Not enough time to do what you want in life? Are you over-worked, over-stressed, and over-tired? Looking for that one key element that’ll make everything fall into place time-wise?
Schedule around salaah.
Try it–plan your day around your salaah. “I’ll do x, y, z after Fajr.” “I can fit these things in before Dhur …” “Sorry bro, I can’t meet up until after Isha” etc.
And see the difference it makes. Just try it. (It’s a prophetic technique.)
One question that plagues many new students of the Arabic language is the difference between hadhaa kitaabun and hadhaal kitaabu …
The difference is best demonstrated by example: hadhaa kitaabun kabiyrun means “this is a big book,” and “hadhaal kitaabul kabiyru” means “this big book …”
Get the difference? The first (hadhaa kitaabun) is talking about any book. “This is a book.” Nothing special. The second–hadhaal kitaabu–is talking about a specific book. It’s saying “this book … something.”
In a very beautiful hadith, our beloved Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: __
“There are seven whom Allah will shade in His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade:
- a just ruler;
- a youth who grew up in the worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic;
- a man whose heart is attached to the mosques;
- two men who love each other for Allah’s sake, meeting for that and parting upon that;
- a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal intercourse], but be says: ‘I fear Allah’;
- a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and
- a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
In this beautiful Hadeeth, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) spoke about small acts of worship which result in such a huge reward: shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His shade. This may not seem like much at first, but then, reflect upon the following Hadeeth narrated by al Miqdaad ibn Aswad:
In the fast-paced world we live in, we often lose the righteousness needed to attain the closeness to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) that we desire. We go through constant struggles, fighting with ourselves to do what is good and to stay on The Straight Path. At times we prosper and succeed, but much of the time, we lose the fight, but why? Why do we succumb to the temptations of this world? Why do we reject the beauty that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has provided us for the corruption of this dunya? The answer is not easy, as there are many reasons.
Innal-Hamdu lillah was-Salaatu was-Salaam `alaa Rasoolillah
“Lucky escape … hmmm … Nah! It just wasn’t my time to go yet; Allah saved me and gave me a little longer …”
Driving home from work after having a late staff meeting, it was an ordinary evening not much traffic on the road. I got onto the dual carriage, I was in the right lane doing around 60-70 miles an hour, then all of a sudden *BANG* the bonnet of my car flew open and smashed against my car windscreen, *SMASH* all the glass cracked and from the great impact, my back view mirror had completely broken off. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what had actually happened; I thought I had lost my eyesight as the bonnet was completely up against the windscreen blocking my whole view.
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the Qur’an:
“Allah! There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-Subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is Al-Aliyy (the Most High), Al-Athiym (the Supreme (in glory)).” (Surah Baqarah verse 255)
So, do you want to enter Jannah? Think about it for a second.
OK, that was an easy one. Here’s a more difficult question, how do you plan on getting there? Take your time and think about that one.
That thinking in and of itself will help you get to Jannah, inshallah ta’ala.
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will make the path easier for those who sincerely desire to come closer to Him and find ways to do so.
Humankind is witness to the blessings that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has bestowed upon them, yet they look the other way. Humankind is witness to the world and everything in it, yet they deny the very Creator of it. Subhanallah.
Narrated Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه): The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, “Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) said: ‘The son of Adam tells a lie against Me, though he hasn’t the right to do so. He abuses Me, though he hasn’t the right to do so. As for his telling a lie against Me, it is his saying that I will not recreate him as I created him for the first time. In fact, to repeat or to recreate a thing is easier for the one who has created it for the first time. (So, it is easier for Me to repeat or recreate a creation which I created first). As for his abusing Me, it is his saying that Allah has begotten a son, while I am The One, As-Samad (the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all creatures need, neither I ear nor I drink.) I beget not, nor was I begotten, and there is none like or co-equal or comparable unto Me.’” (Sahih Bukhari)
Do you control your eyes? If so, then stop yourself from blinking. Do you control your heart? If so, then stop yourself from feeling. Do you control your brain? If so, then stop yourself from thinking.
Can’t do it, can you? If we’re not in control then who is?
Who else besides Al-Khaliq, The Creator — Allah (سبحانه وتعالى)
Reality Check … this dunya is not what it percieves to be, so next time we think we got things under control, we should think again, because more than likely we don’t.
There are many times throughout our daily activities that we do things without clarifying the intention to ourselves. We may buy a new car but end up doing it to raise our status in society or for pride. At the same time though, we may buy a car and do it solely for Allah’s cause, and in this there is good.
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the Qur’an:
“So whomsoever does good equal to the wieght of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.”
– Surah Az-Zalzalah V.7