Muslims must live by the joy and fervor of living in the time of the movement of the Mahdi, but inertia will cause them to regress

All Muslims who evaluatethe last 30 years with good conscience and
sincerity can easily see we are in the End Times and that we are
therefore living in the age of the Prophet Jesus (as) and Hazrat Mahdi
(as) and at a time when the moral values of Islamwill rule the world.
The fact that Allah will be sending the Prophet Jesus (as), one of the
Resolved Messengers (Ul al'Azm), back to earth after 2000 years and
thatthe great struggle of Hazrat Mahdi (as), the greatest guide since
the time of the Prophet Adam (as), is certainly instrumental in
Muslims feeling great fervor, enthusiasm and joy. Every believer who
sees and is aware of this will experience the joy of this holy age at
every moment. With that joy he will strive, intend andhope to be in
the vanguard of the ProphetJesus (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as), to
prepare the ground for them andto support them in the finest manner.
Knowing that he is living in this holy century will be instrumental in
Muslims enjoying much beauty inthis world and considerable gains in
the Hereafter.
On the other hand, to seek to cover up and conceal the fact that we
are living in the age of the Mahdi, using quibbles of various kindsand
in the face of hundreds of hadiths of our Prophet (saas) and the many
clear references in the verses of the Qur'an, is a most dangerous path
that willlead Muslims to inertia and passivity. That path leads to the
acceptance of an average or even below-average life instead of
striving for Allah's approval with all the means at one's disposal.
That life style is a mentality that reduces living by the religion and
proper moral values to the bare minimum. It is a mentality that
performs the minimum of religious obligations, seeks to restrict
religion to the narrowest area of life, seeks no beauty, love or depth
and fails toproperly appreciate the blessings bestowed by Allah. But
its most perilous aspect is that it goes even further and leads to a
mindset that drags a person backward each day and makes it even more
difficult for them to sincerely live by religious moral values.
Some who fails to feel the excitement of starting each new day for
Allah's sake and who does not enthusiasticallyseek the maximum of
Allah's approval in all things will be exposed tothe conditioning of
denial. In the event he fails to move forward and does not grow in
depth and proximity to and love of Allah every single day, then he
will regress every day. Inertia in faith, love and depth means
regression.For example, the lovelessness in someone who does not feel
a profound joy and fervor in his soul towards the beauties bestowed by
Allah and who regards them as quite mundane, will soon turn into a
distaste for these delights, and then even anger. Someone who does not
fervently remember Allah with thewords "SubhanAllah [Glory be to
Allah], Alhamdulillah [Praise be to Allah]" when he sees such delights
will eventually turn into a person with a frozen, petrified soul who
fails to understand the wisdom behind their Creation or even never
thinks about them at all. This petrifaction of the soul will lead to a
coolness and apathy toward Allah, the religion and his Muslim
brothers. Someone who fails to think how Allah has promised to make
the moral values of Islamprevail the world and who does not strive to
spread the moral values of the religion in the light of the enthusiasm
stemming from this promise, can never obey the commands of the
religion with any spiritual fervor. Such a person will eventually
become a robot who goes to work and back, enjoys no sincere
conversation even with his own wife and children and who appears to
perform religious observances but who draws no spiritual enjoyment
fromthem. Increasing numbers of people with such a mindset will mean
an apathy, inertia, defeatism and passivity prevailing across the
Islamic world.
Therefore, everyone who lives by the moral values of Islam must
scrupulously avoid attitudes, ideas and conceptions that might lead
his Muslim brothers and all mankind toward such an inertia. He must
not forget that inertia can lead to irreligion. Nobody must waste
Muslims' time on ideas that are hard to believe, that have no place in
Islam, that depict the global dominion of Islamic moral values as far
off or almost impossible or accounts that seek to eliminate the idea
of the movement of the Mahdi. Everyone must consider the harm that
such a mindset may do to the world of Islam and striveto compete in
doing the greatest amount of goodfor Allah's approval, rather than
making do with an average life. This is what is most compatible with
the moral values of the true believer as revealed by Allah in the
Qur'an:
Then We made Our chosen servants inherit the Book. But some of them
wrong themselves; some are ambivalent; AND SOME OUTDO EACH OTHER IN
GOOD BY ALAH'S PERMISSION. THAT IS THE GREAT FAVOR. (Surah Fatir, 32)
Allah will not disappoint those who strive to gain His approval with
fervor,determination and enthusiasm, who do all in their power to
bring about the global dominion of His religion and who strive to be
among the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) by seeing the signs
foretoldby our Prophet (saas).

It is the Law of Allah thatMuslims should have a leader. In the End Times, Muslims will gather around the spiritual leadership of Hazrat Mahdi (as)

No matter what ideas or beliefs they hold, peoplealways have a leader
to represent them when they come together for aspecific purpose.
Throughout history, Allah has created every community of believers
together with a leader. The Prophet Noah (as) was the leader of
believers in his time, the Prophet Moses (as) was the leader of
believers inhis time, our Prophet (saas) was the leader of the
Companions in his time, Talut was the leader of believers in his time,
and Dhu'l Qarnayn in his time. In the same way that no community of
believers has ever been leaderless in the past, neither will Muslims
be leaderless in the End Times. Hazrat Mahdi (as) himself will
personally be the spiritual leader of Muslims in the End Times.
The idea that Muslims should be leaderless, when the Catholics, the
Orthodox, Jews and evenfreemasons have leaders, ignores the pains and
sufferings of the Muslim world. Allah commands Muslims in the Qur'an
not to be divided and fragmented.If Muslims do not abide by this
command of Allah's, if they fail to coalesce, as the Muslims of the
past coalesced, around one spiritual leader, then it will not be
possible for the difficulties and pains facing the Islamic world to
come to an end or for Muslims who are oppressed and persecuted all
over the world to be set free. The path that Allah shows to Muslims in
the Qur'an is that of "those who, when they are wronged,defend
themselves." (Surat ash-Shura, 39) It isblatantly evident that Muslims
are being wronged in Pathani, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Chad,
Moro, East Turkestan and manyother places. That being the case, it is
also evident that Muslims should be united in order to defend their
rights in the wisest and most effective way with knowledge, culture,
information and art. It must not be forgotten that "Allah loves those
who strive in His Way in ranks like well-built walls." (Surat as-Saff,
4) It is Hazrat Mahdi (as) in person who will bring the Muslims of the
worldtogether in our own dayto strive on Allah's path with knowledge
and information, who will show them the way, andwho will protect them
against the scourges of Darwinism and materialism in the finest
manner.
The responsibility for innocent people being bombed as they pray in
mosques in Pakistan, for our East Turkestan brothers being subjected
to unbelievable tortures in Chinese prisons, for Palestinian children
being shot at as they travel to school, for civilians in Iraq living
with the fear of death every day, for innocent people being bombed
asthey lie in hospitals in Afghanistan, for those who have spent long
years in refugee camps and for those who worship in secret in order to
stay alive, lies with those who are unwilling for Muslims to unite
around a spiritual leader. Those who maintain that Muslims should be
leaderless andheadless, ignoring the verses of the Qur'an and the
trustworthy hadiths of our Prophet (saas), must not ignore that fact.

One must avoid suchheedlessness as saying, ''where is the antichrist?'' at a time when Muslims are being martyred all over the world, hundreds of thousand of people are living on the edge of starvation and funeral services are held for martyrs

