The True Religion
THE RELIGION OF ISLAM
The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) I in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God's religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah states the following:
"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Soorah Al-Maa'idah 5:3)
"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (God) never will It be accepted of Him" (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:85)
"Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim." (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:67)Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses' people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos which means the annointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title "Messiah". The name "Jesus" on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.
For simplicity's sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; (which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.
According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: "Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".
THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM
Since the total submission of one's will to Allah represents the essence of worship, the basic message of Allah's divine religion, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah.Since everything other than Allah, the Creator of all things, is Allah's creation; it may be said that Islam, in essence calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator. He is the only one deserving man's worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. If man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it was not the tree which answered his prayers but Allah who allowed the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, "That is obvious," however, to tree-worshippers it might not be. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, to Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them but are answered by Allah. Jesus did nottell his followers to worship him but to worship Allah. As the Qur'aan states:"And behold Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary Did you say to men, Worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah He will say-"Glory to you I could never say what I had no right (to say')" (Soorah Al-Maa'idah- 5:116)Nor did he worship himself when he worshipped but rather he worshipped Allah. This basic principle is enshrined in the opening chapter of the Qur'aan, known asSoorah Al-Faatihah, verse 4:
"You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help".Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah also said:
"And your Lord says:"Call on Me and I will answer your(prayer)."(Soorsh Mu'min 40:60)it is worth noting that the basic message of Islam is that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Neither is Allah His creation or a part of it, nor is His creation Him or a part of Him.
This might seem obvious, but, man's worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some aspects of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of creation though such worship maybecalled the worship of Allah through his creation. How ever, the message of Islam as brought by the prophets of Allah is to worship only Allah and to avoid the worship of his creation either directly or indirectly. In the Our'aan Allah clearlystates:
"For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet,(with the command) worship meand avoid false gods " (Soorsh Al-Nahl 16:36)When the idol worshipper is questioned as to why he or she bows down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but Allah who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for Allah's essence and is not in itself Allah! One who has accepted the concept of the presence of God's being within His creation in any way will be obliged to accept this argument of idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never concede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized. Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that Allah is present in man. They merely had to assert that although Allah according to their false beliefs, is in all of us, He is more present in them than in the rest of us. Hence, they claim, we should submit our will to them and worship them as they are either God in person or God concentrated within the person.
Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their passing have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God's presence in man. One who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstances. God's religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:
"Laa Elaaha lllallaah" (There is no god but Allah)
Its repetition automatically brings one within the fold of Islam and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise.
Thus, the final Prophet of Islam is reported to have said, "Any one who says: There is no god but Allah and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise".(Reported by Abu Dharr and collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).It consists in the submission to Allah as one God, yielding to Him by obeying His commandments, and the denial of polytheism and polytheists.
THE MESSAGE OF FALSE RELIGION
There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path to Allah. How can one determine which one is correct or if, in fact, all are correct? The method by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identify the central object of worship to which they call, directly or indirectly. False religions all have in common one basic concept with regards to Allah. They either claim that all men are gods or that specific men were Allah or that nature is Allah or that Allah is a figment of man's imagination.Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that Allah may be worshipped in the form of His creation. False religion invites man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspect of it God. For example, prophet Jesus invited his followers to worship Allah but those who claim to be his followers today call people to worship Jesus, claiming that he was Allah!
Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles to the religion of India. He did not claim to be God nor did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet, today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and prostrate to idols made in their perception of his likeness.
