Qur’an: Day and Night

It is narrated that al-Hasan al-Basrî (May Allaah have mercy upon him) once said:

إنّ من كان قبلكم رأو القرآن رسائل من ربهم

فكانوا يتدبرونها بالليل وينفّذونها بالنهار

There were once a people before you

Who regarded the Qur’ân as a message from their lord;

Hence they would contemplate upon it in the night

and act upon it in the day…

Life is a month of fasting

“The entire [life of this] world is a month of fasting for the pious. They abstain therein from the forbidden desires. When death comes to them, the month of their fasting comes to an end and they begin to enjoy the feast of their ending of the fast [via the rewards that Allah bestows on him.]

— Ibn Rajab rahimahullah

Quoted in Karzoon, vol. 1, pp. 265-266

Purification of the Soul by Jamal al-Din M. Zarabozo

Tranquility in Salah

 

Al-Ḥātim b. ‘Āṣim (raḥimahullāh) was one of the tabi‘īn. He was asked, “How do you attain tranquility in your prayer? We see you so engulfed. How do you reach that level?” He said, “Before I start, I imagine the ṣirāṭ (bridge over Hellfire) in front of me. I imagine Jannah is on my right and Hellfire is on my left. I remember that the one who does not pray his ṣalawāt in this world will be grabbed by a hook on the ṣirāṭ and have to make them up in Jahannam. Then I imagine the angel of death is standing behind me, and I don’t know when he is going to attack. Then I imagine that the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is standing in front of me to monitor the correctness of my ṣalāh. Then I remember that Allāh, Who created all of that, is monitoring me. Then I start.”

From the class: Behind the Scenes by Sh. Omar Soleiman

Qabeelat Madinatayn PPN, page 135

‘Umar ibn al Khattab and Hurmuzaan

‘Umar Ibn’l-Khaṭṭāb had a relationship with Hurmuzān, one of the Ministers of Persia. In the Battle of Qadisiyyah he was brought to Madīnah and he asked to see ‘Umar. They found him asleep, on his shoes under a tree behind the masjid. He was shocked that he had no bodyguards. He admired that and started crying and said, “You rule, and you rule with justice, so you became safe. Allāh gave you safety and you were able to sleep.” When it came time for his execution after he was captured, he said, “Ya amīr’l-mu’minīn, can I have a glass of water?” He was given a glass of water. He said, “Am I protected until I finish drinking this water?” ‘Umar said, “You are protected.” The emperor threw the glass on the ground and broke it. ‘Umar Ibn’l-Khaṭṭāb started consulting the ṣaḥābah to figure out what to do. He did not want to break his promise. He eventually decided not to break his promise so he went to Hurmuzān and told him that he was free to go. Hurmuzān then said the shahādah. ‘Umar Ibn’l-Khaṭṭāb said, “Why didn’t you save us the trouble and take shahādah first?” He said, “I didn’t want people to think that I was becoming Muslim because I was afraid. I wanted them to know I was sincere.” He knew ‘Umar Ibn’l-Khaṭṭāb wouldn’t break his promise. ‘Umar then embraced him.

 

Point of Benefit:

Look at the sincerity of Hurmuzaan and his bravery. It takes guts to say that to Amir al Mu’mineen ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, but Hurmuzaan knew that ‘Umar was a man who kept his promises so he felt safe doing this.

Our good character and morals are a testification to the truthfulness of this deen, although this deen does not need us to testify to its truthfulness.

‘Umar ibn al Khattab was respected and known for his justice and being true to his word.

No leader of any current day nation would be able to sleep under a tree, alone, without a single bodyguard. This says a lot about ‘Umar ibn al Khattab, radiallahu anhu. It also says a lot about the corruption of our times.

‘Umar embraced him after Hurmuzaan accepted Islam. Islam wipes away everything that came before it, and we should never hold someone’s past against them after they have accepted Islam.

Qur’an gathered in a single vessel…

It is narrated from ‘Isma ibn Malik (radhiallahu `anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) said:

‘If the Qur’an is gathered into a single vessel (i.e. the heart), Allah will never burn it in the Fire.’

[Reported by al-Bayhaqi, declared Hasan by al-Albani]

The Greatest Difficulty

“The greatest difficulty of knowledge is saving yourself from your knowledge.”

Imam al Ghazali

Seclusion

Ibn-Al Jawzi wrote in his book, Sayd Al-Khatir;

“I have not seen or heard of anything that brings repose, honour and dignity as much as seclusion does. It helps one to stay away from evil, it protects one’s honour and it saves time. It keeps one away from the jealous minded who take pleasure in your affliction. It promotes remembrance of the Hereafter and it allows one to reflect on the meeting with Allah. In times of seclusion, one’s thoughts may roam in that which is beneficial, in that which contains wisdom…”

Do not sell your soul for a lowly price

Do not sell your soul for a lowly price

Taken from Fajr Blog (Click the link above)

As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Shaykh Sayyid al-‘Affani: “Whoever seeks Allah and desires nobility and great honour, let him not sell his soul for a lowly price when in front of him lies Paradise and eternity. Indeed, we have only been created to live with our Creator in a Home the garden of which Allah the Most High has cultivated with His Hands.”

