Sahaba

Umm Salamah! What an eventful life she had! Her real name was Hind. She was the daughter of one of the notables in the Makhzum clan nicknamed “Zad ar-Rakib,” because he was well known for his generosity, particularly to travelers. Umm Salamah’s husband was Abdullah ibn Abdul-Asad, and they both were among the first people to accept Islam. Only Abu Bakr and a few others, who could be counted on the fingers of one hand, became Muslims before them.

What do you make of the amazing incident when the best of the sahaba (رضالله عنه) came to the best of the Prophets (صلي الله عليه وسلم) to ask for a du’a to make in his prayers?

Narrated Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (رضالله عنه)

I asked Allah’s Apostle (صلي الله عليه وسلم) to teach me an invocation so that I may invoke Allah with it in my prayer. He told me to say,

Who are your role models? Movie stars? Sports stars? Celebrities? Do we have any role models for Ramadan–people we can look on to and learn from? Let us take a glimpse at how our pious predecessors and the early generations spent their Ramadan.

Their reading of Qur’an in Ramadan:

• Salam ibn Abi Muti’ informs us that Qatadah used to normally complete reading the Qur’an in 7 days, but in Ramadan, he completed it in three days. Indeed, during the last ten nights of Ramadan, he read the entire Qur’an every night.
• Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Sulayman tells us that Sa’id ibn Jubayr would complete a reading of the Qur’an every two nights in Ramadan

How much of the Qur’an have YOU planned to finish this Ramadan? How much of it will YOU read with understanding and contemplation?

Conquest: History of the Khulafa is an AlMaghrib Institute course taught by Muhammad Alshareef.

“Follow my sunnah and the sunnah of the Khulafa Rashideen.” Advice from the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) to all of humankind–to stick to the sunnah, and follow the Khulafa Rashideen, the righteous Khalifas.

But do we know who the Khulafa Rashideen are? Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and ‘Ali (رضي الله عنهم)–may Allah be pleased with them all. Do we know their personalities, their rise to Islam, the things they did for the deen? The battles they fought, the fitnah they turned away, the deviation they destroyed? Their heights of victory, their assassinations?

When the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) arrived in Medina, he built a masjid before doing anything else! The masjids the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) built were more than places to pray! Their functions included:

1. A place for children: not a place where they cried and ran around but a place where they were accommodated. There are several narrations of how when the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) was praying, the children would come and climb on his back or he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) would hold them while praying salah. The masjid was a cool place to hang out, it was where they learned the basic adaab and akhlaaq and principles of the Muslim society.
2. Educational Center: The masjid acted as a school where the Sahaba were educated and were encouraged to learn more.
   • Organization of the community: the masjid is where all the organizational events took place. It was in the masjid where the Sahaba learnt to become organized people – how the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) would walk between the saff of the Muslims before every salah, to straighten and correct their saffs.
   • Hospital: Many who were wounded or sick were tended in the masjid, such as Sa’d ibn Mu’adh (رضي الله عنه) after the Battle of Khandaq.
   • Shelter: it was a shelter for the poor and needy (nicknamed As-Saffa). This is where people would bring in dates and hang them on the wall of the masjid, so any hungry person could eat from them.
   • Social life: The Muslims met each other at the masjid five times a day, they got to know each other and were able to actively participate in each others’ lives. If someone was missing, they understood that there was a problem, so they would ask about it. Likewise, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) used to sit with the companions after Fajr sometimes and ask them about their dreams.
   • Think-Tank: The masjid is where shura and brainstorming took place.
   • Welcome Centre: Chiefs, delegations and visitors were all met and welcomed at the masjid.
   • Serenity Spa: if someone had anything bothering them, they would go to the masjid. Like the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)–when he was upset with his wives, he went to the masjid. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) would call to Bilal (رضي الله عنه) to make the adhaan and start the prayer.
   • Bedouin Retreat: Bedouins would come, sit in the majalis, learn the Qur’an, ask their questions, go back home, and teach their people the deen. Whole tribes became Muslim from one or two bedouins!

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  References
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<p class="reference">
  Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. <a href="/shepherds-path/">The Shepherd&#8217;s Path</a>. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.
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‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), the second khalifa, had four beliefs that made it easier for him to bear calamities:

1. The situation could have been worse.
2. It didn’t strike him in his religion.
3. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) will reward him with Jannah in return inshallah.
4. When he remembered the hardship of losing the Prophet(صلي الله عليه وسلم) everything else faded away.

Subhanallah, these are profound beliefs from the second khalifa that we can all benefit from! Reflect on them often inshallah in times of ease and hardship, until they spring to mind automatically.

Rules of Engagement is an AlMaghrib Institute course taught by Muhammad ibn Faqih. The course teaches and emphasizes ethics, morality, rights, character attributes, and manners–everything from the rights of children before they’re born to the cause for the decline and destruction of socieities to the literally dozens of virtues one earns from sabr! The course focuses a lot on self-development, self-improvement, and dealing with others, as well as improving oneself.

One day, the Prophet (peace be upon him) sat with his companions, early in the morning. He asked, “who among you is fasting this day?” Abu Bakr said “I am.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, “who amongst you followed the funeral bier (i.e. a janaazah) today?” and Abu Bakr said “I have.” Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “who amongst you served food to the needy?” Abu Bakr said “I have.” Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “who amongst you visited a sick person today?” Again, Abu Bakr said “I have.”

Abdullah ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه) was a great companion and a great scholar. In fact, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) made du’a for him, that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) grants him knowledge of the deen.

Even more amazing then this, Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) once made du’a and said, “O Allah! teach him wisdom (i.e. the understanding of the knowledge of Qur’an).” [Bukhari 5/57/100] This is why his tafseer carries a heavy weight, even today, more then a millenium after his death. This is why, if you ever find tafseer by Abdullah ibn Abbas, seize it and don’t let go. Ever.

The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said, in a long hadith: “A believer should speak good or keep silent!” We all know this hadith, right?

But how do we implement this hadith? What if someone does something wrong? What if they deprive us of our rights? Should we still keep silent, or give them 80 lashes with our tongues?

Check this out–this incident ocurred during the life of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه), second Khalifa of Islam.