The Prophet's Prayer (SAWS) Introduction

Praise be to Allaah, who made Prayer compulsory on his slaves and
ordered them to establish it and perform it well; who linked success
and felicity to humility in Prayer; who made it the criterionto
distinguish between Eeman and Kufr ; and who made it a restrainer from
shameful and unjust deeds.
Prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, who was addressed in
the Words of the Exalted:
"And We have sent down to you the Message, that you may explain
clearly to the people what is sent for them" 1 , and who fully carried
out this task. The Prayer was one of the most important things which
he explained to the people, verbally and practically, even praying on
the pulpit once -standing, bowing and prostrating, and then saying to
them, I have done this so that you may follow me and learn my prayer.
2 He obligated us to copy him in his prayer, saying, Pray as you have
seen me praying. 3 He also gave the goodtidings to whoever prayed like
him that such a person has a covenant with Allaah that He will enter
him into the Garden, saying, There are five prayers which Allaah,
Mighty and Sublime, has made compulsory:he who performs ablution well
for them, prays them at their proper times, and is complete in their
bowings, prostrations and humility, he has a guarantee from Allaah
that He will forgive him; but he who does not do so, has no guarantee
from Allaah: if He wishes, He will forgive him or if He wishes, He
will punish him. 4
Prayers and peace be also on his family and his pious and just
Companions, who passed on to us his worship, prayer, sayings and
actions (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam), and who made these, and these
alone, a Madhhab and a path for them to follow; and also on those who
follow in theirfootsteps and tread their path until the Day of
Judgment.
When I finished reading the book of prayer in At-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb
by al-Haafiz al-Mundhiri (rahimahullaah) and teaching it to our
brothers, four years ago, it became clear to us all the important
position of the Prayer in Islaam; and the reward,grace and respect
awaiting thosewho establish and perform it well; and that all this
varies, depending on its closeness to the Prophet's prayer
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). This is what heindicated in his
saying, Verily theslave prays a prayer of which nothing is written
down for himexcept a tenth, ninth, eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth,
quarter, third or half of it. 5 Therefore, I reminded the brothers
that it is not possible for us to perform prayer as it should be
performed,or even approach that, unless weknow the detailed
description of the Prophet's prayer (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam),
including its essentials, manners, forms, supplications (du'aas) and
remembrances (adhkaar), and then we make an effort to put that
knowledge into practice carefully, for then we could hope that our
prayers would restrain us from shameful and unjust deeds, and that the
reward and blessings mentioned in the narrations would be written down
for us.
However, detailed familiarity withall these aspects of prayer is
unlikely to be achieved by most people nowadays, even many scholars,
because of their limitingthemselves to a particular Madhhab. But, as
anyone concerned with assisting in compiling and studying the purified
Sunnah knows, in every Madhhab there are sunnahs which are not found
in other Madhhabs; moreover, in every Madhhab there are sayings and
actions which cannot be authentically traced back to the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - most of these are found in the
sayings of the later scholars 6 , many of whom we see firmly
attributing these to theProphet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)! 7
This is why the scholars of Hadeeth - may Allaah reward them well -
have produced books of Takhreej on the famous books of the later
scholars, explaining the rank of each hadeeth given in them: whether
e.g. authentic, weak or fabricated. Examples of these books of
Takhreej are: Al-'Inaayah fi Ma'rifah Ahaadeeth al- Hidaayah and
At-Turuq wal-Wasaa'il fi Takhreej Ahaadeeth Khulaasah ad-Dalaa'il by
Shaikh 'Abdul Qaadir ibn Muhammad al- Qurashi al-Hanafi; Nasb
ar-Raayah li Ahaadeeth al-Hidaayah by Haafiz Zayla'i, and its abridged
version ad-Dirayah by Haafiz Ibn Hajr al-Asqalaani, who also wrote
Talkhees al-Habeer fi Takhreej Ahaadeeth ar-Raafi'i al-Kabir; there
are manyothers, naming which will only lengthen this discussion.

The Importance of Tawheed and the Evil Result of Neglecting it:

Shaykh Saalih ibn 'Abdillaah Al-Fawzaan
From his book Duroos min Al-Qur'aan Al-Kareem (p.5-11)
~

Someone may say, and it actually has been said, "What is it with you
that you always focus on tawheed and you talk so much about it?! And
you don't take into consideration the condition of the Muslims in our
day and time, those who are being killed and caused to flee all over
the earth, those being persecuted by the empiresof disbelief in every
place?!"
So we say, and with Allaahlies success:
Tawheed is the foundationupon which this upright religion has been
built, so focusing on it means to focus on the very core itself. For
if we were to reflect over the Noble Qur'aan we would find that it
expounds on issues of tawheed repetitively, somuch so that there does
not exist a single soorah inthe Qur'aan that does not mention tawheed
, clarifying it and prohibiting what opposes it. It was Al-Imaam Ibn
Al-Qayyim who pointed out that the entire Qur'aanis about tawheed ,
since it is only made up of the following:
* Information about Allaah and His Names and Attributes - This is the
tawheed that we are to have knowledge of, called tawheed
ar-ruboobiyyah .
* Commands to worship Allaah alone with no partners and prohibitions
of worshipping other thanHim - This is the tawheed that we must put
into action, called tawheed al-uloohiyyah .
* Commands to obey Allaah and His Messenger ( sallallaahu 'alayhe wa
sallam ) and prohibitions of disobeying Allaah and His Messenger (
sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam ) - Theseare the ways that tawheed is
actualized and completed.
* Information about what Allaah has prepared for the people of tawheed
, the delights, success, salvation, and triumphs in this life and the
Next, and the punishments that are in store for the people of shirk in
this life, and the eternal torture prepared for them upon their
one-way entrance into theHellfire - The first is for those who
actualize tawheed , the latter is for those who do not. [1]
Therefore the entire Qur'aan is centered around tawheed . If you were
to think about the soorahs revealed in Makkah, you would find that
most of them focus entirely on tawheed . That is because the Prophet (
sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam ) stayed in Makkah for 13 years calling
to tawheed and warning against shirk . Thevast majority of the
religious obligations like zakaah , fasting, Hajj, the affairs of
halaal and haraam , business transactions, etc. were not revealed
until after the Hijrah to Al-Madeenah. Thelegislation of the prayer is
an exception to this, as it was made an obligation while the Prophet (
sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam ) was still in Makkah on the Night of
Al-Mi'raaj , when he ( sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam ) was taken by
night (to Jerusalem) [2], but that was only a short time before the
Hijrah .
So the majority of the soorahs revealed before the Prophet (
sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam ) made hijrah were focused entirely on
tawheed , thus showing how truly important the subject is.
Furthermore, the religious obligations were not revealed until tawheed
was presented and established within the souls of the people, and the
proper 'aqeedah had taken root. For verily actions can not be correct
except with tawheed , nor can they have other than tawheed as their
foundation.
The Qur'aan has illustratedthat the Messengers ( 'alayhim As-Salaatu
was-Salaam ) all began their missions by inviting the people to
tawheed before anything else, as Allaah says [3]:
( And We sent a messenger to every nation (proclaiming) : 'Worship
Allaah and shun false deities!' )
Allaah also says [4]:
( And We never sent any messenger before you, except that we revealed
to him that 'There is no deity worthy of worship except Me, so worship
Me!' )
And every prophet used tosay to his people [5]:
( O my people - Worship Allaah as you have no other deity worthy of worship! )
So this was the affair of the messengers - they began with tawheed .
Similarly the callers and revivalists who followed the messengers used
to begin by focusing on tawheed . That is because every single da'wah
that isnot built upon tawheed is a fruitless call that does not
fulfill its purpose, and there is no positive result to it. Every
da'wah that does not focus on tawheed is a lost call, with regards to
its end results. This is something well known and seen all over.
On the other hand, every da'wah centered around tawheed is a truly
successful call, by Allaah's Permission, a cal that benefits the
society and bears many fruits. History bears witness to this.
So we are not neglecting the issues of the Muslims, rather we are very
concerned about them. We are assisting them andtrying to prevent every
harm from reaching them using all our resources.....

