Some Superstitions About Paradise

The verses depicting Paradise awake in the reader today the same sense
of grandeur, quality,beauty, richness, bounteousness, well-being, and
prosperityas they did 14 centuries ago. All of the values associated
with Paradise have been desired by people of every period of history
and of every socialclass. For example, the gold, silver, and precious
jewels in Paradise, as described in the Qur'an, are even more in
demand today than they were in the past.
The Qur'an also mentions that silk will be found in Paradise. Today,
either as clothing or for decorative purposes, silk is preferred as a
high quality material.At the same time, it is a symbol of wealth and
grandeur. All of the precious things used to describe Paradise are far
more valuable today thanthey were 1,400 years ago.
Again, the beautiful residences, palaces, and mansions mentioned in
the Qur'an are luxurious places desired by everyone regardless of when
they live. Today's villas and mansions are allof this category, and
are marks of distinction, quality, and wealth.
Similarly, the thrones, couches, and cushions of Paradise form a part
of the most comfortable andgrand interior decoration. This kind of
aesthetically beautiful furnishing is today displayed in the grandest
of places.
Allah is the owner of all material things, and it belongs to His glory
to find His beloved servants worthy of all of these beautiful things,
both in this life and the next.
Does Paradise Contain Things Not Mentioned in the Qur'an?
The Qur'an describes Paradise through examples and comparisons taken
from this world, for people can imagine something unknown only in
terms ofthat which is known to them. However basic the description
might be, it gives a certain idea. The Qur'an's detailed and subtle
descriptions of Paradise's blessings show us that these blessings and
beauties are superior to the best, most beautiful, and highest quality
things to be foundin this world.
The Qur'an describes Paradise by giving examples of the most
desirable, high quality, and rarest things. For example, women with
large dark eyes have a rare quality that gives them an extremely
aesthetic and attractive appearance. Therefore, women in Paradise have
large, dark gazelle-like eyes. This does not mean that no women there
have green, blue, or brown eyes, but only serves to emphasize the
excellent quality of Paradise and Allah's statement that the finest
things here are much finerthere. To give another example: The Qur'an
says that every kind of fruit is present in Paradise. But, in various
verses, bananasand figs are generally singled out more often as the
preferred fruits. Of course, these fruits are two blessings chosen
from the infinite abundance of all fruits in Paradise.
The announcement that everything desired by everyone exists in
Paradise for their pleasureand to fulfill their hearts' desire is
enough to express the idea that Paradise's blessings are infinite and
far beyond human imagination. Everyone understands theQur'an to the
degree of his or her faith, intelligence, and sincerity. Thus
disbelievers who read it with ill-intentions will understand the
versesabout Paradise according to their own sterile ideas. However,
Paradise's superior beauty is evidentto anyone who thinks about such
verses with anopen and intelligent awareness. Allah displays a perfect
design even in the smallest details of thisworld; surely, it would be
easy for Him to create far more excellent things than these.
Indifference
Some people are indifferent to Paradise, saying: "If it comes; fine.
Ifit doesn't, that's fine too." However, in the afterlife there are
only two possibilities: Paradise or Hell. There is no option to go to
a place in between.
It is clear that someone who does not appreciate Paradise as is due,
who does not long for or desire to attain it, is unworthy of it and
will never be admitted to it. There is only one place forsuch a person
to go: Hell. For this reason, being indifferent to Allah's greatest
grace and gift to believers and not desiringto enter it, as well as
persisting in this attitude is one of the clearest signsthat he or she
belongs among the people of Hell.

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Conversations in Paradise

They will say: "Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from
us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged
us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence, where no weariness
or fatigue affects us." (Surah Fatir, 34-35)
The Qur'an contains detailed accounts of conversations among
believers, to whom Allah has given an exalted position in Paradise.
These conversations are important, because they provide a good example
for believers in this life. The verses: "They will hear no idle talk
in it, nor any call to sin. All that is said is: 'Peace! Peace!'''
(Surat al-Waqi'a, 25-26) show the importance of avoiding empty talk.
Elsewhere, the same pointis expressed as:
They will hear no idle talknor any lying there, as a recompensation
from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Suratan-Naba', 35-36)
Now, let us look at every word of wisdom in the conversations taking
place in Paradise.
After giving their account, believers are sent to Paradise in groups.
The gates of Paradise are opened for them, and they are greeted by the
gatekeeper, who says to them:
�"Peace be upon you! Youhave done well, so enter it timelessly,
forever." (Surat az-Zumar, 73)
In another verse, it is said that angels who will come in to welcome
themfrom every gate will say to them:
"Peace be upon you because of your steadfastness! How wonderful is the
Ultimate Abode!" (Surat ar-Ra'd, 24)
Believers answer:
"Praise be to Allah, Who has fulfilled His promise to us and made us
the inheritors of this land, letting us settle in the Garden wherever
we want. How excellent is thewage of those who work!" (Surat az-Zumar,
74)
"Beforehand we used to live in fear among our families. But Allah was
gracious to us and safeguarded us from the punishment of the
searingwind. Beforehand we certainly used to call uponHim because He
is the All-Good, the Most Merciful." (Surat at-Tur, 26-28)
"Praise be to Allah, Who has guided us to this! We would not have been
guided had Allah not guided us. The Messengers of our Lord came with
the Truth." (Surat al-A'raf, 43)
This verse continues:
It will be proclaimed to them: "This is your Garden, which you have
inherited for what you did." (Surat al-A'raf, 43)
In another verse, the believers' thanksgiving in Paradise is described as:
Their call there is: "Glory be to You, O Allah!" Their greeting there
is: "Peace!"The end of their call is:"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of
all the worlds!" (Surah Yunus, 10)
Another verse says:
They will say: "Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from
us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged
us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence, where no weariness
or fatigue affects us." (Surah Fatir, 34-35)
The conversation between believers in Paradise is related as follows:
They will turn to one another, asking each other [about their past
lives]. One of them will say: "I used to have a friend who would say
to me: 'Are you one of those who say that it is true, that after we
have died and are turned to dust and bones, we will face a
Reckoning?'"
[And] he will add: "Would you like to look [and see him]?"
So he will look down and see him in the midst of the Blazing Fire and
say:"By Allah, you almost ruined me! If it were not for the blessing
of my Lord, I would surely be [now] among those who are given over [to
suffering]. But then [Omy friends in Paradise,] is it [really] so that
we are notto die [again,] beyond ourprevious death and we shall never
[again] be made to suffer? Truly this is the Great Victory!" (Surat
as-Saffat, 50-60)
As we see from these verses, believers are aware that they have
arrived at this final happy end only by Allah's merciful will. Their
consciences are keen, and they remember the past. Perhaps their whole
lives are shown to them in detail, where they see themembers of their
intimatecircle trying to make themdeviate from the right path. And
they understand that if Allah had not protected them with His endless
grace, they could have followed the wrong path. Believers who come to
this awareness give thanks to Allah in Paradise, just as they did in
the world.
The verses below tell about the words spoken between the people of
Paradise and those in Hell,and give expression to the latter group's
sorrow:
In Gardens they will ask the evildoers: "What caused you to enter Saqar[Hell]?"
They will say: "We were not among the prayerful, and we did not feed
the poor. We plunged with those who plunged, and denied the Day of
Judgment until the Certainty came to us." Theintercession of those who
intercede will not help them. (Surat al-Muddaththir, 40-48)
So, the people in Hell confess the evil that they did during their
earthly lives, and ....

