Dhikr: The Most Virtuous Act

Bismillahir-Rahma-nir-Raheem
"Therefore, remember Me; I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and
reject Me not."
(Suratul Baqarah 2:152)
Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) has warned of us a day that
will come, a day inwhich there will be no soul left on earth to hymn
the name of Allah and it is only by the name of Allah that the system
of this world is running. This most regretful day will come nearing
the timing of the end of the world. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wa
sallam) said, "The world and all its contents are cursed and devoid of
Allah's mercy, except for threethings: (1) the dhikr, orremembrance,
of Allah (and all other worshipsnear it), (2) the religious (and
truthful)alim, and (3) the student, who is a seeker of religious
knowledge.
If we look at the world we live in today, how many people, in just our
families, will we find, who are engaged in the dhikr, remembrance and
glorification, of Allah? Most likely, we wouldn't find many. This, in
most cases, it isa well-known fact. We see it with our own eyes and in
our own relatives, if not within our ownselves. All we care about
nowadays is the world: money, careers, have a"name," big houses,
expensive cars--all the worldly materialistic things. This is a major
deceit of Shaytaan to the believers and the believers easily fall into
Satan's trap, except those who are true to Allah. These arethey who
are devoted to Allah's worship, who engage in His remembrance,
'sitting, standing, and reclining,' as Allah saysin Al-Qur'an (3:191).
The dhikr of Allah carries immense reward and vast and unlimited
blessings, which we often neglect. The peace of mind one attains with
the remembrance of Allah is the sweetest experience felt in the heart.
The sacred nameof Allah is so full of blessings that it, alone,has the
power to save one from the punishment of the grave. Khawaja Muhammad
Islam narrates a story in his book, The Spectacle of Death--Glimpses
of LifeBeyond the Grave, an incident of a dying man. Hadhrat Abu
Qatada (radiyallahu anhu) went to visit his ill nephew, Majan, whowas
on the verge of death. Two "black" angels appeared with hammers in
their hands. One of the angels told the other to go to the patient to
make certain if he had done any good deed. So, the angel came down and
smelt Majan's head, belly, and feet and reported to his companion that
he had smelt his head and found it empty of the knowledge of the Holy
Qur'an; he had smelt his belly, but hadfound no sign of him keeping
fasts; and he had smelt his feet and found no evidence of his standing
in worship for even a single night. Therefore,the other angel came to
Majan and did the same and found nothing until he squeezed the tip of
his tongue and reported that he had found a Takbir (i.e. Allahu Akbar)
that Majan had very sincerely uttered. And as soon as the angel wrung
his tongue, the smell of musk spread in all directions and, just then,
the soul was extracted. So, the dhikrof Allah has many virtues as
described in the verses of the Holy Qur'an and the collections of
ahaadith.
The dhikr of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala isthe most admirable and
virtuous and rewardful act in the sight of Allah, not to mention the
easiest deed that one could perform. Our Beloved Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) said, "Those who are admitted in to Paradise will
not repent over anything of this world, except the time spend without
dhikr in their lives." Dhikr has so many merits that it would be
difficult to list all without publishing a book about this topic.
Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) once asked his companions,
"Shall I tell you something thatis the best of all deeds, constitutes
the best actof piety in the eyes of your Lord, will elevate your
status in the Hereafter, and carries more virtue than the spending of
gold and silver in the service of Allah or taking part in jihad or
slaying or being slain in the path of Allah?" The companions
(radiyallahu anhum) begged to know, whereupon the Messenger of Allah
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) replied, "It is the dhikr of Allah, the
Almighty." In another hadith, the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa
sallam) said, "Keep your tongues moist with the dhikr of Allah,"
meaning to keep busy in the dhikr of Allah so that way, it will
prevent one from committing the major sins of telling lies,
backbiting, talking unnecessarily, etc. Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi
wa sallam) also said, "Do dhikr so much that people will think you are
a maniac."
Ibn Abbas (radiyallahu anhu) narrated:"Paradise has eight gates, one
of which is exclusively reserved for those engaged in dhikr." Dhikr is
the source of one's spiritual elevation, whether done in bed at night
or in the market, whether in good health or in sickness, or even
whenone is making most of the pleasures of life. Nothing, but dhikr,
cantake a man to such spiritual heights, the heights of the angels,
whereby one's heart is so illuminated with the light of dhikr that
even asleep, he is morewakeful than the one who is neglectful of
Allah's remembrance, who is awake all through the night. The Prophet
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) said, "The contrast between a person
whoglorifies Allah and one who does not remember Him is like that
between the living and the dead."
