THE GARDENS ARE FOR SALE, DO YOU HAVE THE ASSETS? 9: 111-112

۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشۡتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٲلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَۚ يُقَـٰتِلُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقۡتُلُونَ وَيُقۡتَلُونَۖ وَعۡدًا عَلَيۡهِ حَقًّ۬ا فِى ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةِ وَٱلۡإِنجِيلِ وَٱلۡقُرۡءَانِۚ وَمَنۡ أَوۡفَىٰ بِعَهۡدِهِۦ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَٱسۡتَبۡشِرُواْ بِبَيۡعِكُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَايَعۡتُم بِهِۦۚ وَذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ (١١١)

009.111
YUSUFALI: Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur’an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.

ٱلتَّـٰٓٮِٕبُونَ ٱلۡعَـٰبِدُونَ ٱلۡحَـٰمِدُونَ ٱلسَّـٰٓٮِٕحُونَ ٱلرَّٲڪِعُونَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدُونَ ٱلۡأَمِرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَٱلنَّاهُونَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَٱلۡحَـٰفِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (١١٢)

009.112 YUSUFALI: Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance; that serve Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the cause of Allah,: that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; that enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limit set by Allah;- (These do rejoice). So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers.

TAFSEER translated from Dr.Farhat Hashmi’s Taleemul Quran

Background: In the earlier Ayahs Allah Subhanawataala warns us of the disease of the heart (hypocrisy) that eats away a man from the inside. In the following ayahs he makes a deal with human beings for Jannah. Like any other trade the clauses are clarified, what assets do we have to have as men and women in this transient time on this earth in order to attain a house in Jannah for ever.
Here is the deal:

Ayah 111: Only complete submission of mind, body and soul in all forms and manner is the barter for the Gardens.

Who are the ones who actually will win Jannah (The gardens)? Their description is given in Ayah 9:112
Those who have the assets to barter for Jannah have the following characteristics:

1.    Ataiboon
Thos who return to Allah is repentance/ Allah SWT knows that human beings are weak, thus he has made a deal in which there is room for genuine mistakes, which after repentance are not repeated.
Self-evaluation: How do I do tawba? What do I read? Say? Do? What method do I use to return from the disobediences of Allah?
•    Listing of disobediences
•    Action taken for the disobediences, is there an action,? Nafil? Giving away my best most desired item, giving sadaqa
•    As soon as I admit the disobedience, immediately do the action with verbal tawbah

2.    AL ABIDOON: Those who pray and keep Allah’s name on their lips and their heart in everything they say and do.
Action: Check my prayers; check the perfection of the steps to prayers, wudu, and salaat post salaat nafil prayer.
•    Check fasts
•    Hajj
•    Zakat

3.    AL HAMIDOON: Those who praise Allah in many different ways in what they see, hear and do.
Self Evaluation: what do I do to sing/recite the praises of Allah, do I thank Allah for gracing me with His naimah and making the prayers. Do I say the masnoon duas as I enter and exit my house and my car? Do I thank him when I eat and drink?

4.    AS-SAIHOON: This has been interpreted by some as those who fast but mostly as those who walk all around the earth (travel) for the sake of Allah, i.e. who leave their homes to learn ilm, to teach ilm of Deen, to help the poor, hijrat, jihad, which includes intellectual war. Those who travel in the world for the sake of Allah. This includes women as this has been used elsewhere in the Quran for Women.
Action:  Maximize utilization of time to learn, teach and help, and convey the message of Allah and do social work. Distribute the time apportioned with balance of each of the things that are reasonable for each individual.

This type of Saihaat has also been used for desirable women, in Surah Tahreem
066.005YUSUFALI: It may be, if he divorced you (all), that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you,- who submit (their wills), who believe, who are devout, who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for Faith) and fast,- previously married or virgins.

Self Evaluation:  For what reasons do we we leave home and for what purpose? Is it within the circle to do His (SWT) work? And at all times respect the restrictions placed on women, (for safety and guarding the chastity) by Allah.

5.    AR RAAKIOON: Those who do Ruku and those who do a lot of Rukus and Sajdahs. This is nafil prayer and being humble in front of others. If one is humble for the sake of Allah and his deen then Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings upon him is related in the Hadith as saying “ He who has bend down in humility then Allah SWT will raise him to great heights”

We can observe how RasoolAllah’s behavior was humble even with the children as well as his companions. Ayah: For Rasool Allah “ bend down your shoulders” Remove the barriers between yourself and others, which are based on arrogance or stiffness or self-righteousness. Let go of ones pride as we are in the business of qualifying for the trade for Jannah.

RasoolAllah was always kind, patient and humble even with children. Five times our shoulders and our back and our heads are bent in salaat this is to practice humility and to remove the stiffness of arrogance from our bodies and our minds.

Self evaluation: When I am giving the message of Islam to a friend or colleague, do I get irritated, impatient or arrogant when I am put in a corner?

