[Musnad Ahmed]
240
When Allah (subhana wa ta ala) created His
servant, the man s condition was such that he

understood nothing and could do nothing. He
did not bring anything with him of which he
was owner, nor could he give anything to
anyone, nor could he prevent anybody from
doing anything. He could neither benefit nor
harm anyone. In this condition his complete
dependence on a perfectly powerful entity was
obvious, which everybody could witness. For a
baby to be dependent in this way is true for
every human being that is born. He always
remains dependent on the One who created
him. It does not happen that once he moves on
to a different condition where he can begin to
feed himself and earn, he is no longer
dependent on his Creator.
241
Allah (subhana wa ta ala , man s Creator,
bestows His blessings upon him, perfects His

creation, dresses him in fine clothes, favors
him with the abilities to think, understand
and see, gives him knowledge, and gives
strength to his arms and legs, till he begins to
have other people like him work for him. He
makes animals subservient to his command,
and he begins to dig canals in the land. He
begins to plant orchards and cleaving the
ground he lays the foundations for tall
buildings. He begins to contemplate and work
out his problems, and he implements

procedures to protect himself from the
harmful creatures of the earth. He achieves all
this with the permission and help of Allah
242
But what happens is that this poor
creature begins to think that he has a

share in the ownership of these things
and he begins to think of himself as
king along with Allah, even though he

was well acquainted with his prior
condition. He forgets his previous
helplessness, poverty, need and
dependence, as though he were never a
beggar and totally dependent on Allah,
as though it were someone other than
him who depended on Allah to be born
without defect, to be clothed, fed, and
established on earth.
243
Allah (subhana wa ta ala is l-Ghani.
He is rich and you are poor. Whatever

you have, is from Him. He does not
depend on you, you depend on Him to
satisfy your smallest needs. Don t forget

that. Don t be proud, don t hoard your
blessings, and give charity generously
in gratitude to Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
well before your death approaches and
your charity becomes meaningless.
244
245
246
Two Grave Sins

him) passed by two graves and said:
oth of them the persons in these

graves) are being tortured, and they
are not being tortured for a cardinal
sin. But indeed they are great sins.

One of them used not to save himself
from being soiled with his urine, and
the other one used to go about with
calumnies (among the people to rouse
hostilities . [Sahih ukhari]
247
One of the two sins mentioned here is not
cleaning oneself properly after urinating

or not saving oneself from being splashed
with drops of urine. However, La
yastatiru min baulihi has another

meaning too, that he does not pass urine
in privacy but does it shamelessly in the
presence of other people. Shamelessness

is a sin and a characteristic of evil people.
A hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) tells us
that modesty comes from Eeman faith .

[Sahih Bukhari] Therefore, a dearth of
modesty is a reflection of a scarcity of
Eeman.
248
The other sin that results in punishment
in one s grave is tale bearing, a common

social evil. This is when one goes to a
person and tells him that so-and-so says
about him such and such evil thing. This

results in creating ill feelings among
Muslims and spoiling their sense of
brotherhood. Therefore, this is also a
very serious sin that we must
consciously be on the look out against
committing if we want to not be in pain
in our graves.
249
Zuhuds Three Stages

him said
Had the world been worth
even the wing of a gnat to Allah, He

would not have even given a drink of
water from it to a Kafir. [Tirmidhi;
Kitab az-Zuhud]
250
The ahadith which scorn worldly goods
and describe how worthless they are in

the sight of Allah are many. What
matters is llah s pleasure, and
whatever we have to give up to obtain it,

is insignificant compared to what Allah
will give us in return.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says: You
desire the attractions of this world,

but Allah desires the next world for
you. [Quran: Surah al-Anfaal, Ayat

67]
251
Any person who exchanges the things of
this world for the next world is doing

without something in this life and so
may be considered a Zahid. There are
three stages of Zuhud:

The first stage is to withdraw from the
life of this world, even though you may
still have a great desire for it and your

heart is still drawn towards it. The self is
still pre-occupied with the world, even
though you struggle with it and restrain
it.
252
The second stage is to acquire
detachment from this world and to do

without in it, in order to obtain your
reward for avoiding it. Here, it is your
doing without which preoccupies you.

This is the state of the person who gives
away a dirham in order to obtain two.
The third stage is that of the one who
willingly puts the world to one side
without even a thought for what he has
abandoned. This is the one who has
exchanged a fragment of broken pottery
for a jewel.
253
Or it is like someone who, seeking to
gain entrance to see the King, is

prevented by a dog at the gate. By
throwing the dog a scrap it is distracted
and this makes it possible for him to

gain entrance to the King s audience
chamber. Shaytaan is like that dog,
standing at the gates of Allah. He tries to
prevent people from entering them,
even though the gates are wide open
and the world is just a scrap which you
can toss aside without a second thought.
254
So cash your expensive meals, outings,
and fashionable clothes for the never

ending Pleasure of Allah and the never
diminishing joys of Jannah.
What in life I can do without, that I can

spend in llah s Path instead, only I
know. I have to take the first few steps
and Allah will give me the strength to

walk farther and faster.
255
256
257
The Time for Seclusion (I)

Abdullah bin Amr bin al-Aas (radi Allahu anhu)
narrated
Once we were in an assembly of the
Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) began to talk

about the days of corruption and disturbances and
said, When you see that people break their promises
and pledge, betray their trusts, fight with one
another and become like this entangling together
the fingers of both his hands I then said, O

Messenger of Allah, may I sacrifice my life for you,
what should I do in such a time? The Prophet
pbuh replied, Remain within the bounds of your
house; control your tongue; adopt what you know

and give up what you do not know; establish contact
with the special few privately and ignore the general
public.
[Minhaj ul Abideen by Imam Ghazzali]

258
The Prophet (pbuh) told us about the time
when separation and seclusion is to be

adopted, the signs of the time and the
conditions of the people of the age when we
are to adopt it.
When people break their promises, betray
their trusts, and fight with one another, the
Prophet (pbuh) commanded us to stay within
our homes, guard our tongues, and seclude

ourselves from the general public (e.g. by
homeschooling our children and keeping the
media out of our homes). Keep in mind that it
is of no use to shut the doors of your house if
the whole world s misguidance and
brainwashing comes in through T.V., cable,
the internet, movies, etc.
259
The Prophet (pbuh) knows better the
interests and advantage of the Ummah. He

(pbuh) was our greatest well wisher, he
preferred our welfare to that of his own. So
if you find your time to be the same as what
the Prophet (pbuh) has described in this
Hadith, then it is binding on you to accept
his commands and act upon them.
Do not fall prey to the misconception that

you yourself understand what is good or
bad for you. Do not beguile yourself with
false excuses, for no excuse will be accepted

from you in the Hereafter and you will
God-forbid be exposed to loss and
destruction at that critical time.
260
The Time for Seclusion (II)

him said
Those will be the days of
corruption and unrest. The people

asked
O Messenger of llah! What
are the days of corruption and
unrest? He peace be upon him

answered The days when people will
be afraid even of their own companions
and colleagues. [Minhaj ul Abideen

by Imam Ghazzali]
261
What is one to do at such a time?

When the prayers will be missed,
bribery will become a common affair
and Deen will be sold at a very little

price of worldly gains. At such a time
you should seek safety and seclusion
from the general public. [Minhaj ul

Abideen by Imam Ghazzali]
262
The Time for Seclusion (III)

him said If you are living at that time
then a time will come upon you when

there will be a large number of lecturers
and preachers but only a few scholars
and learned men, a large number of

beggars but only a few charitable
persons. In those times learning and
knowledge will be subordinate to desires

and lusts. [Minhaj ul Abideen by
Imam Ghazzali]
263
This is what the Prophet (pbuh) said regarding
the times of trials and tribulations (Fitan). The

plethora of people who will talk about Islam
without deep knowledge is one of the signs of
the times of Fitan.
Why is it that when it comes to medicine we

want to see only the most highly qualified
doctors, but when it comes to Islam we are
willing to take it from anybody?
Why is it that if butchers and carpenters were to

talk about treating heart attacks and strokes on
talk shows, we would assume it s a comedy
(unless the butchers and carpenters were
graduates of medical schools), but if doctors

and engineers talk about Islam we take it
seriously (even if they are not graduates of
seminaries-Madaaris)?
264
Why is it that we are more concerned about
the health of the body that will perish in a

few years for sure, but unconcerned about
the health of the soul which will never die?
So what should one do if they find
themselves in such times when lecturers
and preachers abound but men of real
learning and courage are few?
The Prophet pbuh said, Remain within
the bounds of your house; control your
tongue; adopt what you know and give up
what you do not know; establish contact

with the special few privately and ignore
the general public. [Minhaj ul Abideen by
Imam Ghazzali]
265
266
267
268
Three Lasting Good Deeds

him said
When a man dies, his
deeds come to an end except for three

things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless
charity); knowledge which is
beneficial; or a virtuous descendant
who prays for him the deceased .
[Sahih Muslim]
His deeds come to an end means that
he/she is not able to perform any deeds

any more and therefore does not receive
reward for actions anymore. But there
are three categories of actions for which

he/she can receive reward even after
death.
First, Sadaqah Jariyah: This is any good
deed done from which people continue

to benefit despite the demise of the
person who originated it. For example,
the establishment of a madrassa or

masjid from which people are rightly
guided will be sadaqah jariya for the
person who established it. Having a well
dug or a shade or fruit tree planted will
also accrue good deeds for a person, as
long as the well or tree benefits people.
Second, knowledge which is beneficial
means knowledge imparted verbally or

by any other means through which
people become better Muslims. As long
as people benefit from this knowledge,
the teacher will receive reward for it.
A third source of reward is having
virtuous descendants. Training of
children on the right lines and then
making dua for them to be among the
righteous is essential, so that after a
person's death they continue to pray for

him or her. The prayer of righteous
children in favor of parents is very
useful.
6
Needless to say all such deeds have to
be done with sincerity (ikhlas) in

seeking the pleasure of Allah (subhana
wa ta ala). Only when they are done to
earn llah s pleasure will they be