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The Highest Blessing: Allah's Good Pleasure

Allah has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with
rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and
fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah's good pleasure is
even greater. That is the great victory. (Surat at-Tawba, 72)
Earlier, we looked at the dazzling blessings found in Paradise. The
picture that emerges is one of letting people experience the greatest
pleasures and delights of the five senses.
But the biggest blessing of all is Allah's good pleasure, and the joy
and happiness a believer feels when he or she wins it. Asone hadith
also relates:"Allah would say to the inmates of Paradise: 'I shall
cause My pleasure toalight upon you' " (Muslim). Moreover, being
content with everything that Allah has given and offering Him
continual thanksgiving brings a noble contentment. The Qur'an draws
our attention to this, as follows:
Allah is pleased with themand they are pleased withHim. That is the
Great Victory. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 119)
The most striking expression of what believers feel when they win
Allah's good pleasure is that He will manifest Himself to them in a
way that they can see Him. This is impossible in the world because, as
the Qur'an says: "Eyesight cannot perceive Him" (Surat al-An'am, 10)
But according to the Qur'an, inthe next life and in a certain way
Allah will manifest Himself to His believing servants. Only Allah
knows how this will happen. But we are informed in the Qur'an that the
believers' "faces that Day will be radiant, gazing at their Lord"
(Surat al-Qiyama, 22-23) and "'Peace!' A word froma Merciful Lord"
(Surah Ya sin, 58) will be heard. Believers will be "on seatsof honor
in the presence of an All-Powerful King" (Surat al-Qamar, 55).
In other words, the greatest possible blessing that believers can have
is the deep sense of Allah's mercy and will. By winning His good
pleasure, they experience a joy and a happiness thatcannot be compared
with any material blessing.
Actually, it is Allah's will that gives value to Paradise's other
blessings.The same blessings may exist on Earth to a certain extent,
but they have no meaning for believers as long as they surpass the
limits Allah established.
Believers should think carefully about this extremely important point.
The real thing that gives a blessing its value is something far beyond
its intrinsic pleasure and delight, for its real value lies in the
fact that Allah"granted" it. Believers who use the blessing and thank
Allah for it feel that they have received Allah's gift; that the Lord
loves, protects, and looks after them; and gives them a taste of His
mercy. They take real joy from this.
A blessing is not an end; rather, it is a means to an end. As its
purpose is to encourage men and women to offer greater thanksgiving to
Allah, all of Paradise's blessings have only one goal: To lead
believers to offer eternal thanksgiving to Allah. This is what gives
them their value. In short,the blessings of Paradise are no more than
a meanswhereby believers can approach Allah and attain the
indescribable joy of winning His eternal friendship, love, and
approval. This is why Allah's good pleasure is the greatest blessing
of Paradise and far above all other material pleasures.
Let us consider one of Paradise's most striking blessings, one that is
frequently mentioned in the Qur'an: beautiful women, who represent the
height of the aestheticidea. Just to be with themis a great blessing.
The Qur'an describes the beauty of their faces, theirskin, and even
their bosoms. With these magnificent women, one of Allah's greatest
material blessings - sexuality - can be experienced eternally in the
most wonderful way. In the same manner, unmarried women will bemarried
to young palace servants. This also is a freegift to them from Allah.
However, what makes these women so valuable is not merely their
beauty,but the fact that they are known to be a gift from Allah.
Indeed, the greatestpleasure that can be had is that which comes from
receiving the love, closeness, grace, and benevolence of the Giver. No
matter how valuable agift may be, Allah's gift is more valuable for
the pleasure it gives in being deemed worthy to be of the gifts of
Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and in receiving it.
Accordingly, if they were not Allah's gifts, all blessings would lose
theirmeaning for a believer. Prophet Yusuf's (as) great nobility
orients a believer's moral sense in that direction. The Qur'an tells
how the wife of an Egyptian governor, desired Yusuf (as) and even
forced herself on him. We are told that Yusuf (as) found her
attractive, but avoided this forbidden relationship due to Allah'ssign
to him.

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What do you love the most?

Ibne Umar (RA) used to buy sugar (made from dates) and distribute it
among the poor. His servant once submitted that it would be better if
bread were given to the poor instead of sugar, as they would benefit
more from it. He agreed with the suggestion but said that Allah Ta'ala
has said: You will never attain piety unless you spend of that which
you love.(Al-Imran:92). Since, he himself loved sugar most, he gave
the same to the poor. Source: "Fadhail-E-Sadaqaa Part I", translated
by Prof. Abdul Karim.
Subhan-Allah! How beautifully they would give away what they lovethe
most, so that they may fulfill one of the commandments of Allah. May
Allah also give us these great qualities. Ameen.

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The brand new sky

Once we attended a speech given by a brotherwho came from France. The
speech was very heart warming and good to our imaan. I will share a
little bit of what he was saying. He said that our heart is filled so
much with what we see. Nice houses, cars, dollars, cclothes, etc.
These are just little little creations ofmankind and get used up very
soon. He told us not to fill our hearts with these small creations of
men but to fill our hearts with the Greatness of Allah by looking at
His uncomparable creations. He told us to look at the sky. It's
billions of years old but everyday it looks brand new. He told us to
look at the birds, they only have one dress and they don't even do
laundry. But even after 20years, you look at their feathers and they
still shine. Allahu Akbar! Let usempty our hearts of all the
materials, and bring only Allah into it.
"Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall
you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the
Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of
this world is only the enjoyment of deception (adeceiving thing)." Al
Qur'an 3:185

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1b] When taking the wife back (following a revocable divorce), it is not essential that the wife know

1b]
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allahhave mercy on him) said: If the husband of the
revocably divorced woman takes her back without her knowledge, that
taking back is valid, because it does not require her consent and
therefore it does not require her knowledge either, as in the case of
talaaq. If he took her backand she did not know, then her 'iddah ended
andshe married someone else, then he comes and claims that he took her
back before her 'iddah ended, and he has proof of that, it is proven
that she is his wife and the second marriage is invalid, because he
(the second husband) married the wife of another man. So she is to be
returned tothe first husband, whether the second husband consummated
the marriage with her or not. This is the correct opinion and it is
the view of most of the fuqaha', including ath-Thawri, ash-Shaafa'i,
Abu 'Ubayd, and ashaab ar-ra'y. It was also narrated from 'Ali (may
Allah be pleased with him).
A second report was narrated from Abu 'Abdillah (may Allah have mercy
on him): if the second husband has consummated the marriage with her,
then she is his wife and the first marriage becomes invalid. This was
narrated from 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him),
and it is also the view of Maalik. Something similar was narrated from
Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyab, 'Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn al-Qaasim and Naafi'. End
quote from al-Mughni, 7/411
Based on that, perhaps you can consult a lawyer to see whether it is
possible to reopen the case of khula' easily after it was closed, or
whether it is possible to leave it without closing it. Or you can try
to find out your husband's attitude by anymeans, so that you can find
out whether he took him back before the end of your 'iddah or not, so
as to know exactly where you stand.
We ask Allah to make things easy for you and todecree good for you
wherever it may be.
And Allah knows best.

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1a] When taking the wife back (following a revocable divorce), it is not essential that the wife know