Many of the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) refer to a period of the
movement of the antichrist prior to the Day of Reckoning, when
anarchy, disorder and oppression reign. Accounts also reveal thatthe
movement of the antichrist will be the worst corruption in the history
of the world, andour Prophet (saas) warnsof the threat of the movement
of the antichrist as follows:
"There has been no creation (creating more trouble) than the
antichrist, from the creation of Adam to the Last Hour. (Al-Barzanji,
Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 225)
The appearance of the antichrist is described as one of the major
portents of the End Times in accounts from our Prophet (saas). The
antichrist will turn masses of people away from Allah and inflict
unhappiness and uneaseon them, and a loveless, insecure and oppressive
environment is described as one of the many portents heraldingthe
imminent end of the world. However, there will be good news
accompanying the emergence of the antichrist. That is that a great
spiritual power will appear in opposition to the antichrist, and it is
Hazrat Mahdi (as) who will save mankind from the devilish spirit of
the movement of the antichrist and will bring people back to the
radiance of Islam.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) whose coming before the Day of Reckoning is foretold
by our Prophet (saas) will be descended from him, and will be the
greatest ever mujaddid and mujtahid, the greatest ever commander, the
greatest kutb-u azam, the lord of time and a luminous individual whois
spiritual leader of the Islamic world. His physical features, moral
values, lineage, activitiesand the timing of his coming are all
described in detail in many trustworthy hadiths, andall Sunni scholars
are unanimously agreed on the reliability of those hadiths. The Sahih
al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud, Sunan
Ibn Majah, Imam Rabbani, Suyuti, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and many other
scholars have comprehensively set out in their works how the coming of
Hazrat Mahdi (as) is true and certain.
Indeed, as can be seen from the works of these Islamic scholars,
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear inHijri 1400, and there willbe hundreds
of signs of his holy coming. We are now in Hijri 1431, and more than
200 physical portents have come about just as described in the
hadiths. This once again shows we are in a very precious,
significantand radiant age.
Both the antichrist and Hazrat Mahdi (as) are at work, and a great
intellectual struggle has begun between truth and falsehood.
Therefore, people living at this time must decide which side of this
mentalstruggle to support. Being on the side of Hazrat Mahdi (as)
means to support the great intellectual struggle against the
antichrist in order to be one of the helpers and supporters of this
holy individual. And that is very easy. One can be a student,
forerunner and follower of Hazrat Mahdi (as) by telling people of the
evidence of the existence of Allah, spreading Qur'anic moral values,
announcing the glad tidings of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and
intellectually demolishing Darwinism, the supposed scientific
foundation for all destructive ideologies.
In addition, our Muslim brothers must not forgetthat to ignore the
systemof the movement of the antichrist means, to fail to comprehend
we are in the age of Hazrat Mahdi (as), to turn one's back on the
hundreds of signs of the Day of Reckoning that have taken place and to
remain silent in the face of persecution means to support the system
of the antichrist. There is no need to speak or act against religion
in order to support the antichrist.Silence in the face of his actions
also effectively means to support him, and that imposes a
hugeresponsibility on people.It is therefore terribly dangerous for
Muslims at such a time to adopt alogic that is incompatible with the
hadiths and verses by saying things like, "And where is the
antichrist? Why bother referring to the antichrist? Why concentrate so
much on the movement of the Mahdi?" Most important of all, that is
heedlessness one will be unable to explain away in the hereafter.
The movement of the antichrist has now inflicted a worse corruption
than has everbeen seen before on all societies. The antichrist has
made people captive, wreaked an economic crisis on them and made them
unable to leave their homes, trust their friends, live inpeace or even
breathe. The system of the antichrist is killing mothers, fathers,
children and loved ones, it is tearing families apart, impoverishing
them, taking away their honor and character andcondemning them to
livealone and unhappy, deprived of love and respect. But some
peopleliving in the midst of these scourges still behave as if there
were no movement of the antichrist, no such affliction, and reject the
urgent need for the movement of the Mahdi.
What all our Muslim brothers must see is this:by his actions, the
antichrist has flooded the world with blood, and is still doing so.
People who say "The antichrist will not come at this time" or "The
coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is hundreds of years off" should look at
the state of the world from amore honest perspective.
The oppression and persecution China has been inflicting on East
Turkestan for the last 60 years is still going on. In East Turkestan,
where 36million Uighur Muslims have been subjected to genocide over
the last 60 years, 796 MUSLIMS WERE SENTENCED TO DEATH AND MARTYRED IN
JUST ONE MONTH LAST YEAR, 10,000 MUSLIMS DISAPPEARED OVERNIGHT AND
100,000 OF OUR UIGHUR SISTERS WERE FORCIBLY TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR
HOMES. Thesesisters of ours are forcedinto illicit relation under
threat of death. The fate of 10,000 Muslims who disappeared in one
night is still unknown. The streets of Sinjan were filled with bodies.
Uighur Turks have been forced to migrate. The dead bodies of the 156
Uighur Turks killed in the events in Urumchi, the majority of whom
were killed by a single bullet from the security forces, were laid out
on the ground. Uighur Turks are chased out of mosques with sticks and
forbidden to recite prayers.
Muslims are bombed as they pray in mosques in Nepal. Houses,
businesses, associations and mosques belonging to Nepalese Muslims are
set on fire. In Afghanistan, 1,013 civilians were killed in six
months. Muslims in Palestine are literally prisoners in their own
motherland and live under the threat of martyrdom every day. Hundreds
of civilians were recently killed in Chechnya and thousandsmore forced
to abandon their homes. According to the latest research in Iraq,
uranium has been used with no allowance made for the civilian
population. Incidences of cancer have risen by four times in Fallujah,
12times in the under 14 age group, cases of leukemia have risen by 38
times and a significant rise in brain tumors has also begun inadults.
There was a 17-fold increase in cases of leukemia after Hiroshima, but
a 38-fold rise in Fallujah. Never a day goes by without bombs
exploding in Pakistan. Bombs rock Peshawar and Lahore just about every
day.
Somalia is on the brink of starvation, and it has been stated that one
in four children under five go to bed hungry. It has been calculated
that 1 million people are on the verge of starvation. Young girls are
raped by the Buddhist Thai army in Pathani, scholars are murdered and
mosques burned. Muslim blood is shed every day in Pathani.
Everyone in this time clearly sees and experiences the oppression of
the movement of the antichrist. The antichrist reveals himself through
clashes on the streets and brother killing brother. The burial of the
bodies of martyrs on a daily basis in different parts of Turkey is the
antichrist's way of saying, "I am here."
Those who say, "Where is the antichrist?" or "I cannot see the
antichrist" should look at what is going on in Fallujah, Afghanistan,
Palestine, East Turkestan,Sudan or Nepal. That is where they will find
the answer to the question, "Where is the antichrist?" The antichrist
is in America, Afghanistan, Iraq, Nepal, East Turkestan, and Kashmir
and all over the world. He is continuing to kill people and shed their
blood with all his might.
The antichrist has revealed himself, in all his satanic aspects. But
even though the antichrist shows himself everywhere, some people still
expect him tohave the word "antichrist" written on his forehead, to be
a monstrous creature withhorns on his head, and are gravely mistaken
when they say, "I will not believe in the movement of the antichrist
until I see suchan entity." The antichristhas now unsheathed his claws
and is slashing with that at Muslims and people all over the world.
In his works, the great Islamic scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi said
that the antichrist, the worst corruption of the End Times, would
spread evil by encouraging Darwinist and materialist movements, and
warnedMuslims on the subject:
A tyrannical current bornof naturalist and materialist philosophy will
gradually become strong and spread at theend of time by means of
materialist philosophy, reaching such a degree that it denies Allah.
... And the greatest of them, the antichrist, who will come to lead
them, will manifest awesome wonders, a sort of spiritualism and
hypnosis; he will go even further, and imagining his
tyrannical,superficial rule to be a sort of dominicality, he will
proclaim his godhead [surely Allah is beyond that]. (Bediuzzaman Said
Nursi, Letters, Fifteenth Letter)
But despite all these facts, one can almost count the number of people
in the world of 7 billion people who espouse the moral values of the
Qur'an, the delights of Islam and themovement of the Mahdi on the
fingers of one hand. Most people ignore all the corruptionand disorder
in the world, while others are solely concerned with maintaining their
own interests.
But like all things, of course, this is also part of Allah's destiny.
Allah has charged Hazrat Mahdi (as) with demolishing the system of the
antichrist, leadingpeople to peace and security and to causing the
warmth, love and trustworthiness of Islamic moral values to rule the
world. Indeed, itis a miracle from Allah that even though it is quite
easy to wage an intellectual struggle against the movement ofthe
antichrist most people make no effort on the subject. The majority of
religious scholars avoid the issue and never mention this, the worst
corruption of the End Times. Not to mention the name of theantichrist
or to say that he will be coming only very much later, when Muslims
are being martyred en masse all over the world, is equivalent to not
imparting the glad newsof the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as). So much so
that to date almost nobody has criticized or struggled against the
movement of the antichrist.
Yet Hazrat Mahdi's (as) victory is certain in destiny, By Allah's
leave, the antichrist will be defeated in his war aimed at turning
people from religious moral values. Muslims who wish to support Hazrat
Mahdi (as) and his followers, the people of Allah, in their honorable
victory must oppose Darwinism, materialism and irreligion with all
their might, using knowledge, art, science and culture, in the
awareness we are living in the End Times.
It is of the greatest importance and urgencyfor our Muslim brothers to
tell people of the proofs of the existence of Allah, to spread the
scientific evidence that Darwinism is a fraud, to impart the glad
tidings of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and strive for the immediate
establishment of Turkish-Islamic Union in order to overcome the
movement of the antichrist.
There is no doubt that the Golden Age that will take place in the End
Times is drawing closer every day, Very soon, insha'Allah, everyone
will attain a world in which people fully live by love, compassion and
affection, in which abundance, wealth, well-being and peace prevail,
and in which wesee the highest levels of art and beauty. Women,
children and the elderly will be able to move around safely, and
everywhere there will be a climate of joy, vivacity and friendship.
Our Prophet (saas) tells us of this happy and enlightened time in a
hadith:
"...At a time when the world will be in harj u marj, corruption will
appear, people will be attacked, the old will nothave mercy on the
young, and the young will not show respect to the old, Allah will send
someone [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] to eradicate hostility, conquer the
castles of perversion, uphold faith in the End Times just as I upheld
it formerly; someone who will fill this Earth with justice where
violence prevailed before. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat
al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 12)

