Revive a Sunnah

If you LOVE the Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him] then...

 

REVIVE HIS SUNNAH!

 

Simple deeds, immense rewards; words defining many of the sunnan of the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam). Despite their ease, we sometimes fall short in acting upon them, usually for no other reason but the need of a reminder. A reminder of both the deed and the promised reward is what it takes for many of us to revive a sunnah in our lives.

The Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) says that Allah says, "And My servant continues to draw nearer to Me with supererogatory (nawafil) deeds until I love him." (Bukhari).

The promise of Divine love is certainly enough to motivate us to return to some of the neglected or forgotton sunnan of our Messenger (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam). The most effective revival is to make an effort to implement at least one sunnah and be an example to others. No matter how much we preach and write, in the end it is action that counts.

A few sunnan we can revive everyday:

Purification

Siwaak - A twig that earns the pleasure of Allah and was beloved to His Messenger (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam).
When Aisha (radhiAllahu anha) was asked about the first thing he would do upon entering his home, she replied, "When he entered his house, the first thing he would do was to use the siwaak." (Muslim). The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said, "Siwaak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord." (Bukhari).

If you have one, use it now and please your Lord. Carry some with you and gift them to those you love.

Wudu before Sleeping: Want an angel to supplicate for you while you sleep? The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said, "Purify these bodies, and Allah will purify you. Whenever a slave spends his night in a state of purification, an angel spends his night within his (slave's) hair and he does not turn over during the night except that he [the angel] says: O Allah, forgive Your slave, for he went to sleep in a state of purification." (al-Tabarani, graded 'good' by Al-Albani).

Prayer

Performing Voluntary Prayers in One's House: Jabir related that the Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said: "If one of you has finished the prayer in his mosque, let him make a portion of his prayers for his home, as Allah will certainly put goodness in his home from his prayer." (Muslim).

In another hadith, "A person's salah in his house is better than his salah in my mosque, except for the fard  (obligatory) salah." (Abu Dawud).

Going Early to the Jumuah Prayer: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said, "Whoever does ghusl on Friday like ghusl for janabah, then goes to the prayer (in the first hour, i.e., early), it is as if he sacrificed a camel. Whoever goes in the second hour, it is as if he sacrificed a cow;
whoever goes in the third hour, it is as if he sacrificed a horned ram; whoever goes in the fourth hour, it is as if he sacrificed a hen; and whoever goes in the fifth hour it is as if he offered an egg. When the imam comes out, the angels come to listen to the khutbah." (Agreed Upon).

When it Rains

When rain descends from the sky, it is your chance to turn to Allah, asking Him for everything you desire from the good of this life and the Hereafter, for yourself and those beloved to you. The Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) said, "Two are the du'as that are never returned: the du'a made when the prayer is being called, and at the time of rainfall." (Abu Dawud).

Du'a upon hearing thunder:

سبحان الذي يسبح الرعد بحمده والملائكة من خيفته

Subhanaha alladhi yusabbihur-ra'du bi hamdihi wal malaa'ikatu min khifaatih
'How perfect He is, (The One) Whom the thunder declares His perfection with His praise, as do the angels out of fear of Him.'

During Rainfall:

اللهم صيباً نافعاً‏‎

Allahumma sayyiban naaf'ian
O Allah, may it be a beneficial rain cloud

After Rain:

مُطرنا بفضل الله ورحمته

Mutirna bi Fadhlil-lahi wa Rahmatih
We have been given rain by the grace and mercy of Allah

After Drinking Milk

Even in drinking milk, we have an opportunity to earn reward through following the sunnah.

Rinsing mouth: Ibn Abbas narrated the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) drank some milk then called for some water. Once he got the water he rinsed his mouth then said, "It has fat." (Agreed Upon)

Du'a after drinking milk:

اللهم بارك لنا فيه، وزدنا منه

'Allahumma barik lana feehi wa zidna minhu'
'O Allah, bless it for us and give us more of it.'
(Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi).

With the Believers

Greeting youngsters with salaam: Anas bin Malik (radhiAllahu anhu) used to always greet the children as he passed them, saying that he did so because he had observed the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) doing the same. (Agreed Upon).

