Category Archives: Essential Knowledge

Mar1

Salaf on Love and Hate for Allah’s Sake

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Salaf on Love and Hate for Allah’s Sake

These are collected in al-Ghazzali’s ‘Ihya’ ‘Ulum ad-Din’ (2/195 onwards):

1 – ‘Umar bin al-Khattab said:

“If one of you is blessed with affection from his brother, he should hold onto that as tightly as possible, as it is quite rare for one to be blessed with this.”

2 – ‘Umar also said:

“Nobody is given anything besides his Islam better than a righteous friend.”

3 – ‘Ali bin Abi Talib said:

“Tend to your brothers, as they are your sustenance in this world and the next. Do you not hear the saying of the people of Hell: {“Now, we have neither intercessors nor close friends to help us!”} [ash-Shu'ara'; 100-1]?”

4 – ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said:

“By Allah, if I fasted all day without eating, prayed all night without sleeping, spent all of my wealth in the Path of Allah, died the day I died, but had no love in my heart for those who obey Allah, and no hatred in my heart for those who disobey Allah, none of this would benefit me in the least.”

5 – ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud said:

“If a man were to stand for seventy years worshipping Allah between the Yemeni Corner and the Maqam of Ibrahim (at the Ka’bah), he would still be resurrected on the Day of Judgement with those whom he loved.”

6 – Ibn as-Sammak said, on his deathbed:

“O Allah! You Know that, even if I had disobeyed You, I loved those who obeyed You! So, make this for me a means of nearness to You!”

7 – Mujahid said:

“Those who love each other for Allah’s Sake, when they smile at each other, their sins fall from each other, just as the leaves fall from a tree before the winter.”

8 – al-Ghazzali said, commenting on the saying of the Prophet: “The strongest bond of faith is to love for Allah and to hate for Allah”:

“Because of this, it is a must that a person have those that he hates for Allah’s Sake, just as he has friends and brothers that he loves for Allah’s Sake.”

9 – Abu Hurayrah said:

“The slave will be brought between the Hands of Allah – the Exalted – on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will Say to him: ‘Did you love one of my awliya’, so that I can join you with him?’“

10 – al-Hasan al-Basri said:

“Being harsh against a fasiq brings you closer to Allah – the Exalted.”

Mar1

Our Parents: Our Masters

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Our Parents: Our Masters

These are collected from As-Samarqandi’s ‘Tambih al-Ghafilin’ (p. 84-91):

From the chapter on the rights of the parents:

1 – Ibn ‘Abbas said:

“There is not a single believer who has two parents and wakes up while he is good to them except that Allah opens up for him two gates to Paradise, and if he makes one of them angry, Allah will not be Pleased with him until that parent becomes pleased with him again.” It was asked: “Even if that parent was oppressive and in the wrong?” It was replied: “Yes, even so. And he never wakes up while he is bad to them except that Allah opens up for him two gates to Hell.”

2 – as-Samarqandi said:

“If Allah – the Exalted – had not mentioned the position and sacredness of the parents in His Book, and did not admonish regarding it, then it would have been realized by simple logic. So, it is obligatory upon the one with logic and intelligence to realize their sacredness and to fulfill their rights. How is it, then, when Allah – the Exalted – has mentioned this in all of His Books: the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms and the Qur’an, has commanded this in all of His Books, and revealed this to all of His Prophets and advised them regarding the honorable position of the parents and their rights, and has made His Pleasure dependent on their pleasure, and His Anger dependent on their anger?”

3 – Farqad as-Sabakhi said:

“I have read in many books that it is not for the son (or daughter) to speak in the presence of the parents except with their permission, or to walk in front of them, or to their right or left, unless they call him to walk next to them. Rather, he should walk behind them as a slave walks behind his master.”

 

4 – It was said by a group of the Tabi’in:

“Whoever supplicates for his parents five times in a day has fulfilled their rights, since Allah has Said: {“…to thank Me and your parents. To Me is the final return.”} [Luqman; 14], and you thank Allah – the Exalted – by praying five times in a day. Likewise, you would thank your parents by praying for them five times in a day.”

5 – It was said by a group of the Companions:

“To leave off praying for one’s parents results in a tight and constricted life for the son.”

And let’s not forget about the rights upon the parents:

6 – as-Samarqandi related that Abu Hafs al-Iskandrani – one of the scholars of Uzbekistan – said that a man came to him and said:

“My son hit me and hurt me!” The scholar said: “Glory be to Allah! A son hitting his father? Have you taught him manners and knowledge?” The man said: “No.” “Have you taught him the Qur’an?” The man replied: “No.” “So, what does he know how to do?” The man replied: “Farming.” “Do you know why he hit you?” The man replied: “No.” The scholar then said: “It might have been that when he woke up in the morning, he went to the fields, was riding on a donkey, had a stick between his hands, had a dog behind him, and did not have any knowledge of the Qur’an (because you failed to teach him any of it). So, he started singing, you came out to him at that moment, he thought you were a cow, and hit you with the stick. So, thank Allah that your skull was not fractured.”

7 – It was narrated by one of the early righteous people:

…that he would not order his son with something, and if he needed something, he would ask someone else for it. When he was asked about this, he said: “I fear that if I were to command my son with something that he wouldn’t be able to bear, he would not carry it out and would therefore be disobedient to me and would deserve Hell as a result, and I do not want to be the cause of my son burning in Hell.”

Jan27

“So, he is strange…”

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“So, he is strange…”

“The strangeness of the people of Allah, and the people of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah from amongst the Creation…it is the strangeness whose possessors were praised by the Messenger of Allah, and he informed us that the religion that he was brought with “…began as something strange,” and that it will “…return to being strange as it began,” and that its adherents will become strangers.

And this type of strangeness can occur in one location in exclusion to another, and in one era in exclusion to another, and amongst one group of people in exclusion to another. However, those who are described with this strangeness are the true people of Allah. This is because they do not lean towards anything but Allah, do not ascribe themselves to anyone besides His Messenger, and do not call to anything other than what he was brought with. They are the ones who abandoned the people when they needed them most. So, when the people go about behind their deities on the Day of Resurrection, they will remain where they are, and it will be said to them: ‘Will you not go along with the people?’ And they will reply: ‘We abandoned the people when we were more in need of them than we are today, and we are instead waiting for our Lord Whom we used to worship.’

So, this strangeness does not result in any loneliness for its possessor. In fact, he is as happy and sociable as can be when he abandons the deviant people, and as lonely as can be when he socializes with them. So, his allies are Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, even if the majority of the people oppose him and push him aside…

…And al-Hasan al-Basri said: “The believer in this world is like a stranger: he does not become upset when it puts him down, and he does not compete for it to make him honorable. The people are in a certain state, and he is in another state: the people are relieved of him, and he is exhausted of himself.”

And from the characteristics of these strangers who were praised by the Prophet are:

  • holding tightly to the Sunnah, even if the people abandon it;
  • leaving what they have introduced into the Religion, even if it is something good in their eyes;
  • freeing oneself completely and purely for Tawhid, even if most people criticize him for this;
  • not ascribing oneself to anyone other than Allah and His Messenger – not a shaykh, a path, or a group. Rather, these strangers ascribe themselves to Allah by serving Him, and to His Messenger by following only what he came with;

And such people are the ones who are truly holding onto the burning piece of coal, and most people will criticize them. Due to their strangeness between the Creation, these people consider them to be odd and innovators, and accuse them of separating themselves from the majority…

…And how can it not be that this one sect (the people of the Sunnah) be very small and strange between seventy-two other sects who have followers and leaders, position and alliances, and do not gain power except by going against that which the Messenger came with? The essence of what he came with goes against their whims, and what they are upon of the doubts and innovations that are the end result of their actions, and the desires that are their goal and intention.

So, how can the believer who is travelling to Allah upon the road of adherence to the Sunnah not be strange between those who have followed their whims, obeyed their lusts, and have each become impressed with their own opinion? And because of this, Allah will give to the truthful Muslim in such a time – if he holds tightly to his religion – the reward of fifty of the Companions, as both Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi report that the Prophet said: “After you, there will be days that require much patience, such that the one who holds onto his religion in such a time will have the reward of fifty of you.” And this great reward is due only to their strangeness between the people, and the fact that they held tightly to the Sunnah despite the dark clouds of desires and whims they were surrounded with.

