FROM SOUTH AFRICA: Muslim Sisters give thanks………….

Muslim children of South Africa: courtesy ofhttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/photogalleries/south_africa_faces/photo3.html

GUEST ARTICLE

Muslim Sisters give thanks to Brothers who honored their Eid wish…by Quraysha Yousuf

As a result of the awareness campaign initiated by some sisters re the importance of attending the Eid Salaat, many women responded and shared in the joy of the Eid prayers. It was an emotional and empowering experience.

Muslim women felt liberated and honored to participate in the Takbir and as journalist Safiyyah Surtee wrote, ‘…

we had both fasted, we had both stood for the long nightly prayers, we had both increased our adhkaar (remembrance of God), we had both read the Quran, we had both helped each other try to gain nearness to Allah, and so we both deserved to come out on Eid morning, and thank Allah for the day, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers, men and women did a century and half ago. I believe this right belongs to every person who observes Ramadan, not just the men. The women in most cases, deserve it more, for not only did they fulfil one of the pillars of Islam, they also prepared the futoor/suhoor (dawn/dusk meals) for their families and communities…’

The women of Mafikeng were especially privileged as they were dignified and honoured by the men in their community. For the first time in the history of the town, women were given the opportunity to attend the Eid Gah. The brothers on the organizing committee were exemplary in arranging the Ladies’ Section and considered all aspects of their needs and hijaab.

Many sisters still felt doubtful and abstained because of the comments of certain Muftis. What they fail to realise is the following:

v     On the day of Eid, the Prophet SAW commanded each and every woman and young girl to come out and attend the Eid prayer. The Eid salaat is not like the 5 daily prayers as some scholars have tried to explain.

v     The Prophet SAW was consistent in action and speech- He said: ‘do not stop your women from going to the mosque, although their houses are better (perhaps more comfortable) for them’ (Abu Dawood). Look at his actions: regarding the 5 daily prayers, he allowed women to attend if they wanted to, and never rebuked them if they did not- hence the choice was theirs and he did not interfere nor limit them in that choice.

v     This same consistency can be found in the actions of his two greatest companions Abu-Bakr and Omar RA, his wife Aisha RA and from the Muffassir of this Ummah, Abdullah ibn Abbas who understood the meanings of the verses of the Quraan profoundly. Yet none of them used the above mentioned verse or hadith to prevent Muslim women from attending the mosques and in particular, the Eid prayer.

v     There is no evidence at all to indicate that any of the companions prevented women from attending the Eid Salaat and there is no evidence at all to indicate that the wives of the Prophet SAW, including Aisha RA did not attend the Eid Salaat. Remember, the Eid Salaat is different and the Prophet SAW commanded the women to attend- he did not use the same tone nor command regarding the 5 daily prayers.

Many Muslim brothers have understood the command of the Prophet SAW and facilitated arrangements for the sisters to attend the Eid Salaat. The responses by the youth and Muslim professionals on the internet and on Facebook were overwhelmingly positive. Individuals agreed that women must attend the Eid prayer. Amazingly, more men supported the initiative, encouraging sisters to ‘wear’ their faith with honour and courage and challenge the childish accusations of some scholars due to lack of confidence in the muslim men and women.

We salute our brothers for their faith in the honour and rights of the Muslim women! A society that honours and educates its women is a society that is protected.

With our veils we put our faith on display, with our honour, we strengthen the Ummah. We are ‘proudly Muslim women.’

For more on the rights and obligations of Muslim women CLICK HERE

WHY DO WE SEND BLESSINGS ON PROPHET MUHAMMAD PEACE BE UPON HIM IN EVERY PRAYER?

A QUESTION FROM A BLOG READER AND MY HUMBLE ATTEMPT AT ANSWERING IT (PLEASE ADD OR CORRECT IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION TO ADD)

Question: No other prophet has asked for -duaa 4 his n his family although he is already supposed 2 b next 2 Allah in rootbaa-in every namaz we have 2 pray 4 him –y?