Unity When Fasting and on the Day of the 'Eed

Unity When Fasting and on the Day of the 'Eed:

Source: Silsilatul-Ahaadeeth As-Saheehah 224 (1/440-445)
~
Regarding the hadeeth:
"Fasting begins on the day you all begin to fast, and Al-Fitr (the
'Eed) is the day when you all have broken your fasts." [1]
At-Tirmithee, after mentioning this hadeeth, said, "And some of the
people of knowledge explained this hadeeth, saying that fasting and
breaking the fast are both to be done along with the main body and
majority ofthe Muslims."
And As-San'aanee said, "In it is evidence that proves that agreement
of the people is needed for establishing the 'Eed, and that the one
who is alone in his knowledge of the moon sighting must go along with
the others, andtheir decision regarding the prayer, the breaking ofthe
fast, and the day of slaughtering is binding on him." [2]
And Ibnul-Qayyim, may Allaah have Mercy on him, explained this,
saying, "And it has been said (by the people of knowledge) that there
is a refutation in this for those who say that a person can fast and
break his fast based on calculated estimations, without others having
knowledge of this. And it has also been said that if alone witness
sights the moon, and the judge does not accept his sighting (forsome
reason), then he himself does not begin his fast based on it, nor do
thepeople begin their fasts based on it." [3]
And Abul-Hasan As-Sindee,after mentioning the hadeeth of Aboo
Hurayrahfound in At-Tirmithee's Sunan , said, "And what is apparent
from the hadeeth's meaning is that these affairs are not for
individuals, it is not for people to act alone in these affairs.
Rather, the decision is to be made by the imaam and the main body of
Muslims. It is obligatory for all individuals to follow the imaam and
the main bodyof Muslims. So therefore, if one person sees the moon,and
the imaam does not accept his testimony, then he has no right to go
off on his own in these affairs,rather he must go along with the
jamaa'ah." [4]
I say (Al-Albaanee): This is what seems to be understood from the
hadeeth. This understanding is supported by the way 'Aa'ishah used it
(the hadeeth) as a proof against Masrooq when he did not want to fast
on the day of 'Arafah, fearing that it may actually be theday of
An-Nahr (the 'Eed). She clarified to him that his opinion has no
weight,and that he must follow the jamaa'ah . She said, "The Day of
An-Nahr ('Eed Al-Adh-haa, the day of slaughtering) is the day the
people slaughter, and the Day of ('Eed) Al-Fitr is the day the people
break their fasts."
I say (Al-Albaanee): And this is what is befitting to the gracious
Sharee'ah that seeks to bring the people together and unite their
ranks, keeping them away from individual opinions that split their
unity. So the Sharee'ah does not give weight to the opinion of an
individual regarding acts of community worship likefasting,
establishing the day of the 'Eed, and praying in congregation, even
when the individual is correct as he sees it.
Don't you see that the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them,
used to pray behind each other, while some of themheld that touching a
woman or bleeding nullifies one's wudhoo' , and others did not
understand that? And some of them used to pray the entire prayer
during their travels and others would shorten theirs? Their differing
in these affairs and others did not prevent them fromgetting together
to pray behind one imaam and being conscience of its importance. This
is because they knew that division in the Religion is worse than
differing over some opinions.
Some of them ignored opinions that contradictedthe leader's position
in great gatherings like the one at Minaa, to the point that they
would abandon their own position totally in such a large gathering, to
escape the fitnah that might result in their actions based on their
position. Aboo Daawood narrated that 'Uthmaan, may Allaah be pleased
with him, prayed four rak'ahs (not shortening hisprayer) in Minaa.
'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood detested his action, saying, "I prayed two
rak'ahs behind the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), two
rak'ahs behind Aboo Bakr, two rak'ahs behind 'Umar, and I used to pray
two rak'ahs behind 'Uthmaan in the beginning of his leadership, but
then he began to complete the prayer (praying four rak'ahs), and thus
the paths became divided. I only wish that I could have two of the
four rak'ahs accepted from me." Thereafter, Ibn Mas'ood prayed four
rak'ahs ! So it was said to him, "You blame 'Uthmaanand then you
yourself pray four rak'ahs?!" He replied, "Differing is evil." [5]
And Ahmad narrated this exact account on the authority of Aboo Tharr
[6], may Allaah be pleased with all of them.

What’s the Point in Studying Islam?