So, if the believer who has been provided by Allah with insight into His Religion, understanding of the Sunnah of His Messenger, comprehension of His Book, and has been shown what the people are upon of desires, innovations, deviance, and turning away from the straight path that the Messenger of Allah and his Companions were upon – if such a person wishes to traverse this path, he must prepare himself for how the innovators and ignorant people will criticize him, insult him, turn the people away from him, and warn against him, just as their predecessors from the kuffar used to do with the one he has chosen to follow, peace and blessings be upon him…

…So, he is strange in his practice of the Religion because of the corrupt manner in which they practice it, and he is strange in his firm adherence to the Sunnah because of their adherence to innovations, and he is strange in his beliefs because of the corruption in their beliefs, and he is strange in how he prays due to the bad manner in which they pray, and he is strange in his ways due to the misguidance and corruption of their ways, and he is strange in what he has ascribed himself to because of what they have ascribed themselves to, and he is strange in how he deals with them because he does not deal with them in accordance with what their desires dictate.

Basically, he is strange in both the matters of this world and the next. He does not find any of the common people who will help and assist him. He is a learned one amongst ignorants. He is a person of the Sunnah amongst people of innovation. He is a caller to Allah and His Messenger amongst callers to desires and innovations. He commands that which is good and forbids that which is bad amongst people who see the good as being bad, and the bad as being good…”

['Madarij as-Salikin'; 3/182-185]

Jan17

The Muslim Knows the Way

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The Muslim Knows the Way

“…We are living a blessing.

One of us is raised from childhood to know that, for example, the unrestrained glance is forbidden. So, for the rest of his life, the unrestrained glance is forbidden, seclusion with the opposite gender is forbidden, adultery and fornication are forbidden, interest and usury are forbidden, speaking badly about others behind their backs is forbidden, etc. That’s all it takes! So, a personality is developed that is mature and balanced, thanks to its Lord.

However, in America, one day, it’s OK to drink alcohol, the next day it isn’t. Sometimes, the government allows alcohol, and at other times prohibits it. Sometimes, it penalizes those who sell it, and it doesn’t at other times. No. Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, and we learn this from when we are two years old, and we learn that it is objectionable from that point onwards. Everything that is forbidden in Islam is inherently objectionable, and everything that is permitted is acceptable and there is no problem in doing it. Because of this, we have the hadith: “If you have no shame, do what you wish,” and this has two possible interpretations. The first is that if something you want to do doesn’t contradict the Shari’ah, do it. The second interpretation is that the person with no shame will do whatever he wants.

So, we’re truly relaxed. It’s enough that we know the way. The European, what is his path? Where is he going? For us, everything is solved mentally and spiritually. We know our path, its start, its purpose, and its end:

Where did we come from? Allah Created us.

Where are we going? He will cause us to die, and then gather us on the Day of Resurrection, in which there is no doubt.

Why did He Create us? Only to worship Him.

Who controls the Universe? The kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth belong to Allah.

The God we worship is Dominating, Colossal, Wise, Merciful, Generous to His slaves. In Europe, what do they have? Who do they deal with? Who do they turn to? Who do they rely on? What do they fortify themselves with? What do they seek refuge with? The concepts of Satan, the Jinn, God, the Hereafter, etc. – all of these things have been wiped from the dictionary of the West. The traveller’s check, the value of the mark, the value of the dinar, the value of the dollar – this is their life.

Because of this, a person who lives without a set of rules will oppress others when given the chance. He will cheat people out of their wealth when given the chance. He will fornicate when given the chance. He will steal when given the chance…”

['Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah'; p. 505-506]

Jan17

Mothers: Producers of Heroes

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Mothers: Producers of Heroes

“…Mothers play a great role in building a generation. The better a mother is at raising her children, the more successfully the Ummah is built and the more successful it is at producing heroes. You hardly ever see a great man except that a great woman is behind him who left some of her traits in his personality by way of the milk from which he was fed and the warm embrace in which he sought refuge.