Tell Someone You Love them for the Sake of Allah

Anas reported that a man was with the Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) when another man passed by and the former said: "O Messenger of Allah! I love this man (for Allah's sake)." The Messenger of Allah (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) asked, "Have you informed him?" He said, "No". The Prophet (sallaAllahu alayhe wasallam) then said, "Tell him (that you love him)." (Abu Dawud).

What a beautiful sunnah that is sure touch the heart of your beloved brother or sister and brighten up their day!

Go ahead, remind us of a sunnah below, perhaps one other person would act upon it, multiplying your reward:

"Whoever revives a Sunnah from my Sunnah and the people practice it, will have the same reward of those who practice it without their reward diminishing." (Sunan ibn Maajah, ).

Wonders of Allah in Butterflies

Wonders of Allah in Butterflies

Look over the butterflies' wings in the picture on the left as if you were seeing them for the first time. Surely you will be filled with admiration for such an aesthetic display, a symmetry that is without the slightest flaw, the dazzling colors and patterns. Now think of a piece of cloth. Assume that it is a very beautiful piece of cloth of good quality that has been woven with the inspiration of these butterflies' patterns. What would you think if you saw such a piece of cloth in a shop-window? Probably, the existence of an artist, who has drawn the patterns of this cloth, taking the wings of a butterfly as an inspiration while drawing them, springs into your mind, and you appreciate his artistry. In this situation, you should also appreciate this fact: the artistry you admire doesn't belong to the person who draws the cloth pattern, taking butterflies as his example, but to Allah, Who is the originator of the patterns and colors of butterfly wings. The colorful wings of butterflies with their wonderfully varied patterns are magnificent manifestations of Allah's artistry in color. Just as a pattern on a piece of cloth does not come into being by chance, so is the color and pattern symmetry in the wings so perfect that they could not have come into being coincidentally.

 

Moreover, the splendid wings are not the only striking features of butterflies. The body design of butterflies is also perfect in every respect. The butterflies take in nourishment by sucking up nectar from flowers. Most butterflies have a long organ called a proboscis which they use to reach a liquid that is at some depth. A proboscis is a long tongue used to drink water or to suck up nectar from flowers. The butterfly rolls up its long tongue inwards when it isn't using it. This tongue can be three times the length of a butterfly's body when unrolled.

Like other insects, the butterflies also have a skeleton that covers the outer surface of their bodies. This outer or exoskeleton is composed of hard plates connected by soft tissue, looking like some sort of armour. The hard material is called "chitin." The formation of this layer comes about through a very interesting process. As is commonly known, caterpillars pass through a rather complex process called metamorphosis. The caterpillar first becomes a pupa and then turns into a butterfly. Throughout this process of metamorphosis, slight changes occur in the wings, antennae, legs and other body parts. Also, the cells in different key areas such as the flight muscles and wings re-organize themselves through every phase of metamorphosis. Furthermore, along with these changes, almost all systems in the body -the digestive system, excretory system, respiratory system etc.- go through a process of immense change.

This diversity in design that butterflies have, as much as their wings, belongs to Allah, the All-Powerful. Allah is the One Who bestows every creature with the characteristics it needs.

 

Behind every Dark Cloud there is a Silver Lining

 

Behind every Dark Cloud there is a Silver Lining

 

 

"And among His signs is this that He has created mates from among yourselves, that you may live in comfort with them, and he has put love and compassion among you (husband and wife). Surely in that are signs for those who think " (Quran-30: 21)

 

Hamza married Ruwayda. After the nikaah[wedding], Ruwayda's mother gave her a newly opened bank savings book with a R2000 deposit amount at the local Islamic Bank.

 

Ruwayda's mother said: "Take this savings book. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the line...
The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with your husband. When you look back after years, you will know how much of happiness you've had.'

Ruwayda shared this with Hamza when she arrived  home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit could be made.

This was what they did after a certain time:

- 2 Jan:R200 Hamza went out in the path of Allah
- 7 Feb: R300, Ruwayda's Dad took us with for HAJ.
- 1 Dec: R300, Hamza graduated
- 20 Mar: R200, Hamza got an excellent job
- 15 Apr: R2000, Ruwayda got pregnant and later gave birth to a baby
- 1 Jun: R1000, Hamza got promoted

 ... and so on...