rewarded by Him. If they are done for
fame, monetary gain, or any other
worldly benefit, then the outcome one
achieves in this world is all that they will
get for it.
Laugh a Little
him said
If you knew what I know
you would laugh a little and cry a

lot!
Once Hasan al-Basri passed by a man who
was laughing and asked him: Oh my

nephew! Have you safely passed over the
Sirat bridge over Hell ? He replied, No.
Hasan al-Basri asked: Have you received

news whether you will end up in Paradise
or Hell? The man replied that he hadn t. So
Hasan al-Basri asked, Why do you laugh
then, may Allah save you, while the matter
ahead is horrifying? That man was never
seen laughing until he died. (But he smiled
as this is a part of the Sunnah of the
Prophet.) [Al-Hasan Al-Basri p.89, quoted in
Silent Moments by Abdul-Malik Al-Qasim]
9
The horror of Jahannum is such that one
look at it will have a man willing even to

throw his children, his wife, his brother,
his parents, and his entire clan into it if
by doing so he can escape himself. We

cannot imagine throwing our children
into any fire on earth to escape it
ourselves, yet this is what people will be
doing as a result of just a glance at
Jahannum. Fear will make us mindless!
10
On the Day of Judgment Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) will ask a sinner whether he would

like to ransom himself from the Fire by
giving equivalent to the weight of the world
in gold. The sinner will readily agree to give
twice as much. Then Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) will say: Did I not ask you for
something much less than this in the world?
Only a few sujood, only to make your guest

feel welcome, only to say La ilaha ilAllah ?
Unfortunately, the most ordinary and easy
task seems difficult to us because we don t
see Jahannum before our eyes. But when we
do see it with our eyes it will be too late to
do anything.
11
12
13
The Triple Filter Test

him said
Keep away from ill-
thinking/suspicions because illthinking is the greatest falsehood.

[Sahih Bukhari]
14
During the Abbasid period one of the scholars
in Baghdad was greeted by an acquaintance

who said, "Do you know what I just heard
about your friend?"
Scholar: "Hold on a minute, before telling me
anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's
called the Triple Filter Test."
The Man: "Triple Filter Test?"
Scholar: "That's right, before you talk to me
about my friend it might be a good idea to take
a moment and filter what you're going to say.
That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first
filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure
that what you are about to tell me is true?"
The Man: "No, actually I just heard about it
and ..."
15
Scholar: "All right, so you don't really know if
it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter,

the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to
tell me about my friend something good?"
The Man: "No, on the contrary..."
Scholar: "So, you want to tell me something
bad about him, but you're not certain it's true.
You may still pass the test though, because
there's one filter left: The filter of Usefulness. Is
what you want to tell me about my friend
going to be useful to me?"
The Man: "No, not really."
Scholar: "Well, if what you want to tell me is
neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell
it to me at all?"
16
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) asks us: "O

you who believe! Avoid much
suspicion, indeed some suspicions are
sins. And spy not, neither backbite
one another. Would one of you like to
eat the flesh (meat) of his dead
brother? You would hate it (so hate
backbiting). And fear Allah. Verily,
Allah is the One Who accepts
repentance, the Most Merciful."
[Quran 49:12]
17
Let's pass our intended speech through
the triple filter test before we madly

utter our every thought. And lets subject
others to the triple filter test too before
we hear any number of damaging things

from them.
18
Our Aggression against Other

Muslims
asked his Companions
Do you know what
the worst aggression is? They replied
llah
and His Messenger know better. The

Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
efore llah the worst aggression is to make
Halaal (permissible) for oneself the honor of
another Muslim. Then he recited the
following Ayat of the Quran
Those who have
caused pain to the Momin men and Momin

women without any fault of theirs, surely they
have earned the (consequences of) false
accusation and open sin. [Surah Ahzaab]
19
How easily we repeat things about
people! How little we think before

disrobing them! Those who play with
the honor of other Muslims will not be
easily let off!
20
21
22
The Imam Should be

Considerate
Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased
with him) reported that the Messenger
of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
"When any of you lead other people in
prayer, you should make it short, for
among you there are weak, sick and old
people. When you pray by yourself,
you can make it as long as you wish."

[Sahih Bukhari]
23
Another version states that among the
people praying are, "those who have a

need to attend to."
24
This hadith shows us how Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) was always considerate of

other people. He commanded the
fulfillment of religious obligations but did
not want to burden people with what was

not required of them. He encouraged
people to lengthen their prayers, but not
when they were leading others, as within
the jamaat (congregation) could be people
who had other needs to attend to or who
did not have the stamina of the Imam. The
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) came as a

mercy to the universe and did not want to
make things unnecessarily difficult for
others.
25
Reward Your Host
bu Athhim bin Tahan (radi Allahu anhu)

once invited the Prophet (pbuh) and his
illustrious Companions (radi Allahu anhum)
to a meal. When the meal was over, the
Prophet pbuh said Reward your brother.
The Companions asked How can we reward
him, O Prophet of llah pbuh ? The
Prophet pbuh said When a man pays a
visit to his brother and eats and drinks there,
he can reward his brother by praying for

llah s favour and blessings upon his
brother.
[bu Dawud]
26
When you eat at somebody s house, say
a prayer at the end of the meal invoking

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to bless the
host with extensive means, grace,
favour, forgiveness and mercy.
27
28
29
The Benefit of Conveying

Religious Knowledge
him) said: "God, His angels and all
those in the Heavens and on Earth,
even ants in their ant-hills and fish in
the water, call down blessings on those

who instruct others in beneficial
knowledge." [Tirmidhi]
30
The Sahabah, in their study groups,
would tell their students regarding each

and every ayah that they taught: "This
ayah is better than the world and all that it
contains." The most beneficial knowledge

is that which saves one from an eternity of
suffering and brings one to an eternity of
joy. Thus, the knowledge of greatest value

is revelation from Allah (subhana wa
ta ala), for only that has the power to bring
us to eternal joy in a world of perfection

(Jannah). This knowledge is what we
should be most concerned about
conveying.
31
When we convey beneficial knowledge
to others we cause all the angels and all

other creatures in the heavens and on
earth, including all the fish, birds, ants,
etc, to send blessings on us. The Prophet

(pbuh) told people to convey from him,
even if it was only a single ayah that
they knew.
32
Roaming Angels Take

Salaams
him said
llah has roaming angels
who come and inform me of the

blessings that my Ummah invoke on
me. [hmad al-Musnad]
33
If you want the Prophet (peace be upon)
to know about you personally, ask Allah

(subhana wa ta ala to bless him. It s a
golden opportunity to have yourself
mentioned to Muhammad (peace be

upon him)!
34
35
36
Thoughts Your Currency

him said
For those of my Ummah,
Allah overlooks the thoughts that come

to mind as long as they are not uttered
or acted upon. [Sahih ukhari]
37
Researchers have discovered that the
average person thinks about 50,000 to

70,000 thoughts per day. Since the
majority of us are awake 16-18 hours a
day, we think a thought on average every

1.1 second. Most of the time we are not
consciously thinking; therefore, many are
the thoughts that are planted in our minds

from Shaitaan. As soon as such a thought
occurs to one of us, we should deliberately
reject it and put our mind to some other

task. So long as we do not entertain
Shaitaan s thoughts, Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) will forgive their occurring to us.
38
It is one thing to have the majority of
worthless thoughts forgiven. But with

so much thinking going on, why not tap
into this power of the mind? Your
thoughts lead to actions. Your actions

create habits. The habits of your life will
determine your ultimate destiny.
Everybody s ultimate destiny is either
the Fire or the Garden. With a
purposeful goal, all this thought energy
could actually be utilized to achieve
something worthwhile. Why not focus
it on something meaningful?
39
The most meaningful goal any one of us
could achieve is to get a guarantee of

being happy forever. We focus on
acquiring a certain level of education, or
certain degrees, in the expectation that

we will then be able to get certain jobs,
have a particular income, be able to
maintain a certain standard of living and
with it all - be happy. But it turns out
that neither the job is guaranteed, nor
riches, nor happiness. We might still go
bankrupt, we might still have a
miserable family life, we might still be
lonely and sad.
40
Only llah s promise of Jannah is a
guarantee of happiness. This is happiness

that will never wane, only increase. This
is happiness that will never end. This is
happiness unblemished by worry or

cares. If we focus our thoughts on how to
get to Jannah, by reading and studying
and thinking over the Quran and ahadith,

our mind will be occupied with thoughts
of it. Our thoughts will become our
actions. Our actions to gain llah s

pleasure, will become our habits. And
such habits will insha llah, take us to
our ultimate destiny of The Garden.
41
Thoughts become things and we get
whatever we focus upon. If your

thoughts are your currency for getting
what you want, then what is it that you
are spending your currency on?
42
Save This, Spend That

"Good tidings to him who avoids the
excess in his speech and spends the

excess of his money."
43
In other words, we should save our
words that are unnecessary, but spend

our money (in sadaqah) which is in
excess of our needs. Withholding excess
words means to elaborate more than

necessary about matters which do not
concern one, or to ask about things
which are of no importance. One should
express oneself succintly and with
brevity. This was the way of our noble
Prophet (pbuh). Ali (radi Allahu anhu)
said, "The best discourse is expressive,
great, brief, and interesting." [al-Durar
al-mubaha]
44
It has become common these days to
converse about what is useless or immoral,

for example to discuss acts of disobedience,
such as stories about drinking sessions and
fornicators. When there is no legitimate

purpose connected with the conversation,
this is unlawful, because it manifests one's
own disobedience or another's, and
encourages others to do the same by
desensitizing them to the sin. Ibn Mas'ud
(radi Allahu anhu) said, "The greatest in
sins on the Day of Judgment will be the one
most given to speaking about the useless
and immoral." [Ibn Abi Dunya]
45
46
47
This, Too, Will Pass

him said
O llah! There is no life
worth living except the life of the

Hereafter, so (please) make righteous
the Ansaar and the emigrants. [Sahih
Bukhari]
48
This life, however it is, will pass. A drop
compared to the ocean is what this life is

like compared to the Hereafter. And the
ocean of the next existence will be
wonderful only for the righteous. That is

why the Prophet (peace be upon him)
prayed to Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to
make his Companions righteous.
49
A powerful king, ruler of many domains,
was in a position of such magnificence

that wise men were his mere employees.
And yet one day he felt himself confused
and called the sages to him.

