Islam4You

05/03/2025

Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Allah Almighty says: Whoever comes with a good deed will have the reward of ten like it and even more. Whoever comes with an evil deed will be recompensed for one evil deed like it or he will be forgiven. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of a hand, I will draw close to him by the length of an arm. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of an arm, I will draw close to him by the length of a fathom. Whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him running. Whoever meets Me with enough sins to fill the earth, not associating any partners with Me, I will meet him with as much forgiveness.” [Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2687]

Allah will return our turning to Him with much better. Let us review at the end of every day how frequently we find ourselves turning to Him in supplication.

In a Ḥadīth, supplication (duʿā) is referred to as the essence of worship. Supplication has been called the essence of worship for two main reasons.

Firstly, by supplicating to Allah, a person fulfils his obligation of calling on Allah, which is understood from the verse, “And your Lord says, ‘Call on Me, I will answer you (your prayer)’” (Qur’ān 40:60). This is worship in its purest form.

Secondly, by invoking Allah, one realises that only He can fulfil one’s needs. The servant who calls upon his Lord abandons hope in everything else and turns his full attention to Allah, humbling himself in front of Him. This is the essence of worship. Another desired result of worship is to attain reward from Allāh. Because there is such great reward in supplication, it has been called the essence of worship.

[Mazād al-Rāghibīn, pg. 7]

03/03/2025

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler along a path.” [S‌ah‌i‌h‌ al-Bukha‌ri‌ 6416]

This is a very important ḥadīth as it governs how we should be in this life and how we should look at it. This life is a trial, and this ḥadīth reinforces and guides a person in how to deal with the trials of this life.

Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said, “And this ḥadīth is a foundation in having short hopes of this life, for the believer should not take this life as a home for him that he feels tranquil in. Rather, he should be in it like he is about to leave, preparing himself for his departure, and the advice of the Messengers (peace be upon them) and their followers are all in agreement with this idea."

A few qualities of a stranger are that his main concern will be on focusing his efforts in getting to his homeland, Jannah. He is not content with residency in this life because it is not his home. This doesn’t mean he should be sad, but a believer’s apparent sadness (due to hereafter matters) is in fact his happiness. We are content with the decree of Allāh, but are not content with staying in this dunya.

Ibn Rajab said, “When Allāh created Ādam (peace be upon him), Allāh placed him and his wife in Jannah. Then, they were taken down from Jannah, and promised to return to it along with the righteous from their offspring. Hence a believer is always longing and yearning to return to his first (and original) home.”

Understand the reality of this life and that it is very lowly. Being a stranger comes naturally to whoever is following teachings of the Qur’ān and Sunnah correctly. A believer should live as if he will die tomorrow but plan as if he will live for long. Look at the ill people around you and take heed from their illness and focus on doing more good while you are still healthy.

Understand that your true home is Jannah and you are now here on a trip towards Jannah - InshāAllāh - so ensure you follow the right path so you can reach your goal, and do not waste your time taking with you unnecessary items that will only slow you down and push you further away from real home.

أللهم إني أسألك الجنة و أعوذ بك من النار

02/03/2025

The arabic word tawakkul [توكّل] means trust.

The sense is that the believer should have total trust in Allāh, One and Pure, free from all conceivable associations and ascriptions, not simply theoretically but in deeds too and in all states and conditions of one's life.

In a sound Ḥadīth, the Prophet ﷺ has said that this does not mean that one should abandon material causes and means when it comes to taking care of ones legitimate needs.

The point is that one should not consider material means and instruments as sufficient for real success, instead of which, one should do his best, subject to his ability and courage, to assemble and utilise necessary material means.

It is only after that one should entrust his matter with Allah, believing that He is the One who has created all the means and He is certainly the One who makes means to bear fruits. What would come to be has to be what He has willed.

In another Ḥadīth, the Prophet ﷺ has said 'Make a moderate effort to procure what you need through material means and then place your trust in Him.'

[Maʿāriful Qurʾān, Volume 4, page 154-155]

Reliance upon Allāh means entrusting one's affairs to Allāh and relying upon Allāh for the matter at hand as well as all other matters, whether religious or worldly. This is a sign of one's faith in Allāh and evidence for one's belief in and implementation of tawḥīd. Relying upon others when only Allāh can help is considered to be a form of shirk.

