WHAT TO SAY IF YOU GET…………… OR DON’T GET WHAT YOU DESIRED? 9:59

وَلَو أَنَّهُم رَضُواْ مَآ ءَاتَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ  وَقَالُواْ حَسبُنَا ٱللَّهُ سَيُؤتِينَا ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضلِهِ وَرَسُولُهُ  إِنَّآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ رَغِبُونَ (٥٩

9:59 (How much more seemly) had they been content with that which Allah and His messenger had given them and had said: Allah sufficeth us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and (also) His messenger. Unto Allah we are suppliants.

TAFSEER BY DR FARHAT HASHMI:

When the hypocrites were unhappy with the distribution of goods to the people, they would rudely question Prophet Muhammad PBUH.

Allah Subhanawataala outlines the etiquette of a true Muslim in this ayah: A true Muslim would say and feel that Allah is enough in my heart, He will give us of his bounty and also His messenger, and we supplicate to Allah alone.

The message here is that we should trust Allah in what he gives us and in what he withholds, and be confident that He will give of His bounties.

We should make a conscious effort not to emulate the hypocrites who questioned the quality and quantity of what they were given by RasoolAllah and were not happy with it.

MY TAKE:

The end point of the Hypocrites is that the wrath of Allah will descend on them, and we do not want to be one of them.

WHAT AND WHO IS IN YOUR HEART?

PHOTO: Courtesy flikr search Alllah calligraphy

WHO WILL INHERIT PAKISTAN?

Do vote your opinion at the end of the page!

Model at fashion show in Lahore celebrating Valentine

OR

Jamaat i Islami women supporting Kashmiri muslims

OR

Two million Afghan refugees in Karachi alone (celebrating Eid I think)

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

BEHAVIORIAL CLUES OF THE HYPOCRITES: 9:52-55

قُل هَل تَرَبَّصُونَ بِنَآ إِلَّآ إِحدَى ٱلحُسنَيَينِ وَنَحنُ نَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُم أَن يُصِيبَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِعَذَابٍ مِّن عِندِهِ أَو بِأَيدِينَا فَتَرَبَّصُوٓاْ إِنَّا مَعَم مُّتَرَبِّصُونَ (٥٢) قُل أَنفِقُواْ طَوعًا أَو كَرهًا

لَّن يُتَقَبَّلَ مِنكُم إِنَّكُم نتُم قَومًا فَـسِقِينَ (٥٣) وَمَا مَنَعَهُم أَن تُقبَلَ مِنہُم نَفَقَتُهُم إِلَّآ أَنَّهُم فَرُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَلَا يَأتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوةَ إِلَّا وَهُم سَالَى وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمكَـرِهُونَ (٥٤) فَلَا تُعجِبكَ أَموَلُهُم وَلَآ أَولَـدُهُم إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَہُم بِہَا فِى ٱلحَيَوةِ ٱلدُّنيَا وَتَزهَقَ أَنفُسُہُم وَهُم كَـفِرُونَ (٥٥)

Say: Can ye await for us aught save one of two good things (death or victory in Allah’s way)? while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with a doom from Him or at our hands. Await then! Lo! We are awaiting with you. (52)

Say: Pay (your contribution), willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. Lo! ye were ever forward folk. (53)

And naught preventeth that their contributions should be accepted from them save that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His messenger, and they come not to worship save as idlers, and pay not (their contribution) save reluctantly. (54)

So let not their riches nor their children astonish thee (O Muhammad). Allah thereby intendeth but to punish them in the life of the world and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. (55)

BACKGROUND
There were two kinds of people who did not answer the call of jihad against the Romans and some of these two were hypocrites, i.e. for appearances sake they declared that they were Muslims when they were Muslims, but their behavior was contradictory to that of a Muslim.
Allah Subhanawataala defines them in these ayahs to warn Prophet Muhammad PBUH and to reassure him that he (PBUH) is better off without their help