There is a sort of hardness in the humanheart and this hardness can
only be softened by the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. One
whoseheart is void of Allah's remembrance is as if he is dead. His
heart becomes harder than the rocks, for, as Allah says in the Qur'an,
even rocks fall down tothe fear or Allah (2:74).Allah says:
"Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance
of Allah. Such are in plain error." (Suratuz-Zumar39:22)
Dhikr is the remedy of all the ills of the heart. There is a corner in
theheart of man, which cannot be filled with anything, but dhikr. When
dhikr controls the heart, not only does it fill up this empty space,
it leads one to contentment, which all the wealth in the world would
fail toproduce. On the other hand, the indolent comes to disgrace in
the sight of Allah through neglect of Allah's remembrance, despite the
fact that hemay contain much wealth and riches, family and friends,
strength and power.
Dhikr is also the main source of nourishment for the ruh, the soul. Allah says:
"And be not you as those who forgot Allahand therefore He caused them
to forget their own souls. Such are the losers." (Suratul Hashr 59:19)
Dhikr is the key to nourishing and strengthening the soul and a
nourished and healthy ruh is the key to reaching the heightsof the
angels, who are ever engaged in Allah'sdhikr.
The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) said, "Everything has a
polish, which takes away rust. The polish of the heart is dhikr."
Therefore, one who has forgotten Allah, the Creator of all that isin
the heavens and the earth, has a heart whose sins surround itand veil
it from the nurof Allah entering.
Dhikr is so virtuous that it can save one from the punishment of the
grave. In a hadith, Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) stated,
"No other action of a person can surpass dhikr of Allah in savinghim
from the punishment of the grave." Dhikr is so easyto perform and for
his most effortless deed, we receive such immense reward. We, in turn,
should not be neglectful of it becauseit will help us in many many
ways. If we remember Allah in our happy times, He will remember us in
our afflictions. Dhikr is the key to the nearness of Allah, the
Merciful, the Wise, the Mighty. The greater the amount and quality of
dhikr, the greater the nearness to the Creator. And the greater the
neglectfulness of dhikr,the greater the distance from Him.
Abu Hurairah (radiyallah anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) saidthat Allah said, "I treat My slave according to
his expectations from Me and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he
remembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My heart. If he
remembersMe in a gathering, I remember him in a better gathering (i.e.
the gathering of the angels). If he comes closer to Me by one span, I
go towards hima cubit's length. If he comes towards me a cubit's
length, I go towards him an arm's length, and if he walks towards Me,
I run towards him." If one increases his devotion to Allah subhanahu
wata'ala, the increase in Allah's mercy and kindness is far greater,as
mentioned in his hadith by "getting near" and "running." If one wants
to be successful in this world, in the akhirah, and in the eyes of
Allah, he should increase his devotion to Him.
On the other hand, one who is devoid of dhikr and remembrance of
Allah, becomes dry andstiff and as lifeless as a dried up leaf. If you
step on it, it will crumble into pieces, but if you moisten it, it
will revive.
Dhikr is the one act, which is not performed at prescribed times, as
are salah, zakah, fasting, and hajj. This is one of the reasons why it
is one of the most virtuous and significant acts of worship in the
sight of Allah. Its rewards carrymuch weight. It keeps Shaytaan away
and weakens his strength. Abu Sa'eed Khazaz (rahmatullahi alaiyh)
stated that once, he saw in a dream that Shaytaan attacked him and he
also fought back by beating him with a stick, but Shaytaan did not
care for this beating. Then he heard a heavenly voice saying that the
devil is not frightened by the beating. He is only frightened by the
spiritual light in one's heart.
This most favorable actis the cause of Allah's pleasure, the source of
happiness and joy felt in the heart, the reasonfor success in the
Hereafter. Some brothers, who go in jamaat to different locations of
the world, say that even when they are the most tired, hungry, and
exhausted, they are still the happiest in theworld because they know
they've got Allah.If only we all could feel this! It relieves the mind
of anxieties and worries and brightens the face and heart withnur and
peace. It induces love for Allah, which is the spirit of Islam, the
pivot of deen, the source of success and salvation in the akhirah. It
helps one realize the Greatness and Grandeur of Allah, the
All-Knowing, and strengthens the consciousness of his Presence and
Existence. It is the key to Paradise. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaiyhi
wa sallam) said, "When you pass the Gardens of Paradise, graze in
yourheart's content." Someone asked, "O Prophet of Allah! What is
meant by Gardens of Paradise?" He replied,"Gatherings for performing
dhikr." If a person is fortunate enough to get access to such
gatherings, he should not hesitate to join and should take full
advantage of this, as these are the Gardens of Paradise onEarth, as
the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) explained. In these
gatherings, the angels of the heavens descend to also join the
gathering of the dhikr of their Creator, the All-Embracing.
Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) said, "Jibreel
(alaiyhis-salam) laid so much emphasis on doing dhikr that I felt,
without dhikr, nothingcan benefit whatsoever." Dhikr is an act most
loved by Allah. It is what strengthens a person's iman, belief, and
faith. The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) advised for us to
keep renewing our faith by reciting 'La ilalah illallah,' and this
kalimah is the most rewardful and most heavy on the scales of justice
on the Day of Resurrection. It is mostblessed and the one who performs
dhikr and remembers Allah, the angels pray for his forgiveness. When a
person does dhikr often, the angels become familiar with his voice and
pray on his behalf when he is in afflictions, but if a person does not
engage in Allah's glorification, the angels are unfamiliar with his
voice, and therefore, do not pray on his behalf. Dhikr is avery
auspicious act, which is tremendously stressed in many ahaadith and
verses of the Qur'an, some of which have been mentioned in this
reading.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala include us among the most fortunate
servants who engage in His dhikr and who are included in the 'Gardens
of Paradise' on Earth. May He give us towfique to practicesuch a
favorable, rewardful, and easy acthabitually and abundantly throughout
our lives. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala bless us with Jannatul
Firdaus through this most virtuous and meritful act. And may we be
included among those of whom He has favored, not those whoearn His
anger, nor those who go astray. And may we be included among the
successful in attaining the pleasure of our Lord. Ameen.
Alhumdulillahi Rabbil Alameen.

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The Best Role Model forMankind

No community has been without its righteous guides and teachers to
help its people towards the truth and to lead them from the depths of
darkness to the light ofIslam. The Prophets of Allah Subhanahu wa
Taaala received the message and direction that enabled them to counsel
their contemporaries. Through the ages, the earlier messages were
distorted. Mankind having lost sight of theShariah was in dire need of
divine guidance. It had degenerated inwardly and outwardly to an
abominable and immoral course of conduct. In the midst of spiritual
decay, Allahopened a door of Hidayah, sending His mercy to all of
mankind, His Final Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), to guide
them from the darkness of Jahiliyyah to the light of Islam.
Alif. Lam. Ra. (This is) a Scripture which We have revealed unto
you(Muhammad) that thereby you may bring forth mankind from darkness
unto light, by the permission of theirLord, unto the path of the
Mighty, the Owner of Praise. (Suratul Ibrahim 14:1)
He it is who blesses you, and His angels (bless you), that He may
bring you forth from darkness unto light; and He is Merciful to the
believers. (Suratul Ahzaab 33:43)
A messenger reciting unto you the revelations of Allah made plain,
that He may bring forth those who believe and do good works from
darkness unto light. And whosoever believes in Allah and does right,
He will bring him into Gardensunderneath which rivers flow, therein to
abide forever. Allah hath made good provision for him. (Suratut-Talaaq
65:11)
The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) was sent as a teacher and
role model for all of mankind. He was sent as a warner of Allahs wrath
and punishment, a bearer or good tidings, as well as a guide to
Paradise.
O Prophet! Verily, We have sent you as a witness, and a bearer of glad
tidings, and a warner and as one who invites to Allah (alone) by His
permission and as a lamp that gives light. (Suratul Ahzaab 33:45-46)
The above verse tell us that Allah has sent the Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) as a lamp that gives light, which means that the
Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) is the source of guidance.He
spreads light and mercy through the instructions, teachings,and
practice of the Quran and Sunnah.
The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) has the best personality,
characteristics, and morals. Once when Aisha (radiyyallahu anha) was
asked aboutthe life and conduct of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa
sallam), she replied, Have you not read the Quran? His character is
the complete explanation of the Quran. This means that his daily life
was a living illustration and explanation of the Quran. He did and
said everything in accordance to the teachings of the Quran and his
life is the reflection of the Shariah of Allah. He maintained the best
characteristics in his roles as father, husband, friend, ruler,
governor, teacher, statesman, protector of the weak, widows, and poor,
a guide to the rich, a guardian of the orphans, and a servant of
Allah. No one could ever equal the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa
sallam) in the whole history of mankind and no one ever will, insha
Allah.
And verily, you are on an exalted standard of character. (Suratul Qalam 68:4)
When the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) came into this world,
the community at that time was known as ummi, meaning illiterate. They
did not know how to read or write. They did not know the potential of
a human being. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), himself,
also was not educated. He had never even seen the face of a teacher,
nor had he ever picked up a book and read even a sentence. On one
hand, we have a community and on the other hand, we have the Prophet
who was sent to guide them andboth are ummiilliterate. Allah commanded
the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam):
Arise and warn! (Suratul Muddath-thir 74:2)
So the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) stood up and made two
major claims:
1. I have been sent intothis world as an educator and warner.
2. I have been sent intothis world to perfect the best of moral
conduct in human behavior, to educate and purify them.
These were two of the biggest challenges thatthe Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) had to face and two of the biggest goals he had
toaccomplish throughout his prophethood.
In a period of twenty-three years, when the last sermon was given in
the field of Arafat, there were approximately 124 to 144 thousand
Muslims present. There was no other period of time in the past two
millenniums that one person has changed the lives and minds of so many
people in a period of twenty-threeyears.
A professor of Islamic and Arabic Studies at Edinburgh University, who
wrote a biography of the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam)
called, Muhammad in Mecca, Muhammad in Medina, stated: One thing
baffles me. I cannot understand how one man, who hasno formal
education, could lead a community, who behaved like animals and
created those same human beings into men the world had never seen.
The Weekly News Magazine, TIME, dated July 15, 1974, carried a
selection of opinions by various historians, writers, military men,
businessmen, and others on the subject: Who Were Historys Great
Leaders? Some said that is was Hitler; others said Ghandi, Buddha,
Lincoln, and the like. But Jules Masserman, a United States
psychoanalyst put the standards straight by giving the correct
criteria wherewith to judge. He said: Leaders must fulfil three
functions:
1. Provide for the wellbeing of the led.
2. Provide a social organization in which people feel relatively secure, and
3. Provide them with one sent of beliefs.
With the above three criteria, he searches history and analyzes
Hitler, Pasteur, Caesar, Moses, Confucius, and the lot, and ultimately
concludes:
People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People
like Gandhi and Confusius, on the otherhand, and Alexander, Caesar,
and Hitler on the other hand, are leaders in the second sense and
perhaps the third sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category
alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Muhammad, who
combined all three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did the same.
A Christian Reverend and commentator of the Bible, followed by that of
his Master, said:The ultimate criterion of a true prophet is themoral
character of his teachings.
The men that have been quoted above, who have praised the Noble
Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) are not Muslims, but they are
those who have studied Islam and understood that Prophet Muhammad
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) was no ordinary man.
When the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) sent a letter to
Caesar, the King of Rome, inviting him to embrace Islam, Hercules
summoned Abu Sufyan bin Harb, who was the archenemy of the Prophet
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) and the believers at that time, and
questioned him about this man, who was claiming to be a prophet of
God. Abu Sufyans testimony went as follows:
Muhammad descends from a noble family. Noone of this family happened
to assume kingship. His followers are deemed weak withnumbers ever
growing. He neither tells lies nor betrays others, we fight him and he
fights us, but with alternate victory. He bids people to worship Allah
Alone with no associate, and abandon our fathers beliefs. He orders us
to observe prayer, honesty, abstinence, and maintain strong family
ties.
Hercules replied:
I fully realize that Prophets come from noble families; he doesnot
affect any previous example of prophethood. Since none of his
ancestors was a monarch, we cannot then allege thathe is a man trying
to reclaim his fathers monarchy. So long as he does not tell lies to
people, he is, for the more reason, immune to telling lies as regards
Allah. Concerning his followers being those deemed weak with numbers
ever growing, it is something that goes inagreement with questions of
Faith untilthis latter assumes its full dimensions geographically and
demographically. I have understood that no instance of apostasy has as
yet appeared among his followers and this points to the Bliss of Faith
that finds its abode in the human heart. Betrayal, as I see, is alien
to him because real Prophets hold betrayal in abhorrence. Bidding
worship of Allah with no associates, observance of prayer, honesty,
and abstinence and prohibition of paganism are traits bound to subject
to him all my possessions. I have already known that a Prophet must
arise, but it has never occurred to me that he will be an Arab from
among you. If I was sure, I would be faithful to him, I might hope to
meet him and if I were with him, I would wash his feet.
