Lion, Rats, Snake and Honey- a beautiful story

Once a man saw in his dream, that a lion was chasing him. The man ran to a tree, climbed on to it and sat on a branch. He looked down and saw that the lion was still there waiting for him. The man then looked to his side where the branch he was sitting on was attached to the tree and saw that two rats were circling around and eating the branch. One rat was black and the other one was white. The branch will fall on the ground very soon. The man then looked below again with fear and discovered that a big black snake had come and settled directly under him. The snake opened its mouth right under the man so that he will fall into it. The man then looked up to see if there was anything that he could hold on to. He saw another branch with a honeycomb. Drops of honey were falling from it. The man wanted to taste one of the drops. So, he put his tongue out and tasted one of the falling drops of honey. The honey was amazing in taste. So, he wanted to taste another drop and then another and as a result, he got lost into the sweetness of the honey. He forgot about the two rats eating his branch away, the lion on the ground and the snake that is sitting right under him. Suddenly when the branch broke he remembered all the dangers woke up from his sleep.

Since this was an unique dream, the man went to a pious scholar of Islam to know its meaning. The scholar said "The lion you saw is your death. It always chases you and goes where ever you go. The two rats, one black and one white, are the night and the day. Black one is the night and the white one is the day. They circle around, coming one after another, to eat your time as they take you closer to death. The big black snake with a dark mouth is your grave. It's there, just waiting for you to fall into it. The honeycomb is this world and the sweet drops of honey are the luxuries of this world. We like to taste a little of the luxuries of this world and it's very sweet. Then we want to taste little more and then more. Meanwhile, we get lost into it and we forget about our time, we forget about our death and we forget about our grave.

A Reminder about Akhira

In the name of Allah 

assalamu alaykum my dear sisters

One of our class  sister from USA  just informed me that she had been absent from class 

because her husband had been sick and just passed away. She ask all sisters for sincere duaa 

It is my duty to remind all sisters about the akhirah .... 

We must cherish those around us ( muslims or non muslims family and beloved ones )

rush to help those who are not muslims yet to Islam , make duaa for Allah to guide them 

we must also rush to do righteous deeds ,do taubah to repent our sins 

May Allah forgive the sins of deceased ,may Allah give the good patience and faith to the famly of our sister , may Allah continue to guide us all on right path, bless us a good death ,and have mercy on all of us in the hereafter ameen 

to HIM , we all shall return .... alhumdulillahi rabil aaalaaameeen 

Ideal Muslimah- Lecture 9- teacher Umm Yusif- 23rd April, 2014

Chapter 1: The Muslim Woman and Her Rabb (cont.)

1.   She feels a sense of responsibility for the members of her family p. 35

The responsibility of the Muslim woman for the members of her family is no less, in the sight of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala), than that of the man. Her responsibility is in fact even greater than a man's, because of what she knows of the secret life of her children who live with her most of the time: they may tell her things that they do not tell their father.

2.        Her main concern is the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)  

The true Muslim woman always seeks to earn the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) in everything she does. So she measures everything against this precise standard.

3.   She understands the true meaning of being a servant of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)

The true Muslim woman has the firm belief that she has been created to serve an important purpose in life, which Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) has defined in the Qur'an:

(I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me.) (Qur'an 51:56)

4.   She works to support the religion of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)

The first Muslim women were no less enthusiastic than the men when it came to sacrifice and courage for the sake of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala). Some of the women of the early generations of this ummah excelled many of the men in this regard.

Stories of the female pious predecessors

Nawawi 40 Hadith: Hadith no. 23 by teacher Reda- 18th April, 2014

(PROPHETIC SAYING) 23
On the authority of Abu Malik al-Harith bin 'Asim al-Ash'ari, (may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, (Peace Be Upon Him), said: "Purification is half of iman (faith). Saying 'Al-Hamdulillah' (Praise be to Allah) fills the scales. Saying 'Subhanallah wa al-Hamdulillahi' (Exhalted be Allah and Praise be to Allah) fills the space between the heavens and the earth. Salah (prayer) is a light. Sadaqah (charity) is a proof. Sabr (patience) is a shining glory. The Qur'an is an argument either for you or against you. Everybody goes out in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves." [Muslim] 
 Background 
The (Prophetic Saying) shows the importance of these great deeds in Islam through which every Muslim can free him or herself from the punishment of Allah (Exhalted He)in the Hereafter or in the Day of Judgment. One has to free oneself from any kind of enslavement except to Allah (Exhalted He). One has to be a servant and slave of only Allah and not anyone or anything else.
 Lessons 
Al-Imam Ibn Rajab mentions that there are different views and interpretations of the term 'al-tuhur' or purification. He says that some scholars have interpreted purification as to mean 'avoiding sins'. But Ibn Rajab disagrees with this and points out that there is another version of the (Prophetic Saying) which says that wudu' or ablution is a 'half of iman'. So he is in favour of this meaning. That is, the term purification refers to the ritual purification by water (wudu'). He also says that this is the view of the majority of the scholars and only a few scholars have interpreted purification as to mean 'avoiding sins'. Ibn Rajab actually mentions two reasons why the term purification is interpreted as wudu' : 1. As mentioned earlier that it has been stated in another version of the (Prophetic Saying) to mean wudu' or purification. 2. Imam Muslim and some other scholars have recorded this (Prophetic Saying) in chapters related to ablution or wudu'. The term "half" (as mentioned in the sentence: "Purification is half of faith") also had different interpretations among the scholars. Ibn Rajab says that there are several views that explain the meaning of the term ‘half’. 1. Some scholars said that half means "part" and not "half". Ibn Rajab says this is a weak interpretation because linguistically al-shatr means "half" and not just "part". Secondly, the (Prophetic Saying) itself has clearly stated wudu' (ablution) as being half of iman (faith) and not part of iman. 2. A second view from other scholars states that purification means the reward of ablution will be multiplied to the half of the reward of faith. But Ibn Rajab says this view is also not of a sound interpretation.
3. The third view takes the meaning as being: faith nullifies all major sins while ablution' nullifies minor sins. So in this regard, ablution' is equal to half of faith. 4. The forth view is that purification means faith along with ablution' eliminate and nullify sins. So according to this view ablution' is half of faith - but again Ibn Rajab also considers this as a weak interpretation. 5. The fifth view is that the meaning of faith in the (Prophetic Saying) is salah (prayer) as mentioned in the Qur'an, in Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 143. In this ayah Allah called salah 'iman' and the salah will not be accepted unless there is a ablution'. So that is why ablution can be considered as half of prayer. Ibn Rajab did not comment on this view but he disagrees with all the other views mentioned above. 6. In a sixth view, Imam Ibn Rajab implicitly mentions his own opinion. He favours it from all other views because in the earlier interpretations he merely quoted views of other scholars and commented on them. He says: "Indeed the parts that constitute faith such as words and actions are all to purify and clean the heart or the inner parts of the body. And there is also a purification of the external body by using water and ablution and this is specific to the body only. Hence, there are two divisions of faith; the first division purifies the heart and the internal body and the second division purifies and cleans the external body. So in this regard, both divisions are two equal parts of faith." This is the explanation of the first statement of the (Prophetic Saying) which is "Purification (al-Tahur) is a half of faith". The (Prophetic Saying) mentions that the phrase al-Hamdulillah( Praise be to Allah) fills the mizan (scales) and Subhanallah and al-Hamdulillah each fills (or both together fill) the space between the heavens and earth. The (Prophetic Saying) shows the importance, greatness and significance of memorizing, remembering or mentioning Allah or remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. For example, merely reciting one phrase such as Subhanallah gives rewards that fill the heavens! It shows just how important these phrases are for every Muslim. Al-Haithamy, one of the great Muslim scholars, stated that the full reward of reciting or mentioning Allah will be given to the person who recites them while thinking of their meaning and submitting to their implication. The (Prophetic Saying) actually indicates the greatness of these phrases: al-Hamdulillah, Subhanallah wa al-Hamdulillah. The phrase Subhanallah can be recited alone or together with al-Hamdulillah as stated in the text of this (Prophetic Saying). This shows the worthiness of what is called al-Tasbih, glorifying Allah and al-Tahmid, praising and thanking Allah. Ibn Rajab stated that al-Tahmid is greater than al-Tasbih. It means that to be grateful and thankful to Allah is better than being in a state of Tasbih or glorifying Him and denying imperfection towards Him. The phrase 'al-Hamdulillah' shows gratitude and thankfulness to Allah. It is a positive concept while al-Tasbih is to deny any negative traits towards Almighty Allah and so al-Tahmid is better than al-Tasbih. Also, al-Hamdulillah is not just thankfulness to Allah. It involves more general aspects because it can be expressed both in words and actions. For example, when you do good deeds, it means al-Hamdulillah, just as when you say good words. Ibn Rajab says that in the (Prophetic Saying) al-Tasbih actually came with the al-Tahmid - it is usually mentioned with al-Tahmid. But al-Tahmid can be stated alone without al-Tasbih as found in the (Prophetic Saying) and other (Prophetic Saying)s, as well as in many verses of the Qur'an. So although each term has its own significance, al-Hamdulillah is better and more important than Subhanallah.