Tafseer from Dr. Farhat Hashmi

Here are some behavioral clues for identifying hypocrites:

1.    They do not want to join you to help you (addressed to Prophet Muhammad pbuh)
2.    They run away fast and do not look back
3.    They are cowards, and want to hide in places where their defective character and behavior can be hidden from everyone
4.    They are afraid of other people’s opinion, and are overtly pretending to be Muslims because it was fiscally advantageous for them to be with the Muslims and at least superficially show support to them.
5.    The people of fasiqeen (Munafiqeen) whether they spend happily (to show off) or reluctantly (to remain in the good books of Muslims) in the way of Islam, their contribution will not be accepted, because they are from a people who are disobedient Maida ayah 27 Allah only accepts sadaqa from Mutaqqi people.
6.    Lesson: when one contributes something in the way of Allah it must be done with emaan and preface it by abstaining from the disobediences of Allah.
7.    The obstacle to the acceptance of their sadaqa is that in their hearts they deny Allah and his Rasool (PBUH)
8.    They do not make salaat, and they are lazy about these acts of worship, they do not “feel like” making salaat, Baqara 45: about salaat
9.     They do not like to spend in the way of Allah

SUMMARY
In order to have our good acts accepted by Allah there are certain, we must recognize the obstacles that stand in the way of acceptance of our good deeds:
1.    Lack of Emaan
2.    Laziness in salaat
3.    Hesitation in zakaat
4.    Since One good work facilitates another, a scenario of disobedience of Allah takes away from the good work
5.    A heart which does not have a desire to please Allah or is stingy with his love of Allah

Warning the Muslims about the behavior of the Hypocrites:
1.    Do not be happy when you see their affluence and children
2.    Their children and their riches can become a calamity/fitna for them
3.    Allah gives them Azaab to the hypocrites in this world, by making the very things that they yearn for and collect carefully such as their riches and their children a burden to them that drains them and brings them unhappiness. For example sometimes the very business that brings them riches takes toll of their health and time. Children who have been well educated and successful from the dunya viewpoint, on becoming independent these very children ignore their parents, and become a source of pain for them
4.    Their lives will end with pain and agony from the very things they collected in lieu of obedience to Allah Subhanawataala

end tafseer

Allah knows best

PAKISTAN: FROM ISLAM TO SECULAR……… TO ISLAM

Muslims in Karachi welcome Jinnah the founder of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

A balloon seller catering to the secular Pakistani’s celebrating St. Valentines Day

Pakistan a host to the Refugees for twenty years: More receiving hands than giving hands

Returning to Islam: The Islamic seminary students taking an exam

Photos courtesy:http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/02/scenes_from_pakistan.html sent by AO

THE SERMON AT TABUK PART TWO (26-50)

A Comprehensive Sermon of Tabuk Campaign by Rasulullah Peace be upon him

Kontribusi dari eka kristanto
After glorifying Allah the Holy Prophet said:

Translation:

26. Doubt and vacillation are an index of unbelief.

27. Wailing over the dead is a practice of ignorance.

28. Stealing and embezzlement are the provision for Hell.

29. Getting drunk is to burn in the fire.

30. (Nonsense) versification is satanic.

31. Drinking is the source of all evil.

32. The worst that one can eat is the property of the orphan.

33. Fortunate is he who learns from the mistakes of others.

34. Wretched is he who is wretched by birth.

35. And each one of you is to be buried deep under the soil.

36. And the deeds of each one will be judged in the Hereafter.

37. An act is judged by its fruit.

38. The worst dream is the false dream.

39. Abusing a believer is sinful.

40. And fighting a believer is a sign of disbelief.

41. Backbiting a believer is disobedience of Allah.

42. A believer’s property is as unlawful for the other person as his blood.

43. The one who is indifferent to Allah is ignored by Allah.

44. Allah keeps the secrets of him who keeps the secrets of others.

45. The one who forgives others is forgiven by Allah.

46. He who suppresses his anger is rewarded by Allah.

47. He who endures a loss with patience is rewarded by Allah.

48. The habitual fault-finder is disgraced by Allah.

49. Allah multiplies the rewards of him who adopts the attitude of patience.

50. And Allah chastises the one who adopts the attitude of disobedience.

According to a tradition in Sahih Muslim, when the Holy Prophet gave the sermon his voice would rise and his eyes
would become red with the intensity of feeling, and it appeared as if he was warning his audience against the enemy who was about to attack them.