‘Aamir ibn ‘Abd: “I have not looked towards anything except that I saw Allah the Most High was closer to it than myself.”

Al-Junayd: “Know that He `azza wa jall, draws close to the hearts of His slaves according to how close they draw to Him, so look to what is drawing close to your heart.”

Al-‘Affani: “Knowing the greatness of Allah, the King of Kings, will make it easier for a person to gain sincerity. Likewise it’s made easier knowing that the hearts and forelocks of the slaves of Allah lie in His Hands, and that He runs their affairs; He commands and prohibits, honours and disgraces. He turns the hearts of the creation, so the heart of him whom you wish to show off to in is the Hands of Him Whom you are disobeying… It is incredible that you should know Him and yet not be sincere to Him, incredible that you should hear His call and yet delay in responding. Indeed, everything has a replacement, but Allah cannot be replaced.”

One of the salaf said, “Fight your soul and prevent it from the causes of Riya’ (showing off), and try to imagine the people around you as being like cattle or children so that you do not differ in your ‘Ibadah (worship) when they are present or absent, when they see you or not, and be content with the fact that Allah sees you.”

Abu al-Darda’ (radhiallahu `anhu) said, “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the humbleness of the hypocrites.” It was said, “And what is the humbleness of the hypocrites?” He said, “That you should see the body being humble, but the heart refuses to be humble.”

Dhul-Nun: “When the wise one feels comfort in solitude, then he has attained sincerity, and at that point, his wisdom will move him to the truth and correctness in matters.”

لا تركنن لمخلوق على طمع *** فإن ذلك نقص منك في الدين
Do not rely upon the creation to grant you your wishes
Indeed that’s only a shortcoming on part of your religion

لن يقدر العبد أن يعطيك خردلة *** إلا بإذن الذي سواك من طين
A slave has no power to grant you, not even an atom’s weight
Except with the Permission of He who made you from clay

فلا تصاحب قوياً تستعز به *** و كن عفيفاً و عظِّم حرمة الدين
So do not walk with the mighty in order to boast with them
Rather be modest and virtuous and exalt the sanctity of this Deen

واسترزق الله مما في خزائنه *** فإن رزقك بين الكاف والنون
Seek provision from Allah; from the treasures that are with Him
For indeed your provision only lies between Kaf and Nun*

* i.e. between the letters Kaf and Nun – in Arabic this spells out كن (‘Be,’ or ‘to become’) which is a reference to the verse “Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, “Be! (kun)” and it is.” [Ya-Sin: 82].

– Taken from ‘Ta’tir al-Anfas min Hadith al-Ikhlas’ by Shaykh Sayyid Husayn al-’Affani

I laugh at the person…

Salmaan al-Faarisee RA:

“I laugh at the person who hopes for this world and at the same time death is seeking him, the person who neglects the death but the death does not neglect him, and the person who laughs with his mouth full of laughter without knowing if his Lord is angry or satisfied with him.”

[az-Zuhd, p. 225, by Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal]

 

From Urwatul Wuthqa

Advice from ‘Umar ibn Al Khattab r.a.

Umar ibn al-Khattab (as narrated by Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib):

“There’s nothing more sufficient than when someone disobeys Allah in dealing with you, you do nothing but obey Allah in dealing with him. Place the affairs of your brother when they reach you upon the best of interpretations until there comes to you clarity which overcomes that. Do not think ill of a statement which comes from another Muslim if you can find a good interpretation for it. Whoever exposes himself to suspicion let him not blame those who then think badly of him, and whoever conceals his secrets, strength of choice will be in his hands.

Hold fast to truthful companions, live with them closely for they are a charm at times of ease and an aid at times of difficulty. Stick to the truth even if the truth kills you, and do not involve yourself with issues that don’t concern you. Do not ask about things which haven’t taken place for indeed, that which has already taken place is enough to preoccupy you from it! Do not seek help or take your affairs to someone who doesn’t wish to see you succeed, and do not befriend the sinful lest you learn from his sins and evil. Keep away from your enemy and be cautious of even your friend, except for the truthful and trusted friend. And no-one is trustworthy except him who fears Allah.

Humble yourself at the graves, lower yourself in obedience and stand firm against disobedience. And when it comes to your affairs, seek counsel only from those who truly fear Allah for indeed, Allah says,

إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ
“…Indeed, it is only those who have knowledge among His Slaves, that truly fear Allah.” [al-Fatir:28]

Rawdhat al-‘Uqala’ (pg. 77-78]