By using the principle of identifying the object of worship, false religion becomes very obvious and the contrived nature of their origin clear. As God said in the Our'aan:
That which you worship besides Him are only names you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority: The command belongs only to Allah:
He has commanded that you only worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand ". (Soorah Yoosuf 12:40)It may be argued that all religions teach good things so why should it matter which one we follow. The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil, the worship of creation. Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to worship Allah alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Our'aan:
"I have only created Jlnns and men, that they may worship me"(Soorah Zaareeyaat 51:56)Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry has sealed his fate in the next life. This is not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by Allah in his final revelation to man:
"Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whom so ever He wishes"(Soorah An- Nisaa 4:48 and 116)
THE UNIVERSALITY OF ISLAM
Since the consequences of false religion are so grave, the true religion of Allah must be universally understandable and attainable, not confined to any people, place or time. There can not be conditions like baptism, belief in a man, as a saviour etc., for a believer to enter paradise. Within the central principle of Islam and in its definition, (the surrender of one's will to God) lies the roots of lslam's universality. Whenever man comes to the realization that Allah is one and distinct from His creation, and submits himself to Allah, he becomes a Muslim in body and spirit and is eligible for paradise. Thus, anyone at anytime in the most remote region of the world can become a Muslim, a follower of God's religion, Islam, by merely rejecting the worship of creation and by turning to Allah (God) alone-It should be noted however, that the recognition of and submission to Allah requires that one chooses between right and wrong and such a choice implies accountability. Man will be held responsible for his choices, and, as such, he should try his utmost to do good and avoid evil. The ultimate good being the worship of Allah alone and the ultimate evil being the worship of His creation along with or instead of Allah. This fact is expressed in the final revelation as follows:"Verily those who believe, those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), the Christians and the Sabians any who believe In Allah and the last day, and work righteousness *hall have their reward with their Lord;They will not be overcome by fear nor grief (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:62).
If only they had stood by the law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There Is from among them a party on the right course; but many of them follow a course that Is evil.". (Soorah Al-.Maa'idah 5:66)
RECOGNITION OF ALLAH
The question which arises here is, "How can all people be expected to believe in Allah given their varying- backgrounds, societies and cultures? For people to be responsible for worshipping Allah they all have to have access to knowledge of Allah. The final revelation teaches that all mankind have the recognition of Allah imprinted on their souls, a part of their very nature with which they are created.In Soorah Al-A'raaf, Verses 172-173; Allah explained that when He created Adam, He caused all of Adam's descendants to come into existence and took a pledge from them saying, Am I not your Lord? To which they all replied, " Yes, we testify to It:'
Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said, "That was In case you (mankind) should say on the day of Resurrection, "Verily we were unaware of all this." That is to say, we had no idea that You Allah, were our God. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You alone. Allah went on to explain That it was also In case you should say, "Certainly It was our ancestors who made partners (With Allah) and we are only their descendants; will You then destroy us for what those liars did?" Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in Allah and an inborn inclination to worship Him alone called in Arabic the "Fitrah".
If the child were left alone, he would worship Allah in his own way, but all children are affected by those things around them, seen or unseen.
The Prophet (PBUH) reported that Allah said, "I created my servants in the right religion but devils made them go astray". The Prophet (PBUH) also said, "Each child is born in a state of "Fitrah", then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian, the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any that were born mutilated?" (Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, his parents try to make him follow their own way and the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing and Allah does not hold him to account or punish him for this religion.Throughout people's lives from childhood until the time they die, signs are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). If the people are honest with themselves, reject their false gods and seek Allah, the way will be made easy for them but if they continually reject Allah's signs and continue to worship creation, the more difficult it will be for them to escape. For example, in the South Eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their main idol Skwatch, representing the supreme God of all creation. The homage to the God, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog walked into the hut, The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift its hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple, but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lordof the universe. Allah must be elsewhere. he now had a choice to act on his knowledge and seek Allah, or to dishonestly go along with the false beliefs of his tribe. As strange as it may seem, that was a sign from Allah for that young man. It contained within it divine guidance that what he was worshipping was false.
Prophets were sent, as was earlier mentioned, to every nation and tribe to support man's natural belief in Allah and man's inborn inclination to worship Him as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by Allah. Although, in most cases, much of the prophets' teachings became distorted, portions remained which point out right and wrong. For example, the ten commandments of the Torah, their confirmation in the Gospels and the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies. Consequently, every soul will be held to account for its belief in Allah and its acceptance of the religion of Islam; the total submission to the will of Allah.
We pray to Allah, the exalted, to keep us on the right path to which He has guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from Him, He is indeed the Most Merciful. Praise and gratitude be to Allah,the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on prophet Muhammed, his Family, his companions, and those who rightly follow them.
What is the meaning of Faith?
One day a newly married couple want to go for a drive in river. When they were in the middle of the river suddenly a big storm came and wife of that man got afraid and started to cry.. but the husband was sat without showing any feeling from his face. Wife got angry on him and shouted against him. But no changes on his face!!! she shouting and asked him don't u see the storm, he said yes, then why u are not getting afraid of that? he simply removed his sword and put into her neck, and asked her are u not fear of it? she laughed at him and said why shd i? bec sword in the hands of u?
u will not do anything against me! bec i love u! He laughed at her and said i love allah..whatever he gives me is good for us,, either i die of this storm or escape from it. Allah will save me! This is called Faith!