6.  AS SAJIDOONA: HADITH: Hazrat Abu Firas (RA), who used to serve Rasool Allah, was part of the Ahle Suffa. He states: ” I used to bring water for his wudu, one night he said ‘ask me for something” I said “ I want to stay with you in Jannah” Rasoolallah (PBUH) said “anything else” He said “no that is all I want is to be with you in Jannah”.
Rasool Allah (PBUH) replied ” Then help me and your soul by increasing your sajdahs”.

Self Evaluation: Do I schedule my sajdahs as the highest priority of my day?

7.    THOSE WHO ENJOIN WHAT IS RIGHT AND FORBID WHAT IS EVIL. Invite others to what is good, and prevent them from what is evil, it is the key to surround oneself with what is good and protect one from what is evil.

Do not limit your search of goodness only to yourself but invite others also to what is good and prevent what is evil. If one does not do that then a single individual cannot stay good and remain protected from evil.

Self Evaluation: Do I share the good ness I learn with those I love and care for? Not in a preach manner but like a delicious piece of cake that I just tasted and wanted to share with them, here is where ikhlaas is truly tested and cannot be faked.

Thus I guess first I have to enjoin what is good in myself and only then can I share it with other and same with forbidding evil, first I must have conviction that it is evil that I am forbidding and that it will take me and my loved ones to the fire before I forbid others.

Knowledge/ILM of Deen is essential here to decide what is evil and what is not, other wise one has to go by what is drummed into our heads via the media.

8.    THOSE WHO STAY WITHIN THE HUDDOOD OF ALLAH. Allah has set limits; those who want to go to jannah have to stay within the huddood(boundaries) He has set for us.

Allah Subhanawataala states: If you complete these clauses of the barter than the promise of jannah to you is firm.

My Dua: I ask Allah for forgiveness for any mistakes I may have made inunderstanding His word.

My mistakes are from shaitaan or my Nafs.

Anything good and correct is from Allah Subhanawataala.

May He always keep me and my pen (my fingerson the keyboard) in the good and correct path, and disallow all the whisperings of the Shaitaan and allow me to tighten the reins of control over my Nafs.

Ameen.

HOW CAN WE ENTER JANNAH?

GUEST ARTICLE

Jannah: Just a wish or a Reality??

by Asma bint Shameem

When Fir’aun found out that his wife Aasiyah believed in Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta‘ala, instead of in him, he was furious! How could she? He ordered his guards to beat her. They tied her hands and feet, and beat her mercilessly in the scorching desert heat. She turned to Allah and prayed, “My Lord, build for me a home with You in Jannah and save me from Fir’aun and his deeds and save me from the Zaalimun ( wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allaah).” (Surah at-Tahreem:11).

That was her wish. To be in Jannah. And she got it.

It is said that when she said this, the sky opened for her and she saw her home in Jannah.

She smiled.

Frustrated and angry, the guards picked up a huge rock to crush her completely. But before they could do that, Allah took her soul and she became an example for all the believing men and women until the end of time.

Wishes, hopes and aspirations! Who doesn’t have them?

When you ask the average person what they wish for, some of them may wish for a million dollars, perhaps a fancy sports car and a house by the lake or even a trip to Disney Land.

But few of us remember the highest of humanly wishes. The greatest of wishes, the best of wishes, the loftiest of wishes. Yeah sure, it is there on our list, and we wish for it. But not with the fervor and passion that it deserves.

And what is that wish, after all?

It is a wish for Jannah; the pure, lofty abode for the believers.

The non-Muslims believe in wishing on a star, wishing on a birthday candle and in three wishes that a genie can ‘magically’ grant for you. But Alhamdulillaah, we are Muslims and we don’t need a star or a candle stuck on a cake to make a wish. In fact we don’t even need a genie in a bottle.

All we have to do is to submit to Allaah, believe in Him, do righteous deeds to the best of our ability, hoping for His Mercy while fearing His Wrath.

Allaah has told us in the Quraan:

“Whereas those who believe and do good deeds and humble themselves before their Lord, they are the companions of Paradise, and there they shall live for ever.” (Surah Hood: 23)

As Muslims we also know that achieving something is not just empty words. It is to wish for it in the heart, to use the tongue and make dua for it and to exert the appropriate effort in order to achieve it.

And Jannah is the loftiest of wishes.

But do we really, really wish for it? If so, what have we done to achieve it?

Ramadaan is the perfect chance for us to make that wish for Jannah come true. The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

“Whoever fasts Ramadaan out of faith and with the hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhaari, Muslim)

And “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadaan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhaari, Muslim)

“When the first night of the month of Ramadaan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained up and the gates of Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. And a caller cries out: ‘O seeker of good, proceed; O seeker of evil, desist. And Allaah has those whom He redeems from the Fire, and that happens every night.” (Al-Tirmidhi and others- hasan by al-Albaani)

Ramadaan is the month of Mercy and forgiveness. So ask Allaah to forgive you.

And this is a month of promises. So promise to worship Him and obey Him to the best of your ability…..and promise to stay away from His prohibitions.

And this is the month of reformation and discipline. So review your self and your deeds. If there are any shortcomings, mend them before it is too late. Make the most of this month by doing lots of acts of worship according to the Sunnah, pray a great deal, read Qur’aan, forgive people, be kind to others and give charity to the poor.

