Seeking repentance: Killing two birds with one stone.

To err is human, to forgive is divine. This well-known adage clearly points out that human beings by nature often tend to make mistakes and commit sins.

Islam, as a perfect religion, agrees to this truth as no man is perfect in this world.

As the Holy month of Ramadan gives us a strong and effective training to build a good character it is apt to reflect on the importance of seeking repentance.

“Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves”. — (Sura Baqarah 222).

Repentance helps believers kill two birds with one stone. When the forgiveness is accepted, they not only get relief free from bad deeds but also get merits for this unique act of worship.

The best among all people, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who is sinless, repented to Allah more than 70 times a day. Hence we should be hasty to genuinely seek repentance and forgiveness for all our mistakes, misdeeds and sins that are committed overtly or covertly.

Today, with the dominance of technology, some or a few of us can commit mistakes intentionally or otherwise.

With sincere repentance, one can simply forget his or her unpleasant past and turn over a new leaf as one who repents from sin is like one who has not sinned.

Allah, the Almighty, confirms the success that is given to those who sincerely repent:

“................. And beg Allah to forgive you all, Oh believers, that you may be successful.” (Surah An Noor- Verse 31)

There are several benefits that a repentant gets through this humble act of worship. It removes his guilt, fills the heart with happiness, brings the repenting person closer to Allah thus giving him the right path for eternal success.

The victim or the affected party also gets a relief when the offender asks forgiveness while restoring the latter’s right.

Islam is the perfect way of life that ensures every member of society — Muslim or non- Muslin, the rich or the poor, male or female —gets equal treatment and justice since it promotes peace and pluralism.

When a person goes astray, he is given the rare opportunity putting himself back on the right track. Repentance is the easiest step Allah has given to the believers. The doors of Allah are open for every one for repentance with three main conditions. They are:

1. Recognizing one’s sins and mistakes
2. Feeling ashamed of violating Allah’s trust of complete submissions to his commands
3. Making a promise never to repeat such bad behavior

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source: saudigazette.com.sa

The legacy of Aisha that will never die

The legacy of Aisha that will never die

The spread of Islam, the success, and the survival of Islamic knowledge rested on the shoulders of great men and women of the past. These men and women dedicated their lives to learning and to the preservation and transmission of knowledge.

Women played no less of a role than men in the teaching of the sacred sciences, yet their names are not mentioned as often. If I were to ask, who among the companions were most known for their impeccable memorization of the Holy Qur’an, you would probably say Muadh bin Jabal, Zaid bin Thabit, Abdullah bin Masud, and Abu Al-Dardaa. But did you know that Hafsah, the daughter of Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr, and Umm Salama had also memorized the Holy Qur’an and they taught it to others?

As for studying the Qur’an and its meanings and explaining it, Ibn Abbas first comes to mind. He had so much knowledge of the Holy Qur’an that he was labeled by the scholars as Turjuman Al-Qur’an, which means the translator of the meanings of the Qur’an. What many of us do not know is that Aisha had an equally deep understanding of the Qur’an and that she too was proficient in explaining the meanings of the verses of the Qur’an.

In fact, the scholars of Tafseer (interpretation of the Qur’an) in later years relied on both Ibn Abbas and Aisha’s explanations of the Qur’an to write their books of Tafseer, which students of knowledge study to this day. The scholars mentioned that if the interpretation of a certain verse of the Qur’an by Ibn Abbas contradicts Aisha’s interpretation, that Aisha’s explanation should be taken over that of Ibn Abbas.

What made Aisha the scholar that she became was that she had more access to learning directly from the Prophet (peace be upon him), more than any other companion, so she was a treasure of knowledge. She had an unquenchable thirst and a passion for learning. She was extremely intelligent and had a sharp memory, and she worked hard to learn. Also, she was extremely inquisitive and she asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) many questions. She memorized, narrated, and taught 2,210 Hadith, sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In the books of great men like Al-Bukhari and Tirmidhi and Muslim, Aisha’s name will forever be recorded.

Not only did she memorize and pass on these sayings, but she also deeply understood them. She corrected other companions if they mentioned any mistakes in Hadith or in jurisprudence.

Take for example, when Aisha corrected a group of companions who had been studying in her presence. They were studying acts that interfere with and negate the obligatory prayer, for example if a dog were to pass in front of you in your prayer.

As recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Aisha said, “The things which annul prayer were mentioned before me (and those were); a dog, a donkey and a woman. I said, ‘You have compared us (women) to donkeys and dogs. By Allah! I saw the Prophet praying while I used to lie in (my) bed between him and the Qiblah. Whenever I was in need of something, I disliked to sit and trouble the Prophet, so I would slip away by the side of his feet.’”

