Ramalan Article - Excellence of the Night ofAl-Qadr )Decree(

Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
}Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to
warn ]mankind[. On that]night[, is made distinct every precise
matter.{]Quran 44:3-4[
}Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.In
addition, what can make you know what the Night of Decree is? The
Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the
Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.{]Quran 97:1-5[
Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Messenger of Allaah,, said:"Whoever
performs voluntary prayers on the night of Al-Qadr )Decree(, out of
sincere faith and in the hope of getting reward from Allaah The
Almighty,his earlier sins will be forgiven forhim."]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
According to another version:"Hewho offered the night voluntary
prayers on the eve of Al-Qadr, with genuine faith and hopes of
attaining reward from Allaah The Almighty, his previous wrongdoings
would be pardonedfor him."
Healso reported that the Messenger of Allaah,, said, in reference to
the Night ofAl-Qadr:"It is the twenty-seventh or twenty-ninth night
]of Ramadan[;and on that night, the angels on earth are more numerous
than pebbles."]Ahmad[
Benefits and rulings ]derived from theseHadeeths[:
First: TheseHadeethsportray the excellence of the Night ofAl-Qadr,
which stems from the following:
1.This eve has a great rank in the Sight of Allaah The Almighty.
2.It is better than one thousand ordinary months that do not include
the Night ofAl-Qadr; and that would equal ]it being more superior to[
eighty-three years and four months.
3.On it, angels descend in great multitudes, such that they number
much more than the pebbles on earth.
4.The Quran was first revealed onthis night.
5.Also, in it, there is much safety from punishment due to the
righteous deeds of the slaves of Allaah The Almighty on one hand,and
the ]opportunity of attaining[ mercy, forgiveness andemancipation from
fire, which is conferred by Allaah The Almighty upon them, on the
other.
6.It is wholly a blessed night, in view of its countless merits and advantages.
7.Whoever stands to offer supererogatory prayers then, believing in it
and in the good promised by Allaah The Almighty on it, and hoping for
reward from Him, all his previous sins will be forgiven.
8.All matters decreed for the years to come are written on it.
9.]The following points should be kept in mind, regarding the Night ofAl-Qadr:[
First: Whoever spends this night in prayer and worship has a
greatstatus in the Sight of Allaah, and is worthy of gaining His Mercy
and Forgiveness.
Second: A Muslim should seek to seize the Night ofAl-Qadr, by offering
voluntary prayers in all ofthe last ten nights ofRamadanand striving
to perform prayer, supplications andThikr)remembrance of Allaah The
Almighty(. Indeed, anyone who neglects to grab ]the opportunityon[
that superior night, by doingSalaah)prayer( and other acts of worship,
is truly deprived of goodness. May Allaah The Almighty grant us from
His Bounty.
Third: The excellence of the NightofAl-Qadrlies in the good deeds that
are performed on it, since one virtuous act then outweighs its like
done for a thousand months, which is a great Divine gift.
Fourth: Allaah The Almighty has favored our MuslimUmmah)nation( by
bestowing this blessed night on us every year, may all perfect praise
be to Him.
Fifth: The Night ofAl-Qadris the best of all nights; the assertion
that the eve of Friday is better than it, is invalid. At the same time
however, if it happens to coincide with a Friday night, it gains much
additional superiority.
Sixth: It is true that the night ofAl-Israa'andAl-Mi'raaj)the journey
fromAl-Masjid Al-Haraam)the Sacred Mosque( to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and
ascension to the heaven( is better than the Night ofAl-Qadr; this is
because, on it, the Prophet,, was made to reach the heavens, where his
Lord The Exalted, The Almighty, communicated with him, which is
certainly the greatest honor and highest position ]conferred to
anyone[. But, as for all other Muslims, their benefit from the Night
ofAl-Qadris more perfect and complete than what they gain from the
Night ofAl-Mi'raaj.
Seventh: According to some scholars, this great Night )ofAl-Qadr( is
an exclusive bounty tothe MuslimUmmah, althoughHadeethsto this effect
are not authentic. It is said that this bounty was also given to the
nations before us or at least theirProphets, may Allaah exalt their
mention, butHadeethsstating this are also weak.
Eighth:"Whoever offers supererogatory prayers on the Night of Al-Qadr,
with sincere faith and hoping for reward fromAllaah, and it happens to
actually be that very night, his sins will beforgiven."]Muslim[ Those
who claim that the reward of observing acts of worship on the Night
ofAl-Qadris awarded only to those who offer this voluntarily, while
knowing it withcertainty to be it, support their claim with
thisHadeeth. However, its apparent meaning does not indicate that; it
shows that the reward goes to those who perform the supererogatory
night prayer then, in anticipation of it being the Night ofAl-Qadrand
it actually happens to be so, regardless of them being certain or
uncertain of it.
Hence, a Muslim should endeavor to observe the voluntary prayers on
every one of the last ten nights ofRamadan, as if it were the Night
ofAl-Qadr, for it might probably really be so. In this manner, his
worship will eventually coincide with it.