And Allaah will make that wish for Jannah come true.

“And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer — then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)” [al-Isra’ 17:19]

The Prophet (sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

“Make the most of five things before five (other things happen): your life before you die, your good health before you become sick; your free time before you become busy; your youth before you grow old; and your wealth before you become poor.”  (saheeh by al-Albaani  in Saheeh wa Da’eef al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer)

And this includes making the most of Ramadaan before it passes away.

You are alive today, yes. And you are healthy today. But how long does ‘today’ actually last?

Think about it…….

Race with one another to do good deeds, and turn to Allaah in sincere repentance. Set your sight on the highest position in Jannah and strive to earn the pleasure of Allaah so you may enter

al-Jannatul-Firdaws.

Work hard for that wish. Keep the wish close to your heart, in all that you say or do.

Turn that wish for Jannah into reality.

“Therefore, race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden as wide as heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in Allah and His Messengers. Such is the Favor of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. Allah is the Owner of great favor.” (Surah hadeed: 21)

May Allaah grant you your wish. Ameen.

TIME MANAGEMENT FOR A MUSLIM

The humming bird: focused, fast and efficient

How to pass the time in dunya (‘Waqt guzar jae ga (New year resolutions) ‘ translated from a lecture by Dr. Farhat Hashmi)

GOAL: GETTING TO JANNAH AND BE AWARE OF AKHIRAH
GUIDELINES TO MANAGE YOUR DAY TO GET CLOSER TO JANNAH:
1.    Complete your obligations
2.   Organize your day
3.    Attach one item/action to each salaat
4.    Guard each moment
a.    Remove waste of time
b.    Upgrade the use of your each moment
c.    Enhance each moment with preparing for Akhirah
d.    Ideal investment of time is for jannah
5.    Dhikr, verbal, or quiet at every moment with action or without. Take a simple act and take it into an ibadah by performing that action with Dhikr.
6.    Earn Ilm (knowledge of Deen)
7.    Actualize the ilm we have (live it, act on it)
8.   Make our goals and attach them to our action
9.    Execute our actions
10.    Examine our roles (eg mine)
a.    Muslim Woman
b.    Wife
c.    Mother’
d.    Physician
e.    Blogger
f.    Friend
11.    Review my ibadaat, plan the time for each, evaluate what is the closest method of doing it according to Sunnah, examine the act and finesse it according to the Sunnah.
Salaat: develop skills, tips and talent so that it is as close to the Sunnah as possible.
12.    Many a time we have so many elaborate plans based on our fertile ideas, our desires for goodness. Examine the reason why we cannot bring these to fruition.
13.    For every dua we do we have to make the endeavor to fulfill it.

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE DICHOTOMY BETWEEN THOUGHT, KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION?
1.    Lack of priorities
2.    Lack of Planning
3.    Procrastination
4.    Lack of support systems and skills
5.    Lack of confidence
6.    Waiting to do it some day when we are better and more qualified
7.    Following inspirations without planning
8.    Not respecting time: Watawasu bil Haqq (surah Asr)
9.    We need to involve those that we live with and interact with everyday

WHAT SHOULD WE DO AND HOW SHOULD WE DO IT?

1.How should we do it depends on the problem
Solution: Check out the Hadith and ascertain how did Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did each action, how did he solve problems, how did he tackle procrastination, lack of confidence and lack of support systems and more (i.e. study the Sunnah on a continuous basis)
2.    What ever we do in Deen, we should check how did RasoolAllah (PBUH) with all his time and place and people constraints tackle this? How did he do it? What was the basis of his planning and execution? (i.e. study the Sunnah in detail)
LEARNING FROM PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S (PBUH) HIKMAH……HIS TIME MANAGEMENT
He had many roles:
Nabi
General
Judge
Ruler
Father
Husband
Slave to Allah

3,  Organize and follow through, and seek (Ham & huzn se panha), protection from sadness and depression)
The challenges are :Ajaz, kasal, bukhal, kahar rejaal (family and society pressure), maal ke mushkelaat (difficulties related to money and material goods).

Goal: Quran as a Guide & Dhikr as protection

THE GOAL: Develop yourself into: Al mumin Qawi (A strong/impregnable Momin).

How to do that?
Strengthen all aspects in ourselves
Education
Technology
Make Goals for strengthening us in:
Iradah (commitment
Ilm’ (Knowledge of Deen)
Imaan (faith)
Control Nafs (Purification of the Heart)
Resulting in:
Sabr, ibadah, istiqamah, consistent ibadah

An Example:

Ibn Jawzi wrote one thousand books.
He did not waste one minute. His pencil shavings were enough to make a small hill.

It s a pity those who waste time and sit and watch people in the bazaar (or watch people in TV) and discuss politics of the rise and fall of the political leaders, Each moment of the life of a momin is valuable.

