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From Soundvision

While Hijab is an obligation clearly ordained in the Quran and Sunnah, it is only one of many Islamic obligations.

Yet, some Muslim organizations have heated debates about it, and sometimes practice unacceptable behavior towards those Muslim women who do not wear Hijab, to the point of excluding them or making them feel uncomfortable.

How can Muslim activists make their organizations and communities places where the laws of Islam are upheld, but Muslims, men and women, are not excluded? Where Hijab does not become a flash point? Below are some tips.



1. DO NOT JUDGE

This is key for activists. While some Muslims in a given setting may judge non-Hijabis, activists and key figures in organizations and communities must never fall into this kind of behavior.

Remember that we don’t know a person’s background: maybe the sister doesn’t know Hijab is an obligation; maybe she’s from a culture where it is not practiced; maybe she is from a family that has forced her to take it off; or from a non-practicing family, or even a family that is hostile to Islam.

Harshness will lead non-Hijabi women to turn away from other Muslims, and in many cases turn to non-Muslims.

“If they look around and they see Muslim activist women who are very negative and exclusionary and overly critical then they are not going to make them their friend,” says Sharifa Alkhateeb, vice-president of the North American Council of Muslim Women. “If they [activist Muslim women] want to influence the behavior of young women, they have to, before anything else, become their friend.”

Which is the next tip.



2. IF YOU’RE A MUSLIM SISTER BE A FRIEND

“What young Muslim women need more than anything else is friendship,” says Alkhateeb.

She explains that most of the time, they feel alienated and cannot befriend their parents, who may reject their views or cannot relate to them. This leads to young women searching for solace in friends outside the family.

This is why it is crucial that activist Muslim women extend a warm, friendly hand to young Muslim women, whether in organizations or in the Muslim community in general.

Alkhateeb also stresses that being a friend is not just speaking the words of friendship.

“They think it’s enough to say I love you, and I care about you,” she says. But real friendship and caring “comes through living with the person, being around the person.“


3. IF YOU’RE A BROTHER, BE POLITE, TREAT HER WITH RESPECT

That essentially means practicing a brother’s Islamic duty to lower his gaze and guard his modesty. It also means not making the sister feel uncomfortable.

This includes not looking down at her, making rude gestures or comments about her lack of Hijab.



4. ENCOURAGE HER TO PARTICIPATE IN ISLAMIC ACTIVITIES

“It’s only by mixing in the right company that someone who is contemplating Hijab will have the strength and courage to make the final act,” says Kathy Bullock, who began wearing Hijab two weeks after her conversion to Islam.

This means that the open and welcoming attitude can’t be reserved to just a one-shot activity, like a dinner or an orientation session. It means regular contact with other Muslims.

One method is a Halaqa. Most MSAs and Muslim communities offer a variety of these, from mixed brother sister Halaqas, to gender-specific ones.

A sisters only Halaqa can allow for more comfortable and open discussion and relations, and better bonding time, which can strengthen friendship and sisterhood.



5. HAVE HER RESEARCH THE QUESTION FOR A PRESENTATION

This was an approach Abdalla Idris Ali, Director of the Center for Islamic Education in Kansas City, Misouri and a former Muslim high school principal, used for a student who did not wear Hijab. He asked her to do a presentation on the topic.

This method could be effective because it provides the basic information, without any judgment or harshness. It is something the individual does on her own.

This method can also be used for other topics, to encourage Muslims-i.e. if a brother has missed Salat ul Juma a few times, a presentation on its importance could serve as a reminder.



6. PROTECT HER FROM THOSE WHO WILL CAUSE HER HARM

This is tricky but will be necessary. In many Islamic organizations and Muslim communities, you will find those who wish to implement Islam using what Alkhateeb describes as the “baseball bat” approach: with harshness.

This must be resisted. If such a situation arises, fellow brothers and sisters should stand by the non-Hijabi sister. It will not only serve to be a “buffer” for the harsh comments, but it will indicate her importance as part of the Muslim community/organization, and in the long run, will be conducive to giving her advice.



7. GENTLY AND KINDLY EXPLAIN TO OTHER MUSLIMS NOT TO JUDGE HER

Just as it is important for Muslims to remind each other of their obligations to Allah, it is also important that activist Muslims gently explain to others not to use the “baseball bat” approach. Talk to them with proof from the Quran and Sunnah-that Islam calls for inviting people to the good with wisdom; that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was not harsh and intolerant in the face of others’ weaknesses. Also stress the gradual approach. Use many examples, as it seems the Muslims who want to use the harsh approach often feel this is the Islamic way.