Ramalan Article - Special Virtues of the Night of Decree

Allaah The Almighty has attached a special value to theLaylat Al-Qadr,
and has given this night special characteristics which make it unique,
such as:
It is the night on which the Quran was sent down. Ibn
'Abbaassaid,"Allaah sent down the Quran at one time from Al-Lawh
Al-Mahfooth )the Preserved Tablet in the Seventh Heaven( to Bayt
Al-'Izzah )House of Pride( in the first Heaven, then it was revealed
to the Messenger of Allaahin stages according to events over
twenty-threeyears."]Ibn Katheer[
Allaah The Almighty described it as being better than a thousand
months, as He Says )what means(:}"The Night of Decree is better than a
thousand months."{]Quran 97:3[
Allaah The Almighty described it as being blessed, as He Says )what
means(:}"Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night."{]Quran 44:
3[
On this night, the angels and the Spirit ]Jibreel)Angel Gabriel([
descend,"i.e., many angels descend on this night because it is so
blessed, and the angels come down when the blessingsand mercy of
Allaah The Almighty come down, just as they come down when the Quran
is recited, and they surround the circles of Thikr )gatherings where
Allaah The Almighty is mentioned(, and they spread their wings for the
one who sincerely seeks knowledge, out of respect for him."]Ibn
Katheer[Jibreelis specifically mentioned as a sign of respect for him.
This night is described as peace, i.e., it is safe, for the devils
cannot do any evil or cause any harm onthis night, as Mujaahidsaid,"On
this night, many people are saved from punishment because of what they
do to worship Allaah, The Most Exalted."
Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}"On that night is made distinct
every precise matter."{]Quran 44:4[, the affairs of that year are
dispatched from the Preserved Tablet to the angels who record the
decrees: who will live, who will die, what provision people will be
given, what will happen until the end of that year,every matter of
ordainment is decreed, and it cannot be altered or changed. ]Ibn
Katheer[
Allaah The Almighty revealed a Chapter concerning this night which
will be recited until the Day of Resurrection, in which Allaah The
Almighty Says)what means(:}"Indeed, We sent the Qur'an downduring the
Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of
Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The
angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for
every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn."{]Quran 97:1-5[
The Prophet,, said:"Seek Laylat Al-Qadr in thelast ten days of Ramadan."]Muslim[
It is more likely to be oneof the odd-numbered nights, because of the
narration of 'Aa'ishahwho said that the Messenger of Allaah,, had
said:"Seek Laylat Al-Qadr in the odd-numbered nights of the last ten
nights."]Al-Bukhaari[
It is most likely to be on the night of the twenty-seventh, according
to thesaying of the Prophet,sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam:"Laylat
Al-Qadr is the night of the twenty-seventh."]Ahmad and Abu Daawood[
This isthe preponderant view of most of the Companions and the
majority of scholars. Ubayy ibn Ka'bused toassert, without saying "In
shaa' Allaah)God willing(" that: "…it was the night of the
twenty-seventh. Zurr ibn Hubaysh,,said to Ubayy: 'I said, What makes
you say that, O Abu'l-Munthir )i.e. Ubay(?'Hesaid, 'By the signs of
which the Messenger of Allaah,told us: that the sun rises that morning
with no visible rays.'" ]Muslim[
The fact that it is more likely the night of the twenty-seventh does
not mean that this is always the case. It could be any of the other
odd-numbered nights of the last ten days ofRamadan. Some of the
scholars ruled that it is more likely that it moves and does not come
on a specific night each year.

Ramalan Article - Divine Gifts in the Last Ten Days of Ramadan

We are in a month of munificent goodness, great righteousness and
abundant blessings. It is praised abundantly in the Noble Book of
Allaah The Almighty and theHadeeths of His Messenger,. It is the month
of the Quran and goodness, and the monthwhen people return to their
Lord in a unique and matchless manifestation of faith.
This month is granted a privilege that is not granted to any other
month, which is ten blessed days – the last tendays when Allaah The
Almighty sends His bounty upon His slaves bysaving them from Hell.
Thus, we should make the best use of them by means of the following:
- ObservingI'tikaaf)staying in seclusion for worship( in one of the
two Holy Mosques or any other mosque if you cannot observeI'tikaafin
the two Holy Mosques.I'tikaafis very important for those who devote
themselves to the Lord and get rid of many endless worldly
engagements. When someone observesI'tikaaf, he refrains from many
issues in which he usually indulges. This is witnessed and widely
known. If one cannot observe completeI'tikaaf, he should stay in one
ofthe two mosques or spend long hours in it or in any other mosque.
- Reviving all or most of the night by prayers andThikr)remembrance of
Allaah The Almighty(. With the start of the last ten days ofRamadan,
theProphet,, used to keep his family awake for the prayers, pray all
night and tighten his waist belt )i.e. did not approach women(.
Praying at night is a great opportunity for whoever is engaged in
worldly affairs –the majority of people– and cannot
performQiyaam)voluntary night prayer(; so the least thing people can
offer in the last ten days ofRamadanis increasingQiyaamand reviving
the night. It is very strange that some righteous people are in one of
the two Holy Mosques but they do not pray except eightRak'ahs)units of
prayer( depending upon some proofs. They have forgotten that the
Companions and the predecessors performed long prayers with
manyRak'ahsand they were the first generation which knew Islam and
applied its rulings in the best way. The state of theProphet,, was
known to them, along with the interpretation and understanding of his
nobleHadeeths in the nearest possible meanings and the best
interpretations.
- We should not forget that the last ten days include a night that is
thegreatest night in the whole year namely the Night of Al-Qadr)Night
ofDivine Decree(, which is better than a thousand months. How great is
thisdivine bounty! The one who wastes it has wastedsomething great.
The majority of Muslim scholars agree that this night is one of the
odd nights in the last ten nights ofRamadan. Somescholars adopt the
opinion that it is the night of the twenty-seventh day. Ubayy ibn
Ka'bswore that it is the night of the twenty-seventh day as mentioned
inSaheeh Muslim.
- Increasing reading, reflecting on and understanding the Quranalong
with increasingThikr. There is no doubt that these days are the right
time for this.
- It is very strange that in spite of the great virtues and ample
rewards, somepeople like to spend theirvacations that coincide with
the last ten days, abroad. Hence, they are deprived of great benefits.
What they will do abroad except spending their time in picnics and
recreation at a time when recreation ispointless? Rather, this time
should be devoted to worship. A wise person is he who directs his
capacities and time tobenefit the most from these days of happiness.
- We should not forget in these ten days that we have brothers in the
trenches ofJihaad)striving in the cause of Allaah The Almighty(. The
enemies have surrounded them and they are suffering from great
calamities. We should not forget them, even if the least we can do is
to make sincere supplication from a heartdevoted to Allaah The Exalted
and charity. In this way, we will be the first to win its reward.
Lastly, we should not forget the poor and the needy, especially when
'Eedis approaching.