Source:
Everyday Fiqh (Vol.1) by Abdul Aziz Kamal (c)1986 published by Islamic Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., 13-E Shah Alam
Market, Lahore, Pakistan. (http://muslim-canada.org/fridaysermon.htm)

Courtesy of: Indonesian Muslim Society in America (IMSA)

http://www.imsa.us

The Sermon At TABUK PART ONE (1-25)

Quran on rehal courtesy :flickr Quran search

A Comprehensive Sermon of Tabuk Campaign by Rasulullah Peace be upon him

Kontribusi dari eka kristanto

A Comprehensive Sermon of Tabuk Campaign by Rasulullah saw.
After glorifying Allah the Holy Prophet said:

Translation:

1. The most truthful of discourses is the Book of Allah.

2. The most trustworthy word is Taqwa (fear of God).

3. The best of the communities is the Community of Prophet Abraham (Allah’s peace be upon him).

4. The best way of life is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s peace be upon him).

5. Remembrance of Allah is the most glorious of all things.

6. The best of all narrations is the Qur’an.

7. The best acts are those requiring the highest degree of will and determination.

8. The worst acts are those based on innovation.

9. The best way of life is the one adopted by the Prophets of Allah.

10. The most glorious death is the death of the martyr.

11. The most wretched blindness consists in going astray after finding the Right Way.

12. The best of acts is the one that yields benefit.

13. The best guidance is that which the people may be able to follow.

14. The worst blindness is the blindness of the heart.

15. The upper hand (giving) is better than the lower one (receiving).

16. The less which can meet one’s needs is better than the more which can cause neglectfulness.

17. The worst excuse is that which is offered at the point of death.

18. The worst remorse is the remorse of the Day of Judgment.

19. Some people come for the Friday Prayer but their hearts are held up behind.

20. And they are able to remember Allah but little.

21. The sin of the lying tongue is the gravest of all sins.

22. Real richness is the richness of the heart.

23. The best provision is the provision of Taqva (fear of God).

24. The best of all wisdom and knowledge is the fear of Allah Almighty.

25. Faith is the best thing to be cultivated and entrenched in the heart.

Rest in tomorrow’s post……………..

Source:
Everyday Fiqh (Vol.1) by Abdul Aziz Kamal (c)1986 published by Islamic Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., 13-E Shah Alam Market, Lahore, Pakistan. (http://muslim-canada.org/fridaysermon.htm)

Courtesy of : Indonesian Muslim Society in America (IMSA)
http://www.imsa.us

EMPOWERING THE MUSLIMS AGAINST THE SUPERPOWER 9:38

Surah Taubah 9:38

يَـأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَا لَكُم إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلتُم إِلَى ٱلأَرضِ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلحَيَوةِ ٱلدُّنيَا مِنَ ٱلأَخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَـعُ ٱلحَيَوةِ ٱلدُّنيَا فِى ٱلخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ (٣٨

O ye who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto you: Go forth in the way of Allah, ye are bowed down to the ground with heaviness. Take ye pleasure in the life of the world rather than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but little in the Hereafter. (9:38)

BACKGROUND:

It was ninth Hijri (nine years after Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him (pbuh) migrated from Mecca to Medina) Prophet Muhammad pbuh and the Muslims were just recovering from the victory of Mecca and the Battle of Hunayn when they were informed that the Romans (the super power of those times) were getting ready to attack the Muslims.

In this year the crops were ready to be picked and Tabuk was far away where the Romans had collected an army with supplies enough to last a year. This rattled the Muslim population and what evolved is addressed in this ayah.

TAFSEER by Dr. Farhat Hashmi

In this ayah Allah Subhanawataala commands the believers to leave with Prophet Muhammad to stop the Romans from destroying the muslims.

At this time Prophet Muhammad asked everyone if they would join him in offsetting the Romans and four types of people emerged at his request:

1. Those who immediately came to fight for Islam against the Romans.

2. Those who could not come due to a genuine physical or logistic reason

3. Those who made excuses, because they were so attached to their lifestyle and their material belongings.

4. Those who were lazy and did not feel like it.

This ayah is about the people mentioned in number three and four. FH explains: No matter what status, power or wealth we attain in life, in the end when we die the only thing we leave this earth with is a sheet of white cloth measured to our body length (kafan). If we look at the piece of white cloth (the kafan) in which we will be wrapped at death, that is all we take with us, all other belongings, jewelry, rich clothes, sports cars, designer homes children, family, institutions, companies, businesses, etc are all disengaged from us at death and left behind.

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE ULTIMATE FUTURE

This ayah is a reminder of Akhirah or the Hereafter, which is our final home. This ayah gives us vision into our future, chiding us, and the laggards of those times for our worldly attachments. It reminds us that eventually and maybe not too far into the future we will be going home and standing in front of Him Subhanawataala. This is the essence of our Deen and all behavior is to be modulated keeping this in mind at all times.

OUT OF SIGHT SHOULD NOT BE OUT OF MIND

The Hereafter is invisible to us at this time and thus we forget and start thinking that this (dunya) is the only life we have and that we must hang on to our acquisitions, never leaving them for fear of losing them.

ATTACHMENTS AND DETACHMENT

We make such deep and abiding attachments with objects and people in this dunya that that we are then unable to leave them for even a moment A fear sets into us. A fear of separation from our belongings and attachments. Thus leaving them to go and fight in the path of Allah, and the possibility that these attachments may no longer be there when we return, or that we may die in battle and thus be separated from these attachments of dunya, stymie our steps.

(My suggestion: For further study on attachments and detachment in the path of Allah review the CD set titled “Purification of the Heart” by Sheikh Mokhtar Magroubi, available at www. Zawiyah.net)

MY TAKE ON THIS:

Both ideas have no basis

FEAR OF OBEYING ALLAH AS WE MAY DIE BY DOING SO

As the time of our death is written and Allah Subhanwataala says:

003.145
Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If any do desire a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if any do desire a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve us with) gratitude.

WHO DECIDES IF WE KEEP WHAT WE HAVE OR LOSE IT?

Our attachments material and human may or may not be there on our return from working or fighting in the path of Allah.

There presence or loss is based on what Allah Subhanawataala decides to do with them and their relationship with us because: He has power over all things.

Either way we are submitting to Allah, willingly with His grace, or unwillingly with His displeasure as is reflected in the above ayah.

Tafseer by FH continuing:

Comparing the comfort of this life to the Hereafter is i.e. “but little” perhaps not even a nano second. The believers are being called to help Prophet Muhammad PBUH in a time, which is physically difficult, the journey to Tabuk is long and the enemy is a superpower.  In addition it is extremely hot and the numbers of the Muslim army are small compared to the Roman army, and they are tired after the Hunayn and are just starting to regroup after the Victory of Mecca.

THE ESSENCE OF THE KHUTBAH OF TABUK

On reaching the battleground of Tabuk, Prophet Muhammad PBUH gave a Khutbah. Unlike most non Muslim generals who usually incite their soldiers with hate, plunder, pillage and patriotism for a human cause, person or a geographical country, Prophet Muhammad PBUH oriented his soldiers to the higher levels of behavior set in the Quran for the Believer in battle and otherwise.

His (PBUH) Khutba was a succinct reminder to Muslims of the behavioral components of their Deen to be reflected in their actions, both in and out of battle, restraining the passion of the fierce warriors of Arabia to the obedience of Allah and Him Jalayjalalahu alone.

