Sunday, March 24, 2013

SIGNIFICANCE OF ATTEDING FRIDAY PRAYER EARLY

Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “When it is a Friday, the angels stand at the gate of the mosque and keep on writing the names of the persons coming to the mosque in succession according to their arrivals. The example of the one who enters the mosque in the earliest hour is that of one offering a camel (in sacrifice). 

The one coming next is like one offering a cow and then a ram and then a chicken and then an egg respectively. When the Imam comes out (for Jumua prayer) they (i.e. angels) fold their papers and listen to the Khutba.”
(Sahih Bukhari)

O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.
And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah , and remember Allah often that you may succeed.
(Qur'an, 62: 9-10)

The bigger you want your reward to be, the more you gotta work for it. Eggs don’t weigh much, you know. And what do you think about those who reach the masjid after the Imaam comes out? Even angels leave their jobs at that time to listen to the khutbah!

By Inspiring Stories

ALLAH REPLYS WHEN WE RECITE SURAH FATIHA

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:

"A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the Essence of the Qur'an (Surah Fatiha) during it is deficient (and he repeated the word three times), incomplete."

Someone asked Abu Hurayrah: [Even though] we are behind the imam? (listening to him reciting al-Fatihah)
He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the Prophet ( صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) say:

"Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: 'I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.

When the servant says: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
"Praise be to ALLAH, Lord of the Worlds.",
Allah Ta'ala says:
'My servant has praised Me.'

And when he says: الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
"The Merciful, the Compassionate."
Allah Ta'ala says: 'My servant has adorned Me,'

and when he says: مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
"Master of the Day of Judgement."
Allah says: 'My servant has glorified Me' - and on one occasion He said: 'My servant has submitted to My power.'

And when he says: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
"It is You we worship and it is You we ask for help."
He (Allah) says: 'This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.'

And when he says: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
"Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favors, not of those against whom You are angry, nor of those who are astray."

He (Allah Ta'ala) says: 'This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.'"
[Muslim (also by Malik, at-Tirmidhi, Abu-Dawud, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah)]


Listen the beautiful racitation of Surah Al-Fatiha by Saad Al-Quraishi from here.
By Inspiring Stories

HERACLIUS (THE ROMAN EMPEROR) ENQUIRED ABOUT THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (PBUH)

Abdullah bin Abbas (ra) narrated: 
Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's Messenger (pbuh) had treaty with Abu Sufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya (Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them,
"Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)."

Heraclius said, "Bring him close to me and make his companions stand behind him." Abu Sufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to put some questions to me regarding that man (The Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should contradict me." Abu Sufyan added, "By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet (pbuh). The first question he asked me about him was:

'What is his family status amongst you?'
I replied, 'He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us.'

Heraclius further asked, 'Has anybody amongst you ever claimed the same (i.e. to be a Prophet) before him?'
I replied, 'No.'

He said, 'Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king?'
I replied, 'No.'

Heraclius asked, 'Do the nobles or the poor follow him?'
I replied, 'It is the poor who follow him.'

He said, 'Are his followers increasing or decreasing (day by day)?'
I replied, 'They are increasing.'

He then asked, 'Does anybody amongst those who embrace his religion become displeased and refused the religion afterwards?'
I replied, 'No.'

Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a Prophet)?'
I replied, 'No. '

Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?'
I replied, 'No. We are at treaty with him but we do not know what he will do in it.' I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that.

Heraclius asked, 'Have you ever had a war with him?'
I replied, 'Yes.'

Then he said, 'What was the outcome of the battles?'
I replied, 'Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes we.'

Heraclius said, 'What does he order you to do?'
I said, 'He tells us to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors had said. He orders us to pray, to speak the truth, to be chaste and to keep good relations with our Kith and kin.'

Heraclius asked the translator to convey to me the following, I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples.

I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing; your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the positive, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man's statement.

Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the positive, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom.

I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah.

I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Prophets have been followed by this very class of people.

Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects.

I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely.

I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Prophets never betray.

Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you, and if I could reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I would certainly wash his feet.'

Heraclius then asked for the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows:

"In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam you will be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants). (And I recite to you Allah's Statement:)

'O people of the scripture (i.e Jews & Christians)! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah).' (3:64).

Abu Sufyan then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter, there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told my companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha (the Prophet Muhammad) has become so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then I started to become sure that he (the Prophet pbuh) would be the conqueror in the near future till I embraced Islam (i.e. Allah guided me to it)."

[Sahih Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 1, Number 6]

By Inspiring Stories

"THE BOY AND THE KING & PEOPLE OF THE TRENCH (ASHAB-UL-UKHDUD)”

Suhayb ibn Sinan, reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told:

“There lived a king (Yusuf Dhu Nuwas ) before you (in Yemen and he lived about 70 years before the birth of Messenger of Allah PBUH) and he had a magician. 
As the magician grew old, he said to the king:
"I have become old and my time is nearly over, so send me a boy whom I can teach magic.''

So, he sent him a boy (Abdullah Ibn Tamir) and the magician taught him a magic. On his way (to the magician) the young man found a monk sitting there and listened to his talk and was impressed by it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician he met the monk set there so he was late in coming to the magician who beat him because of the delay.

The young boy made a complaint about it to the monk so the monk said,
“When you feel afraid of the magician, say, ‘My people kept me busy.’
And when you feel afraid of your family say to them: “The magician kept me busy.”

It once happened that there came a huge beast (of prey) and it blocked the way of the people. The young boy said,
“I shall find out today whether the magician or the monk is correct (in believe).”
He picked up a stone and said,
“O Allah, if the teaching of the monk are dearer to You than the teaching of the magician, bring death to this animal so that the people will be able to move about freely.”
He threw that stone towards it and killed it and the people began to move about (on the path freely).

The young man then came to that monk and informed him. The monk said,
“My son, today you are superior to me. Your affairs have reached a stage where I find that you will soon be put to the test, and in that case don't reveal my identity.”

The young man began to treat the blind and those suffering from leprosy and began to cure people of (all kinds) of illness. There was a courtier of the king who had become blind and he heard about the boy. He came and brought a number of gifts for the boy and said,
“If you cure me, all these things collected together here will be yours.”
He said, ”I myself do not cure anyone; it is Allah Who cures. If you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate Allah to cure you.”

He affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him. He came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him, “Who restored your eyesight?” He said, “My Lord.” The king then asked, "I did?'' The courtier said, "No, my Lord and your Lord - Allah''

The king said, "Do you have another Lord beside me'' He said, "Yes, your Lord and my Lord is Allah.'' Whereupon the king took hold of him and tortured him until he revealed the identity of boy.

The young man was thus summoned and the king said to him, “O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so talented in your magic that you cure the blind and those suffering from leprosy and you do such-and-such things.”
Thereupon he said, “I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Who cures.”

The king took hold of him and began to torture him. So he revealed the identity of the monk. The monk was thus summoned and it was said to him, “Turn back from your religion.” He, however, refused to do so.
King (ordered) a saw to be brought and it was placed in the middle of his head and it fell apart. Then the courtier of the king was brought and it was said to him, “Turn back from your religion but he refused to do so.” Then the same was done with him as well.”

Then the young boy was brought and it was said to him, “Turn back from your religion.” He refused to do so and he was handed over to a group of his courtier. He said to them, “Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb that mountain and when you reach its top (ask him to give up his faith) but if he refuses to do so, throw him down the mountain.”

So they took him and made him climb the mountain. The boy prayed,
“O Allah, save me from them (in any way) You will.” The mountain began to quake and they all fell down, the boy came walking back to the king. The king said to him, “What has happened to your companions?” He said, “Allah has saved me from them.”

He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said, “Take him and carry him away in a small boat and when you reach the middle of the ocean ask him to give up his religion, but if he does not give up his religion throw him (into the water).' So they took him and the boy prayed,
“O Allah, save me from them and what they want to do.” It was not long before the boat overturned and they were drowned but he came walking back to the king.

The king said to him, '”What has happened to your companions?” He said, “Allah has saved me from them.” He also said to the king, “You cannot kill me until I tell you how to do.”

He asked, “What is that?” The boy said, “You should gather people on a plain and hang me by the trunk (of a tree). Then take an arrow from the quiver and say, “In the name of Allah, the Lord of the worlds;” then shoot an arrow. If you do that, you would be able to kill me.'

So he did this and placing an arrow in the bow, he shot it, saying, (bismillahi Rabbi) “In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy;” The arrow hit the boy in the temple, and the boy placed his hand over the arrow wound and died.

The people proclaimed, “We affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man”

The courtiers came to the king and it was said to him, “Do you see what has happened that which you feared has taken place. That their faith is in the Lord”

So he ordered that ditches to be dug at the entrances to the roads and it was done, and fires were kindled in them. Then the king said,
"Whoever abandons his religion, let him go, and whoever does not, throw him into the fire.''

(The people courted death but did not refused their faith from Allah) untill a woman came with her baby whom she was breast feeding, she felt hesitant about jumping into the fire, the baby spoke to her, "Be patient mother! For verily, you are following the truth!''
[Muslim and Imam Ahmad recorded it]

According to some reports, about more than twelve thousand people were burned into ashes. After that the fire flared up so high that it spread out wildly through the city and burned all those who were watching the fun of burning the Muslims. Only Yusuf Dhu Nuwas (the king) managed to run away, and threw himself into the sea in order to save himself from the rage of the fire, but he got drowned and died. [Tafsir Mazhari]

It was about Dhu Nowas and his army that Allah revealed to His Messenger (PBUH) In Surah no. 85 Al-Buruj, the reference is made to this incident.

THE HOLY QURAN:
“Cursed were the People of the Trench, the (people of the) fire that was rich with fuel, when they were sitting by it, and were watching what they were doing with the believers. And they had blamed them for nothing but that they believed in Allah, the All-Mighty, the Worthy of All Praise, the One to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is witness over every thing. Surely, those who persecuted the believing men and the believing women, then did not repent, for them there is the torment of Jahannam (Hell), and for them there is the torment of burning.” [85: 4-10]


In a narration of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, it is reported that the place where the boy Abdulluh Ibn Tamir was buried had to be dug up for some important reason during the time of Sayyidna Umar (RA). It was found that the body of 'Abdulluh Ibn Tamir was unharmed, and he was sitting up. His hand was placed on his hip joint, where the arrow struck him. Someone people moved his hand out from that place, and his wound started bleeding. When the hand was placed back in its position, the bleeding stopped.

There was a ring in his finger which had the inscription: (Allahu Rabbi) "Allah is my Lord." The governor of Yemen informed Sayyidna Umar (RA) about this, and he wrote back in reply: "cover the body back as it was with his finger-ring." [Tafsir Ibn Kathir]

By Inspiring Stories
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ENEMIES OF ANGEL JIBRA’EL (A.S) (GABRIEL)

The Jews were used to give ever-new excuses for denying the Holy Prophet (pbuh). When they came to know that it was Archangel Jibra'el (Gabriel) who brought the Glorious Quran to the Holy Prophet (pbuh), then they said that Jibra’el was their enemy, as it was through him that exact commandments or terrible punishments had always descended on them, and for this reason they would not accept a Book which had been revealed through his action. They also added that they could have accepted the Holy Quran, if the Archangel Mika'il (Michael) had brought it down, for he is connected with rain and with divine mercy.

To deny it on account of one’s hostility to Jibra'el (A.S) is sheer stupidity. Now, as for the attitude of the Jews towards Jibra’el (A.S), the Holy Quran declares that to be hostile to the angels or to the prophets is equal to being hostile to Allah Himself. In other words, those who deny or oppose the angels and the prophets will have their due punishment in the other world. Thus for this reason the following verses from Surah Al Baqarah was revealed:

“Say (O Muhammad), whoever be an enemy to Jibra'el (Gabriel) -- it is he who has brought it down upon your heart by the permission of Allah, confirming what has been before it, and a guidance and good tidings to the believers.
Whoever be an enemy to Allah, His angels, and His Messengers, and to Jibra'el and Mika'il, then surely Allah is enemy to the disbelievers.”
(Quran 02: 97-98)


(Tafsir Ma’ariful Quran, vol 1)

By Inspiring Stories------------------------------------------------------

ARMY OF ELEPHANTS

The following incident is mentioned in Surah Al-Feel of the Holy Quran and it happened during the period of the birth-year of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). 

Abraha Al-Ashram was the governor of Yemen on behalf of the king of Ethiopia. He thought to build a house (like the Kabah at Makkah) in Sana (the capital of Yemen) and call the Arabs to perform the pilgrimage there in Sana instead of the Kabah in Makkah, with the intention of diverting the trade and benefits from Makkah to Yemen. He presented his idea to the king of Ethiopia who agreed to it.

So the house (church) was built and he named it Al-Qullais; there was no church of its like at that time. Then a man from the Quraish tribe of Makkah came there and was infuriated by it, so he relieved his nature (stools and urine) in it, soiled its walls and went away.

When Abrahah Al-Ashram saw that, he could not control his anger and raised an army to attack Makkah and demolish the Kabah. He had in that army thirteen elephants and amongst them was an elephant called ‘Mahmud’ which was the biggest of them.

Abraha's elephant is supposed to have refused to cross the boundary of Mecca and sat down. The accounts state that if the elephant was turned towards Syria or Yemen it would walk without hesitation, but when it was turned towards the Kabah it would kneel on its knees as if it would adore the city that its master was targeted on destroying.

Abdul Muttalib ordered the men of Makkah to leave the city and go to the top of the mountains along with their wives and children in case some harm should come to them from the invading oppressors.

On the way to Makkah, the army of Abraha destroyed everything in their way and stole hundreds of camels. Amongst them were some camels that belonged to Abdul Muttalib who was the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Abdul Muttalib knew that Abraha was coming to destroy the Kabah. He ran towards the Kabah and prayed to Allah.
"O Allah! Save Your house and do not let them destroy it!"
Then he went to Abraha. And Abraha asked him: "Why do you wish to see me?"
Abdul Muttalib said he wanted his camels back.

Abraha was shocked and said: "I have come to destroy the Kabah. You are the chief of Makkah and the guardian of the Kabah and all you are worried about is your camels!?" Abdul Muttalib replied : "The camels belong to me, and so I ask for their return. The Kabah belongs to Allah and He will look after it Himself"

When Abraha heard this he returned the camels and marched forward to destroy the Kabah. Allah sent a flock of birds who flew over the army pelting them with small stones of baked clay which killed the elephants and the soldiers.

All except Abraha were destroyed and he rushed back toYemen to tell the King what had happened. He was followed by one of the birds. Abraha looked up and showed him. "What sort of amazing birds were these!" asked the furious King. The bird threw a stone and Abraha died on the spot in front of the King.

The Holy Quran, Surah Feel 105 (The Elephant):
[105:1] Have you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant?
[105:2] Did He not put their plan into ruin?
[105:3] And sent flocks of birds upon them
[105:4] Which hit them with Sijjeel (stones of baked clay),
[105:5] So He made them like the leftover devour leaves of farms.


By Inspiring Stories

TREAT WIDOW AND ORPHAN WELL AND GET A WAY TO PARADISE


A man from a respectable background came to Balkh in Iran, accompanied by his wife and daughters. Shortly after their arrival the man fell ill and later died, leaving his wife and daughters. Without his support they became poor and suffered. So fearing the mockery of enemies, she escaped with her daughters to another town.

On the day she arrived the weather was very cold, so she left her daughters in a mosque and went out in search of food. She passed by two groups of people. One was gathered around a Muslim who was the Sheikh and the other group around a Zoroastrian (Majusi) who was the security officer of the city.

She first went to the Sheikh and described her situation saying, “I am a woman of a respectable family, with daughters whom I have left in the local mosque, I have come in search of food.” He asked her, “Bring me proof that you are from a respectable family.” She replied, “I am a stranger in this town and therefore do not know anyone to testify for me.” She departed from him brokenhearted.

She then went to the Zoroastrian and explained her situation to him, telling him about her noble background and her orphaned daughters who were waiting for her return. She also mentioned to him how the Sheikh had treated her. The Zoroastrian stood up and sent some womenfolk to bring her daughters and took all of them to his house. There he showered them with honor and generosity. He fed them fine food and clothed them in rich garments.

That night the Sheikh saw in a dream the Day of Resurrection and the banners were unfolded around the Prophet (Peace be Upon him). Ahead of him, was a green palace made of emeralds, its balconies of pearls and rubies and domes of pearls and corals.

He asked the Prophet (Peace be Upon him), “Messenger of Allah, for whom is this palace?” The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) replied, “For a Muslim.” The Sheikh replied, “I am a Muslim!” The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said, “Prove to me that you are a Muslim?” At that, the Sheikh was dumbstruck. The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) then said, “You asked a woman to produce proof of her respectability, and therefore my question to you, is can you produce proof that you are a Muslim?” At this point the Sheikh felt remorse about his treatment towards the woman and her orphaned daughters.

In the morning, he immediately set out to find the woman. He learnt she was staying with the Zoroastrian and so called for him. When the Zoroastrian arrived, the Sheikh requested that he sends the woman and her daughters to him. The Zoroastrian replied, “Under no circumstance! I have received great blessings from her.” The Sheikh said “Take a thousand dinars from me and bring them to me.”

He shouted, “Impossible! The one who showed you the palace in your dream has made it (the palace) for me. Are you surprised because I am not a Muslim? By Allah, I did not sleep last night, before I and my family accepted Islam at that noble woman’s hand, and I dreamt something similar to what you dreamt; the Messenger of Allah (Peace be Upon him) asked me, “Is that noble woman and her daughters with you?” I replied: “Yes, Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said, “This palace is for you and your family. Allah created you a believer in pre-eternity.”

At that the Sheikh remained sorrowful and grieved for the missed opportunity of earning a lofty position in Paradise, due to his neglect of the widowed woman and her daughters.

----------------
Hadith:
Allah’s Messenger (Peace be Upon him) has said, “The one who strives on behalf of the widow and the needy is like a warrior in the path of Allah”. (Bukhari and Muslim)

"One who cares for widows and the poor is like those who fight in the way of Allah or those who spend their days fasting and their nights praying." [Bukhari]

"Whoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgment" [Sahih Muslim]

The Holy Quran:
"And they feed, for the love of Allah, the poor, the orphan, and the captive..." [Surah al-Insaan, 8]
“Do IHSAAN (good) to them till their economic or emotional imbalance is no more”[2:83, 4:36]

"The Shaitan promises you poverty and enjoins you on vulgarity. But Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself with bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower." [Surah al-Baqarah, 268]

By Inspiring Stories

Thursday, March 21, 2013




WHOSE IS THE KINGDOM TODAY?

When the Samanid ruler, Nasr bin Ahmad ( 301 - 331 A.H), entered Nishapur, he held a court. After ascending the throne, he wanted the proceedings to be started with the recitation from the Holy Qur'an. At this an elderly pious man came forward and recited a section of the Surah Al- Mu'min. When he came to the verse (On that Day it will be asked:) "...Whose is the Kingdom today?" (40:16)

Nasr was struck with awe; he descended the throne trembling, took off the crown and fell down in prostration, saying: "O my Lord, Kingdom is Yours, not mine!"
---------

The Holy Quran, in Surah Al-Mu'min:
The Day when they will come out, nothing of them will be hidden from Allah.
(it will be asked) Whose is the Kingdom today? It is Allah's, the One, the Mighty!
Today everyone will be recompensed for what he earned. There is no injustice today.
Truly, Allah is swift in reckoning. (40:16-17):

Tafsir:
According to a hadith reported by Abu Wa'il from Sayyidna Abdulluh Ibn Mas'ud, all human beings will be assembled together on a clear surface, a surface on which no sin would have been committed by anyone. At that time, a bearer of news will be commanded to ask: “To whom belongs the Kingdom today?” Thereupon, the entire creation, believer or disbeliever, will respond saying: “To Allah alone, the One, the All Dominant.”
As for the believers, they will be more than pleased to say so, for this would be part of their belief. As for the disbelievers, they will confess to it sadly and helplessly.

And some other narrations (ahadith) also show that Allah Taala will make this statement when the entire creation will be destroyed after the blowing of the first Horn, and when even specially close ones, the angels (Jibrael, Mikael, Israfeel and the angel of death Izrael) will also meet death, and no one except the One Being of Allah Subhanahu wa Taala will remain, that will be the time He will say: “To whom belongs the Kingdom today?” Since there will be no one to answer at that time, He will Himself answer: “To Allah alone, the One, the All-Dominant.”

It is supported by the Hadith of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah and Ibn Umar (RA) in which it is said, “On the Day of Judgment, Allah Taala will with all earth surfaces rolled up in His left hand and all heavens rolled up in His right hand will say: “I am the owner of the kingdom. Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant?”