Ramadan Articles - Twenty Five Ways to Getthe Most Out of Ramadhan

1.Fast Ramadhan with belief and truly seeking the reward of Allah the
Most High so that He may forgive you your past sins.
2.Beware of breaking your fast during the days of Ramadhan without a
valid Islamic excuse, for itis from the greatest of sins.
3.Pray Salat ut-Taraweehand the night prayer during the nights of
Ramadhan - especially onLayatul-Qadr - based on belief and truly
seeking the reward of Allah, so that Allah may forgive you your past
sins.
4.Make sure that your food, your drink and your clothing are from
halal means, in order thatyour actions be accepted,and your
supplications answered. Beware of refraining from the halal while
fasting and breaking your fast with the haram.
5.Give food to some fasting people to gain a reward similar to theirs.
6.Perform your five prayers on time in congregation to gain the reward
and Allah's protection.
7.Give a lot of charity for the best charity is that of Ramadhan.
8.Beware of spending your time without performing righteous deeds, for
you will be responsible and reckoned for it and will be rewarded for
all you do during your time.
9.Perform `umrah in Ramadhan for `Umrah in Ramadhan is equal to Hajj.
10.Seek help for fasting during the day by eating the sahoor meal in
the last part of the night before the appearance ofFajr.
11.Hasten breaking yourfast after the sun has truly set in order to
gain the love of Allah.
12.Perform ghusl before fajr if you need to purify yourself from the
state ofmajor impurity so that you are able to do acts ofworship in a
state of purity and cleanliness.
13.Seize the opportunityof being in Ramadhan and spend it with the
good that has been revealed in it - by reciting the noble Qur'an and
pondering and reflection of its meaningsso that it be a proof for you
with your Lord and an intercessor for you on the Day of Reckoning.
14.Preserve your tonguefrom lying, cursing, backbiting and slander for
it decreases the reward of fasting.
15.Do not let fasting cause you cross your boundaries by getting upset
due to the slightestof reasons. Rather, fating should be a cause of
peacefulness and tranquility of your soul.
16.Upon completion of fasting, be in a state of taqwa of Allah the
Most High, being aware of Allah watching you in secret and in public,
in thankfulness for His favors, and steadfastness upon obedience of
Allah by doing all what He has ordered and shunning allthat He has
prohibited.
17.Increase in remembrance of Allah, seeking of forgiveness, asking
for Paradise and protection against the Fire, especially when fasting,
while breaking the fast and during suhoor, for these actions are among
greatest causes of attaining Allah'sforgiveness.
18.Increase in supplication for yourself, your parents, your children
and Muslims, for Allah has ordered makingof supplications and has
guaranteed acceptance.
19.Repent to Allah with asincere repentance in all times by leaving
sins, regretting those that youhave done before and firmly deciding
not to return to them in the future, for Allah accepts repentance of
those who repent.
20.Fast six days of Shawwal, for whoever fasts Ramadhan and
thenfollows it with six days ofShawwal, it is as if he fasts all the
time.
21.Fast on the Day of `Arafah, the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, to attain
success by being forgiven your sins of the last year and the coming
year.
22.Fast on the day of `Aashuraa', the 10th of Muharram, along with the
9th, to attain success by being forgiven your sins of the past year.
23.Continue being in a state of iman and taqwa and perform righteous
actions after the month of Ramadhan, until you die. "And worship your
Lord until there comes to you the certainty (i.e. death)". [Qur'an
15:99]
24.Ensure that you attainthe positive effects of your acts of worship
suchas prayer, fasting, zakat and hajj, sincere repentance and leaving
of customs that are in variance with the Sharee`ah.
25.Invoke a lot of salawat and salam upon the Messenger of Allah, may
Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, his Companions and all
thosewho follow them until the Day of Judgment.
O Allah make us and all Muslims of those who fastand stand in prayer
during the month of Ramadhan based on belief and truly seeking Your
reward so that we are forgiven our past andfuture sins.
O Allah make us of those who fasted the month, attained full reward,
witnessed Layatul-Qadr and attained success by permission of the Lord,
Blessed and Most High.
O Allah, verily you are Forgiver, like to forgive, so forgive us.
O Lord, accept from us, verily you are the All-Hearing, all-Seeing, O
Living, O Independent, O Owner of all majesty and honor.
And may Allah's blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, his family and
his Companions.