End tafseer

Thus the soldiers were given a formula to correct their mental and physical orientation before they went into battle.

This famous Khutbah stands as a guide for muslims of all generations to remember at all times, harsh and easy and if followed brings sakeena and peace to the heart. (More on that later)

………….And before time runs out

La taknatu mer Rahmatullah……..

Our paths have been divided into two, which one we take is entirely in our hands, if we err and take the one with a fiery end, we can return to the path of Allah as long as we are alive in this world, but we have to return before time runs out………….

Excerpts from the Retreat on Ikhlaas and Surah Zumar  (Recitation by Sheikh Al Afasy with english translation)

A DAY OF REPENTANCE……………

Today is one of those days where you do everything wrong and no one except your conscience knows it. At some point it overwhelms you and you actually weep with your Istighfaar and ask Allah Subhanawataala to help you………have you ever had such a day?

It started out when I got out of bed with the rays of morning peeking through my window, and Fajar was almost over. Did anyone question me or care, none except myself and I found that was more punishing than my mother waking me for Fajr and me procrastinating.

As the day went by, I thought more and more of Tariq and wondered what sort of a person I was when he was alive and what sort of a person I am evolving into after his death that even I can no longer recognize myself, leave alone others.

As the evening falls, I find myself buying plates for Shireen’s mehndi dinner. I stand and think about paper versus plastic, the “green” in me burgeons to the front and I pick up the paper plates, and then the practical side of me elbows in front and asks me how did I plan to serve my guests a middle eastern fare in these flimsy paper plates……..and so goes the warring sides within me as I dawdle at the paper plate aisle. Anyone watching me would think I was trying to solve the world’s problems instead of buying some paper plates.

I look around at the store filled with tinsel and paper décor, and think back to all those times where I tried to make Eids and birthdays special for my children because we lived in a country where Christmas began even before Thanksgiving. I wanted to make sure that my children did not feel any less than the Christian kids when it came to our holidays……how silly and useless it all seems today, all the preparations and stress in preparing for Eid and Ramadan celebrations, why did I make such a big to do………Tariq only saw nineteen times two Eids….and Shireen…….. anyway always thought I went overboard and was too flamboyant and did too much and had too many people over etc etc etc.

As I am wrapping up my shopping for the evening a song comes on the radio in the store…..a signature song reminiscent of Tariqs ebullient spirit. I listen to it with a strange feeling of awakening pain. As I leave after paying my bill, the wave of repentance crashes over me………….I was in Ghafala when he was alive, may Allah forgive me for being so happy in my heedlessness, my life revolved around my children and my religion was basic minimum in my actions and all of it in my heart. I spent the days as if we all had plenty of time to make our Maghfirah at some later date.

I am driving home and the tears of repentance are streaming down my face, I truly was happy in this world, I had everything any human being could ever want and was satisfied with it, May Allah Subhanawataala forgive me for being so heedless and happy with my condition.

I miss my child….that He took, and a thought lingers in the back of my head.  Was it to awaken me to the reality of life and dunya? To let me know that valuable time was passing and I was not ready for the Hereafter and had lots of work to do? I don’t know, I don’t want to think of Tariq’s death as a punishment of my sins, but his death sure brought awareness of my heedlessness of my religion to the fore, showing me how little time I had and how much ground I needed to cover.

Repentance actually is a return to Him (Subhanawataala), with the regret that we have been away so long and needed to return after being lost. With the prayer that we don’t get lost again…….. While on our retuning path to Him.

HOW TO TELL IF ALLAH IS IN YOUR HEART?

Whenever a naimah (a blessing) comes to me, I am reminded of Allah in my heart, that is Tawheed. (The active affirmation of the Oneness of God)

Whenever something bad happens to me and I say “Why me”” then I need to look as to where is Allah in my heart?

Excerpted from the Khutba on “Fitna” by Sister H in South Africa Jan 09