Gems

The Reasons Behind Seasons

Bismillah.

Why did Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) create seasons? All of this–snow, leaves changing, hot summer days and freezing winter nights. In some countries–like Canada, and the US–you have places where Isha time starts around 11pm, or 12am (midnight), and Fajr starts arond 2-3am! You also have days where Isha starts at 6pm, and Fajr starts around 7am.

What can we learn from this?

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) gives this away when he narrates: “Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) made the night short so you can pray, and the day short so you can fast.”

Breaking News

The news is out. Its a BIG one. Media won’t broadcast it. People wouldn’t talk about it. The most deadly serial killer is out after a month of imprisonment. He is back to take the revenge. He could in in your neighbourhood right now. To make it worse, he could be in your house with you eating and drinking right now! He is very dedicated, clever, motivated and doesn’t leave behind any traces! Who is he? What does he want? What crimes has he commited? How does he do it?

Ismul Jalaalah

Bismillah.

Ismul Jalaalah, The Grand Name: Allah الله. This is Allah’s Personal Name. His Identifying Name. This Name only belongs to Allah, no one else can have besides Allah. Allah is the Title, the Name, of the One True Ilaah. The Name of Allah, you cannot play around with: there is no plural, there is no feminine. The Name Allah appears over 3000 times in the Qur’an.

When we mentioned the Name “Allah” linguistically, we don’t say “the word Allah” or “the Name Allah” because it is not appropriate. It is only for Allah ta’ala, so we say: Lafdhul Jalaalah, لفظ الجلالة، the word that is Grand.

How to Receive Allah’s Special Mercy

Bismillah

We know that Allah ta’ala Name’s Ar-Raheem is specifically for the believers, so how is it that one can receive this special Mercy from ar Raheem?

  • Obedience to Allah and His Messenger. and obey Allah and His Messenger so that you all may receive Mercy.” [3:132]
  • Taqwa of Allah ta’ala, fear and consciousness of Allah. “And this is a book, We have sent it down as one blessed, so follow it and fear Allah so that you all may receive Mercy.[6:155]  Similarly Allah says: and My Mercy encompasses all things, so soon I will write it for those who have taqwa.” [7:156]
  • Doing ihsaan (utmost good) towards Allah and the creation. “Indeed the Mercy of Allah is near to those who do utmost good.” [7:156]
  • Praying four rak’aat before ‘Asr prayer. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: “May Allah have mercy on one who prays 4 raka’aat before the ‘Asr Prayer.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi no. 395 and he declared it a hassan, Al-Albany rated the Hadith as hassan in Sahih al-Jami’ No. 3493.
  • Listening to the Qur’an attentively and remaining silent. “And when the Quran is recited, listen to it with attention, that you may receive Mercy.” [7:204]
  • Having rahmah towards the creation of Allah. A hadith in Musnad Ahmad states, Show mercy so that you may be shown mercy, forgive and Allah will forgive you.” There is another hadith narrated in Sunan Abi Dawood that states, “The merciful will be give mercy by the Most Merciful. Have mercy to those on earth and the one in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”  Also Allah ta’ala says in the Qur’an, Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?  [24:22] So if you want mercy, you want knowledge of the Qur’an, you want Jannah, you want Guidance? Show mercy to others.

May Allah ta’ala shower His mercy upon us, Ameen.

The Qur’an is Mubaarak

Bismillah.
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says in Surah Saad verse 29,
كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الأَلْبَابِ

<p>
  <strong>“(This is) a Mubaarak Book which We have sent down to you, that they may reflect upon its signs, and that men of understanding may remember.”</strong> (Saad: 38:29)
</p>