Ramadan Articles - Ramadhan: the Month of Qur'an

The first part of this is based on an extract from Ibn Rajab
al-Hanbali's Lata'if al-Ma'arif (pp. 179-182), quoted by Fahdbin
Sulaiman in Kayf Nastafeed min Ramadan (pp. 48-50).
Ramadan has a special relationship with the Qur'an, of course:
"The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down, a
guidance for mankind, clear proofs for the guidance, the Criterion; so
whoever amongst you witnesses this month, let him fast it."(cf. Surah
al-Baqarah 2:185)
The word 'so' (fa) in this ayah leads to the following paraphrase of
one aspect of its meaning:
"Fast this month because it is the one in which the Qur'an was sent down."
Ibn 'Abbas narrates that"the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace) was themost generous person, and he would be at
his most generous in Ramadan because Jibril would come to him
everynight and he would rehearse the Qur'an with him." (Sahih
al-Bukhari, Eng. trans. 6/486)
This hadith contains recommendation of the following:
*.Studying the Qur'an in Ramadan;
*.Coming together for this purpose;
*.Checking (one's memory/knowledge of)the Qur'an with someone who has
preserved it better;
*.Increasing recitation of the Qur'an in Ramadan;
*.That the night time is the best time to recite, when other
preoccupations decrease and it is easierto concentrate, as in Surah
al-Muzzammil 73:6.
Further, Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated from her
father (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who told her
thatJibril would rehearse the Qur'an with him (in Ramadan) once every
year, and he did so twice in the year of his death. (Bukhari 6/485)
After mentioning the above aspects of the Sunnah, Ibn Rajab talks
about the situation of theSalaf (the early Muslims) during Ramadan:
"... Some of the Salaf would complete reciting the whole Qur'an during
the night prayer of Ramadan every 3 days, others every 7 days e.g.
Qataadah, othersin 10 days e.g. Abu Rajaa' al-Atardi. The Salaf would
recite Qur'an in Ramadan in Prayer as well as outside it. Al-Aswad
would finish the Qur'an every 2 nights in Ramadan; Ibrahim an-Nakh
would do likewise in thelast 10 nights specifically, & every 3 nights
during the rest of the month. Qataadah would regularlyfinish the
Qur'an in 7 days, but in 3 days during Ramadan, when he would study
the Qur'an especially, and every night duringits last 10 days.
Al-Zuhri would say when Ramadan began, 'It is recitation of the Qur'an
and feeding of people.'
When Ramadan began, Imam Malik would cease narrating Hadith and
sitting with the people of knowledge, and stick to reciting the Qur'an
from its pages, while Sufyan al-Thawri would leave other acts of
worship and stick to reciting the Qur'an. 'Aishah would recite fromthe
pages of the Qur'an at the beginning of the day in Ramadan (i.e. after
Dawn), until when the sun had risen, she would sleep. Zayd al-Yaami
would bring copiesof the Qur'an when Ramadan began and gather his
companions around him. ..."
Ibn Rajab later continues,
"The forbiddance of completing recitation of the Qur'an in less than 3
days applies to this being made a regular practice, but as for
favoured times such as Ramadan, esp. the nights in which Laylat
al-Qadr is sought, or favoured places such as Makkah for the visitor,
it is recommendedto increase reciting the Qur'an to avail the time and
place. This is the view of Ahmad, Ishaq and other Imams, and the
practice of others indicates this too."
The purpose here is not to discuss whether or notthe latter view is
correct or not, since that is purely academic for mostof us, as we do
not get anywhere near reciting the whole Qur'an in threedays! However,
the practice of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace),
his Companions, and those who followed their path, should be clear
enough. As a further example, Bukhari (3/79) quotes from the noble
Companion Zaid bin Thabit who answered thequestion, "How much time was
there between the pre-dawn meal and the Dawn Prayer?" by saying,
"Enough time to recite fifty ayat." Since the practice of the Arabs
was to measure time in terms of everyday actions, this shows that the
Sahabah were preoccupied with the Qur'an, especially in Ramadan.
Compare all this with our sad state, when we talk so much about
establishing Islam, implementing the Qur'an,etc. and yet have such
little contact with it, maybe not completing itsrecitation ever at all
sincechildhood, or perhaps never! Hence we become unbalanced in our
understanding of Islam, because there are ayat which we rarely or
never hear or think about; we repeat only certain selected ayat over
and over again; we lost the context of the verses, the overall flow,
argument and balance of the Qur'an, all of which is beautiful &
miraculous. Because of this ignorancewe go astray from the Straight
Path, split up into sects, lose the blessings of Allah...
"We took a covenant from those who said: we are Christians, but they
forgot part of the message with which theyhad been reminded, so we
ingrained amongst them enmity and hatred until the Day of
Judgment..."(Surah al-Ma'idah 5:14)
In Sahih Bukhari (6/521), there is an amazing pieceof advice from the
Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):"Recite the Qur'anas
long as your hearts agree on it; if you disagree about it, stop
reciting it (for the time being)."Studying the Qur'an should bring
people together!
In Surah al-Mu'minoon (23:53), there is mention of the people before
us (in whose footsteps we would follow), who broke up their Deen into
sects (zuburan), each party rejoicing in what it had. One
understanding of this, from the word zuburan meaning literally
'books', is that each sect left the Book of Allah and concentrated
solely on the books of its own sect, so "they split their deen up into
books"!
The most twisted, ridiculous, shallow ideas, innovations and
superstitions are propagated amongst Muslims when they are away from
the Qur'an, because any little knowledge of the Qur'an would be enough
to dispel them.
Hence, O servant of Allah, leave aside secondary books and concentrate
on studying the blessed Book of Allah in this blessed month (use a
good translation/commentary if needed), for it is the source of all
knowledge in other books, and keep away from wasting time, especially
in futile discussions and arguments which lead nowhere, for that is a
sure sign of being misguided, as the Prophet (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) said,"Whenever a people went astray after they had
been on guidance, they were given to argumentation (jadl)."(Ahmad,
Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah - Sahih al-Jami'al-Saghir, no. 5633)
Finally, remember that the Messenger (may Allahbless him and grant him
peace) will complain to Allah on the Day of Judgment that his
peopleneglected the Qur'an (Surah al-Furqan 25:30). Neglect of the
Qur'an is of different levels, as Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
Not reciting or listening to it;
Not studying and understanding it;
Not conveying its message;
Not judging by it in personal and communal matters, at all levels of society;
Not believing in it.
All Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.

Attire and adornment – I

Allaah Says what means:"O children of Aadam! We have bestowed upon you
clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the
clothing of righteousness — that is best. That is from the signs of
Allaah that perhaps they will remember."]Quran 7: 26[
One of the visible favours of Allaah upon His slaves is that He has
created for them different materials by which they can conceal their
private parts.
Allaah also Says what means:"So We said: 'O Aadam! Indeed this is an
enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not remove you
fromParadiseso you would suffer. Indeed, it is ]promised[ foryou not
to be hungry therein or be unclothed."]Quran 20: 117-118[
Hunger is internal humiliation whilst nakedness is external
humiliation, but neither of these two exists inParadise. The dwellers
ofParadiseenjoy wearing different garments one on top of the other.
Allaah Says what means:"And when you lookthere ]inParadise[, you will
see pleasure and great dominion. Upon them ]i.e., the inhabitants[
will be green garments of fine silk and heavy silk..."]Quran 76:
20-21[
Thus, clothing is a blessing from Allaah that He has bestowed upon us,
as Allaah Says in the abovementioned verse, what means:"O children of
Aadam! Wehave bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private
parts…"
Concealing one's private parts is mandatory, but this is not all;
rather, Allaah has, in addition, bestowed upon us adornment. Following
this adornment is the inner adornment, which is the spiritual one, as
Allaah Says in thesame verse what means:"But theclothing of
righteousness — that is best. That is from the signs of Allaah that
perhaps they will remember."
If the clothing of piety is lost then one's faults are exposed; and if
the clothing of the body is gone, then his private parts become
exposed, which results in great trials, leaving Satan to open an arena
in which to lure mankind. This is why Allaah
Says in the aforementioned verse of Chapter Taa Haa what means:"So We
said: 'O Aadam! Indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then
let him not remove you fromParadiseso you would suffer. Indeed, it
is]promised[ for you not to be hungry therein or be unclothed."]Quran
20: 117-118[
Unclothing is a plot of Satan, and the first sin that was ever
committed resulted in unclothing, as Allaah Says what means:"O
children of Aadam! Let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents
from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing )i.e., the garments
ofParadise( to show them their private parts…"]Quran 7: 27[
Satan initiated his war against the children of Aadam by trying to
entice them to expose their private parts, and this battle continued
until it has reached its peak in our time when people have actually
exposed their private parts and there are nude clubs, nude beaches,
and channels on satellite television for nudity, fornication and
'summer fashions', which is practical nudity. All these things, which
the sinners among the children of Aadam thought up with the help of
Satan, are vividly shown on TV screens.
Moreover, there are so many magazines and internet websites that
feature nudity that it has become something that many feel no shame in
publishing or viewing, because the plot of Satan is to corrupt mankind
by exposing people's private parts.
This is why Allaah warns us by saying what means:"O children of Aadam!
Let not Satan tempt you…"]Quran 7: 27[ Satan does this by all means
possible: movies, magazines, fashion shows, beauty contests, scanty
clothing that women wear to weddings, satellite television channels,
and so on. Immorality has become readily available and people are
constantly exposed to it.
Imaam At-Tabaristated when commenting on this verse: "It means: Let
not Satan deceive you into obeying him and therefore exposing your
private parts to others, thus depriving yourselves from entering
Paradise, which is exactly what resulted in your father )i.e. Aadam(
being expelled from Paradise."
This is a very dangerous issue because it could result in one being
deprived of entering Paradise, and this is why Islam mandates
concealing one's private parts and defines the 'Awrah )i.e., the parts
of the bodythat one is Islamically obliged to cover( and how to cover
it. The 'Awrah is defined precisely and indetail for people of all
ages and every phase: for infants up to twoyears of age, then for
childhood, and then for the phase that lasts up to and beyond puberty.
Islam obligates clothing because nakedness is a dispraised matter.A
man once entered into the presence of the Prophetwhilewearing improper
clothing, so heasked:"Do you have money?"The man replied: "Yes, from
all means. Allaah has granted me camels, sheep, horses and slaves."
Thereupon, the Prophetsaid to him:"Then let the favour and blessings
of Allaah be apparent on you."Imaam Ibn Hajarcommented on this
narration stating: "This means: wear the clothing that suits the level
of bounties of Allaah upon you, and which is clean and pleasant, so
that needy people would recognise a person's status and know to ask
from himcharity. However, in order to judge this issue in light of all
relevant texts, one must be moderate in this regard and not
extravagant."
This is how real scholars are: theyjudge an issue in light of all the
relevant texts related to it, and do not focus on an isolated piece of
evidence. This is an advice to all students of knowledge who seek the
truth, this is how you should be, too - never take one text in
isolation when there are other texts related to the issue that you are
judging, so that you can have a complete picture before making your
final judgment.
An example to illustrate this is if one states that the
Prophetsaid:"Indeed Allaah is Jameel)which implies beauty( and He
loves beauty"and therefore concludes that it is permissible for the
woman to expose her beauty, since beauty is something that Allaah
loves. We ask such a person: Are you aware of the other texts that
specificallyprohibit the woman to expose here beauty in front of
marriageable men and the texts that command her to adhere to Hijaab
)i.e. Muslim woman's outfit in Islam(?
Some scholars who were wealthywould wear the best clothing that they
possessed during seasons such as Ramadan so thatthe poor could
recognise them and ask them for charity, but as soon as these seasons
were over they would wear modest clothing as a sign of their humility
and knowledge of the narration that they were well aware of, which is
that of Mu`aathwho reported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Whoever
voluntarily forsakes wearing elegant and expensive garments out of
humbleness, Allaah will call him on the Day of Resurrection and give
him, in front of all )His( creation, the choice to wear whichever
garment of Belief he wishes."]At-Tirmithi[
The clothing of the Messenger of Allaahwas whatever he couldfind; he
would wear wool at times and cotton at others - according to what was
available for him at the time and without any extravagance; hewould
always thereby be acting in accordance with the commands of Allaah.
One can eat, wear or drink anything )that is lawful( as long as it is
without extravagance or boasting. Men may not wear silk because there
is a specific text that prohibits silk for men.

Do not kill your time

The Quran and Sunnah both emphasize the importance of time in the life
of a Muslim. Allaahswears in the beginning of many Soorahs )chapters(
by time or moments in time, for example Allaah Says )what means(:"By
the dawn and the ten nights )i.e. the first ten days of the month
ofThul-Hijjah(..."]Quran 89: 1-2[
And also Says )what means(:"By the night when it covers, and by the
day when it appears..."]Quran 92:1[
And also Says )what means(: "By the morning brightness and by the
night when it covers with darkness..."]Quran 93:1[
And also Says )what means(:"By the time..."]Quran 103:1[
When Allaah swears by something of His creation, it directs our
attention to the benefit of that thing. The Prophetfurther emphasized
the value of time in many authentic Hadeeths. For example, Mu'aath bin
Jabalrelated that the Prophetsaid:"The slave will not go forward on
the Day of Judgment until he is asked four questions: about his age
and how he spent it, about his youth and how he used it, about his
wealth and how he acquired it and spent it, and about his knowledge
and what he did with it."
Youth is considered the peak stage in human life, because young people
have the capacity and energy to accomplish many good deeds, but when
they get older, they cannot do as much. These are stages of
development as mentioned in the Quran, for example in Soorah Ar-Room
)The Romans(, Allaah Says )what means(: "Allaah is He Who created you
in )a state of( weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then
after strength gave )you( weakness and grey hair ..."]Quran 30:54[
If we do not use our time effectively for something good, then we will
definitely use it for something bad, which destroys our rewards and
our lives. For example, if you do not make Thikr )mentioning Allaah
and praising Him(, then you will be saying something else, perhaps
backbiting or perhaps talking about your children, your work, your
neighbors, your friends or your enemies. What counts for you is using
the time for something useful, doing good deeds and saying good
things.
Try to make a short revision at the end of each day about what you did
during that day. Ask yourself: What did I do today? What did I do that
was bad today? Make repentance for the bad things that you have done
and said, sincerely determining not to repeat such things. With the
good, determine to do it again, do it more often and do it in a better
way.
Our lives are judged according to what we did, not according to how
many years we lived. We know that life is very short, and at the end
of it comes death. We do not know when we are going to die, so we have
to make sure that we do many good deeds before we pass into the next
life and we are unable to return to repent from our bad deeds, or to
do more good deeds. Time passes very quickly as Allaah Says)what
means(:"The Day they see it, )it will be( as if they had not tarried
)in this world( except an afternoon and a morning."]Quran 79:46[
And also Says )what means(: "And on the Day when He shall gather
)resurrect( them together,)it will be( as if they had not stayed )in
the life of this world and graves, etc( but an hour of a day."]Quran
10:45[
Time is very precious and if it passes, you cannot make use of
itagain. If yesterday passed without the performance of gooddeeds,
then it is gone; you cannotreclaim any benefit from yesterday's time.
For example, if you came to travel from one city to another and you
found that the airplane that you were supposed to travel on has
alreadyleft, do you think that it will be back to pick you up? Or if
you were traveling by train and you missed the train, do you think
that the train will reverse to come back to get you?
When it is time for a person to die, he may ask for more time to do
good deeds, as Allaah Says)what means(:"Therein they will cry: 'Our
Lord! Bring us out, we shall do righteous good deeds, not what we used
to do.' )Allaah will reply(: 'Did We not give you long enough lives so
that whosoever would receive admonition could receive it, and the
warner came to you? So tasteyou )the evil of your deeds(. For the
wrongdoers, etc, there is no helper."]Quran 35:37[
We say that we are so busy with our work and our children, but Allaah
warns us against this saying )what means(: "O you who believe! Let not
your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of
Allaah. And whoever does that, then they are the losers. And spend )in
charity( of that which We have provided for you before death comes to
one of you and he says: 'My Lord! If only you would give me respite
for a little while )i.e. return to the worldly life(, then I should
give sadaqah)i.e. Zakaah( of my wealth, and beamong the righteous
)i.e. perform Hajj(. And Allaah grants respite to none when his
appointed time )death( comes. And Allaah is All-Aware of what you
do."]Quran 63: 9-11[
Many people before us used their time effectively by performing good
deeds, teaching, doing something for the benefit of the Muslims, their
families and their relatives, or by advising others to be good, and
calling others to Allaah and Islam, etc. They considered every day
that passed which they did not use effectivelyfor the sake of Allaah
as denying the favors of Allaah.
Today we have those who "kill time." These people gather to talk about
things that are not related to Islam or the Muslims' affairs; they
play around or talk about others. These people are not killing time,
but they are committing slow suicide becausethey are killing their
time -- and their time is their lives! So they are slowly killing
themselves and after they die, what good deeds have they done?
The Prophetsaid: "There are two favors )or bounties( of Allaah's
bounties, and in them many people are cheated )or deceived(: health
and free time."
People underestimate the value of these two favors, and thus, they are
cheated. This is like a person who has a house that he wants to sell.
Someone comes and offers him 50,000 dollars for it. He isn't sure of
its value, so he hesitates. Finally, he agrees and sells it for that
amount. Later he finds out that his house was actually worth a million
dollars. Imagine how cheated he feels; imagine that feeling that if he
had only known beforehand what it was really worth, he could have
gotten more!
It is the same with our time. We underestimate its great value, and
then when it is gone, we feelthat we have been cheated because we
didn't get everything out of it that we could have. But just as the
one who sold his house below its value cannot get it back and sell it
at its true value,we also cannot go back and do more with the time
that is already gone. At the end of our lives, we will not be able to
go back and live our lives over again and we will not be given more
time to do good deeds, to try to make up for the time we wasted.
So we must organize our time wisely, being very careful about what we
use it for. We must treat the free time that we have, in which we
could do good deedsas a precious resource, guarding it against waste
or misuse.

Spite

Spite is a heavy burden that the person carries which results in his
own misery, occupies his thinking, ruins his mind and adds to his
grief and anxiety. The strange thing is that ignorant people insist on
carrying this heavy evil load, until they satisfy their ego andtake
revenge from the one whom they hate and envy.
Spite eats much of the virtue that might be in person's heart and
increases by growing on such virtue and thus causing it to eventually
vanish.
The meaning of spite:
Looking at spite, we see that it consists of severe hatred and the
desire to take revenge added together in the heart of amalicious
person until the time comes when he can attack the one against whom he
holds a grudge. Therefore, spite is to conceal enmity in the heart and
await the opportunity to get back at the one towards whom malice is
felt.
Allaah praised the believers whose hearts are pure and free from
bearing hatred towards other believers when He Says )what means(:"For
thepoor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their
properties, seeking bounty from Allah and ]His[ approval and
supporting Allah and His Messenger, ]there is also a share[.Those are
the truthful. And ]also for[ those who were settled in the Home ]i.e.
Al-Madeenah[ and]adopted[ the faith before them)before the settlement
of the emigrants )Muhaajireen( among the Ansaar, for whom a share is
delegated as well(. They love those who emigrated to them and find not
any want in their breasts of what they ]i.e. the emigrants[ were given
but give]them[ preference over themselves, even though they arein
privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul —
it is those who will be the successful. And ]there is a share for[
those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us and our
brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts ]any[
resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are
Kind and Merciful."]Quran: 59: 8-10[.
One's heart might get weak and thus he might dislike or even hate a
certain person sometimes. Nonetheless, this feeling does not remain
permanently in the heart of the believer to the extent that it turns
into spite. Rather, such feelings pass on, as a wayfarer passes
through a village during his journey, but soon these feelings
disappear and vanish, because a believer is bonded to other believers
by the strong bond of "Brotherhood in Faith". The believer's emotions
of brotherhood gush forth with love and mercy towards his brothers in
faith … thus, could it be imagined thatsuch nice feelings would
coexist with spite in one person's heart?
The ruling of spite:
Some scholars consideredspite to be one of the inner great major sins
which one must be far above committing and must repent to Allaah.
The cure of spite:
Treating spite lies in getting rid of the main reason that causes it,
which is anger. When you become angry and can not control your anger
by being tolerant or by reminding yourself with the virtue of
suppressing your anger, then you are harboring feelings of spite which
require struggle against yourself.
A person must warn himself against the consequences of taking revenge,
and he must remember that The Power of Allaah and ability are, by far,
greaterthan his. One must remind himself that the command is in The
Handsof Allaah and no one can escape His command or decree.
If it happens that a person cannot suppress his feelings and they
reached the state of spite, then he must force himself to act contrary
to the implications of these feelings. Thus, he could praise the
person whom he hates instead of dispraising him and be humble with him
instead of being arrogant. Furthermore, one must put himself in the
other person's place and remember that he would like people to deal
with him gently and must thusstrive to deal with the other person in
the manner that he would like to be dealt with.
One of the useful means by which this disease may be cured is for the
hated person )if he transgressed( to refrain from his evil and reform
himself. He must remember that he will never be able to eradicate this
ill feeling)spite( from the other person's heart towards him unless he
does what makes that person feel secure and relaxed towards him.
Additionally, he must try to reconcile and ease the heart of the other
party who feels spiteful.
On the other hand, the wronged person who harbors spite must, in
return, accept the apology and excuse of the one who wronged him …
this is how spite and ill feelings die out and fade away, and love
comes in its place.
The evil consequences of spite:
Some scholars said: "The corruption of the heart by means of hatred is
a lethal inveterate disease, and faith escapes such hearts just as
liquid leaks from a cracked jug".
Satan might despair frommaking a wise man worship idols, but he is
keen to divert and misguide man and lead him to destruction. Satan
will not fail to distance a person from his Lord, to the point that
such a person becomes more ignorant of his Lord's right than an
idolater.
To keep a person away from his Lord, Satan uses tricks like enflaming
hatred in the heart towards his fellow Muslims. Once this fire is
ignited, Satan sits back and enjoys watching this fire burn his
present life and future, and eating away his virtues. This is so,
because when evil controls the spiteful heart, the person becomes
hardhearted and stubborn, and he severs the ties which Allaah
commanded to be maintained and spreads corruption upon the earth.
Spite is the source for many evil acts that Islam has warned against.
Falsely accusing the innocent is a crime that only extreme hatred
stimulates and Islam has considered this to be oneof the worse acts of
falsehood.
Backbiting is the way a spiteful person releases his hatred, and that
reflects the lack of mercy in his heart. Moreover, Islam has
prohibited and warned against all the implications of spite, such as,
ill-thinking of others, tracing their faults, mocking and defaming
them.
Spiteful people's hearts boil with hatred because they look in this
life to see that they have missedout on what they wished to have while
others possessed it. This is the greatest problem that continuously
gives them the feeling of apprehension. By doing so, such people
follow in the footsteps of Satan, who envied Aadam because he was
granted the position which he)i.e. Satan( desired for himself.
This satanic feeling is what boils in the hearts of spiteful people
and corrupts their hearts to the point that they lose their
determination. It would have been better for them to turn towards
their Lord and ask Him from His bounties and strive to attain what the
others have attained. Theblessings of Allaah are endless and they are
limited to certain people,and hoping to attain what Allaah has whilst
utilizing all permissible means, is the only lawful thing to do when
one sees others blessed with favors from Allaah … There is a big
difference between envy and ambition.
Having a pure heart … the way toParadise:
Allaah Has described the people of Paradise who will have an eternal
pleasure as people who are free from spite and envy, and if they had
ever experienced any such feelings in this life, then they will be
purifiedfrom these feelings before being admitted into Paradise, as
Allaah says )what means(;"And We will have removed whatever is within
their hearts of spite )i.e. ill will or sense of injury for what was
inflicted upon them during worldly life(".
This quality of having pure hearts when dealing with others, was one
reason for which some of the companions of the Prophetwere given glad
tidings ofParadise. Anas Ibn Maaliknarrated: "We were sitting with the
Prophetonce when he said:"A man from the dwellers of Paradise will
walk in now"so a man from the Ansaar )i.e. residents of Madeenah(
walked in whose beard was dripping from the effect of ablution and who
held his slippers with his left hand. The next day the Prophetsaid the
same thing, and the same man walked in. On the third day the
Prophetsaid the same thing, and the same man once again walked in.
When the Prophetleft the gathering, 'AbdullaahIbn 'Amr followed that
man and said to him: `I had a misunderstanding with my father and
swore not to stay in his house three nights, so if you permit me I
would like to spend these three nights with you` The mansaid: `Yes, I
permit you`" Anasadded: "'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr told us that he spent
three nights and did not noticethat the man prayed the optional night
prayers during any of these nights, but if he woke up during the
night, he would simply mention Allaah. Nonetheless, I never heard him
utter except good things, so when the three nights finished, I almost
belittled his deeds )as they were insignificant( and I said to him: `O
slaveof Allaah! There was not dispute between me and my father or
anger, but I heard the Prophetsaying thrice:"A man from the dwellers
of Paradise will walkin now"and you walked in all three times, so I
wanted to sleep in your place to see what you do in order to imitate
you, but I did not see that you exert extra effort in performing any
extra deeds. How did you reach such status to deserve what the
Prophetsaid about you?` He replied: `My deeds are nothing more than
what you saw` Thenwhen I left, he called me back in and said: `My
deeds are nothing more than what you saw, but the only thing I do is
that I do not hold any grudge against any Muslim nor envy anyone for
what bounties Allaah as granted them`" thereupon 'Abdullaah Ibn'Amr
said to him: "This is what granted you this rank".
Beloved Muslim brother! Ponder upon the following words that were
stated by one of thescholars: "There is nothing more relaxing and
relieving to one's grief, and there is nothing more comfortingto him
than living whilst having a pure heart that is clear from all whispers
and spite. If he sees a bounty being granted to others he shows
content with what he has, and realized the need of humans for their
Lord. If he sees evil afflicting others, he expresses sympathy and
supplicatesAllaah to relieve them from their hardship and forgive
their sins. This is how a Muslim lives his life with his record of
deeds clear from evil, pleased with what Allaah has granted him,
content with his life, relaxed in his heart, free from spite that
blinds people from seeing the truth".

,Dought & clear - ,- Prayer When There is anEclipse - The eclipse prayer is prescribed when one sees an eclipse, not when one hears news ofan eclipse from the astronomers.

Should we offer the eclipse prayer (salaat al-kusoof) based on the
announcements of astronomers published in the newspaper? If theeclipse
takes place in another country should we pray the eclipse prayer or is
it necessary to see the eclipse with the naked eye?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There are saheeh ahaadeeth according to which the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined offering
the eclipse prayer and reciting dhikr and du'aa's when the Muslims see
an eclipse of the sun or the moon. The Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "The sun and the moon are two of the signs
of Allaah and they do not become eclipsed for the death or birth of
anyone. But Allaah sendsthem to make His slaves fear (Him), so if you
see that, then pray and make du'aa' until it is over." According to
another version he said: "So if you see that, then hasten to remember
Allaah and call upon Him and seek His forgiveness." So he(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) connected the commandto pray, make
du'aa', remember Allaah and pray for forgiveness to actual sighting of
the eclipse and not to the reports of the astronomers.
What all the Muslims must do is adhere to the Sunnah and act in
accordance with it, and to beware of everything that is contrary to
it.
Hence we know that those who offer the eclipse prayer on the basis of
astronomers' reports are making a mistake and going against the
Sunnah.
It should also be noted that it is not prescribed for the people who
live in a country where the eclipse is not happening to offer the
prayer, because the Messenger(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) connected the commandto pray etc to actual sighting of the
eclipse, not to news from astronomers that an eclipse was going to
happen, or to its happening in another country. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and
whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)"
[al-Hashr 59:7]
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have agood example to follow"
[al-Ahzaab 33:21]
When the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered
the eclipse prayer, when that happened in Madeenah and the people saw
it, Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning):
"And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad's) commandment
(i.e. his Sunnahlegal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements)
(among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials,
afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant) should
befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them"
[al-Noor 24:63]
It is known that he was the most knowledgeableand most sincere of
people, and that he was the one who conveyed the rulings from Allaah.
If it was prescribed to offer the eclipse prayer on the basis of
astronomers' reports, or when an eclipse occurs in another region that
is only seen by the local inhabitants, then he would have said so and
would have guided his ummah to do that. Since he did not say that,
rather he said the opposite, and he told hisummah to base their
actions on actual sighting of the eclipse, we know from that that this
prayer is only prescribed for those who see the eclipse and in whose
land it occurs. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Kitaab Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh
'Abd al-'Azeez ibn 'Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz , 13/30.

,Dought & clear - ,- Prayer When There is anEclipse - Eclipse prayer after dawn.

We went out to pray Fajr prayer last Thursday, the fourteenth of
Ramadaan, and we saw that the moon was eclipsed. What should we have
done?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The sun and moon are two of the signs of Allaah. By means of lunarand
solar eclipses, Allaahreminds His slaves of the Day of Resurrection,
the Day on which their light will disappear. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"So, when the sight shallbe dazed.
8. And the moon will be eclipsed.
9. And the sun and moonwill be joined together (by going one into the
other or folded up or deprived of their light)"
[al-Qiyaamah 75:7-9]
So by means of this sign Allaah reminds us of thatDay. See also
question no. 5901. And the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) hastened to pray when that happened.
When you saw the eclipse when you were going out for Fajr prayer, you
had the choice of starting with the eclipse prayer, as suggested by
some scholars, because of the command narrated fromthe Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to hasten to do that. But if you
started with Fajr first, this is also good becausethe obligatory
prayer should come first. This may also serve an interest, especially
since the eclipse could not be seen except at the time of the iqaamah,
so it may have been too difficult for the people, especially those who
had stayed up at night during the blessed month, if the imam had
started with the eclipse prayer. So he started with Fajr prayer, to
enable those who wanted to leave to do so, as that would be easier for
the people; this is also less likely to cause confusion, especially
for those who had come for Fajr and did not know that the imam was
going to offerthe eclipse prayer.

,Dought & clear - ,- Prayer When There is anEclipse - He missed Fajr prayer and found the congregation offering the eclipse prayer.

If a man comes late for Fajr prayer, can he join the imam whilst he is
offering the eclipse prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If he knows that he is offering the eclipse prayer, then he should not
join him, because of the difference in nature between the two prayers.
Although the eclipse prayer is two rak'ahs, each rak'ah includes two
bowings, two standings and two recitations. So whoever does not
realize that the imam is offering the eclipse prayers and join the
imam with the intention of praying Fajrshould form the intention of
praying separately from the imam when he realizes that the imam is
offeringthe eclipse prayer. Then he should complete his prayer as Fajr
and then ifhe wants he may join the imam for whatever is left of the
eclipse prayer.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.

Quran Stories for Children: Who will take the Noble Qur'an?

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had
everything in their collection, from Picasso (Spanish artist who lived
in France) to Raphael (Italian painter). They would often sit together
and admire the great works of art.
When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very
courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The
father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Eid ul-Fitr, there was a knock at the
door. A young man stood at thedoor with a large package in his hands.
He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your
son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying
me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died
instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art."
The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not
really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to
havethis."
The father opened the package. It was a portraitof his son, painted by
theyoung man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the
personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the
eyesthat his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man
and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never
repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came
to his home he took themto see the portrait of his son before he
showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of
his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing
the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for
their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded
his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son.
Who will bid for this picture?"
There was silence. Then avoice in the back of the room shouted, "We
want to see the famous paintings! Skip this one."
But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting.
Who will start the bidding? $100,$200?"
Another voice angrily,"We didn't come to see this painting. We came
tosee the Van Goghs (Dutch painter), the Rembrandts (Dutch artist).
Get on withthe real bids!"
But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the
son?" Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the
longtime gardener of theman and his son. 'I'll give$10 for the
painting.' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
We have $10, who will bid $20? Give it to him for$10. "Let's see the
masters...." $10 is the bid,won't someone bid $20?
The crowd was becomingangry. They didn't want the picture of the son.
They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"
A man sitting on the second row shouted,"Now let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid downhis gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."
"What about the great paintings?"
I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a
secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that
stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be
auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire
estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets
everything!
Allah (SWT) gave His Noble Qur'an hundreds ofyears ago to guide us.
Much like the auctioneer,His message today is:"The Noble Qur'an, the
Noble Qur'an, who'll take the Noble Qur'an? Because whoever takes the
Noble Qur'an gets everything."

Time in Islam: Time is very precious utilize reading Noble Quran

Since last night my youngson has been unwell. When I got back from
work this evening I decided to take him to hospital despite my
exhaustion. There were many waiting; perhaps we will be delayed by
more than an hour. I took my number and sat down in the waiting room.
There were many faces, young and old, but all silent.
Some brothers made use of the many booklets available in the waiting
room. Some of those waiting had their eyes closed, while others
werelooking around. Most were bored. Once in a while the long silence
was broken by a nurse calling out a number. Happiness appears on
theone whose turn it is, and he gets up quickly; then silence returns.
A young man grabbed myattention. He was reading a pocket-sized Noble
Qur'an continuously; not raising his head even once. At first I did
not think much about him. However, after one hour of waitingmy casual
glances turned into a deep reflection about his lifestyle and how he
utilizes his time. One hour of life wasted! Instead of making benefit
of that hour, it was just a boring wait. Then the call for prayer was
made. We went to prayer in the hospital's Masjid (Mosque). I tried to
pray close to the man who was reading the Noble Qur'an earlier in the
waiting room.
After the prayer I walked with him. I informed him of how impressed I
was of him and how he tries to benefit from his time.
He told me that most of our time is wasted without any benefit. These
are days that go from our lives without being conscious of them or
regretting their waste.He said that he started carrying the
pocket-sizedNoble Qur'an around when a friend encouraged him to make
full use of his time. He told me that in the time other people waste
he gets to read much more of the Noble Qur'an than he gets to read
either at home or in the mosque. Moreover, besides the reward of
reading the Noble Qur'an, this habit saves him from boredom and
stress.
He added that he has now been waiting for one and a half hours. Then
he asked, when willyou find one and a half hours to read the Noble
Qur'an? I reflected; how much time do we waste? How many moments of
our lives pass by, and yet we do not account for how they passed by?
Indeed, how many months pass by and we do not read the Noble Qur'an? I
came to respect my companion, and I discovered that I am to stand for
account and that time is not in my hand; so what am I waiting for? My
thoughts were interrupted by the nurse calling out my number; I went
to the doctor.
But I want to achieve something now. After I left the hospital I
quickly went to the bookshop and bought a pocket-sized Noble Qur'an. I
decided to be mindful of how I spend the time.