So insha allah allah should make us the people whom have a strong faith on him...
Jazakallahvalhair!
What is Bankrupt?
Abu Hurayra (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) once asked his companions: “Do you know who is the bankrupt one?”
The companions replied: “A bankrupt person amongst us is the one who neither has a dirham nor any possessions.”
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: “Rather, the bankrupt person from my Ummah is the one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with a good record of Salah (Prayers), Sawm (Fasts) and Zakah (Obligatory Charity); but he would have offended a person, slandered another, unlawfully consumed the wealth of another person, murdered someone and hit someone. Each one of these people would be given some of the wrong-doer’s good deeds. If his good deeds fall short of settling the account, then their sins will be taken from their account and entered into the wrong-doer’s account and he would be thrown in the Hell Fire. {Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Hadith Number 6251}
There is a very important message for all of us in this hadeeth. Neither should we hurt, insult, and/or curse a person nor should we spread false words to damage someone’s reputation, Also, we must never unjustly consume the wealth of a person and must never indulge in any violent act with our brethren for we can see from the above hadeeth that these actions could render us bankrupt regardless of how punctual we might have been with our obligatory duties enjoined upon us by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. Hence we should be extremely careful with our words and actions as we will be held responsible for every deed on the Day of Judgment. On that day nobody would come for anybody’s rescue.
It is true that some people might get on our nerves, but instead of offending, cursing, slandering and/or beating, forgive them and teach them what is right in the most beautiful of ways. Be patient and polite with them. This way not only will you bring about a good change in the person who made you angry, but they will also realize their mistake and rectify it. Moreover your place in their hearts will also elevate, InshaAllah. We all know how our beloved Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) treated everyone, regardless of how rudely they behaved with him (Peace Be Upon Him).
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much. {Surat Al-'Aĥzāb, Verse 21}
May Allah, the Merciful make us not among the bankrupt ones on the Day of Judgment, Aameen!
The Daughter of The Prophet {Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam}
Fatimah bint Muhammad (May Allah be pleased with her)
Fatimah bint Muhammad (radi allah anha) was the fifth child of Muhammad ( sal allah alayhi wasalam) and Khadijah (radi allah anha). Fatimah (radi allah anha) was born at a time when her noble father had begun reflecting on the great mysteries of creation.
When Fatimah was five years old, she heard that her father had become the Messenger of Allah. His first task was to convey the good news of Islam to his family and close relations: that they were to worship none but Almighty Allah alone. From this time on, she became more closely attached to her father. Often she would be at his side walking through the narrow streets and alleys of Makkah, visiting the Kabah or attending secret gatherings of the early Muslims who had accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet.
One day, when she was not yet ten, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haram where he began to pray. A group of Quraysh gathered around him (sal allah alayhi wasalam) and asked which one of them would bring the entrails of a slaughtered animal and throw it on Muhammad. One of them carried out this vile act against Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) whilst he was prostrating. Imagine the feelings of Fatimah (radi allah anha) when she saw her father being treated in this fashion. She went up to her father and removed the offensive matter and stood angrily, yet firm, against the group of Quraysh thugs.
In the seventh year of his mission, Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) and his family were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a valley on the outskirts of Makkah where they were forced to retire with very limited supplies of food. Fatimah was just about twelve years old and had to undergo months of hardship and suffering. The boycott lasted for 3 years after which the Messenger Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) had to face even more trials and difficulties when his beloved wife Khadijah (radi allah anha) died shortly afterwards. Fatimah now a young lady was greatly distressed by her mother’s death and realized she had a greater responsibility of giving even more support to her father. With loving tenderness, she became to be called "Umm Abi-ha the mother of her father". On one occasion Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) returned home covered in dust and earth that an insolent mob had thrown on him. As he entered home Fatimah (radi allah anha) wept as she wiped the dust from her father’s head.
The Prophet (sal allah alayhi wasalam) had a special love for Fatimah (radi allah anha). He (sal allah alayhi wasalam) once said: "Whoever pleased Fatimah has indeed pleased Allah and whoever has caused her to be angry has indeed angered Allah. Fatimah is a part of me. Whatever pleases her pleases me and whatever angers her angers me." He also said: "From among the women in the world who have reached perfection and who are worthy of following are Maryam, daughter of Imran, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad and Aasiyaa the wife of Pharoah."