 

However, after years, they started fighting and arguing over trivial things. They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the most nastiest people in the world... no more love... Kind of typical nowadays, huh?

One day Ruwayda spoke to her Mother:
'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We have agreed to divorce. I can't imagine how I have decided to marry this guy!!!'

Mother: 'Sure, Ruwayda, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really cannot stand it. But before that, do one thing first... Remember the savings book I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.'

Ruwayda thought it was true. So she went to the Islamic Bank, waiting at the queue and planning withdraw the amounts and to cancel the account. She intended to give Hamza his due share.

While she was waiting, she took a look at the book record. She looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears. She left and went home. When she was home, she handed the book to her husband, and asked him to spend the money before getting divorced.

 

The next day, Hamza gave the book back to Ruwayda. She found a new deposit of R5000...and a line next to the record: 'This is the day I notice how much I've loved you through out all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.' They hugged and cried, putting the savings book back to the safe.

Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask. I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone through all the good years in their life.

"When you fall, in any way, Don't see the place where you fell, Instead see the place from where you slipped. Life is about correcting mistakes."

 

In every moment of our lives, we are given a choice.  How shall we regard this world in which we live? Is it good, or not?  Is there hope for the future, or not?  Is this world full of beauty, life, blessing and love; or is it cold, heartless and ruthless?  In every moment, it is one or the other…and how we regard and react to it is up to us. 

 

"If you are grateful, I will surely give increase My favours unto you" (Quran-Surah Ibrahim 14: 7).

 

"Behind every Dark Cloud there is a Silver Lining"

Final Messenger of Allah- Muhammad Rasulullah [peace be upon him]

Final Messenger of Allah- Muhammad Rasulullah [peace be upon him]

The Beloved and Final Messenger 

Rasulullah Muhammad 

Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam[peace be upon him]

 

"We have not sent thee(Muhammad[pbuh]) Except as a Mercy to the Worlds." (Surah 21 Aayat 107)

 

"Certainly, there is an excellent example for you in the Messenger of Allah, for him who looks forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much." (Quran-33:21)

 

 

Muhammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam rose like the sun from the horizon of Arabia and dissipated the intense darkness around the globe. His personality embodied the boldness of Mûsa alayhis salâm , the courteousness of Harûn alayhis salâm , the patience of Ayûb alayhis salâm , the grandeur of Sulaiman alayhis salâm and the humility of Isa alayhis salâm. His leadership stands unparalleled in the annals of history. He despised the pomp of royalty, dutifully carried out the menial tasks of the family, he kindled the fire, swept the floor, milked the cows and mended his own shoes and garments.

 

 

The Mission of  Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam)

 

The mission of Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam is eloquently portrayed in a speech which Ja'far (radhi allahu anhu) made to the ruler of Abyssinia in Africa. He said :

 

"O king! We were a people of ignorance, worshiping idols, eating the flesh of dead animals, committing abominations, neglecting our relations, doing evil to our neighbours and the strong amongst us would oppress the weak. We were in this state when Allah Ta'ala sent to us a messenger from amongst us, whose descent and sincerity, trustworthiness and honesty were known to us. He summoned us to the worship of one true Allah and to divest ourselves of the stones and idols which we and our forefathers had been ascribing to Allah. He ordered us to be truthful in speech, to fulfill all that is entrusted to us, to care for our relatives, to be kind to our neighbours, to refrain from unlawful food and the consumption of blood. He forbade us from engaging in shameful acts and false speech..."

 

The Fundamental Principles Expounded by  Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam at the Farewell Pilgrimage

1. Belief in one object of worship
2. Equality of men, irrespective of colour or nationality.
3. Superiority based solely on piety.
4. Sanctity of life, property and honour.
5. Abolition of interest and usury.
6. The rights and fair treatment of women.
7. The concept of accountability and personal responsibility.
8. Importance of the pillars of religion i.e. prayer, fasting, charity and pilgrimage.
9. The Qur'ân and sunnah as the only source of salvation.
10. The obligation of (dawah & tabligh)conveying the message.