(Tafsir Maariful Quran, Vol 8)
By Inspiring Stories

Sunday, March 17, 2013

MILK OR WINE

Narrated Abu Huraira R.A:

On the night Allah's Apostle was taken on a night journey (Miraj) two cups, one containing wine and the other milk, were presented to him at Jerusalem. He looked at it and took the cup of milk. Gabriel said, "Praise be to Allah Who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your nation would have gone astray."
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SIGNIFICANCE OF SAYING "LA ILAHA ILLALLAH"

Abu Sa'eed AI-Khudri narrated that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said,
"Musa (Moses) said: 'O my Lord, teach me something by which I can remember You and supplicate to You.' 
Allah answered: 'Say, O Musa, La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).' 
Musa said: 'O my Lord, all your slaves say this.'
Allah said: 'O Musa, if the seven heavens and all of their inhabitants besides Me, and the seven earths were in a pan (of a scale), and La ilaha illallah was in (another) pan, then La ilaha illallah would outweigh them."

Ibn Hibbaan and AI-Haakim recorded this, and he (AIHaakim) graded it authentic (Saheeh).
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Tirmithi recorded a Hadith that he graded good (Hasan), from Anas (who said):
"I heard Allah's Messenger saying,
"Allah the Most High said, "O son of Aadam! If you came to Me with sins filling the earth, then you met Me without associating anything with Me, I would come to you with its (the earth's) fill of forgiveness.'"
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Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, "Whoever said "(la ilaha ilallah) None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and has in his heart good (faith) equal to the weight of a barley grain will be taken out of Hell."

And whoever said: "(la ilaha ilallah) None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and has in his heart good (faith) equal to the weight of a wheat grain will be taken out of Hell."

And whoever said, "(la ilaha ilallah) None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and has in his heart good (faith) equal to the weight of an atom will be taken out of Hell."
(Sahih Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 2, Number 42)
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“So know (O Muhammad SAW) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women.” Quran (47:19)

It was once said to Al Hasan Al-Basri: "Some people say that those who proclaim La iláha illalláh shall enter Paradise." He said, "Yes. For those who proclaim this word and fulfill its implications and requirements, then saying La iláha illalláh shall enter them into Paradise."
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HYPOCRISY - A SINFUL HEART DISEASE

“And of the people are some who say, “We believe in Allah and the Last Day, ”but they are not believers.They [think to deceive] Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not. In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.”

[Al-Qur'an - Surah Baqrah - 2:8-10]


It is narrated by Mahmud bin Labid (r.a), Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "The most dreadful thing which I fear about you is minor (shirk) polytheism."

The companions (r.a) asked: "What is the minor (shirk) polytheism?"

He (pbuh) said: "It is hypocrisy; and he (pbuh) added that on the Day of Judgment, when rewarding people for their deeds, Allah (s.w.t) will say to the hypocrites: 'Go to those for the sake of whom you used to perform good deeds; and see whether you can get any reward from them.'"

(Musnad Ahmad)


"O Allah! Purify my heart of hypocrisy, and my deeds from showing off, and my tongue from lying, and my eyes from betraying trust (looking at the forbidden). For indeed, You know what the eyes betray, and what is hidden deep in the breasts."

(Baihaqi)

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Saturday, March 16, 2013

PEACE IN HARDSHIP

1. إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ "We belong to Allah and to Him we are to return" 

This is what the patient people should say as it brings excellent reward, relieves from the burden of sorrow and suffering and consoles effectively the grieved heart.
As the quality and degree of patience varies from person to person, everyone will be rewarded individually according to and commensurate with his quality of patience.

2. O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient ones. [2:153]

3. Let us not forget that, according to the Hadith,
whenever the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was faced with a grave problem of any kind, he always hastened to offer nafl prayers, and through the barakah (benediction) of the prayers, Allah came to his aid and resolved the problem satisfactorily.

4. "Say, 'only what Allah has decreed for us will happen to us. He is our Master: let the believers put their trust in Allah" (Qur'an 9:51)

And surely We will test you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and fruits.
And give good tidings to the patient who, when suffering comes to them, say: 'We certainly belong to Allah, and to Him we are bound to return!'
Those are the ones upon whom there are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. And those are the ones who are on the right path. (Quran 2:154-157)

“For truly with hardship comes ease” (Quran 94:5-6)

Bear sorrows and calamities patiently otherwise you will never be happy.
-Hazrat Ali (R.A)

"For every dark night, there's a brighter day"
-Tupac Shakur