What are some of the Time wasters?
*Telephone calls (15-20 min)
*Personal reasons, our personal problems our psychological make up to worry about trifles, desires, worries, boredom, moody, nafs
*Wasting other people’s time, we involve other people and may interrupt their time and waste their time or leave our obligations and cry about our desires.
*Lack of self-restraint
*New experiments flitting from one thing to another, looking into other peoples work and activities.
* Desire for Popularity (her dil aziz)
* Perfectionist (desire to be) spend more time than is needed on a project or action. Superfluous and excess use of time for one thing and other things fall by the way side
*Insisting on doing it my way:
*Thinking that I am indispensable
*Delay, procrastination, susti (laziness)
Wise people do not put things off for tomorrow and do not have “tomorrow “ in their dictionary
* Cultural limitations: time wasters: weddings are late; visiting is late, going to a funeral sitting and talking about wasteful topics

Time should be used usefully ….Ask yourself: How? How is this waiting time getting me closer to Jannah?

At a wedding or other get togethers after asking about the family, then do Dhikr quietly to fill the “gossip “ time.

LIST YOUR PRIORITIES
Which acts I must do, which are obligations which will be useful for me in my Akhirah
Aims and objectives….tie them to a time and deadlines.
Your 24-hour planning Guide
8 hrs: sleep, eat and meet
8 hrs:  ibadah
8hrs: work
Make a timetable for actions, acts to be done weekly, monthly, and yearly.
Evaluate your outcome
Planning action and evaluation

Sometimes when things are difficult and tough we drop our focus, we must ask for Allah’s help.

Make Dua for removing fikr (worries) and loan
(Huzn ki dua)

Don’t go for perfection, do your best but do not obsess.

Force yourself to do what is important prepare your mind (nose to the grind for tough subjects)
Leave the business of “look busy do nothing” i.e. spinning your wheels
Be moderate in action; do not swing from fast to famine.
What ever we are doing focus on it!
For some quality works Concentrate and Continue with unbroken attention (salaat)
Do not take peoples words very seriously do not obsess on others words
Do not look for hidden meanings, take words at face value.
Smile and overlook unpleasant words, do not repeat or obsess about them.
In Summary:
1.    Make a plan,
2.    Learn how our Prophet (PBUH) juggled all his roles in the same number of hours that we have.
3.    Act on your plan.

End lecture

Dua: May Allah’s help be only as far away as the dua on your lips.

How do you pass the time?

FACES …………

A pious face

Faces are of great importance in recognition and interaction in this world:
•    No two faces are the same
•    We recognize people by their faces.
•    Faces many times reflect the person’s inner soul and emotion.
•    Babies recognize faces and know the face of their mother very early in infancy.
•    A large part of the brain is dedicated to face recognition.
•    A bird at birth beholds the face of its mother and proclaims it as such.
•    “Your face is your fortune”

What is the role of faces in the Hereafter?
Allah SWT says in the Quran that the inner goodness or vileness will be reflected on the faces of people on the Day of Judgment. In particular the Momin (true believers) will be recognized by the fact that the part of their bodies that they wash in their ablution or wudu will glow brightly and these marks will be apparent from afar.

Here are some of the references to the marks and description of faces in the Quran of the people of Jannah versus the people of the Fire (Jahannum):

AL-ARAF (THE HEIGHTS)
Total Verses: 206 
Revealed At: MAKKA

007.046 
YUSUFALI: Between them shall be a veil, and on the heights will be men who would know every one by his marks: they will call out to the Companions of the Garden, “peace on you”: they will not have entered, but they will have an assurance (thereof).

007.048 
YUSUFALI: The men on the heights will call to certain men whom they will know from their marks, saying: “Of what profit to you were your hoards and your arrogant ways?

The description of the light of mercy of Allah and of those who rejected Him will also be apparent on the Day of Judgment:

AL-E-IMRAN (THE FAMILY OF ‘IMRAN, THE HOUSE OF ‘IMRAN)
Total Verses: 200 
Revealed At: MADINA
003.106 
YUSUFALI: On the Day when some faces will be (lit up with) white, and some faces will be (in the gloom of) black: To those whose faces will be black, (will be said): “Did ye reject Faith after accepting it? Taste then the penalty for rejecting Faith.”
003.107 
YUSUFALI: But those whose faces will be (lit with) white, – they will be in (the light of) Allah’s mercy: therein to dwell (for ever).

And recognizing those by their faces who will be nearest to Allah in the Hereafter:
AL-MUTAFFIFIN (DEFRAUDING, THE CHEATS, CHEATING)
Total Verses: 36 
Revealed At: MAKKA

083.020 
YUSUFALI: (There is) a Register (fully) inscribed, 
PICKTHAL: A written record, 
SHAKIR: It is a written book,
083.021 
YUSUFALI: To which bear witness those Nearest (to Allah).
083.022 
YUSUFALI: Truly the Righteous will be in Bliss: 
 083.023 
YUSUFALI: On Thrones (of Dignity) will they command a sight (of all things):
083.024 
YUSUFALI: Thou wilt recognize in their faces the beaming brightness of Bliss.

Those who loved this fleeting life of Dunya and…. Those who were aware of the Hereafter their faces will be:
AL-QIYAMA (THE RISING OF THE DEAD, RESURRECTION)
Total Verses: 40 
Revealed At: MAKKA

075.020 
YUSUFALI: Nay, (ye men!) but ye love the fleeting life,
075.021 
YUSUFALI: And leave alone the Hereafter.
075.022 
YUSUFALI: Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty); -
075.023 
YUSUFALI: Looking towards their Lord
075.024 
YUSUFALI: And some faces, that Day, will be sad and dismal,
075.025 
YUSUFALI: In the thought that some backbreaking calamity was about to be inflicted on them;

And on the Day of Judgment faces will reflect their destination according to their deeds in dunya:
ABASA (HE FROWNED)
Total Verses: 42 
Revealed At: MAKKA
080.037 
YUSUFALI: Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others.
080.038 
YUSUFALI: Some faces that Day will be beaming,
080.039 
YUSUFALI: Laughing, rejoicing. 
.
080.040 
YUSUFALI: And other faces that Day will be dust-stained, 
,
080.041 
YUSUFALI: Blackness will cover them
080.042 
YUSUFALI: Such will be the Rejecters of Allah, the doers of iniquity.

And further details of the face on the Day of Judgment:
TA-HA (TA-HA)
Total Verses: 135 
Revealed At: MAKKA

020.102 
YUSUFALI: The Day when the Trumpet will be sounded: that Day, We shall gather the sinful, blear-eyed (with terror).

And the reward of the companion s of the Garden and the companions of the Fire……their faces:
YUNUS (JONAH)
Total Verses: 109 
Revealed At: MAKKA

010.026 
YUSUFALI: To those who do right is a goodly (reward)- Yea, more (than in measure)! No darkness nor shame shall cover their faces! They are companions of the garden; they will abide therein (for aye)!
010.027 
YUSUFALI: But those who have earned evil will have a reward of like evil: ignominy will cover their (faces): No defender will they have from (the wrath of) Allah: Their faces will be covered, as it were, with pieces from the depth of the darkness of night: they are companions of the Fire: they will abide therein (for aye)!

Supplication: Allahhumma inni asalukal Jannah, Allahhuma ajirnee minaan Naar

7:43 CLEANSING THE HEART TO ENTER JANNAH

Proud (arrrogant) as a peacock?

007.043 (first part) 
: And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury; - beneath them will be rivers flowing;- and they shall say: “Praise be to Allah, who hath guided us to this (felicity): never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of Allah: indeed it was the truth, that the messengers of our Lord brought unto us.” And they shall hear the cry: “Behold! the garden before you! Ye have been made its inheritors, for your deeds (of righteousness).”

TAFSEER: (by Farhat Hashmi)
For those getting ready to enter Jannah, Allah SWT will extract or distill out that which is impure in their hearts, which is Ghill:

“Ghill” is those resentments, which we have hidden deep in our hearts that we do not show.

During life we collect resentments in our hearts.

Sometimes we do not show our resentments but they reside deep within our hearts. These include the feelings of resentment aroused by envy especially when someone gets Allah’s naimah. At that time some people are genuinely happy for them but some are not happy about it and are resentful that they did not get that naimah, even though they feel that they were very righteous…..These feelings are described as “Ghill”

Allah SWT will cleanse the hearts of the Momins and remove Ghill before they enter jannah.

Hadith: Rasool Allah (PBUH) said and I paraphrase:
Momins will be separated from (sinners) who will fall  into the fire of Hell as they endeavor to cross the Pull – e Siraat, over which we walk to get to the gates of Jannah.

(The momin can see the tightrope stretched over the fire of Hell by the light provided by the guidance of the Quran in their life)

When the momins successfully cross the pul e Siraat (the bridge over the Hellfire) , and are separated from the Fire of Hell. They will be stopped in front of the bridge leading into Jannah, which is called “Qantarah”

At that time they will be stopped at Qantarah, All of their mutual resentments will be removed from their hearts before entering Jannah so that they do not have any resentment against each other.

If there have been any injustices against each other even if they held it in their hearts, will be dealt with and justice meted out and their hearts will be purified.

Hadith from Bukhari:
After their hearts are cleansed from all “ Ghill” they will enter Jannah. In dunya the way they knew the way to their home, thus will they be familiar of their home in jannah.

My take:
Cleansing the heart from the diseases (envy, arrogance, Riya, ostentation, greed etc) in Dunya becomes essential.

The cleansing of the heart that this ayah speaks about is removal of the last few miniscule remnants left in the deepest recesses of the heart that perhaps the momin does not even realize that he or she has…….those traces of resentment will be removed.

The earlier ayah (7:41)  is extremely  strong in the admonition for those who disobey Allah SWT and keep envy, arrogance and other negative emotions in their heart.

Those doing so will be dipped in the fire of Hell, covered by it and laid on top of it to burn of the impurities of their hearts.

These two ayahs 41 and 43 are pivotal to our incentive for purification of the heart in this dunya…………..as only those with a cleansed and purified heart will enter Jannah, and that is His promise.