 

The Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"None of you has perfect faith until I am more beloved to him than his parents, his children and all the people". 

(Hadith)

 

Importance of Salaat-Salaam (Durood Shareef/ Sending Blessings) 

     "Allah and his angels send blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with all respects." (The Holy Quran 56:33)

 

Abdullah Ibn Abbas Radiallahu anhu reports that Rasulullah (pbuh) said,

   "Whoever recites the following Salaat-Salaam(Durood) once, Allah will instruct the angels to keep writing good  deeds for him for a thousand days."

 Jazallahu annaa muhammadan ma huwa ahluhu

Translation: May Allah reward Muhammad, on our behalf, as much as he deserves. (Hadith recorded in Tabrani)

May Allah bestow us with true and sincere Love of Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam and may Allah give us the strenght and courage to follow the noble and beautiful lifestyle of the the Last & Final Messenger of Allah Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- Ameen

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day   

                       

         The Ummah is Bleeding,can We be Celebrating???

 Roses are Red, Violets are Blue

 …Valentines Day is definitely not for YOU!!!

 "And whoever seeks a religion[a way of life] other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" [Quran-Aal 'Imraan 3:85]

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that groups of his ummah would follow the enemies of Allah in some of their rituals and customs. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you, span by span, cubit by cubit, until even if they were to enter a lizard's hole, you would follow them." We said, "O Messenger of Allah(pbuh), (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?" He said, "Who else? !" (Hadith-al-Bukhaari )

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." (narrated by Ahmad)

History: Who was Valentine? Why is this day observed? Valentine's Day began as a pagan ritual started by Romans in the 4th century BCE to celebrate "Feast of the Wolf" on February 15, also known as the Feast of Lupercalius to honor the god Lupercus.The main attraction of this ritual was a lottery held to distribute young women to young men for "entertainment & pleasure"-until the next year's lottery. Christianity tried, without success, to stop the evil celebration of Lupercalia. The only success it had was in changing the name from Lupercalia to St. Valentine's Day. It was done in CE 496 by Pope Gelasius, in honor of some Saint Valentine. There are as many as 50 different Valentines in Christian legends.

How can anyone in the Ummah really enjoy this Haraam Occasion when there is so much brutality and suffering going on in the world today. The rivers of blood flow freely from the veins of our brothers and sisters from across the Muslim world. Celebrating unislamic occassions like Valentines Day , New year, Christmas and shouting the names of musical heroes and watching Bollywood  & Hollywood Movies drown out the screams coming from the dungeons of Uzbekistan where brothers and sisters are boiled alive in vats of water. How many will take out valuable time and spend it for the upliftment of Islam? How many will sacrifice for our kin in Gaza , Kashmir, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Palestine, and Iraq? There are many more killing fields as well across the Asian and Arab world. Will you climb on theatre chairs and express your rage over Guantanamo Bay and other gulags where our brothers and sisters are being tortured, raped, sodomized, beaten, and burned? Or will you just switch off and enjoy with the Kuffar in celebrating this evil custom?            

Oh,Muslims,wake up! The Ummah is not bleeding; it is haemorrhaging. 

Anas Bin Malik (ra) said; "When the Messenger of Allah Muhammad(pbuh) came to Medina, the people had two holidays from the days of Jahiliyyah(ignorance). He (pbuh) said, "When I came to you, you had two holidays you used to celebrate in jahiliyyah. Allah has replaced them for you with better days, the day of Fitr and the day of slaughter (Adha)."

VALENTINES DAY IS AN UNILSAMIC CUSTOM THAT HAS NO BASIS IN ISLAM AND IS PRESENTLY BEING PROMOTED BY CAPITALIST FOR COMMERCIAL REASONS....Listen to the pain of your global family! The enemies of Allah are destroying Islam and we are following in their footsteps! 

Be pro active and DO NOT- ENGAGE, SUPPORT OR ENCOURAGE THIS EVIL....!!!

If you were intending to engage in this haraam practice and Now changed your mind, then do a noble deed by donating the money to an ISLAMIC CHARITABLE CAUSE which will make you the BELOVED of ALLAH and will earn you an immense reward in the everlasting life of the hereafter!

The Red Heart

The Red Heart  

        

It could have been the splash of red or the overabundance of hearts or the young man in a designer jeans that caught his eye, but Sheikh Hamaad stopped under the bold "Valentine's day Specials" banner, set his shopping basket on the floor and watched the young man battling to select an appropriate gift from the heaps of hearts, teddy bears and chocolates. Like a busy humming bird he flitted from shelf to shelf struggling to choose.

Sheikh Hamaad approached him as he stood scratching his head, "Asalaamu Alaikum, young man, seems like you're battling to make a choice."

"Eish, Moulana, this is more difficult than I though. And lucky I only have to choose for two of them," he said, picking up another heart decorated teddy bear, examining the price and putting down with disappointment.

"For your sisters?" Sheik asked, feigning innocence.

"Naah, just friends, you know how it is. You have to do these things" came the prompt reply.

Sheikh Hamaad remained silent and fixed his gentle gaze on the young man, something more than the loud Billabong T-shirt and hipster jeans told him that this young man had more than a spark of intelligence.

 "Tell me, how many Valentine's gifts do your sisters receive?"

"Hey, hey.... Moulana my sisters are not like that. They don't do this boyfriend thing. My sisters...they are pure," exclaimed the young man an angry frown crossing his face. "Just let the guy try and send my sisters one flower and I'll make him eat it. You don't know me!"

"Oh," said Sheikh Hamaad without any apology, "And your mother, how many Valentine's gifts does she get?"

The young man took a step back and glared at Sheikh Hamaad, "La howla wa...." his words swallowed by his anger, "how can you even say such things about my mother? My mother, she doesn't do this stuff. She is like an angel. She is pure. How can you say this?"

Sheikh paused, waiting for the silence to absorb the boy's anger, then said, tauntingly, "So they don't receive any Valentine's gifts or have boyfriend's at all."

"I told you, Moulana, my family is pure and they don't do this junk stuff."

Knowing the moment was right Sheikh but forward his reasoning, "So you really don't like your sisters receiving these gifts or having boyfriends."

"No ways," came the emphatic reply, "not on my life"

"Then don't you think," Sheikh ventured, "that other people would also not like their sisters, mothers or aunts to receive such gifts. Just as you would like your sisters to remain pure, they would also like their sisters to be pure?"

The young man dropped his head and shifted his feet nervously, "You have a point, Moulana. Didn't ever think of it like that. I don't want to say...but you are right. I shouldn't be polluting other people's family if I don't like my family to be polluted. This is all quite wrong isn't it?"

"Yes, it's quite wrong," without a hint of reprimand in his voice, "this is not our way."

"But," he asked, trying to conceal his embarrassment, "It's not like we doing anything serious. I mean it's only a gift. Not like we doing something physical...so it should be ok, no?"

Without disturbing his calmness, Sheikh Hamaad replied, "Do you like to go fishing?"

"Now you talking my language. Not a Sunday, not one, that we not by the dam," he replied his hands waving with excitement, "We sit the whole day me and my buddies. First we prime the place with milie bombs. Just so the fish know we there. And they come, Moulana. They come for the bait. The whole lot, man....curpe, bass, barbell, you name it. But what's that go to do with buying gifts."

"When Shaytaan wants to trap someone," Sheikh replied serenely, "he first puts some bait. Innocent stuff like gifts, the odd sms, just a hello and then when the time is right ....he will strike and how you say...you fall hook, line and sinker. Then he's got you and it's not long before he reels you in. So it starts with just a little bait. Just like the little gift that seems so innocent – it's the bait."

The young man beamed with this new found revelation and couldn't wait to ask, "You are so right! And you have an amazing way of getting a point across Moulana, you didn't just lecture me but you showed me how it is wrong. Thanks a mil. You must have learnt from a great teacher?"

"No doubt, I learnt from the best of all teachers," Sheikh answered, "In fact, the best of all mankind...The Noblest Messenger of Allah- Rasulallah sallahu alaihi wa salam"