By providing solid examples from the Sunnah, they may become convinced to change their way.

If this does not work, get a trusted scholar or knowledgeable Muslim or Muslima to address them who both sides listen to and trust.



8. EMPHASIZE BUILDING IMAN (FAITH) FIRST

Islam was sent to the Prophet gradually, and Muslims today must also implement Islam in this manner.

That means that before anyone speaks to a sister about Hijab, more important aspects of the faith have to be emphasized: the basic beliefs, pillars, the importance of praying five times a day, fasting in Ramadan, etc.

This gradual approach builds Iman and conviction, and in fact was the method used by the Prophet.

“We fail to see any Ayah (verse of the Quran) pertaining to Hijab in the entire Makkan revelation that was given to the Prophet, that’s almost 13 years. The injunctions about more detailed aspects relating to the righteous Muslim community were revealed during the Medinan period. Some in the middle, and later part of that period,” says Jamal Badawi, a member of the North American Fiqh Council.

“This is a revealing lesson for us because it shows that Allah (s.w.t.) knew in advance what injunctions He wanted to reveal,” he adds. “Yet He delayed the revelation of those matters until many years or many, many years of preparation on the level of Iman, submission to Allah, love of Allah and the sincere desire to voluntarily obey Allah and His Messenger. Once that base was established it wasn’t difficult at all for the believing women to willingly abide by the injunctions of Allah.

“This is similar to what happened also with the prohibition of intoxicants where the same process of preparation took place to the point that when the final prohibition of intoxicants was revealed it wasn’t difficult either for men to abide by that willingly and immediately.”



9. DON’T BE APOLOGETIC

What should not be forgotten though is that while the approach must be gentle and kind, there must be no apologies for or hiding of Islamic teachings. Once again, wisdom is necessary, but a sister must not be told that not wearing Hijab is acceptable from an Islamic perspective.

“Muslim organizations have a duty to say what is right and to invite in the best of manner women to cover and to support them when they do so but that doesn’t mean individuals should be judgmental when women are not covering,” says Bullock.



10. WHEN SHE TAKES THE STEP, SUPPORT HER!

”There needs to be a lot more support for the women who decide to cover,” says Bullock.

When a sister does adopt Hijab, she often needs all the help she can get, in the face of angry parents, discriminatory employers and professors or feminist friends or acquaintances.

This is where the friendship and openness come in. We must never think our job is done once someone adopts any Islamic practice they were previously not engaging in. This is a common mistake Muslims also make when dealing with new Muslims.

We often spend a lot of time convincing an individual to accept Islam. But once s/he does, we become cold and distant, with no desire to help these brothers and sisters with the struggles being a new Muslim entail.

The hardest step is often AFTER the fact, not before it. Support, friendship, and most importantly brother and sisterhood is crucial if, in many cases, the practice is to be maintained.

Remembering Allah is Success

Our Creator, Allah has given us the precious gift of life and with it comes the freedom to live it as we desire. We are able to make our own decisions and choices in life and this freedom in itself is a gift from Allah. Our Creator knows us very well and is aware of our weaknesses and so has given us guidance on how to spend our lives so that we can be successful.

We accept that Allah is the Greatest and we hear these words every so often. However, our hearts and minds do not truly appreciate the significance of this statement. Surely, if we believe that Allah is the Greatest, we must regard the path that he has prescribed for us as the Greatest path. Therefore, the way we choose to live our lives should be based around the guidance that Allah Has given us because He is the Greatest and those who follow His divine guidance will be truly successful.

Despite knowledge and awareness of the above, we are drawn into alternative ways of life which conflict with that which Islam has recommended for us. A lifestyle which distances us from the beauty of Islam and the guidance of Allah, unfortunately becomes attractive and desirable. When I refer to adopting a lifestyle which takes you away from Islam, I am not referring to embracing a culture or integrating within a society. In fact, understanding the culture of different societies across the world is beneficial because one is able to understand the diversity which Allah has blessed mankind with. However, as a Muslim, one must be aware that the guidance of Islam is not neglected in the process of embracing any culture – be it your own culture or any other culture.

There are Muslims across many different nations of the world, they all have their own cultures and backgrounds, e.g. they have their own unique dress, cuisine, language, etc. Despite all their cultural differences, what brings them together is their belief in Allah. Problems will only arise when we forget the guidance that Allah has given us and embrace a culture to such an extent that we neglect Islam. For example, we make it culturally acceptable to drink alcohol; discrimination based on caste becomes a norm, having relationships outside marriage is nothing to be concerned about. These examples seem quite severe, but they will no doubt become prevalent in any society which gradually moves away from the guidance of Allah.

Remember, there is no compulsion in Islam and nobody can force you to accept it as a way of life. In fact, I don’t believe that Islam can ever be forced upon anyone. You might be able to force an individual to pray or carry out any other action of Islam but you can never force him/her to have inner belief. Islam can only be complete with inner belief in the Oneness and Greatness of Allah and belief in His Final Prophet, Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Actions themselves are something that support belief, so when there is no belief, what good are actions? For example, if someone doesn’t believe in the existence of God yet spends most of their time in activities which are deemed Islamic, there is little value in their actions because the foundation of faith i.e. belief is missing. Allah knows best what lies in our hearts and minds.

Allah has described an approach to life; the choice is ours whether or not we choose to accept it. However, we cannot avoid the consequences of whatever decision we make. Let us consider the example of a crying toddler who wants to grab a hot cup of tea and his mother doesn’t allow him to do so. The child is limited in his knowledge, so from his perspective, he only sees a cup full of something nice. When the mother stops him, the child cannot comprehend the actions of the mother and feels anger and disappointment. The mother acts in the interest of her child and out of love for him. In the same way, our Creator, the One who has given us everything we have, is advising us on how to live our lives, His advice demonstrates the love that He has for His creation. The issue is that we fail to see this great love and continue to follow our own desires against the will of Allah, in the hope that they will lead us towards contentment. When the child doesn’t listen to his mother, the result is that he will burn himself. When we neglect the advice of Allah, it also has negative consequences for us.

Today, mankind feels a sense of pride and achievement and believes his own reasoning and knowledge to be powerful enough to question the law of the Creator. By following our own desires, we are only fooling ourselves and moving towards self-destruction. Islam is all about breaking this arrogance in oneself and realising that we as humans are limited and weak and must submit to the will of our Creator. Allah knows what we know not and He understands what we can never understand, that is why we repeat in our prayers, that Allah is The Greatest. The human mind and heart are weak, they need to be reminded of this fact - time and time again.

Remember brothers and sisters in Islam and in humanity, it is Allah who helps us to open our eyes in the morning and Allah who gives us sleep at night. We must keep reminding ourselves that Allah is the Greatest and without His blessings we would cease to exist. Many of us are going astray from the path of Islam, and out of love, we must help one another to return to success. The life of this world presents success in various guises - wealth, fame, luxury are only a few of these. Each person lives in pursuit of success yet many realise not that it lies in obeying Allah, following His commands and living life according to them. I believe that life is a great gift from Allah and Imaan (belief in Allah) is an even greater gift which must be cherished and protected. Your life will eventually come to an end but the benefits of Imaan will continue to support you for eternity.

Barley:
Good in fever, while use in a soup form.

Dates:
The Prophet (SAW) said that a house without dates has no food. It should also be eaten at the time of childbirth.

Figs:
It is a fruit from paradise and a cure for piles.

Grapes:
The Prophet (SAW) was very fond of grapes - it purifies the blood, provides vigour and health, strengthens the kidneys and clears the bowels.

Honey:
Considered the best remedy for diarrhoea when mixed in hot water. It is the food of foods, drink of drinks and drug of drugs. It is used for creating appetite, strengthening the stomach, eliminating phlegm; as a meat preservative, hair conditioner, eye soother and mouthwash. It is extremely beneficial in the morning in warm water.

Melon:
The Prophet (SAW) said: 'None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring that is good in countenance and good in character.'

Milk:
The Prophet (SAW) said that milk wipes away heat from the heart just as the finger wipes away sweat from the brow. It strengthens the back, improved the brain, renews vision and drives away forgetfulness.

Mushroom:
The Prophet (SAW) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes; it also serves as a form of birth control and arrests paralysis.

Olive Oil:
Excellent treatment for skin and hair, delays old age, and treats inflammation of the stomach.

Pomegranate:
The Prophet (SAW) said it cleanses you of Satan and evil aspirations for 40 days.

Vinegar:
A food Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to eat with olive oil. [That's now a fashion in elite Italian Restaurants]

Water:
The Prophet (SAW) said the best drink in this world is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps, gulping produces sickness of the liver.

So 'darood' and praise be upon our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) who related us with marvelous knowledge, which dazzles the wisest minds. May this information be beneficial to all of us. Insha'Allah.

Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu) reported Allah's Messenger ( sal-allahu-alleihi- wasallam) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated: I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance) , and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.
SubhanAllah...............

"And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) "Ugh" nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! Have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little." Noble Qur'an (17:23-24)

"Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and believers on the day when the account is cast." Noble Qur'an (14:41)

"My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and him who enters my house believing, and the believing men and the believing women; and do not increase the unjust in aught but destruction!" Noble Qur'an (71:28)

"And We have enjoined on man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months; until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord! grant me that I may give thanks for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good which pleases Thee and do good to me in respect of my offspring; surely I turn to Thee, and surely I am of those who submit." Noble Qur'an (46:15)


A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and he handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00

For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00

For going to the store for you: $.50

Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25

Taking out the garbage: $1.00

For getting a good report card: $5.00

For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00

Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge.

For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge.

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge.

For all the nights filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge.

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge.

When you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight up at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you."

And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL".

"Faith is believing what we do not see. The reward of this faith is to see what we believe."

Her cheeks were worn and sunken and her skin hugged her bones. That didn't stop her though, you could never catch her not reciting Qur'an. Always vigil in her personal prayer room Dad had set up for her. Bowing, prostrating, raising her hands in prayer. That was the way she was from dawn to sunset and back again, boredom was for others. As for me I craved nothing more than fashion magazines and novels. I treated myself all the time to videos until those trips to the rental place became my trademark. As they say, when something becomes habit people tend to distinguish you by it. I was negligent in my responsibilities and laziness characterized my Salah.

One night, I turned the video off after a marathon three hours of watching. The adhan softly rose in that quiet night. I slipped peacefully into my blanket. Her voice carried from her prayer room. "Yes? Would you like anything Noorah?"

With a sharp needle she popped my plans. 'Don't sleep before you pray Fajr!'

"Agh ... there's still an hour before Fajr, that was only the first Adhaan!"

With those loving pinches of hers, she called me closer. She was always like that, even before the fierce sickness shook her spirit and shut her in bed. 'Hanan can you come sit beside me.' I could never refuse any of her requests, you could touch the purity and sincerity. "Yes, Noorah?"

'Please sit here.'

"OK, I'm sitting. What's on your mind?"

With the sweetest mono voice she began reciting:

"Every soul shall taste death and you will merely be repaid your earnings on Resurrection Day"
She stopped thoughtfully. Then she asked, 'Do you believe in death?' "Of course I do."

'Do you believe that you shall be responsible for whatever you do, regardless of how small or large?'

"I do, but … Allah is Forgiving and Merciful and I've got a long life waiting for me."
'Stop it Hanan ... aren't you afraid of death and it's abruptness? Look at Hind. She was younger than you but she died in a car accident. So did so and so, and so and so. Death is age-blind and your age could never be a measure of when you shall die.'

The darkness of the room filled my skin with fear. "I'm scared of the dark and now you made me scared of death, how am I supposed to go to sleep now. Noorah, I thought you promised you'd go with us on vacation during the summer break."

Impact. Her voice broke and her heart quivered. 'I might be going on a long trip this year Hanan, but somewhere else. Just maybe. All of our lives are in Allah's hands and we all belong to Him.'

My eyes welled and the tears slipped down both cheeks. I pondered my sisters grizzly sickness, how the doctors had informed my father privately that there was not much hope that Noorah was going to outlive the disease. She wasn't told though. Who hinted to her? Or was it that she could sense the truth.

'What are you thinking about Hanan?' Her voice was sharp. 'Do you think I am just saying this because I am sick? Uh - uh. In fact, I may live longer than people who are not sick. And you Hanan, how long are you going to live? Twenty years, maybe? Forty? Then what?' Through the dark she reached for my hand and squeezed gently.

'There's no difference between us; we're all going to leave this world to live in Paradise or agonize in Hell. Listen to the words of Allah:

"Anyone who is pushed away from the Fire and shown into Jannah will have triumphed."
I left my sister's room dazed, her words ringing in my ears:

"May Allah guide you Hanan - don't forget your prayer."
Eight O'clock in the morning. Pounding on my door. I don't usually wake up at this time. Crying. Confusion. O Allah, what happened?

Noorahs condition became critical after Fajr, they took her immediately to the hospital ... Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. There wasn't going to be any trips this summer. It was written that I would spend the summer at home. After an eternity...