That is how Aisha corrected men when needed, as she did on several occasions.

Aisha’s area of expertise was not limited to Hadith and Tafseer, she was extremely knowledgeable in jurisprudence, history, and poetry. Her door was always open to women who had questions in the religion, who had social problems, who needed food, and those who wanted to learn and study. Aisha was constantly sought out by the women of Al-Madinah, and she listened to them, opened her heart to them, taught, advised, and assisted them. How I wish we had an Aisha in our community, a resource for knowledge who at the same time was a counselor and supporter of women.

After the death of the Messenger (peace be upon him), Aisha was a reliable source of knowledge for both men and women alike. The entire society respected her great intellect and would come to her for advice or when facing a dilemma related to religion. Even great men like Umar ibn Al-Khattab consulted her.

Abu Musa Al-Ashari, a well known companion of the Prophet and narrator of Hadith, said, “If we companions of the Messenger of Allah had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aisha about it.”

Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr, was born shortly after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he became a jurist in Al-Madinah. He studied under Aisha and he said, “I did not find anyone more proficient (than Aisha) in the knowledge of the Holy Qur’an, the commandments of halal (lawful) and haram (prohibited), Ilmul-Ansab (lineage) and Arabic poetry. That is why, even senior companions of the Prophet used to consult Aisha in resolving intricate issues”.

Aisha was generous not only in giving of her knowledge and time, but also in giving of what she had to anyone in need. Whenever she received gifts sent to the house of the Prophet (peace be upon him), she would distribute them to the poor and needy. The people of Al-Madinah knew Aisha’s generous nature, so anyone who had gone hungry would knock on Aisha’s door.

When the Muslims became prosperous and were favored with vast wealth, Aisha received a gift of one hundred thousand dirhams. She was fasting when she received the money, and distributed it to the poor and needy, even though she had no provisions in her house. Shortly after that, her maid servant said to her, “Couldn’t you have left a dirham’s worth of meat with which to break your fast?” “If I had thought of it,” Aisha replied, “I would have done so!”

Every time a beggar knocked on her door, she dipped the coins to give away in musk perfume before giving it to him. When asked why, she explained that the charity would reach Allah before it reached the beggar’s hands, and she wanted the charity to be given to Allah in a fragrant condition.

This is a woman who dedicated her life to education and educating others and to the service of people. Our communities today are in need of Aisha’s knowledge, generosity, kindness, and her defending of women’s and girls’ rights. Aisha’s legacy will live on forever in the books of Hadith, the books of Tafseer, history, and jurisprudence, and in our hearts.

source: saudigazette.com.sa

Importance of Ramadan

Importance Of Ramadan

Importance of Ramadan lies in the fact that it is one of the five basic and foremost pillars of Islam. It has been made obligatory for the muslims to keep fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Basically, Ramadan is not just about starving, in fact this month teaches the muslims about self-restraint. Moreover, in Ramadan muslims realize the poor people’s conditions and develop a sense of sympathy and cooperation for them. The month of Ramadan brings with itself numerous blessings and benefits for the muslims. That is why, muslim all over the world becomes joyous, cheerful and enthusiastic as soon as Ramadan arrives, in spite of the fasting and sacrifices they have to offer in this month.
Ramadan is one of the most awaited and sacred festivals of Islam. People start preparations as soon as the advent of Ramadan comes closer. In the month of Ramadan, special arrangements are made of Salat-e-Traweeh (in which whole Quran is recited during the holy month), and Ietekaaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Mosques are found full of people who indulge themselves in more prayers, Quran recitation, and in reading the other Islamic scriptures. Most of the mosques are decorated with lights and small flags etc. To sum up, the whole environment is completely changed as soon as the month of Ramadan arrives.
The holy month of Ramadan is considered to be very important for all the muslims. In Ramadan, muslim learns self-restraint or self-control. They keep themselves away of unlawful deeds and practices which they usually perform during the rest of the year. Muslims offer certain sacrifices. As they remain without eating and drinking anything in the specific timings during this month.  In the same way, muslims all over the world sacrifice their inner bad desires and try to remain pious and good muslims. They devote themselves to the will of Allah and make all efforts to stay more and more in worships to please Allah. Apart from this, muslims develop a sense of love and sacrifice for the poor and needy people.
Zakat is another important pillar of Islam. Muslims are supposed to pay zakat in the Ramadan. Zakat not only purifies their wealth but by paying zakat, muslims help their muslim brothers and sisters in their financial issues.
Muslims are also blessed in the holy month of Ramadan with supposedly the most auspicious night, ‘Laila-tul-Qadar’, which is concealed by the Allah in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. In this sacred night, the reveal of the holy Quran was completed.
During the Ramadan, at Sehri and Iftar (feast) times, muslims get together with their families and indulge in these activities. This helps the muslims to strength their relationship ties and live together with love and happiness. Ramadan brings some scientific benefits as well for the muslims. During this month, immunity is developed in the human body and toxins are released which have earlier been built up there. Thus, the importance of the Ramadan is everlasting and muslims will be kept on blessed by it.

Article by: dnd.com.pk

Finding yourself in the Holy Qur’an

Finding yourself in the Holy Qur’an

Just like the Holy Books before it, the Qur’an was sent down by God through an angel to the prophet to give the message of God to mankind. The message given to mankind is for their own salvation and ultimately for their happiness in the both worlds, this transient world and in the Hereafter.

When reading the Qur’an, Muslims should try to be attuned to the message from Allah. Our hearts and minds should be present as we read the verses of the Qur’an.

We have been commanded to think, to reflect, and to ponder on what we read. Reading hastily and absent mindedly will take away from the benefits that we can otherwise achieve if we read with contemplation.

When reading the Holy Qur’an, ask yourself, “Which of the verses of the Qur’an best describe me?”

Search through the Qur’an to find yourself.

When coming across the verses that describe the believers, evaluate yourself to see if you measure up to those believers who have been promised the gardens, with rivers flowing beneath them.

Take for example these verses from the third chapter in the Qur’an. If you find yourself lacking in these praiseworthy qualities, use these verses as a reminder to yourself for some spiritual and personal growth.

{And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous. Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people-and Allah loves the doers of good.} (Chapter 3, verses 133-134)

A Muslim needs to hold himself/herself to higher standards to live up to this verse. To be able to give in hardship and in ease, to restrain my anger, not lose my temper, and to forgive and pardon those who have hurt me; that is not easy. However, if I am able to do that, then I can consider myself one of the believers praised by Allah in the Qur’an.

Keep reading the Holy Qur’an; read it every day to find the verses that best describe you.

One of my teachers, a teacher of the Holy Qur’an, who has spent his whole life learning and teaching the Holy Qur’an, said that the verse in the Qur’an which he holds dearest to his heart is the following:

{Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend [in his cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a transaction [i.e. profit] that will never perish.}(Chapter 35, verse 29)

That transaction or profit which will never perish is a transaction between the believer and Allah, when the believers do good, Allah gives them ten-fold or one hundred-fold, with immeasurable generosity and rewards.

From after the dawn prayer until nightfall, this teacher listens to his students reciting the Holy Qur’an, and he corrects and teaches them, taking breaks only for prayer and meals. He has students all over the world from Jordan to Saudi Arabia to Czechoslovakia to the United States. For the past 23 years, he has devoted his life to teaching the Holy Qur’an and he found himself in this verse, as those who recite the Book of Allah.
 
When reading verses that describe people who are reprimanded by Allah, we must try our best not to make the same mistakes. Be honest with yourself, and beware of being one of these types of people as described in the Qur’an who sever the ties of blood relations, are miserly, those who backbite and slander, those who skip prayers, those who do not feed orphans and the poor, or those who cheat in business transactions.

One of the earlier scholars of the Holy Qur’an, Al-Ahnaf bin Qays, wanted to find out who he was; which type of people mentioned in the Holy Qur’an did he resemble?

He spent several nights reading the Holy Qur’an with deep concentration.
He read about a group of people described in this verse, {They used to sleep but little of the night. And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.}(Chapter 51, verses 17-18)

The believers described in this verse stay up most of the night in prayer, prostration, supplication, and remembrance of Allah. Al-Ahnaf bin Qays was very humble; he did not think that he was included in such a high rank as these pious worshipers, so he kept searching.

He came across these verses of the Holy Qur’an, which describe the state of the heart of the disbelievers, {Indeed, they when it was said to them, “There is no deity but Allah” were arrogant. And were saying, “Are we to leave our gods for a mad poet?”} (Chapter 37, verses 35-36)

Since he believed in Allah and he believed in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he knew that he was not one of the people described in the verses above.

Afterwards, Al-Ahnaf kept turning the pages of the Qur’an, searching for the group that he belonged to until he stopped at this verse, {And [there are] others who have acknowledged their sins. They had mixed a righteous deed with another that was bad. Perhaps Allah will turn to them in forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Chapter 9, verse 102)

Thereupon, Al-Ahnaf said, “I am of these people.”
He was a righteous man; he feared Allah and was steadfast in his worship of Allah. He acknowledged that he was not perfect, that he had sins, but he was optimistic and hopeful for the mercy and forgiveness of Allah.

How about you? Which verses of the Holy Qur’an best describe you?

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Source: saudigazette