Most men find it hard to remove these shining images from their minds that they retain of their mothers. These outstanding images that ran through his veins from a young age remain engraved in his mind, and he cannot help but to remember them with veneration and pride. He recalls the simple, clear words that his mother left his spirit with, and these words grow to become milestones on his path and guiding lights on his quest.

He cannot help but to place himself under the vast shade that his mother provided for him throughout the long course of his life, nurtured by the pleasant emotions and mixed with the eternal days of his life. These realities grow in his spirit and become an inseparable part of his personality that he cannot let go of without letting go of his humanity.

This is why preserving this affection and repaying this kindness with kindness is an obligation in Islam that is directly partnered with Tawhid: {“…and your Lord ordained that you worship only Him, and that you treat your parents with excellence…”} [al-Isra’; 23] And disobedience to them is directly partnered with kufr.

Respect for mothers occupies a very high position on the ladder of Islam, and is very heavy in its scales. It is reported in the ‘Sahih’ that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, who is most deserving of my kind treatment?” He replied: “Your mother.” The man asked: “Then who?” He replied: “Your mother.” The man asked again: “Then who?” He replied: “Your mother.” The man asked again: “Then who?” He replied: “Your father.”

I once said to Ibrahim al-Akhdar – the imam of the Haram in Makkah – “Why do you prevent your sweet voice from being heard by the Muslims who come from everywhere to hear it? How can you request to return to Madinah when some people say that hearing you recite the Qur’an is like hearing it descending fresh from the heavens?”

So, he replied: “My treasures in this world are my grandmother and mother, and I must fulfill my responsibilities to them and treat them well. Nobody can do this but me.”

I said: “Why don’t you bring your grandmother here?”

He said: “She refuses to leave Madinah out of fear that she might die outside of it, and her greatest wish is to be buried in the graveyard of al-Baqi’.”

And indeed, Ibrahim actually left the Haram in Makkah and went back to leading a small mosque in Madinah, sticking to the Paradise that is at the foot of his mother and grandmother…”

[‘Majallat al-Jihad’; #36, Rabi’ al-Awwal 1408]

Dec26

Swords of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)

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Swords of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
These are the swords of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the total number of sword that was once used are nine .

1. Al Ma’thur

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
Also known as ‘Al-Fijar Ma’thur’ sword is owned by the Prophet Muhammad before he received the first revelation in Makkah. This sword was given by her father, and brought the time migrated from Mecca to Medina until it is given together with other war equipment to Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Shaped blade with a length of 99 cm. The handle is made of gold with the shape of two serpents with emeralds and turquoise encrusted. There are close to the banister carved Kufic Arabic script reads: ‘Abdallah bin Abd al-Mutalib’.

2. Al ‘ADB


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami, Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
Al-’Adb, the name of this sword, means “cut” or “sharp.” The sword was sent to the companions of the Prophet Muhammad just before the Battle of Badr. He uses this sword in the Battle of Uhud and his pengikutnnya use this sword to show loyalty to the Prophet Muhammad. Now the sword is in the Husayn mosque in Cairo, Egypt.

3. Dhu al Faqar


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami, Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
Dhu al Faqar is a sword of the Prophet Muhammad as a result of the war booty at the time of Badr. And reported that the Prophet Muhammad gave this sword to Ali ibn Abi Talib, who later Ali returned when the War of Uhud with bloodied hands and shoulders, with a Dhu Al Faqar in his hand.
Many sources say that this sword belongs to Ali Bin Abi Talib and his family. Shaped blade with two eyes.

4. Al Battar


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami, Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
Al Battar sword is a result of the Prophet Muhammad as booty from the Banu Qaynaqa. The sword is called “The sword of the prophets’, and in carving swords have Arabic writing that reads:
‘David, U.S., U.S. Solomon, Prophet Musa, U.S. Aaron, Prophet Yusuf, Prophet Zachariah the U.S., U.S. John, Prophet Isa, the Prophet Muhammad’.
Figure engraving the names of the prophets in it:
Inside there are also pictures of David cut the head of the U.S. as Goliath, people that have this sword in the beginning. In this sword Bismol also identified as Nabataean writings.
Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Shaped blade with a length of 101 cm. It is rumored that the sword of the Prophet Isa will be used later when he came down to earth again to defeat the Antichrist.