The (Prophetic Saying) shows us the worthiness and importance of montioning Allah in general. It is very important and useful and every Muslim should remember Allah all the time. In the Qur'an, dhikr Allah is the only thing that Allah has commanded us to do frequently. There are different types of dhikr. Among them are:- 1. Adhkar u-al-Salawat. According to some scholars, the minimum dhikr that a Muslim is required to do is to maintain the adhkar after each salah or prayer. This kind of dhikr requires very little of our time. It needs just few minutes and its reward is great. These days, people rush out after the prayer without reciting the recommended dhikr. We should remember that if we are in hurry and we have to leave immediately, we can still recite them while we are walking. Today many leaders/ scholars of mosques rush to the supplication after the prayer. They do not wait for people to recite the recommended dhikr after the salah. Adhkar u-al-Salawat is basically part of our ritual obligations that we have been ordered to do and so we should to fulfill this obligation. 2. Adhkar u-al-Sabahi wa al-Masa. According to some scholars, this type of adhkar is to be recited after the Fajar prayer in the morning and after the Maghrib prayer in the evening. Some other scholars say it is recommended before sunrise and before sunset. Whatever the case, this adhakr consists of very important du'as that the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him), guided us to read during these two specific times. There are many forms of this type of du'a/ supplication, but we do not have to read or memorize all of them. We just need to choose some of them. Some scholars say that we can choose only some of Adhkar u-al-Sabahi wa al-Masa but we have to maintain them regularly every day. The Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him), used to read some of these invocations regularly in the morning and evening and so we are also allowed do so on an everyday basis.
Al-Imam al-Nawawi himself has compiled a book called "Kitab Adhkar u Alyoum Wa-Laiylah" and discusses in detail about this type of adhkar. It is recommended to read and maintain these adhkar everyday. It is easy and takes only five to ten minutes of our time. 3. Adhkar u-al-Ahwal. This adhkar is to be recited during specific occasions. For example, when you want to eat you are supposed to recite "Bismillah/ In the name of Allah" and when you finish eating there is an invocation to be recited. Similarly, when entering the mosque there is a du'a, when going out of the mosque there is also a du'a, when you enter your house there is a du'a and so on. A Muslim has to read these adi'yah and memorize some of them. They are very simple to memorize and easy to recite. We have to make them part of our lives. Most of us are, al-Hamdulillah, already practicing this. This type of du'a is very much recommended during traveling, coming back from travel, during storms and also on many other occasions. According to Sheikh al-Sa'di, one of the contemporary Mufasir, a person who maintains these three types of adhkar regularly is considered among those who remember Allah a lot, as mentioned in many verses of the holy Qur'an. So one has to read and preserve this kind of dhikr Allah but al-dhikr, in general, can be freely recited and there is no limit to the amount of dhikr that one can recite. Sheikh al-Sa'di, while commenting on the Ayah in Surah al-Ahzab further said that dhikr Allah is an obligation and we must fulfill this obligation. Another important thing about dhikr is that one has to understand the meaning of the dhikr that he or she recites. Ibn al-Haitham stated that al-dhikr should be recited with full awareness of its meaning and not just read by the tongue without understanding it. If a person reads the adhkar with full comprehension, he or she will get more rewards. And he/she will feel the pleasure of faith and also the faith itself will increase.
So from these statements we can understand that there are three conditions for getting more rewards in our dhikr. The first one is to read the three types of dhikr in their specific occasions. Secondly, to recite the dhikr with full awareness and understanding of its meaning. And finally, to continue and maintain the recitation of these dhikr regularly every day. The third part of the (Prophetic Saying) is about the prayer (salah) and its position in Islam. The (Prophetic Saying) says: "Al-Salah (the prayer) is a light". According to Ibn Rajab, prayer is indeed a light for the believers in their lives. It is also a light in their hearts and delights the inner parts of their body. They will be guided by the salah and will be given enlightenment and satisfaction in their hearts. That is why the salah is a delight of the eyes of the righteous people. Al-Imam Ahmed recorded a (Prophetic Saying) saying that the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him), used to say: "The delight and pleasure of my eyes is in the salah". In another (Prophetic Saying) the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him), said: "When a servant of Allah preserves and safeguards the salah and performs it perfectly in terms of its ablution, its sujud, and ruku' then the salah will say to him: 'May Allah preserve and safeguard you as you preserved and safeguarded me', and then the salah will be taken by the angels up to the heavens while it has lights until it reaches Allah (Exhalted He)and it will do shafa'ah or intercession for the servant of Allah." In another similar (Prophetic Saying) that is recorded by Imam Ahmed in his al-Musnad, the Prophet, (Peace Be Upon Him), said: "Whoever preserves the salah, it will be a light, proof and safe place for him during the Day of Judgment." The (Prophetic Saying) also states the importance and significance of the salah for the believers who always perform it in its right time and right way.