Fatimah (radi allah anha), was also given the title of "az-Zahraa" which means "the resplendent One". That was because of her beaming face that seemed to radiate light Instead of spending her time in the company of women, much of her time would be spent in Salat, in reading the Quran and in other acts of ibadah.
Fatimah had a strong resemblance to her father.
Aisha (radi allah anha), the wife of the Prophet, said of her: "I have not seen any one of Allah’s creation resemble the Messenger of Allah, more in speech, conversation and manner of sitting than Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her. When the Prophet saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting. She would do the same when the Prophet came to her. She would stand up and welcome him with joy and kiss him.”
Fatimah's fine manners and gentle speech were part of her lovely and enduring personality. She was especially kind to poor and would often give all the food she had to those in need even if she herself remained hungry. She had no craving for the ornaments of this world or the comforts and luxuries of life. She had the ability and the sincerity to stir the emotions, move people to tears and fill their hearts with praise and gratitude to Allah. Fatimah migrated to Madinah a few weeks after the Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) did. In the second year after the Hijrah, Ali ibn Abi Talib (radi allah anhu), the son of Abu Talib, found the courage and went to Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) to ask for her hand in marriage. She was nineteen years old at the time and Ali (radi allah anhu) was about twenty one. Muhammad (sal allah alyhi wasalam) himself performed the marriage ceremony of his beloved daughter.
Fatimah's life with Ali (radi allah anhu) was as simple and as far as material comforts were concerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. Throughout their life together, Ali (radi allah anhu) remained poor because he did not set any importance on material wealth. To relieve their extreme poverty, Ali worked as a drawer and carrier of water. On one occasion they both went to Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) to ask for a servant. But he felt they were less in need than others.
Fatimah (radi allah anha) gave birth to a boy in the month of Ramadhan, who Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) named ‘Al-Hassan’ which means ‘the beautiful one’. One year later, she gave birth to another son who was called al-Husayn. In the eighth year after the Hijrah, Fatimah gave birth to a third child, a girl whom she named after her eldest sister Zaynab. In the following year she gave birth to another girl called Umm Kulthum. Although Fatimah (radi allah anha) dedicated her life to the rearing of her children she also took part in the affairs of the growing community of Madinah. In the Battle of Uhud and the Battle of the Ditch, she played a major supportive role.
On Muhammad’s return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he (sal allah alayhi wasalam) became ill. Fatimah (radi allah anha) visited him often. One day he (sal allah alayhi wasalam) told her that he was soon to meet his Lord to which she wept and then he (sal allah alayhi wasalam) said to her that she would be the first of his household to join him (sal allah alayhi wasalam), so she laughed. The death of Muhammad (sal allah alayhi wasalam) left Fatimah (radi allah anha) grief stricken. Five months later she herself passed away at the age of 29 years.
On reflection, the life of Fatimah bint Muhammad (radi allah anha) provides a shining example of a young woman who strived and struggled to please none but Allah (The Most High) alone in all her actions. She lived a life of simplicity in this world seeking the best in the life to come.
Avoid Four to be Protected from Shaytaan!
Al Hasan stated:
“If there are four things present in a person, Allah would preserve him from the Shaytaan and prevent him from entering the Fire: Whoever has control over himself during times of: Raghbah - Need, Rahbah - Fear, Shahwah - Desire, Ghadab - Anger.” Ibn Rajab stated: “These four that al Hasan mentioned are the basis of all evil.”
Raghbah is to have a need for something, is to want it and believe that it is beneficial for you. So whoever has a need for something, this need may drive him to attain it through any means possible, a lot of which could be impermissible. The object that is needed could be prohibited itself.
Rahbah is to fear something. If a person fears something he would try to repel it by any means necessary, a lot of which may be impermissible.
Shahwah is to desire something that you take pleasure from. A person may desire a lot of things that are prohibited such as fornication, theft, alcohol, disbelief, magic, hypocrisy and innovations.
Ghadab - Anger: It is the boiling of the hearts blood to repel a harm fearing that it would take place, or to take revenge from someone who has previously caused harm. A lot of impermissible things take place as a consequence of anger, such as fighting, hitting as well as other types of oppression and transgression. A lot of impermissible forms of speech also take place such as defamation, insults, and evil words. This may even reach the level of disbelief.