He said: I do not know the cause, but
something impels me to seek a certain
ring, one that will enable me to stabilize

my state. I must have such a ring. And this
ring must be one which, when I am
unhappy, will make me joyful. At the

same time, if I am happy and look upon it,
I must be made sad.
50
The wise men consulted one another,
and threw themselves into deep

contemplation. Finally, they came to a
decision as to the character of this ring
which would suit their king.

The ring which they devised was one
upon which was inscribed the legend:
THIS, TOO, WILL PASS
51
Surah Aadiyat (100)

"Whoever recites Aadiyat, his reward
equals one half of the Qur'an."
[Hakim and Tirmidhi]
52
The reward mentioned for reciting Surah
Adiyat is similar to that for reciting Surah

az-Zalzala. The recitation of either is equal
to the recitation of half of the entire Quran
in merit. The object of both surahs is to

remind us about the final accountability
before Allah (subhana wa ta'ala). Surah
Adiyat points out how evil man becomes
when he denies the Hereafter, or becomes
heedless of it. It also warns us that in the
Hereafter not only our visible and
apparent deeds, but even the secrets

hidden in our hearts, will be subjected to
scrutiny.
53
Heedless of life after death and accountability
before Allah (subhana wa ta'ala), man has

become ungrateful to his Lord and Sustainer.
He is using the powers and abilities given by
Allah for perpetrating tyranny and pillage;
blinded by the love of worldly wealth he tries
to obtain it by every means, however impure
and filthy, and his own state testifies to this.
He would never have behaved so, had he

known the time when the dead will be raised
from the graves, and when the intentions and
motives with which he had done all sorts of
deeds, will be exposed and brought out before
everyone to see. At that time the Lord and
Sustainer of men shall be well informed of
what one had done and what punishment or
54
reward one deserves.
If any person has cultivated the fear of
the final accountability within

themselves then their reform is
guaranteed. This is why it is so
important to be reminded about the

Hereafter and the final Reckoning in it.
55
56
57
The Only Thing that s Yours for

Keep
him said
When carried to his grave,
a dead person is followed by three, two

of which return (after his burial) and
one remains with him. His relatives,
his property, and his deeds follow him;
his relatives and his property return
while his deeds remain with him.

[Sahih Bukhari]
58
How many are the sins we commit that
are either to please relatives or to make

money! Often the two are combined
together. Yet neither wealth nor family
will go in the grave with you. You will

be expeditiously buried, cried over, and
left alone to face your accountability in
the grave. Your relatives will not stop
eating and drinking - their lives will go
on. Your wealth will no longer be yours
but others property. Then why not focus
on your deeds when that is all that you
will take with you.
59
60
Surah Ikhlas - Virtues of

him) said, "Whoever recites (Qul Hu
Allahu Ahad) ten times, Allah will
build for him a house in Paradise."
61
Anas (radi Allahu anhu) reported the
Prophet pbuh as saying, If anyone

recites two hundred times daily, Qul
huwallahu ahad, the sins of fifty years
will be wiped out, unless he is in debt.

[Tirmidhi and Darami] The latter
version has fifty times and he did not
mention unless he is in debt.
62
Aisha (radi Allahu anha) reported that
when the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed

every night, he used to cup his hands
together and blow over it after reciting
Surat Al-Ikhlas, Surat Al-Falaq and Surat

An-Nas, and then rub his hands over
whatever parts of his body he was able
to rub, starting with his head, face and
front of his body. He used to do that
three times. [Sahih Bukhari]
63
64
65
The Dipping
him said
The biggest sins are To
join others in worship with Allah; to

be undutiful to one s parents to kill
somebody unlawfully; and to take an
Al-Ghamus oath. [Sahih ukhari]
66
Look at the things which have been put
together as the biggest sins: shirk,

neglecting parents, murder, and lying
through oaths. An al-Ghamus oath is the
false oath taken intentionally with which
one intends to mislead people. Such an oath
cannot be expiated, and the one who takes it
will be dipped into Hell-Fire. Hence comes
the term l-Ghamus, meaning, the

dipping.
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says: nd make
not your oaths a means of deception

amongst yourselves, lest a foot may slip
after being firmly planted. [The Quran
16:94]
67
Treading the Path to

Knowledge
him said
llah makes the way to the
Garden easy for whoever treads a path

in search of knowledge. [Muslim]
68
Traveling on the path to knowledge
refers both to walking along an actual

pathway, such as going on foot to the
assemblies of the Ulema, as well as to
following a metaphysical road, such as

studying and memorizing Quran,
Hadith, Fiqh, etc.
69
This Hadith also alludes to the road
leading to the Garden on the Day of

Judgment, which is the straight path.
70
71
72
Useless Treasure
him) said: "Knowledge from which no
benefit is derived is like a treasure out

of which nothing is spent in the cause
of Allah." [Tirmidhi]
73
One reason that a miser is considered a
fool is that he or she does not benefit

from what they crave yet possess.
Similarly, a person who has been given a
lot of wealth but does not purchase

Paradise with it is also a fool. Whatever
comfort you can buy in the world with
your wealth, will nevertheless be taken
away from you at your death. If instead,
you use your wealth to purchase Jannah,
you will have bought the best of luxuries
that will never be taken away from you.
74
By the same token, knowledge of Islam is a
treasure that can be utilized to purchase

Jannah by bringing one s feelings and
actions in line with what one has learnt.
Only then is the knowledge of lasting
benefit to the person. A person who is not
able to earn Jannah from his/her knowledge
of Islam is but a loser. His/her case is
comparable to that of the person who has
treasure but does not use it to purchase
Jannah.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) is
Rehmat-ul-lil-Alameen (mercy for all the

worlds) because he showed us how to
convert the brief pleasure that life on earth
can offer, into everlasting pleasure
75
Sitting on Graves
him) said: "If any one of you were to
sit on a live coal until it burns his

garment, that would be better for him
than to sit on a grave." [Jami atTirmidhi - sahih hadith]
76
If something is marked as a grave then we
should not sit on it. Exactly how this

damages us we have not been told, but the
analogy of the harm done makes it clear
that we should not do so: Sitting on
something that might set fire to your clothes
is preferable to sitting on graves.
Our limited human capabilities are not able
to comprehend the world of the deceased to
the extent that this warning makes sense to
us. But the fact that Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) revealed to the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh) to tell us not to do so is sufficient for
the believers.
77
78
79
Utter Thoughtfully
him said
slave of llah may
utter a word which pleases Allah,

without giving it much importance,
and because of that Allah will raise
him to degrees (of reward): a slave (of
Allah) may utter a word (carelessly)
which displeases Allah, without
thinking of its gravity, and because of
that he will be thrown into the Fire of
Hell. [Saheeh Bukhaari]
80
Perhaps one such good word is Fain
llah in the context of the following

story
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) was once going out of

Madeena with his servants. It became
time to eat so the servants took the food
out and everyone sat down to eat. A
shepherd grazing some goats passed by
and greeted them with Salaam. Ibn
invited him to eat with them but he said,
I m fasting.
81
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
wondered aloud, In this intense heat of

summer with fiery hot winds blowing, you
are fasting in the wilderness? The
shepherd replied: I am preparing the days

of my past (Ayyaam-il-Khaaliya . The
shepherd was referring to the Ayat in Surah
Al-Haaqqa in which Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) says about the people in Jannah:
It
will be said to them) Eat and drink with

relish, in exchange for those deeds which
you did in days gone by (Ayyaam-ilKhaaliya, i.e. life in the world . [Surah lHaaqqa: Ayat 24]
82
This Ayat means that on the Day of
Resurrection it will be said to the

believers: In the world you left your
desires for Allah, and you bore the
difficulties of hunger and thirst, so now

eat, drink and enjoy to your heart s
content and no one will stop you. The
shepherd meant that he was trying to
make the days of his life in the world
valuable to his Hereafter.
83
To test him, Ibn Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him said, We want to buy

a goat. Tell us the price and take the
money. We will sacrifice the goat and
also give you some of the meat to open

your fast with. The shepherd replied,
These goats do not belong to me, I am a
slave. They belong to my master. Ibn
insisted, How will your master find
out? Tell him that a wolf ate it!
84
The shepherd pointed to the sky and
said: Fain llah Then where is

llah?
What he meant was, Where
will Allah go while I am doing this.
Allah is always watching! So how can I

deceive anyone? Ibn Umar may llah
be pleased with him) with mixed
feelings of joy and amazement would
keep repeating, shepherd says,
Where is llah! Where is llah!
85
Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) returned to Madeena

and went to the master of this slave. He
bought from him the slave and the
goats, freed the slave, and gave the goats

to him as a gift. This was the condition
of the shepherds of that time, that even
in the middle of the jungle they worried
about Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
watching them.
86
Salam to Angels
Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that
the Messenger of llah pbuh said When
Allah created Aadam and breathed the spirit into
him he sneezed and said, Alhamdu-lillah (Praise

be to llah . So he praised llah by His leave
and his Lord said to him, llah have mercy on
you, O Aadam. Go to those angels the
company of them who are seated and say Assalamu alaykum Peace be upon you . So he did
and the angels replied, Wa alaykas salamu wa
rahmatullah (and peace be on you and the mercy
of llah . He then returned to his Lord, and He
said, This is your salutation and the greeting of
your offspring among them.
[Tirmidhi]
87
When Aadam (alaihis salam) sneezed
and thanked Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

for it, llah said to him, O Aadam! May
llah have mercy on you. He did not
say, I will be merciful to you. He used

the former words in order to teach
Aadam (alaihis salam) the words of
response that a person should say when
a sneezer shows gratitude to Allah and
praises Him. Once Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) shows mercy to anyone then he is
assured of safety, honor and favor.
88
This hadith teaches us to greet Muslims
with s-salamu alaykum, to return the

Salam, to say Alhamdu-lillah when we
sneeze, and to say Yarhamak llah if a
sneezer says Alhamdu-lillah.
89
90
91
Understanding of the Deen

him said
When llah desires good
for someone, He gives him

understanding of the Deen.
[Bukhaari]
92
Understanding of the Deen (religion)
means understanding of the Quran and

hadith, religious injunctions, and
knowledge of the lawful and the
unlawful. True understanding

necessarily generates action that reflects
the understanding. For example, most
people have not personally experienced
the devastation caused by a nuclear
weapon, but do you have any doubt that
they will do all that is in their power not
to have one dropped on them?
93
Knowledge (understanding of the Deen)
is the shortest path to Allah. Whoever

travels the road of knowledge reaches
Allah and the Garden by the shortest
route. Knowledge also clears the way

out of darkness, ignorance, doubt and
skepticism. It is why Allah called His
ook, Light.
94
There are two kinds of knowledge:
knowledge of the tongue and knowledge of

the heart. The second kind is the beneficial
kind which raises people in rank; it is the
knowledge which is absorbed by the heart
and puts it right. The knowledge that is on
the tongue is taken lightly by people:
neither those who possess it, nor anyone
else, act upon it, and it is of no use on the
Day of Judgment.
Thus, when understanding of the Deen
exists, it will result in righteous action and
bring one on to the path leading to Paradise.

This will ensure everlasting happiness for
that person, without a single blemish to mar
it.
95
The blessing of understanding Islam,
such that one's belief and behavior

reflect it, is a sign of Allah's special favor
to that person. One has to make oneself
worthy of the honor.

Understanding of the Deen is llah s gift
to the heart of that person whom He
loves.
96
Seven Years of Peace

him said
The Dajjal will appear in
my Ummah, and will remain for forty.

Then Allah will send Eesa ibn
Maryam, who will resemble Urwah
ibn Masud. He will chase the Dajjal

and kill him. Then the people will live
for seven years during which there will
be no enmity between any two
persons. [Muslim Kitab al-Fitan wa
Ashrat al-Sa ah]
97
The period of Dajjal s stay on earth is
forty days; but the duration of the first

three days is one year, one month, and
one week, respectively. The remaining
37 days are each as long as our regular

days are. After the earth is rid of the
Dajjal there will be a period of such
exemplary peace that there won t be any
enmity between any two people on
earth. This period will last for seven
years.
98
Some ahadith narrate events briefly,
highlighting the main points only; while

other ahadith fill in the details. This
hadith, for example, simply states the
period of Dajjal s stay and then a period

of extraordinary peace, without
detailing the trials that Dajjal will put
the people through or the events to take
place during Eesa (alaihis salam s)
second stay on earth, during which these
seven peaceful years will happen. All the
ahadith put together give the total,
detailed picture.
99
100
101
Valleys Full of Gold

him said
If the son of dam were
given a valley full of gold, he would

love to have a second one; and if he
were given the second one, he would
love to have a third; for nothing fills
the belly of Adam's son except dust.
And Allah forgives he who repents to
Him. [ukhari]
102
Until our remains are mixed with dust
(i.e. we die) we continue to compete

with each other to amass the pleasures
of life. Our condition is that when one
desire gets satisfied, we immediately

have another lined up for fulfillment.
We remain occupied in eating, drinking
and trying to have a good time, greedy
to acquire more of everything.
103
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) cautions us
saying: You are obsessed by greed for

more and more until you go down to
your graves. Nay, in time you will come
to understand! And once again: Nay, in

time you will come to understand! Nay,
if you could but understand (it) with an
understanding (born) of certainty, you
would indeed, most surely, behold the
blazing fire (of Hell)! In the end you will
indeed, most surely, behold it with
certainty of sight. And on that Day you
will most surely be called to account for
what you indulged in! [The Quran:
Surah Takathur]
104
The pleasures and comforts of this world
are nothing more than a test for those

who are granted them. Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) wishes to judge how desirous
a person is of Jannah, by seeing what

price they are willing to pay for it: Do
they spend their money, time and
resources in llah s causes or on their
own enjoyment?
105
He (subhana wa ta ala) advises those

of us whom He has tested by the
withholding of wealth: Never stretch
your eyes towards the things We have
given to some groups of them to
enjoy, so that We put them to test
thereby, it being merely the glamour
of worldly life. And the bounty of
your Lord is much better and more
lasting. [Surah Taha: Ayat 131]
106
Shoe-lace or Salt, Ask Allah

Man should call upon llah alone to
provide for all his needs, so much so

that even if a shoe-lace is broken, he
should pray to Allah to provide a shoelace, and if he needs salt, he should
beseech llah to send it to him.
[Tirmidhi]
107
Prayer is the essence of worship and
worship should be rendered to Allah

alone. Do not call upon anyone except
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to fulfill your
needs.
108
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is rich while
man is poor and He (subhana wa ta ala)

is bountiful and generous while man is
stingy. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) likes us
to ask Him for things, for He loves to

give us from the treasures with Him;
while people dislike being asked,
because they hate to part with what is
with them. So ask Allah for any and
every thing and refrain from asking
human beings. This will endear you to
Him and keep you honorable in the eyes
of men.
109
110
111
Visualize the Day of

Resurrection
him said
Whoever wants to
visualize the Day of Resurrection, let

him recite, When the sun is wound
round, loses its light and is

overthrown Surah Takweer , When
the heaven is cleft asunder Surah
Infitaar , and When the heaven is

split asunder Surah Inshiqaaq .
[Tirmidhi]
112
These three Surahs deal specifically with
the Day of Resurrection. They describe

how the sky will be split and cleft
asunder, how the sun will be wound
round, how the stars and planets will

fall and be scattered, and other terrors
that will happen on that Day. People will
come forth from their graves to either
prisons (in Hell) or palaces (in Paradise),
after their records have been examined
and they have been taken by their right
or left hands, or seized from behind.
113
Say O Muhammad : Truly, those of

old, and those of later times, all will
surely be gathered together for an
appointed meeting of a known Day.
[Quran: Surah Waqiah, Ayaat 49-50]
114
The Right Attitude

him) went to visit a sick bedouin.
Whenever the Prophet went to a patient,
he used to say to him, "Don't worry, if
Allah will, it will be expiation (for your
sins)." The bedouin said, "You say

expiation? No, it is but a fever that is
boiling or harassing an old man and
will lead him to his grave without his

will." The Prophet (peace be upon him)
said, "Then, yes, it is so." [Sahih
Bukhari]
115
This hadith conveys to us the
importance of having a positive attitude.

Since the man denied the comforting
news regarding his illness, conveyed by
the Prophet (peace be upon him), he

wasn't deserving that the good news
should apply to him.
116
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) has given us
glad tidings that no suffering of ours is

in vain. Whether it be physical pain,
financial difficulty or emotional stress,
each functions to purify us of the sins

that we habitually accumulate.
Following the Prophet's example, we
should also encourage patients to bear
their pain and suffering with hope of
reward from Allah (subhana wa ta ala),
in compensation for their patience
through the trial that they are
undergoing.
117
118
119
Who to Please
him said He who displeased llah for
seeking the pleasure of people, Allah is
displeased with him and those people are
also displeased, for pleasing whom he had
earned llah s displeasure. nd he who
pleases Allah, although by it he displeased
people, Allah is pleased with him, and also
those people whom he had displeased for
pleasing Allah become pleased with him.
Allah makes him splendid and his speech
and acts in the eyes of others beautiful.
[Tibrani]
120
This is a wonderful hadith which simplifies
life immensely for us. It is impossible to

please everybody all the time. In fact, it is
even impossible to please one person all the
time. Allah (subhana wa ta ala) tells us that
instead of constantly catering to one person
or another, we should direct all our efforts to
pleasing Allah, and He will take care of all
the rest. Many a times we shy away from

obeying Allah (subhana wa ta ala), fearing
repercussions at the workplace or in our
relationships. This hadith warns us against
disobeying Allah for the sake of His
creatures. In the long run, none of those
people will be pleased with us for whom we
disobey Allah (subhana wa ta'ala).
121
If a woman dresses to please a man
other than her husband, cooks to suit the

other man's taste rather than her
husband's, talks in a manner to please
the other man, what would most people

think of her? Yet we do the same
infidelity with Allah! We care about
pleasing everybody except the most
important Being with whom we have
the deepest and most lasting
relationship.
122
The Honest Gardener

him said
believer s natural
disposition might comprise any trait

other than treachery and
untruthfulness. [hmed]
123
In the following story we have a beautiful
example of the character of a believer (Momin).

Ibraheem bin Adhem was the king of Balkh
before he exchanged his kingdom for the life of
an ascetic worshipper.
One day Ibraheem bin Adhem was working as a
gardener when his master asked him to give
him some pomegranates. He brought several,
but they were all sour. His employer said, You
have been in my employment for such a long
time, and yet you do not know which of the
pomegranates is sweet? Ibraheem answered, I
was employed to tend them, not to taste them;

then how can I know which ones are sweet?
Honesty and sincerity are the hallmarks of faith
(Eeman).
124
125
126
127
Whose Praise
him said
Whoever acts to be heard
and seen, God will cause his falsity to

be heard and seen. [ukhari, Muslim]
128
If B works for C but then comes to you
demanding payment, wouldn't you say,

"Go and ask C for your wages, it is not
me that you worked for!" When you do
good deeds, you either do it for Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala), or for other than
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala). This "other
than Allah" could be people's
appreciation, fame, money, power, or
anything else.
129
In order for any action of yours to be
worthy of reward in the Hereafter, it must

have been done sincerely for Allah (subhana
wa ta'ala), and for Allah alone. The
reward/hasanaat for the deed will be
decreased in proportion to the extent that
other motives enter into the intention
behind the good deed. Furthermore, Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala) tells us in this hadith,

that He will make known to the people the
real reason that you are doing good deeds.
Abu Umar explained ikhlas (sincerely doing
something only for llah in this way: It is
present when one wishes to be praised for
something only by God.
130
According to Dhul-Nun, one of the ulema
explained the possession of ikhlas in this

manner: Whenever a man does
something sincerely for God, he feels a
longing to be in a cave where he will not

be recognized. This is because if only
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) knows what you
did for Him, your reward will not be

diminished by others' praise and your
taking pride in what you have done.
Always ask Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) to

purify your intentions and not let your
sins and shortcomings take away from
your good deeds.
131
Tafseer of the Quran

him said
Whoever speaks of the
Book of Allah from his own opinion is

in error. [bu Dawud]
132
The correct method for explaining the
Quran is:
1. To explain the Quran from the Quran
itself. Sometimes a topic is mentioned
briefly in one place, but in more detail in

another place. All references to it from
the Quran should be put together to
understand the topic in the best way
possible.
133
2. To explain the Quran from the Sunnah.
Allah designated a Messenger so that he

could show us by his example and by his
explanations exactly what Allah (subhana
wa ta ala s commands mean and how to

bring them into practice.
3. To explain by the understanding that the
Sahabah had of these commands. The
Quran was revealed in their presence, they
heardllah s Messenger (pbuh) explain it,
and they saw with their own eyes how it
was put into practice. They devoted their
whole lives to understanding and
preserving the Quran and Sunnah.
134
It is possible that someone explain
something from the Quran without

referring to the Quran or Sunnah and
still be correct in their explanation.
Nevertheless, they will be sinful, which

is a state of being in error. This is
because they had no right to explain the
Quran based merely on their opinions. A
chemist who pretends to be a surgeon
and attempts a surgery will be taken to
court even if the patient comes out alive
from the surgery. This is because he did
not have the right to cut anyone up.
135
To say, This is what the Quran
means is to say This is what llah

means! Would we like to have people
put words in our mouths? Would we
like people who know nothing about

our opinions to speak authoritatively
about what we like or dislike? Then how
can we have the guts to do this with
Allah (subhana wa ta ala)?
136
137
138
What Percent Muslim are You?

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr that the Prophet
(pbuh) said, "Whoever has the following four
(characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and

whoever has one of the following four
characteristics will have one characteristic of
hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up. 1.

Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. 2.
Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 3.
Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves

treacherous. 4. Whenever he quarrels, he
behaves in a very imprudent, evil and
insulting manner." [Sahih Bukhari]
139
Whoever has all four of these
characteristics is a pure hypocrite.

Whoever has one of these characteristics
has one characteristic of hypocrisy, until
he gives it up. These traits define how a

hypocrite deals with other humans, with
the Prophet (peace be upon) and with
140
The most significant covenant that each
of us is bound by is the oath we took on

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) when He
asked, alasta bi rabbikum? (Am I not
your Lord?
ll our souls at that time
gave witness that Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) was our Creator and Lord. We
unconditionally bore witness that He
was the One worthy of worship and
obedience.
141
When we come into our earthly
existence this covenant (ahd-e-alast) is in

our sub-conscience and it gives us the
ability to recognize the uncorrupted
religion that is from Allah. If we now

start obeying international, national, or
domestic, rules and orders that violate
llah s orders what should we be called?
We vowed to take only Allah as the
lawgiver, and to fear no one more than
Allah. Considering who we obey, what
then should we call ourselves, Muslim
or hypocrite?
142
Consider these four characteristics and
rate yourself. Are you 0% hypocrite,

100% Muslim or are you (Allah Forbid!)
25%, 50%, 75% or 100% hypocrite?
143
Take the Blame

him said
Mankind will not perish
till they make excuses for their conduct

to themselves. [Mishkat]
144
Refusing to accept personal
responsibility, i.e. blaming others,

complaining, procrastinating is a step
towards destruction. Stop it, right now!
145
146
147
What did You Say of

Muhammad?
The Prophet pbuh said When a servant is
laid in his grave and his friends have turned
from him and he hears the footfalls of their

sandals, two angels come to him, sit him
upright, and ask him, What were you wont
to say of this man Muhammad pbuh ? The

believer will answer, I testify that he is the
slave of llah and His Messenger, and it will
be said, Look at your place in the Fire, llah
has changed it for a place in the Garden
(Jannah , and the man will behold both of
them. [Sahih ukhari]
148
Once a person s grave is closed over
him, immediately two angels Munkar

and Nakeer come to question the man
about his beliefs; 1) who he worshipped,
2) who he took as the Messenger of

Allah and 3) what his religion was.
The person who lived his life in
subservience to Allah (subhana wa

ta ala , hopeful of llah s Mercy but
fearing llah s punishment, will be able
to answer the angels correctly and testify
that he took only Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) as his Creator, Sustainer and Law
Giver.
149
He who took Muhammad (peace be
upon him) as his guide for life, who

looked towards his example when
conducting business, in matters of
marriage, in waking and sleeping, eating

and drinking, in affairs of state and
estate, in short for every issue of life,
only he will be able to correctly answer
the angels and say that he took
Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be
llah s chosen Messenger.
150
He who looked towards the Kuffar in
conducting the affairs of his life; how to

entertain himself, what to strive to
achieve, what to celebrate, what to wear,
what to allow and what to disallow, will

not be able to lie to the angels. Thus, while
a Kafir will answer, las, I don t know , a
Munafiq hypocrite will say, I used to
say what the people would say. The
Munafiq lacked conviction in the beliefs of
the Muslims and did not take Muhammad
(pbuh) as his teacher and role model for

life, so he will not be able to say, I testify
that Muhammad is the slave and
Messenger of llah.
151
He who lived his life on Islam, bound by its
restrictions, not trespassing the boundaries

set by Allah (subhana wa ta ala), will be able
to correctly answer that Islam was his
religion. The angels Munkar and Nakeer are
very scary to look at, but the Momin will
not be scared by them. He will calmly
answer them. Jannat gardens of eternal
bliss are the reward for him who answers
these three questions correctly.
Such a person will be shown the place that
he escaped in Jahannum and what his home
in Jannah looks like. Seeing the reward and

blessings that await his arrival will make
the Momin very happy. He is indeed a
fortunate man.
152
Tahajjud for Attractiveness

him said
The best prayer, after the
obligatory prayers, is the night prayer

(Tahajjud . [Muslim]
153
Al-Hasan was once asked: How is it
that those who stay up at night have the

most attractive faces? He replied,
ecause they are on intimate terms
with the Merciful, and He robes them in

some of His light. [The Purification of
the Soul]
Draw near to Allah, get clothed in His
light and become among the most
attractive people on earth, by waking up
before Fajr and praying Tahajjud!
154
155
156
Worship Provides For World

him said
llah says, O son of
Adam, devote yourself to My worship,

and I will fill your heart with
contentment and take care of your
poverty; but if you do not do that, then
I will fill your heart with worldly
concerns and will not take care of your
poverty.
[Sunan Ibn Majah]
157
Each person is born helpless and
penniless. It is Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

Who arranges for him/her to be fed,
clothed, and taken care of. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) puts the love of that
child in the hearts of its parents. If those
feelings are missing from the hearts of
its parents, the newborn is incapable of
doing anything about it.
In the same way that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) took care of us when we were
born, He Alone is responsible for all the

good that comes to us throughout life.
He (subhana wa ta ala) only channels it
through sources that have human form.
158
This hadith reminds us that Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) Alone suffices for

everybody. We should not be negligent
in what He has commanded us to do
and He will not be negligent towards us.
Worship is total surrender and complete
obedience to all commands. If we fail to
worship Allah (subhana wa ta ala) as is
His right to be worshipped, then we
should not be surprised if He leaves us
to fend for ourselves and afflicts us with
consuming worldly concerns.

So, to be free of worldly wants, we must
focus on the obligations Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) has charged us with.
159
This Day Never to Return

him said
Whoever says, Exalted is
llah and His are the lessings , will

have a palm tree planted for him in the
Garden. [at Tirmidhi]
160
Consider how many palm trees a time
waster misses the opportunity of planting.

A righteous man used to say to his guests
who stayed too long, Don t you want to
leave? The angel of the sun never tires of
pulling it.
Mujahid said: Not a day passes which does
not say, O son of dam, I have come to you
today and I will never come again, so be

careful of what you do during my stay.
When the day has passed, it is folded up
and sealed, never to be reopened by anyone
until Allah reopens it on the Day of

Judgement.
The night and the day are like two treasurechests, so be careful of what you do in them.
161
162
163
Without Extravagance or
Conceit
Eat, drink, wear clothes and give
alms without extravagance and
without conceit. [Sahih ukhari]
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with
him said
Eat what you wish and
wear what you wish, if you can avoid
two things, extravagance and conceit.

[Sahih Bukhari]
164
Extravagance consists of two things: (1)
buying what you don t need, 2

spending more than necessary on the
things you need.
Conceit means to feel that one is better

than others because of something that
one has.
165
These two sins, i.e. extravagance and
conceit, must be avoided at all times but

three times in particular:
1. when we feed ourselves,
2. in how we dress,
3. when giving Sadaqah.
166
If we have enough to give Sadaqah, this
too is a special favour of llah s on us.

We should always be grateful to Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) for His blessings and
use these blessings wisely, with humility

and with gratitude to Him (subhana wa
ta ala).
As we clean our houses yet they get
dirty again and so we are always
cleaning them: So also our hearts and
intentions get dirty and we need to keep
cleaning them and ask Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) to help us with the process.
167
True Repentance
Feeling regret is a part of
repentance. [hmad ibn Hanbal; alMusnad]
168
Repentance is invalid without regret because if
there is no regret for having done something

wrong, then this implies that the wrongdoer
considers it acceptable, as well as alright to do
again.
According to Al-Hasan al-Basri true repentance
is, when the servant regrets what has
happened and resolves never to repeat it again.
According to Al-Kalbi, It is when the servant

asks for forgiveness with his tongue, feels regret
in his heart, and restrains his limbs. [The
Purification of the Soul, Compiled from the
works of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Ibn al-Qayyim
al-Jawziyya, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali; AlFirdous Ltd, London]
169
170
171
Your Wishes Take Nothing Away From the

Ocean
llah,
Most High said, O My slaves! If the first of you

and the last of you, the living among you and the
dead among you, the fresh among you and the
dry among you were to gather together upon one
plateau, and each person among them were to ask
for his utmost desire, and I were to give each
what he asked for, that would not diminish from
My sovereignty, except as if one of you were to
pass by an ocean and dip a needle into it then
remove it. That is because I am the Most Liberal

without need, the Most Generous, doing as I will.
I give by My speech and I punish by My speech,
whenever I will something I only say, e and it
shall be.
[Jami at-Tirmidhi]
172
This hadith informs us about the wealth
that is with Allah (subhana wa ta ala).

