Step out of your own self and keep your distance from it

“Step out of your own self and keep your distance from it. Practice detachment from your possessiveness, and surrender everything to Allah. Become His doorman at the door of your heart, obeying His command by admitting those He instructs you to admit, and respecting His prohibition by shutting out those He instructs you to turn away, so that you do not let desire back into your heart once it has been removed.”

(Shaykh Abdulqadir Al Jilani)

“If one’s today was like their yesterday, then they lose a day and harm themselves.”

Al Wazir Ibn Hubairah

My Mission in Life

My Mission in Life By Dr. Yahya al-Yahya

Instead of living in hopes and fantasies, it is better that you limit your mission and your hopes in this life, write them with your hand and hang the paper in front of your office desk so that you read it and return to it often.

• I will strive seeking the pleasure of Allah first and foremost
• I will remember sincerity at all times
• I will memorize the Book of Allah in full
• I will increase my knowledge of the Shari`ah
• I will focus upon refinement of the heart and its cure
• I will develop my physical strength
• I will develop my emotional strength
• I will go to the masjid shortly before the Call to Prayer
• I will give charity every day
• I will seek reward from Allah for expenditures on my family
• I will seek reward from Allah for all my actions
• I will achieve my success at home first
• I will not bargain and compromise with my Deen
• I will consult others
• I will defend those who are absent
• I will listen to both sides before passing a judgment
• I will imagine myself to be in the position of the person I am talking to, so I can feel and share his feelings.
• I will not take revenge for my own sake
• I will not get angry for my own sake
• I will not see for myself a right over others
• I will always be positive and constructive
• I will plan and write down my work for tomorrow
• I will listen twice as much as I speak
• I will desire success for others
• I will beware of errors and benefit from them when I fall in them
• I will strive to be orderly and well-organized as a person and in my work
• I will be joyful, humorous and smiling
• I will concentrate all my abilities and efforts on the task in my hands
• I will develop my skills
• I will maintain priorities in all my duties
• I will not take responsibility for what I am not responsible for, and I will not squander what I am responsible for
• I will not blame the situation
• I will focus on what concerns me and concentrate on my circle of influence
• My language: I will try, I will make effort, I will learn, it is not impossible, there is nothing to stop me (if Allah wills)
• I know that what befalls me could not have missed me and what missed me could not have befallen me; I will take my soul to account and be open with it; I view that retracting from error is from one’s self-confidence and will work on correcting my errors
• I do not imagine that anyone is safe from harms of others, so I will save my energy and time from busying with others and their talks (when it doesn’t benefit me), and their talk will not matter to me except what is beneficial or what deals with correction of shortcomings.

How to Give Shahadah in 10 Minutes

Like what you see, huh?

Parts 2-8 below:

Advice on Dealing with Family

as-salam3laykum wa rahmatullahe wa barakatuh
 

Posted in Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi on October 14, 2009 by Abu Sabaya

“…And I want to remind you of the saying of the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم): “The believer who mixes with the people and is patient with the harm they inflict is better than the believer who doesn’t mix with the people and isn’t patient with the harm they inflict,” as reported by Ahmad and others from Ibn ‘Umar.

Based on this, what I advise you to do is to be patient with your family and to withstand their harm and to strive to give them da’wah and try to save them from the Fire, as in the verse: {“O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is men and stones. It has stern, severe Angels watching over it who don’t disobey Allah in what He orders them with, and they do all that they are ordered.”} [at-Tahrim; 6]

And I hope you don’t think of leaving the house and abandoning them. Exhaust all means of da’wah with them, especially if staying with them will have some effect on even a few of them.

Beware of starting off in a harsh and extreme way that will turn them off. Rather, talk to them according to what they understand with wisdom and kindness, as Allah Said: {“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and kind way of speaking, and discuss with them in the best way.”} [an-Nahl; 125]

And remember the saying of the Prophet  (صلى الله عليه و سلم): “Give glad tidings, and do not turn people away,” and: “Indeed, gentleness isn’t found in something except that it beautifies it, and it isn’t removed from something except that it ruins it.”

And start with the most important issues, and go in order. Don’t get into arguments with them over secondary matters while their principles are messed up. Instead, begin by addressing the principles, and if you happen to come across problems in secondary issues, tie it to the main principles and don’t make your enmity with them except when it comes to the basic principle of the Religion, Tawhid, its nullifiers, and what breaks its firm handhold…”

In arabic: http://www.tawhed.ws/r?i=i6ovih5o

SOURCE: http://iskandrani.wordpress.com/

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“If you are studying the deen but you’re destroying family relations, there’s something wrong with your priorities.”

Contradicting Community
by Nouman Ali Khan

Before you sleep, think:

from unknown

Fear of Fame: A Lost Characteristic

The scholars and the righteous of this Ummah always feared fame and becoming well-known amongst the people. They would dislike for their name to be mentioned much and you can see one of them fleeing from the people as if they were a fitnah (trial), whilst at other times you can see one get up and leave the circle of knowledge which he was conducting because the numbers became too many.

Below here are some amazing statements from our predecessors that allude to just how much they held onto sincerity and how much they fled from fame and from being spoken about.

http://www.kalamullah.com/personality22.html

An Excerpt:

“Ibrahim ibn Adham was an amazing personality masha’Allah; he tried hard to keep away from the people in fear of them mentioning him too much. But his fame shot up and his name became so widespread to the point that it was said one time ‘He is in the garden’ (where he worked tending to crops), so the people entered it, encircling it, saying ‘Where is Ibrahim ibn Adham?’ So he began to encircle along with them saying, ‘Where is Ibrahim ibn Adham?!’ [Point being here that his name, character and reputation was known but he himself was hardly seen so they didn’t recognise him!]”

And he would say: ‘A slave who loves fame has not been truthful to Allah.’

<3 Softener: Story of a Convert in Los Angeles (~6 min)

“Is he whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, so that he is in light from his Lord (as he who is non-Muslim)?  So woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the Remembrance of Allah!” Surah Zumar, [39; 22]

“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.”

He will say:”O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before).”

(Allah) will say: “Like this, Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) came unto you, but you disregarded them (i.e. you left them, did not think deeply in them, and you turned away from them), and so this Day, you will be neglected (in the Hell-fire, away from Allah’s Mercy).”

Surah Ta-ha; [20; 124-126]

Are You Seeking For The Happiness?

| A Story About A Revert!

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And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam, and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. Thus Allah puts the wrath on those who believe not.

Surah An’aam, [6; 125]

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Did you benefit from this? Then share it with others, inshaa’Allaah!
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And who is better in speech than he who [says: “My Lord is Allaah (believes in His Oneness),” and then stands firm (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allaah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: ‘I am one of the Muslims’”
Surah Fussilat: 33

“I’m not arrogant, I’m just better than you.”

WARNING: What you are about to see and read is dangerously WYT – WORTH. YOUR. TIME.

Bismillahir RaHmaanir RaHeem

as-salam3laykum wa rahmatullahe wa barakatuh

The first one who showed arrogance towards Allaah and His creation was the accursed Iblees, when Allaah commanded him to prostrate to Adam and he refused and was arrogant, and said, “I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.” http://islamqa.com/en/ref/9229

Islam and Ego – by Nouman Ali Khan

“This arrogance is a horrible thing, it’ll wipe out all the goodness out of you.”
– Nouman Ali Khan (Islam and Ego)

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The Purification of the Heart from Kibr (Pride)

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

by Imam Uthman dan Fodio

Pride is one of the blameworthy qualities and it is forbidden to have it. Allah ta`ala said: “I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant in the earth without right.” As far as its reality is concerned, you should know that pride is divided into inward and outward pride. Inward pride is a quality within the self, and outward pride is action which appears through the limbs.

The name pride (kibr) is more appropriate for the inward quality. As for action, it is the result of that quality, and you must know that the quality of pride demands action. When it appears on the limbs, it is called arrogance (takabbur), and when it does not manifest itself, it is called pride (kibr). Its root is the quality in the self which is satisfaction and confidence at seeing the self above anyone towards whom he is overbearing. Mere self-exaltation does not make someone arrogant. He might well exalt himself while seeing that another person is greater than him or his equal… He must see that he has a rank and someone else has a rank, and then see his rank as above the other’s rank. When he exalts his own value in relationship to someone else, he despises the one below him and puts himself above the other’s company and confidence. ….If someone warns him, he refuses to accept it. If someone answers him back, he is angry. When the proud man teaches, he is not courteous to his students. He looks down upon them and rebuffs them. He is very condescending toward them and exploits them. He looks at the common people as if he were looking at asses. He thinks that they are ignorant and despicable.

There are many actions which come from the quality of pride. They are too many to be numbered. This is the reality of pride.

The harm it does is immense. The scholars can help you but little against it, let alone the common people. How could its harm be other than great when it comes between a man and all the qualities of the mu’minun? Those qualities are the doors to the Garden. Pride locks all those doors because it is impossible for him to want for the mu’minun what he wants for himself while there is anything of self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to have humility – and humility is beginning of the qualities of those who guard themselves out of fear of Allah – while there is any self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to remain truthful while there is self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to abandon anger while there is self-importance in him. It is impossible for him to offer friendly good counsel while there is self importance in him. It is impossible for him to accept good counsel while there is self-importance in him. He is not safe from the contempt and slander of others while there is self-importance. There is no praiseworthy quality but he is incapable of it from the fear that his self-importance will slip away from him.

THE CURE

As far as its cure is concerned, there are two parts: the knowledge-cure and the action-cure. The remedy can only be effected by joining the two of them. The knowledge-cure is to know and recognise yourself and to know and recognise your Lord. That will be enough to remove your pride. Whoever knows and recognises his own self as it should be known and recognised, knows that it is not worthy of greatness, and that true greatness and pride are only for Allah. As for gnosis (knowledge of spiritual mysteries) of his Lord and His glory, it is too lengthy a subject for us to discuss here […].

KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF…

Self-recognition is also a lengthy subject. However, we will mention what will help you towards humility and submisiveness. It is enough for you to recognise one ayat of the Book of Allah. The knowledge of the first and the last is in the Qur’an for whoever has his inner eye open. Allah ta`ala said: “Perish man! How thankless he is! Of what did He create him? Of a sperm-drop. He created him, and determined him, and then made him the way easy for him. Then He makes him die, buries him, and then, when He wills, raises him.” [surah abasa]

This ayat points to the beginning of man’s creation, his end, and his middle. Let a man look at that if he desires to understand its meaning.

As for the beginning of man, he was “a thing unremembered”. He was concealed in non-existence. Non-existence has no beginning. What is lower and meaner than obliteration and non-existence? … Then Allah created him from the basest of things, and then from the most unclean thing. He created him from earth and then from a sperm-drop, then a blood-clot, then a lump of flesh. Then He made the flesh bones, and then clothed the bones in flesh. This was the beginning of his existence and then he became a thing remembered. He was a thing unremembered by reason of having the lowest of qualities and attributes since at his beginning, he was not created perfect. He was created inanimate, dead. He neither heard, saw, felt, moved, spoke, touched, perceived, or knew. He (the human) began by his death before his life, by weakness before his strength, by ignorance before knowledge, by blindness before sight, by deafness before hearing, by dumbness before speech, by misguidance before guidance, by poverty before wealth, and by incapacity before capacity.

This is the meaning of His word, “From what did He create him? And determined him,” and the meaning of His word, “Has there come upon a man a period of time when he was a thing unremembered? We created him of a sperm-drop, a mingling, trying him. We made him hearing, seeing. We guided him upon the way, whether he is thankful or unthankful.”

He created him like that at the beginning. Then He was gracious to him and said, “We made the way easy for him.” This indicates what He wills for him during the period from life to death. Similarly, He said, “of a sperm-drop, a mingling, trying him. We made him hearing, seeing. We guided him on the way.” The meaning here is that He gave him life after he was inanimate and dead – first from the earth, and then from a sperm-drop. He (Allah) gave him (the human) hearing after he was deaf and He gave him sight after he lacked sight. He gave him strength after weakness and knowledge after ignorance. He created his limbs for him with all they contain of marvels and signs after he lacked them. He enriched them after poverty, made him full after hunger, clothed him after nakedness, and guided him after misguidance. Look how He directed him and formed him. Look at how He made the way easy for him. Look at man’s overstepping and at how thankless he is. Look at man’s ignorance and how he shows it.