My humble answer:

This is, as I understand it:

We as Believers are commanded by Allah Subhanawataala to send salawaat to Prophet Muhammad and his Aal (relatives and people) in every prayer and as many times a day as possible. He (PBUH) has reaffirmed this commandment by saying that we should send salaawaat to him and his Aal (family) as many times as possible.

WHERE DOES THIS COME FROM?

In one word, the commandment comes from the Quran. It is given directly and indirectly:

Direct:

Allah Subhanawataala says in the Quran:

Surah Al-Ahzab, Chapter #33, Verse #56)

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

English translation:

Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.

And in French:

Certes, Allah est Ses Anges prient sur le Prophète; ò vous qui croyez priez sur lui et adresses [lui] vos salutations.

Indirect: Allah Subhnaawataala COMMANDS us in the Quran numerous times, to obey Him (subhanawataala) and His Rasool (pbuh) starting with Surah Al Imran and many other surah, some are quoted below:

Surah Al-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #32)

32            قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ

Say: “obey Allah and His Messenger.: But if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith.

Surah Al -Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #50)

وَمُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَلِأُحِلَّ لَكُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي حُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَجِئْتُكُم بِآيَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ

“‘(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.  (i.e.Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him)

Surah Al-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #132)

وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

And obey Allah and the Messenger. that ye may obtain mercy.

Thus the irrevocable message of Allah for the Believers is:

Obey me and obey the Rasool (peace be upon Him)

And then the promise of Jannah with obedience to Allah and His Rasool (PBUH):

Surah an-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #13)

تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَ‌ٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

Those are limits set by Allah. those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein (for ever) and that will be the supreme achievement.

And then the punishment fro disobedience of Allah and His Rasool (pbuh):

Surah an-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #14)

وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

But those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment.

And then a reminder that he who obeys the Messenger obeys Allah!

(  سورة النساء  , An-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #80)

مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah. But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds).

And then a warning :

Surah Muhammad, Chapter #47, Verse #33):

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ

O ye who believe! obey Allah, and obey the apostle, and make not vain your deeds!

In Summary:

We have to remember the reason Allah Subhanawataala created us was to worship him; He made the process pleasant by placing us in a beautiful dunya and providing us with beauty around us.

He prescribed the format for worship through a series of messengers, the last one being Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings upon him, who then instructed us how to pray by showing us physically how to pray. He taught us what to say in prayer and the Durood or the blessings to him and his family and his followers are part of the prayer both obligatory and extra.

He (pbuh) was sent as a mercy to mankind

So the equation goes as such for the Believer:

We believe in One God and we believe Muhammad PBUH to be his last Rasool (pbuh), we believe in the Quran to be the authentic word of God revealed to mankind via Prophet Muhammad pbuh.

We are commanded in the Quran (the direct words of God) to worship him, and to obey Him (God Almighty) and to obey his Rasool (Prophet Muhammad pbuh).

If one disobeys the Punishment is outlined, if one obeys Allah Subhanawataala the benefits and rewards are outlined (see the ayahs quoted above).

Thus when Prophet Muhammad shows us how to pray we obey him and pray the way he has shown us how to pray, We do not devise other ways, neither adding nor subtracting.

The only thing that stands between acceptance of and carrying out obedience to Allah and His Rasool (Pbuh) is a strong arrogant Nafs, strengthened by the whisperings of the shaytaan who has vowed to prove that the children of Adam are stupid and disobedient.

The Rasool (peace be upon him) follows and obeys Allah Subhanawataala in everything.

Thus he is given to us as a human role model who demonstrates to us that no matter what your weaknesses, or strengths, with your daily ups and downs, family and professional life, you can still obey Allah Subhanawataala and live a full and rewarding life.

If we are Believers, then the commandments of Allah Subhanawataala are the law of our lives, and we must struggle to live by them no matter what the circumstances.

Allah knows best!

If you have additional information or references please feel free to add in the comments, thank you!

RAMADAN AND THE ROLE OF CONTROLLING THE NAFS

The Green Reef, Belize

In every human heart there are four forces battling for supremacy and dominance. Three of the four are base in nature and the fourth which if empowered is the strongest and the most pure

Nafs has been defined as “self”, “ego “(not freudian), soul, and the inner force that dictates our actions at a subconscious level, translating them to a conscious level eventually by persuasion or force.

