“Be not like those who forgot Allah, as a result Allah caused them to forget themselves, it is they who are the transgressors”
– Surah Hashr V.19
A very powerful ayah in the Qur’an, very powerful indeed for those who ponder and reflect upon the words of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). This one ayah speaks to many amongst our ummah in this day and age at the same time shows us the results of their doings.
Once, a women came to Abu Hanifa (رحمالله) to sell a silk garment. Abu Hanifa asked ” How much is it?” She replied, “one hundred.” He said, “It is worth more than a hundred. How much?”
So the woman increased the price by hundred, and again, and when it reached four hundred, Abu Hanifa said, “It should be more than that.” The woman said, ” you are mocking me.”
So, Abu Hanifa said, “bring a man to value it.” She brought a man, and he valued it at five hundred.
How do we attain money, power, and respect?
The path is easy, you follow the way of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) and the commands of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), then inshallah you will attain the money, the power, and the respect. Now it is up to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) whether He blesses you with such things. However, with sincerity in your actions, the chances are high.
The overlying goal is to keep Islam in your heart; thrive for it, live to please Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), do all your actions in accordance to the sunnah, and follow the commands of The Al-Mighty, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Do not keep these dreams and aspirations in your heart, because surely this is a disease and a footstep towards Shaytan. You may get the wealth and maybe even the power, but the true respect will be lacking, as only Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) has the ability to grant someone with respect.
Are you a student, or working? Are you depressed or frustrated that you could not take the advantage of the last ten nights of Ramadan? There were midterms, assignments, and projects for all the working folk, all those cliched reasons, or maybe you did take advantage. Here is another chance. Its on our doorsteps, the most beloved days to Allah, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
It was reported by Ibn ‘Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that the Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days.” The people asked, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah?” He said, “Not even jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight, giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” (al-Bukhari)
How does it feel after reading Qur’an? Does it make a difference in us? How much do we implement it regularly, or even within the same day of reading an ayah?
When learning from the Qur’an and the seerah of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), Allah mentions a believers qualities in the Qur’an. The believers hearts become fearful and their eyes tear. This is a sign of the true believers, as Allah describes them in the Qur’an:
Many of us desire to be among those who pray Qiyam al-Layl (or Tahajjud), but find it difficult to wake up in the middle of the night for it. What can we do to make this easier?
Option 1: Late Sleepers. If you happen to be one of those late-night people–whether you’re up late studying for exams, chilling, or working on a project–why not make wudoo and pray two rakahs before you sleep? It’s not the sunnah way, and it doesn’t have to be long, but it starts you out with a regular habit, at least.
Remember that the outcome of our actions are in the Will of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) and nothing else. Our efforts do not convey a certainty towards the outcome whatsoever.
There are times where you study, study, study for a test and only score a 60. Then there are times you may just briefly glance over your notes the night before and score an 80.
Is it by luck?
No.
This shows that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) is The One in control. We should put our efforts in, but know that the result is in the Will of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). It’s miraculous, because there will be times (and I know many of my classmates have seen this) that we write a test, expect a 60, but actually score an 80. Thats Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) at work, and know that it is Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and nothing else.
Continuing in our series of ways to attain purification in salaah: Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the Qur’an:
“… and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured rhythmic tones” (Surah al-Muzammil 73:4)
From this alone, we see the importance of reciting the Qur’an in a proper manner–slowly and with a rythmic tone–and not just whizzing through it as if we were reading a magazine of some sort. Also, our beloved Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) had a recitation which was clear, with each letter proncounced distinctly (Ahmad, 6/294, saheeh). You can easily begin to comprehend the likliness of gaining khusoo’ while reciting in a slow, calm voice rather than fast, abrubt voice. To list a few reasons:
A lot of Muslims, in their great love for the Ka’bah (which is an admiral thing), make some mistakes because of their lack of understanding about barakah. We already mentioned that the Ka’bah is one of the places that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) put barakah–but what does that mean?
As a reminder, only Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) decides what things contain barakah, and what things give barakah, because all barakah is from Him.
With respect to the ka’bah, the barakah is the place, not the structure. If you think about it, you’ll realize the Ka’bah is a building–and like any building, it wears out, suffers from weathering, natural disasters (such as flooding), etc. and needs to be torn down and reconstructed. Realize that not a single stone of the Ka’bah today is more then a few years old–with the exception of the Black Stone–because in 1996, it was virtually destroyed, and they rebuilt it. Is that stone holy and blessed? No, it’s just regular stone!
After years of dawah the people of Nuh (عليه سلام), Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) revealed to Nuh (عليه سلام) (interpretation of the meaning) “None of thy people will believe except those who have believed already! So grieve no longer over their (evil) deeds.” (Surah Hud, verse 35)
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) instructed Nuh (عليه سلام) to build an ark, and that the sinners will drown in a flood. As Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) states in Qur’an (to the interpretation of the meaning): “But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and address Me no (further) on behalf of those who are in sin: for they are about to be overwhelmed (in the Flood).” Allah later stated (to the interpretation of the meaning): “At length behold! There came Our Command, and the fountains of the earth gushed forth! We said: ‘Embark therein of each kind two, male and female, and your family, except those against whom the Word has already gone forth and the Believers.’ But only a few believed with him.” (Surah Hud, verse 37)