Allah ta`ala said, “Part of His sign is that He created you from earth.” He created man from humble earth and unclean sperm after pure non-existence so that he would recognise the baseness of his essence and thereby recognise himself. He perfected the sperm-drop for him so that he would recognise his Lord by it and know His immensity and majesty by it, and that He is the only one worthy of true greatness and pride. For that reason, He described him and said, “Have We not given him two eyes and a tongue and two lips, and guided him on the two roads?”

He first acquainted him with his baseness and said, “Was he not a sperm-drop extracted? Then he was a blood-clot. Then He mentioned His favour and said, “He created and fashioned and made a pair from it, male and female,” in order to perpetuate his existence by reproduction as his existence was acquired in the beginning by original formation. When you begin in this manner and your states are like this, how can you have arrogance, pride, glory, and conceit? Properly speaking, man is the lowest of the low and the weakest of the weak.

MORE PROOF : Indeed, even if He had perfected him, delegated his command to him and made his existence go on by his own choice, he would still dare to be insolent and would forget his beginning and his end. However, during your existence, He has given illnesses power over you, whether you like it or not, and whether you are content or enraged. You become hungry and thirsty without being able to do anything about it. You do not possess any power to bring either harm or benefit. You want to know something but you remain ignorant of it. You want to remember something and yet you forget it. You want to not forget something and yet you do forget it. You want to direct your heart to what concerns it and yet you are caught up in the valleys of whispersings and thoughts. You own neither your heart nor your self. You desire something while your destruction may be in it, and you detest something while your life may be in it. You find some foods delicious when they destroy and kill you, and you find remedies repugnant when they help you and save you. You are not safe for a moment, day or night. Your sight, knowledge, and power may be stripped away, your limbs may become semi-paralysed, your intellect may be stolen away, your ruh may be snatched away, and all that you love in this world may be taken from you. You are hard-pressed, abased. If you are left alone, you go on. If you are snatched away, you are annihilated. A mere slave. A chattel. You have no power over yourself or anyone else. What can be more abased? If you recognise yourself, how can you think yourself worthy of pride? If it were not for your ignorance – and this is your immediate state – you would reflect on it. Your end is death. It is indicated by His word, “Then He makes him die and buries him. Then, when He wills, He raises him.” The meaning here is that your ruh, hearing, sight, knowledge, power, senses, perception, and movement are all stripped away. You revert to the inanimate as you were in the first place. Only the shape of your limbs remains. Your form has neither senses nor movement. Then you are placed in the earth and your limbs decay. You become absent after you existed. You become as if you were not, as you were at first for a long period of time. Then a man wishes that he could remain like that. How excellent it would be if he were left as dust! However, after a long time, He brings him back to life to subject him to a severe trial. He comes out of his grave after his separated parts are joined together, and he steps out to the terrors of the Rising. He is told, “Come quickly to the Reckoning and prepare for the Outcome!” His heart stops in fear and panic when he is faced with the terror of these words even before his pages are spread out and he sees his shameful actions in them. This is the end of his affair. It is the meaning of His word, “Then when He wishes, He raises him.”

How can anyone whose state this is be arrogant? A moment of freedom from grief is better than arrogance. He has shown the beginning and the middle of his condition. If his end had appeared to him – and we seek refuge from Allah – perhaps he would have chosen to be a dog or a pig in order to become dust with the animals rather than a hearing, speaking man, and meet with punishment (if he deserves the Fire). When he is in the presence of Allah then even the pig is nobler than him since it reverts to dust and it is spared from the Reckoning and the punishment. Someone with this state at the Rising can only hope for pardon, and he cannot be at all certain about it. How then can he be arrogant? How can he see himself as anything to which excellence is attached? This is the knowledge-cure.

As far as the action-cure is concerned, it is to humble yourself to people in a constrained unnatural manner until it becomes natural for you.

Courtesy Of: Islaam.com

http://kalamullah.com/hearts10.html, with a few commentary from a laymanI’m