1a]
I have been given a first, revocable, talaaq, and my 'iddah ended
after I became pure following the third of three menstrual cycles
since thedivorce occurred two months ago. During the 'iddah period, my
husband did not take me back, but he is a master atplaying games and
there are a number of issues between us. I am afraid that he may have
taken me back without telling me, because there was a court case as I
had taken him to court for khula' (a kind of divorce), but whenthe
talaaq occurred, there was no longer any need for it so the case was
closed. I am afraid that after the case was closed Iwill find out that
he took me back without my knowledge. Please note that he divorced me
in front of a notary and nowI have a document of thatrevocable
divorce. I hope that you can advise me asto what I should do? In order
for him to take me back, does he have to do so in front of the same
notary in front of whom he divorced me, and in the same record, or
not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The husband may take back his wife whom he divorced revocably
duringthe 'iddah, and it is not stipulated that she shouldbe present
or know of it, or that the taking back bedone in the presence of a
notary, whether the divorce was issued in the presence of a notary or
not.
But it is mustahabb for the taking back to be witnessed by two
witnesses, and it was said that it is obligatory for it to be
witnessed.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allahhave mercy on him) said: Taking back is done by
saying to two Muslim men: Bear witness that I have taken aback my
wife, without any guardian being present and without any mahr being
added. Another report was narrated from Abu 'Abdullah (may Allah have
mercy on him), which says that it is permissible to take the wife back
without it beingwitnessed, the reason being that taking back does not
require any guardian or mahr, or the consent or knowledge of the wife,
according to scholarly consensus, because of what we have mentioned
about the woman who us revocably divorced coming under the heading of
rulings on wives, and taking her back means keeping her and continuing
marriage to her. Hence Allah, may He be glorified and exalted,
described taking back as "retaining" and leaving them as "releasing"
them, as He says (interpretation of themeaning): "…and they have
reached their term, then retain them in kindness or release them in
kindness" [al-Baqarah 2:231] and, in another verse, "and then (a
woman) must be retainedin honour or released in kindness" [al-Baqarah
2:229]. Marriage is brokenby divorce and is restored when the divorce
is rendered null and void; taking back the wife removes the reason for
the break and stops it going all the way to irrevocable divorce;
therefore it does not require what is required to initiate a new
marriagecontract.
With regard to witnessing, there are two reports, one of which
saysthat it is obligatory. This isone of the two views of
ash-Shaafa'i, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation
of themeaning): "Then when they are about to fulfil their term
appointed, either take them back in agood manner or part withthem in a
good manner. And take for witness two just persons from among you
(Muslims)" [at-Talaaq 65:2]. The apparent meaning of the commandis
that it is obligatory, andbecause this is for the purpose of making
intimacy permissible, having it witnessed is required as in the case
of the marriage contract.
The second report says that having witnesses is not required. This is
the view favoured by Abu Bakr, and was the opinionof Maalik and Abu
Haneefah, because there is no need for acceptance, so there is no need
for witnesses, as is the case with all the husband's rights, and that
is becausewith regard to that in which the guardian's consent is not
required, it is not necessary to have witnesses. In this case the
command is understood as meaning that it is mustahabb. However there
is no difference of opinion among the scholars that it is Sunnah to
have witnesses.
End quote from al-Mughni, 7/403
Thus you know that your husband may have taken back during the 'iddah
and that his taking back isvalid, whether he took you back in the
presence of a notary or not. But if he comes after the end of your
'iddah and claims that he took you back, he will be to provide proof,
which is the testimony of two witnesses, unless youbelieve his claim,
in whichcase you may go back to him.
If the woman gets married after the end of her 'iddah, then her first
husband claims that he took her back without herknowledge and provides
proof of that, then she is to be returned to him.

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Endless Delight

Eat and drink with relish for what you did.(Surat al-Mursalat, 43)
The Qur'an announces that the people of Paradise are blessed with the
finest food and various drinks. But since these people require no
nourishment, we can understand that such foodand drink have been
created only to give pleasure.
This food resembles the food of this world. The people of Paradise
will express this similarity in the following way:
Give the good news to those who believe and doright actions, that they
will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them. When they are given
fruit there as provision, they will say:"This is what we were given
before." But they were only given a simulation of it. They will have
there spouses of perfect purity, and will remain there timelessly,
forever. (Surat al-Baqara, 25)
Many foods in this world address people's appetitesand give pleasure
by theirappearance and taste. Of course Allah can easily create
similar foods in Paradise to give pleasure to believers. But, unlike
with earthly food, there will be no need to worry about gaining
weight, cholesterol, overeating, and so on, for Allah tells them: "Eat
and drink with relish for what you did" (Surat al-Mursalat, 43) Being
able to eat and drink beyond any reckoning is a delightfully pleasant
reward.
In order to attain Paradise, people are tested in this earthly life.
Believers show great effort and zeal in order to please our Lord, for
they turn to Him sincerely, thank Him continually, pray to Him, and
repent oftheir sins. As a reward, Allah offers them the blessings of
Paradise.
Leading all of the food mentioned in the Qur'an is meat. In Paradise,
Allah gives believers "any kind of fruit and meat that they desire"
(Surat at-Tur, 22), and will offer them"any bird-meat they desire"
(Surat al-Waqi'a, 22). Moreover, their food will "never run out"
(Surah Sad, 54), because believers will"enter Paradise, provided for
in itwithout any reckoning" (Surah Ghafir, 40).
They will be able to eat asmuch as they want, for the amount and types
of food available will never decrease, and no one will be forced to
stop eating due to being full or feeling sick.
Fruit is perhaps the food most often mentioned in the Qur'an. In
Paradise, believers receive whatever type of fruit they desire. The
Qur'an describes this:
Its shading branches will droop down over them, its ripe fruit hanging
ready to be picked. (Surat al-Insan, 14)
Thus, we understand that fruits of Paradise grow ontrees in natural
surroundings and that believers can easily pick and eat them. Surat
al-Waqi'a 28-29 mentions""fruit-laden lote-trees with thorns removed"
and "[banana] trees layered [with fruit]," meaning that the fruit
canbe obtained easily due to Paradise's infinite blessings.
The fruit it so plentiful that the tree branches cannot bear its
weight, and it is easy to reach because the branches bend down to the
ground.
This fruit may be offered freely on golden and silver trays and
tastefully designed plates to believers, who are sitting on thrones
and conversing with one another. Certainly all seeds and traces of rot
and bruising that annoy people in this world have been removed, as
befits Paradise. All fruits are offered to believers freely,with their
eye-catching beauty and without blemish.
Fruit also adds further color and aesthetic beautyto Paradise. The
sight of trees laden with all sorts of colorful fruits lends even more
beauty to the wonderful landscape. The predominant color is green, and
within that green are yellows, oranges, and reds that form a beautiful
view thatstrikes the human eye. As an indication of Allah's mighty
artistry, this view is another cause for thanksgiving.
Certainly, many kinds of drinks are also desirable. For instance,
Surat as-Saffat, 45 mentions "a cup from a flowing spring passing
round among them." In Paradise, believers are given "the choicest
sealed wine to drink, whose seal is musk"(Surat al-Mutaffifin, 25-27).
As these verses state, whatever they drinkis also sweet-smelling and,
of course, this wine isunlike any earthly wine.
The people who drink it will not become intoxicated or have their
awareness impaired. Allahsays that these drinks willbe offered in
glasses. Theywill not cause headaches, a loss of control of
themselves, or any alteration in their minds. Young men whom Allah
appointed for this service freely offer these drinks.

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A Muslim scholar faces a Hindu man

Once a famous Muslim Scholar of India was travelling by train. His
seat was beside a Hindu man. Due to the extreme hatred for Muslims,
the Hindu man moved away alittle from the scholar. Thescholar smiled
at him and didn't get offended. After a while, the Hindu man took out
a blanket and covered his body so that even the breath of the scholar
doesn't touch his body. Later, the Hindu man had to go to the toilet.
Upon seeing the dirty condition of the toilet, the Hindu man ran back
saying "Raam Raam." The scholar asked about what happened and the
Hindu man said that the condition of the toilet is very disgusting. At
that, the scholar got upand with some water went inside the toilet and
cleaned the toilet completely. Then he cameback to the Hindu man and
told him to go in because it's now clean. The Hindu man didn't know
what to do. But anyway, he went in and relieved himself. He is now
thinking that no ordinary man could do what the Muslim scholar did.
So, he came to the scholar and asked "Who taught you how to behave
like this?" The scholar replied "Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
be upon him)." Then the hindu man wanted to know more about Islam and
the prophet. When they reached their destination, the Hindu man looked
back to the scholar and said "I will never forget what you've taught
me today."

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Asking Again and Again

Many times in my life, I came across people who would keep asking me
forfavours. For the first and second time, I happily gave them what
they wanted. However, if they kept on asking, I tried to hide from
them so that they don't ask me again. I believe, all humans do
thesame. Even a mother gets irritated at the child if he/she keeps on
asking her for things again and again.
On the other hand, the more we ask Allah, the more pleased He gets.
Such is Allah, the most Merciful. We should all learn the ways to ask
Allah for anything we need.

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May you develop in imaan,

May this Ramadhan be of utmost benefit to you. MayHis mercy,
blessings, love and protection surround and envelope you and your
family always. May He give you the tawfeeq to see the light in
darkness, the blessings in trials, the ease in difficulties, the love
in harshness.. May He give you the tawfeeq to see that He is closer to
you than your jugular vein [50:16]. InshaAllah the thawaab, khair,
'ilm, rahma and barakah that befalls you and your family, remain with
you forever more, and flourish in intensity. May you develop in imaan,
and be elevated in many ranks forwhat you have, and continue to
endure. Ameen, thumma ameen.
Requesting a mention of the Ummah, the suffering, the imprisoned, the
victims of war, famine and other natural disasters, myfamily, friends
and I in your most humble, sincere,pious du'as - before, during and
after Ramadhan.