Everything belongs to Him, and Him
alone. It is so much that if He were to
grant every wish of every person who

has ever lived or will live on earth, all at
the same time, all of that combined
would take nothing away from the
wealth that is with Him.
173
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) gives us the
example here of dipping a needle into an

ocean. When you take it out can you say
that the ocean has been diminished by
the dipping of the needle into it? No.

Similarly, what is with Allah (subhana
wa ta ala) is immensely more than we
can imagine and is not diminished by
what He bestows on His slaves.
174
Therefore, we should not hesitate to ask
of Allah (subhana wa ta ala).

We should also know that nobody
besides Him has the power to grant
anybody anything. People only become

the channels. The Bestower is always
only Allah (subhana wa ta ala). His
speech is enough to bring about all

events.
175
Must Not Freely Mix With

him said
Keep yourselves away from
non-mahram women. One

companion asked
O Messenger of
Allah, tell me, can the husband's
brother mix freely with his sister-inlaw. Prophet Muhammad peace be

upon him replied, He is like death for
a woman. [Sahih ukhari]
176
Allah in His Infinite Wisdom has
prohibited the free mixing of the sexes

to preserve the sanctity of the family
and the peace of family life. This hadith
tells us clearly that the husband's

brother or brother's wife definitely
count as non-mahrams and that the
rules of segregation between nonmahrams apply between them more
than ever.
177
178
179
You Will See Allah

The Messenger of llah pbuh said Do you have any doubt
that you see the moon on the night when it is full and there
are no clouds in front of it? The Sahabah said No, O
Messenger of llah. He pbuh said Then you will see Him
on the Day of Resurrection in the same way. Allah will gather
the people and will say, Whoever used to worship anything,
let him follow it. So all those who used to worship the sun, or
the moon, or false gods, will follow (their gods). Then this
Ummah will be left, with its hypocrites among them. Then
Allah will come to them in a Form other than that which they
know, and He will say, I am your Lord. They will say, We
seek refuge with Allah from you. This is where we will stay
until our Lord comes to us. When our Lord comes to us, we
will know Him. Then llah will come to them in the form
which they know, and He will say, I am your Lord. They will
say, You are our Lord, and they will follow Him, and the
bridge will be set up over Hell. [Bukhaari]
180
On the Day of Resurrection people will
follow whatever they used to worship

besides Allah (subhana wa ta ala) and
will be flung into Hell along with their
false gods.
181
Eesa (alaihis salam), his pious mother Maryam,
Uzair (alaihis salam) and other such

monotheistic, noble people will of course not be
held responsible for the willful misguidance
that people indulged in, in worshipping them.
No soul carries the burden of another. Instead of
these pious people, the Qareen (devilcompanion) of these people, or angels in the
form of these people will appear, whom their
worshippers will follow. The made-up gods
who will be thrown into Hell along with their
worshippers will be those who allowed
themselves and desired themselves to be
worshipped.
182
This willingness to be made gods of can
be witnessed in the leaders of several

sects and cults as they have their
followers prostrate to them and pictures
of them. Prostration is a very visible

form of worship. In addition to this, the
leaders of sects make laws for their
followers, trying to usurp llah s right to
legislate (Tawheed Hakimiyyah).
183
When only the monotheistic
worshippers of Allah are left, along with

the hypocrites who pretended to be so,
they will follow Allah. They will be
given light but then the light of the

hypocrites will be extinguished. They
will cry out for light but they will not be
given any light. They will all go towards
the Siraat which will be set up over Hell.
The hypocrites will lag behind and be
separated from the believers. The
hypocrites will be unable to successfully
cross the Bridge and will fall into Hell.
184
Two and Two

him) said, "Do you know the thing
which most commonly brings people

into Paradise? It is fear of Allah and
good character. Do you know what
most commonly brings people into
Hell? It is the two hollow things: the
mouth and the private parts."
[Tirmidhi]
185
This hadith is a strong warning to us to
guard against the most common causes

of eternal punishment.
One is misuse of the tongue; lying, back
biting, tale bearing, slander, indulging in

lewd or obscene talk and speaking
against Allah, His Prophets, Islam, and
Muslims.
The other most common cause of
punishment in Hellfire is misuse of the
private parts; i.e. adultery, fornication,

sodomy, homosexuality, etc.
186
187
188
189
Your Heart On A Tray

him said
Indeed, there is a piece of
flesh in the body of the children of

Adam such that, if it is sound, then the
whole body is sound and if it is
corrupted then the whole body will be
corrupted. Know that it is the heart.
[Saheeh Bukhaari]
190
The Prophets were sent to the world to
purify men s hearts. They worked

hardest on cleaning the hearts of men
from wrong concepts about Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) and from misplaced

love, trust, hope and fear. Allah has
commanded us to love Him and His
Messenger, to love the righteous people,
to love that which Allah loves and to
hate all which Allah hates. They taught
us to place our love, trust, hope and fear
in Allah, and only Allah (subhana wa
ta ala).
191
When a person s heart becomes pure the
person becomes pure, when a person s

heart changes, the person changes, his
life changes, the purpose of his life
changes, his perspective changes, his

criteria for loving and hating change, the
aims and goals of hard work and trade
change, households change, society
changes, times change, history changes,
personalities and manners of dealing
with people change, days change, nights
change, the producers of satisfaction
change.
192
The condition of the heart should be such
that if you were to empty its contents onto

an uncovered tray and take it around the
market there should not be a single thing in
it which by exposing in this way you are
embarrassed, or any one can point a finger

to.
When your concept of Allah changes and
becomes purified of erroneous beliefs,
negativity in life and about other people

will also vanish. Correct your concepts
about Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to clean
your heart of old grudges, jealousy, envy,
malice, haughtiness, arrogance, deception

They are like dead lizards and cockroaches
rotting away that we store in our hearts.
Make sure none of them end up on the tray.
193
Un-muddle Your Heart

said
When any one of you sleeps, Shaytaan
ties three knots at the back of your head. On

each knot he repeats and exhales the
following words, The night is long, so stay
asleep. If you wake up and remember llah,
one knot is undone; and if you do Wudhu,

the second knot is undone; and if you pray,
the third knot is undone, and you get up in
the morning full of energy and with a clear

heart. Otherwise, you get up feeling lazy,
and with a muddled heart. [ukhari Kitab
at-Tahajjud]
194
To wake up with a clear mind and heart,
feeling revitalized, fresh and alert, pray

Tahajjud at night! Try it, experience it,
and you will know that nothing can
replace it!
195
196
197
Zaqqoom, The Food of

Jahannum
If one drop from Az-Zaqqoom were to
land on this world, the people of earth
and all their means of sustenance
would be destroyed. So how must it be

for the one who must eat it?
[Tirmidhi]
198
In this hadith the Prophet (pbuh)
portrayed for us the terrifying nature

of Zaqqoom. Zaqqoom and Daree are
the foods of the people of Jahannum.
However, these foods will be of no

benefit whatsoever to the people who
eat them, and they will not enjoy them
in the least. This is one of the forms of
punishment that they will suffer. Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) says: Verily, the
tree of Zaqqoom will be the food of

the sinful, like molten brass, it will
boil in their insides, like the boiling
of scalding water. [Quran
-46]
199
Another description of the tree of
Zaqqoom is in the following Ayaat of the

Quran: Is that Jannah) the better
entertainment or the tree of Zaqqoom?
For We have truly made it a trial for

the wrongdoers. For it is a tree that
springs out of the bottom of Hellfire.
The shoots of its fruit-stalks are like
the heads of devils; truly, they will eat
thereof and fill their bellies therewith.
Then on top of that they will be given
to drink a mixture made of boiling
water. Then, shall their return be to the
blazing Fire of Hell. [Quran
-68]
200
The Prophet (peace be upon him) had
complete conviction in the Hereafter and

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) had filled his
heart with love for us, so he tried his
utmost to save us from Jahannum. The

descriptions of Zaqqoom show us why
he (peace be upon him) undertook every
hardship so that people may change
their course and not betray their oath to
201
Who Wants To Be Poor But Make

Others Rich

him said
Three things follow the
bier of a dead man. Two of them come

back and one is left with him. The
members of his family and his wealth
come back and his deeds alone are left
with him. [Muslim]
202
Once the Prophet (pbuh) asked if there were
anybody who would like to make his inheritors

wealthy and remain poor himself. This is not
something anybody would desire. Then the
Prophet (pbuh) explained that by accumulating
wealth and not spending it to gain llah s

pleasure) we are simply leaving it behind for
the people who will inherit it when we die,
because our wealth does not follow us into our
graves. While it is commendable to not leave

our inheritors in want, yet nobody desires to be
left needy while enriching others either.
Therefore, since the only thing that can enrich
us after our deaths are our good deeds, we must

try to earn as much of them as possible by
putting to good use the wealth that Allah has
given us.
203
204
205
Zakah, Fasting, Prayer, all Go to

Others
Do you know
who is the one who is bankrupt? The Sahabah said:

The bankrupt is the one who has no money and no
possessions. He pbuh said mong my Ummah,
the one who is bankrupt is the one who will come on
the Day of Resurrection with prayer and fasting and
Zakah (to his credit), but he will come having

insulted this one, slandered that one, consumed the
wealth of this one and shed the blood of that one, and
beaten that one. So they will all be given some of his
Hasanaat, and when his Hasanaat run out, before

judgment is passed, some of their sins will be taken
and cast onto him. Then he will be cast into the
Fire. [Muslim]
206
This hadith should really shake us up!
It warns us that even Muslims who pray,

fast and disburse Zakat, can go to
Jahannum.
Control yourself and be careful about

others rights. In fact, forget about your
own rights, you will surely get them on
the Day of Judgment if not sooner, and

start worrying about your
responsibilities towards others.
May Allah (subhana wa ta ala) save us

from bankruptcy on the Day of
Judgment!
207
What Allah Looks At

"Allah does not look at your
appearance or property, but only at

your hearts and works."
208
Appearance and wealth are the criteria by
which Shaytaan misguides people to

judge one another. Allah (subhana wa
ta'ala) has altogether another set of
criteria. Since Allah is the Bestower of

looks and He is the one who determines
the rizq/wealth of a person, these mean
nothing to Him. What the person has
done to endear himself to his or her Lord
is what they will be judged on. What
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) appreciates
about them is their application to

improving their beliefs, their hearts, their
characters and their deeds.
209
Some people master the religious
sciences but neglect to examine their

outward habits and practices, not
keeping their external self from sin or
making it faithful in obedience. They are

deluded by their learning and feel sure
that they rate high with Allah (subhana
wa ta ala). Whereas, the whole point of
knowing about religious practice is to
apply it. Without works, it is useless.
Allah Most High says, "He who purifies
it (the soul) has succeeded" [Al-Quran
91:9], not "He who knows how to purify
it has succeeded."
210
Some people master religious learning
and its outward performance, but do not

examine their hearts to eliminate the
blameworthy traits therein such as pride,
envy, ostentation, and seeking exaltation

or fame. They have made their exterior
seemly while neglecting their interior,
forgetting this hadith of the Prophet
(pbuh). Such people apply themselves to
works but do not apply themselves to
hearts, though the heart is the real
foundation, since no one is saved "except
he who comes to Allah with a pure

heart." [Al-Quran 26:89]
211
212
213
Zulm will be Zulumaat

him said
eware of oppression
(zulm), for oppression will be darkness

(zulumaat) on the Day of
Resurrection. [Muslim]
214
On the Day of Judgement the
Munaafiqeen (hypocrites) and Kafireen

(non-Muslims) will be begging the
believers (true Muslims) for light. But
they will not be given any light. They

will be stranded in pitch black darkness
while the believers will have light
running in front of them with which
they will quickly cross the Bridge over
Hell and enter Paradise.
215
On the Day when you will see the believing

men and the believing women, their light
proceeding in front of them and to their right
hands, it will be said to them, Good news
for you today! Gardens beneath which rivers
flow, to live therein forever! That is the

great achievement. The Day when the
hypocrite men and hypocrite women will
say to those who believe, Wait for us, so
that we may have a share from your light.
It will be said to them , Go back to your
rear, and search for light. Then a wall will
be placed between them, which will have a

gate. In its inner side, there will be divine
mercy, while towards its outer side, there
will be divine punishment. [Quran: Surah
Hadeed, Ayaat 12-13]
216
What's your IQ
him) said, "The most intelligent
person is the one who remembers death

often."
217
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 your faith intact, with good
deeds, and with llah s pleasure as your
greatest goal, is the biggest exam you will
ever face.
If you fail the exam of life you cannot call

yourself intelligent, regardless of what else
your intelligence allowed you to
accumulate of education, wealth, fame or
pleasure. These will all go to waste with your
death, while you will still have to stand before
your Lord and face the consequences for
eternity.
218
Your intelligence would have failed you if it
didn t give you the sense to properly

attempt the biggest exam of your life. Such
intelligence is cursed! In an examination
hall if you start watching a movie, or
discussing the score of a game, or pull out a
lavish meal to eat, would you be considered
sensible? No matter what your I.Q., you d
be considered mad.
This life is one big exam. Are you busy
answering the questions of what to believe
and what to do or are you busy entertaining
yourself? 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.
219
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 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.

The most intelligent person is the one who gives
the exam of life his/her full attention, since there
are no re-takes.
220
221
222
Zikr Weighed
him said
Two words which are light
on the tongue but will weigh heavily

in the Balance, and they are beloved to
the Most Merciful Subhaan Allahi
wa bi hamdihi, Subhaan Allah-ilAzeem llah is glorious and pure of

all defects and all praise belongs to
Him alone, Allah is glorious and pure
of all defects and He is the lmighty .
[Bukhaari]
223
Deeds will be weighed in the Scales on
the Day of Judgement. They will take on

physical shapes and will be placed in the
Balance. The remembrance of Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) in whatever form it

took place (words, feelings of the heart,
thoughts about Him, deeds in His
obedience, or restraining oneself from
His disobedience) all will take physical
shapes and be weighed.
224
Say Subhaan llah with conviction to
feel its magic on your heart and in your

life. Subhaan llah means that llah is
free of any and all defects and wonderful
beyond all imagination. If you believe it
then words questioning llah s Will
should never escape from your lips. For
example, what does the phrase untimely
death imply? It implies that llah

(subhana wa ta ala didn t choose the right
and best time in which to lift the person
from this world! Behind this phrase is
doubt in llah s wisdom and disbelief in
His love for His creation being more than
the love that human beings have for each
other.
225
Scrutinize the words that you utter, and
analyze the beliefs behind the words. Be

sure not to say anything that negates
your Subhaan llah .
226
Who s Generous
Aisha (radi Allahu anha), the wife of the
Prophet pbuh narrated lady, along
with her two daughters, came to me asking
me (for some alms), but she found nothing
with me except one date which I gave to her
and she divided it between her two
daughters, and then she got up and went

away. Then the Prophet (pbuh) came in
and I informed him about this story. He
said, Whoever is in charge of these

daughters and treats them generously, then
they will act as a shield for him from the
Fire. [Sahih ukhari]
227
There are several lessons to be learnt from
this hadith:
1. Look at the house of the Prophet
(pbuh). The person who has the best and
highest place in Jannah, has a house in

this world which has nothing that can be
given away except a single date! When the
most beloved to Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
died, there was not enough money to buy
oil for a lamp. Aisha (radi Allahu anha)
mortgaged his battle shield to buy oil.
There was nothing of value in the house

save the shield and nine swords that hung
on the wall of his house.
228
Our houses are chock full of possessions.
Cupboards full of clothes, shoes, and

cosmetics. Expensive curtains, carpets
and sofa sets. Decorative frames on the
walls. Kitchens with multiple dinner

sets, stuffed pantries and fridges. If we
are asked to give in the name of Allah,
how much do we give? If we are asked
to defend someone in the name of Allah
can we defend them?
229
2. Since Allah (subhana wa ta ala) loves
His creation intensely, He loves those

who treat them kindly; especially those
who are weak and unable to fend for
themselves. Thus, he promises

mountains of reward to those who take
care of His loved ones.
230
3. Since Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has
saved women from having to fend for

themselves, making it obligatory on
their male relatives to provide for them,
He promises those who are generous in

discharging this responsibility with
safety from the worst Fire.
231
4. We see that a person s generosity and
sacrifice is judged by what they give

compared to what they have. We see the
generosity of Aisha (radi Allahu anha) in
this hadith who gave all she had. This

would be equivalent to a billionaire
giving all of his wealth in the path of
Allah. We have the example of
billionaire Sahabah such as Abdur
Rahman bin Auf (radi Allahu anhu)
donating in this manner.
232
We also see the generosity of the mother
in this hadith. All she was given was a

date. ut she didn t eat it herself. She
could have thought that since she was an
adult her metabolic needs were greater,

so she deserved the date more than her
daughters. But, instead, she divided it in
half and gave each of her daughters one
half.
233
234
235
Zikr is to Us Like Water is to

Fish
him said
The difference between the
one who remembers his Lord and the

one who does not is like the difference
between the living and the dead.
[Bukhari]
236
Ibn Taimiyya wrote: Remembrance of
Allah is to the heart what water is to

fish. What happens to a fish when it is
taken out of water?
Makhul said: Remembrance of llah is

(a sign of) health, while remembrance of
people is like a disease.
237
Who is Better?
man was mentioned in the presence

of the Prophet (peace be upon him) for
his worship and his striving in it, and

another man was mentioned for his
cautious piety. So the Prophet (peace
be upon him said Nothing is equal to
cautious piety.
[Jami at-Tirmidhi]
238
Who is better?
On one hand is a man who works hard

on his supererogatory acts of worship,
performing Sunnah, Nafl, and Tahajjud
prayers, reciting the Quran, doing much

Dhikr, but not staying clear of Haraam
or doubtful matters. On the other hand
is a man who performs the Fard acts of
worship and not much of the
supererogatory, but is careful not to
approach the limits set by Allah
(subhana wa ta ala), and stays clear of
Haraam, Makruh and doubtful matters.
239
This hadith tells us that the person who
is careful in refraining from things

displeasing to Allah (subhana wa ta ala)
is far better than the one who exerts
himself in acts of worship but also

indulges in matters of questionable
lawfulness.
240
241
242
You Might Try Exchanging

Yourself with Your Children
him said
The Kaafir will be brought
forth on the Day of Resurrection and it

will be said to him, Do you think that
if you had an earthful of gold you
would ransom yourself with it? He
will say, Yes. It will be said to him, I
used to ask you for less than that.

[Sahih Bukhari]
243
What Allah (subhana wa ta ala) asks us
to do to save ourselves from Jahannum

and claim our palaces in Jannah, is much
less than giving an earthful of gold.
244
Today we cannot imagine sacrificing our
children to save ourselves. On the Day of

Judgement though things will be so bad
for the sinner that he will wish that he
could send the most beloved of people to

him to the Fire, in order to save himself:
The Mujrim (criminal, sinner,
disbeliever) will desire to ransom himself
from the punishment of that Day by his
children. And his wife and his brother,
and his kindred who sheltered him, and
all that are in the earth, so that it might

save him. By no means! Verily, it will be
the fire of Hell. [Quran: Surah Maarij,
Ayaat 11-15]
245
rothers and Sisters! Let s prepare for
that Day when our relations and wealth

will mean nothing to us. Let s prepare by
not letting these things come between us
and llah s commands today.
246
They would Draw Lots for It

him) used to invoke the mercy of Allah
three times upon those who formed the

first line, and only once upon those
who were in the second line. [Nasai]
247
Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) said:
People do not know the high degree of

reward and blessings reserved for the
people who form the first line of prayer. If
they knew it, they would start drawing

lots for the privilege of joining the first
line. [ukhari]
People sit all night outside the embassies
of countries they want to immigrate to, so
that they can be first in line for the visa
when the embassy opens in the morning.
Isn t Jannah the land every Muslim should
want to migrate to? Why don t we have
the same concern to join the first line of
prayer for it?
248
249
250
Your Mother, Your Mother, Your

Mother, Your Father
with him) reported that a person came
to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and
asked
Who among people is the most
deserving of my fine treatment? He
pbuh replied
Your mother. He
then asked, Who next? The Prophet

pbuh replied
asked again
Your mother. He
Who next? He pbuh
said again, Your mother. He again

asked, Then who? He pbuh said
Your father. [Sahih ukhari]
251
Once a man came to the Prophet (pbuh)
and said that his mother was very illtempered. The Prophet (pbuh) did not
exempt the man from giving good
companionship to his mother and treating

her well. In fact, he (pbuh) got angry at
the man and asked whether his mother
had also been bad-tempered when she
had been carrying him, when she was
suffering labour pains to give birth to him
and when she had been nursing him. In
other words, because of the troubles she

had borne for his sake, treating her kindly
was now incumbent on him, regardless of
whether he enjoyed serving her or not.
252
We must remember that Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) is As-Sami (the All-Hearing). We say

Sami Allahu li man hamida at least seventeen
times a day, if we pray only the Fardh salat. This
is to remind us that Allah hears everything.
Nothing escapes him. We treat our parents well
in obedience to llah s commands and He is
aware of every word we speak to them, every
single thing we do for them and every sacrifice
we make for them -- even when the parents are
not aware of it. Thus, to earn His pleasure and
the Jannat that He (subhana wa ta ala) has
prepared for His dutiful servants, we will worry
about our duties and responsibilities towards
others and not our rights. Allah (subhana wa
ta ala) is sufficient to take care of our rights.
253
What s waiting
It is related on the authority of Anas
(radi Allahu anhu that llah s
Messenger (peace be upon him) said:
If you knew what I know you would
laugh little and weep much. [Sahih
Bukhari]
254
If you had gone out somewhere but received
news that a fire might have destroyed your

home, would you be able to enjoy yourself until
you returned home and checked that your
house and family were intact? Would it be
possible for you to think, Well there s a 50%
chance everything will be alright, so I ll worry
about what I ll find when I get home. What s the
use of worrying about it now? No! The worry
about what you might find on your return
would not allow you to laugh, giggle and joke
with this uncertainty looming over you.
Then when one is unaware, whether the grave
awaiting them is a pit of fire or garden of
Paradise, how can they be so indulgent in the
pleasures of this world?
255
Once when Maimun bin Mihran and Umar bin
Abdul Aziz (considered the fifth rightly guided

khalifa) were visiting the graveyard together,
the latter began to cry, and turning towards the
former, he said, O bu Ayyub (i.e. Maimun),
these are the graves of my fathers from Banu
Umayyah. When I see their graves now, it seems
as if they never participated with the dwellers of
the world in their pleasures and (enjoymentfilled) lives. Do you not see how they are
inextricably beset by trials? The insects are
feeding off of their bodies.., Umar then began
to weep until he fainted. When he regained
consciousness, he said, Let us go, for by llah,
I do not know of anyone who is more blessed
than he who comes to these graves, yet is saved
from the punishment of llah!
256
257
258
We Deal with Hearts

him said
Should I tell you about
those whom the Hellfire is forbidden to

touch? It is forbidden to touch every
approachable, easygoing, soft-spoken
and gentle person. [Tirmidhi]
259
What was the Prophet (peace be upon
him) like? When anybody would enter

his gathering he would move a little to
make space for them, even if there was
already space, so that the newcomer

would feel welcome. It showed the
newcomer that he (peace be upon him)
valued him and they would love him.
260
When the Prophet (peace be upon him)
would shake someone s hand he

wouldn t withdraw his hand until the
other person withdrew his hand first.
If a person were to speak to him, he

would completely turn towards him,
meaning that he would turn his face and
body towards him, in order to listen

with full attention.
261
If you are listening but have your face
turned away, you are silently telling the

other person that they are not important
enough for you to give them your
undivided attention even for a few
moments. This was not the way of llah s

Messenger (pbuh). That is why Allah
(subhana wa ta ala) said about him (pbuh):
nd you are surely on an excellent
standard of character. [Quran: Surah

al-Qalam, Ayat 4]
When we deal with people, we deal with
hearts not bodies. When you show
people your concern and care for them,
you capture their hearts and become
dear to them.
262
263
Wish for Everybody in Prayer
bedouin entered the masjid of the

Prophet (peace be upon him), offered
his prayers and then said O llah!
Grant Your favor to me and to
Muhammad (peace be upon him), and
to none else besides us. On hearing
this, the Prophet (peace be upon him)
observed You have narrowed the vast

limits of llah s blessings.
[ukhari]
264
Avoid prejudice and selfishness in
prayer. Ask for others what you would

like others to ask for you.
Do not fall into the error of considering
the vast blessings with Allah (subhana

wa ta ala as limited. Don t pray for the
granting of His bounty to you alone
since He has much more than that to

give. To ask only for yourself is akin to
refusing the river and begging only for a
drop.
265
266
267
Vain Despite Apparently Good (I)

said
The first of the people on whom
judgment will be passed on the Day of

Resurrection will be a man who was martyred.
He will be brought forth and reminded of the
blessing that he was given, and he will
acknowledge it. llah will say, What did

you do with it? He will say, I fought for Your
sake until I was martyred. llah will say,
You are lying. You fought so that it might be
said, he is brave, and it was said. Then the
command will be given, and he will be dragged
on his face and thrown into Hell. [Muslim]
268
Allah (subhana wa ta ala) warns us in the Quran
of the fate of those who fight for the medals of

this world; but while we recite do we give
thought to what we are reading, or do we stop
to examine the intentions behind our efforts?
Whosoever desires the life of the world

and its glitter, to them We shall pay in full
(the wages of) their deeds therein, and they
will have no diminution therein. They are
those for whom there is nothing in the
Hereafter but Fire, and vain are the deeds
they did therein. And of no effect is that

which they used to do. [Quran: Surah
Hood, Ayaat 15-16]
269
Vain Despite Apparently Good (II)

said
Then there will be a man who acquired
knowledge and taught it, and recited the

Quran. He will be brought forth and reminded
of the blessing that he was given, and he will
acknowledge it. llah will say, What did
you do with it? He will say, I acquired

knowledge and taught it, and recited the
Quran for Your sake. llah will say, You
are lying. You acquired knowledge so that it
might be said, he is a knowledgeable man, and
it was said. Then the command will be given,
and he will be dragged on his face and thrown
into Hell. [Muslim]
270
of the fate of those who acquire religious

knowledge in order to show it off; but while we
recite do we give thought to what we are
reading, and do we stop to examine ourselves?


Hood, Ayaat 15-16]
271
Vain Despite Apparently Good (III)

said
Then there will be a man to whom llah
gave in abundance all kinds of wealth. He will

be brought forth and reminded of the blessing
that he was given, and he will acknowledge it.
llah will say, What did you do with it?
He will say, I did not leave any way in which
You love charity to be given, but I spent for
Your sake in that way. llah will say, You
are lying. You did that so that it might be said,

he is generous, and it was said. Then the
command will be given, and he will be dragged
on his face and thrown into Hell. [Muslim]
272
of the fate of those who spend in order to be

acknowledged by men; but while we recite the
Quran do we give thought to what we are
reading, and do we stop to scrutinize our own
motives?


Hood, Ayaat 15-16]
273
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275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283

365 Quran & Sunnah Selection For Daily Reading

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365 Quran & Sunnah Selection For Daily Reading

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1

Judges are of three types, two

of them will go to the Hellfire and

Disputes occur at home, at work, in

knowledge of the facts of the case, and

will be sent to Hell as recompense.

Never hasten to judge. Always refer

is concerning such a situation. Then

The Messenger of llah pbuh said

judge shall go to Paradise, and two to

judges without knowledge. [Hakim]

What the truth is, is determined by

then that judge is judging with

Your Hands Won t e Lowered

upon him said

llah is the Ever-

Living, the Most Generous, and if a

supplication, He will be ashamed to

Umar ibn al-Khattab (radi Allahu

inspired by Allah to make Duas

A Goodness Through and

This hadith tells us that there is nothing

bad about modesty. Therefore, if

remember in these times when moral

You will Recognize Your Home

upon him said

Whose hand is the soul of

(believers) will be more familiar with

In-sha-Allah, when we go to Jannah

certitude than we claim our homes in

greater right to them than us.

Are You Lucky

How lucky is that man who

adopts humbleness without having

anything, who spends his own earned

In this hadith we are told who an

enviable person is:

2. A person who earns and spends in the

Having wealth does not make one

is accompanied by arrogance and

Can you count yourself

Your Friend's Religion Is Yours

upon him said

man is upon the

religion of his friend, so let one of

We are very heavily influenced by the

the thinking, habits, beliefs,

we choose those people as friends

The Messenger of Allah (peace be

(peace be upon him) said that he who

who keeps the company of horses

the wrong will have a home built for

Arguing with people is strongly

right finds it more difficult to leave the

Arguing with people rarely gets anyone

to change their minds. It usually only

becomes a matter of one s ego and

You Know What She Said!...

enmity among people, by quoting

Unfortunately, this is a common social

other. You won t believe what he

Refuse to listen to what other people have

said or done. It is backbiting, just to hear it.