So there are ten matters which causes the lover to reach the station of true love for Allah, so that he may then reach Allah - his Beloved.
Developing Love for Allah
By the Shaykh - the Scholar of Hadith - Muhammad Nasirud-Din al-Albani
Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H)- rahimahullah - said: "People have discussed about mahabbah (love of Allah); its causes and what brings it about, its signs, its fruits, and its rulings. The most comprehensive saying about this is what Abu Bakr al-Kattani - rahimahullah - relates about al-Junayd (d.279H).
Abu Bakr al-Kattani (d.322H) said: "A discussion about mahabbah took place in Makkah during the Pilgrimage month. The Shaykhs who were present spoke about this matter, and al-Junayd was the youngest of them. They said to him: O 'Iraqi, what do you have to say? So he bowed his head and tears were flowing from his eyes, then he said:
"A servant should overcome his soul;
And be continuous in the remembrance of his Lord;
Establishing the rights of his Lord;
Focusing upon Him with his heart;
The late of fear letting ablaze his heart;
Whilst drinking from the vessel of true love;
And certain realities become unveiled for him.
So when he talks, it is due to Allah.
When he speaks, it is from Allah.
When he moves, it is by the Command of Allah.
And when he is serene, then it is from Allah.
He belongs to Allah, is for Allah, and is with Allah."
And be continuous in the remembrance of his Lord;
Establishing the rights of his Lord;
Focusing upon Him with his heart;
The late of fear letting ablaze his heart;
Whilst drinking from the vessel of true love;
And certain realities become unveiled for him.
So when he talks, it is due to Allah.
When he speaks, it is from Allah.
When he moves, it is by the Command of Allah.
And when he is serene, then it is from Allah.
He belongs to Allah, is for Allah, and is with Allah."
So the Shaykhs started to weep and said: How can that be increased upon. May Allah reward you with good, O crown of the knowledgeable ones!"1
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullah - further said:
"The rearons which cause mahabbah (love of Allah) to develop are ten:-
Firstly: Reciting the Qur'an, reflecting upon it, and understanding its meanings.
Secondly: Drawing closer to Allah through the performance of optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory duties.
Thirdly: Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah - in all circumstances - with the tongue, the heart and the limbs. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah develops and intensifier.
Fourthly: Giving precedence to what Allah loves - when being overcome with desires - over what one personally loves and desires.
Fifthly: Causing the heart to contemplate over the Names and the Attributes of Allah, being a witness to what they necessitate, and causing the heart to be enlivened in the garden of this realisation.
Sixthly: Witnessing the blessing and favours of Allah; the apparent and the hidden.
Seventhly: Subduing the heart and humbling it before Allah, causing it to be in awe of Him.
Eighthly: Being in seclusion during that time in which Allah decends to the lowest heaven; reciting the Qur'an, and finishing this recitation with seeking Allah's forgiveness and sincerely repenting to Him.
Ninethly: Sitting in the gatherings of the true and sincere lovers of Allah; reaping the benefits of their teachings, and not speaking except when you know that there is benefit in doing so, and that such speech will increase you in goodness and benefit others as well.
Tenthly: Keeping clear of all there matters which will cause the heart to distance itself from Allah - the Mighty and Majestic.
So there are ten matters which causes the lover to reach the station of true love for Allah, so that he may then reach Allah - his Beloved.
Choosing The Desired Wife
Ibrahim Abu Khalid
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Merciful, the Hearer of supplications, and peace and blessings upon our beloved and humble prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.
When marriage is spoken of during these "modern" times, Muslims become horrified, conjuring images of an arranged marriage, trying to find that "perfect" companion, how much of a financial burden it will become, and so on.
The reality is that Islam came to solve these problems, not exacerbate them, yet unfortunately we have integrated our local traditions and customs with Islam so that marriage has become a major concern for a man rather than a delightful experience.
When living in a free, perverted and corrupt Western society, the Muslim male youth finds many temptations and tests, as a result of mixing with females, which he must face and overcome. He must constantly resist these temptations, which are thrown at him in the streets, on the media, and at work. And so the wisdom of the Prophet (s.a.w) echoes on, when he said: "O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains the eyes from casting (evil glances), and preserves one from immorality..."
When seriously considering marriage, you must pose the question to yourself as to just what kind of wife you want, what her qualities should be in order to establish an Islamic and peaceful household, and how you will know who she is. As Muslims, we believe that Allah wants the best for us, and that His Prophet (s.a.w) illustrated this through his own life. So note that by following the advise of our own Creator, and that of His beloved servant, we can only be successful.
