Blessing of guidance

I wanted to share a reflection from some recent happenings around me - it’s a reminder to myself and to all my sisters in deen (and brothers too maybe). If you are practicing your deen, working for it, seeking its knowledge, raising you kids according to it, just trying even … then know that you have been chosen by Allah SWT for this guidance. We say in al fatiha every single salah ihdina sirat al mustaqeem – (oh Allah) guide us on the straight path, then if you are struggling for your deen - that is Him guiding you. Do not belittle it, do not take it for granted, do not ever stop trying and asking. If we become complacent of His blessings, He can take them away. Here is the thing about guidance, in whatever shape we have it – no matter how commonplace it seems; it is not. Just because so many people pray salah regularly as you do, does not take away from its significance. Just because so many women around you cover up the way they should, does not make it ordinary. Just because we have been practicing deen for many years doesn’t make it our property to treat however we like. We do these things day in and day out so it’s easy to forget the intention behind it, but we should spend a small part of everyday thanking Allah for it and also renewing our intentions.

A beautiful dua comes in the Qur’an رَبَّنَا لا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ (Aal Imran :8) Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate after you have guided us and grant us from yourself mercy. Indeed, you are the Bestower. It teaches us that guidance is a gift and that it can be taken away. Allah wants us to ask this for ourselves. He is our creator and knows how our hearts will deviate. This dua humbles us, because we acknowledge that we do not control/decide anything rather our affairs are in the hands of the Almighty. Allah did not create us to be ordinary and neither should we think our actions to be. Allah commands us to hold on to the “urwatul wuthqa” (most trusted handhold) or to hold tightly to His rope. This entails that when we practice the deen, we do so with passion and vigor – not with nonchalance because if you are hanging off a tall building, you will not be causal about how you hold that rope!

There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong. So whoever disbelieves in Taghut and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (2:256)

Forgiveness - Giving it is getting it!

Forgiveness is one of those things that is easier said than done. As a younger person i believed in the mantra ‘forgive but never forget’. As I grew older (and wiser) I knew it was not possible to truly forgive without forgetting. Understanding this did not mean i was able to forgive – rather i now knew my weakness. I knew that every so often, I am reminded of the wrong I was done and ill-feelings even if not hate, start trickling into my heart.  So i tried blocking the memories and it worked for a while. Till I grew older still *sigh* (and wiser still!) and realised it was not possible to block memories as they make their way into your life and thinking at some point catching you off-guard.

So here is where I am now – dealing with the memories; accepting it as the will of my Creator which in some form were meant to purify me (hopefully they did). Once I came to terms with my past experiences, no longer feeling vulnerable or guilty or vengeful; I was ready to forgive. But the question was why should I? Why should I forgive people who brought about so much pain and misery? Why should i give them the satisfaction of feeling ok about what they did? Maybe if i forgive them, they will never know or pay for what they did? These are all the emotions and questions I go through every now and then.

Then moments of enlightenment like today’s jummah khutba happen. The khateeb talks about forgiveness as a means to leading a content life. If i know one thing about anger, it is that it makes you discontent.  The khateeb tells us that forgiving is not letting go rather it is taking control of the situation. You are incharge of how that relationship (or lack thereof) shapes up. A person who has hurt you deeply will tend to do it again. When you acknowledge your hurt and turn to Allah for solace and forgive for the sake of Allah; you are no longer in a position to be hurt again because you have already taken a higher road – a path that people who wrong you don’t tread.  Forgiving means you free yourself of emotions that do not serve you.

And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [Surah Al Noor Verse 22]

Here is my game plan – I will consciously think about my shortcomings and sins. I will think about how I would like to be standing in front of Allah SWT on the Day of Judgement with those sins and those shortcomings? Will I be able to justify any of it? Then I will think how it would be like to have all those sins forgiven! Everytime I have an ill-feeling creeping up, I will try and do this – I will forgive so that I may be forgiven. Allah knows how much forgiveness I need! It is indeed from Allah’s mercy to even allow us to forgive – just so He can bestow us with His forgiveness in return. Have you heard of a more merciful Lord!

Please make dua for me and for yourself if any of this hit home with you – may Allah clean our hearts and make us of the forgiving and forgiven. Ameen!

And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good;[Surah Aal Imran, verse 133-134]

The Beauty of Quran

Yesterday, my friend spoke about ayah 102 of Surah Aal Imran.

O you who believe! Fear Allâh (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islâm (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allâh

She discussed its tafseer in brief and how it had impacted her life. I was aware of the tafseer because i had studied the ayah many time before and atleast once in detail. But the beauty of the verse struck me this time. I was reminded of the wonder of the Quran, that it reveals new treasures each time its read. SubhanAllah! Now I'm not linguist, nor a literary expert but even I could appreciate the beauty of this address. The  start and end of the ayah is such a contrast, exactly opposite (Iman and Kufr) to one another; and in the middle is the key to staying with Iman. This reminds me of another ayah from Surah Qamar:

And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition? 

The Quran is filled with such beauty, if only we were to take the time out to ponder.Everyday can provide us wondrous moments like these but we rush through; forgetting how this day can be ibadah for us. May Allah give me and you more intellect to ponder upon His greatness! Ameen

...but is it in the Qur'an?

Has anyone ever asked you "...but is this in the Qur'an?". It is one of the most annoying questions to be asked. I pity those people who ask them, because they don't even know that they are putting their Iman at risk by uttering such words. I'm currently working on a detailed document about hadith and sunnah, so i wont delve in those details right now. I will however Inshallah, prove why the belief in and practice of Hadith and Sunnah is just as important for our iman as is belief in Tawheed (oneness of Allah).... and yes! thats in the Qur'an.

Surah Al-Juma'h, Verse 2
He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur'an, Islamic laws and Islamic jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of Prophet Muhammad  SAW). And verily, they had been before in mainfest error 

All major scholars of Quran agree Al-Hikmah, refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW.

Surah An-Nissa, Verse 59
O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad PBUH)

Surah An-Nissa, Verse 80
He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah

Surah Aal Imran, Verse 31
Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

These are but a few of the commandments from the Quran, which order the ummah to obey the Prophet and in his love and obedience is the love and obedience of Allah.

The purpose of any messenger has been to explain to the people how to obey Allah, that was the whole point of sending a human being to preach rather than an angel or jinn. Prophet Muhammed SAW was a shy man, full of haya (modesty) and yet he laid bare his entire life for the ummah; just so they would learn from it. This was one of his many great sacrifices. Imagine, having a video camera following you for just one entire day. Imagine having no privacy. He did all this so we would learn the deen properly and for us to disregard his great sacrifice; is blasphemous. 

Even if you are unsure of a certain hadith that someone has related, the proper etiquette is to silence yourself. Go back and check the reference to ensure its authenticity - but as a Muslim, you do not have permission to argue over the word of the Prophet SAW. 

Surah Al Hujurat, Verse 2
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.

The scholars agree that today, when the Prophet SAW is not among us, but his Sunnah is (and will be till the end of time bi'iznillah), this applies to disagreeing with his sunnah. Allah clearly warns the believers, that if they speak over the prophet SAW, their good deeds will be in vain and they will not have realized it. Dear brothers and sisters, the consequences are grave and questioning the prophet's word is equal to disbelieving in him. Follow the above ruling. Inshallah, Allah will guide you because your intention was pure.Ya Allah, keep us on hidayah. Ameen ya rabbil Aalimeen.

I will leave you with another verse from the Qur'an. 


Surah An-Nissa, Verse 65
But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you judge in all disputes
between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them)with full submission.

Giving in the "way of Allah"

Just read this somewhere: Which is the best nation?..... wait for it..... Do-nation... lolz. But you got to agree with the brother, eh?
Muslims have been instructed by Allah again and again to spend from their wealth, so much so that charity is made a basic pillar of Islam. Allah says in Surah Aal Imran verse 92 that you can never attain piety till you sacrifice what you love most in the way of Allah. This is a very strong statement from Allah SWT - as a person of Iman, one is striving to attain piety; but Allah clearly says you got to spend what you love most. Afterall Allah is the one who gave it to us, all He is really asking is you spend it wisely!
We need to think what we love most, or what any person loves most? His children, his wealth, his sleep, his free time, etc. What Allah is instructing us to do is utilise all our resources in His way. Our attitude should be such that we seek chances of spending for our deen; may it be helping other people, funding a mosque, feeding the hungry, sponsoring an orphan. SubhanAllah, we should never let go of even one opportunity to give, even if it is one cent! Don't think if this organization is authentic or if the help will really reach the people - your intention is to please Allah, so give and if Allah wills the needy will be helped.
Way too many times i have seen people questioning the motives and operations of charity organizations, and i understand the frustration when help doesn't reach the needy. Think, however, Allah was testing you to see if you availed every chance or gave in to suspicions put in you by Shaytan -  did you pass that test? If you believe in Allah in all His Glory, then you know you cant drink that next sip of water if Allah hasnt willed it for you. Same is true for the needy, Allah will help them when the time for their test to end has come - meanwhile you and i are both being tested - so give, anywhere and everywhere. Intend to please Allah and it is His promise and the prophet SAW's promise that your wealth will never reduce and will be returned to you manifold!

Fast & Furious

I was just explained a verse in the Qur'an quite differently and felt i should share the wisdom :)
Surah Aale Imran Verse 114 defines the attributes of the "Saaliheen" (pious do-gooders) and it mentions wa-yusaari'oona  fil khayraat - those who rush towards doing good. Its fairly simple to understand, but like i said i was given a different perspective on it.
1. Those who do good for the sake of Allah, cannot procastinate and be lazy - they need to be fast. They cant dilly dally, they need to run! Procastination doesnt get results, doesnt demonstrate determined behaviour. Hence we should take another advice from the same surah; to follow through in the path of Allah when we have decided to do something.
2. When you are not working in the way of Allah, or striving in His way - you still manage to spend the day and say "I got no time". So when you ARE working in His way, you defiinitely will be rushing because now you have to accomodate the same day where had no time and add what you are doing now!
See told you it was different. SubhanAllah! May we be of the Fast and the Furious Saliheen Ameen.