5. Hatf


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992)
Hatf is a sword of the Prophet Muhammad as booty from the Banu Qaynaqa results. It was narrated that the Prophet David, the U.S. took the sword ‘Al Battar’ from Goliath as booty when he defeated Goliath at the time of age 20 years.
Almighty Allah gave to Prophet David, the U.S. ability to ‘work’ with the iron, making armor, weapons and armaments, and he also makes his own weapon. And Hatf is one homemade, like Al Battar but bigger than that.
He uses this sword is then stored by the Levite tribe (the tribe that holds these weapons Israeli goods) and finally got into the hands of the Prophet Muhammad. Now the sword is in Musemum Topkapi, Istanbul. Shaped blade, length 112 cm and width 8 cm.

6. Al Mikhdham


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
There is news that the sword is from the Prophet Muhammad who was later awarded to Ali ibn Abi Talib and forwarded to her children Ali. But there is another word that is derived from the sword of Ali ibn Abi Talib as a result of the attacks that he loot the leadership in Syria.
Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Shaped blade with a length of 97 cm, and has carved Arabic inscriptions which read: ‘Zayn al-Din al-Abidin. “

7. Al Rasub


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
Some say that the sword was kept in the house of Muhammad by his family and relatives like the Ark (Ark), which is stored by the nation of Israel.
Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Shaped blade with a length of 140 cm, has a gold sphere in which there are carvings of the Arabic script that reads: ‘Ja’far Al-Sadiq’.

8. Al Qadib


Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
Al-Qadib thin blade-shaped so that it can be said is similar to a cane. This is a sword for the defense when traveling, but not used for warfare.
Written by the sword of silver engraving which reads the creed:
“There is no god but Allah, Muhammad Rasool Allah – Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Abd al-Mutalib.”
There was no indication in the sources of history that this sword has been used in warfare. This sword was in the house of Muhammad and then only used by the Fatimid caliphs.
Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Its length is 100 cm and has a scabbard of dyed animal skins.

9. Qal’a

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).
This sword is known as “Qal’i” or “Qul’ay.” Names that may be associated with a place in Syria or a place near India’s China. Clerics of other countries that the word “qal’i” refers to “lead” or “white lead” which in the mines various locations.
This sword is one of the three swords of the Prophet Muhammad acquired as booty of Bani Qaynaqa. There also are reports that the Prophet Muhammad’s grandfather found this sword when he found the water of Zamzam in Mecca.
Now the sword is in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul. Shaped blade with a length of 100 cm. Inside there are carved in Arabic reads: “This is a precious sword from the house of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.”
This sword is different from the others because this sword has a wave-shaped design.
Dec22

An Advice to the People of Pride – By Abdullah Azzam (Rahimahullah)

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An Advice to the People of Pride – By Abdullah Azzam (Rahimahullah)

“And the labels fill your pockets. Every pocket is labelled with a characteristic or title; this pocket is filled with labels that say ‘Disbeliever,’ and everytime you see someone that you don’t like, you hand him a label. Another pocket is filled with labels that say ‘Innovator,’ and a third pocket is filled the labels that say ‘Poor,’ and another says ‘Ignorant,’ etc. This way, you have given everyone a label from one of your labels…There are families in Peshawar who cannot find enough Clorox bleach in the marketplaces, so, they send off to Islamabad to purchase this bleach, so that they can use it to clean their clothing and the clothing of their families. So, you are also in need of searching for bleach; you are in need of success in finding that which will clean your heart and purify your insides. If you are part of a particular Islamic group, then beware of assuming that all of the truth rests with that group, and that all falsehood rests with everyone else, as some of the earlier zealous people said: “All of our statements are correct, with a possibility of a mistake, while all the statements of others are mistaken, with a possibility of being correct.” This is the destructive type of allegiance! How many groups have been torn apart, and how many people who were close to each other became divided because of such a mindset?!Pay attention to your heart, beware of raising yourself above others, and beware of belittling others. How many of these people have given for the sake of this Religion – but have kept it secret between them and the Lord of the Worlds – from he whose statement is belittled and his appearance mocked, and he might even have given more for this Religion than an Earthful of people like you ever would? So, pay attention to yourself, and may Allah have Mercy on a man who knows his limits and stays inside those limits. The virtuous people are those who acknowledge the virtue of the people of virtue, especially the scholars, and especially those who are old in age, and especially the parents…

So, my brother, it is enough for your good deeds to be annulled that you look to your actions as if they are great, as Allah Said:“Woe to al-Mutaffifin! Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, and when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than their due.” [al-Mutaffifin; 1-3]

So, if he mentions himself, he only mentions his good deeds, and if he mentions the others, he only mentions their mistakes, as the Prophet said: “One of you sees a small speck of dirt in the eye of his brother, but fails to see the large piece of dirt in his own eye.” ['at-Targhib wat-Tarhib'; 3/236]…

Just because you are part of a particular group doesn’t mean that you are better than the people. Just because you read a particular book doesn’t mean that you are better than the people. There is some good with the Ikhwan, and there is some good with the Tabligh, and there is some good with the Salafiyyah; every one of them has a portion of the good, so, try – if you are able – to collect all of the good from these groups. They used to study from a large group of the scholars, so, his Hadith instructor is different from his Tafsir instructor , and his instructor in spiritual nurturing is different from his Arabic language instructor. Take from the Tabligh their manners…and imagine if we were to follow their path in respecting the people, and their manners with the scholars… The Tabligh have very good speech, as they convey what they say and work magic on the hearts with their manners, and cause any envy one might have against them to vanish. Take from the Ikhwan their historical movements and revolutionary ideas, and take from the Salafiyyah their beliefs. Collect within yourself all that is good, become a student, and do not restrict the truth to your own shaykh… Take from this person, and take from that person; respect the people, and give them the credit they are due, and put them in their proper categories…”

 

[From a khutbah entitled 'an-Nas Asnaf' (People Are of Various Types), given on September 26, 1986]

Sep24

Being a True Slave of Allah

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Being a True Slave of Allah

“The heart is inherently dependent on Allah in two ways: from the point of view of worship, which is the ultimate goal, and from the point of view of seeking His help and relying upon Him, which are the means to that end. The heart cannot be sound, or succeed, or find joy, or be happy, or feel pleasure, or be good, or be at peace, or find tranquility, except by worshiping its Lord, loving Him and returning to Him. Even if it attains all that it can enjoy of created things, it will not feel at peace or find tranquility, because it has an inherent need for its Lord, for He is the focus of its worship, love and seeking, and this is the only way to attain joy, happiness, pleasure, peace and tranquility …

…For if a person is helped to attain what he loves, seeks, desires and wants, but he does not worship Allâh, he will never achieve anything but sorrow, regret and suffering. He can never be free of the pain and hardship of this life except through loving Allâh sincerely, so that Allâh becomes his ultimate desire and he loves Him for what He is, and he loves anyone or anything else only for His sake, and he does not love anything for its own except Allâh. If he does not achieve this (level of love), he has not properly understood the true meaning of “La illaha ill Allâh” or of Tawheed or of Uboodiyyah or of loving Allâh. There is something lacking in his eemaan and Tawheed, and he will suffer pain, regret and anguish accordingly.”

The highest degree of love is Tatayyum (total enthrallment). The lowest degree is ‘alaqah (attachment), when the heart is attached to the beloved: then comes sabahah (infatuation), when the heart is poured out: then gharam (passion), when love never leaves the heart: then ashaq (ardent love), and finally tatayyum. When we say that a person is enthralled, as it were, by Allâh, it means that he worships Allâh, because enthrallment is like enslavement to the beloved.

When a person submits to another even though he dislikes him, this is not worship or enslavement: when he loves someone but is not subservient to him, as a man might love his child or friend, this is not worship or enslavement either. Either of them alone is not enough when it comes to worshipping Allâh. Allâh must be more important than all else. Nothing is deserving of complete love and submission except Allâh. Love for anything other then Allâh is corrupt love, and veneration of anything except Allâh is false veneration. Allâh says:

Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your mates, or your kindred: the wealth that you have gained: the commerce in which you fear decline: or the dwellings in which you delight- are dearer to you then Allâh, or his messenger, or the striving in His cause- the wait until Allâh brings about His Decision … [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 24]

Love, like obedience, should only be for Allâh and His Messenger, and for the sake of earning Allâh’s pleasure:

… But it is more fitting that they should please Allâh and His Messenger … [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 62]

It is also for Allâh and His Messenger to give;
If only they had been content with what Allâh and His Messenger gave them … [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 59]

Worship (‘ibadah ) and the things that are connected to it, such as complete trust and fear, and so on, can only be for Allâh alone, as He says:
Say (O Muhammad): “O People of the Book (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh.” Then if they turn away, say: “Bear witness that we are Muslims.” [Sûrah Al Imran: Ayah 64]

If only they had been content with what Allâh and His Messenger gave them, and had said: “sufficient unto us is Allâh! Allâh and His Messenger will soon give us of His bounty: to Allâh do we turn our hopes!” (That would have been the right course.) [Sûrah Al Tawbah: Ayah 59]

So it is it is for Allâh and His Messenger to give, as He said:
… So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. [Sûrah Al Hashr: Ayah 7]

It is only Allâh Who is sufficient for us, as He says:
Those (the believers) un to whom the people (the hypocrites) said: “Verily, the people (the pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore fear them.” But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: Allâh (alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us). [Sûrah Al Imran : Ayah 173]

O Prophet! Allâh is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you. [Sûrah Al Anfal: Ayah 64]

The last ayah means” Sufficient for you and those who follow you of the believers, is Allâh.” Anyone who thinks that it means “Allâh and the believers with Him are sufficient for you” is making a grave mistake. Allâh also says:

Is not Allâh Sufficient for His slave? … [Sûrah Al Zumar: Ayah 36]

In conclusion, therefore, we may say that slave (‘abd) means the one who is enslaved by Allâh and who submits and humbles himself to Him.

_________________________________

By Shaykh ul-Islâm ibn Taymiyyah

Sep2

Advice of Ali bin Abi Taalib

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Advice of Ali bin Abi Taalib

Kumail ibn Ziyaad said: ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib took hold of my hand and took me off towards the desert. When we reached it, he sat down, took a deep breath and then said:

“O Kumail ibn Ziyaad! The hearts are receptacles, so the best of them is the one which preserves the best. So memorise what I say to you.

The people are of three (types): the Scholar who is rabbaanee, the one learning being upon the path of salvation, and the confused rabble who follow everyone who calls out – bending along with every wind – they are not enlightened by the light of knowledge, nor do they lean upon a firm support.

Knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge is a protection for you, whereas it is you that has to protect wealth. The zakaat of knowledge is action, whereas spending decreases wealth. And love of the Scholar is part of the Religion. Knowledge brings about obedience for the Scholar in his own lifetime and causes him to have good repute after his death, whereas the benefit of wealth ceases when it passes away. The hoarders of wealth have died even though they are still alive, whereas the Scholars remain for as long as time remains – their persons are lost, but their examples remain in the hearts.

Here, indeed here – (and he pointed to his chest) – there is knowledge, if only I could find carriers for it. But instead I have found them quick to comprehend, but not trustworthy. They use what pertains to the Religion for worldly ends. They seek to use Allaah’s proofs against His Book, blindly following the people of truth, but having no insight regarding receiving it.

Doubt pierces their hearts when anything problematic arises. They are neither this nor that. They do not know where the truth lies, and if they are mistaken then they do not know why. They are ardently in love with something the true state of which they do not know – so they become a trial for others.

And indeed, the utmost good is for the one to whom Allaah grants understanding of the Religion and it is enough ignorance for a person that he does not know about his Religion. Such a person is passionately addicted to pleasures, accustomed to following desires, or is one given to amassing wealth and piling it up. Such people are not from the callers to the Religion rather they are more like the grazing cattle. And thus knowledge passes away with the passing away of those who carry it.

Oh Allaah! The earth will not be without one who stands upright for Allaah, with proof – so that Allaah’s proofs and clear signs are not abolished. They are the ones who are few in number, but having the most value to Allaah. With them, Allaah asserts His proofs amongst their contemporaries and cultivates them in the hearts of those similar to them. With them, knowledge assaults and comes upon the true state of affairs, so that which those accustomed to easy living find difficult therein, they find easy; and they are at home with that which causes consternation to the ignorant ones. They live in this world with their bodies, whereas their souls are attached to higher things. They are Allaah’s ambassadors in His land and the callers to His Religion. Oh how I would like to see them, and I seek Allaah’s forgiveness for myself and for you. If you wish then you may leave.”

Reported by Abu Nu’aym in Hilyatul-Awliyaa (1/79-80), al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (1/49-50) and Ibn Katheer in al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah (9/47).

Aug9

Let Nobody Have Any Favor Over You

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Let Nobody Have Any Favor Over You

“Al-Imam Ahmad – may Allah have Mercy upon him – would not accept any gifts from the people, so that they would not have any favor over him. He would reject the gifts of the rulers. One time – and the people loved to present him with gifts – he sent one of his sons to buy a loaf of bread. So, when the baker asked the boy who he was, he replied: “I am the son of Ahmad bin Hambal.” So, instead of filling the bag with bread, the baker filled it with gold and silver, and gave it to him. When Ahmad bin Hambal opened the bag and found gold and silver, he told his son: “Go back to him.” When he gave the bag back, the baker called out to him: “Come, at least take the bread that you paid a dirham for!” Imam Ahmad’s son said: “My father commanded me to return everything.”

They would wish that they could give him some gift, but, he was honorable in the face of such a reality, as the Prophet said: “Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you.”

Then came the tribulation of the creation of the Qur’an. al-Ma’mun adopted this belief, and came to torture Ahmad bin Hambal, so that he would do the same. al-Ma’mun died, al-Mu’tasim continued in torturing him, and he took a stand for Allah – the Mighty and Exalted – in which he honored this religion. Eighteen years, and three rulers who tortured him so that he would accept and endorse the belief of the Qur’an being created, but, he refused. Then came al-Wathiq, who reversed all that had happened in terms of the affair of the creation of the Qur’an. He wanted to honor Ahmad bin Hambal publicly, but, Imam Ahmad refused. So, he sent for his sons and showered them with gifts, which they accepted. When Ahmad bin Hambal learned that his sons had accepted the gifts of al-Wathiq, he built a wall between his home and theirs, boycotting them.

One day, Ahmad bin Hambal became sick. So, his doctor instructed him to roast a ear of corn in the oven and eat it. So, he bought the corn, and asked that it be roasted. So, it was taken to the oven of his uncle, Salih. When it was brought back to Ahmad, he asked: “Where did you roast it?” They said: “In the oven of your uncle, Salih.” He said: “I will not even taste it, as his wealth has been mixed with the gifts of the ruler.”

As a result, it got to the point that even the jinn would fear him!

A crazed girl was brought to al-Wathiq, so, he said: “Send her to Ahmad bin Hambal.” When she was brought to Ahmad, they asked him: “Please cure this crazed girl for us!” So, he began to speak to the jinni that had possessed this girl, saying: “Get out of this girl! Get out of this girl!” But, it didn’t come out. He continued, saying: “Get out, or I’ll – and Ahmad began to threaten the jinni – ” and the jinni came out, saying: “O Ahmad! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you! You feared Allah, so, everything is afraid of you!”

The jinni waited until Ahmad bin Hambal eventually died, and it returned to possess the girl once again. So, they brought the girl to a shaykh – who, as it was said, is more like us than Ahmad bin Hambal – and he began to speak to the jinni, saying: “Get out, or I’ll…” Suddenly, the jinni began to laugh, saying: “Ahmad bin Hambal has died; Ahmad bin Hambal has died…”"

“Abstain from the dunya, and Allah will Love you. Abstain from what is with the people, and the people will love you.”

['Fi Dhilal Surat at-Tawbah'; p. 195-196]