Who To Marry
Islam is clear on the kind of wife you should be seeking. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: "A woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, her status, her beauty, and her religion; so try to get one who is religious, may you be blessed." This specifically defines just what kind of a companion we are seeking, for if we marry her for anything other than her religious piety, our marriage is bound to fall into misery.
True, beauty and charm is hard to resist, yet beauty does not last forever and does not guarantee you her obedience and religiousness. Financial status is dynamic, and so is worldly status, yet religion strongly establishes a household, and it may be that through your intention of marrying her for her religion, the rest is given to you anyway.
In another hadith, the Prophet (s.a.w) said: "The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman." Imagine! Nothing in this world is as valuable as a pious woman! This point has been stressed many times by Rasulallah (s.a.w), who himself, when asked what three things he loved the most, mentioned a pious woman.
Once the following ayah was revealed: "They who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of a painful doom. On that day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of Jahannam, and their foreheads and flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said to them): 'Here is what you hoarded for yourselves, now taste of what you used to hoard.'" [al-Taubah: 34-35]
Umar (r.a.a) has been quoted to say that, when this ayah was revealed, he approached the Prophet (s.a.w), submitting that the ayah weighed heavily on the minds of the Sahaba. Rasulallah(s.a.w) replied that the best thing to be treasured is the devoted wife who causes pleasure when seen, obeys orders instantly and takes full care of herself and her husbands property when he is away.
Abu Bakr once asked Rasulallah (s.a.w) what was the best thing to be treasured, and he (s.a.w) replied: "the tongue in remembrance of Allah, the heart filled with thanks to Allah, and a pious wife who helps in virtuous deeds." Look at how valuable such a woman is in the sight of Allah! How can a man live unhappily with such a person.
Qualities of The Pious Woman
Alright, you say, you've convinced me, but what actually makes her a pious woman? The answer is simple: Allah himself has described those qualities most loved by Him in the Qur'an, and in the ahadith there are numerous accounts of the virtuous attributes of a pious woman.
The following are some ayahs on the attributes of the wife you should be seeking, so note those fine and appreciative qualities. "And women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity." [An-Nur: 26] "Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husbands) absence what Allah would have them guard." [An-Nisa': 34]
"It may be, if he divorced you (all), that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you, who submit (Muslims), who believe, who are devout, who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for faith) and fast..." [At-Tahrim: 5]
And then, in surah Ahzab, is a full list of those qualities loved by Allah, qualities which by the way should be evident in both males and females. So, my dear brother, choose her for the following attributes: -a Muslim woman -a believing woman -a devout woman -a true woman -a woman who is patient and constant -a woman who humbles herself -a woman who gives charity -a woman who fasts and denies herself -a woman who guards her chastity -a woman who engages much in Allah's praise.
Among the four known perfect women was Maryam. She was loved by Allah because of her religious qualities: "O Maryam! Worship your Lord: prostrate yourself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down." [Al-Imraan: 43]
Another was the wife of Pharaoh: "And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh: behold she said: 'O my Lord, build for me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the Garden.'" [At-Tahrim: 11]
The Prophet (s.a.w) loved his wives because of their religious qualities. Aisha once related the fine qualities of Zainab: "(Zainab) was the one who was somewhat equal in rank with me in the eyes of Allah's Messenger (s.a.w), and I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zainab, more God-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more closer to Allah, the Exalted, than her."Ahh, you think, but you'll never find such a woman! Well, if that was true, Allah would not have described her in the first place, and furthermore those qualities were emanating from the women described above. Islam deals with reality, not fiction. Sure, the perfect woman doesn't exist, yet "if you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good." [An-Nisaa: 19] Remember also that you are not perfect either.
Knowing Who She Is
To find that pious woman, there are two steps to be taken, and that first one relies on your personal observation. In surah Nisaa, Allah asks the believing women that they should "lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments," and also that they "should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments." [An-Nur: 31]
If you notice a woman acting modestly, being not too obvious through her actions (by lowering her voice when around men), one who attempts to hide her attractions (which includes her external beauty as well as her internal charms), then you know she has some of those precious qualities. When you see a woman unashamedly flirting, unconcerned about her revealing clothes, and freely converses with males- keep far, far away. I'm sure when you get married you want your wife to devote her love to you, not to twenty other "just good friends."