DRIVING back from my last final exam of the semester,my thoughts were
quickly arranging themselves into a list of all the 'to-do' things and
'to-read' books that I can now give attention to. But before that, the
elder with whom I was riding home had a very peculiar question for me.
It all began with him simply enquiring about how I did my paper, when
do I have my next semester and then, how long is the course. "Four
years?" was his startled response on being told the course duration.
Then camethe bomb. "Why are you studying this? Will it get you a job?"
I have found myself in this spot a few times before, having to explain
to peoplewhat good a four-year Bachelors degree in IslamicStudies
would do for me. I fail to understand why the answer to this—which
appears as rather obvious to me —is not so easily comprehensible for
others. Clearing my throat, I gave him two answers, one to convince
him and another to convince myself. "Of course, you could get a
job.Any school would be ardent to get me on board as an Islamic
Studies teacher," I said quietly, remembering when a few months back I
ended up in a small school for an interview for an Islamic Studies
teaching job. I hadn't brought along my CV, but on learning that I was
doing a course in Islamic Studies, the school'sowner looked
sufficiently pleased at her discovery and handed me books to prepare
myself for class next day. I never returned the next day, given that I
considered teaching as "not my cup of tea."
Next, I stated the obvious to my relative, who by now appeared
slightly more convinced. "See, when you are studying such wonderful
subjects like Aqeedah, Seerah, Hadith, Tajweed , isn't it great to
derive so much knowledge about Allah SWT and His religion out ofit?"
More often than not, we measure the suitability of an academic program
in terms of profit and loss – financial at that – and/or our own
interests. Will it get me a good job? What does the industry look like
in the next 10 years? Does the subject interest me? Is it my passion?
Talking of interests, Islam is our Fitrah , which we are born with. So
by default, we should be naturally inclined to improve our practice of
the Deen by studying and perfecting it.
As for profit and loss, Ibn Al-Jawzi رحمه الله said: "It happens that
a person has good health, but does not have free time because of his
being engaged in earning his livelihood; or he is rich but has no good
health. So, if these two (good health and free time) are gathered in a
person, butlaziness overtakes him from fulfilling his duties, then he
is a loser. (Know that) this world is the harvest field of the
hereafter; and in it there is business, the profit of which will be
visible in the Hereafter. So, whoever utilizes his free time and good
health in the obedience of Allah, he is the blessed one. And he who
utilizes themin the disobedience of Allah, he is the one who is unjust
to himself, because the leisure time is affected by business and
health is affected by sickness." [Fath al-Bari 11/23]
The Prophet (peace be upon him) made seeking knowledge an obligation
upon every Muslim. (Ibn Majah and Bayhaqi) It is true that gaining
detailed Islamic knowledge is a responsibility of a few in society (
Fard Kifaayah ), and when they (scholars) pursue it, others are not
obliged to. However, it is inthe interest of each one of us to study
the practical aspects of our Deen – be it our Aqeedah (The Prophet
(peace be upon him) preached only matters of Aqeedah for thirteen
years in Makkah, this is how important Aqeedah is!), or Fiqh issues,
such as those related to our prayer (Can we pray Isha after midnight?
Or knees first or hands first in Sujood ?), or just who wouldn't want
to acquire a beautiful Tilawah (recitation) of the Qur'an, knowing
where to pause atthe right places and with the right intonation and
teach it to our children?
These issues are even moreimportant to most of us because our belief
systems,methods of prayer, Qur'anicrecitation, and so on are so
culturally influenced that they may contradict true Islamic teachings.
Therefore, this is all the more reason to strive to correct ourselves.
The contemporary seeker of Islamic knowledge is probably seeing one of
the best times in recent history, as authentic knowledge is now easily
available at the click of a button and just a website away, no matter
in where he or she resides. Every now and then I receive online
invites to 'live sessions' by well-known scholars on Aqeedah, Tajweed
and various other Islamic sciences. The best part is that most of
these are free and short-term, making it easy for busy individuals to
take advantage of them.

The Dead Lamb

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (sallAllahu 'alyhi
wasallam) happened to walk through the market coming from the side of
'Aliya and the people were on both his sides. There he found a dead
lamb with very short ears. He took hold of his ear and said:
"Who amongst you would like to have this for a dirham?"
They said: 'We do not like to have it even for less than that as it is
of no use to us.' He (sallAllahu 'alyhi wasallam) said:
"Do you wish to have it (free of any cost)?"
They said: 'By Allah, even if it were alive (we would not have liked
to possess that), for there is detect in it as its ear is very short;
now it is dead also.' Thereupon Allah's Messenger (sallAllahu
'alyhiwasallam) said:
"By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the eye of Allah as it
(this dead lamb) is in your eye."
(Muslim :: Book 42 : Hadith 7059 )

Ali Ibn Talib and his Love for Abu Bakr – Farewell Speech

"The city of Al-Madeenah literally trembled on the day that Abu Bakr
(radi Allaahu 'anhu) died; in fact;other than the day of the Prophet's
death the peopleof Madeenah had never witnessed a sadder day, nor a
day upon which they had shed more tears. Upon hearing the sad news,
'Ali ibn Abi-Talib (radi Allaahu 'anhu) hurried towards AbuBakr's
house, all the while saying, "Verily we belong to Allah, and to Him is
our return."
'Ali (radi Allaahu 'anhu) then stood outside the house in which Abu
Bakr (raadi Allaahu 'anhu) had died, and made the following long
speech, which he addressed to Abu Bakr (raadi Allaahu 'anhu) himself:
"O Abu Bakr, may Allah have Mercy upon you. You were the closest
companion and friend of the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam); you were a comfort to him; you were the one he trusted most.
If he had a secret, he would tell it to you; and if he needed to
consult someone regarding a matter, he would consult you. You were the
first of your people to embrace Islam, and you were the most sincere
of them in your faith. Your faith was stronger than any other
person's, as was the degreeto which you feared Allah. And you were
wealthier then anyone else in terms of what you acquired from the
religion of Allah 'Azza Wa-Jall (The Posessor of Might and Majesty).
You cared most for both the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) and Islam. Of all people, you were the best Companion to the
Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam); you possessed the
best qualities; you had the best past; you ranked the highest; and you
were closest to him. And of all people you resembled the Messenger of
Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) the most in terms of his guidance
and demeanor. Your ranking was higher than anyone else's, and the
Prophet (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) honored you and held you in
higher esteem than anyone else. On behalf of the Messenger of Allah
and Islam, may Allah reward you with the best of rewards. When the
people disbelieved in the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) you believed in him. Throughout his life, you were both his
eyes with which he (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and his ears with
which he heard. Allah has named you truthful in his book when He said:
"And he (Muhammad (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) who has brought the
truth (this Qur'an and Islamic Monotheism) and (those who) believed
therein (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism), those are
Al-Muttaqun (the pious andrighteous persons)" (Qur'an39:33)
When people were stingy in their support for the Messenger of Allah
(salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) you comforted him.And when people sat
still, you stood side by side withthe Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu
'alayhi wa sallam), facing the same hardships that he faced. In times
of hardship, you were truly a good and noble Companion of his. You
were the 'second of two', his Companion in the Cave; and the one upon
whom As-Sakeenah descended. You were his Companion during the
migration and you were his successor regarding the religion of Allah
and His nation. And truly good sucessor you proved to be when the
people apostatized.
You did what no other Khaleefah of a Prophet did before you. You stood
up firmly and bravely when his other Companions lost their resolve and
became soft. And when they became weak, you adheredto the methodology
of the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). You truly
were as the Messenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:
weak in your body, but strong regarding the commands of Allah; humble
in yourself, but lofty in your ranking with Allah; well-esteemed in
theeyes of people, honored and great in their hearts. Not a single one
of them had any reason to dislike you, to be suspicious of you, or to
hold you in contempt.
The weak and humble you have always treated as strong and honorable,
making sure you gave them what was rightfully theirs. And in this
regard, you have treated relatives and strangers equally. Of all
people, you respect those who are most obedient to Allah and who fear
Him the most. In your overall character, you embody truth and
compassion. Your speech has always been characterized by the qualities
of wisdom and decisiveness. And you have always struck a noble balance
between gentleness and firmness. You have always based your decisions
on knowedge, and once you have made your decisions, you have always
kept a firm resolve to execute them.
Verily to Allah do we belong, and to Him is our return. We are pleased
with, and we submit to, Allah's decree. And by Allah,other than the
death of theMessenger of Allah (salAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) Muslims
have neverbeen afflicted with a greater calamity than the calamity of
your death. Youhave always been a protector....

The Incredible Story of “The Lamp”

My father once narrated [a story to me] about an old man who had a
dream. In this dream, he met Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah in one of
the markets of 'Unayzah; It was one of the markets which leads to the
assembly (a gathering place) – a well known placein 'Unayzah.
During this meeting, Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah handed a lamp to
this old man.
When the old man [later] enquired about the [meaning of his] dream, he
was told that he will have a child who would [grow up to] be pious
(saalih) andhe would have [an elevated] stature in [islaamic]
knowledge.
So, a child was born to this old man, and he was set upon naming him
Saalih, inthe hope that his dream would be true and specific to this
child.
So, Saalih was religious anddevout, and loved the people, [just] as
they loved him [too]. He would recite the Qur.aan and stand the night
in prayer, however, he was not a student of knowledge.
Saalih then got married and had a son, whom he named Muhammad; He was
Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen. ♥
And in reality – and we consider him as such – he was the lamp which
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah had given the old man [in the dream].
And [as for] this old man, [well, he] was the grandfather of Shaykh
Ibn 'Uthaymeen – may Allaah have mercy upon him.
~Narrated by: The Shaykh'sson, 'Abdullaah ibn Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen

Islamic Article :-How Big is your Light?

You're sitting comfortably in your room when all of a sudden, the
electricity goesoff. It becomes completely dark. You can't see a
thing. Although it is your own house, life comes to an inconvenient,
complete halt.
That's because you can't see a thing! You dare not move, in the fear
that you may knock something overor worse still, you may stumble and
hurt yourself. Uncomfortable and unnerving, isn't it?
Now fast forward to an unknown time in the future……when it will be
darker and even worse…..
when you…. and I…… and all of mankind…..will be gathered in the dark,
in front of a bridge…..
a bridge that is sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair…..
a bridge called as-Siraat…….the bridge over Hellfire.
When the companions asked about the bridge, he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa
Sallam) said:
'It is a slippery (bridge) on which there are clamps and (hooks like)
thorns which are wide at one side and narrow at the other and have
bent ends… Some of the believers will cross the bridge as quickly as
the wink of an eye, some others as quick as lightning, a strong wind,
or fast horses or she-camels. So some will be safe without any harm;
some will be safe after receiving some scratches, and some will fall
down into Hellfire. The last person will cross by being dragged (over
the bridge)." [Bukhaari]
And then, it will be orderedthat we all pass over this bridge. And we
will have no choice but to comply to the order of the Lord of
theWorlds. But it will be dark, darker than any darkness one can ever
imagine…..
and on this horrific Day, mankind will be desperate… desperate to do
anything, anything, to have some kind of light that will help them see
the way and guide them to cross over the Siraat.
And then….. there will be light.
But, you know what? This light will only be accordingto the light of
Imaan that you had in your heart in the Dunya.
If your Imaan was strong, so will be this light….strongand bright and
illuminating. And if your Imaan was weak, this light will be weak too,
dim and faltering and feeble.
Ibn Kathir reported in his Tafseer:
"They will pass over the Siraat according to their deeds. Some of them
willhave a light as large as a mountain, some as a date tree, some as
big as a man in the standing position. The least among them has a
light as big as his index finger,it is lit at times and extinguished
at other times." (Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Jarir).
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim says:
"For one person, it (the light) will be like the sun,for another like
the moon, the stars or a lamp. For yet another, this light will be
only at the tips of his toes; it will shine, then go out [then shine,
then go out]. For just as his light had been in this world, so he
shall be given when crossing the Bridge. In fact, it is the same light
that had appeared to him before. However, just as the hypocrite has no
real light in this world, or has only an outward light butnone within,
so shall he be given [on that Day] anoutward light which will vanish
in the darkness and be lost."
If you lived a life of righteousness and Taqwa, a life according to
Islaam, submitting to Allaah and repenting to Him, obeying His
commandments, hoping for His Mercy yet fearing His Wrath, taking care
not to disobey Him to the best of your ability, then good news for
you, O Muslim. Allaah will illuminate your path over the Siraat just
like He illuminated your heart in this Dunya with guidance and
righteousness.
"The Day (will surely come) when you shall see believing men and women
with their light running before them andon their right hands, (it will
be said to them): 'Glad tidings for you this Day. You shall live for
ever in Gardens underneath which rivers flow! That is indeed the
mighty triumph." (Surah Hadeed: 12)
BUT,
If you dared to disobey theLord of the Worlds, following your whims
and desires, earning haraam, lying, cheating and backbiting,involved
in all sorts of sins and forgetting the Aakhirah, then dim andfeeble
will be your light in accordance with the deeds that YOU chose to
commit.
Imagine the desperation, despair and hopelessness of a person in such
a situation!
Complete darkness….. and abridge, that he has to cross….a bridge so
sharp and so slippery and so thin,with hooks….stretching over
Hellfire….and he can't see a thing!
May Allaah protect us.
Wouldn't he give anything,anything to have a light that is strong and bright…..
A light that can illuminate his way across the Siraat….
A light that can take him toJannah??!!
Alas…for him, it will be too late…..
BUT, it's not too late for US.We still have time. We still have a
chance to make our light big and strong. All we have to do is to
submit to Allaah and repent sincerely.

