We go through life praying, giving to the poor, fasting, and other forms of worship which are prescribed by Allah. However, when was the last time we sat back and really tried to understand what it means to worship Allah? Why do we worship Him? Listen to the podcast for more details on this crucial aspect of Islam–worship.

Once upon a time, on the day of Eid-ul-Adha:

Abdullah: As-Salam Alykum, Eid Mubarak..Taqabal Allah minna wa minkom! (May Allah accept it, from us and from you)

Abdur-Rahman: Wa ‘Alykum As-salam. Eid Mubarak to you as well.

Abdullah: How has been your Eid day so far?

Abdur-Rahman: Man, I heard this new song today, and kept listening to it :( I know I shouldn’t have been listening to music, it’s haram, but I just can’t give it up. I just can’t. Perhaps I will give it up after I go for Hajj next year inshallah.

Bismillah.

The sacred month of Muharram is now upon us, and a new year has begun alhamdulillah. InshaAllah I wanted to remind you all and myself of the great sunnan this month has for us:

Rasulllah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “The best of fasting after Ramadaan is the month of Allah, Muharram, and the best of prayer after the obligatory prayers is prayer at night (qiyaam al-layl).” [Saheeh Muslim, #1163]

Can you re-use water used for purification–wudoo or ghusl? This issue doesn’t apply to most people unless they’re stuck somewhere without much water–like Cambodia, where they get water once a year, during flood season, and keep it for nine months.

(Before you read this, read about the three-fold categorization of water; in summary, water can either be purifying (tuhoor), pure (taahir), or impure (najas), and we can only use purifying water for wudoo and ghusl.)

Continuing on the topic of Shaytaan, this lecture focuses on the relationship between man and him. What is the clash between humans and Shaytaan? What is the goal of Shaytaan? And truly, what are the techniques by which he is succeeding in this battle? Listen to the podcast and find out more about this fore-sworn enemy of humans.

Of the devils, is the grand devil of them all, known as Iblees or Shaytaan. This lecture will focus on some of the wisdoms behind the creation of Shaytaan. As Muslims, we know that Shaytaan is our open enemy; not just for a period of time, but an enemy to the sons and daughters of Adam (عليه السلام) until the end of time. What was this wisdom of Allah behind the prolonged life of Shaytaan? Listen to the podcast and learn about Shaytaan!

With this lecture, we will begin to step into a brand new world … the world of the Jinn. Who are they? What is their purpose? What is the Muslims’ stance on the Jinn? Listen to the podcast to find out about this little-known topic steeped in ignorance and superstition!

The angels indeed are a beautiful creation of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Believing in them is of the pillars of eman, and disbelieving in them is disbelief. Why so? What are the blessings of the angels upon the believers? Listen to the podcast and find out!

What utensils and vessels (called inaa’ in Arabic, which includes cups, plates, utensils, and the like–though we’ll call it “utensils” for simplicity) are halal to eat from? This is important–your du’a is at stake! If you eat from haraam, Allah will not accept your du’a.

Scholars agree that all utensils made from pure and clean things–other then silver and gold, because we’re prohibited from eating from those–are pure and clean. So throw out your silverware, even if it’s only partially silver; gold plating is not allowed, either.)

Hajj is an amazing act of ibadah–one that requires everything: mind, body, and wealth. People invest so much time, so much energy, and so much money into Hajj–and for what? What do they get out of it?

For a properly-intentioned, well-planned and correctly-executed Hajj–one free of, for example, arguing, pushing, and harming other Muslims, full of patience–there are five jackpots you cash out on when you perform Hajj:

1. Deeds: The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “Whoever performs Hajj to this house–the Ka’bah–and does not commit any obscenity and wrongdoing, he, or she, will come out as the day he or she was born,pure and free from sins.” [Saheeh Muslim, 7/3129]
2. Salaah: When you pray in Masjid al-Harram in Mecca, your salaah is multiplied by 100,000 times [Tabarani]. If you’re there a brief span of two weeks (14 days), and you pray all five prayers in the masjid, that’s equivalent in reward to praying more then 3800 years!
3. Wealth: The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “Keep on doing Hajj and Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron and gold and silver.” [Tirmidhi and Nasa’i] [1] While we may not understand how, surely, the words of the Messenger of Allah are true. And, if you realize that everything you spend for Hajj is multiplied by 700 times, then that means a $5000 package is equivalent in reward to spending $3.5 million in the way of Allah. [Imam Anwar al-Awlaki]
4. Sabr: In Hajj, the unimaginable happens. Buses show up eight hours late. An eight kilometer ride becomes a twelve-hour imprisonment–stuck in a hot metal cabin with no air-conditioning in the desert. People push you, shove you, jab you with their elbows, steal your shoes, your phone, and your fruit juice. Your fellow Hujjaj will wrong you, the government will wrong you, your Hajj group will wrong you. Nothing teaches sabr like Hajj–and if you carry the lessons back into your life, you can reap the rewards of super sabr for your whole life.
5. Du’a: Of the biggest jackpots is du’a. Because the Messenger of Allah said: “The best du’a you can make is on the day of Arafaat.” [Tirmidhi] [2] If you plan properly–and bring your 16-page du’a list–you can make du’a for yourself, your family, your friends, your co-workers and fellow students, your community, the Muslim ummah, the planet. The whole course of lives can change. If you remember Allah, He remembers you in a better gathering–and what gathering is better then one of millions of hujjaj? The angels will say “ameen, and for you something similar,” when you make du’a for your brother or sister in their absence. So go for it! You may never get another chance. (On top of that, the du’a of a traveler is also accepted, guaranteed.)

So if you’ve made Hajj, rejoice! You’ve hit not one, not two, but five different and amazing jackpots. And if you’re planning to go for Hajj, plan it properly–prepare your du’a list ahead of time, make the intention to pray in Masjid Al-Harram as much as possible, and above all, be patient–because Hajj takes every drop of patience you have.