Through simple observation, you can get a glimpse of her nature; for example, the way she stands when conversing, how she maintains eye-contact, her clothes, where she spends her time etc. Look for her strong points, and don't stress on her weak ones. Yet, after all this, we still have to come to the most important topic. You can look all you want at her, set a private investigator to track her movements, read her diaries (all of which I consider extreme and unIslamic), yet, my dear brother, no-one knows her heart and intentions, no-one knows whether she will turn sour or more religious, or whether you are suitable for each other, except for Allah.
Trust in Allah
We are choosing our wife for her permanent values; namely her religious devotions, moral integrity, character etc. But believe me, if we try ourselves to combine a marriage, we are almost sure to fail, because we have no knowledge. Allah loves a servant when he puts his trust in Him. When we do so, it is illustrating how we rely upon Him for help, and proving our sincerity to Him, establishing that we recognise His infinite knowledge and wisdom. Islam is likened to being as a house, and in my estimation nothing cements that house together as well as putting our trust in Allah.
It is related on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah that the Prophet (s.a.w) used to teach his companions to seek, through a special du'a (known as an istikharah), the guidance of Allah in all matters which affected them. Rasulallah (s.a.w) said: "When you are confused about what you should do in a certain situation, then pray two rak'at of nafl salaat and read the following du'a (du'a of istikharah)."
I am surprised at the criticisms thrown at this du'a, and of its negligence. We are humans, powerless in this sphere of life, knowledgeable only enough to survive. So why shouldn't we turn to Allah and seek His perfect help whenever we require it? Allah responds to the call of His servant when he asks for guidance, and we are after all seeking to do something in order to please Him. Many wrong notions exist concerning istikharah. Many Muslims will pray, read the du'a, and run to bed expecting to see a dream showing them their future wife, what her favouritecolour is, and some other weird fantasy. That is not the purpose of this salaat.
The results of an istikharah can take many forms. Basically, you go by your feelings, whether you now feel more favourable or not. Also, you may notice events have changed, either for or against you. Finally, as a wonderful gift from Allah, you may be blessed with a dream. Note that you must follow the results of an istikharah, because not doing so is tantamount to rejecting Allah's guidance once you've asked for it.
Also, you should firstly clear your mind, not have your mind already decided, and then afterwards follow the results willingly. The Prophet (s.a.w) once sent Zainab a proposal of marriage. She refused to accept the proposal straight away, expressing her intention to refer the matter to Allah: "I do not do anything until I solicit the will of my Lord." Allah, the Responsive, answered her plea for help and revealed an ayah approving of the marriage.
We may seem shocked at her refusal to accept a proposal from what is the best husband any woman can have, yet she was just recognising that it is Allah who knows how successful such a marriage will be, and as a sign of appreciation, that reply is now preserved in our Holy Book: al Qur'an.
The Prophet (s.a.w) once said to Aisha: "I saw you in a dream for three nights when an angel brought you to me in a silk cloth and he said: 'Here is your wife', and when I removed (the cloth) from your face, lo, it was yourself, so I said: 'if this is from Allah, let Him carry it out.'"
Marriage is a serious step, and requires the right attitude. If marriage completes half our faith, shouldn't that half be the best half? A woman married for the wrong reasons can only weaken the Muslim household. Consider that she will be your life-long companion, the rearer of your children.
Don't marry her for her worldly wealth, but for her wealth in Islamic wisdom and knowledge. Her status in this life is but illusionary, so choose her for her status in the sight of Allah. Beauty is but superficial, but the beauty of Iman is transcendent. When asking Allah for a wife, call upon Him by His beautiful names, as He has commanded us: "For Allah are certain and dignified names: therefore call upon Him by them." [Al-A'raf: 189] Ask for a companion who is devout, pious, patient and so on. Be among those who say: "Our Lord, may our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes and make us leaders of the righteous." [al-Furqan: 74]
I cannot provide a better conclusion than saying that you must put your trust in Allah. You must have trust in His concern for us, and His ability to help us.
Allah says: "Put your trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who put their trust in Him." [Al-Imran: 159]
May Allah help us in our sincere efforts in following His commandments and the way of His beloved servant, and provide us with wives whom He loves. "When my servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to my call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way." [Al-Baqarah: 186]
And Always Allahu Alam.....