There are four components or forces within us, three of which (base) were given to us for survival but not for expansion or elaboration into those dictating our life.

The three base forces come under the umbrella of something that the scholars have identified as Nafs e Ammara.
These three forces are:

The first is Bahemi or cow like whose primary instinct is to eat, sleep, and copulate and is satisfied with these actions.
The second base force is predatory, and this force finds most pleasure in taking other persons property, dominating others and runs on the fuel of getting power and annexing more power.
The third force is Shaytaani, or related to Satan and this force is filled with a mean streak, which enjoys creating discord between two people, two communities, or even two nations.
The fourth force……….. Which is the spiritual force is the also called the angelic Nafs, this is the force that allows us to connect with the Divine.

God Almighty placed these four forces in the heart of our father Adam (AS), our mother Eve, and their progeny.  This was one way to distinguish them from other creatures. They were given a freedom of choice as to which force they wanted to foster the most, by determining what lifestyle they chose.

Thus as Ramadan approaches and Muslims prepare to battle the first three base forces of the Nafs, some succeed and many do not.

Ramadan heightens the awareness of these forces within us. Thus some of us make a concerted effort to overcome the base forces and nurture the Angelic Nafs, while others suffice by restraining from food in the day and filling up at night.

The spirituality of Ramadan lies in reigning in the wild Horse of the Nafs and gently, carefully and consistently nurturing the spiritual force within our hearts. This is best done with prayer, good deeds, consideration of others and turning away from materialism. One specific method of doing so is by actively divesting oneself of money and things that one likes, with no other motive except to please Allah (God)

It is quite a challenge for Muslims to have this inner struggle going on, dedicating time for prayer and remembrance of God, while denying oneself food and drink on very little sleep, in a remarkably secular daily schedule.

If one is successful in controlling the base forces acting upon the heart, then this allows the spiritual Nafs to grow stronger, guiding the heart towards God Almighty.

The reward of a successful Ramadan lies in the heart clarifying itself of the dominance of the base Nafs and its forces and opening up to the spiritual connection with God Almighty.
Thus during Ramadan, one recognizes success if, before, during and in between prayer, the light of His (Almighty’s) beneficence and Mercy floods the heart with happiness despite the physical cravings of hunger and thirst.

In the Quran God Almighty says:” Verily in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest” But that can only happen if the other base forces are restrained and allow the spiritual nafs to seek God and connect for the Barakah or the blessings to flow into the heart.

The month of Ramadan is the practice session for the Olympics of the upcoming eleven months. If the base forces are let loose after Ramadan, they can be fed and fattened to the point that they can sit on the angelic nafs and stifle it thereby cutting off all lines of communication with God Almighty. Thus eating less, sleeping less and remembering God often, in the formal prescribed manner as well as randomly in all forms and manner is the essence of Ramadan. A month of intense training for the rest of the year.

Living in the heat of the south with the long days, short nights and a remarkable lack of ambience for the restraint of the base forces, the fasting Muslim may forget the reason for fasting.  In some instances all he may earn at the end of the day would be an empty stomach and a thirsty tongue.

Although all year long we spend hours choosing foods, tasting and rejecting food, having food fights, and wasting food, Ramadan for Muslims and non Muslims alike is the ideal time to make a concerted effort to control our base instincts and nurture our spiritual force which lies within every human heart.

We will know the success of our endeavors during Ramadan in connecting us with our Creator, if we forget our hunger and feel our heart fill with light and happiness.

FRIDAYS……….062.009

Friday prayer

Translations of the Qur’an, Surah 62:

AL-JUMUA (THE CONGREGATION, FRIDAY)

Total Verses: 11
Revealed At: MADINA

YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic):

That is best for you if ye but knew!

GRADUATION…….

Baby Squirrel: Photo courtesy of:http://www.flickr.com/photos/odalaigh/741574234/

We are sitting in a large classroom, the kindergarten class is graduating, and the children are putting on a vocal presentation about animals, Shireen is a squirrel with a big furry tail, Tariq is in my arms and is entranced into silence, my mother is by my side…………….

It seems like the middle part of graduation in my life, went into fast-forward and ground to a creaking halt four years ago………It started back with a keen sensitivity to every moment of graduation in life 101.

I am opening the invitation to the “Hooding Ceremony” which is the procedure where a medical student moves one step forward and along with the hood accepts all the responsibilities, honor and challenges that will face him or her as a Doctor.

Graduation…..is supposed to be a gradual process, proceeding slowly, but all of mine have been sudden, and intense.  I have been hurled from one phase of my life into next. From medical student to Doctor, from Doctor to wife, from wife to mother, from mother to a grieving mother, and from Ghafala to Hidaya…….I hope.

These are all the visible graduations of my life, grossly summarized in events rather than sentiment.

The most important though silent part of graduation in Life is the graduation that Tariq and Ammi have already made. The stealth passage of time is firmly pushing me forward, either to the next step forward of hidaya or a step back into ghafala.

It is the five reminders per day that I rush to meet, and many times am tardy on that are reminders of my ticking inner clock. With every second I am graduating either one step closer to my goal of achieving access to the Gardens or one step closer to the universally feared destination of Jahannum.

If I do not have these five reminders the distractions of daily living, the obligations of food: preparing it, desiring it and eating it, the demands of others, the obligations towards patients and family sometimes draw the curtain on my graduation, veiling the distance I have from the precipice. It is pause of the five daily reminders that gently and kindly inform me that sooner or later I will no longer have the ability or power to write in the book of my deeds, which propels me into action.

Medical school grads

So  what do I say to my loved ones graduating from medical school? Here is what  I would say:

Congratulations on graduating into one of the finest services of Allah.

May He (Subhanawataala/God Almighty) give you shifa in your hands and guide them to bring solace, comfort and healing to your patients.

May your heart remain soft and compassionate even after you have seen the same disease and heard the same complaints from the same person a hundred times, may you be patient with the constantly complaining patients and remember that Allah Subhanawataala is patient with each of us who constantly complain to Him.

May your patients or your peers never disappoint you when they are thankless of your sleepless night given to their care, and know that you graduated a few more steps toward the Gardens of Jannah by relegating all your efforts for the sake of Allah.

On those days when you are hero-worshipped or heroine worshipped and elevated to the top of a pedestal, do remember Him (Subhanawataala) who got you there, and ignited the admiration in the eyes of the onlookers. As a gesture of gratitude give sadaqa and remain humble in the face of extreme praise.

Never for one second take for granted your intellect, the health of your mind and body and time.  Thus five times a day give thanks to your Creator letting him know that you take nothing for granted not ever the air you breath and the continuously beating, never tiring heart that He (Subhanawataala) gave you and filled it with love, compassion and mercy.

As you walk on air and “tread water” in the halls of the hospitals, remember, “We come from him and unto Him we shall return”.

Treat your mind and body gently and with care because it is an amana (a loan) from Allah Subhanawataala, Do not mistreat it with food, drink, nor contaminate your brain and heart with seeing things or hearing things which He has disallowed us.

He (God Almighty) has told all mankind in the Quran and I paraphrase: “I have forbidden you only those things that are harmful for you” so even if you may not have scientific evidence of something in your finite intelligence at this time about his command regarding something, know that what He (Almighty) has told us in the Quran is good for us.

In your travels in the halls of health and illness, you will meet many people whose hearts have hardened and they are callous to human suffering, or are outright disobedient to Allah and flagrantly display their arrogance………..Remember that you cannot change them, thus stay away from them as they will harm you in the long run, but do pray for their guidance. You cannot be everything to everyone. Choose to be obedient to Allah first and last.

I will not say take time out for the five time salaat, but I will say plan your day around the time of salaat, for it is in those moments of salaat that you get a glimpse of your report card sometimes, and sometimes you are yanked back from the Fire and many times you are wrapped in His mercy and protection………………..

So when you make your daily schedule, remember to start with your salaat because you are in a perpetual state of graduation and it is you who need a self check of which direction you are taking.

Planning your day, week and months is the boon and the bane of a new Doctor, as he and she are literally yanked in all directions. Have the tools for your salaat close to you at all time, a place, a mindset and a direction and a committed inviolable time slot.

May your home be blessed with a sanctuary………..a place where if you go to pray, your spouse and your visitors know you are not to be disturbed.

He Subhanawataala is closer to you than your jugular vein, just stop five times a day and in the quietness of salaah feel his presence in your life and gather the hasanaat and Mercy as you continuously graduate in Life towards the Hereafter, inshallah with Honors.

With much love,

Mom

BREAD PUDDING, MY MOTHER AND SPRING………..

I am in WS checking out living accommodation at the request of my daughter……..we stop for lunch and I order bread pudding, but instead of the usual bread pudding this concoction is far more sophisticated and delicious than the usual bread pudding and I am transported to my childhood….

I am a child, definitely less than seven years of age. We are having a large party for my father’s colleagues. We children are to stay away. My mother has cooked chicken fricassee and all types of gourmet dishes, the aroma of which fills the house.

It is a garden party and in our muslim Pakistani culture the women of the house do not mix with the husbands colleagues. Business associates and family socialization is separated by a wall of reserve that is well understood by all factions of society.

I am curious as to who is coming to the party, so I peek around the corner as the helpers carry the food to the garden,
Meanwhile, inside the kitchen I can smell the heady aroma of the bread pudding baking………..I want to ask for it but dare not as I know what the answer will be/

I see her putting away a tray of the bread pudding. I cannot resist asking, ” who is that for?” with the full confidence that it is for us…….. She looks straight into my eyes and names the servant/helper, “it is for his family”, she says firmly.  Her words filling me with disappointment and I pray that the guests don’t eat all of their share.

I fail to understand her logic of giving the choicest part of the meal to the servants first…………..It is many years later when I see this as her regular practice, do I understand it in the light of the Quran and Sunnah.

She treated the servants as guests; giving them the best food even before it was served to our guests, and all her life the servants, the disadvantaged and the oppressed, from every walk of life, loved her and almost worshipped the ground she walked upon.

She, my mother gave her sadaqa before she put a morsel of the delicious food in her mouth and her family’s mouth. She practiced what is mentioned in the Quran thousands of times coupled with salat ( wa aqimus salaat wa atuz zakaat)

Today she lies buried in a garden where the branches bow low with the burden of the wisteria that drapes them like garlands. The dogwoods bloom with an explosion of delicate white and pink. I sit in this restaurant away from home with the delicious taste of bread pudding in my mouth with a wish………that I had learned more from her wordless actions of the Sunnah and the path of Tazkiyah that she traveled on bravely, and without hesitation in the face of discouragement by the burgeoning greed of the world around her.

I miss my mother…………………..

May Allah grant her the best part of Jannah as her final abode, and never let her feel the pain she felt in this world as she silently walked in the path of Sunnah and practiced her Tazkiyah Nafs uncomplainingly.

courtesy flickr flowers like hers

TINY, BRAVE AND SERENE: IN WILD AND TUMULTUOUS AFRICA….

Somewhere in the grasslands of hilly Africa she stands in Iqama, alone, un-fearing and beautiful in all the glory that Allah Subhanawataala has bestowed on her.
In a land where a brother kills his own brother for a bite of bread and where buildings are stripped even of their window glass if left unlocked, she stands with the dignity and grace and reliance on Allah for her safety calling His ebad to come worship five times a day and to partake of a simple meal of daal and rice on Friday after Juma prayers.

Ever since I have seen her, I have wanted to go back.

This time on my trip to Africa, I request the driver to stop there. As he pulls into the parking area, it is the spiritual hour between Asr and Maghrib, and no one is there.
I am surprised as I see that the door is locked. I peek in through the glass door and the fountain stands silent in the courtyard and a soft rain begins to fall. Deep disappointment fills me, and I hesitate. My companion says, “Let me try ” and next thing I know the door is flung open. I do not ask how or why but thank Allah Subhanawataala for my childish wish to be granted that I say my first salaam in Africa of Tahyiyaat e masjid here in her arms of solace and serenity.

We silently enter the courtyard, with the earthenware tiles, wet with the steadily falling rain. As my companions disappear into the wudu area, I peek into the room for mothers and infants. Graceful sofas with engraved backs of dark wood and weathered velvetish fabric greet my eye. I am thrown back into the era of my childhood where I would wander in the dark, high ceiling rooms of my grandparents home with the same old-fashioned furniture and dream of the future.

I gently close the door to the mothers area and go up the few steps to the women’s musallah, slipping off my shoes and hiding them from the rain. I step into the interim area where the women’s prayer room is separated from the men’s prayer room by a delicate fretwork screen.

As I walk into the woman’s musallah proper, I find myself standing in front of a large Persian rug, facing the Kaaba wall almost covering the entire wall. Under my feet is the luxuriant feeling of Persian carpets and on the wall hangs the 99 names of Allah lovingly and meticulously woven into the carpet, with my favorite: Al Lateef.

As I stand for Tahyiyaat e masjid, my first in Africa, this time around, I am cocooned in  the safety and sakina of Allah’s benevolence, and deep gratitude fills my heart.

I recall what I know of the mystery woman who built and now takes care of this feminine gem of a mosque and its gardens, that she and her husband also has a Persian carpet business. What a beautiful expression of making your business halal and fill it with barakah.

I pray tahiyyat e masjid and sit in Dhikr completely enveloped in peace and sakina, cocooned by the gently falling rain, as the night angels arrive and wait patiently as the day angels wrap up their prayers and their notes.

This time as there is no one else, I visit the men’s prayer area and the Imams minbar as well as the Quran education room. The gentle rain falls in and around the stone fountain and once again the wish rises into my heart to build a sanctuary like this in my home.

As I leave, I note the gardens filled with the healing and fragrant herbs that only grow in South Africa. The conference rooms that are now silent cascade with bougainvillea and the paths are clean of all debris. In my minds eye I see a tiny pair of hands gently tending to each bush personally, trimming only what needs to be trimmed and leaving that which Allah Subhanawataala gives to His patient and humble ebad as a gift.

It is much later that I realize that there are no alarms, no barbed wire fences, no armed guards as is seen in homes even across from her.

And I am reminded…………..What Allah protects no one can lay asunder and what he deems to destroy no one can protect.

THE GIFT OF PRAYER……..

Photo courtesy of Flickr:Islam pool

How prayer was given to us as a gift and a channel of connection to Allah Subhanawataala………..in the words of our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him:

From Sahih Bukhari (English translation)
Prayers (Salat)

Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345:

Narrated Abu Dhar:

Allah’s Apostle said, “While I was at Mecca the roof of my house was opened and Gabriel descended, opened my chest, and washed it with Zam-zam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it.

Then he took my hand and ascended with me to the nearest heaven, when I reached the nearest heaven, Gabriel said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, ‘Open (the gate).’ The gatekeeper asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel answered: ‘Gabriel.’ He asked, ‘Is there anyone with you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Yes, Muhammad I is with me.’ He asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel said, ‘Yes.’

So the gate was opened and we went over the nearest heaven and there we saw a man sitting with some people on his right and some on his left. When he looked towards his right, he laughed and when he looked toward his left he wept.

Then he said, ‘Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.’ I asked Gabriel, ‘Who is he?’ He replied, ‘He is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he looks towards his left he weeps.’

Then he ascended with me till he reached the second heaven and he (Gabriel) said to its gatekeeper, ‘Open (the gate).’ The gatekeeper said to him the same as the gatekeeper of the first heaven had said and he opened the gate.

Anas said: “Abu Dhar added that the Prophet met Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus and Abraham, he (Abu Dhar) did not mention on which heaven they were but he mentioned that he (the Prophet ) met Adam on the nearest heaven and Abraham on the sixth heaven.

Anas said, “When Gabriel along with the Prophet passed by Idris, the latter said, ‘Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.’ The Prophet asked, ‘Who is he?’ Gabriel replied, ‘He is Idris.”