The (Prophetic Saying) further explains the role of sadaqah (charity) in our lives. It says charity is a burhan (proof) for the Muslim. Burhan literally means 'sunlight' in Arabic. This emphasizes that charity is a bright and clear proof like the sunlight. It is a proof that reflects the iman of the believer. People who pay charity regularly for the sake of Allah express a strong iman. They feel the pleasure of iman in their hearts. Imam Ibn Rajab says that the reason why charity is an evidence of iman is that people usually love wealth and money and if they challenge this love and overpower their greed for the sake of Allah, they indeed have strong iman. The (Prophetic Saying) says "Patience is a dhiya' or brightness". According to Ibn Rajab, linguistically al-dhiya' (brightness) is different from al-nur (light). Al-dhiya' is more powerful than al-nur, because it not only gives out light but also heat, while al-nur gives out only a shining light. That is why in the Qur'an the term dhiya' is used for sunlight which, beside its light, has heat or high temperature, but the term al-nur is used for the moonlight which gives out only light and does not emit heat. Being patient is a very difficult and painful experience. It requires a lot of effort and struggle within. So when people control themselves and overcome impatience, they develop a good habit of self-control and become masters of their own selves. This is the real meaning of al-sabr or patience. Al-sabr literally means to 'withhold' or control something. It means to control the nafs/ oneself/ soul and prevent it from being in a state of panic or impatience. It also means to prevent the tongue from complaining or saying negative things. People do not practice this value. They become impatient for minor reasons. They seem to be against the qadar and plans of Allah in their lives. Imam Ibn Rajab says that there are three kinds of al-sabr or patience in Islam: 1. Al-Sabru ala da'ati allahi - to be patient in performing the acts of worship or ibadah of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. 2. Al-Sabru an ma'asi allahi - to be patient in the acts of avoiding sins (ma'asi) or disobedience of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. 3. Al-Sabru ala aqdari allahi - to be patient with the Qadar of Allah or His plans which are predestined by Him and happens to us in our lives. Some scholars add a fourth kind of al-sabr to these three classifications: Al-Sabru ala al-bida' - to be patient on matters related to religious innovations (but this can be included under the ma'asi (sins) or disobedience). On the question of which of these three kinds of al-sabr is more important, Imam Ibn Rajab said that to be patient in worship and to be patient in avoiding ma'asi or sins are more virtues than being patient with the qadar. One act of worship that contains all these three forms of al-sabr is fasting. For example, when fasting you obey Allah by performing the act of fasting, you avoid sins of eating during the day, and you believe that this is the plan of Allah and hence a test for you. The (Prophetic Saying) also explains the role of the holy Qur'an in our lives. It states that "The Qur'an is either an argument and proof for or against you". In Surah al-Isra Ayah 82 Allah says: "We send down the Qur'an that which is a healing and mercy for those who believe and for the unjust people it causes nothing but loss after loss." So people who recite the Qur'an, learn it and practice its rulings are people who become the people of the Qur'an and it (the Qur'an) will be a proof for them. But those who ignore the Qur'an and never read or practice it in their lives, then the Qur'an will stand against them during the Day of Judgment. One of contemporary scholars observed that people do not read the Qur'an except when someone dies. They recite the Qur'an on a dead body but this is not the aim of the Qur'an. The Qur'an is revealed for the living and not for those who have passed away. Finally, the (Prophetic Saying) states one very important issue, that is how to free ourselves from the punishment of Allah. The (Prophetic Saying) states that everyone goes out in the morning and sells him or herself either for good or for bad. Every morning we sell ourselves either by freeing ourselves from the punishment or leading ourselves into punishment and hence destroying ourselves. Iman Ahmed has recorded another similar (Prophetic Saying) in his al-Musnad. In Surah al-Shams Ayah 9-10, Allah (Exhalted He)mentions the same meaning. He says: "Truly he succeeds that perfects it (the soul) and fails that corrupts it". Imam Ibn Rajab, while commenting on this meaning, said the person who struggles to worship Allah and obeys Him is the one who frees himself and the person who indulges in sins is the one who destroys himself. According to the (Prophetic Saying), every morning when people go out of their houses they are either gaining rewards and profit or getting losses. If they work for Allah and obey Him they are winners, but if they violate the rules of Allah and disobey Him then they gain nothing but loss after loss. This was also clearly explained in the Qur'an, in Surah al-Zumar Ayah 15. 
Conclusion
 This (Prophetic Saying) guides us in how to gain great rewards in our lives and also how to save ourselves from Allah's punishment. For example, practicing the acts of purification, remembering Allah, prayer, charity and also many other deeds are very important ways to free oneself from the punishment of Allah.