<p>
  Mubaarak is that which is full of barakah. And barakah is from the root, <em>ba ra kaaf</em> (ب ر ك), and barakah is that which lasts long and has the ability to increase. When something is Mubaarak, it includes three meanings:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    It is a source of katheerul khayr, full of goodness. So Mubaarak is that which has a lot of good and is where unexpected and expected good is received.
  </li>
  <li>
    Source of katheerul fawaa’id, a lot of benefits.
  </li>
  <li>
    That which is thaabit, firm and has continuity. The blessings one receives from it is firm, it is not a temporary benefit but has permanence.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  So how is the Qur’an <em>Mubaarak</em>? Let’s look at all three of these meanings:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    the Qur’an is a source of katheerul khayr: it is a guidance and mercy for the believers, it gives the news of Jannah, it is a healing, it contains commandments that guide us, it is a light, it is an admonition and advice from Allah, and it is a source of reward (10 rewards per letter).
  </li>
  <li>
    the Qur’an is a source of katheerul fawaa’id: it benefits in both this life and the next. In this dunya it is a furqaan for us-the criterion between right and wrong, it increases one in knowledge and it is a source of protection. In the aakhirah, it is a means to ascend to the highest levels of Jannah (hadeeth: iqra’ war taqi, read and ascend!), it an intercessor and shade for its companions, and it will accompany its readers in the grave.
  </li>
  <li>
    the Qur’an contains firm, continuous and permanent blessings: the Rabb Who revealed it is Blessed, the Prophet it was revealed to is blessed (alayhi salaatu wa salaam), the month it was revealed in is blessed, the night it was sent down in is blessed, the city it was revealed in is blessed, those who store it in their heart are blessed, those who learn it are blessed and those who teach it are blessed.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  So ask yourself: am I missing out on this Mubaarak Book? Have you tasted some of its goodness, benefits and blessings?
</p>

<p>
  may Allah ta’ala make us among the companions of the Qur’an, Ameen.
</p>

The Greatest Delight

Bismillah

What is the greatest gift you could ever receive? That you could ever want? That would bring you the greatest happiness and delight?…..Think about it.

Got an idea? ….good.

Most of us will be thinking of Jannah and all of its delights. But the most pleasurable thing in Jannah is not having spouses, or servants that will serve you, or drinking milk and honey. No rather, there is something MUCH GREATER for the Dwellers of Jannah that Allah ta’ala is keeping for them…

SubhanAllah: A Pure Negation (Salat 101)

Bismillah walhamdolilah was-salatu was-salam ‘ala Rasool Allah sallalahu alayhi wasalam

Continuing in our discussion of the oft-repeated words and phrases in our salat, this week inshallah we will focus on looking at: SubhanAllah

This is another word that is very common in the Muslim’s vocabulary. We all have heard the word, we all say it in our prayers daily (inshallah), yet how many of us truly understand its meaning?

A Praise of Perfection (Salat 101)

Bismillah walhamdolilah wasalatu wasalam ‘ala Rasool Allah

Asalamu ‘alaikum,

There are certain words and phrases which we pronounce in our salat repeatedly, yet more than likely we do not know what they mean. This is the state of our salat these days…nothing more than actions of the limbs. O Muslims! Remember faith (eman) is belief in the heart, statements upon the tongue, and actions of the limbs. All three are required for a completeness of faith. Inshallah, we will look at some of the oft-repeated words and phrases in our salat and analyze them to give us a deeper understanding and a deeper connection with our Lord.

What is Tasbeeh?

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah, we now know what hamd means, let’s move on to tasbeeh!

Tasbeeh means to say subhanAllah just as tahmeed means to say alhamdulillah.

Tasbeeh is comprised of two words: Subhan and Allah: سبحان الله

Tooba!

Bismillah

Allah ta’ala says:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

Those who have believed and done righteous deeds – ‘Tooba’ is theirs and a good return. (Suratur Ra’ad, ayah 29)

Allah ta’ala promises ‘Tooba’ to the believers in this ayah. We also know this word for the famous hadeeth of the strangers, the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam states: fa Tooba lil ghurabaa’, so Tooba to the strangers. What does Tooba mean?