Women site, - Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life - II

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The Righteous Predecessors Warned Against Excessive Ambition in this World
The righteous predecessors, may Allaah have mercy upon them, understood the reality of this world and their hearts became attached to the Hereafter. Therefore, they advised their successors not to incline towards this worldly life and not to turn away from the Hereafter. ‘Ali, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “The things I fear most might harm you are following whims and having excessive ambitions in this worldly life, for following whims diverts you from the truth and having excessive ambitions causes you to forget the Hereafter.”
Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “Do not let extended welfare lure you into laxity, and do not be diverted by false hope; for whatever will come is near, and whatever is far will never come.”
Salmaan Al-Faarisi, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “Three things make me laugh out of irony: A person having excessive ambitions in this life while death awaits him, a person who is heedless while Allaah is encompassing of everything he does, and a person who laughs heartedly while not knowing whether Allaah Is angry or pleased with him.”
Once a man entered the house of Abu Tharr Al-Ghifaari, may Allaah be pleased with him, and started looking around his house, then he said, “O Abu Tharr, where is your furniture?” Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, replied, “We have another house that we are moving to ]he meant by that his house in heaven[.” The man said, “As long as you are here, it is necessary to have furniture.” Abu Tharr, may Allaah be pleased with him, replied, “The owner of the house ]i.e., Allaah[ is not leaving us here, therefore we are in no need of buying furniture.”
It was narrated that ‘Eesa )Jesus(, may Allaah exalt his mention, said, “How sane is the person who builds a home on the waves of the sea? This is the example of this world, so do not take it as your abode.”
‘Umar ibn Abdul-‘Azeez, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said in a Khutbah )Sermon(, “Do not let extended welfare harden your hearts and make you yield to your enemy. By Allaah, for a person to have excessive ambitions in this worldly life is a mistake, for he does not know whether he will live until the morning or not, or whether he will live until the evening or not; and death may take him at any moment between these.”
Abu Muhammad ibn ‘Ali Az-Zaahid, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
We followed a funeral procession in Al-Koofah and Abu Daawood At-Taa’i, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was among the people. During the burial, Abu Daawood, may Allaah have mercy upon him, withdrew and sat to a side. I then went and sat near him. He said, “Those who fear the punishment of Allaah will gain what they desire, even if it is difficult to obtain. Those who strive for this worldly life are negligent of the Hereafter; all what is destined is soon to happen. Know that all the people of this world will eventually be of the inhabitants of the graves. Also, know that the inhabitants of graves regret the time, money and effort that they wasted in persuing the pleasures of this life and are only pleased with the good deeds that they did during their lifetimes. Sadly, what the inhabitants of graves regret, the people of this world are competing, fighting over and disputing in courts over.
Al-Ghazzaali, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, “Death has snapped the necks of tyrants, broken the backs of emperors and cut short the false hopes of Caesars, whose hearts rejected the remembrance of death until it suddenly struck them and cast them into the earth. Have any of them found haven or refuge from death?”
Others said, “Many people start their day and die before it ends and many wait for the next day but never reach it. If only you realize the truth of life and how quickly it passes by, you would detest excessive ambitions in this life and its delusion.”
Yet others said, “How can a person be happy with this life when every day deducts a month of his age, and every month eliminates a year of his age, and every year destroys his life, and his life leads him to his death.”
Muhammad ibn Waasi‘, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked, “How do you find yourself?” He replied, “I have a short life, excessive ambitions in this world and many wrong deeds.”
A man wrote a letter to his brother, saying, “Sorrow over what is missed from the pleasures of this life is endless and death is close to a person. Every day decreases his lifespan; and illness gradually increases in his body day after day. So, start performing good deeds before death comes to you. Peace be upon you.”
Consequences of Excessive Ambitions in this Worldly Life
Having excessive ambitions in this worldly life leads to committing misdeeds and keeps a person away from obeying Allaah. It is also one of the causes of violating prohibitions, transgression and plundering others' rights. Therefore, a person must always recall death and show due reverence towards Allaah.
The Remedy for this Disease
Ignorance and love of this world are the cause of having excessive ambitions in this worldly life. Treatment of this disease lies in being aware of its dangers and harmful consequences, realizing the importance of performing obligations on their prescribed time and understanding that procrastination leads a person to failure and loss. The slave of Allaah has to know that he is required to be where Allaah The Exalted has commanded him to be, and to avoid acts that Allaah The Exalted has commanded him to abstain from. One also should make his motto the same as that raised by Haatim Al-Asamm, may Allaah have mercy upon him, who said, “I knew that none would perform my duties for me and therefore I am occupied in fulfilling them. I saw that people look at my appearance while Allaah looks at what is concealed inside me, so I realized that it is worthier and better to be conscious that Allaah is watching me. I also knew that death comes suddenly and, therefore, I decided to perform good deeds before it comes.”
There is a great difference between having hopeful expectations and having extensive ambitions in this worldly life. A person who has hopeful expectations for something will do his utmost in order to attain it and a person who fears something will flee from it. On the other hand, having excessive ambitions in this life leads a person to neglecting the matters of the Hereafter and preparing for it. One who seeks remedy for this disease has to understand the truth of this worldly life and how insignificant and valueless it is, and that it takes the side of those who are mean and cowardly and is their endless pleasure. Principally, one does not find in this world but what he dislikes and when he finds something that pleases him, it is but an exception.
Once, Ibn As-Sammaak, may Allaah have mercy upon him, went to Haaroon Ar-Rasheed, may Allaah have mercy upon him, while Haaroon was having a drink of water. Then Haaroon Ar-Rasheed asked for his admonishment. Thereupon, Ibn As-Sammaak said, “O Commander of the believers, if you were prevented this drink of water, would you pay for it with half of your kingdom?” He replied, “Yes.” Then he asked, “O Commander of the believers, if you drunk this water and then could not urinate it, would you pay for this ]i.e., to be able to do so[ with half of your kingdom?” He replied, “Yes.” Then Haaroon said, “A kingdom does not ]even[ equal a drink of water or its urination.”
Al-Fudhayl ibn ‘Iyaadh, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, “All goodness was collected in a house, and the key to this house is asceticism in this worldly life, and all evil was collected in a house, and the key to this house is the love for this worldly life.”
It was said, “This world is like one's shadow; if you try to catch it, it will escape from you, and if you leave it, it will follow you.”
Therefore, you have to ask yourself: “Where are the former and later peoples? Where are those who filled the world from east to west with pride and glory? Where are those who furnished their palaces with silks and gems? Where are those who caused the earth to tremble out of veneration and exaltation for them? Do you perceive of them anyone, or hear from them a sound?” Allaah caused them to perish, as He did with other nations, and exterminated them like disintegrated ruins. Allaah also removed them from the spaciousness of their palaces to the narrowness of graves, under stones and rocks and they became so that nothing was seen of them except their dwellings. What they accumulated throughout their lives did not benefit them, and what they earned did not avail them. Both the living and their beloved left them; both their brothers and friends abandoned them; both their relatives and non relatives forgot them. It is as if death is not decreed upon us and that it will only befall others. When we follow a funeral procession, it is as if the deceased is just going on a journey and will soon return, then we consume their inheritance as if we will be immortal in this world.
O people! Fill your life in this world with obeying Allaah and following the methodology of your Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and let your motto be:}And I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased.{