HADEES :- ~

"O Allah, You know, while You are over Your Throne, that humility is
more beloved to me than nobility. O Allah, You know,while You are over
Your throne, that poverty is more beloved to me than richness. O
Allah, You know, while You are over Your throne, that I don't prefer
anyone or anything over Your love."
- Bishr al-Hafi (rahimahullah)

HEALTH - ~ "5 Life-Enhancing Reasons to Eat Fish"

"5 Life-Enhancing Reasons to Eat Fish"

1.Prevent Heart Disease: A Danish study of 49,000 women that was
publishedMonday in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart
Association found that women who ate little to no fish had 50 percent
more heart problems than those who ate fish at least once per week.
Additionally, researchers found that women who rarely ate fish had a
three-fold higher disease risk than those who ate it often. Other
research has found that eating fish high in omega-3s can slash blood
fat levels, which can contribute to a lower heart-disease risk.
2.Reduce Alzheimer's Risk: Eating fish as little as once a week can
help preserve gray-matter neurons — the part of the brain linked to
memory and cognition — according to a new study presented last monthat
the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting.
Researchers found that people who eat baked or broiled — but notfried
— fish had larger brains and larger cells in the areas of the brain
responsible for memory and learning. Scientists believe the larger
brain volume can help lower the risk of cognitive decline and
Alzheimer's disease.
3.Improve Skin and Hair: One of the biggest drawbacks to a low-fat
dietis you often deprive your skin and hair of the healthyfat it
needs, leaving it dull and dry. The omega-3s in fish are exactly the
type of healthy fat to eat to keep your skin looking nourished and
your hair shiny. Research has also linked fish and omega-3 consumption
to treatment of skin conditions such as psoriasis.
4.Ease Depression: Several studies have found that when taken along
with prescription antidepressantmedications, the omega-3sin fish are
more effective attreating depression that just prescription medication
alone. One study of 52 pregnant women found that taking a300 mg
capsule of omega-3s during pregnancy significantly reduced the women's
risk of postpartum depression.
5.Boost Brain Development: The EFA omega-3 found in salmon and other
nutrient-rich fishare essential nutrients for children because they
contribute to brain development. Some studieshave even found that
omega-3 consumption can help soothe symptoms of ADHD. Experts
recommend, however, that parents ask their pediatrician before
introducing supplements to a child's diet.

HEALTH - ~ Pick up the pace

Why exercise is important for the heart.

My Grandpa lived to be a healthy 89 years; and evenin his 80s he would
walk almost 15 km up and down to collect his pension. Of course this
was20 years ago. Today it is impossible to walk so much considering
the pollution, traffic, weather... But how many of us even walk to the
shop down thestreet? We would rather waste time searching for the bike
keys than walk.
This is not about living longer; it's about living healthier. It is
not uncommon to hear of young people in their thirties die of heart
attack all thanks to stress, inactivity and hypertension.
Special muscle
Our heart is a special type of muscle called the myocardium and, like
any other muscle, it requires itsdose of exercise or
cardio-respiratory training. This also improves the efficiency of the
lungs. Brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling or any rhythmic
movement that uses the larger muscles groups and can elevate theheart
rate and keep it up done over an extended period of time (say 20-40
min) is called cardio-respiratory training or aerobic training (with
the help of oxygen).
The average heart rate for an individual is 72 beats per minute.
During cardio training the pulse is pushed higher levels keeping the
age factor in mind.
For example, during a briskwalk, the first source of energy for the
working muscle is glucose from the blood. Once the sugar levels are
exhausted, energy is got from the stored fat. However, for this,
oxygen is essential because only oxygen breaks down stored fat into
energy. As the body asks for more oxygen while exercising, the demand
is sent to the heart. The heart starts pumping faster to demand oxygen
from the lungs. This entire exchange forcesthe lungs and the heart to
become extremely efficientso that the working musclecan continue
exercising. The end result: a healthy heart and lungs.
The right level
But it is very important to understand that each one of us has
different levels of fitness and different goals. So performing the
right exercise for the right number of days in the righttime at the
right intensity is the key. As a beginner, introduce cardio activity
three times a week. As activity levels increase, gradually go to five
sessions a week. The duration initially can be 20 minutes (even 10
minutes is good enough for a complete beginner) and increased to 30,
40 and 60 minutes in about two to four weeks.
How hard to exercise (the intensity) has to be kept in mind during a
cardio workout. One easy methodis that the heart rates should be
elevated to 60 to 90 per cent of the age predicted maximum heart rate.
Don't worry; it's not as bad as that sounds. The maximum heart rate is
220bpm (beats per minute) forall. So if you are 30 years old then
220-30 = 190. A beginner would start at 60 per cent intensity which
means 60 per cent of 190 =114 bpm.
So pick up a heart rate monitoring watch, strap it on, calculate your
exercise heart rate, and hit the road, cycle, gym, pool... anywhere as
long it's somewhere other than the couch.
Walk right
Walk with chin up and lookforward
Keep neck and shoulders relaxed
When stepping forward, plant heels first, then roll through with body weight
Swing arms with bent elbows up to chest level
Hold tummy muscles tight
Don't take long strides to avoid knee pain
Breathe deeply from stomach if possible but don't inhale through mouth/

ISLAMIC ARTICLE :- ~ The Inner Secrets of Fasting

... They also say that the reason for his (sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam) exertion in the last ten days of Ramadaan was due to his
(sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) seeking of the Night of Al-Qadr
(Lailatul-Qadr). An explanation of the inner secrets of fasting and
its characteristics There are three levels of fasting: The general
fast, the specific fast, and the more specific fast. As for the
general fast,then it is the refraining of the stomach and the private
parts from fulfilling their desires. The specific fast is the
refraining of ones gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing and eyes, as
well as the rest of his body parts from committing sinful acts. As for
the more specific fast, then it is the heart's abstention from its
yearning after the worldly affairs and the thoughts which distance one
away from Allah, as well as its (the heart's) abstention from all the
things that Allah has placed on the same level. From the
characteristics of the specific fast is that one lowers his gaze and
safeguards his tongue fromthe repulsive speech that isforbidden,
disliked, or which has no benefit, as well as controlling the rest of
his body parts. In a hadeeth reported by Al-Bukhaaree: "Whosoever does
not abandon false speech and the acting uponit, Allah is not in need
of him leaving off his food and drink." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Abu
Dawood,at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Maajah] Another characteristic of the
specificfast is that one does not overfill himself with food during
the night. Instead, he eats in due measure, forindeed, the son of
Aadam does not fill a vessel more evil than his stomach. If he were to
eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make
good use of himself for the remainder of the night. In the same way,
if he eats to his fill for suhoor, he does not make good use of
himself until the afternoon.This is because excessive eating breeds
laziness and lethargy. Therefore, the objective of fasting disappears
due to one's excessiveness in eating, for what is intended by the
fast, is that one savors the taste of hunger and becomes an abandoner
of desires. Recommended Fasts As for the recommended fasts, then know
that preference for fasting is established in certain virtuous days.
Someof these virtuous days occur every year, such as fasting the first
six days of the month of Shawaal afterRamadaan, fasting the day of
`Arafah, the day of `Aashooraa, and the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and
Muharram. Some of them occur every month, such as the first part of
the month, the middle part of it, and the last part of it. So whoever
fasts the first partof the month, the middle part of it, and the last
part of it, then he has done well. Some fasts occur every we...

INDIA - Ooty , Tamil Nadu (Ooty is also known as Ootacamund / Udhagamandalam )

State: Tamil Nadu
District: The Nilgiris
Famous for/as: Hill Station
Languages: Tamil
Best Season: Apr - May, Sep - Nov
Weather: Summer 10-21°C, Winter 5-21°C
Altitude: 2486 m
Pincode: 64300x
STD code: 0423

~
Ooty, also known as Ootacamund, is the Queen of hill stations and the
capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist
resorts in India. Ooty is also a land of picturesque picnic spots.
This place used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the
Britishers during the colonial days. It is situated at an altitude of
2,240 mt above sea level.
An added attraction for thetourists is the mountain train journey on a
ratchet and pinion track which commences from Kallar, near
Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair-raising curves,
fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant
vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens.
One can notice a marvelouschange in vegetation, as one goes from
Kallar to Coonoor . The establishment of numeroustea estates made Ooty
famous. Lofty mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles
and miles of tea gardens greet the passengers on most routes.
The annual Tea and Tourism Festival attracts crowds in huge numbers
tovisit the place and have a great time in this wonderful place. The
environment is so wonderful that is invites a lot of tourist
attraction who come here to enjoy a wonderful time with nature while
staying close to huge landscape.
Ooty has blooming vegetation and wonderful tea gardens and fine pine
and eucalyptus trees, which keep enhancing the beauty of the place.
Severalareas are preserved like that of sanctuary so as to conserve
the beauty of the nature and avoid extinction of the various animals.
Must See/Do: Ooty Botanical Gardens , Doddabetta Peak , OotyLake ,
Tiger Hill , Sim's Park , Dolphin's Nose , Catherine Falls ,
HiddenValley
Destinations in this region: Bellikkal , Coonoor , Red Hills/

Had Allah willed, He would have made you one Ummah

Allah says in the Quran, Surat Al-Maaidah (5:48):
To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed,He
would have made youone nation [united in religion], but [He intended]
to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good.
To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you
concerning that over which you used to differ.
The differences between us, differences of religion, ethnicity and
nationality, are a test and a blessing. They are a part of Allah's
plan. If He had willed it, He could have made us all onesingle Ummah,
with no disagreements and no variations, homogeneous like a field of
grass, all blending together so that the eye could rest on any one
person and he would look no different from any other. Allah could have
made us all with the same language, same faces, eyes and hair, same
customs and traditions, same cuisines, same art and architecture… But
that doesn't sound like a very interesting or exciting world, does it?
The religious differences among us are a test. The other differences
are blessings.
Never let the vast variety of human tongues and traditions become a
source of hostility, suspicion or despair. Never let the physical
distances betweenus become a source of frustration. Be grateful for
the beauty of a Tibetan monastery high in the Himalayas, or the tang
of Thai curry, or the beating of the drum at an Indonesian wedding, or
thegreat variety of cultures found in your own hometown. Be glad for
the opportunity to be exposed to something different, andto let your
mind open like a flower.
If the differences between people present a challenge,then welcome the
challenge; Allah has given you that challenge for a reason, so look
for the opportunity to learn. It is there.

The Wisdom of the Prophet: the Incident of the Epileptic Woman

There is a hadith narrated by 'Ata bin Abi Rabah:
Ibn 'Abbas once said to me,"Shall I show you a womanof the people of Paradise?"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet (peacebe upon him) and
said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please
invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be
patient and you will have Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke
Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but
I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not
become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." - Bukhari :: Book 7
:: Volume 70 :: Hadith 555
This hadith was published recently on MuslimasOasis.com , and I was
fascinated by the many comments from readers who have epilepsy and
have been inspired or comforted by this hadith.
One sister wrote:
"(This hadith) was a comfort to me as an epileptic when I had a
seizure outside of a masjid on the pavement in Philadephia during a
busy Jumaah afternoon. When I came to, my niqab was removed, my hijab
loosened, and my husband and a brother were helpingthe paramedics that
had arrived. Because of this hadith I felt comfort in spite of being
such a spectacle, alhamdulillah."
Another said:
"I too am an epileptic. When I first reverted to Islam over 3 years
ago, oneof the sisters who witnessed my Shahada wrote this hadith out
and gave it to me. It is a HUGE comfort to know this. May Allah ease
the trials of all epileptics and those who suffer from any disease
andgrant us all sabr. Ameen!"
And there were other similar comments, from men and women, ma-sha-Allah.
I don't have epilepsy or any other serious sickeness,Alhamdulillah
(praise God) for all His blessings. But as Iread the comments of
people who do have some illness and have been tremendously comforted
by this hadith, all of a sudden I realized the huge wisdom of the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in whathe said to the epileptic woman. He
could have simply invoked for her and she would have been cured, and
then all of us 1,400 years later would read the story and say,
"Ma-sha-Allah, another miracle to prove his Prophethood." But it
wouldhave no lasting personal significance.
Instead, by asking the woman to be patient and promising her Jannah
(Paradise), the Prophet (pbuh) has sent a message of hope down through
the ages to all the other sufferers in the world: Allah sees your
suffering. Your pain will be compensated, and your patience rewarded
with the greatest possible prize.
Even today epilepsy cannotbe cured, though it can be controlled
somewhat through medication. So even now, all these years later, in
this age of medical wonders, this hadith still has immediate
significance for people who suffer from this illness, and in fact
frompeople who suffer from any illness, from cancer to leprosy to
bipolar disorder.
Another point of note is that every Prophet was sent with certain
types of miracles appropriate to theunderstanding of their people.
Musa (Moses, peacebe upon him) was sent with the staff of power andthe
white hand, because his mission was to a peoplesteeped in sorcery.
"Medicalmiracles" – curing the sick, even bringing the dead back to
life – were the hallmark of the Prophet Isaibn Maryam (Jesus son of
Mary, pbuh), because he was sent to a people who specialized in
healing arts.
If the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had made it his habit to cure the sick,
the Christians might say about us Muslims, "Oh, you are only taking
Biblical stories and applying them to your Prophet."
Instead, though the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed his shareof
wonders, he was given the greatest miracle of all, the Quran, a living
proof through the millenia, and asource of eternal guidance. This is
appropriate becausehis immediate mission wasto a people of poetry, of
language and eloquence; while his greater mission was to all of
humanity.
"Say: 'If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to
produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of
it, even if they backed up each other with help and support.'" (Quran
17:88)
Did the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a mereshepherd and trader living
almost one and a half thousand years ago in the lonely deserts of
Arabia, realize the lasting significance of his actions? Did he
perceive the way hiswords and deeds would echo down the annals of
history?
Sure he did. He was a man of great wisdom, courage and natural
intelligence. Hedid not do things randomly, especially in matters of
worship. And hewas guided by Allah in these matters, so that his
actions could serve as an example for humanity untilthe Day of
Resurrection.