The Prophet added, “I passed by Moses and he said, ‘Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.’ I asked Gabriel, ‘Who is he?’ Gabriel replied, ‘He is Moses.’ Then I passed by Jesus and he said, ‘Welcome! O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ I asked, ‘Who is he?’ Gabriel replied, ‘He is Jesus.

Then I passed by Abraham and he said, ‘Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.’ I asked Gabriel, ‘Who is he?’ Gabriel replied, ‘He is Abraham.

The Prophet added, ‘Then Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking of the pens.” Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said:

The Prophet said, “Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, ‘What has Allah enjoined on your followers?’ I replied, ‘He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.’ Moses said, ‘Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.’ (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half.

When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, ‘Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.’ So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced.

I again passed by Moses and he said to me: ‘Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.’ I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again.

I replied, ‘Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.’ Then Gabriel took me till we ” reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundry) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk.”

Have your ever been prohibited from praying?

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

If you can pray when you want and where you want then pray two Rakaat of shukraana and think of the people in this picture:

In Ramadan: Palestinian men being stopped by Israeli soldiers from Praying at the Al Aqsa mosque

This was reported by the Boston Globe in its pictures on :Ramadan around the world:

Allah SWT may place us right next to the one of the holiest mosque in the world and even then we may not be able to pray in it.

It is by His (SWT) permission that good things happen and it is with His (SWT) permission that harm comes to us, but dua is the strongest weapon of the believer to keep harm at bay and to invoke Him (SWT) for the good things and for the ability and the honor to pray in the three holy mosques of this world ( The Haraam at the Kaaba, Masjid e Nabvi and Al Aqsa mosque)

What we pray for ourselves, remember also to pray for the Ummah.

Have you ever been prohibited from praying?

WHY REFINE YOUR SALAAT/NAMAAZ?

Masjid e Quba in Medina

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Translated from: How to improve your salaat: Imam Abdul Tayab al Jauzi via Farhat Hashmi’s lecture vignette:

FIVE TYPES OF NAMAZI (one who pray salaat)

1.   MUFRIT, (from Ifraat) One who does not pay attention to the timings, huddood, and requirements of salaat. One who completes all the motions of prayer but wastes his prayer. He does say his salaat, (who does zulum on himself0 He does not gain anything from his prayer

2.    One who guards his salaat, but does not make the effort to focus completely on his salaat, his or her mind wanders in other directions, i.e. he allows shaitan to whisper to him and distract him with wordly things that need his attention. His heart is not engaged in his or her prayer

3.   One who guards the salaat but protects his thoughts and actions during prayer from the distractions of Shaitans whisperings. One who actively fights for guarding his prayer against the incursions of Shaitan’s whisperings. This namazi is a Mujahid.

4.    One who not only guards his salaat in all preparations but someone who looks forward to his prayer. He immerses himself in his prayer and all his efforts are used not only to complete his prayer but also reveres it. Even after completing the salaat the effect of his reverence persists within him and around him even after the prayer. Namaaz is reflected in his life.

5.    One who fulfills all the timings hudoods and order of the prayer. He immerses his complete self in the prayer. He places his heart at the feet of Allah and is so full of the love of Allah and so thankful for the graciousness of Allah as if he is in Allah’s presence. This is the highest level of the salaat i.e. the level of Ehsaan.
REWARDS
1.    One who just wants to fulfill the obligation of the salaat without thinking about it.
He does not get benefit from his prayer

2.    One who fulfills the requirements of prayer but does not make the effort to block the whisperings of    Shaitaan and his mind wanders within his prayer and prevents him from connecting with Allah
He is considered a Muhasib: He is accountable.

3.     Muqafir Anhoo. His prayer becomes the reason for his sins being expatiated.

4.    Musaab This person not only has his sin washed away but also gets sawaab

5.    Muqarab: He attains closeness to Allah and his prayer is the peace in his heart and the coolness of his eyes. Our Prophet Mohammad (SAS) desired this from his salaat. Coolness of the eyes is a term used to denote nearness to Allah.

This is the reason we have to learn the details of how to perform salaat and try to attain the highest level of the Namazi.

May Allah forgive my mistakes in translating this article.

WHICH GROUP DO YOU FALL IN? AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?