NEW class OPEN for registration: Iqtidaa-ul-ilm-al-Amal

In the name of Allah 

assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 

Praise and thanks be to Allah ,there is no God but Allah ,Mohammad is HIS prophet and messenger 

alhumdulillah ... its our pleasure to inform you , a new class now is open for registration 

( you must send email + your skype ID to register to join this class )

Teacher: sister Tahira

Book name :  Iqtidaa Ul- iLm al'Amal   Knowledge Mandates action 

By Imaam Abu Bakr Ahmad bin ‘Alee Al-Khateeb

Al-Baghdaadee [Died: 463H]

With Verification and notes by

Imaam Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee

Short Description:

This is the second book in the "Classical Knowledge Series", which is a collection of selected scholarly works from the past that deal with the subject of religious knowledge.

The first book in this blessed series was “The Book of Knowledge” written by Imaam Abu Khaithamah Zuhayr bin Harb An-Nasaa’ee (Died 234H), may Allah have mercy on him. 

Since that book served as an introduction to knowledge, its virtues, merits and manners, it seemed proper that the second book be dedicated to the next level of knowledge, which is its result and outcome, and that is righteous deeds. And what better work to present on this subject than the classic and well-known treatise of the distinguished Imaam, Al-Khateeb Al-Baghdaadee, ’Iqtidaa-ul-‘Ilm al-‘Amal’ (Knowledge Mandates Action).