Even, Abu Sufyan, the most staunch enemy ofIslam before he converted,
had to testify to the excellent behavior and truthfulness of the
Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) and because of that, even
Hercules said that if he were present with the Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam), hedwash his feet with his own hands.
Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah, you have a good example to follow
for him who hopes (in the meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and
remembers Allah much. (Suratul Ahzaab 33:21)
One time, Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiyyallahu anhu) told the Messenger
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) that he loved him more than anything in
the world except for his ownself. The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa
sallam) told him it was not sufficient, so Umar (radiyyallahu anhu)
told the Final Messenger that he loved him more than his ownself. The
Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam) saidthat he had attained what
is proper. He stated: No one of you has a true faith until I am dearer
to him than his father, his children, and all of mankind. This was
recorded in Bukhari and Muslim. The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa
sallam) is the most beloved creation to Allah and no one else could
surpass this love of Allah that He has for His noble creation. If one
does not love whatAllah loves, then he is bound to be destroyed.
Sahih Al-Bukhari narrates a hadithi qudsi on the authority of Ata
(radiyyallahu anhu), which comprehends most of the characteristics of
the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam):
O Prophet! We have surely sent you as a witness, a bringer of good
tidings, a warner,and a protector for the Ummis. You are my chosen
servant and Apostle. I have named you the Trusting, since you trust Me
in every matter. You are neitherrough mannered nor hard-hearted. Nor
do you uproar in the market place. You never requite evil for evil,
but forgive and overlook. Allah will notgive you death till He has
brought your stray nation on the right path through you and has given
light to the blind eyes of the unbelievers and has opened their deaf
ears and closed hearts. I will refine you with all that is noble; and
endow you with every noble habit; and will make tranquility your
attire and trait; and piety your conscience; and wisdom the substance
of your thought and knowledge and truthfulness and sincerity your
nature; and forgiveness and good works your custom; and justice your
practice, truth your rule, righteousness your guide, and forge the
followers of Islam into a community. Your name is Ahmad. Through you,
I will show the people the right path after deviation from it; and
bestow knowledge and wisdom upon them after their complete ignorance.
Through you, I will raise my creatures from the abysmal to the zenith
of perfectionand will make your Ummah the best Ummah for the guidance
of mankind.
The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) is the best role model for
mankind and it is incumbent upon each and every believer to obey and
follow the messenger if they hope for Paradise and the pleasure of
Allah, Most High, the Exalted. He was the most reliable, trusted, and
loved. He was the mostgenerous, keen and most attentive to the peoples
trust and was very careful to pay peoples due in full. He never
betrayed nor deceived nor lied.
The Prophet (sallallahualaiyhi wa sallam) said: The example of
guidance and knowledge with whichAllah has sent me (Quran and Sunnah)
is like abundant rain falling on the earth. Some of which was fertile
soil that absorbed rainwater and brought forth vegetation and grass in
abundance. Another portion of it was hard and held the rainwaterand
Allah benefited thepeople with it and theyutilized it for drinking and
to irrigate the landfor cultivation. A portion of it was barren which
could neither hold water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land
gave nobenefits). The first is the example of the person who
comprehends Allahs religion (Islam) and gets benefit (from the
knowledge) which Allah Taaala has revealed through me and learns and
then teaches it to others. The (last example is that of a) person who
does not care for it anddoes not take Allahs Guidance revealed through
me. (He is like that barren land.)
Say: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he is
only responsible for the duty placed on him (i.e. to convey the
Message) and you (are responsible) for what is placed on you. If you
obey him, you shall be on the right guidance. The Messengers duty
isonly to convey (the Message) in the clear way. (Suratun-Nur 24:54)
As a child, as a boy, as a youth, as a man, as a laborer, as a
husband, as a father, as a companion, as a businessman, as a preacher,
as a teacher, as a religious reformer, as a soldier, as a general, as
an administrator, as a planner, as a ruler of a state, as a leader of
thefaithful, as a protector of the weak, widows, and poor, as a guide
to the rich, as a guardian of the orphans, and as a servant and
messenger of Allah, the Beloved Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam)
has no equal, no parallel, and no peer in the entire history of
mankind. He stands head and shoulders above all other human beings in
the nobility of his character and the pietyof his soul. In all these
walks of life and in all of these departments, the Prophet (sallallahu
alaiyhi wa sallam) is a hero and the best role model for mankind.