SIRAAT –E- MUSTAQEEM: A GOAL 6:126-127

6:126 This is the way of thy Lord, leading straight: We have detailed the signs for those who receive admonition.
Wahatha siratu rabbika mustaqeeman qad fassalna alayati liqawmin yaththakkaroona
وَهَـذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ (6:126)
6:127 For them will be a home of peace in the presence of their Lord: He will be their friend, because they practised (righteousness).
Lahum daru alssalami AAinda rabbihim wahuwa waliyyuhum bima kanoo yaAAmaloona
لَهُمْ دَارُ السَّلاَمِ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمْ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (6:127)

Tafseer:
This is the straight path of your Lord. What is this path? This path is the one that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has shown to all Mankind (The concept of tawheed is explained step-by-step in Surah Al Anaam and explained by personal example in the Hadith by Prophet Muhammad PBUH).

Allah SWT says, “We have shown you everything very openly and for those who follow this path there abode is Darussalam with your Rab as your friend”

Jannah has been called Darussalam; the home/ abode of peace, a sanctuary where there is no pain, no grief, no anxiety, and no tensions. It is a home provided by Allah SWT and close to Him (SWT), and with his closeness with that home comes His (SWT) friendship.

Home sweet home, home is where the heart is, but when we reach our home in dunya, there is a separate group of worries that assail us, in order to keep up the home in dunya there is more work to be done.

In Darussalam Allah makes a beautiful promise of peace, sakeena of heart and His closeness and friendship.
Following the path of Siraat e Mustaqeem takes us to Darusalaam the abode of Peace with Allah as our friend. What more can we ask for?
(Tafseer by Farhat Hashmi in Taleem ul Quran www.alhudapk.com)

THE CONCEPT OF ‘EVENTS AT DEATH’ IN ISLAM

(from: National Geographic.com)

This has been a difficult subject for me to write. I have read about it and listened to many scholars on this subject, yet it remains personally challenging.
Listening to the Surah Al Anaam in the middle of a storm, isolated in a gym far away from home at the retreat had a way of bringing it to me so picturesquely that it made it possible for me to share it with you.
I pray for myself and I ask you to pray for me that I die a Momin, and that no muslim be put through what non-Momins are put through at death.

6:61 He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers, and He sets guardians over you. At length, when death approaches one of you, Our angels take his soul, and they never fail in their duty.

Wahuwa alqahiru fawqa AAibadihi wayursilu AAalaykum hafathatan hatta itha jaa ahadakumu almawtu tawaffathu rusuluna wahum la yufarritoona
وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّىَ إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ (6:61)

6:62 Then are men returned unto Allah, their protector, the (only) reality: Is not His the command? and He is the swiftest in taking account.

Thumma ruddoo ila Allahi mawlahumu alhaqqi ala lahu alhukmu wahuwa asraAAu alhasibeena
ثُمَّ رُدُّواْ إِلَى اللّهِ مَوْلاَهُمُ الْحَقِّ أَلاَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَهُوَ أَسْرَعُ الْحَاسِبِينَ (6:62)

(The tafseer is primarily from Sheikha Farhat Hashmi and some from the retreat and some for the CDs “The Hereafter”)
Allah SWT introduces Himself. He commands us to know Him (SWT) and to look into ourselves and His (SWT) signs around us.
SLEEP: The cycle of life and minor death is repeated every night. Our body continues to function at the level of basic subsistence and the soul (Haivani) remains with the body.
Our spiritual soul (for the lack of a better translation) is taken from the body and it reviews the day’s activities, and then it is returned upon awakening. Every night this cycle is repeated and then we are awakened to carry on the activities of the next day. We are being given a chance to prepare every night for death, and review our life every morning and to make decisions of obedience to Allah.
Our spiritual soul leaves at night but our physically body retains our Haivani soul that continues to function in the physicality of the body i.e. vital function of life (breathing, heart beat etc
We have been sent to this world for an appointed time. Thus the spiritual soul is returned to the body and we awaken to fulfill our appointed time in this world.
Allah SWT gives an example of sleep being a minor death because it is something fathomable by the human brain. However one day at an appointed time this cycle of the minor death (sleep) followed by awakening will end, and our loved ones will grieve at our departure.
At that time we cannot return to this earth to improve our actions and or erase our regrets of good deeds undone. Our book of actions will close and the first phase of questioning about our actions on this earth will begin.

Allah has control over everything and watches over all of us. He does allow us free will in some areas, but some areas we do not have free will (e.g. our choice of our face, our parents, and need of food, sleep and the progress of age from infancy to old age. Etc)
We are independent in many areas and we become accountable for our actions in these areas.
ALLAH DESIGNATES ANGELS FOR US IN LIFE & IN DEATH
In life each one of us have a designated set of angels, they have no emotions or feelings (unlike what the movies depict) they are allocated to us to keep watch over us in two ways:
1. One set is for life (our assigned time in dunya) and they watch over us to protect us from harm and to keep a detailed record of our actions. They have no way to record our intentions….. that only Allah knows.

2. The second set arrive at death and come prepared for removal of the soul from the body depending on whether we are Momin, Kaafir and or Munafiq and I presume all the levels in between.

GUARDIAN ANGELS
RasoolAllah (PBUH) said (related by Abu Huraira RA): and I paraphrase: We are assigned several angels in our life; they have two shifts. Some watch over us in the day and some in the night. There are two times when all the angels of the Day and Night assigned to each one of us meet. The first time is between fajr and Ishraaq and the second time is between Asar and Maghrib.
The departing angels return to Allah SWT at this window of time take our record of the day or night (Tahajud) with them to Allah SWT who asks them ‘How was my abd and what was he or she doing?’ even though He (SWT) knows. (Al Aleem)

The angels are accurate in their reporting. If we are praying then they report, “Your abd was in prayer” and if we are sleeping at fajr then that is what they report.

Thus at all times in life and in death, we have angels with us. (It is recommended that when you enter your house even if there is no human there, extend your salaam, as there are angels in your house who greet you).
ANGELS OF PROTECTION & DOCUMENTATION
We have a fixed and appointed time in this world and the angels appointed to us protect us during this time. One example given by RasoolAllah is that seven angels protect just our eyes.
THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK is mentioned in these ayahs. They continue their job diligently both of protection and recording till the time of death comes, then the angels of life stand aside for the angels of death (several).
Our soul is removed from our body by the angels of death never to be returned to it again (as was done after sleep).

THE DEPARTURE OF THE MOMIN
At the death of the Momin, the angels of death come and extend salaam to the Momin, at this time the Momin in the throes of death……. smiles. (Perhaps some of you may have seen this in a pious relative) The angels of death then gently call for the soul to come out.
From another reference (The Hereafter by Anwar Awlaki): When the soul of a believer who is righteous and innocent is removed, it comes out of the body like a drop of water sliding off the tip of the spout of a jug. However the soul of a disobedient person fights back and refuses to leave the body. His soul is removed forcibly and comes out torn and fragmented like a piece of cloth being pulled off a thorny bush.
It is also reported that when the soul of the innocent leaves the body voluntarily when called by the angels of death, the eyes of the dying watch it leave. (I remember being perplexed at the peaceful look in Tariq’s eyes in death: as if he was watching something going far away that he liked, his face in repose…at peace)

If the person is a Kafir or Munafiq then the angels of death look frightening to him and the dying person is terrified at the time of death.

PERFECTION OF THEIR TASK.
At the time of death the angels, both those of life and those of death complete their task perfectly, neither excessive nor less. And fulfill their duty completely towards their Lord as ordered.
When the soul is removed it is returned to Allah SWT.

THE JOURNEY OF THE SOUL OF THE MOMIN

This description is from a Hadith related by Abu Huraira (RA)
The angels of death arrive with a coffin for the soul of the Momin, perfumed with the fragrance of Jannah. The soul of the Momin is wrapped in the perfumed silk coffin and the angels ascend with it towards Allah SWT traversing the seven heavens.
At each Level of Heaven the door is opened with a welcome, and the angel guards ask “ who is this pure (paak) soul that lived in a pure (paak) body? (The importance of remaining in taharah at all times is thus extremely important) until it reaches Allah SWT. (I am not sure what happens there)
The spirit is then returned to earth to remain with the body and it asks to be buried quickly (thus the muslim injunction to bury the body as quickly as you can)
In the grave, the soul is returned to the body and the Munkar Nakeer begin their interrogation.
Who is your Rab? The Momin says Rabi Allah
What is your deen? The Momin says Deen e Islam
Who is your Nabi? The Momin gives shahada of Prophet Muhammad as Allah’s Rasool
When the same questions are asked fron the Kafir and the Munafiq he or she says:
“I don’t know” or “I said what ever other people said”
The momin is then put to sleep gently and with respect and told that he or she will wake up on the Day of Judgment.
As for the disobedient and those who deny Tawheed of Allah:
Surah al Annam Allah SWT warns:
006.093 
 Who can be more wicked than one who inventeth a lie against Allah, or saith, “I have received inspiration,” when he hath received none, or (again) who saith, “I can reveal the like of what Allah hath revealed”? If thou couldst but see how the wicked (do fare) in the flood of confusion at death! – the angels stretch forth their hands, (saying),”Yield up your souls: this day shall ye receive your reward,- a penalty of shame, for that ye used to tell lies against Allah, and scornfully to reject of His signs!” (Translation by Yusuf Ali)
Barzakh is an Arabic word derived from the Persian word” Pardah”: The hijab between the world and the Day of Judgement

In summary: These ayahs underline the following:
1. Allah is Al Qahir, Al Haqq ,Al Hakim & Al Hasib, four powerful attributes of Allah in these ayahs!
2. We are assigned a fixed time in this dunya
3. We are accountable for our voluntary actions in this dunya: based on our declaration and implementation of Tawheed in ourselves and our behavior accordingly with our fellow human beings.
4. Sleep is a minor death, and is used as an example of death and resurrection on the Day of Judgment.
5. What happens at death and immediately after is alluded in these ayahs and explained in more detail by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
6. We have a team of angels protecting us in life and caretaking us in death exactly as per orders of Allah no less and no more.
The lessons from these ayahs are self-evident and are an incentive to prepare us.

What do you do daily to prepare yourself to meet your Maker? Please share.

TODAY IS ARAFAH

We are at Arafah! The bus has stopped. There is a flurry of activity. We need to find our tent, and figure out what to do next. It feels like the middle of the night, and feels chilly in the desert. We stumble in the dark, and find our tent; exhaustion mixed with a sober anticipation of things to come freezes all thoughts.
Wudu and prayer is the first order of the morning. Wudu in the desert is a challenge even though there is a ladies restroom with running water and a 24/7 cleaning staff.
I have a sudden appreciation of the depth of Allah Subhana wa taala’s love for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his beloved wife Ayesha (RA) He SWT revealed the ayahs on Tayammum (dry ablution) to make it easy on them and their companions to perform salaat in the desert.
After fajr, I begin my morning Dhikr, but my eyes are laden with sleep as if someone has injected me with a soporific. I fall over into a dead sleep in my sleeping bag. At the edge of my consciousness, I realize that Victoria has awakened and left the tent and others have awakened. I try to open my eyes but not only it is a soporific that is affecting me but I also feel that a muscle paralyzing agent is working on my muscles, I cannot move. Twice someone awakens me and I sit up but fall back into sleep.
I vaguely recall from my Hajj preparation CDs that Shaitan does not want you to repent at Arafah for then he loses all the work he has done on that person in the past. Perhaps I had heard it on Mokhtar Magroubi’s CD on ‘the inner dimensions of Hajj’ or read it somewhere. Intellectually I am vaguely aware that Shaitan and my Nafs have me imprisoned in the excuse of sleep. Practically the mist of sleep is like a drug for unconsciousness. Time is passing, it is now middle of the morning, and I am still in a state of sleep paralysis.
I feel someone kick my leg and shake me, “get up! Shaitaan has got you! we have already been to the Jabal e Rahma, it is beautiful, don’t you want to see it? It is Victoria, my friend, my companion in Hajj, always looking out for me.
Jabal e Rahma …….my brain registers, the place where our father Adam (AS) and our mother Hawwa (Eve) (AS) met after roaming around this earth and seeking each other after banishment from jannah. Ah yes……….. Being the romantic that I am, I want to see the place where love bloomed and our lineage began.
I sit up and try to shake out the sleep and muscle paralysis from my limbs to no avail. As if in a flash I realize, this is not tiredness from exhaustion, this is the age-old tug of war between shaitan aided by my Nafs and my Fitra of purity connected to the love of Allah.
I push away the sleeping bag and stand up in one movement and head towards the rest rooms. I am looking for the sobering splash of cold water, a refreshing wudu to banish this imprisonment by the evil forces.
Shireen and I meet up with another companion who serves as our guide. We hike towards Jabal e Rahma, and as we look across from our hill towards the Jabal e Rahma, it is dotted with white specks. Countless Hajjis in white Ihrams standing on the Jabal e Rahma in prayer, asking Allah for His mercy.
We return to the plain of Arafah and after Dhuhr, I read my book on Istighfaar, but not really connecting with the words. The mental barricades are up. There is static in my phone line to Allah SWT and time is running out.
All my companions have disappeared, they have sought their private spaces in which to stand and seek tauba (repentance) from Allah. I am still at sea, lost, and unguided how to begin and where to begin. I pray a few more supplications but I cannot even pretend that they are from the heart, Asr comes and goes like a polite visitor, and I set out to find myself a spot. On this vast plain of Arafah, there is no private spot. Every inch seems to be packed with hajjis. I look around, everyone is standing in supplication and as I pass by them, they do not even know I am there.
I find a short wall of stones, with the tent to my left and a tree to my right and all the Hajis dotted at intervals behind me. I stand in silence. Suddenly the flood gates of patience break, the barricades of superficial self defense crumble and the dammed water of anger, pain, sadness, recriminations, regret, anguish, loss, and mistakes gushes out with such a force that I think it gets His (SWT) attention and He (SWT) stops to listen……..I am crying? Yes I am! I am now talking to him directly, the lines are open and he can hear me loud and clear.
“My child you took my child……. My mother ……..”, I go on and on, my one sided soliloquy is with Him and Him alone. I sense His complete attention, He is listening patiently, He does not interrupt me He does not offer solace, nor comfort, nor explanation. As the evening moves forward to meet its night visitor, I feel His (SWT) formless, wordless answers enter and settle into my heart one by one bringing with them comfort, solace, retreat, and a weightlessness. I am spent!
I look around. All the people around me have disappeared and Maghrib is at hand. I go in search for my companions; we have to leave for Muzdalifa, to sleep in relief under the stars, as the Prophet (PBUH) did.
I pause and think of The man (PBUH) whose only thought was submission to Allah. He too stood here and begged Him (SWT) for acceptance of tauba from his Ummah for all the generations to come to Arafah. Love and a profound respect enter my heart, love for a man who wept and prayed for his (PBUH) Ummah and that includes me. Right here! I am truly humbled.

Somewhere on the plain of Arafah, there is a rectangle of sand soaked with my tears, where I left my regrets, my recriminations and my sins, with a supplication that they never be reclaimed.

Continued in………….TODAY IS EID UL ADHA