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Islamic Joke

A man is taking a walk in Central park in New York. Suddenly he sees a
little girl being attacked by a pit bull dog . He runs over and starts
fighting with the dog. He succeeds in killing the dog and savingthe
girl's life. A policeman who was watching the scene walks over and
says: "You are a hero, tomorrow you can read it in all the
newspapers:"Brave New Yorker saves the life of little girl" The man
says: - "But I am not a New Yorker!" "Oh ,then it will say in
newspapers in the morning: 'Brave American saves life of little girl'"
– the policeman answers. "But Iam not an American!" – says the man.
"Oh, what are you then? " The man says: - "I am a Saudi !" The next
day the newspapers says: "Islamicextremist kills innocent American
dog.

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The Natural Beauty of Paradise

... By reflecting upon all of these things, we can form a general view
of Paradise. Some of its characteristics remind us of things in this
world; others are unique blessings and beauties of Paradise that no
one has ever seen or known, and that our minds cannot imagine or
express. We must be aware that beautiful things and surprises are
waiting for believers in Paradise, things and surprises prepared by
Allah's infinite knowledge and beyond our imagination. As Surat
ash-Shura, 22 tells us: "They will have whatever they wish for with
their Lord. That is the great favor," everything in Paradise,
including all of its natural beauties, are brought intobeing in
accordance with a believer's own desire and pleasure. In other words,
Allah allows a believer's imagination a role in forming Paradise's
environment as a favor from Him.

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The Natural Beauty of Paradise

"What is the example [i.e.,description] of Paradise promised to the
righteouslike? It has rivers flowing under it, and its foodstuffsand
cool shade never fail. That is the final fate of those who have done
their duty. But the final fate of the disbelievers is the Fire."
(Surat ar-Ra'd, 35)
Natural beauty and greenery are among Paradise's wonderful blessings.
Mansions built in gardens, right next to springs, are another beauty.
Paradise, in whichthere is "neither burning sun nor bitter cold"
(Surat al-Insan, 13), has such a pleasant climate that no one is made
uncomfortable. It containsno exhausting sweaty heat or freezing cold.
In Paradise, Allah will admit believers into "cool, refreshing shade"
(Surat an-Nisa', 57)
The expression"refreshing shade," along with revealing that the
climate will be comfortable and just as a person would want it, points
out that Paradise's environment and conditions have been designed to
give the human spirit true satiety and comfort. Every thing and
condition in Paradise will be just as a believer desires.
One of the natural beauties most mentioned by Allah in the Qur'an is
that of "outpouring water" (Surat al-Waqi'a, 31).
As we observe in this earthly life, the human spirit derives great
pleasure from water, especially flowing water. Lakes, rivers,
waterfalls, and streams flowing in a forest all speak to the human
spirit. All artificial pools and fountains in mansions, residences,
estates, and villa gardens, as well as artificial and natural streams,
arise from this longing for the spiritual aesthetic.
The main reason why these esthetic views are so pleasurable is because
the human spirit has beencreated for Paradise. These beauties are
described elsewhere, as follows:
In them [two other Gardens] are two gushing springs. (Surat ar-Rahman,66)
The sight and sound of flowing water comfort and gladden the human
heart. The sight and sound of water falling from above give pleasure
and are a means wherebypeople can give thanks to Allah and praise His
name.Especially if the water flows in the hills, among trees and
greenery or runs over stones, it is a really impressive sight. It
either collects in the placewhere it falls, or forms pools and flows
from one place to another. Continually flowing wateris a sign of
endless and inexhaustible plenty.
As we learn in Surat al-Hijr, 45: "The heedful will be amid Gardens
and Springs." Another verse reads: "The heedful will be in shady nooks
by springs" (Surat al-Mursalat, 41)
The "shady nooks" may be special spaces created so that believers can
sit and observe all of this beauty. (Allah knows best)As with
mansions, these shady nooks also are placed in high places so that the
people in Paradise can view the beauty below and see its many details.
Shady nooks offer special pleasure to believers. For example, people
are served various kinds of food and fruits there, come together there
and hold pleasurable conversations, and enjoy themselves there. Their
being placed next to springs, spaces that give pleasure to the human
soul, adds to their attractiveness. From thesesprings flow delicious
waters.
Another natural beauty is the gardens. For example, the "lush Meadows
of the Gardens" mentioned Suratash-Shura, 22 have been prepared only
for believers. One of their particular features is the harmony of
natural beauty contained therein. Within them grow a never-ending
variety of plants, similar to the mostdelicate and sweet-smelling ones
on Earth, and several species of animals, both known and unknown to
us.
The gardens are adorned with various fruit and other types of trees,
plains of "deep viridian green" (Surat ar-Rahman, 64) plants and
flowers, and, in some places, poolsand fountains. Surat al-Waqi'a also
mentions"fruit-laden lote-trees with thorns removed" and "[banana]
trees layered [with fruit]" (28-29)....

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Take protection with your shields

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates: Rasulullah (SAW)came to us and said: Take
protection with your shields! Sahabah (Prophet's companions) asked: O
Rasulullah! is there a threat of some enemy coming? He said: Take
protection with yourshields against the Fire (ofHell)! Say,
Subhanallah (Allah is flawless), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah),
La ilaha illallah (None is worthy of worship but Allah), Allahu Akbar
(Allah is the Greatest). On the Day of Resurrection, these words will
come from the front, back, right and left (defence from all sides) of
the one who had recited them, and ensure deliverence for him, and
these are those good deeds for which the reward will be given
eternally.

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Is the one who commitsa sin and tells people not to do it a hypocrite?

I have a problem, everyday i only communicate my feelings to people in
order to get to Allah. For example; I feel guilty about a sin thati do
and then i will regret it and ask for forgiveness constantly and only
cry if igive an Islamic talk about it to warn people away from it.
Every day i hate myself for only being ableto express my true regret
through people to Allah, i feel like im showing off and everytime i
intend to do something, there is a battle between me an shaytan to do
the intention for Allah. I am trying to stop speaking toboys in
college but in my sociology class there are two practicing boys and
everytime i talk about Islam i can't say it out load but i wisper it
in fear of showing off. I then onlyshout or say out load Jahilstuff
but i become very easily worried about whatpeople think of me. I show
off in the deen and fear i shall become a hypocrite or be led
astray,it's a battle to do one deed for Allah sometimes and i feel
like i can't express to Allah my full regret without using people.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allah to make us and you steadfast in adherence to His
religion, and to ward off from us the plots of the Shaytaan, for he is
a clear enemy who seeks to lead people astray. You should note that
enjoining what is good and forbidding whatis evil is one of the
characteristics of the believers. Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"The believers, men and women, are Awliya (helpers, supporters,
friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people)
Al-Maroof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to
do), and forbid (people)from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief
of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden)"
[at-Tawbah 9:71].
But the one who wants toenjoin what is good and forbid what is evil
should not let his actions contradict his words; rather he should
enjoin what is good and do it, and he should forbid what is evil and
avoid it. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of
themeaning):
"O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do?
Most hateful it is with Allah that you say that which you do not do"
[as-Saff 61:2-3].
And Shu 'ayb (peace be upon him) said:
"I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you"
[Hood 11:88].
Al-Bukhaari (3267) and Muslim (2989) narrated that Usaamah ibn Zayd
(may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: "Aman will be brought
on the Day of Resurrection and thrown into the Fire; his intestines
will spill forth in the Fire and he will go around as a donkey goes
around the millstone. The people of Hell will gather around him and
will say: O So andso, what is the matter with you? Did you not enjoin
what is good and forbid what is evil? He will say: Yes, but I used
toenjoin good and not do it,and I used to forbid evil and do it."
Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
One of the qualities and characteristics that the daa'iyah (the one
who calls others to Allah) should – indeed must – have is that he must
act upon what he calls peopleto and he should be a good example of
what he is promoting. He should not be one of those who call people to
something then fail to do it themselves, or who tell people not to do
something, then do it. That is the state of the losers; we seek refuge
with Allah from that. As for the believers who will succeed, they call
people to the truth and act in accordance with it, striving and
hastening to attain it, and keeping away from that which they tell
others not to do.
End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 1/346
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Part of the etiquette of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is
evil is that one should be the first to obey the commands and the
first toavoid what is forbidden.
End quote from Sharh Riyaadh as-Saaliheen, p. 202
If a person exhorts his brother concerning a sin that he himself has
fallen into, although this is something that is not befitting for the
Muslim, itdoes not come under the heading of hypocrisy or showing off.
The Standing Committee was asked:
If I exhort my brothers and warn them against certain sins, but I
myself fall into those sins, am I regarded as a hypocrite?
The Committee replied: You have to repent from sins and exhort your
brothers to avoid them. It is not permissible for you to commit sins
and fail to advise your brothers, because this is combining two sins.
You have to repent to Allah from that whilst still advising your
brothers.....

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An Easy Passage to the Next World

Those the angels take in avirtuous state. They say:"Peace be upon you!
EnterParadise for what you did."(Surat an-Nahl: 32)
Death in a Virtuous State
Up to this point, we have seen that sincere believerslive a good life
in this world, are not overcome with fear or pessimism, and have a
healthy and comfortable spiritual life. Since those who believe seek
Allah's pleasure, we learn from the Qur'an thatthey have won His
special assistance, support, and protection; their misdeedswill be
removed from them and that they will be rewarded according to the best
of what they did;and they will not be wronged. Since they"purchase"
the next life inexchange for this life, theyhave made what the Qur'an
calls a "good bargain." Allah is pleased with them, and they are
pleased with Him.
But what will happen to them at the end of their lives? Where and when
will Allah meet them at the hour He has appointed for their
death?Neither believers nor unbelievers know where and when they will
die. This fact is explained in Surah Luqman in these words:
Truly Allah has knowledgeof the Hour, sends down abundant rain, and
knowswhat is in the womb. And no self knows what it will earn
tomorrow, and no self knows in what land it will die. Allah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware. (Surah Luqman, 34)
Together with this, the Qur'an informs us how death will come to
believers, how their souls will be taken, and what will happen at the
moment of death. As far as we know, believers experience death as a
very gentle passage, like amomentary change in dimension. Just like
the person whom Allah causes to be "as dead during his sleep" (Surat
az-Zumar, 42) and wakes up the next morning to a new day, when
believers die, they will be taken outof the worldly dimension and pass
to the next dimension (Certainly Allahknows the truth.)
Allah announced this gentle and easy passage in Surat an-Nazi'at, 2,
where He points to the appointed angels and says "those who draw
outgently."
Another verse tells about the angels' conversation when they come to
take abeliever's soul:
Those the angels take in avirtuous state. They say:"Peace be upon you!
EnterParadise for what you did." (Surat an-Nahl, 32)
The following verse describes a believer's death:
The greatest terror will not upset them, and the angels will welcome
them: "This is your Day, the one that you were promised." (Surat
an-Anbiya', 103)
Clearly, believers who have led a good life in thisworld will have a
beautiful and easy death, and their life in the next world will begin
when they are met by angels. From that moment on, all of their
relations with thisworld will cease, and theywill be sent to an
appointed place where they will come before Allah's Presence. As it
was from the beginning, so it continues: comfort and ease await all
believers.

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Those who Ardently Hope for Paradise: The Party of Allah

Allah has inscribed faith upon such people's hearts,will reinforce
them with aspirit from Him, and admitthem into Gardens with rivers
flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever. Allah
ispleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. Such people are
the party of Allah. Truly it is the party of Allah who aresuccessful.
(Surat al-Mujadala, 22)
Those believers to whom Allah has announced His promise of good news
have important qualities, as revealed in the Qur'an:
-They believe and do rightactions. (Surat al-Baqara, 25)
- They fear Allah. (Surah Al'Imran, 15)
- They spend for the causeof Islam in times both ease and hardship.
(Surah Al 'Imran, 134)
- They control their rage. ( Surah Al 'Imran, 134)
- They pardon other people.( Surah Al 'Imran, 134)
- After they act indecently or wrong themselves, they remember Allah
and ask forgiveness for their wrong actions. (Surah Al 'Imran, 135)
- They do not knowingly persist in doing wrong actions. (Surah Al 'Imran, 135)
- The obey Allah and his Messenger. (Surat an-Nisa', 13)
- They keep up prayer, spend in charity, believe in and support
Allah's messengers. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 12)
- They are truthful. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 119)
- They leave their homes for the cause of Allah and strive in Allah's
way with their souls and possessions. (Surat at-Tawba: 20)
- They do good. (Surah Yunus, 26)
- They humble themselvesbefore their Lord. (Surah Hud, 23)
-They repent of their sins. (Surah Maryam, 60)
- They honor their trusts and contracts. (Surat al-Mu'minun: 8)
- They safeguard their prayers. (Surat al-Mu'minun: 9)
- They compete with one another in the doing of good deeds. (Surah Fatir, 32)
- They are Allah's chosen servants. (Surat as-Saffat, 40)
- They believe in the Qur'an. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 69)
- They say "our Lord is Allah" and thereafter stand firm in their
faith. (Surat al-Ahqaf, 13)
- They are heedful. ( SurahMuhammad, 15)
- They turn toward Allah with their whole heart. (Surah Qaf, 32)
- They stand in awe of theMost Gracious, although He is beyond the
reach of human perception, and come unto Him with a heart returning in
repentance. (Surah Qaf, 33)
- They are the doers of good. (Surat adh-Dhariyat,16)
- They ask for Allah's forgiveness before the dawn. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 18)
- They are the forerunners. (Surat al-Waqi'a, 10)
- They always keep their word and fear a day whose evil will spread
far and wide. (Surat al-Insan, 7)
- They give food, despite their love for it, to the poor and orphans
and captives. (Surat al-Insan, 8)
- They give the appropriate respect to theMessenger of Allah. (Surat
al-Hujurat, 3)

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--
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Allah's Promise

To those who will come into His Presence as believers, Allah gives the
promise of Paradise, wherein they will remain forever. As there is no
doubt that this promise will be fulfilled, those who believe with
certainty will never doubtits truth. Moreover, if theyhave surrendered
their souls to Him as believers, they know that their sins will be
forgiven and that they will be accepted into Paradise. The following
verse makes this clear:
Gardens of Eden which the All-Merciful has promised to His servants in
the Unseen. His promiseis always kept. (Surah Maryam, 61)
The fact that Allah has promised Paradise to believers brings them an
indescribable joy and enthusiasm. They know that Allah wills Paradise
for His faithful servants, and that He has made them its heirs. Here
is another verse that mentions this promise:
Is someone to whom We have promised good and who then obtains it like
someone to whom We have given enjoyment in the life of the world and
then, on the Day of Rising,is one of those brought topunishment?
(Surat al-Qasas, 61)
If Allah has promised Paradise to any individuals, they will attain
eternal blessings with Allah's permission. And when believers enter
Paradise, they will certainly express their thanks to Allah in this
way:
They will say: "Praise be to Allah Who has fulfilled His promise to us
and made us the inheritors of this land, letting us settle in Paradise
wherever we want. How excellent is thewage of those who work." (Surat
az-Zumar, 74)
Believers who have been given the good news several times during their
earthly lives, and to whom Allah has promisedParadise, will receive at
the end of their lives that for which they hoped. Finally, that
long-awaited moment will come. The place that they have contemplated
throughouttheir lives, prayed to attain, and striven to be worthy of
is Paradise -"the best place to be," and"the most beauteous of all
goals." This perfect place was prepared for believers, and its doors
are opened to them.
The following verse gives a unique view about theirentrance into Paradise:
Gardens of Eden that they will enter, and all of their parents, wives,
and children who have acted honorably. Angels will enter in to welcome
themfrom every gate: "Peace be upon you because of your steadfastness!
How wonderful is the Ultimate Abode!" (Surat ar-Ra'd, 23-24)
They will be welcomed into Paradise "with greetings and [words of]
peace" (Surat al-Furqan, 75), and enter there "in peace, in complete
security!" (Surat al-Hijr, 46). There is only one thing left to do: to
discover the beauties of this eternal land preparedfor believers and
endowed with every kind of blessing.