​CLASS TIME : Every Tuesday 8pm - 9pm Egypt time 

 2 pm EST / 7pm UK​ /9pm KSA 

all sisters are requested to download the book before joining class 

http://d1.islamhouse.com/data/en/ih_books/single/en_Iqtidaa_ulIlm_al-Amal.pdf

( you must send email + your skype ID to register to join this class )

​Note : if you register the class not able to keep yourself regular to class 

you will be removed from the class automatically without further notice

Sajdah of Quran recitation

Is it permissible to limit oneself to saying tasbeeh (Subhaan Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah - Glory be to Allah and praise be to Allah and there is no God but Allah and there is no power and no strength except in Allah) four times instead of doing the prostration of recitation? Because it is said that if you come to a verse in which there is a sajdah (prostration), instead of prostrating you can say the tasbeeh mentioned above. Is there any basis or evidence for this?

Praise be to Allaah.The fuqaha’ are agreed that the prostration of recitation is prescribed, because of the verses and hadeeths that are narrated concerning that. When the Muslim comes to a verse in which there is a sajdah, it is prescribed for him to prostrate, whether that is in prayer or outside of prayer. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (81) that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “When the son of Adam recites a verse of prostration and prostrates, the Shaytaan withdraws, weeping and saying: Woe unto him – according to the report of Abu Kurayb: Woe unto me – the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, so Paradise will be his; I was commanded to prostrate and I refused, so Hell is mine.” 
So it is essential for him to prostrate and it is not valid to recite tasbeeh or any other dhikr instead of that; rather this is an innovation which should be denounced. 
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours anything that is not part of it will have it rejected.” Agreed upon.  
Al-Nawawi said: 
This hadeeth represents an important principle of Islam, and it is an example of the concise speech of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for it clearly rejects every innovation and fabrication. End quote. 
And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “you must adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Hold on to it and cling fast to it. And beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a going astray.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4607) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi Dawood. 
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about some of them saying, “We hear and obey, Your forgiveness Our Lord, and to You is our destiny” when not doing the prostration for a verse of prostration because one is not in a state of purity or is unable to prostrate. 
He replied: There is no basis for that and it cannot take the place of the prostration; rather that is makrooh to do that, because nothing concerning that was narrated. End quote. 
Al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra, 1/194 
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: When we read the Book of Allah and we come to a sajdah, and we are in a place other than the mosque or prayer room, such as the school and the like, we say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer (there is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate. His is the Dominion and to Him be praise, and He is able to do all things) four times. Is that permissible or not? If it is not permissible, what should we do? 
He replied: 
When the reader comes to a verse of prostration, if he is in a place where he can prostrate, then it is mustahabb for him to prostrate, but it is not obligatory according to the more correct opinion, because it is proven that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) recited a verse of prostration when he was delivering the khutbah on a Friday, and he came down (from the minbar) and prostrated, then he recited it on the following Friday and did not prostrate, and he said: Allah has not enjoined us to prostrate unless we want to. And when he did not prostrate, he did not say something instead of prostrating, because that is an innovation. The evidence that is that Zayd ibn Thaabit recited Soorat al-Najm in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he did not prostrate, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not teach him to say anything instead of prostrating. End quote. 
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/66 
And Allaah knows best.

Ideal Muslimah- lecture 8- teacher Umm Yusif- 9th April, 2014

Ideal Muslimah

Lecture #8

(From the book Ideal Muslimah by Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Hashimi)

Chapter 1: The Muslim Woman and Her Rabb (cont.)

1.   She accepts the will and decree of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) p. 34

The Muslim woman who is obedient to the command of her Lord naturally accepts His will and decree, because this is one of the greatest signs of faith, obedience, taqwa and righteousness in a person. So the Muslim woman who is guided by the teachings of Islam always accepts whatever befalls her in life, whether it is good or bad, because this attitude of acceptance is good for her in all cases, as the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) explained:

"How amazing is the affair of the Muslim! His affairs are all good. If he experiences ease, he is grateful, and that is good for him. If he experiences hardship, he faces it with patience and perseverance, and that is also good for him." [Muslim]  

Levels of Patience
a. Recounting a difficult trial during the life of Urwah ibn Az-Zubayr

2.   She turns to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) in repentance

The Muslim woman may find herself becoming neglectful and slipping from the Straight Path, so she may fall short in her practice of Islam in a way that does not befit the believing woman. But she will soon notice her error, seek forgiveness for her mistakes or shortcomings, and return to the protection of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala):

(Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them, Bring Allah to remembrance When lo! They see [aright]!) (Qur'an 7:201)

More information regarding repentance

3.   She feels a sense of responsibility for the members of her family

The responsibility of the Muslim woman for the members of her family is no less, in the sight of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala), than that of the man. Her responsibility is in fact even greater than a man's, because of what she knows of the secret life of her children who live with her most of the time: they may tell her things that they do not tell their father.

    4. Her main concern is the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)  

The true Muslim woman always seeks to earn the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) in everything she does. So she measures everything against this precise standard.

40 Nawawi Hadith taught by teacher Reda: Hadith 19- 4th April, 2014

HADITH 19

 Abu al-‘Abbas ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas, (May Allah be pleased with him) , reported: One day I was behind the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, and he said to me: "O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice] : Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you (have need to) ask, ask of Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that even if the Nation (or the whole community) were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried."  

[Al-Tirmidhi relates this and says: It is a good, genuine Hadith]

 In a version other than that of al-Tirmidhi it reads:

 "..Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship." 

Narrated by Al-Termithy

 Background This Prophetic Saying implies a very important advice and general ruling in Islam: Allah’s protection. Ibnu Rajab quoted one scholar as saying: “What a pity for the one who is ignorant of this Prophetic Saying and has little understanding of its meaning.” Explanation: The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, starts the Prophetic Saying by getting the attention of Ibn ‘Abbas by saying “O young man, I shall teach you some words of advice”. By saying “O young man”, Ibn ‘Abbas knows that the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, is talking specifically to him. And by following it with “I shall teach you…” Ibn ‘Abbas knows how important the next words of the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, are going to be. Hence, these words at the beginning have attracted the undivided attention of Ibn ‘Abbas.

This teaches us that when we give a talk or speech, it is important that we start with words that will grab the attention of the audience. This is to ensure that our words of advice (contained in our speech) do not fall on ‘deaf ears’. The phrase “Be mindful of Allah” means:
- To observe or fulfill Allah’s obligations
- To adhere to His commandments
- To avoid His prohibitions
Some of the things we have to fulfill - to attain Allah's protection - include:
- The daily prayers by praying in the best way we can and by performing it on
time.
- Maintaining cleanliness and purity.
- Observing our oath – we have to be careful if we swear by Allah that we will do
something, because we have to abide to this commitment we make.
- Guarding our senses – we should ensure that what we see or hear or say pleases Allah.
We should fear Allah and not use these senses in the wrong manner.
- Ensuring that we do not consume, via food or drink, anything that is not lawful.
- Observing that our dealings and transactions are legal and lawful.
- Protecting our hearts from being involved in sins, e.g. adultery – the moment a
person is weak and does a sin, he should repent because of his fear of Allah. If we are “mindful of Allah”, i.e. we observe and fulfil His obligations/commandments, “Allah will protect us”. There two kinds of protection from Allah: 1. Allah will protect or look after His servants in this world / in worldly matters. For example, our health and our senses. We will be enjoying Allah’s mercy and bounty for our sight, hearing and speech all of our lives – even as we grow old, Allah will still allow us to see and hear properly, or he will take care of our intellect and mental health. Another example is Allah will protect our family and our property, belongings and money. Also, if one is mindful of Allah during his youth, Allah will protect him during his adult years. 2. Allah will protect His servants’ religion and faith. He will protect us from misunderstandings and being misled or influenced by misconceptions and self-desires. He will help us and give us guidance so that we are protected from negative influences. Allah will also protect our religion when we leave this world. When we leave this world, we will leave with faith for being a believer. We will be protected from Satan’s influence to lead us astray right at the very last moment in our life. We may not be aware of when Allah is protecting our religion. It may even cause us to be unhappy. There may be a situation where Allah prevents us from doing something (something which we want to do) – this is actually a protection from Allah, preventing us from a disaster or problem or from committing a sin. If we are mindful of Allah, we will find Him close to us or beside us or in front of us. Allah is close to His servants by giving them guidance, support, help, protection, victory, etc. The other narration of this Prophetic Saying states that if we become beloved to Allah during times of ease, He will know us during times of hardship. During our times of ease or prosperity, if we use it for the pleasure of Allah, He will be with us to look after us in our times of hardship, weakness, sickness, etc. Even in terms of receiving reward from Allah. If we are sick and are no longer able to do something which we used to do during our times of ease, we will be given the reward for that act. The statement in which the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, tells ‘Abdullah bin Abbas to “ask of Allah” and to “seek help from Allah” is the fundamental basics of Monotheism. This is something we say in every prayer (“You alone do we worship and You alone do we implore for help”). This shows us the importance of invocation, the importance of continuously asking Allah for His support and guidance. We need to show our need for Allah and our total dependency on Him by performing such forms of worship.

Allah ‘Glorified and Exalted He’ has already written in the ‘Preserved Book’ what is going to take place. There are events or occurrences that happen which we have no control over (e.g. being sick, losing someone we love, falling into hardship, etc.) and to face these events correctly we need to practice contentment which is the highest level of action required where we are pleased or contented with whatever Allah has chosen for us, whether it is positive or negative. The second highest level is tolerance , patience, where we need to be patient and not panic or say anything that displeases Allah Glorified and Exalted He. In the Qur’an there are several verses which emphasizes this same meaning that is mentioned at the end of this Prophetic Saying: Surah Yunus (10), ayat 107; Surah Fatir (35), ayat 2; Surah Al-Hadid (57), ayat 22. Allah recorded the fate of all creations 50,000 years before He created the heavens and the earth (Muslim Authorized Book). In another Prophetic Saying, a man asked the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, whether what we do today is something that has already been recorded or whether it is something that just happens. The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, replied that whatever happens is according to what has already been recorded. The man then asked why he should do anything at all. The Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him, made a command [not just to the man but to the whole Muslim Nation] to do good deeds – everyone will be guided towards what he has been created for. Fate can be broadly broken down into two categories: 1. There are actions that take place which we do not have any control over. We have to surrender to the will of Allah and be patient. 2. There are actions that take place which we had control over. These events happen as a result of our recklessness, laziness, of not being alert, etc. Even though the minute these things happen they already become fate, those who are responsible for the actions will be held responsible. Thus, whatever we do, we should do it carefully, completely and to the best of our abilities. For example, construction workers building a site, doctors taking care of patients, driving, etc. Generally speaking, we are responsible for what we do, whether it is in worldly matters or whether it is in our worship. We should always strive to improve ourselves and to constantly tell ourselves that we can do better. Also, we should avoid things that can be avoided, e.g. avoiding disasters, avoiding trouble, etc. Even in health, we should avoid consuming things which are unhealthy for our bodies – e.g. food which can cause heart diseases (i.e. contains high cholesterol), etc. In other words, we should avoid things that are bad for us, and not just let it happen and then blame it on fate. It doesn’t contradict with fate if someone is sick that he seeks treatment. If we are faced with a problem, we should try our best to solve it or minimize it and not do things which will worsen the situation. Many Muslims tend to interpret this Prophetic Saying (on fate) negatively. We should understand fate in a positive sense. We should differentiate between things which we don’t have control over and things which we do. Instead of just accepting things that happen as fate, we should see how we can improve the situation and how we can avoid things which can be avoided. We should accept the fact that we are responsible for whatever we do and the choices we make. Conclusion This Prophetic Saying teaches us how we can live a peaceful and happy life by being mindful of Allah and by totally trusting and worshiping Him. By understanding fate positively, we will not live a stressful, unhappy life of always worrying about our future or what the consequences of our actions or decisions will be. We do our best to fulfill Allah’s obligations and we trust and accept whatever He wills for us.