I have always held the religion of Muhammadin high estimation because
of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion whichappears to me
to possess the assimilating capacity to the changing phase of
existence which can make itself appeal to every ageI believe that if a
man like him (Muhammad) were to assume dictatorship ofthe modern
world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would
bringit the much needed peace and happiness
--G.B. Shaw, The Genuine Islam, Vol. 1, No. 81936
May Allah shower His choicest blessings upon the Beloved, Honored
Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam), his companions, and all
those that follow him till the Day of Judgement. And may Allah include
us amongthose who love the Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam)
more than anyone and anything else in the world and may Allah give us
the ability to perfectly imitate the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad
(sallallahu alaiyhi wa sallam). Ameen, AlhumdulillahiRabbil Alameen.

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The Fever CHAPTER 9

The thrill was not enough.
Recently, the idea of playing the games by choosing my battles started
to lack its shiny luster. I wanted more of a thrill. I needed
something regain that shiny appeal.
So I stopped playing the games, and I started gambling.
The thrill was unbelievable- putting thousands of dollars on the line
and feeling the rise of adrenaline as the final card turned or the
anguish of defeat as the opponent put you right where he wanted you.
It was even more addictingthen when I started. I couldn't get enough
of it.
I had no worries. I was way over the mark that I needed to achieve,
and had much to spare. Even so, I started bringing more and more money
toeach event. I got scared once in awhile, losing immense amounts of
chips, but I regained them back slowly.
I pushed a stock of chips across the table, equating nearly eight
times the amount of my paycheck that I had received last night. This
was the nerve wrecking part of the game. It all depended on what he
had; but the thrill of emotions and ecstasy at the end kept me coming
back to the table.
My opponent called my bet, pushing in the remainder of the chips he
had left. I nervously started chomping on the end of my cigar,
spilling aresidue onto my silk tie. These final cars could determine
whether I win yet another night or whether I go home, down thousands
of dollars.
I flipped my cards first. He followed suit.
"Three of a kind," he announced proudly.
"Full house," I replied, cocky.
"Bastard," he responded with a look of anger across his face.
And that was where the game ended. I took the remainder of the chips
from the table and went to cash in. $48 grand wasnot at all a bad
night of gambling. I was getting better every time. It seemed as if my
luck never ran out. The thrill of winning never went away. It was my
life. It was like a fever, a thrill that never went away. It was hot,
always exciting, always changing.
"And I'll raise twenty-grand saying that you don't have that flush
thatyou are trying to make usbelieve you have!"
"Ha-ha I call!"
"I bet you do, trying to scare me away from all that money!"
"Flush! Told you ha-ha!"
"Ah whatever, it's only twenty-grand!"
I leaned back in my chair after pulling all the chips towards my end
of the table. I folded my hand behind my head and smiled as the dealer
shuffled and dealt yet another hand.
Bigger money just meant bigger excitement. I had gotten lucky way too
many times, boosting my winnings tremendously. Some people I gambled
with were gambling away six figures like it was nothing. This nasty
habit dominated my life.
Bigger gambles just made for bigger wins.
Tonight, I was not havinga good night. I was so boozed up that I could
barely sit straight in my chair. I had lost almost$350,000 tonight. I
couldn't figure out why I continued to play with just a small stack of
chips.I had told myself I was going to be careful tonight since
tomorrow I needed to pay the man inthe hooded sweatshirt a quarter of
a million dollars.
This dark evening, I was playing some of the richest men in all of the
Chicago-Milwaukee area. We met aboard a private yacht on Lake Michigan
to play the biggest game that I had ever experienced. Buy-in was a
half-million dollars- almost half of what I owned. I had just hit the
million mark a few days ago.
The night had been going fairly well. There were a dozen of us to
start, and slowly but surely everyone was weeded down to just two
people. Me and this large, plump man. He hid his eyes with his
suit-matching tailored hat and chewed on a cigar.
I was having a hard time surviving from round to round, struggling to
stay in. I was amazed how theplump man weeded through everyone else,
never seeming to harm me, just worried about eliminating the rest of
the competition. Nothingmade sense to me.
Game after game we played, and I slowly bled chips. I started to gain
some back and my stack once again started to increase. Then the
opportunity of a lifetime showed itself.
I had just gotten dealt pocket rockets.
I tried not to show the excitement in my face as Islid the cards
closer to mychest. The first round of betting started, both checking.
The first cards were flipped.
Another ace showed itself right away.
My turn to bet, I tried to sucker this man for as much money as he
wouldallow. The next card flipped.
Nothing I could use.
The booze getting to my head, I was convinced nothing could stop me
this game. I pushed all in,nearly two-million dollarsworth of chips,
trying to get the large amount he had put in and then scarehim away.
He called my bet.
He must have seen me blush as a smile crept across his face- the first
sign of emotion I had seen all night. He had more chips, about
two-hundred thousand worth left.
The final card was flipped: nothing that could help me.
We flipped our cards simultaneously. What the dealer said broke my heart in two.
"Mr. Jackson wins with a Royal Flush, awarded 3.8 million dollars."
Clapping continued from behind us. Feeling defeated, the alcohol took
over my mind as I made the mistake that would change my life forever.
"I would like to buy in foranother round," I told the dealer. The
clapping stopped and Mr. Jackson just laughed as the dealer supplied
me with a rather small amount of chips compared to his large stack. I
was taking a big risk. This was all themoney I had left- the money I
needed to pay back the man tomorrow. But I didn't think about that; I
just thought about not going down without a fight and refusing to lose
the biggest game of my life. I couldn't, I wouldn't, accept defeat.
Games continued, all eyeson the two men at the table. I started out
better than I had done the whole night, but then I started to lose,
and lose big. I couldn't believe what I was doing as the remainder of
my chips entered the center of the pile. "I should never havehad that
last Jack Daniels," I thought to myself.
My heart broke as I saw the five cards laying face up. I had just lost
all my money that I had earned over the last two years within the last
hour. I didn't think about the money that I needed for the next day- I
just thought about how I hadlost one-million dollars inone night.
As I walked back outside to my Mercedes, a limo pulled up, all windows
tinted. It stopped at the dock where the yacht was Mr. Jackson started
walking towards it. The driver, a man in a black hooded sweatshirt,
got out and opened the doorfor his client.
"How was your night tonight Uncle Jack?"
"Well I won again. And I suckered this one kid for a couple million dollars."
"Well that's not bad at all," he said as he closed the door and looked
in my direction. He went nearly hysterical after he saw me and saw the
defeated look on my face. All the alcohol I had drunken earlier kept
me from comprehending what was going on.
I went home and attempted to fall asleep, but sleep wouldn't come. I
kept rolling around, wondering, and starting to comprehend the outcome
of my actions.
Tomorrow would be a

Food & Nourishment - , Dought & clear - , The difference between the wine of this world and the Hereafter.

We all know that wine isforbidden in this world and that it causes
intoxication and fogs the mind; hence it is rijs (an abomination) and
the handiwork of the Shaytaan, and it is the mother of all evils as
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him). My question
is: why is wine haraam in this world and halaal in the Hereafter?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah, may He be exalted, describes the wine of the Hereafter as
being different from the wine of this world. He says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Round them will be passed a cup of pure wine —
46. White, delicious to the drinkers.
47. Neither will they have Ghoul (any kind of hurt, abdominal pain,
headache, a sin) from that nor will they suffer intoxication
therefrom"
[al-Saaffaat 37:45-47]
So Allaah describes the wine of the Hereafter as:
1. white
2. delicious to the drinkers, unlike the wine of this world
whichis distasteful when drunk
3. having no "ghoul" (hurt, abdominal pain, headache, a sin) in
it, which is what affects one who drinks it in this world, of
headache, painin the stomach and loss of reason. In Soorat al-Waaq'iah
it says: "Wherefrom they will get neither any aching of the head"
[56:19], i.e.,they will not get a headache from it.
4. "nor will they suffer intoxication therefrom", unlike the wine
of this world which causes them to lose their minds.
See: Tafseer Soorat al-Saaffaat by Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, p. 107-109.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The wine of the Hereafter is good, and does not cause any intoxication
or harm. As for the wine of this world, it is harmful and causes
intoxication. In other words, in the wineof the Hereafter there is no
ghawl (intoxication) and the one who drinks it will not become
intoxicated; it does not cause him to lose his mind and it does not
cause physical harm. As for the wine of this world, it is harmful to
mind and body alike. None of the harmful effects in the wine of this
world will be found in the wine of the Hereafter. And Allaah is the
source of strength. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn