Our life and the purpose of our existence

We know that the One God exists and we know that we are a product of
His creation. But we often forget to remember that we were created for
a specific purpose. If ten of us try to find out what our purpose is
on our own, without considering the Revelation, we might find ten
different purposes. However, if welook at the Qur'aan, we will find
out that the purpose of our lives is clearly defined.
Allah The Most High says,"O Mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who
created you and those before you so that you bay become Al-Muttaqoon
(i.e. those who have taqwaa)." Al-Baqarah (2):21
And He said, "And I created not the Jinns andmen except that they may
worship Me (Alone)."Adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56
Allah Ta`aalaa also says inthe Qur'aan: "Blessed be He in Whose Hand
is the dominion, and He is able to do all things. Who has created
death and life, that He may test which ofyou is best in deed. And He
is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving." Al-Mulk (67):1-2
These verses where revealed to us by Allah in order to inform us of
why we are here on the Earth, what we should bedoing and where we are
heading. Not to benefit Himself, or because He needs our worship.
Rather, because we are in need of Him.
Allah Ta`aalaa says, "O mankind! It is you who stand in need (who are
poor) of Allah, but Allah isRich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all
praise." Faatir (35):15
What is meant by "to test which of you is best in deed"? Al-Fudayl Ibn
`Iyyaad said, "The best deed is that which is most devoted and most
proper." He was asked,"How should it be most devoted and most
proper?", and he responded, "For if the deed was devoted but was not
proper it would not be accepted, and if it was proper but was not
devoted it would not be accepted; the devoted is to be for Allah
alone, and the proper is to be in compliance with As-Sunnah."
We were created for this one reason: to worship Allah and to strive to
be the best in deed. It is not only a matter of how many deeds we do,
it is also a matter of quality. Should we take for granted that our
deeds are accepted or should we strive to perfect them and make them
pure for Allah's sake and in accordance to the Sunnah of the Prophet
(peace be upon him)?
Allah Ta`aalaa says in the Qur'aan: "Say (O Muhammad): "Shall We tell
you the greatest losers in respect of (their)deeds? Those whose
efforts have been wastedin this life while they thought that they were
acquiring good by their deeds?" al-Kahf (18):103-104
And He said, "Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are
al-Muttaqoon (i.e. those who have taqwaa)." Al-Maa'idah (5):27
A scholar said, "there are those who think that this Universe has
founded itself or it came to exist by co-incidence. This necessitates
that man"has no goal to fulfill" because he came into being without a
defined goal! Consequently, a moral or a value system becomes
meaningless. Accordingly, man is just a responding "tool" for"mother
nature" which, according to Darwin himself, "acts haphazardly"! This
way of thinking is aimlessness, and it occurswhen man does not
recognize his relation with the One who had created life and death,
the Universe, and everything around man, all in due proportion."
We have to remember that Allah created death and life so that we may
worship Him (i.e. obey Allah Ta`aalaa in all which He commands through
the tongue of the Messengers, performing all that Allah loves and is
Pleased with from statements and actions - both inner and outer), and
perform that worship in the best manner. That is what our objective
should be. Instead of contradicting the purpose of man's existence and
acting for the sake of perishable worldly interests, we must fulfill
its completion. This worship includes all our acts, our sleep, our
studies, our recreation and specific forms of worship definedby the
Qur'aan and Sunnah. Our period here is short and being slave to
worldly gains results incorruption of our souls, constant difficulty,
worry and poverty.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Allah says: Son of Adam: fill
your time with My worship and I will fill your heart with richness,
and end off your poverty.But if you do not, I wouldmake your hands
fully busy (i.e. in worldly affairs) and I would not end off your
poverty." (At-Tirmidhee, hasan hadeeth)
Moreover, Allah has givenus choice and has not forced us to do our
acts. He says, "Then whosoever wills let him believe, and whosoever
wills let him disbelieve." al-Kahf (18):29
Clearly, we have been informed of our purpose and were shown the wayto
achieve it. The choice is ours.

What Happens in the Grave? The Hadeeth of al-Baraa bin Aazib

The Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam gives us the answer!
Upon the authority of al-Bara' ibn `Aazib who said: We went out with
the the Prophet (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) to a burial of a man
from the Ansar (original inhabitants of Madina) until we arrived at
the grave, and he still had not been placed in the slot of the grave.
Then the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) sat down
and we sat around him. You would have thought that birds were upon our
heads from our silence, and in the hand of the Messenger of Allah
(salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) was a stick which he was poking the
ground with. [Then he started looking at the sky and looking at the
earth and looking up down three times]. Then he said to us: "Ask Allah
for refuge from the torment of the grave", herepeated this command two
or three times. [Thenhe said O Allah I seek refuge in you from the
torment of the grave] [three times]. Then he said: "Verily, the
believing servant, when leaving this life and journeying to the
hereafter angels will descend upon him, their faces will be white as
if they were suns, they will have with them a shroud (kafan) from the
shroud of Paradise), and an embalmment (HanouT) from the embalmments
of heaven. Then, they willsit within eye-shot of him.
Then the angel of death (peace be upon him) will come and sit at his
head and will say "O you virtuous soul; come out to a forgiveness and
a pleasure from your Lord". So it will come out as a drop comes out of
the mouth of a jug (with ease), then he will take it,not leaving it in
his hand for longer that a blink of an eye until they (he and the
other angels) have placed it in that shroud and that embalmment. And
there will emanate from it a smell like that ofthe most sweet smelling
musk on the face of the earth. Then they shall ascend with it, and
they shall not pass with it by any group of angels but they will say:
What is this good and sweet-smellingsoul?. Then they shall say to them
(he is) "such" theson of "such" choosing the best of the names he used
to be called in this life. Until they reach the lowest sky, then they
shall ask permission to enter, and they shall be granted entry, until
they end at the seventh heaven sky, then Allah, exalted and high,
shall say: "write the book of my servant in `illiyeen (1)[And what
will explain to you what Illiyeen is `illiyeen, there is a register
fully inscribed to which bear witness thosenearest to Allah (see
83:18)], and his book will be written in `illiyeen, and the shall be
said"return him to the earth, for [I promised them] I have created
them from it, and into it I shall return them, and from it Ishall
extract (resurrect) them a second time (20:55)". So [he is returned to
earth and] his soul is returned to his body [he said and he will hear
the footsteps of his friends who buried him when they leave him].
Then two [severe] angels shall come and [terrify him and] sit him up
next to them and shall ask him: "Who is your Lord?".He shall reply "My
Lord is Allah". Then they shall askhim: "What is your religion?". He
shall answer them: "My religion is Islam". Then they shall ask him
"Who is this man who was sent among you?". He will reply "He is the
Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) peace be upon him".
Then they shall ask him"What have you done?". He shall reply: "I read
the book of Allah, then I believed in it and accepted it". [The angel
will terrify him and ask him "who is your Lord?","what is your
religion?""who is your prophet?", and this will be the last trial on
earth for the believer, it is then when Allah says : "Allah will
establish in strength those who believe with the word that stands
firmin this world", so he will answer my Lord is Allah, my religion is
Islam and my Prophet is Mohammad salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam. Then a
caller will call from the sky: "My slave has spokenthe truth, so
spread out for him from the heaven, and clothe him from the heaven,
and open a door for him from the heaven (within his grave)", so
it'sgoodness and its smell will come unto him, then his grave will be
expanded for him as far as he can see.
Then a man will come to him. His face will be handsome, and his
clothes will be handsome, and his smell will be sweet. Then he shall
say unto him: I bringyou glade tidings of that which will make you
happy [Rejoice with a pleasure of Allah and delights that endure].
This is the day that you were promised (46:16). Then he will say [and
may Allah give you glad tiding] "who are you?, for your face is the
face of someone who comes with good news". He shall reply: "I am your
good deeds, [by Allah, I did not know of you but that you were quick
to the obedience of Allah and slow to His disobedience, so may Allah
reward you good]". Then he shall say: "My Lord bring the hour so that
I might return to my family and my wealth" [itwill be said to him "be
tranquil"].
He (Mohammed, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: { And the
disbelieving [transgressor/wicked] servant}, if he is leaving this
life and journeying to the hereafter then angels will descend uponhim,
their faces will be black, they have with them a coarse woolen fabric
(sackcloth)[ made of fire]. Then they will sit within eye-shot of him.
Then the angel of death will come and sit at his head and will say "O
you wicked soul; come out to a anger from your Lord and a fury (from
Him)". So it will be distributed (spread out) throughout his body,
then it will be ripped away as a skewer/spit is ripped out of damp
cotton [and in its way out it will tear and cut the nerves and blood
vessels] [and then he will be cursed by all the angels between the
earthand the sky and by all theangels in the sky, and thegates of
heaven are closed. There is no gate in the heaven but its people
supplicate that the wicked soul shall not be ascended to their side],
then he will take it (the soul), not leaving it in his hand for longer
than a blink of an eye until they have placed it in that sackcloth.
And there will emanate from it a stench like that of themost evil
smelling corpse on the face of the earth. Then they shall ascend with
it, and they shall notpass with it by a group ofangels but they will
say: What is this wicked soul?.Then they shall say to them (he is)
"such" the son of "such" choosing the most hated of the names he used
to be called in this life. Until they reach the lowest heaven (sky),
then they shall ask permission to enter, and they shall not be granted
entry. Then the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam)
recited "The doors of the sky are not opened to them, nor shallthey
enter heaven until the camel passes throughthe eye of the needle"
(7:40).
Then Allah, exalted and high, shall say: "write thebook of my servant
in Sijjeen (2)(83:7) in the lowest earth". [Then will be said "return
my slave to the earth, for I promised them I have created them from
it, andinto it I shall return them,and from it I shall extract
(resurrect) them a secondtime (20:55)"]. Then his soul shall be taken
away [from the sky] with a mighty hurl [until it is cast into his
body]. Then he (the Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) read: "and
those who associate partners with Allah, They are as one who falls
from the sky then is snatched by the birds or is cast by the wind into
a very low place (22:31)". Then his soul will be returned intohis
body, [he (the prophet) said : verily he will hear the footsteps of
his friends who buried him when they leave him]. Then two harsh severe
and fearsome angels shall come and [terrify him and] sit him up and
shall ask him:"Who is your Lord?". He shall reply "Huh?, Huh (this is
an expression of sorrow), I don't know". Then they shall ask him:"What
is your religion?". He shall answer them:"Huh?, Huh?, I don't know".
Then they shall ask him "Who is this man who was sent among you?". He
will reply"Huh?, Huh?, I don't know [I heard people saying that!]". He
(the Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said"And then will be said
to him don't ever know anddon't ever recite!"].
Then a caller will call from the sky: "My slave has spoken falsely, so
spread out for him from the hell fire, and open a door for him from
the hell fire (within his grave)", so its heat and hot wind will come
unto him, then his grave will be contracted upon him until his limbs
are caught up among one another. Then a man will come to him. His face
will be ugly, and his clothes will be ugly, and his smell will bevile.
Then he shall say unto him: I bring you tidings of that which will
harm you. This is the day that you were promised (70:44). Then he will
say [and you, may Allah give you bad tiding] "who areyou?, for your
face is the face of someone who comes with evil". He shall reply: "I
am your evil deeds [by Allah, I did not know of you but that youwere
quick to the disobedience of Allah and slow to His obedience, so may
Allah reward you bad, and then will be assigned to him a blind, deaf
and mute person who holds in his hand a hammer, if a mountain is hit
with it, it would disintegrate, and he will beat him withit until he
becomes dust, and then Allah will render him to his initial form, and
he will beat him again, and he (the wicked) will cry of sorrow and
pain a cry that will be heard by all creatures except humans and jinn,
and a door of hell will be opened unto him within his grave and will
spread out for him sheets of hell fire]". Then he shall say: "My Lord
do not bring the hour".
This hadith is narrated byAhmad Ibn Hambal, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah,
at-Tayalisi, and al-Hakim who said it is according to the standards of
Bukhari and Muslim. This text is the text of Ahmad, all text between
brackets is from the other narrators and other narrations of Ahmad.
Notes
(1) `illiyin: comes from the root word of `uluww which means highness.
It is a place in the (highest) seventh sky where the souls of the
believers are gathered (Ibn `Abbas), it also carries the meaning of a
very high and wide place (Ibn Kathir).
(2) Sijjin: comes from the root word of sijn which means narrowness.
It is a place in the (lowest) seventh earth where the souls of the
unbelievers are gathered (Ibn `Abbas), it also carries themeaning of a
very low and narrow (Ibn Kathir).
Reading the previous hadith one may think that the punishment of the
grave is reserved onlyfor those who did not believe in Allah or
associated with him someone else in worship,lordship, creation or in
his names and attributes. It is not the case! the following authentic
hadith tells us more! so let us read it carefully : Ibn Abbas (Radiya
Allahu `anhuma) says that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi
wa sallam, once, while passing by two graves, remarked : The inmates
of these two graves are being tortured not for any serious sins, but
in fact they are serious sins. One of them used to carry tales
[gossiping] (nameemah) and the other used not to yastatir(1) when
urinating. [Bukhari and Muslim]
(1) yastatir means both not covering or hiding himself from the sights
ofothers as well as not cleaning himself after urinating.

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Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb from the Banu Najjar was a great and close
companion of the Prophet.He was known as Abu Ayyub (thefather of
Ayyub) and enjoyed a privilege which many of the Ansar in Madinah
hoped they would have.
When the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, reached
Madinah after his hijrah from Makkah, he was greeted with great
enthusiasm by the Ansar of Madinah. Their hearts went out to him and
their eyes followed him with devotion and love. They wanted to give
him the most generous reception anyone could be given.
The Prophet first stopped at Quba on the outskirts of Madinah and
stayed there for some days. The first thing he didwas to build a
mosque which is described in the Quran as the"mosque built on the
foundation of piety (taqwa)". (Surah At-Tawhah 9: 1O8).
The Prophet entered Madinah onhis camel. The chieftains of the city
stood along his path, each one wishing to have the honor of the
Prophet alighting and staying at his house. One after the other stood
in the camel's way entreating, "Stay with us, O Rasulullah." "Leave
the camel," the Prophet would say. "It is under command. "
The camel continued walking, closely followed by the eyes and hearts
of the people of Yathrib. When it went past a house, its owner would
feel sad and dejected and hope would rise in the hearts of others
still on the route.
The camel continued in this fashion with the people following it until
it hesitated at an open space in front of the house of Abu Ayyub
al-Ansari. But the Prophet, upon whom be peace, did not get down.
After only a short while, the camel setoff again, the Prophet leaving
itsreins loose. Before long, however, it turned round, retraced its
steps and stopped on the same spot as before. Abu Ayyub's heart was
filled with happiness. He went out to the Prophet and greeted him with
great enthusiasm. He took the Prophet's baggage in his arms and felt
as if he was carrying themost precious treasure in the world.
Abu Ayyub's house had two stories. He emptied the upper floor of his
and his family's possessions so that the Prophet could stay there. But
the Prophet, peace be on him, preferred to stay on the lower floor.
Night came and the Prophet retired. Abu Ayyub went up to the upper
floor. But when they had closed the door, Abu Ayyub turned to his wife
and said:
"Woe to us! What have we done? The messenger of God is below and we
are higher than he! Can we walk on top of the messenger of God? Do we
come between him and the Revelation(Wahy)? If so, we are doomed."
The couple became very worried not knowing what to do. They only got
some peace of mind when they moved to the side of the building which
did not fall directly above the Prophet. They were careful also only
to walk on the outer parts of the floor and avoid the middle.
In the morning, Abu Ayyub said to the Prophet: "By God, we did not
sleep a wink last night, neither myself nor Umm Ayyub.""Why not, Abu
Ayyub?" asked the Prophet. Abu Ayyub explained how terrible they felt
being above while the Prophet was below them and how they might have
interrupted the Revelation. "Don't worry, Abu Ayyub," said the
Prophet. "We prefer the lower floor because ofthe many people coming
to visit us." "We submitted to the Prophet's wishes," Abu Ayyub
related, "until one cold night a jar of ours broke and the water
spilled on the upper floor. Umm Ayyub and I stared at the water We
only had one piece of velvet which we used as a blanket. We used it to
mop up the water out of fear that it would seep through to the
Prophet. In the morning I went to him and said,'I do not like to be
above you,' and told him what had happened. He accepted my wish and we
changed floors."
The Prophet stayed in Abu Ayyub's house for almost seven months until
his mosque was completed on the open space where his camel had
stopped. He moved to the roots which were built around the mosque for
himself and his family. He thus became a neighbor of Abu Ayyub. What
noble neighbor to have had!
Abu Ayyub continued to love the Prophet with all his heart end the
Prophet also loved him dearly. There was no formality between them.
The Prophet continued to regard Abu Ayyub'shouse as his own. The
following anecdote tells a great deal aboutthe relationship between
them.
Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, once left his house in the
burning heat of the midday sun and went to the mosque. Umar saw him
and asked, "Abu Bakr, what has brought you out at this hour? Abu Bakr
said he had left his house because he was terribly hungry and Umar
said that he had left his house for the same reason. The Prophet came
up to them and asked, "What has brought the two of you out at this
hour?" They told him and he said, "By Him in Whose hands is my soul,
only hunger has caused me to come out also. But come with me."
They went to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. His wife opened the
door and said, "Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is withhim."
"Where is Abu Ayyub?" asked theProphet. Abu Ayyub, who was working in
a nearby palm grove, heard the Prophet's voice and came hurriedly.
"Welcome to the Prophet and whoever is with him," he said and went on
"O Prophet of God, this is not the time that you usually come." (Abu
Ayyub used to keep some food for the Prophet every day. When the
Prophet did not come for it by a certain time, Abu Ayyub would give it
to his family.) "You are right," the Prophet agreed.
Abu Ayyub went out and cut a cluster of dates in which there were ripe
and halfripe dates. "I did not want you to eat this," said the
Prophet. "Could you not have brought only the ripe dates?" "O
Rasulullah, please eatfrom both the ripe dates (rutb) and the half
ripe (busr). I shall slaughter an animal for you also." "If you are
going to, then do not kill one that gives milk," cautioned the
Prophet. Abu Ayyub killed a young goat, cooked half and grilled the
otherhalf. He also asked his wife to bake, because she baked better he
said.
When the food was ready, it wasplaced before the Prophet and his two
companions. The Prophet took a piece of meat and placed it in a loaf
and said,"Abu Ayyub, take this to Fatima. She has not tasted the like
of this for days.
When they had eaten and were satisfied, the Prophet said reflectively:
"Bread and meat and busr and rutb!" Tears began to flow from his eyes
as he continued:
"This is a bountiful blessing about which you will be asked on the Day
of judgment. If such comes your way, put your handsto it and say,
Bismillah (In the name of God) and when you have finished say, Al
hamdu lillahalladhee huwa ashbana wa anama alayna (Praise be to God
Who has given us enough and Who has bestowed his bounty on us). This
is best."
These are glimpses of Abu Ayyub's live during peace time. He also had
a distinguished military career. Much of his time was spent as a
warrior until it was said of him, "He did not stayaway from any battle
the Muslims fought from the time ofthe Prophet to the time of Muawiyah
unless he was engaged at the same time in another."
The last campaign he took part in was the one prepared by Muawiyah and
led by his son Yazid against Constantinople. Abu Ayyub at that time
was a very old man, almost eighty years old. But that did not prevent
him from joining the army and crossing the seas as a ghazi in the path
of God. After only a short time engaged in thebattle, Abu Ayyub fell
ill and had to withdraw from fighting. Yazidcame to him and asked:
"Do you need anything, Abu Ayyub?" "Convey my salaams to the Muslim
armies and say to them: "Abu Ayyub urges you to penetrate deeply into
the territory of the enemy as far as you can go, that you should carry
him with you and that you should bury him under your feet at the walls
of Constantinople." Then he breathed his last.
The Muslim army fulfilled the desire of the companion of the Messenger
of God. They pushed back the enemy's forces in attack after attack
until they reached the walls of Constantinople. There they buried him.
(The Muslims beseiged the city for four years but eventually hadto
withdraw after suffering heavy losses.)

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Is it recommended to fast ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah including the day of Eid?

Please could you answer my questions regarding this month of Dhul
Hijjah. On your website you mention how it is recommended to fast on
the day of 'Arafah, but I have read that this is true also of the
first ten days of Dhul Hijjah Is thiscorrect? If it is then can you
confirm if in total there will be 9 not ten fasts as the tenth day is
the Day of Eid.
Praise be to Allaah.
Fasting nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah is mustahabb. This is indicated by
the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
as narrated in the hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with
him): "There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to
Allaah then these ten days – i.e., ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah)." They
said: "O Messenger of Allaah, not even jihad for the sake of Allaah?"
He said: "Not even jihad for the sake of Allaah, unless a man goes out
himself with his wealth and does not come back withanything (i.e., he
expends all his wealth and is martyred)." Narrated by al-Bukhaari,969.
And it was narrated fromHunaydah ibn Khaalid from his wife that one
ofthe wives of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to fast nine days of Dhu'l-Hijjah and the day of 'Ashoora'
and three days of each month – the first Mondayand two Thursdays."
Narrated by Imam Ahmad, 21829; Abu Dawood, 2437; classed asda'eef in
Nasab al-Raayah, 2/180, but classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
With regard to fasting on the day of Eid, this is haraam, as is
indicated by the marfoo' hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah
be pleased with him): "He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)] forbade fasting on the day of (Eid) al-Fitr and the day
of al-Nahr (the day of sacrifice, i.e., Eid al-Adha)." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, no. 1992; Muslim, 827. The scholarsare unanimously agreed
that it is haraam to fast on these days.
Righteous deeds on these ten days are betterthan on others. With
regard to fasting, that should only be done on nine of them; the tenth
day is the day of Eid when it is haraam to fast.
Based on this, what is meant by the virtue of the ten days of
Dhu'l-Hijjah is fasting nine days only, even though they are called
ten days.