Mockery is a disease fromJaahiliyyah

Allaah The Almighty forbids us from mocking people as He Says (what
means): } O you who havebelieved, let not a peopleridicule [another]
people;perhaps they may be better than them { [Quran49:11]
Adh-Dhahhaak said,
This verse was revealed when members of the Banu Tameem delegationwere
mocking the poor Companions like 'Ammaar, Khabbaab, Bilaal, Suhayb,
Salmaan, and Saalim the slave of Abu Huthayfah, may Allaah be pleased
with allof them, because of their shabby clothes. But there are other
opinions as well. It was said that this verse was revealed
when'Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl came to Madeenah as a Muslim and the people
there would call him the 'Son of the pharaoh of this Ummah' whenever
they saw him. So, he complained to the Prophet and this verse was
revealed. It was also said that this verse was revealed when Thaabit
ridiculed a man because of his mother in Jaahiliyyah [pre-Islamic
ignorance] and the man was disgraced.
Commenting on this verse, Al-Qurtubi said, "Allaah says here that
those who believe in Himand in His Messenger should not ridicule other
believers as they may be better than them. Also, women should not
ridicule each other for the same reason."
He also said, " Allaah is referring here to all sorts of mockery in
this prohibition for the believers. Hence, it is impermissible for any
believer to mock anotherbeliever: either for being poor, or for a sin
that he has committed, or for anyother reason."
Al-Qurtubi added,
In general, no one shoulddare to ridicule another person even if that
person was shabby, handicapped or inarticulate, for that person may be
more sincere or may have a purer heart than the one who is not shabby
or handicapped or inarticulate. In this case, ridiculing such a person
would be despising someone whom Allaah has honored. The righteous
predecessors were keen on avoiding this to the extent that 'Amr ibn
Shurahbeel said, "If I saw a man suckling a goat and laughed at him, I
would fear that I might end up doing the same thing." It was reported
that 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood said that affliction depends on what a
person says. Hence, he said that if he mocked a dog, he would fear
that he would be turned into a dog.
In his commentary on theverse (which means): } But you took them in
mockery to the point thatthey made you forget My remembrance, and you
used to laugh at them { [Quran 23:110], Al-Qurtubi said that this
verse is a warning against mocking, despising or ridiculing the weak
and the needy to the point that it wouldmake us forget remembering
Allaah and would thus keep us far from Him. In a Hadeeth onthe
authority of 'Aa'ishah she said, "I said to the Prophet 'It is enough
for you that Safiyyah is such-and-such [meaning that she was short].'
The Prophet replied: 'You have said a word that could adulterate the
water of the sea if it were mixed with it.' " Shealso said, "I once
imitateda man before him [ridiculing him] and He said: 'I would never
like to imitate anyone, even ifI were to get such- and-such [a reward
for it].' " [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]
Another example is whenAbu Tharr abused a man by calling his mother
bad names, the Prophet, , said to him: " O Abu Tharr! Did you abuse
him by calling his mother bad names? You still have some
characteristics of Jaahiliyyah in you." [Al-Bukhaari]
In a Hadeeth on the authority of Umm Haani' the Prophet, , said about
the verse (which means): } and commit in your meetings [every] evil {
[Quran 29:29] that they used to despise and mock people. [Ahmad and
At-Tirmithi]
The polytheists of Makkah like Abu Jahl, Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheerah
and their likes would mock 'Ammaar, Suhayb, Bilaal and other poor
believers;hence, Allaah The Almighty revealed the verse (which means):
} Indeed, those who committed crimes used tolaugh at those who
believed. { [Quran 83:29]
It was said that 'Ali was once walking with a number of Muslims and
some hypocrites mocked them and they exchanged derisory glances. When
they returned to their people, they said, "We have seen the bald one
[i.e., 'Ali ]today." Hence, the abovementioned verse was revealed
before 'Ali reached the Prophet, to inform him of what had happened .
Sarcasm and Derision are Forms of Mockery
Sarcasm and derision are forms of mockery. An example of this is when
one derides another for being poor, handicappedor for committing a
sin. Moreover, calling people by offensive nicknames isanother example
of mockery. Al-Qurtubi said that calling people by offensive nicknames
means calling them by names or attributes that they hate. Allaah The
Almighty generalized thisrule and did not specify certain nicknames.
It is impermissible for any Muslim to call his fellow brother by any
nickname or any attribute that he hates. Allaah The Almighty Says
(what means): } O you who havebelieved, let not a peopleridicule
[another] people;perhaps they may be better than them .} [Quran 49:11]
There are several stories as to the revelation of this verse. Anas and
Ibn Zayd said that the abovementioned verse was revealed when someof
the wives of the Prophet, , ridiculed Safiyyah for being short. It was
also said that this verse was revealed when 'Aa'ishah indicated by her
handto the Prophet, , that Safiyyah was short. Moreover, 'Ikrimah and
Ibn 'Abbaas said that this verse was revealed when Safiyyah bint
Huyayy said: "O Messenger of Allaah! The women ridicule me and say to
me, 'O Jew...'" All these examples show that calling people by
offensive nicknames is a form of mockery. They were mentioned in the
verse as a way of mentioning the specific cases after the general rule
in order to emphasize its importance. The scorner is the person who
harms people by his tongue, while the mocker is the one who winks with
his eyes. Ibn Kaysaan saidthat the scorner is the one who hurts others
with bad words, while the mocker is the one who points to others with
his eyes, his head and his eyebrows.
The Difference Between Mocking and Ridiculing
There are two differences between them. The first is that ridiculing
can be done bydeeds or words, whereas,mocking is done only by deeds.
The second is that ridiculing is usually preceded by an act that
causes its doer to be an object of ridicule, while mocking is not
preceded by such an act. Mocking isusually accompanied by words that
are uttered with a bad intention. It occurs when the person seems to
be serious whilehe conceals joking. As-Saffaareeni said, "Mocking
people and ridiculing them are prohibited because Allaah The Almighty
Says (what means): {O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule
[another] people; perhaps they may be better than them} [Quran 49:11]
Moreover, the Prophet prohibited this in many Hadeeths."
Ridicule and the Germs ofArrogance and Pride
Only those whose souls are impure because of arrogance and pride
ridicule others. They endeavor to hurt others because of the feeling
of superiority that runs in their diseased veins. Satan ridiculed
Aadam (Adam) and said, "I ambetter than him" and so he became a loser.
Had he thought carefully of the characteristics of Aadam he would
haverealized that Aadam was superior to him. Mockery is one of the
diseases of Jaahiliyyah that should be avoided, especially at times of
conflict and disputes. It isone of the characteristics of the
disbelievers and the hypocrites that leads to the disunity of the
society. In fact, it is an overt violation of the Commands of Allaah
The Almighty, and it keeps one away from the pleasure of Allaah.
Moreover, it makes one forget to remember Allaah and causes him to be
inflicted with His punishment.

Lying: an Islamic perspective

What is Lying?
Lying is the complete opposite of truth. So, anything that is untrue
and deliberately intended to mislead another person is a lie. A lie,
therefore, can be anything spoken or written that is totally or
partially baseless, unreal, made-up, distorted or exaggerated; for
example, if someone were to deliberately state that a five foot pole
was a ten foot pole, then this would be a lie. Similarly praising
someone out of proportion is a form of a lie.
Lying: A Disease of the Heart
Lying and falsehood are widespread problems and are roots of other
problems that occur on an individual and public level. Lies are spoken
and writtenin the media and in politics, in business and in personal
dealings, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, although the degree,
magnitude and frequencymay vary.
Lying is against human nature and physiology, and like any other
disease, it has its own unique signs and symptoms. The act of lying
produces inner conflicts between various controlcentres of the brain.
The momentone begins to lie, his body sends out contradictory signals
to cause facial muscle twitching, expansion and contraction of pupils,
perspiration, flushing of cheeks, increased blinking of the eye,
tremors of the hand, and an increased heart rate. These constitute the
basis of lie detector instruments. In addition, certain unconsciously
made movements are noticeable in those who lie, like the constant
covering of the mouth, touching of the nose, rubbing of the eye,
scratching the side of theneck, rubbing the ear, etc. One of the
clearest signs is that the liar keeps his palms closed and his eyes in
another direction to the person he is lying to, in an attempt to avoid
eye to eye contact. A liar is aware of his body's signals and finds
lying easier when nobody can see him, such as when he is on the phone
or writing.
What are the Motives of a Liar?
A liar tells a lie for the purpose of:
a) Concealing the truth, as he may be afraid of the truth or its
punitive consequences by the lawor certain individuals.
b) Cheating and deceiving others and enjoying their misery, as Satan
did with Aadam.
c) Short-term worldly gains, such as gaining the favours of others or
monetary gains.
Forms of Lying
The worst form of lying is to do so upon Allaah and His Messenger
which is to falsely attribute things to them. Allaah Almighty Says in
the Quran (what means): "And if he [i.e., Muhammad] had made up about
Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized bythe right hand; then
We would have cut from him the aorta " [Quran 69:44-46]
And (what means): "…And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals
it – his heart is indeed sinful…." [Quran 2:283]
And (what means): "And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal
the truth while you know[it]." [Quran 2:42]
Hypocrites are liars too, because they lie to themselves. Allaah
Saysabout them (what means): "In their hearts is disease, so Allaah
has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment
because they [habitually] used to lie." [Quran 2:10] Allaah also
addressed His Messenger Muhammad Saying (what means): "…Allaah knows
that you are His Messenger, and Allaah testifies that the hypocrites
are liars." [Quran 63: 1]
The Quran on Liars
Allaah Says (what means): "…Indeed Allaah does not guide one who is a
transgressor and a liar." [Quran 40:28]
And (what means): "…Indeed, Allaah does not guide he who is aliar and
[confirmed] disbeliever." [Quran 39:3]
Almighty Allaah also Says (what means): "…The curse of Allaah be upon
him if he should be among the liars." [Quran 24:7]
The Messenger on Lying and Liars
Prophet Muhammad said:
"Indeed, truth leads to virtue andvirtue leads to Paradise, and a
truthful person continues to speak the truth until he becomes the most
truthful person. Lies lead to evil and evil leads to Hell, and a liar
continues to lie until heis listed as a high ranking liar before
Allaah." [Al-Bukhaari]
Yoosuf Ibn 'Abdullaah said that he asked Prophet Muhammad : "O
Messenger of Allaah! What do you think is the most dreadful thing for
me?" Yoosuf continued: "The Messenger caught hold of his tongue and
said: "This." [At-Tirmithi]
Bahz Ibn Hakeem related that theMessenger said: "Destruction is for
the man who tells lies for the amusement of other people. Destruction
is for him." [At-Tirmithi]
Sufyaan Ibn Usayd reported that the Messenger said: "The biggest
breach of trust is that you tell a thing to your brother who believes
it to be true, whereas you have lied to him." [Abu Daawood]
Is Lying Ever Justified?
There are very few justifications for lying in Islam. The Prophet
directed us to tell the truth, even under the harshest circumstances
of oppression. However, one may choose not to tell the truth when:
* He is being oppressed and thereis a real danger to his life if he
speaks the truth. Shaykh As-Sa'di narrated the following story:"A
cruel king ordered an innocentvillager present in his court to be
executed due to the villager's lack of manners. Hearing this,
thevillager began cursing the king in his native language. The king
asked his minister, who understood the man's language, to tell him
what the man was saying. The wise minister, insteadof telling the
truth, told the king that the man was sorry for his conduct and was
praising his greatness and pleading for his mercy. The king was
affected andtherefore spared the life of the innocent villager."
Shaykh As-Sa'di called this: "A lie with wisdom."
* To promote harmony between spouses. For example, if one's wife asks
him if she is beautiful or if he loves her, there is no harm in
answering in the affirmative, even if this is not the case.
* While making peace between two quarrelling parties, so that the
ordeal would not ignite into something worse. The mediator in such a
case may falsely tell oneparty that the other is speaking highly of
them.
* To make the unbelievers realise the truth. When Prophet Ibraaheem
broke all the idols except the largest of them, the unbelievers
entered the temple and saw the smashed idols. Ibraaheem had placed the
axe in the hand of the chief idol. The disbelievers asked:"Who broke
our gods?" He said: "Ask the chief idol, he has the axe." They
replied: "Do you not know that he cannot speak or act?" Ibraaheem
replied:"This is what I have been telling you, so worship Allaah
rather than these stones that cannot harm or profit you."
Virtues of Telling the Truth
Truthfulness is commanded by Allaah as a part of faith and is an
indispensable quality of the believers. It is mentioned in over one
hundred places in the Quran. Some examples are when Allaah Almighty
Says (what means): "That Allaah may reward the truthful for their
truth…" [Quran 33:24]
"O you who have believed! Fear Allaah and be with those who aretrue."
[Quran 9:119]
"O you who have believed! Fear Allaah and speak words of appropriate
justice." [Quran 33:70]
"The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of
Allaah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn." [Quran 3:17]
"The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allaah and His
Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and
their lives in the cause of Allaah. It is those who are the truthful."
[Quran 49:15]
It is not necessary to relate any prophetic traditions about the
truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad as his whole life was nothing but the
epitome of truth. Prophet Muhammad was confirmed as a truthful person
even before he became a Prophet. During his prophethood,even his
enemies confirmed that he was truthful and trustworthy. Some of the
disbelievers would deposit their belongings with him as an indication
of their trustin him.

Love your brother for thesake of Allaah

In our contemporary society, friends are made at school, at work, in
neighborhoods and evenover the Internet. Friendsare made and kept for
a variety of reasons. Peoplemake friends with others who share common
interests, hobbies, and even vices. The final goal of a friendship is
often simply company, a desire to spend time with someone, doing
something that they bothenjoy. A Muslim ought to choose friends more
carefully and critically.
Certainly, Muslims, like everyone else, want friends who share
interests and who are fun to be with. We all enjoy having a picnic
with a friend or going out to dinner with friends, and who wouldn't
like to go to a gathering with some of their best friends? But, that
is not only what a truly Islamic friendship is all about. In fact, an
Islamic friendship is not that simple at all. In Islam, true
friendships are bound by brotherhood and sisterhood, bonds that are
stronger than typical friendships. They are bonds that exist for a
much higher reason and with a greater goal.
Muslims make friends knowing that the relationship they will ensue is
an important bond between two people who share mutualgoals. Their
friendship is one that exists primarily for the sake of Allaah the
Almighty. The love and camaraderie that is born from such a friendship
is a secondary benefit, for sure.
True love for the sake of Allaah
Love for others comes in different forms. Love between a husband and
wife is one type of these forms, all friendship is another form.
However, all forms of fondness thatany one person can have for any
other person, for the purpose of this article, will be referred toas
love.
Realistically, pure love of another person only for the sake of Allaah
is difficult. Few people can attain such a friendship, which is why
Allaah rewards such an act of faith generously. The Prophet explained,
"Allaah said: those who love one another for My glory will be upon
Minbars of light [high positions], and the Prophets and martyrs will
wish that they had the same." [At-Tirmithi]
Nevertheless, many of us, in an attempt to reach this high level of
faith, must try to make and build strong friendships that benefit us
and our Ummah. In Islam true friendship is brotherhood or sisterhood-
a bond that isstrong and enduring. In this bond, men and women can
find the sweetness of faith as the prophet said: " There are three
things that whoever attainsthem will find the sweetness of faith: if
Allaah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anyone or anything
else; if he loves a person solely for the sake of Allaah; and if he
hates to return to disbelief after Allaah has rescued him from it, as
muchas he would hate to be thrown into the Fire ." [Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim]
The rewards of loving another for Allaah's sake are consistent with
its importance. Its impact is not singular- it affects the entire
society. For entire society to exist in harmony and peace, its
constituents must be at peace. If we could each want for our friends
what we want for ourselves, the world would be a better place. This is
what Islam ensures. If there is brotherhood and unity among the
people, the society at large will be united.
The Prophet instilled a deep-rooted love in the hearts of the
companions to create a model Islamic society that all Muslims
thereafter can emulate. Prophet Muhammad tried to eliminate hatred,
jealousy and rivalry by inducing brotherhood, a sincere love and
friendship. The Islamic society is ideally built upon the foundation
of brotherhood, as the Prophet advised: "Believers are like a
structure, parts of which support one another. The believers, in their
mutual friendship, mercy and affection, are like one body; if any part
of it complains, the rest of the body will also stay awake in fever."
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
How to love someone
Since love among the believers is a condition offaith in Islam, the
peace and harmony that is desired by all can be achieved, as each
individual strives to do good and earn reward. So, what can we do?
Howcan we be sure that our friendships are for the sake of Allaah? Our
lives are full of opportunities to increase and improve our
friendships. First, as with any undertaking, we need to make clear,
pure and sincere intentions. Pertaining to the existing friendships
that we already have, weshould make a conscious effort to love our
friends for the sake of Allaah. When we make friends inthe future, we
should also make conscious intentions that those new friendships will
be for the sake of Allaah.
After a pure intention, we need sincere actions. The Prophet
recommended a very simple but significant way to help Muslims gain
brotherhood saying: "I swear y the One in Whose hands my soul is, you
will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe
until you loveone another. Shall I not tell you of something that if
you do it, you will love one another? Spreadsalaam [greeting one
another saying: As-Salaam Alaykum] amongst yourselves." [Muslim]
Greeting each other frequently and lovingly isthe first step to
achievingthe ideal brotherhood.
It would seem that greeting another with"As-Salaam Alaykum" is an easy
action. However, given the nature of men and women and our
vulnerability to changingemotions, sometimes these simple words are
hard to utter. In other words, there are times when even this simple
greeting is hard to say to someone with whom we might have argued. The
beauty of Islam is that it is realistic. So, it is allowed for us to
take time to "cool off," but weare not allowed to cut offfriendships
based on rashand unreasonable emotions. The Prophet said, "It is not
permissible for a Muslim to be abandon from his brother for more than
three days,both of them turning away from one another when they meet.
The better of them is the one who is first to greet the other."
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
These teachings encourage Muslims to improve themselves, thereby
improving their society. "Do not break off ties with one another, do
not turn away from one another, do not hate one another, and do not
envy one another. Be O slaves of Allaah brothers." [Al-Bukhaari]
The Prophet's memory and words live in our hearts and minds. Heeding
his advice, we should realize that we are supposed to be brothers or
sisters in Islam because we share acommon religion and belief. We are
to be brothers and sisters in our hearts because we share a common
goal-Allaah's pleasure.