During times of trauma and difficulty, reliance upon Allāh entails employing the means created by Allāh that are likely to lead to the desired outcome, as long as they are within the limits of the Sharʿīah. At the same time, one should trust in and depend upon Allāh and upon Allāh's mercy, power and ability to do things. Those who rely upon Allāh do not abandon the means to achieve the end result, nor do they abandon hope in Allāh's mercy and rely upon themselves instead.

Relying upon Allāh is an act of worship of the heart. It encompasses the understanding that, in reality, there is no helper except Allāh. We may consult others, ask others for their assistance and even pay for their services, but in the end, the only true help comes from Allāh and Allāh is the only One who can save us from the predicaments in which we find ourselves.

01/03/2025

Ibn ʿAbbās (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that there were some people who had killed a lot of people unjustly and had committed a lot of shameful acts. They came to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ and submitted before him, 'The religion (Islām) you (ﷺ) invite us to is, no doubt, very good, but we have a problem. We think about all those major sins we have already committed. Now, if we were to become Muslims, do you (ﷺ) have hope that our repentance will be accepted?' - thereupon Allāh revealed the verse:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ أَسْرَفُوْا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوْا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ جَمِيْعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ

Say, (O Prophet ﷺ, that Allāh says), “O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allāh’s mercy, for Allāh certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
[Qurʾān, Sūrah az-Zumar (39), verse 53]

Well before death arrives, sincere repentance made from sins, no matter how serious, even from kufr (disbelief) and shirk (ascribing partners to Allāh) gets accepted. And by the virtue of genuine repentance, all sins will be forgiven (inshāʾAllāh) and no one should lose hope in the mercy of Allāh.

ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿUmar (Allah be pleased with him) said that out of all the verses of the Qurʾān, this verse (39:53) brings the strongest message of hope for sinners.

[Maʿāriful Qurʾān, Volume 7, Page 573-574]

01/03/2025

28/03/2023

The righteous servants of Allāh ﷻ go to incredible lengths to earn divine rewards.

Imām Abū Dāwūd, the renowned Muḥaddith and the compiler of Sunan Abī Dāwūd was on board a ship when he heard a person on the shore sneeze and say 'الحمد لله' (All praise belongs to Allāh).

Imām Abū Dāwūd hired a small boat for one Dirham and went ashore in order to reply to the person who sneezed with 'يرحمك الله' (may Allāh have mercy upon you).

When Imām Abū Dāwūd returned to the ship, Imām Abū Dāwūd was asked why he had done so.

Imām Abū Dāwūd answered, "It is possible that the person who sneezed was a Mustajābud-Daʿwāt (one whose du'ās are readily accepted by Allāh).

When the people on board later went to sleep, they heard a voice proclaiming, "O people of the ship, (Imām) Abū Dāwūd (رحمه الله) purchased Jannah from Allāh at the cost of one Dirham!"

[Fatḥul Bārī, Volume 10, Page 610 || Pearls from the Path, Volume 3, Page 39-40]

Jannah purchased for only one Dirham! Naturally we assume Jannah can only be acheived by the performance of extensive good deed. We think we have to do loads of great actions and often overlook the small deeds. These small deeds can also be our ticket into Jannah. Little do we realise that it may be some tiny, 'insignificant' action of ours that brings about the pleasure of Allāh and can be the cause for us entering Paradise.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

سَدِّدُوا وَقَارِبُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُدْخِلَ أَحَدَكُمْ عَمَلُهُ الْجَنَّةَ، وَأَنَّ أَحَبَّ الأَعْمَالِ أَدْوَمُهَا إِلَى اللهِ، وَ
إِنْ قَلَّ

Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant even if it were little.

[Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī]

27/03/2023

Every person will taste death. There’s no doubt about it. We were not made for this world. We were all made for the hereafter. This life is merely a passing place waiting for our real destination – in Jannah, InshāAllāh.

No one can or will escape death. No matter how wealthy and brave you may be. [Wherever you will be, death will overtake you, even if you are in fortified castles. (Qur’ān, Sūrah An-Nisā (4), verse 78)]

While life and death are from Allāh, we have to remember that they are to take place with the permission of Allāh alone. Each one’s life and death is decided by Allāh. You will and are going to return to your Lord. That is definite. What isn’t definite for us is when that will happen. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a trait of a Muslim to be afraid of death, despite all possible defences one may arrange for himself. – Try your best in this world. Allāh will never let your efforts will never go to waste.

Without entering in this world and without leaving this world, we cannot enter Jannah, which is our ultimate goal. We can’t have hope and always pray for the highest of Jannah without tasting death. Death is the only truth this life can promise us. It is a passage to Paradise. Just as you pass through a door and you end up on the other side, or in another room. Similarly, death is a door, you leave this world, and enter into the hereafter. Therefore, it is important that we all remember the death constantly and try our best to prepare for it.

Ḥaḍrat Āishah رضي الله عنها asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, “O Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), shall anyone be resurrected alongside the martyrs?” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “Yes. He who recalls death 20 times in one day and night.”

[The Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife, Imām Al-Ghazālī رحمه الله, page 9]

01/05/2022

RAMADAN DAY 30

As the month of Ramaḍān comes to an end, the question most of us are probably thinking right now is “How do I know if my Ramaḍān was accepted by Allah?”.

There isn’t a 100% guaranteed way to tell exactly how much of our worship was accepted, but there is a pretty good indicator that can help you find out.

And that is Istiqāmah (steadfastness). In other words, if we’re able to continue the good actions we picked up in Ramaḍān well after this month – that would be a major sign that our deeds were accepted. And likewise, if we're able to refrain from the sins we usually indulge in, well after Ramaḍān – that would be a major sign that our deeds were accepted.

May Allah make us amongst those who carry the light of Ramaḍān throughout the year, and remain steadfast in His worship with ikhlāṣ (sincerity) and acceptance. May He pardon the deficiencies in our ʿibādah and allow us to witness the next Ramaḍān. Āmīn Yā Rabb.

30/04/2022

RAMADAN DAY 29

Look at life with a spirit of love and optimism, for life is a gift from Allāh to man. So accept this gift from the One, take it with joy and embrace the morning with its glow, the night with its quietness and the day with its brightness.

Drink this fresh water with gratitude, breathe this fresh air with joy, smell the roses and glorify Allāh.

Think about the universe and learn from it, make use of the blessed gift of land, the beautiful flowers, the sweet air, the delights of the garden, the warmth of the sun, the light of the moon.

Let these blessings motivate you to obey Allāh, the Exalted, give thanks to Him and praise Him for His endless blessings and bounty.

Do not let worry and distress prevent you from being grateful for these blessings and make you ungrateful; rather, remember that the Creator and Provider has only created these blessings as a means to help you obey Him.

29/04/2022

RAMADAN DAY 28

A couple of days remain of this blessed month. We anticipated it like the coming of a new beginning. We prepared our souls for spiritual nourishment in the absence of food and drink. But we found ourselves weak. We did not meet our goals. We may have not spent as much time with the Qur'ān as we may have wished. We may have slept through the times of Qiyām ul-Layl. We found ourselves weak in seeking His mercy.

Now is not the time to cry over spilt milk, nor the time to console ourselves with the anticipation of the next Ramaḍān.

Reflect on this wonderful statement by Imam Ibn Rajab (Allah have mercy on him) in his Laṭāʾif:

“Let those who have failed to make the most of this month of Ramaḍān end it with good because actions are judged by their endings.”

28/04/2022

RAMADAN DAY 27

The ʿabd (of Allah) is then ordered to stand with his face in the direction of the qiblah all the while having his heart facing Him as well (being fully attentive to Him) so as to renounce his previous state of rebellion and to stop turning away (from his Lord).

The slave (of Allah) should therefore stand up before his Master in humility and submission calling for His Compassion with his hands thrown at his sides and his head low, while at the same time his heart is fully attentive to Him in a state of humility, as he devotes all his senses to His service and glorification by declaring with his tongue and proclaiming in his heart that He is the Greatest, which is to express that Allah is greater than anything he may have in his heart. And he affirms this statement by dismissing everything except Allah from his heart so his heart is completely occupied with Allah and nothing else. This is because occupying himself with anything else would connote that he finds what he is busy with is of more importance or greater than Allah.

Indeed, a person whose heart is busied with what distracts him from Allah (in ṣalāh) is someone whose heart does not conform to the statement made by his tongue declaring Allah is the Greatest. Having the heart in harmony with the tongue when saying that Allah is the Greatest will strip the heart from the attire of arrogance as such garment does not befit the state of his enslavement to Allah. Furthermore, it would prevent the heart from thinking of anything except Allah. This is because the rights of these two words; Allah is Greater than everything, and the resolve to establish his servitude to Allah through the takbīr protects the heart from the aforementioned defects (being occupied with something else other than Allah and wearing a garment that does not befit the servitude to Allah).

[Inner Dimensions of the Prayer by Imām Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah]