Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen, Wal Aaqibatu lil muttaqeen, Wasalatu Wassalamu ala’ rusulihil kareem.
All praises are for Allah, the Exalted who created us from nothing, who blessed us with his Mercy, who is the sustainer of all the worlds and everything that they contain. Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon Mohammad Salallahu Aleyhi Wassalam, the last messenger and upon all the prophets who came before him.
My Dear respected Brothers and Sisters,
Assalam o allaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
It has happened to many of us in our lives that we have faced a situation wherein a close friend of ours say or do something that hurts us deeply. Sometimes, the intent is not there to hurt, but the speaker is not mindful of the manners and crosses the line of friendship. In such situations, we become emotional and react in a manner that is not befitting the guidelines of Quran and Sunnah.
If we see the lives of the Sahabah, we see numerous examples, whereby it is shown to us how to interact with our friends and fellow muslims when a miscommunication takes place. We see from their lives how to convey our message and yet be mindful of our tongues.
Imam Malik one day entered the Masjid after Asr. Towards the front of Masjid An-Nabawee he drew closer and sat down. Rasul Allah had commanded that anyone who enters the Masjid should not sit until he first prays 2 rakas as a salutation of the Masjid. Imam Malik was of the opinion however that Rasul Allah's forbiddance of praying after Asr took precedence and so he would teach his students to not pray the tahiyyatul Masjid if they entered between the Asr and Maghrib time.
At that moment that Imam Malik sat down, a young boy had seen him sit without first praying the 2 raka’s of Tahiyyatul Masjid. The young boy scorned him, “Get up and pray 2 rakas!”
Imam Malik dutifully stood up once again and began praying the 2 rakas. The students sat stunned: What was going on? Had Imam Malik’s opinion changed?
After he had completed the salah, the students swarmed around and questioned his actions. Imam Malik said, “My opinion has not changed, nor have I gone back on what I taught you earlier. I merely feared that had I not prayed the 2 rakas as the young boy commanded, Allah may include me in the Ayah…
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ
77:48 and when they are told, "Bow down [before God]", do not bow down:
Imam Ahmad held the opinion that eating camel meat nullifies ones Wudu, an opinion that the majority of scholars differed from. Some students asked him, “If you find an Imam eating camel meat in front of you and – without first making Wudu - then leads the Salah, would you pray behind him?” Imam Ahmad replied, “Do you think I would not pray behind the likes of Imam Malik and Sa’eed ibn Al-Musayyab?”
Allah SWT says in Quran:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِينَ (30:22)
30:22 And among his wonders is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours: for in this, behold, there are messages indeed for all who are possessed of [innate] knowledge!
It is a fact that humans will differ from eachother. It has been said that difference of opinion infact is a rahmah from Allah SWT which means that no matter how much one struggles, one cannot make the minds of a people same. Then how do we deal with this difference of opinion and what kind of relationship should we have with a person who has a difference of opinion.
Allah SWT says in Quran:
ادْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
16:125 Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. –
So in this ayah, we see that Allah SWT tells us three things that we need to invite people to the right path:
1) Hikma – Wisdom
2) Mauizatul Hasana – Good instructions
3) Jaadil hum Billati Hiya Ahsan – Argue in the best manner.
Now how do we apply hikmah in our invitation to the others. We see that Sahabah have show beautifully in their lives how to use Hikmah when inviting someone.
Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn – in their young age - once saw a senior man performing Wudu incorrectly. Together they arranged a plan to teach the man without insulting him, advising him in a manner befitting of his age.
Together they went to the senior and announced, “My brother and I have differed over who amongst us performs Wudu the best. Would you mind being the judge to determine which one of us indeed performs Wudu more correctly.”
The man watched intently as the two grandsons of Rasul Allah performed Wudu in an explicit manner. After they had completed, he thanked them and said, “By Allah, I did not know how to perform Wudu before this. You have both taught me how to do it correctly.”
There are two aspects of Hikmah that is explained in the tafaseer of this aayah. Ulama say that
1) Hikmah in Knowledge - Ilamiyyah
2) Hikmah in Action – Amaliyyah
Sometimes, a person may have Hikmah of knowledge, that is he knows that something that was done was wrong, but he is not mindful of applying the hikmah in his action – aml. This lack of Hikmah in Action becomes a major source of hurt that is caused between the brothers.
Sincerity
One: If we differ, our intentions should be that we are differing in the sincere hope of coming away with the truth. Our intentions should be sincere to Allah.
We should not differ just to release some hate or envy in our heart. We should not differ to embarrass someone like we may have been embarrassed.
Rasul Allah said, “Whoever learns knowledge – knowledge from that which should be sought for the sake of Allah – only to receive a commodity of the material world, he shall not find the fragrance of jannah on the day of resurrection.” - An authentic hadith narrated by Abu Dawood in Kitab Al- Ilm.
Kindness and Gentleness
Two: To have Hikmah when differing means we should rarely depart from an atmosphere of kindness and gentleness, we should seldom allow ourselves to become angry and raise our voices.
Fir’own was one of the evilest people that lived. Musa was one of the noblest. Look at how Allah told Musa to advise Fir’own…
"Go, both of you, to Fir’own. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech, perhaps he may remember or fear (Allah)."
A man once entered upon the Khalifah and chastised him for some policies he had taken. The Khalifah replied, “By Allah, Fir’own was more eviler than me. And by Allah, Musa was more pious than you. Yet, Allah commanded him…'And speak to him with gentle speech, perhaps he may remember or fear (Allah).'"
Take Your Time and Clarify
Three: To have Hikmah when dealing with others is to be patient and clarify things before snapping to conclusions.
Imam Ahmad narrates with his chain of narrators leading to Ibn Abbas who said, “A man from Bani Saleem passed by a group of the Prophet’s companions. (At that time of war) The man said ‘as salamu alaykum’ to them. The companions concluded that he only said ‘as salamu alaykum’ to them as a deception to save himself from being caught. They surrounded him and Malham ibn Juthaamah killed him. From that event Allah revealed the verse…
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُواْ وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلاَمَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ اللّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ كَذَلِكَ كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا
4:94 O ye who believe! When ye go abroad in the cause of Allah, investigate carefully, and say not to any one who offers you a salutation: "Thou art none of a believer!" Coveting the perishable goods of this life: with Allah are profits and spoils abundant. Even thus were ye yourselves before, till Allah conferred on you His favours: Therefore carefully investigate. For Allah is well aware of all that ye do.
Speak Kindly
Fourthly, never trade in kind words for harshness, especially when dealing with other Muslims.
Look at the power of a sincere and polite word:
Mus’ab ibn Umayr was the first of ambassador of Rasul Allah in Madinah. Before Rasul Allah had arrived in Madinah, Mus’ab taught ahl al-Madinah about Islam and they began to enter the Deen.
This enraged Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah, one of the chieftains of Madinah. He sheathed his sword and set off for the head of Mus’ab ibn ‘Umayr. When he confronted Mus’ab he threatened, “Stop this nonsense you speak or you shall find yourself dead!”
Mus’ab replied in the way that should be a lesson for us all. This man before him did not stop at rudeness and ignorance, he wanted to slit his throat.
Mus’ab said, “Shall you not sit and listen for a few moments. If you agree with what I say then take it, and if not, we shall desist from this talk.” Sa’d sat down.
Mus’ab spoke about Allah and His messenger until the face of Sa’d ibn Ubaadah’s face shone like a full moon and he said, “What should a person do who wishes to enter into this Deen?” After Mus’ab had told him he said, “There is a man, if he accepts this Deen, there shall be no home in Madinah that will not become Muslim. Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh.”
When Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh heard what was happening, he was infuriated. He left his home to go and kill this man called Mus’ab ibn Umayr for the dissention he had caused. He entered upon Mus’ab and announced, “You shall desist of this religion you speak of or you shall find yourself dead!”
Mus’ab replied, “Shall you not sit and listen for a few moments. If you agree with what I say then take it, and if not, I shall desist from this talk.” Sa’d sat.
Mus’ab spoke about Allah and His messenger until the face of Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh’s face shone like a full moon and he said, “What should a person do who wishes to enter into this Deen?”
Look at what a kind word did. Sa’d ibn Mu’aadh went home to his Madinan tribe that night and announced to them all, “Everything of yours is Haram upon me until you all enter into Islam.”
That night, every home in Madinah went to bed with Laa ilaaha illa Allah, all because of a kind word.
Mwaizatul Hasana
Mu’aawiyah ibn al-Hakam al-Salami. When he came to Madeenah from the desert, he did not know that it was forbidden to speak during the salaah. He relates: “Whilst I was praying behind the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man sneezed, so I said ‘Yarhamuk Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on you).’ The people glared at me, so I said, ‘May my mother lose me! What is wrong with you that you are looking at me?’ They began to slap their thighs with their hands, and when I saw that they were indicating that I should be quiet, I stopped talking (i.e., I nearly wanted to answer them back, but I controlled myself and kept quiet).
When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had finished praying – may my father and mother be sacrificed for him, I have never seen a better teacher than him before or since – he did not scold me or hit me or put me to shame. He just said, ‘This prayer should contain nothing of the speech of men; it is only tasbeeh and takbeer and recitation of the Qur’aan.’” (Saheeh Muslim, ‘Abd al-Baaqi edn., no. 537).
Jaadil hum Billati Hiya Ahsan – Argue in the best manner.
“I lose and you win!”
A Bedouin came to Rasul Allah and told him, “Give me from what Allah gave you, not from the wealth of your mother nor from the wealth of your father.” The Sahaabah were furious at the man and step forward to discipline him for what he said. Rasul Allah commanded everyone to leave him.
Then by the hand, Rasul Allah took him home, opened his door and said, “Take what you wish and leave what you wish.” The man did so and after he completed, Rasul Allah asked him, “Have I honored you?” “Yes, by Allah,” said the Bedouin. “Ash hadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah.”
When the Sahabah heard of how the man changed, Rasul Allah taught them. “Verily the example of myself, you and this Bedouin is that of a man who had his camel run away. The townspeople tried capturing the camel for him by running and shouting after the camel, only driving it further away. The man would shout, ‘Leave me and my camel, I know my camel better.’ Then he took some grass in his hand, ruffled it in front of the camel, until it came willingly.
‘By Allah, had I left you to this Bedouin, you would have hit him, hurt him, he would have left without Islam and eventually have entered hellfire.”
“I win and you lose!”
A Muslim should not have an apologetic stance to everything he is confronted with. There are times when the truth must be said, when there is no room for flattery.
When the Makhzoomi women – a women from an affluent family – stole, people approached Rasul Allah to have her punishment canceled. Rasul Allah became very angry and stood on the pulpit and announced, “By Allah, had Fatima the daughter of Muhammad stole I would have cut her hand off.”
No room for flattery, the truth must be stood up for. It is here that the etiquette of disagreement that we talked earlier about should shine.
“I win and you win!”
There doesn’t always have to be a loser. We see in many cases that Rasul Allah gave a way out for the people he differed with.
When he sent the letter to Caesar, he said in it, “Become Muslim and you shall be safe, Allah shall give you your reward double!”
He did not say surrender or die! Nothing of the sort. Become Muslim and you shall win, rather your victory shall be double.
I shall end with this shining example of how to act with other Muslims from our role model, Abu Bakr:
Abu Bakr once disputed with another companion about a tree. During the dispute Abu Bakr said something that he rather would not have said. He did not curse, he did not attack someone’s honor, he did not poke a fault in anyone, all he said was something that may have hurt the other companion’s feelings.
Immediately, Abu Bakr – understanding the mistake - ordered him, “Say it back to me!” The companion said, “I shall not say it back.” “Say it back to me,” said Abu Bakr, “Or I shall complain to the Messenger of Allah.” The companion refused to say it back and went on his way.
Abu Bakr went to Rasul Allah and related what had happened and what he said. Rasul Allah called that companion and asked him, “Did Abu Bakr say so and so to you?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “What did you reply.” He said, “I did not reply it back to him.” Rasul Allah said, “Good, do not reply it back to him (do not hurt Abu Bakr). Rather say, ‘May Allah forgive you O Abu Bakr!’”
The Companion turned to Abu Bakr and said, “May Allah forgive you O Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you O Abu Bakr!” Abu Bakr turned and cried as he walked away.
May Allah SWT give us taufeeq to follow upon what has been said.
Wa akhiruhu Dawaana Annil Hamdulillahi Rabilaalimeen.
February 02, 2007
Note: Special thanks to Br. Mohammad Al Sharif who wrote the original article
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Curing the Heart
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,
Assalam o allaikum Wr. Wb.
Alhamdulillahi rabbil aalimeen, Wal Aaqibatu Lilmutaqeen, Wasalatu Wassalam o ala Rusulihil Kareem.
All praises to Allah SWT who is the master of this universe and salutations be to the last messenger Mohammad SAW and his rightly guided companions.
Prophet SAW said,
"There is in the body a clump of flesh - if it becomes good, the whole body becomes good and if it becomes bad, the whole body becomes bad. And indeed it is the heart." [Bukhari]
There are two ways a human being judges right from wrong. One element is the Zaahir, which in this case is Knowledge of Halal and Haram and ther other element is Baatin which is the state of the heart. If the heart is good, then it makes good use of the knowledge and it avoids what is prohibited. If the heart is bad, then the knowledge is of no benefit and he will indulge in what is prohibited.
Allah SWT says in Quran,
Inna Akramakum Indallahi Atkaakum – Verily, the best among you is the one with taqwa.
And Prophet SAW on Jummatul Wida, said among other things that ‘Taqwa is in the heart.’
We see time and again that in Islam the stress has been made on the heart – that the heart is the part of the body that Allah SWT has favoured over other parts.
When your baby is sick, or you have an assignment due that you have not started yet, or you have made a promise to someone and you forget about it and realize later, a feeling of fear comes in our heart. This feeling makes us realize that something is not right and somehow we are responsible for it. This feeling is a system of Allah SWT to keep his slaves on the right moral path, a path where they have some accountability. A person who has lost such a feeling is disconnected with his responsibilties towards himself and others and above disconnected from the responsibilities towards Allah SWT.
Thinking about and trying to understand meanings of the Glorious Quran, which Allah (SWT) has sent down for His slaves to clarify all things and as a Light that He gives to whom He wills among His slaves. Indeed, the Quran contains tremendous medicine for all ills of the heart, as Allah said,
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلا خَسَارًا
" And We sent down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and a loss for the unjust."
The Quran contains clear instructions for us in the deen; Allah’s promises, warnings and commandments; stories of previous nations; and codes of the best conduct and behavior.
These various subjects in the Quran have different effects on the heart. For the believer it is a mercy and a healing and for the unjust it causes a loss in their life.
Some Surahs (chapters) of the Quran reveal more that might be frightening to us than others.
For instance Rasul Allah (SAW) said, about Suah Hud, that "...it and its sisters have brought me white hairs before their due time." Hud and its sisters brought white hairs to the Messenger of Allah because of what they contain of matters of Iman. These Surahs, and the rest of the Quran, showed their effect on the Messenger of Allah and his companions, exactly as they were ordered in the Quran.
The companions would also be deeply moved with emotions when they recited the Quran. Abu Bakr, for example, who was a soft-hearted man, used to cry while reciting the Quran when leading Muslims in prayer.
Once, Umar became ill as a result of his reciting the Ayah,
فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَنْ تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلا تَطْغَوْا إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
"Therefore stand firm (in the straight Path) as you are commanded,- you and those whom with you turn (unto Allah); and transgress not (from the Path): for He sees well all that ye do.”
On another occasion, Umar wept when he was reciting the Ayah,
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَ
"I (Prophet Jacob) only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah."
and he (Umar) was clearly heard (weeping) by those who were standing behind him. This is the way to really understand the Quran in the deepest sense. So much so that it effects the heart and the emotions. Take the Quran personally. Let it seep into your deepest depths.
Furthermore, Uthman Ibn Affan said, "If our hearts were pure, they will never have enough from reciting Allah’s Speech (the Quran)."As for later generations, Ayyub said,
"I heard Sad Ibn Jubayr recite the Ayah,
وَقَالُوا لَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلا مَنْ كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
"And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah...” repeating it more than twenty times, “...Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and will not be dealt with unjustly.”
This is the last Ayah that was revealed to the Messenger of Allah. It is both a promise and a warning for those of us who believe and who consider its meaning. Also, Ibrahim Ibn Bashshar said that,
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُوا عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُوا يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلا نُكَذِّبَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And if you could see when they are made to stand before the fire, you would hear them say: If only we were sent back, and we would not reject the communications of our Lord and we would be of the believers” was the Ayah that Ali Ibn al-Fudhayl died while reciting.
Ibn Al-Qayyim said with regards to what one should do to cure his weak Iman using the Quran,
"First you should remove your heart from the life of this world and settle it in the Last Life. Then, pay your full attention to pursuing the meanings of the Quran, and try to comprehend and understand them and what they were sent down to accomplish. Then, offer these meanings to the sickness that your heart feels, and when they touch the disease, they will cure the heart, Allah willing."
My dear respected Brothers and sisters, Pray to Allah SWT that he gives us the abilitity to guard our hearts from the sharr and evil so that the rememberance of Allah SWT can have effect on us internally in the form of our morals, judgement, humility, humbleness, rahma, shafqa etc… and externally by our deeds and dealings towards other people.
Wama Taufiqi Ilallah Billah…
January 05, 2007
Assalam o allaikum Wr. Wb.
Alhamdulillahi rabbil aalimeen, Wal Aaqibatu Lilmutaqeen, Wasalatu Wassalam o ala Rusulihil Kareem.
All praises to Allah SWT who is the master of this universe and salutations be to the last messenger Mohammad SAW and his rightly guided companions.
Prophet SAW said,
"There is in the body a clump of flesh - if it becomes good, the whole body becomes good and if it becomes bad, the whole body becomes bad. And indeed it is the heart." [Bukhari]
There are two ways a human being judges right from wrong. One element is the Zaahir, which in this case is Knowledge of Halal and Haram and ther other element is Baatin which is the state of the heart. If the heart is good, then it makes good use of the knowledge and it avoids what is prohibited. If the heart is bad, then the knowledge is of no benefit and he will indulge in what is prohibited.
Allah SWT says in Quran,
Inna Akramakum Indallahi Atkaakum – Verily, the best among you is the one with taqwa.
And Prophet SAW on Jummatul Wida, said among other things that ‘Taqwa is in the heart.’
We see time and again that in Islam the stress has been made on the heart – that the heart is the part of the body that Allah SWT has favoured over other parts.
When your baby is sick, or you have an assignment due that you have not started yet, or you have made a promise to someone and you forget about it and realize later, a feeling of fear comes in our heart. This feeling makes us realize that something is not right and somehow we are responsible for it. This feeling is a system of Allah SWT to keep his slaves on the right moral path, a path where they have some accountability. A person who has lost such a feeling is disconnected with his responsibilties towards himself and others and above disconnected from the responsibilities towards Allah SWT.
Thinking about and trying to understand meanings of the Glorious Quran, which Allah (SWT) has sent down for His slaves to clarify all things and as a Light that He gives to whom He wills among His slaves. Indeed, the Quran contains tremendous medicine for all ills of the heart, as Allah said,
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلا يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلا خَسَارًا
" And We sent down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and a loss for the unjust."
The Quran contains clear instructions for us in the deen; Allah’s promises, warnings and commandments; stories of previous nations; and codes of the best conduct and behavior.
These various subjects in the Quran have different effects on the heart. For the believer it is a mercy and a healing and for the unjust it causes a loss in their life.
Some Surahs (chapters) of the Quran reveal more that might be frightening to us than others.
For instance Rasul Allah (SAW) said, about Suah Hud, that "...it and its sisters have brought me white hairs before their due time." Hud and its sisters brought white hairs to the Messenger of Allah because of what they contain of matters of Iman. These Surahs, and the rest of the Quran, showed their effect on the Messenger of Allah and his companions, exactly as they were ordered in the Quran.
The companions would also be deeply moved with emotions when they recited the Quran. Abu Bakr, for example, who was a soft-hearted man, used to cry while reciting the Quran when leading Muslims in prayer.
Once, Umar became ill as a result of his reciting the Ayah,
فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَنْ تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلا تَطْغَوْا إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
"Therefore stand firm (in the straight Path) as you are commanded,- you and those whom with you turn (unto Allah); and transgress not (from the Path): for He sees well all that ye do.”
On another occasion, Umar wept when he was reciting the Ayah,
قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَ
"I (Prophet Jacob) only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah."
and he (Umar) was clearly heard (weeping) by those who were standing behind him. This is the way to really understand the Quran in the deepest sense. So much so that it effects the heart and the emotions. Take the Quran personally. Let it seep into your deepest depths.
Furthermore, Uthman Ibn Affan said, "If our hearts were pure, they will never have enough from reciting Allah’s Speech (the Quran)."As for later generations, Ayyub said,
"I heard Sad Ibn Jubayr recite the Ayah,
وَقَالُوا لَنْ يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلا مَنْ كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَى تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
"And guard yourselves against a day in which ye will be brought back to Allah...” repeating it more than twenty times, “...Then every soul will be paid in full that which it hath earned, and will not be dealt with unjustly.”
This is the last Ayah that was revealed to the Messenger of Allah. It is both a promise and a warning for those of us who believe and who consider its meaning. Also, Ibrahim Ibn Bashshar said that,
وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ وُقِفُوا عَلَى النَّارِ فَقَالُوا يَا لَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلا نُكَذِّبَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And if you could see when they are made to stand before the fire, you would hear them say: If only we were sent back, and we would not reject the communications of our Lord and we would be of the believers” was the Ayah that Ali Ibn al-Fudhayl died while reciting.
Ibn Al-Qayyim said with regards to what one should do to cure his weak Iman using the Quran,
"First you should remove your heart from the life of this world and settle it in the Last Life. Then, pay your full attention to pursuing the meanings of the Quran, and try to comprehend and understand them and what they were sent down to accomplish. Then, offer these meanings to the sickness that your heart feels, and when they touch the disease, they will cure the heart, Allah willing."
My dear respected Brothers and sisters, Pray to Allah SWT that he gives us the abilitity to guard our hearts from the sharr and evil so that the rememberance of Allah SWT can have effect on us internally in the form of our morals, judgement, humility, humbleness, rahma, shafqa etc… and externally by our deeds and dealings towards other people.
Wama Taufiqi Ilallah Billah…
January 05, 2007
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