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Good News

In an earlier section, we mentioned that those sincere believers who
givethemselves to Allah will enjoy His blessings in this life before
they enter Paradise. One of the most important blessings is the
promise of good news to believers. Several verses"speak of Allah's
promise of Paradise and the announcement of this good news to
believers asfollows:
Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure,
and Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight. (Surat
at-Tawba, 21)
There is good news for them in the life of the world and in the
hereafter. There is no changing the words of Allah. That is the great
victory! (Surah Yunus, 64)
The hearts of those believers who have hope in this good news trust
that their good works willfind favor in Allah's sight, that the
blessings they await are close at hand, and are filled with
contentment.
The Qur'an states that believers will receive the good news also from
angels. Those faithful servants who sincerely believe in Allah and
associate nothing with Him, who carefully obey the Qur'an's commands
and counsel, and are eager to live according to its moral teaching,
may hope for this joyful news. Certainly, this news is an
indescribable joy for all believers who ardently desire Paradise. As
we read in the Qur'an:
The angels descend upon those who say: "Our Lord is Allah," and then
go straight: "Do not fear or grieve, but receive the glad tiding of
Paradise that you have been promised. We are your protectors in the
life of the world and the hereafter. You will have there all that your
selves could wish for. You will have there everything that you demand.
Hospitality from the One Who is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah
Fussilat, 30-32)
Allah has also entrusted the prophets with announcing this good news.
In Surat al-Ahzab, 47, Allah commands the Prophet (saas) to
proclaimthat believers will receive an immense reward from Him; In
Surah Ya Sin, 11, He reveals him that"thosewho obey the Qur'an and
stand in awe of the Most Gracious will receive pardon and an excellent
reward; and Surat az-Zumar, 17 announces that those who shun the
worship of false gods and turn toward Allah will have good news. And
in Surah Yunus, 2, Allah tells His Messenger to "give good news to
those who believe, that they are on asure footing with their Lord."
When we look at the common characteristics ofthe believers, those
described in the above verses as those given the good news of
Paradise, we see that they are sincere people who are extremely close
to Allah, acknowledge their weakness, obey the Qur'an and the Prophet,
and fear Allah.

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The Muslim is Tolerant and Forgiving

If he becomes angry with his brother, the true Muslim restrains his
anger and is quick to forgive him,and does not see any shame in doing
so. Rather, he sees it as a good deed which will bring him closerto
Allah and earn him His love which He bestows only on those who do
good:
"…[those] who restrain anger and pardon [all] men – for Allah loves
thosewho do good." (Qur'an, 3:134)
A man may be able to restrain his anger, but resentment may be
smoldering in his heart, and may turn into deep-rooted hatred. Open
anger and rage are healthier than hidden resentment and malice.
The true Muslim whose soul has been saturated with this religion does
not harbor grudges; if he restrains his anger, he thenfollows that
with forgiveness, and thus he will be among those who do good.
Anger is very difficult to restrain, for it is a heavy burden on the
heart. But when a person forgives another, this heavy burdenis lifted,
freeing him, soothing him and bringingpeace of mind. These are the
feelings of ihsaan (goodness) which the Muslim feels when he forgives
his brother.
The true Muslim is forgiving towards his brother, purely for the sake
of Allah. He hopes thereby to earn the honor which the Prophet,
sallallahu` alayhi wa sallam referred to in the hadith:
"Allah will not increase His servant except in honor. No one humbles
himself for the sake of Allah, but Allah will raise his status."
(Muslim)
It is a great honor from Allah, which combines with the good
characteristics of the tolerant, forgiving Muslim, so that he becomes
one of those who do good whomAllah loves, and one of those honored
ones whompeople love.
Resentment has no place in the heart of the sensitive Muslim who
trulyunderstands his religion. He realizes the value of forgiveness
and purity of heart, and their importance if he seeks Allah's
forgiveness, as the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, explained:
"There are three sins, whoever dies free of these sins will be
forgiven for anything else if Allah wills:associating anything with
Allah; practicing magic or witchcraft; and bearing resentment towards
his brother." (Reported by al-Bukhari in Adab al-Mufrad)

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Listen to this very carefully

Amr (RA) narrates that Prophet (SAW) one day delivered a sermon
saying: Listen carefully! The world and its things are temporary
commodity(and as such have no worth and value), shared and consumed by
both the good and the evil people alike! Indeed, the Hereafter is
truly a reality and will arrive at its appointed time in which
Judgement will be made by a Powerful King. Listen carefully! Indeed
all good,in all its varieties, is in Paradise! Indeed all evil, in all
its varieties, is in the Fire. Understand it well; whatever you do, do
it being fearful of Allah; and understand that you will be presented
(in front of Allah) with you actions. Whosoever does an atom's worth
of good, he will see it, and whosoeverdoes an atom's worth of evil, he
will see it!

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The Qur'an is an integral part of every Muslim individual's life...but we have taken this Noble Gift from Allah, for granted!

The Qur'an is an integral part of every Muslim individual's life...but
we have taken this Noble Gift from Allah, for granted!
What has happened to ourhearts O 'Ibad Allah?
Why are our hearts locked out and unresponsive to the Qur'an?
Why do the words enter from one ear and exit out the other?
Why have our hearts hardened?
Let us CHANGE our attitudes this RAMADAN! Let us strive hard to read,
recite & comprehend the Qur'an. Let us be from those who implement the
Qur'an in our days & recite it during our nights.
O Allah! Make the Qur'an the delight of our hearts & the light of our
breasts & the remover of our pain, sorrow & discomfort.

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Did you get a bill from Allah?

A man reached 70 years of age and was affected by a disease which made
him unable to urinate. The doctors told him that he needs an operation
to cure the disease. He agreed to do the operation as the problem was
giving him severe pain for days. When the operation was completed the
doctor gave him a bill which covered all the costs. After looking at
the bill, the man started crying. Upon seeing this, the doctor said
"If the costis too high then we could make some other arrangements for
you." The old man replied, "I am not crying because of the money but I
am crying because Allah let me urinate for 70 years and He never sent
me a bill!"
Subhanallah! We rarely thank Allah for these things which are indeed
great favours. Let us ask Allah to grant us the ability to recognize
His bounties and thank Him often.
"And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the
blessings ofAllah, never will you be able to count them�" Al Quran
(14:34)

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Should he propose to her even though she is not sufficiently religiously committed, but she is well mannered and obedient?

One of my colleagues at work suggested his sister to me for marriage.
He knows the qualities that I am looking for with regard to religious
commitment and character, and he told me that she is not highly
religiously committed, butshe is very obedient and polite and she
wants to become more religiously committed. I went to see her and
during the discussion I found out that she wants to becomemore
committed and she loves the faith, and I felt comfortable with her.
But she was previously engaged. Can I ask her about the details of the
previous engagement andcan I ask her about her life before she
graduated from university and whether she used to mix with young men?
If I lower my expectationson the level of religious commitment that I
am looking for in return for a calm personality and good manners, will
that be regarded as going against the words of the Messenger, "Choose
the one who is religiously committed"? Please note that we share the
desire to build a family on the basis of faith and what is pleasing to
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
You have no need to ask this girl about the details of her previous
engagement or the details of her life before she graduated from
university. In fact you have no right to do that at all. This is the
right of Allah and it is between her and Him. You have no rights over
her at this time such that you could ask her about that or demand it
of her. Rather you have the right to know only what is apparent from
her at present; if she appears to be good and righteous, then go ahead
and propose to her. But do notever ask her or try to find out about
her. And if she does not appear to be good, then forget about her and
do not ask her or try to find out about her.
There is no one among us who does not have anything in his past, or
even in his present, that he hopes Allah will forgive him for and
conceal it in this world and in the Hereafter.
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allaah is
Forbearing, Compassionate towards the believers, and He loves
concealment. Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5192. al-Albaani classed its
isnaad as hasan mawqoof in Saheeh wa Da'eef Sunan Abi Dawood
Rather what you should do this the exact oppositeof that. What you
should do, if you come across a fault, is to conceal it as much as you
can, and not to look for faults when everything appears to be sound,
unless you are certain that there is some fauly.
Muslim (2590) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Allaah does not conceal aperson in this world but Allaah will conceal
him onthe Day of Resurrection."
Secondly:
If you like this girl's appearance and you sensethat she is obedient
and good-mannered and she wants to become religiously committed, and
you want to marry her, then there is nothing wrong with you proposing
to her and that is not contrary to the words of the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him): "Choose the one who is
religiously-committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may
you prosper)." If a woman, in addition to being well mannered and
having a good attitude, also has a sincere desire to adhere to the
rulings and teachings of Islam, then she is of good character and
religiously committed. Those who are of good character and religiously
committed vary and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) did not describe a specific level of that. Rather he said "Choose
the one whois religiously-committed, may your hands be rubbed with
dust (i.e., may you prosper)" after saying "Women may be married for
four things: their wealth, their lineage,their beauty and their
religious commitment."
The hadeeth was narratedby al-Bukhaari (5090) andMuslim (1466) to
encourage suitors to look for women who are religiously committed
rather than others.
If the girl is as you have described, then we hope that your marrying
her will be good for both of you and that Allah will help you both in
that.
You could also seek the help of her brother and your relationship with
him to make up what she may be lacking of knowledge and good deeds
during the engagement period.
And Allah knows best.

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Can Jinns harm humans?

With regard to the jinn harming humans, this is proven to happen and
it does happen. Protection against that is attained byreciting Qur'aan
and adhkaar (dhikr) prescribedin sharee'ah.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Undoubtedly the jinn canhave a harmful effect on humans, and they
could even kill them. They may harm a person by throwing stones at
him, or by trying to terrify him,and other things that are proven in
the Sunnah or indicated by real events. Itwas reported that the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave permission
to one of his Companions to go to his wife during one of the military
campaigns - I think it was the campaignof al-Khandaq - as he was a
young man who had recently got married. When he reached his house, he
found his wife standing at the door, and he objected to that. She said
to him, 'Go inside,' so he went inside and found a snake curled up on
the bed. He had a spear with him, so he stabbed it withthe spear until
it died, andat the same instant as thesnake died the man also died. It
was not known which of them died first, the snake or the man. When the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard of that, he
forbade killing the harmless kinds of snakes that are found in houses,
apart from those which are maimed or are streaked and malignant.
This indicates that the jinnmay attack humans, and that they may harm
them,as is known from real-life events. There are numerous reports
which indicate that a man may come to a deserted area, and a stone may
be thrown at him, but he does not see anybody, or he may hear voices
or a rustling sound like the rustling of trees, and other things that
may make him feel distressed and scared. A jinn may also enter the
body of a human, either because of love or with the intention of
harming him, or for some other reason. This isindicated in the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
'Those who eat Ribaa will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection)
except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaytaan (Satan)
leading him to insanity'[al-Baqarah 2:275]
In such cases, the jinn may speak from inside of that person and
address the one who is reading verses from the Qur'aan over him; the
reciter may take a promise from the jinn never to come back, and other
things concerning which there are very many reports which are
widespread among the people.

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Jinns and their Activities

Throughout history man has always had a deep attraction for the
supernatural and the unseen. The existence of aworld parallel to our
own has always fascinated people. This world is commonly referred to
as the spirit world, and almost every set of people have some concept
of one. With some people, these spiritsare no more then the souls of
dead people- or ghosts. With others, spirits are either the forces of
good or the forces of evil - both battling against one another to gain
influence over humanity. However, both of these explanations are more
in tune with folk tales and fantasy. The true explanation of such a
world comes from Islam. Like every other way, Islam also claims to
explain this realm of the unseen. It is from this realm that Islam
explains to us about the world of the Jinn. The Islamic explanation of
the Jinn provides us with so many answers to modem day mysteries.
Without the knowledge of this world, the Muslims would become like the
non-Muslims and be running around looking for any old answer to come
their way. So, who or what are the Jinn?
Existence
The Jinn are beings created with free will, living on earth in a world
parallel to mankind. The Arabic word Jinn is from the verb 'Janna'
which means to hide or conceal. Thus, they are physically invisible
from man as their description suggests.This invisibility is one of the
reasons why some people have denied their existence. However, (as will
be seen) the affect which the world of the Jinn has upon our world, is
enough to refute this modem denial of one of Allah's creation. The
origins of the Jinn can be traced from the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Allah says:
"Indeed We created man from dried clay of black smooth mud. And We
created the Jinn before that from the smokeless flame of fire"
(Surah Al-Hijr 15:26-27)
Thus the Jinn were created before man. As fortheir physical origin,
then the Prophet (saws) has confirmed the above verse when he said:
"The Angels were created from light and the Jinn from smokeless
fire"[1]. It is this description of the Jinnwhich tells us so much
about them. Because theywere created from fire, their nature has
generally been fiery and thus their relationship with man hasbeen
built upon this. Like humans, they too are required to worship Allah
and follow Islam. Their purpose in life is exactly the same as ours,
as Allah says:
"I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me"
(Surah Ad-Dhariyat 51:56)
Jinns can thus be Muslims or non-Muslims. However,due to their fiery
nature the majority of them are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim
Jinns form a part of the army of the most famous Jinn, Iblis- the
Shaytan[2]. Consequently, these disbelieving Jinns are also called
Shaytans (devils). Asfor the Jinns who become Muslims, then the first
of them did so in the time ofthe Prophet (saws) when a group of them
were amazed by the recitation of the Qur'an. Allah ordersthe Prophet
to tell the people of this event:
"Say (O' Muhammed): It has been revealed to me that a group of Jinn
listened and said; 'Indeed we have heard a marvellous Qur'an. It
guides unto righteousnessso we have believed in it, and we will never
make partners with our lord'"
(Surah Al-Jinn 72:1-2)
In many aspects of their world, the Jinn are very similar to us. They
eat anddrink, they marry, have children and they die. The life span
however, is far greater then ours. Like us, they will also be subject
to a Final Reckoning by Allah the Most High. They will be present with
mankind on the Day of Judgement and will eithergo to Paradise or Hell.
Abilities
That which clearly distinguishes the Jinn from mankind, are their
powers and abilities. Allahhas given them these powers as a test for
them.If they oppress others with them, then they will be held
accountable. By knowing of their powers, we can often make sense of
much of the mysteries which go on around us. One of the powers of the
Jinn, is that they are able to take on any physical form they like.
Thus, they can appear as humans, animals trees and anything else. Over
the last few years the interestin the subject of aliens and UFO's has
become heightened. Programmes such as the X-files and theOuter limits
have increased the popularity of the theory that aliens exist.
Thousands of people have sighted strange looking creatures all over
the world. These sightings however, have still not proven
substantially that aliens exist. Rather - and it seems more plausible
all the sightings of such creatures were just Jinns parading in
different forms. So the next time you see something that looks like
E.T, its most probably just a wicked Jinn trying to scare and confuse
you!

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1a] This Life is not our Real Life

1a]
The human body is not as strong or resilient as a stone or a piece of
metal; rather, it is made of an extremely perishable material: flesh.
The body is covered with a thin skinthat could be torn at any moment
by the slightest accident. Structurally speaking, flesh is very
vulnerable. It can be wounded, bruised, and twisted by the slightest
blow, and, with age, begins to lose its former youthfulness and
becomes rough and wrinkled. After death, it starts to rot. A few weeks
after burial, the body begins to disintegrate andbe eaten by worms and
bacteria, until finally it mixes with the soil and disappears.
As stated earlier, this shows us our frailty and reminds us that the
imperfections in the world are specially created. Instead of flesh,
human beings could have been created from much stronger and purer
materials or could have been totally free of pain, illness, and
vileness. However, all of these things were created to remind human
beings of how poor and needy theyare in relation to Allah, and to show
them just how imperfect and deficient a place this world really is.
When we look at these imperfections, we can see our own frailty and
understand the transitory nature of all people's earthly strength and
values. Meanwhile, we also can understand that the people who we
adore,try to please, or earn theirrespect and praise are as weak and
imperfect as anybody else.
But as most people cannot understand this or see this world's great
imperfection and flaws, they find satisfaction in this earthly life.
Actually, this is the result of an extreme ignorance and lack of
intelligence.
The morality of such people is described in the Qur'an as follows:
So turn away from him who turns away from Our remembrance and desires
nothing but the life of theworld. That is as far as their knowledge
extends...(Surat an-Najm, 29-30)
Those who are unaware of this truth and bound bya passion for the life
of this world are people without "knowledge," as the verse says.
But what is this"knowledge" that we must have in this matter? In
truth, it is nothing less than the knowledge of Paradise, which Allah
has promised to us. The most important steps toward this are to be
well-versed in the Qur'an and to think seriously about what it says.
In the Qur'an, Allah described the believers' real homeland in these words:
The life of the world is nothing but a game and adiversion. The abode
of the hereafter - that is truly Life, if they only knew. (Surah
al-'Ankabut, 64)
One hadith records our Prophet (saas) as saying that Paradise is
humanity's real abode, a place in which there will be no human
imperfection:
A proclaimer will proclaim: "For you there iseverlasting health, and
you will never be sick. For you there is everlasting life, and you
will never die. For you there is perpetual youth, and you will never
get old. And foryou there is everlasting bliss, and you will never be
in want. (Muslim)

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This Life is not our Real Life

Many people think that they can make a perfect life for themselves in
this world. They think that if they can acquire enough material
possessions, theywill experience total personal satisfaction and
happiness. According to the most widespread opinion, a person's life
will be perfect after he or she has attained material wealth, gotten
married with this intention in mind, and is respected by society
because of his or her influential and well-established career.
The Qur'an does not support this view, for it states that this present
life will never be perfect and without problems, as it is designed
like that.
The root of dunya (world) has a very important meaning in this sense:
It is a derivative of the adjective "daniy": low, unrefined, basic and
worthless. "World" meansa space characterized by these traits. So, the
Qur'anoften emphasizes this worldly life's worthlessness and
unimportance. It refers to such things as wealth, family, status, and
success,which are thought to make for a good life, as nothing more
than transitory and deceptive. In one verse, Allah says:
Know that the life of the world is merely a game and a diversion and
ostentation, and a cause of boasting among yourselves and trying to
outdo one another in wealth and children, like the plant-growth after
rain, which delights the cultivators. But then it withers, you see it
turningyellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In the hereafter
there is terrible punishment, but also forgiveness from Allah and His
good pleasure. The life of the world is nothing but the enjoyment of
delusion. (Surat al-Hadid, 20)
Another verse explains how people are blinded by illusion because of
this earthly life:
Yet still you prefer the lifeof the world, when the hereafter is
better and longer lasting. (Surat al-A'la, 16-17)
As this verse says, such people regard the life of this world as
superior to the afterlife. Such a mistaken view causes them to turn
away from faith in Allah and His Book. The Qur'an describes such
people as"those who do not expectto meet Us and are content with the
life of the world and at rest in it,and those who are heedless of Our
Signs" (Surah Yunus, 7) and reveals that they will find themselves in
Hell's eternal agony. Surely, this imperfection does not mean that
this world contains no beautiful things. On the contrary, Allah filled
the world withbeautiful things to remindus of Paradise. But mixed in
with these beautiful things are the imperfection and ugliness of Hell.
The qualities of Paradise and Hell are mixed together here, for this
world is really a place of testing. Thus believers canget an idea of
those two places and, instead of getting caught up in this world's
short and transitory life, can direct themselves toward the real,
perfect, and endless life of the hereafter. As a result, the Qur'an
describes the afterlife as each person's true and eternal land.
But despite this truth, many people think they can make a perfect life
in this world. They view this life's imperfections and deficiencies
(e.g., getting sick, becoming tired, and suffering from pain and
worry) as something totally natural. However, Allah has created all
theseimperfections with many hidden meanings, and people have to think
seriously about these meanings and learn the appropriate lessons.
It could have been possible would never get sick or feel so tired that
they would need to rest or sleep. They could have had so much stamina
and energy that they would not feel fatigued. If Allah had willed, He
could have created us without such flaws and deficiencies. ButHe
created us with them so that we might understand that we are helpless
and weak.
Each individual must come face to face with hisor her helplessness and
weakness at every moment of life. His body, upon which he lays so much
value, constantly reminds him of his situation. When he wakes up every
morning and starts his day, his face is swollen and distorted, his
mouth has a bad taste, and there is an uncomfortable dirty feeling on
his skin, hair, and body. If he does not clean himself carefully, he
cannot leave this unpleasant state. This cleaning must be repeated
several times during the day, because after a few hours have passed,
the dirt returns. After not washing for a few days, his need to wash
himself becomes all the more obvious, comingto a point where he makes
those around him very uncomfortable.
The human body is not as strong or resilient as a stone or a piece of
metal; rather, it is made of an extremely perishable material: flesh.
The body is covered with a thin skinthat could be torn at any moment
by the slightest accident. Structurally speaking, flesh is very
vulnerable...:-> 1a]

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The best dirt cleaner

Abu Umamah (RA) narrates: Rasulullah (SAW)said: Whoever stands up to
perform his Wudhu, intending to offer Salah, then cleans his hands;
the sins of his two hands fallout with the first drop of water. Then,
when he rinses his mouth, and draws water into his noseand expels it;
the sins of his tongue and two lips fallout with the first drop of
water. Then, as he cleans his face, the sins of his hearing and seeing
fallout with the first drop (of water). Then, when he cleans his two
arms past the elbows, and his two feet past the ankles; he becomes
free of all his offences and sins, just as was his state, the day his
mother gave him birth. He(then) said: Then, when he stands for Salah;
Allah elevates his position, and if he (merely) sits (without standing
for Salah) even then his sitting is free of sins! Source: Musnad
Ahmad.
We take bath regularly to clean our body of dirts, but how many of us
offer regular prayers daily to clean the real dirts (sins)?

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Miraculous story of how Dr. Bilal Abdul Alim became a Muslim

Personally, I embraced Islam at the age of 24, in the summer of 1975,
while studying medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,
Texas. After a long day of study, I went to bed on a Saturday night
with no intention of becoming a Muslim. However, 2 thingshappened
during that night that would change my life completely. First ofall, I
had a dream in whichI was commanded by a strong and firm voice, to
embrace Islam immediately. I was reminded of how I had previously
studied comparative religion at Wesleyan University, but refused to
accept Islam even though I felt in my heart that it was the
mostpractical way of life. WhenI woke up the next morning, I sat on
the edge of the bed contemplating what to do, when the telephone rang.
The call came from my ex-roommate from Wesleyan who had embraced Islam
after graduation and was livingin Washington, D.C. At that time, he
was studying to be an attorney at Catholic University School of Law.
This phone call was the second and final thing, that convinced me to
embrace Islam immediately.
My friend asked me, "Are you ready to become a Muslim?" I replied,
"Why are you calling me this early in the morning with such a
question?" He answered in the followingway, "Last night, I had a
dream. In that dream, I saw you smiling, surrounded by a sort of
spiritual light (called Noorin Islam). Then, I heard a strong and
powerful voicesaying, 'Allah has made this man a Muslim in the night
and Allah has given him the name, Bilal Abdul-Alim (3 times). So, your
job is to call him in the morning, and invite him to accept Islam and,
give him his new name." My friend continued by saying, "Don't play
games with me! Tell me what happened!" I then related my experience
the night before with tears in my eyes. A few days later, I drove
non-stop from Houston, Texas to Washington, D.C to accept Islam in the
presence of my dear friend, Attorney Haroun G. Cook.

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