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Dought & clear, - (Belief) - What are the things that make faith decrease?.

What are the things that make faith decrease?
Praise be to Allaah.
The things that make faith decrease are as follows:
1.Ignorance of the names and attributes of Allaah makes a decrease in
faith inevitable, because if a man is lacking in knowledge of the
names and attributes of Allaah, he will be lacking in faith.
2.Neglecting to think about the signs of Allaah in the universe and
the signs of sharee'ah (i.e., verses of the Qur'aan and miracles of
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), etc.). This
causes a decrease in faith or at the very least it causes it to
stagnate and not grow.
3.Committing sins, because sin has a profound effect on the heart and
on faith. Hence the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "The adulterer at the time when he is committing adultery is not
a believer."
4.Neglecting to do acts of worship, because neglecting to do acts of
worship causes a decrease in faith. But if the act of worship is
obligatory and a person neglects it with no excuse, then he is to be
blamed and deserves punishment. If the act of worship is not
obligatory, or it is obligatory but a person does not do it for a
valid reason, then he is lacking but is not to be blamed. Hence the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described women as
lacking in reason and in religion, and he explained their lacking in
religion as being because of the fact that when they menstruate, they
do not pray or fast. But they are not to be blamed for not praying or
fasting during their menstruation; rather they are commanded not to do
these things at that time. But because they miss out on doing some of
the things that men do, they are regarded as lacking in this regard.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Rasaa'il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih
al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1. p. 57

Dought & clear, - (Belief) - Does faith increase and decrease according to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah?.

What is the definition of eemaan (faith) according to Ahl al-Sunnah
wa'l-Jamaa'ah? Does it increase and decrease?
Praise be to Allaah.
According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah, eemaan (faith) is "belief in
the heart, words on the tongue and actions of the body." This includes
three things:
1. Belief in the heart
2.Words on the tongue
3.Actions of the body
As this is the case, then it will increase and decrease. That is
because the degree of belief in the heart differs from one person to
another. Believing in what someone tells you is not the same as
believing something that you see with your own eyes. Believing in what
one person tells you is not the same as believing what two people tell
you, and so on. Hence Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) said:
" 'My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.' He (Allaah) said:
'Do you not believe?' He [Ibraaheem (Abraham)] said: 'Yes (I believe),
but to be stronger in Faith'"[al-Baqarah 2:260]
Eemaan may increase with regard to belief, contentment and
tranquillity in the heart. A person may experience that in himself
when he attends gatherings of dhikr where he hears a lesson.
Remembering Paradise and Hell increases eemaan to the point where it
as if you can see them with your own eyes. But when a person is
negligent and leaves those gatherings, this certain faith is reduced
in his heart.
Eemaan in the sense of words may increase similarly. Whoever remembers
Allaah a few times is not like one who remembers Him one hundred
times. The latter is far better in eemaan.
And the one who does an act of worship in a perfect manner will have
more faith than one who does it in an imperfect manner.
The same applies to righteous deeds. If a person does good deeds
physically more than another, the one who does more will have more
eemaan than the one who does less. This is stated in the Qur'aan and
Sunnah – I mean the fact that eemaan may increase and decrease. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We have fixed their number (19) only as a trial for the
disbelievers, in order that the people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians) may arrive at a certainty [that this Qur'aan is the truth
as it agrees with their Books regarding the number (19) which is
written in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] and that the
believers may increase in Faith [al-Muddaththir 74:31]
"And whenever there comes down a Soorah, some of them (hypocrites)
say: "Which of you has had his Faith increased by it?" As for those
who believe, it has increased their Faith, and they rejoice.
But as for those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubt, disbelief and
hypocrisy), it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion,
disbelief and doubt; and they die while they are disbelievers
[al-Tawbah 9:124-125]
According to a saheeh hadeeth, the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "I have never seen any women lacking in
reason and faith who have a more negative impact on the mind of a
serious man than you."
Thus eemaan increases and decreases.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Rasaa'il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih
al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1, p. 49)

Dought & clear, - (Belief) - Ruling on a believer whocommits some sins.

What is the situation of a believer who commits many sins during his
life? Will Allaah forgive him or will he be punished? What is the
extent of his punishment?
Praise be to Allaah.
If believers die believing in Allaah but having committed sins less
than major shirk that puts a person beyond the pale of Islam, one of
two scenarios may apply:
1 – they repented from those sins during their lives. If they repented
sincerely, Allaah will accept that from them, and they will once again
become like those who did not commit any sin, and they will not be
punished for their sins in the Hereafter. Indeed, their Lord may
honour them and turn their bad deeds (sayi'aat) into good deeds
(hasanaat).
2 – those who die without having repented from their sins, or whose
repentance was imperfect and did not meet the required conditions, or
their repentance was not accepted. What is proven in the verses of the
Qur'aan and the Sunnah of the Prophet, and on which the righteous
salaf was agreed is that these – the sinners among those who believe
in Tawheed (the oneness of Allaah) – fall into three categories:
The first category:People who have many hasanaat (good deeds) to their
credit, which outweigh these sayi'aat (bad deeds). Allaah will forgive
them for their bad deeds and admit them to Paradise. The Fire will
never touch them, as a kindness and blessing from Allaah. According to
a hadeeth narrated by Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah will
bring the believer close and will shelter him with His screen, then He
will say, 'Do you remember such and such a sin? Do you remember such
and such a sin?' and he will say, 'Yes, O Lord,' until He makes him
confess his sins and he thinks that he is doomed. Then [Allaah] will
say, 'I concealed it for you in the world and I forgive you for it
today.' Then he will be given the book of his good deeds (hasanaat).
But as for the kaafir and the hypocrite, the witnesses will say,
'These are the ones who lied against their Lord!' No doubt! the curse
of Allaah is upon the zaalimoon (wrongdoers) [cf. Hood 11:18].'"
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2441; Muslim, 2768).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"So as for those whose Scale (of good deeds) will be heavy, they will
be the successful (by entering Paradise)"[al-A'raaf 7:8]
"Then as for him whose Balance (of good deeds) will be heavy,
He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise)"[al-Qaari'ah 101:6-7]
The second category:people whose hasanaat and sayi'aat are equal, so
their sayi'aat are enough to keep them away from Paradise, but their
hasanaat are enough to save them from Hell. These are the people of
al-A'raaf (a wall with elevated places) whom Allaah says will stand
between Paradise and Hell as long as Allaah wills, then they will be
granted permission to enter Paradise, as Allaah says after telling us
of the entrance of the people of Paradise to Paradise and the people
of Hell to Hell. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And between them will be a (barrier) screen and on Al-A'raaf (a wall
with elevated places) will be men (whose good and evil deeds would be
equal in Scale), who would recognise all (of the Paradise and Hell
people), by their marks (the dwellers of Paradise by their white faces
and the dwellers of Hell by their black faces). And they will call out
to the dwellers of Paradise, 'Salaamun 'Alaykum' (peace be on you),
and at that time they (men on Al-A'raaf) will not yet have entered it
(Paradise), but they will hope to enter (it) with certainty.
And when their eyes will be turned towards the dwellers of the Fire,
they will say: 'Our Lord! Place us not with the people who are
Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).'
And the men on Al-A'raaf (the wall) will call unto the men whom they
would recognise by their marks, saying: 'Of what benefit to you were
your great numbers (and hoards of wealth), and your arrogance (against
Faith)?'
Are they those, of whom you swore that Allaah would never show them
mercy. (Behold! It has been said to them): 'Enter Paradise, no fear
shall be on you, nor shall you grieve'"[al-A'raaf 7:46-39]
The third category:People who will meet Allaah persisting in
committing major sins and acts of immorality, so their sayi'aat will
outweigh their hasanaat. These are the ones who will deserve to enter
Hell in a manner commensurate with their sins. Some of them will be
seized by the Fire as far as their ankles, some up to mid-calf, some
up to their knees, and for some only the mark of sujood will be
spared. These are the ones whom Allaah will permit to be brought forth
from the Fire because of the intercession of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). He, all the Prophets, the angels,
the believers and whoever else Allaah wishes to honour will intercede
for them. Whoever among these sinners has more faith and committed
less sins will have a lighter punishment and remain in Hell for a
shorter period and will be brought forth sooner. Those whose sins were
greater and whose faith was weaker, will have a greater punishment and
will remain for longer. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound from
all evils.
This is the situation of the sinful believers in the Hereafter.
With regard to this world, so long as they do not do anything that
would put them beyond the pale of Islam, then they are believers whose
faith is lacking, as the righteous salaf agreed, basing that on the
verses of the Qur'aan and the ahaadeeth of the Prophet. These aayahs
include:
"But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the relatives) of
the killed against blood money, then adhering to it with fairness and
payment of the blood money to the heir should be made in fairness"
[al-Baqarah 2:178 – interpretation of the meaning]
So Allaah describes the killer as the brother of the heirs of the
victim. This brotherhood is the brotherhood of faith, which indicates
that the killer is not regarded as a kaafir, even though killing a
believer is one of the most serious of major sins.
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And if two parties (or groups) among the believers fall to fighting,
then make peace between them both. But if one of them outrages against
the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which outrages
till it complies with the Command of Allaah. Then if it complies, then
make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily,
Allaah loves those who are the equitable.
The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So
make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allaah, that you
may receive mercy"[al-Hujuraat 49:9-10]
So Allaah described each of the fighting parties as believers, even
though fighting is a major sin. Indeed, He described the ones who
reconcile between them as being their brothers, which indicates that
the one who commits a major sin which does not reach the degree of
shirk and kufr is still regarded as a believer and comes under the
rulings on believers, but he is lacking in faith. In this way the
shar'i texts may be reconciled and support one another. And Allaah
knows best.
SeeA'laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 212;Sharh al-'Aqeedah
al-Waasitiyyahby Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 2/238.