Our Prophet's (saas) Affectionate, Protective and Loving Attitude Toward The People of The Book

OUR PROPHET (SAAS) GAVE THE NAJRAN CHRISTIANS PERMISSION TO WORSHIP IN
THE MASJID-I NABAWI
"A Christian Najran delegation came to Medina at the time of the
afternoon prayer and entered the Masjid-i Nabawai. Arriving when our
Prophet (saas) and his people were still peforming the
afternoonprayer, the Christians turned to the East and prepared to
worship.SOME COMPANIONS WISHED TO PREVENT THEM WORSHIPING, BUT THE
PROPHET (SAAS) COMMANDED THAT THEY BE LEFT ALONE AND PERMITTED TO
WORSHIP. " ( Tabarî, I bn Kathir, Razî, Qurtubî; Surah Al 'I mran,
3/1-61; Part of these commentaries dealt with the beginning of the
Surah, and some with the 61st verse, known as the mubahala verse).
(Hamidullah, The Prophet of Islâm, trans.: Salih Tug, Ankara 2003, I,
920; Saricam, The Prophet Muhammad and His Universal Message, 278.)
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SPREAD OUT HIS CLOAK FOR THE NAJRAN CHRISTIANS TO
SIT ON DURING THEIR VISIT
In addition, according to some accounts, our Prophet (may Allah
blesshim and grant him peace) attended their weddings , visited their
sick, and was generous to them. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAAS) EVEN
SPREAD OUT HIS CLOAK SO THAT THE CHRISTIANS OF NAJRAN WHO CAME TOVISIT
HIM COULD SIT ON IT.
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OFTHE BOOK WERE ENTRUSTED TO MUSLIMS
In the agreement which our Holy Prophet (saas) decreed the articles to
Ibn Harris ibn Ka'b, who is a Christian, and other Christians: " THE
RELIGION, CHURCHES, LIVES, CHASTITY AND PROPERTY OF THE ENTIRE
CHRISTIANS LIVING IN THEEAST AND THE WEST ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF
ALLAH, HIS PROPHET (SAAS) AND ALL THE BELIEVERS.None of the people
embracing the religion of Christianity will be forced to accept Islam
. If one of the Christians suffers murder or injustice, Muslims are
obliged to help him," he narrated the verse: "Only argue with the
People of the Book in the kindest way…" (Surat al-Anqabut, 29/46).
(Ibn Hisham, Abu Muhammad Abdu'l-Malik, (v.218/834), as-Seerat
an-Nabaweeyat, Daru't-Turasi'l-Arabiyye, Beirut, 1396/1971,
IV/241-242; Hamidullah, Al-Wasaiq, s.154-155, No.96-97; DoğuBatı
kaynaklarında birlikte yaşama, "Living together in Eastern and Western
sources, p. 95)
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) MADE THE HOMES OF THE COMPANIONS AVAILABLE FOR
VISITING MEMBERS OFTHE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK TO STAY IN
In the time of our Prophet (saas) envoys and delegations visited
Medinain groups. Sometimes these groups – includingthe People of the
Book – would stay for more than 10 days, such that the houses of some
people such as Abdurrahman bin Awf, Mu g ire bin S ube, Abû Ayyub
al-Ansarî and Ansar were made available for them. In addition, a tent
pitched near the Masjid and where the People of Suffa, who acquired
knowledge around the Masjid al-Nabawi, stayedwould be prepared for the
visitors. Our Prophet (saas) would give documents of privilege
(written commands and instructions setting out rights and privileges
bestowed on certain groups and individuals in agreements with
foreigners)and official texts notifying the lands set aside for them.
He would apppoint governorsfrom among them to some regions. Again, in
sending alms officials to Muslims, the Holy Messenger would also
appoint Christians as non-Muslims capitation tax officials. In fact,
these official delegations that arrived were all evidence of the whole
Arabian peninsula's acceptance of the Prophet Muhammed's (saas)
prophethood and dominion. (Saricam, The Prophet Muhammad and His
Universal Message, 356.)
ON MATTERS THAT WERE NOT REVEALED, OUR PROPHET (SAAS) WOULD ACT
ACCORDING TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, NOT THE PAGANS OF
MECCA
In Mecca, Rasulullah (saas) opposed the Meccan pagans on subjects on
which there had been no revelation, AND ACTED IN THE LIGHT OF THE
BEHAVIOR OF THE POEOPLE OF THE BOOK . (Bukhârî, al-Libâs 70; Muslim,
al-Fadâ'il 90)
OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SENT COMPANIONS ON HEJIRA TO THE CHRISTIAN NAJASHI
The first Christian country that attracted the interest of our Prophet
(saas) before the Hejira and that he desired Muslims to migrate to was
Abyssinia. In the face of the ruthless tortures and oppression on the
part of the pagans of Mecca, Rasulullah (saas) desired the Muslims of
Mecca to migrate to Abyssinia and he expressed those feeling in these
words: "If you wish and have the means, seek shelter in Abyssinia.
BECAUSE NOBODY IS PERSECUTED IN THE LANDS OF THE KING WHO RULES THERE.
THAT IS A TRUE AND SAFE PLACE. STAY THERE UNTIL ALLAH MAKES THINGS
EASIER." (Muhammad Hamîdullah, al-Wasaik al-Siyasiyya, (trans.Vecdi
Akyuz), Kitabevi, Istanbul 1997,p.115; Hamîdullah, The Prophet of
Islam, I,297.)

NEWS - ~ Cargo plane hits busin Ghana airport crash

3 June 2012 Last updated at 01:28
~
A cargo plane has crash landed in Ghana's capital Accra, hitting a bus
full of passengers, officials say.
Ten passengers on board the bus were reported to have been killed
while allfour crew members survived.
Local TV showed the heavily damaged Boeing 727 Allied Air plane lying
across a road close to Kotoka International Airport.
Ghana's airport operator said the plane, which hadflown from Lagos,
Nigeria, overshot the runway.
It said in a statement thatthe four crew members were receiving
treatmentat an airport clinic.
"The aircraft collided witha minivan, resulting in 10confirmed
fatalities," the statement added.
Police and troops cordoned off the scene following the incident just
after 19:00 GMT on Saturday.
Ghana's Vice President John Dramani Mahama told reporters at the
airport that a thorough investigation would be carried out.
"No early conclusions should be drawn. We should allow investigations
to arrive atthe actual cause. But I canassure Ghanaians that
thesituation is under control," he said.
Ghana Airport Company said flights were continuing as normal at the airport.
Kofi Kportufe, head of Ghana's national disaster management agency,
praised the emergency services for their quick response, which he said
had "averted further disaster".
"This is a sad day for Ghana," he said.
The BBC's West Africa correspondent John James says Ghana's air safety
record has been good in recent years.

Unawareness: A sly threat

The happy and joyful movements of a small child amuse people. The hard
decisions and reactions to events that are so important to adults,such
as economic crises, natural disasters, wars, and oppression, have no
meaning for them. As longas they are not hungry or thirsty or have
lost a toy, they live in contentment, unaware of what is going on
around them. And as long as they are content, they unconsciously go on
sleeping, playing, and laughing.
However, although it may not be obvious at first, many people are
hardly different from children when it comes to their level of
awareness. This characteristic is especially evident in their lack of
appreciation for such important matters as Allah's (God's) existence
and the Hereafter, the purpose of their creation, the certainty of
death, andthe account they will give to Him in the Hereafter forevery
action or thought while alive.
Most people live accordingto their own desires and intentions, unaware
of Allah's commands and prohibitions, even though He informs us of
them through clear signs. They only want to enjoy the world's
pleasures, be happy, and satisfy their own egos. They pursue its
temporary allurements to the exclusion of all else, working all their
lives to get what they want. Their greatest worries are that their
efforts be in vain andthat they will lose what they already have.
However, this short life and everything pertaining to it will one day
come to an end. Unaware of the eternal punishment awaiting all those
who lived their lives without making any attempt to please Allah, they
head toward the Day of Judgment—a day of great fear and distress for
them. But they continue to desire the world's transitory allurements
andworry only about losing them.
This unconscious, insensible, and uninterested attitude, which they
insist upon following despite His clear evidences, commands,
andwarnings, is known as "unawareness."
Allah has created blessings, including their own bodies and many
beautiful things wherever they may look, to remind human beings of His
existence. At every moment and in every place, we see that creationis
imbued with countless wonders:
In the creation of the heavens and Earth, and the alternation of the
night and day, and the ships that sail the seas to people's benefit,
and the water that Allah sends down from the sky–by which He brings
the ground to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures
of every kind–and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds
subservient between heaven and Earth, there are Signs for people
whouse their intellect. (Surat al-Baqara: 164)
Think of everything that happens and everything you see while you are
awake. When you get up and look in the mirror, yousee your body
regenerated after a long sleep and notice how it continues to function
perfectly without your interference. You see your body just as it was
yesterday—your symmetrical and esthetically shaped body that started
from the division of a single cell andnow contains about 100 trillion
of them; your bodyin which hundreds of complex functions occur ina
perfect sequence of which you are not even aware.
But most people pay no attention to these facts. When looking in the
mirror, all they see is whattheir face generally looks like or if
their hair is combed. They think of nothing except work, school, or
what they are going to do that day. Thusthey fail to realize that
every new day offers themanother opportunity to draw closer to Allah.
Perhaps this will be their last opportunity to do so, for this might
be their last day on Earth. Most people, who cannot appreciate
thevalue of this opportunity, generally busy themselveswith trying to
please only themselves or others. We can explain this with the
following example:
Think of a general knowledge quiz. The winner will win a great deal of
money. How will the contestants behave during the contest? Will they
look around distractedly instead of listening to the questions and
thinking of the answers? Will they criticize the host's shirt, tone of
voice, or hairstyle?Instead of concentrating on the answer, will they
think about what they are going to do or wear tomorrow?
Quite the contrary. The contestants would listen carefully to the host
and try to use the limited time in the best possible way. They would
concentrate on coming up with the answers by being interested in
nothing except the matter at hand.If they were to engage in the type
of meaningless behavior just cited, then we would think that they are
bewildered, have a closed mind, or are irrational; in other words,
unaware.

Tips of

Love cannot express the idea of music, while music may give an idea of love
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I Heard You Are Good In Algebra . . . !!! ... Can You Please Replace
My 'X' Without Asking 'Y'
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You may fall from the sky,you may fall from a tree, but the best way
to fall is to fall in love with me.
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Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
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Minimum love is friendship; Maximum friendship is love.
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It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does.

The Best Days in the World

.... Allaah)are to be done in plenty onthese days. Dhikr Ibn `Abbaas
commented on the verse > [22:28] by saying: [Tafseer ibn Katheer]
Fasting One of thewives of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam,
said: "Allaah's Messenger used to fast the (first) nine days of Dhul
Hijjah, the day of `Ashooraa', and three days of each month. [Saheeh
Sunan Abee Daawood#2129] Fasting on all thesedays, however, is not a
waajib (compulsory), nor is it a constant sunnah that the Messenger,
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, never dropped. `Aa'ishah said: "I never
saw the Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, fast the ten days."
[Muslim] The Day of `Arafah- The Best Day of the Whole Year The day of
`Arafah is the day when the pilgrims stand in worship on the Mountain
of `Arafah. "Fasting the dayof `Arafah expiates the [minor] sins of
two years: apast one and a coming one.And fasting the day of
`Aashooraa' expiates the sins of the past year." [Muslim] "There is no
day on which Allaah `azza wa jall frees people from the Fire as He
does no the day of `Arafah. He comes close (to those standing on
`Arafah) and then revels before His angels, saying:"What are these
people seeking?" [Muslim] The Dayof al-`Ad-haa The tenth of
Dhul-Hijjah is `Eed ul- Ad-haa or the day of an-Nahr (slaughtering).
It marks the conclusion of themajor rites of Hajj, and commemorates
Allaah's bounty on His Messenger Ibraaheem, when He gave him a ram to
sacrifice as ransom for his son Ismaa`eel, `alayhimassalaam. "The day
of al-Fitr [i.e. `Eed ul-Fitr], the day of an-Nahr,and the days of
Tashreeq are `Eed days for us Muslims. They are days of eating and
drinking." [Ahmad, an-Nasaa'ee, Saheeh ul-Jaami` #8192] The Three Days
Following `Eed ul-`Ad-haa On these days, the pilgrims completetheir
rites, Muslims continue with their `Eed celebrations, and are
prohibited to fast. "The days of tashreeq are days of eating, drinking
and mentioning Allaah." [Muslim] The Sacrifice Allaah `azza wa jall
mentioned the sacrifice together with the first and foremost worship
in Islaam: prayer. This is a clear indication of its great importance.
Thus He ordered His Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, to
slaughter sacrifices by saying: Ruling The general concensus of the
Muslim scholars is that the sacrifice is an important sunnah, and a
worship called for in the Law of Allaah. However, they differ as to
whether it is nafl (voluntary) or waajib(mandatory)...

Speak justice – Al Qur’an 6:152

Speak the truth – Al Qur'an 3:17
Speak straight – Al Qur'an 33:70
Speak justice – Al Qur'an 6:152
Speak kindly – Al Qur'an 2:83
Speak politely – Al Qur'an 17:53
Speak fairly – Al Qur'an 17:28
Speak gently – Al Qur'an 20:44
Speak graciously – Al Qur'an17:23
Speak not in vain – Al Qur'an23:3
Speak no lie – Al Qur'an 22:30.