Advice for one who suffers from premature ejaculation even though he is using a special du‘aa’.

Dought & clear, - I am a young man who isabout to get married, but I
have a problem, namely premature ejaculation. I know that this is a
problem that will cause me a lot of difficulty when having intercourse
after marriage. At present I am taking steps to deal with this matter
myself by reciting Qur'an. Whengoing to sleep, I place my hand over my
penis and recite al-Faatihah and "And We send downfrom the Quran that
which is a healing and a mercy…" [al-Isra' 17:82] and "And when I am
ill, it is He who cures me" [ash-Shu 'ara' 26:80], each one seven
times, then I say: "I ask Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne, to heal
me" seven times, then I offer supplication (du'aa'), then I blow on my
penis three times. And every morning – when I am going to work in my
car – I place my hand over my penis and recite the last two verses of
Soorat al-Baqarah, Aayat al-Kursiy, al-Faatihah, al-Mu'awwidhaat, and
Ikhlaas and the two verses I mentioned above, in addition to
thesupplication that I mentioned, then I blow three times on my penis.
I do that three times, then after that I ask Allahto heal me from
this. Is what I am doing something correct or arethere other means or
other verses? I do not want to get married when I am in this state.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
We do not know how you can suffer from premature ejaculation when you
are not married! Such a thing only becomes apparent after getting
married, sohow can you be suffering from it?
What appears to us to bethe case is that, if this is not something
imaginary that is not really happening, you may have come to know
about it from practising the secret habit! If that isthe case, you
should realise that you have to hasten to stop doing it, for it has
many harmful effects, one of which is that it causes premature
ejaculation merely as a result of the penis touching something
provocative.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah havemercy on him) said: It
is medically proven that masturbation leads to a number of diseases.
For example, it weakens the eyesight and reduces sharpness of vision
to a great extent. It also weakens the penis so that it becomes
partially or completely flaccid, in such a way that the one who does
that becomes more like a woman because he loses the most important
characteristic of manhood with which Allah has favoured men over
women. Thus he is unable to get married and if it so happens that he
does get married, he is not able to perform his marital function in
the manner required, so it is inevitable that his wife will look at
other men, because he is not able to keep her chaste. And that has
negative consequences as is quite obvious.
It also leads to nervous weakness in general as aresult of the
exhaustion that results from doing that action. And it leads to
problems in the digestive system, leadingto poor digestion. It also
leads to stunted growth, especially in the penis and testicles, which
do not grow to their full natural size. And it leads to infection in
the testicles, so that the individual develops the problem of
premature ejaculation, as he ejaculates if something merely brushes
against his penis.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/122, 123
You should not be anxious about this matter. As we have told you, if
the cause is doingthe secret habit, there is the hope that when you
give it up, Allah will make things easy for youand this symptom will
nolonger be present after you get married. If it does continue after
marriage, then you are advised not to go ahead with penetration until
you have engaged in foreplay and pleasure with your wife, and aroused
her, so that when she reaches climax, you can penetrate after that, so
as to keep yourself and her chaste. But do not overdo it either with
regard to foreplay, because that may be oneof the causes of premature
ejaculation.
If that does not work, then you can consult a specialist doctor who
can tell you about medicines to delay ejaculation. Perhaps when you
get used to sex, especially after the initial period, this problem
will go away without any need for medicine. It is well known that the
one whohas been unmarried for a long time will have intercourse many
times a day when he first gets married and he may ejaculate quickly,
but it will not be long before things settle down.
There are da'eef hadeeths which suggest that it is mustahabb for the
husband to engage in foreplay with his wife before penetration, and
warn against satisfying his desire without making sure that she is
also satisfied. Although the isnaads are da'eef, the meaning is
acceptable and they offer good advice in thatregard.
Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is mustahabb to engage in foreplay with one's wife before
intercourse, so as to arouse her and so that she will get the same
pleasure from intercourse as he does. Itwas narrated from 'Umaribn
'Abd al-'Azeez from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) that he said: "Do not have intercoursewith her until she is
aroused as you are, lest you finish before she finishes." I [the
narrator]said: Are you telling me? He said: "Yes; you should kiss her
and touch her, until you see that she is aroused as you are, thenhave
intercourse with her."
If he reaches climax before she does, it is not right for him to
withdraw until she reaches climax, because of the report narrated by
Anas ibn Maalik who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "When a man has intercourse with his wife,
let him pay proper attention to her. Then when he has fulfilled his
desire, he should not withdraw from her until she has fulfilled her
desire." And because that may be harmful to her and prevent her from
fulfilling her desire.
Al-Mughni, 8/136
Both hadeeths are da'eef (weak), but they are correct in meaning, as
we stated above.
Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"When one of you has intercourse with his wife, let him pay proper
attention to her" i.e., let him have intercourse with her
energetically and vigorously, doing it properly and with love and
sincerity towards her. This is what is recommended.
"If he finishes before her" i.e., if he reaches climax first and she
is still aroused.
"He should not withdraw from her" i.e., before she reaches climax and
fulfils her desire; rather he should give her time so that shecould
fulfil her desire as he fulfilled his desire. So he should not move
away from her until he iscertain that she has fulfilled her desire,
because that is part of kind treatment, keeping her chaste and being
considerate towards her.
From this hadeeth and others we learn that if the man is quick to
reach climax, such that he cannot give his wife time to reach climax,
it isrecommended for him toseek treatment that will delay ejaculation,
because this is a means of doing something recommended, and means come
under the same ruling as ends.
Fayd al-Qadeer, 1/325
Secondly:
With regard to the du'aa's that you are reciting as a remedy, what is
sound of that is what is proven to be sound in the saheeh Sunnah.
Anything other than that it is permissible to use, but on condition
that you donot make it a regular wird as one may do withthe dhikrs
narrated fromthe Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
With regard to your reciting the verses "And We send down from the
Quran that which is a healing and a mercy…" [al-Isra' 17:82] and "And
when I am ill, it is He who cures me" [ash-Shu 'ara' 26:80], there is
nothing wrong with that, although it would be better to treat yourself
by reciting that which is narrated from the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) and to treat yourself with ruqyah as
narrated from him.
We have discussed what is proven of such du'aa's in the answer to
question no. 75399 . Thatshould be sufficient and good, in sha Allah.
With regard to placing your hand over the private part or touching it
whilst reciting the ruqyah and the Qur'anic verses it contains, we do
not think that you should do that; we are afraid that using the Qur'an
in this manner may be disrespectful. Moreover, the problem that you
mention is not an obvious sickness suchthat you could do that when
treating it with ruqyah. Even if it is a sickness, the sickness is not
in the private part, as you think and because of that you havebeen
using the ruqyah that you mention. Ratherit is, as is proven, a
problem that is rooted inyour nervous system thatcannot control
ejaculation in the normal manner.
To sum up, we do not advise you to delay marriage in order to solve
this problem; the real situation will not become clear until after you
get married. Perhaps it is imaginary or an excess of desire, because
you are unmarried, and it will soon disappear after youget married. If
it so happens that the problem remains, then you can use some
appropriate medical treatment after consulting a specialist.
And Allah knows best.

How can she introduce Islam to her young children and make them love it?.

Dought & clear, - I have embraced Islam – praise be to Allah – and I
have three children; I come from a Christian family that is tolerant
of my being Muslim. My question is: how can I introduce Islam to my
children, one of whom iseleven years old, the other is eight years
old, and my daughter is five years old, without forcing them?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
We praise Allah for having enabled you to enter Islam and we ask Him,
may He be exalted, to make you steadfast and to guide your familyto
this religion.
We are advise you not tobe careless or lazy about guiding and teaching
them, in the way that is best, in the hope that Allah will grant you
the joy of seeing them enter Islam, and decree for you a reward equal
to the reward for their good deeds.
Secondly:
You have done well to ask about your children and how to raise them in
Islam. Allah, may He beexalted, has placed a great deal of
responsibility on parents' shoulders for the upbringing of their
children.
It was narrated that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (mayAllah be pleased with
him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) say: "Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is
responsible for hisflock. The ruler is a shepherd and is responsible
for his flock. A man is the shepherd ofhis household and is
responsible for his flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband's
house"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,853; Muslim, 1829
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Whoever neglects to teach his son that which will benefit him, and
ignores him, has done something very bad indeed. Most children
goastray because of their parents who neglect them and fail to teach
them the duties and Sunnahs of their religion. They neglect them when
they are young so they do not benefit themselves or benefit their
parents when they grow up. End quote. End quote from Tuhfat
al-Ahwadhi, p. 229
Thirdly:
What we advise you to do with regard to introducing Islam to your
children making it appealing to them include the following:
1. Create a connection between them and the Arabic language, and
instil a love for it in theirhearts, because it is an important key to
understanding and loving Islam.
2. Help them get to know friends of their own age and background
who are practising Muslims. It is essential that these friends should
be of good character and righteous, so that they can influence your
children and be an example for them in their righteousness and
adherence to Islam, and the manner in which they interact with their
parents.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "The likeness of a good companion and a bad companion is that of
onewho carries musk and one who works the bellows. With the carrierof
musk, either he will give you some or you will buy some from him, or
you will notice a goodsmell from him; as for the one who works the
bellows, either he will burn your clothes or youwill notice a bad
smell from him."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,1995; Muslim, 2628
3. Make them feel an attachment to the mosque, by encouragingthem
to pray and attend classes; you can also make that attractive to them
and encourage them by giving them gifts and prizes every time one of
them shows some progress in his or her classes.
It is also a good idea for you to go with them to the mosque, to
encourage them to go there and pray.
If it is not easy for them to go to the mosque because it is far away
or the route is not safe, then do not neglect to teach them to pray on
time at home. There is a binding instruction (from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) to teach those who reach
the age of seven to pray and to make them do it; before this age they
maybe taught but not by way of making them do it.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Instruct your children to pray when they are seven years old
and smack them if they do not do it when they are ten, and separate
them in their beds."
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 495; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
Abi Dawood
4. Let them hear Qur'an recited in beautiful voices, so that the
Qur'an will be held in high esteem in their hearts. The Book of
Allahis a Book of guidance and light for people, which will illuminate
theway for them and make them steadfast in adhering to the straight
path, by Allah's leave.
5. Watch Islamic cartoons and movies so that they can compare what
they see and hear in them with what they see and hear in other movies.
Here you have an important role to playin explaining the differences
between the two, and highlight how Islam encourages peopleto do good,
uphold ties of kinship, show kindness and be merciful, and it forbids
evil, severing ties of kinship, corruption and hardheartedness.
6. Show them Islamic websites that will be beneficial for them,
eachaccording to his age andwhilst being careful not to let them roam
freely on the internet; rather that should be through you.
7. Something that you should think about seriously and that will
help you in what you areseeking to achieve is taking them to do 'Umrah
and visit the sacred House of Allah, for these visits have a
far-reaching impact on the hearts of young people as is also the
casewith adults.
8. Teach them the basic principles of belief in a simple and
straightforward manner according to their ages, such as the Oneness of
Allah, may He be exalted,and that He can hear them and see them, and
that He rewards for good deeds and adhering to the rulings of Islam
The fact that 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbaas was very young did not prevent the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) from saying to him
eloquent words about Tawheed and 'aqeedah (belief). It was narrated
that Ibn 'Abbaas said: I was behind the Messenger ofAllah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) one day and he said: "O young man, I
shall teach you some words (of advice): be mindful of Allah, and Allah
will protect you. Bemindful of Allah, and youwill find Him in front of
you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah.
Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with
anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah
hadalready decreed for you, and that if they were to gather together
to harm you with anything, they would only harm you with something
Allah had already decreed for you. The pens have beenlifted and the
pages have dried."
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 2516; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
See also the answer to question no. 22175
9. Present stories appropriate to their ages from the biographyof
the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and
his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), so that they
will know that they belong to the best religion, the best Prophet, the
best nation.
|See the answer to questions no. 21215 and 22496
10. Put them in Islamic schools and keep them away from corrupt
schools, so that the Islamic schools can take care of their beliefs
and conduct; choose the bestof them according to what you see fit.
See the answer to question no. 38284
You should not be careless about two important matters:
-1-
Pray that Allah help themand guide them; your supplication will be an
important means of their being guided, so do not neglect it and do not
think little of it.
-2-
You should be a good example for them in treating them kindly
andshowing compassion towards them. That is not only part of
motherhood; it is also part of being a Muslim who adheres to the
religion of Allah, may He be exalted.
We ask Allah to help you to do that which is good and to guide your
children to that which He loves and which pleases Him.

Army of Elephants - Islamic Stories

The following incident ismentioned in Surah Feel of the Holy Quran and
it happened during the period of the birth-year of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Abraha Al-Ashram was the governor of Yemen on
behalf of the king of Ethiopia. He (Abrahah) thought to build a
house(like the Kabah at Makkah) in Sana (the capital of Yemen) and
call the Arabs to performthe pilgrimage there in Sana instead of the
Kabah in Makkah, with the intention of diverting the trade and
benefits from Makkah to Yemen. He presented his idea to the king of
Ethiopia who agreed to it. So the house (church) was built and he
named it Al-Qullais; there was no church of its like at that time.
Then a man from the Quraish tribe ofMakkah came there and was
infuriated by it, so he relieved his nature (stools and urine) in it,
soiled its walls and went away. When Abrahah Al-Ashram saw that, he
could not control his anger and raised an army to invade Makkah and
demolish the Kabah.He had in that army thirteen elephants and amongst
them was an elephant called Mahmud which was the biggest of them. So
that army proceeded and none amongst the Arab tribes that faced them
(fought against them) but was killed and defeated, till itapproached
near Makkah. Then there tookplace negotiations between Abrahah
Al-Ashram and the chief of Makkah (Abdul Muttalib bin Hashim, the
grandfather of the Prophet), and it was concluded that Abrahah would
restore the camels of Abdul Muttalib which he had taken away, and then
he (Abrahah) would decide himself as regards the Kabah. Abdul Muttalib
ordered the men of Makkah to evacuate the city and go to the top of
the mountains along with their wives and children in case some harm
should come to them from the invading oppressors. Then that army moved
towards Makkah till they reached valley Muhassir. While the army was
marching towards Makkah, in the middle of the valley, suddenly it was
overtaken by flocks of birds, flocks after flocks, air-raiding that
army with small stones slightlybigger than a lentil seed.There never
fell a stone on a soldier except it dissolved his flesh and burst it
into pieces. So they perished with a total destruction. Abrahah
Al-Ashram fled away while his flesh wasbursting into pieces till he
died on the way (back to Yemen). Such was the victory bestowed by
Allah, (the All-Majestic, All-Powerful) to the people of Makkah and
such was the protection provided by Him for His House (Kabah in
Makkah).
Source: Extracted from Tafsir of Surah Feel (Surah 105) by Ibn
Kathiras found in Translation of the Noble Quran by Muhammad Muhsin
Khan.

JOKES

Appu: I would like some crocodile shoes please. Pappu: Certainly, Sir!
What size shoe does your crocodile wear?
Good resolutions are likecollege girls. Easy to make, but hard to break.
By the time a man really does understand woman, his wife wont let him
out of the house at night.
Every man should have awife - preferably his own!
Insurance policy is an old man's passport to young women.
Appu: Would you consider going out with a man like me? Pappu: Yes, so
long as he is not too much like you.
Preeto: Were you excitedthe first time you asked your husband for
money? Jeeto: Oh, I was calm and collected.
Pappu: Doctor: I am having trouble with my breathing. Doctor: I will
give you something that will soon stop that.
A sign in a cafe: All drinking water in this cafe has been passed by
the management.
Preeto: I won't marry you, and you know why?Jeetho: No, I can't think.
Preeto: That's why.

JOKES

Appu: I would like some crocodile shoes please. Pappu: Certainly, Sir!
What size shoe does your crocodile wear?
Good resolutions are likecollege girls. Easy to make, but hard to break.
By the time a man really does understand woman, his wife wont let him
out of the house at night.
Every man should have awife - preferably his own!
Insurance policy is an old man's passport to young women.
Appu: Would you consider going out with a man like me? Pappu: Yes, so
long as he is not too much like you.
Preeto: Were you excitedthe first time you asked your husband for
money? Jeeto: Oh, I was calm and collected.
Pappu: Doctor: I am having trouble with my breathing. Doctor: I will
give you something that will soon stop that.
A sign in a cafe: All drinking water in this cafe has been passed by
the management.
Preeto: I won't marry you, and you know why?Jeetho: No, I can't think.
Preeto: That's why.

Hypocrites do not want to struggle for the morality of Islam to prevail throughout the world

They said, 'There are tyrants in it, Moses. We will not enter it until
they leave. If they leave it, then we will go in.' (Surat al-Ma'ida,
22)
They said, 'We will never enter it, Moses, as long as they are there.
So you and your Lord go and fight. We will stay sitting here.' (Surat
al-Ma'ida, 24)
Those who were left behind were glad to staybehind the Messenger
ofAllah. They did not want to do struggle with theirwealth and
themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, 'Do not go out to fight in
the heat.' Say: 'The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only
understood.' (Surat at-Tawba, 81)
When a sura is sent down saying: 'Believe in Allah and struggle
together with His Messenger,' those amongthem with wealth will ask you
to excuse them, saying, 'Let us remain with those who stay behind.'
They are pleased to be with thosewho stay behind. Their hearts have
been stamped so they do not understand. (Surat at-Tawba, 86-87)
You who believe! what is the matter with you that when you are told,
'Go out and fight in the way of Allah,' you sink down heavily to
theearth? Are you happier with this world than the Hereafter? Yet the
enjoyment of this world is very small compared to that of the
Hereafter. (Surat at-Tawba, 38)
Among you there are people who hang back and if you encounter a
setback then they say, 'Allah has blessed me in that I was not there
withthem.' (Surat an-Nisa', 72)
Do you not see those who were told: 'Hold back from fighting but
establish prayer and pay alms'? Then when fighting is prescribed
forthem, a group of them fear people as Allah should be feared, or
even more than that. They say, 'Our Lord, why have you prescribed
fighting for us? If only You would give us just a little more time!'
Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The Hereafter is
better for those who have taqwa. You will not be wrongedby so much as
the smallest speck.' (Surat an-Nisa', 77)
Those who believe say, 'If only a sura could be sent down.' But whena
straightforward sura issent down and fighting is mentioned in it, you
see those with sickness in their hearts looking atyou with the look of
someone about to faint from fear of death... (Surah Muhammad, 20)
There are only grounds against those who ask you for permission to
stay when they are rich. They were pleased to be among those who were
left behind. Allah has sealed up their hearts so they do not know.
(Surat at-Tawba, 93)
If it had been a case of easy gains and a shortjourney, they would
have followed you, but the distance was too great for them. They
willswear by Allah: 'Had we been able to, we would have gone out with
you.' They are destroying their own selves. Allah knows that they are
lying. (Surat at-Tawba, 42)
They have sworn by Allah with their most earnest oaths that if you
give them the command,they will go out. Say: 'Do not swear. Honorable
obedience is enough. Allah is aware of what you do.' (Surat an-Nur,
53)

According to the Qur'an the dominion of the morality of Islam over the world is an obligation

In many verses of the Qur'an Allah promises the dominion of the
morality of Islam all overthe world. The promise of our All-Mighty
Lord is true and Allah never failsto keep His promise. Those who
believe in Allah also believe that Allah's promise will absolutely
come true. Because our All-Mighty Allah gives the news of the dominion
of the morality of Islam over the world and promises it, what befalls
to sincerebelievers is to pray for its realization by heart, demand it
and strive for it with all their might. Believing that morality of
Islam will reign and making effort for the realization of this blessed
event is obligatory for every Muslim who abides by the Qur'an. In one
verse our All-Mighty Allah says:
Allah has promised thoseof you who believe and do right actions that
He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them
successors, and willfirmly establish for them their religion with
which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security.
'Theyworship Me, not associating anything with Me.' Any who are
unbelivers after that, such people are deviators. (Surat an-Nur, 55)
Some other verses in which Allah promises thedominion of the morality
of Islam over the world are as follows:
Allah has written, 'I will be victorious, I and and My Messengers.'
Allah is Most Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Mujadala, 21)
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths but Allah
will perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it. It is He Who
sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exaltit
over every other religion, though the associaters hate it.
(Suratas-Saff, 8-9)
They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths. But Allah
refuses to do other than perfect His Light, even though the kafirun
detest it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the
Religion of Truth to exaltit over every other deen,even though the
associaters detest it. (Surat a-Tawba, 32-33)
Allah confirms the Truth by His words, even though the evildoers hate
it. (Surah Yunus, 82)
Those before them plotted but all plotting belongs to Allah. He knows
what each self earns, and the unbelievers will soon know who has the
Ultimate Abode. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 42)
We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong. Their
Messengers brought them the clear signs, but they were never going to
have faith. That is how We repay evildoers. Then We appointed you
after them to be successors onthe earth so We might observe how you
would act. (Surah Yunus, 13-14)
That those people of pure natural belief in Allah who do not associate
any partners toHim will be the inheritors of this world is a divine
Law which is stressed in many verses of the Qur'an:
We wrote down in the Psalms, after the Reminder came: 'It is My
servants who are righteous who will inherit the earth.' (Surat
al-Anbiya, 105)
We will leave you the land to live in after them. That is the reward
of those who fear My station and fear My threat.' They asked for
Allah's victory, and everyobdurate tyrant failed. (Surah Ibrahim,
14-15)
Moses said to his people,'Seek help in Allah and be steadfast. The
earth belongs to Allah. He bequeathes it to any of His slaves He
wills. The successful outcome is forthose who fear [and respect
Allah].' They said,'We suffered harm before you came to us and after
you came to us.' He said, 'It may well be that your Lord is going to
destroy your enemy and make you the successors in the land so that He
can see how you behave.' (Surat al-A'raf, 128-129)
We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong. Their
Messengers brought them the clear signs, but they were never going to
have faith. That is how We repay evildoers. Then We appointed you
after them to be khalifs on theearth so We might observe how you would
act. (Surah Yunus, 13-14)
Rather We hurl the truth against falsehood and it cuts right through
it andit vanishes clean away! Woe without end for you for what you
portray! (Surat al-Anbiya, 18)

The fact that Islamic moral values do not yet rule the world must stir all Muslims

In the words of the Qur'an God describes those, "...WHO GLADLY PURSUED
THE LIFE OF LUXURY THEY WERE GIVEN" and thus ignore their
responsibilities. (Surah Hud, 116)
It is impossible for people of virtue and good conscience and who fear
God to abandon their responsibilities and ignore the sufferings of
Muslims all over the world, even though theysee them perfectly
clearly, and to devote themselves solely to their own interests and
banal worldly gain. God will hold people who run away from their
responsibilities and leave them to others, even though they know full
well what they should do, in the hereafter.
For that reason, people must not only take action themselves in such a
situation, but must also call on other Muslims to join together,spread
moral virtues across the world and strive to bring oppression to an
end. God tells us in the Qur'anthat proper moral valuesrequire us to
"... spur on the muminun..." (Surat an-Nisa, 84).

Optimal Ways of Attaining Inner Tranquility and Serenity

This life is not our eternal dwelling but a short-lived and ephemeral
abode. A person is destined to face sundry pains, suffering, hardships
and sorrows in this transient life, as there are many reasons that
lead to boredom, dullness, irritation and anxiety. Allaah The Almighty
Says (what means): {We have certainly created man into hardship.}
[Quran 90:4]
Indeed, everyone faces suffering and hardships in their lives. Misery
and adversities are inherently characteristic of this ephemeral life.
However, what distinguishes people in this regard is the way they
handle their suffering and hardship and the methods and strategies
they employ to deal with the reasons for their dullness, irritation,
and anxiety.
Despite all the available conveniences, luxuries, and amenities that
we enjoy today, and although we possess all that we need in order to
relish a comfortable life and worldly bliss, boredom and anxiety is
stillgrowing among people! This should drive all those who seek
happiness to start looking for thereal reasons that help one attain
happiness, inner tranquility and serenity, peace of mind, stability,
and to find ways to eradicate all traces of boredom and anxiety.
Undoubtedly, among the best methods of gaining inner tranquility and
serenity and helping one to endure hardships and calamities are:
1- Sincere faith and righteous deeds: Allaah The Almighty Says (what
means): {Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he
is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We
will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the
best of what they used to do.} [Quran 16:97]
2- Adapting one's heart and preparing oneself mentally to endure
unfavorable situations, adversities and calamities makes it easy for
one to face them. It also lessens and diminishes their intensity and
severity, and helps one to move on and endure whatever happens to him.
On theother hand, if one expects only good and favorable results in
all his worldly affairs, this feeling can actually incur many crises
and hardships.
3- One should give up all illusions and phobias, as giving in to
themis one of the greatest reasons for feelings of embitterment in
this life. Indeed, one of the well-known phobias that many people
experience is the fear of the future and of the unknown. People tend
to occupy themselves with anticipating their future and are neck-deep
in their plans and concerns, instead of living in the present.
Accordingly, this results in missing the opportunity to rectifyone's
present because of the concerns and fears for a tomorrow that he may
not even live through. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {... And
more appropriate for them [would have been]* Obedience and good words.
And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been
true to Allaah, it would have been better for them.} [Quran 47:20-21]
One should not give in to such illusions and phobias; instead, one
should put his trust in Allaah,the Exalted, turning only to Him.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And upon Allaah rely, if you
should be believers.} [Quran 5:23]
4- One should not give too much weight to troubles, exaggerate one's
problems and make a mountain out of a molehill, since this creates
unnecessary anxiety and confusion. This is also the reason behind
absentmindednessand distraction, causing one to be lost and engrossed
in endless problems that crop up one after the other, creating a
vicious cycle.
5- One should bear in mind that hardships and calamities, no matter
how long they last, will soon come to an end – they are ephemeral,
like life itself. No one maintains the same living conditions all
through; change is a norm in this life. Indeed, such conviction makes
one full of hopeand helps one to endure adversities and tribulations.
Patience helps one to overcome any difficulty and is the best of
allblessings.
6- One should remember Allaah The Almighty all the time.

Sincerity and Its Fruits - II

If a servant strives against himself until he does not care about life
and the praise and commendation of people and dedicates all his
worship to Allaah The Almighty, he will be one of the people of
sincerity whose every action, word, love and hatred is for the sake of
Allaah The Almighty alone. The inward and outward actions of such a
person are purely for Allaah The Almighty alone. They do not seek
reward or praise from people, nor do they seek a noble position among
them, nor do they seek a great status in their hearts, nor do they
want to escape from their blame. If you turn into such a person, you
will be the most powerful person, foryour guardian is Allaah The
Almighty who is the All Powerful and most Strong. Upon reaching this
stage, you will be one of the people of honor in this world andin the
Hereafter.
Dedicating deeds to Allaah The Almighty in all sincerity has
manyfruits. In the following lines, we will touch upon some of them so
that they may encourage us to strive more earnestly to dedicate our
actions and words sincerely to Allaah The Almighty alone. Youshould
know that amongst the fruits of sincerity are that actions and words
cannot be accepted except with sincerity. No matter if an action is
good, if it is not done sincerely for the sake of Allaah The Almighty,
it will be of no avail. Abu Umaamah narrated a Marfoo' Hadeeth that
reads: "Allaah The Almighty neveraccepts any deed except what is done
sincerely for His sake." [An-Nasaa'i] The same applies to words. The
Prophet said, describing the luckiest person who will have his
intercession on the Day of Resurrection: "The one who said, 'Laa
ilaaha illa Allaah (there is no deity worthy of worship except
Allaah)' sincerely from his heart." [Al-Bukhaari]
Amongst such fruits are that sincerity strengthens the heart, makes
one more self-possessed and able to bear the burdens of worship and
obligations of Islam.If one contemplates the conditions of some of the
sincereand truthful people, he will clearly notice this. A good
example of this is the strength and self-possession of the Prophet
although his life was threatened. He said to his Companion (Abu Bakr )
while they were in the cave, and in the words of the Quran (which
mean): {He said to his companion,"Do not grieve; indeed Allaah is with
us.} [Quran 9: 40]
Surely, sincerity and truthfulness with Allaah The Almighty enable one
to support what is right and fight what is wrong regardless ofthe
power of the wrong. Hoode the Prophet of Allaah The Almighty, had no
prominent miracle unlike the other prophets. However, he called his
people to worship Allaah The Almighty alone and renounce worshiping
other than him. His people argued with him and said what Allaah The
Almighty informed us of in their story in His Noble Book: {They said,
"O Hoode, you have not brought us clear evidence, and we are not ones
to leave our gods on your say-so. Nor are we believers in you. We only
say that some of our gods have possessed you with evil." He said,
"Indeed, I call Allaah to witness, and witness [yourselves] that I am
free from whatever you associate with Allaah. Other than Him. So plot
against me all together; then do not give me respite.} [Quran 11:
53-55]
Also amongst the fruits of sincerity is that it enables one to get rid
of the plots and the whispers of the devils. Allaah The Almighty
informed us what Iblees said when he asked to be reprieved (what
means): {Except, among them, Your sincere servants.} [Quran 15: 40]
Sincerity also averts evil and immorality. Allaah The Almighty Says
(what means) in the story of Prophet Yoosuf : { And she certainly
determined [to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had he
not seen the proof of his Lord. And thus [it was] thatWe should avert
from him evil and immorality. Indeed, he was of Our sincere servants.}
[Quran 12: 24]
Moreover, a small amount of sincere work can be a cause for attaining
the satisfaction of Allaah The Almighty as in the Hadeeth of the
Prophet in which he said: "Fear the Fire, evenif by giving half a date
(in charity)." [Al-Bukhaari]
Thus, even half a date given in charity with sincerity can protect one
from the torture of Hellfire out of the great generosity of theMost
Gracious, the Bestower. However, many tons of dates in charity to show
off will send one to the lowest depths of the Hellfire as Allaah The
Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the
lowest depths of the Fire - and never willyou find for them a helper.}
[Quran 4: 145]
Another benefit is that the slave can be supported because of his
sincerity. In this regard, Mus'ab ibn Sa'd narrated that Sa'd ibn Abi
Waqqaas thought that hewas better than other people butthe Prophet
said: "Allaah helps this Ummah because of its weak people, their
Du'aa' (supplication), their Salaah (prayer) and their sincerity."
[An-Nasaa'i]
Acts of worship cannot be preferred on the basis of their forms or
number but they are preferred according to the intention that the
heart holds. So, the description of both actions can be the same;
however, there is a gap of preference among them as wide as the
distance between the heavens and the earth. Two men may stand in
prayer in the same row but the difference in their reward and degree
is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. 'Ammaar ibn
Yaasir said, "I heard the Messenger of Allaah saying: 'Verily, a man
may finish his prayer but nothing is written for him except one tenth,
ninth, eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, quarter, third, or half of it.'
" [AbuDaawood]

Sincerity and Its Fruits-I

Allaah The Almighty has created all of creation to worship Him, and He
sent Messengers to people so they would worship Him alone with no
partner.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {And they were not commanded except to worship Allaah, [being]
sincere to Him in religion} [Quran 98: 5]
• {And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to
him that, "There is nodeity except Me, so worship Me."} [Quran 21: 25]
• {And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying],
"Worship Allaah and avoid Taaghoot.} [Quran 16: 36]
Allaah The Almighty cannot be worshipped perfectly except by
dedicating all acts of worship to Him in all sincerity.
Sincerity is the basic building block of religion, the essence of
worship, and prerequisite for the acceptance of any action. It is
likethe foundation of a building and the soul to the body. Therefore,
Allaah The Almighty made the actions of non-Muslims like dust
dispersed because they lack the essential two elements: belief in the
oneness of Allaah The Almighty and sincerity. Allaah TheAlmighty Says
(what means): {AndWe will regard what they have done of deeds and make
them as dust dispersed.} [Quran 25: 23]
Such loss will be the fate of all those who did not sincerely dedicate
their worship to Allaah The Almighty, and those who sought with it
other than Allaah The Almighty. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
{Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully
repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be
deprived. Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter
but the Fire. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what
they used to do.} [Quran 11: 15-16]
The loser in the true sense of the word is the one who performs
numerous deeds and then Allaah The Almighty makes them as dust
dispersed and throws him inHellfire on his face. Abu Hurayrah narrated
a Marfoo' Hadeeth that reads:
"The first one among the people to be judged on the Day of
Resurrection will be a man who was martyred. He will be broughtand
Allaah will remind him of His blessings and he will acknowledge them.
He will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say, 'I fought for
Your sake until I was martyred.' He will say: 'You are lying; rather
you fought so that it would be said that you were brave, and that was
said.' Then He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown
into Hell. "And there will be a man who acquired knowledge and taught
it, and recited the Quran. He will be brought and Allaah will remind
him of His blessings and he will acknowledge them. He will say: 'What
did you do with them?' He will say, 'I acquired knowledge and taught
it, and I recited the Quran for Your sake.' He will say: 'You are
lying; rather, you acquired knowledge so that it would be said that
you were a scholar, and you recited the Quran so that it would be said
that you were a reciter, and that was said.' Then He will order thathe
be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell. "And there will be a man
to whom Allaah gave abundant wealth of all kinds. He will be brought
and Allaah will remind him of His blessings and he will acknowledge
them. He will say: 'What did you do with them?' He will say, 'I did
not leaveany way that You like charity to be spent but I spent charity
for Your sake.' He will say: 'You are lying; rather, you did that so
that it would be said that you were generous, and that was said.' Then
He will order that he be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell."
[Muslim]
May Allaah The Almighty guard usagainst such disappointment.
Glory be to Allaah The Almighty, from Whom none of our affairs
ishidden. He knows the treachery of the eyes, and all that the breasts
conceal. No matter how much a person deceives and misleads people with
his outward appearance, all such deception will be to no avail. Allaah
The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the hypocrites [think to]
deceive Allaah , but He is deceiving them. And when theystand for
prayer, they stand lazily,showing [themselves to] the people and not
remembering Allaah except a little.} [Quran 4: 142]
Moreover, the Prophet said: "Allaah does not look at your outward
appearance or your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and your
deeds." [Muslim]
Surely, people will know the truth soon, either in the worldly life or
in the Hearafter. Allaah TheAlmighty Says (what means): {As for the
foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits
the people, it remains onthe earth. Thus does Allaah present
examples.} [Quran 13: 17]
One of the greatest reasons behind the absence or lack of sincerity in
our actions is seeking worldly gains or aspiring to earn the praise
and commendation of people. Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "Sincerity cannot be
combined in the heart together with love of being praised and
commended, and greed for what other people have, except in much the
same way that water and fire, and lizard and fish are combined."
He added, "
So if your conscience tells you to seek sincerity, then turn to greed
first, and slaughter it with the knife of despair, then turn to the
love of being praised and abandon it in the same way those who love
the pleasures of this world abandon the Hereafter. If you are
successful in slaughtering greed and in abandoning love of being
praised, then sincerity will be easy for you. And if you ask, and what
will facilitate slaughtering greed and abandoning love of being
praised for me? I reply: as for slaughtering greed, then what will
facilitate this for you is your knowledge with certainty that there is
nothing whatsoever that is desired, except that with Allaah alone are
its treasures, none possesses them except Him,and the slave is given
nothing from them except by Him. As for abandoning love of being
praised, then what will facilitate this for you is your knowledge that
no one's praise benefits and adorns, and no one's dispraise harms and
makes one ugly, except the praise and dispraise ofAllaah Alone. A
Bedouin said to the Prophet 'Indeed whoever I praise is adorned, and
whoever I dispraise is unadorned.' The Prophet said: 'That is [for]
Allaah The Almighty [alone].' " [At-Tirmithi and Ahmad]
So abandon seeking the praise of the one whose praise does not adorn
you and whose dispraise does not make you any worse, and seek the
praise of the One whose praise is the source of all beauty and whose
dispraise results in all forms of ugliness.