It was one O'clock in the afternoon. Mother phoned the hospital. 'Yes. You can come and see her now.' Dad's voice had changed, mother could sense something had gone deathly wrong. We left immediately. Where was that avenue I used to travel and thought was so short? Why was it so long now, so very long. Where was the cherished crowd and traffic that would give me a chance to gaze left and right. Everyone, just move out of our way. Mother was shaking her head in her hands – crying – as she made dua' for her Noorah.

We arrived at the hospitals main entrance. One man was moaning, another was involved in an accident and a third's eyes were iced, you couldn't tell if he was alive or dead. We skipped stairs to Noorahs floor. She was in intensive care. The nurse approached us. 'Let me take you to her.' As we walked down the aisles the nurse went on expressing how sweet a girl Noorah was. She reassured Mother somewhat that Noorah's condition had gotten better than what it was in the morning.

'Sorry. No more than one visitor at a time.' This was the intensive care unit. Through the small window in the door and past the flurry of white robes I caught my sisters eyes. Mother was standing beside her. After two minutes, mother came out unable to control her crying.

'You may enter and say Salaam to her on condition that you do not speak too long,' they told me. 'Two minutes should be enough.'

"How are you Noorah? You were fine last night sister, what happened?"
We held hands, she squeezed harmlessly.

'Even now, Alhamdulillah, I'm doing fine.'
"Alhamdulillah ... but ... your hands are so cold."
I sat on her bedside and rested my fingers on her knee.
She jerked it away. "Sorry ... did I hurt you?"
"No, it is just that I remembered Allah's words:

"One leg will be wrapped to the other leg (in the death shroud)"
... Hanan pray for me. I may be meeting the first day of the hearafter very soon. It is a long journey and I haven't prepared enough good deeds in my suitcase.'

A tear escaped my eye and ran down my cheek at her words. I cried and she joined me. The room blurred away and left us – two sisters - to cry together. Rivulets of tears splashed down on my sister's palm which I held with both hands. Dad was now becoming more worried about me. I've never cried like that before.

At home and upstairs in my room, I watched the sun pass away with a sorrowful day. Silence mingled in our corridors. A cousin came in my room, another. The visitors were many and all the voices from downstairs stirred together. Only one thing was clear at that point ... Noorah had died!

I stopped distinguishing who came and who went. I couldn't remember what they said. O Allah, where was I? What was going on? I couldn't even cry anymore. Later that week they told me what had happened. Dad had taken my hand to say goodbye to my sister for the last time, I had kissed Noorah's head.

I remember only one thing though, seeing her spread on that bed, the bed that she was going to die on. I remembered the verse she recited:

"One leg will be wrapped to the other leg (in the death shroud)"
and I knew too well the truth of the next verse: "The drive on that day we be to your Lord (Allah)!"

I tiptoed into her prayer room that night. Staring at the quiet dressers and silenced mirrors, I treasured who it was that had shared my mother's stomach with me. Noorah was my twin sister. I remembered who I had swapped sorrows with. Who had comforted my rainy days. I remembered who had prayed for my guidance and who had spent so many tears for so many long nights telling me about death and accountability.

May Allah save us all. Tonight is Noorah's first night that she shall spend in her tomb. O Allah, have mercy on her and illumine her grave.

This was her Qur'an, her prayer mat and …and this was the spring rose-colored dress that she told me she would hide until she got married, the dress she wanted to keep just for her husband. I remembered my sister and cried over all the days that I had lost. I prayed to Allah to have mercy on me, accept me and forgive me. I prayed to Allah to keep her firm in her grave as she always liked to mention in her supplications.

At that moment, I stopped. I asked myself: what if it was I who had died? Where would I be moving on to? Fear pressed me and the tears began all over again.

"Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar..."
The first adhan rose softly from the Masjid, how beautiful it sounded this time. I felt calm and relaxed as I repeated the Muadhdhins call. I wrapped the shawl around my shoulders and stood to pray Fajr.

I prayed as if it was my last prayer, a farewell prayer, just like Noorah had done yesterday. It had been her last Fajr. Now and inshaAllah for the rest of my life, if I awake in the mornings I do not count on being alive by evening, and in the evening I do not count on being alive by morning.

The book Durr-ul-mukhtar, at the beginning of its discourse on the subject about namaz, and Ibni Abidin, while explaining it on the two hundred and thirty-fourth page of the book Radd-ul-mukhtar, state:

Since Adam (Alaihissalam), there was namaz once a day in every Shariat. All that had been performed were brought together and were made fard for us. Although performing namaz is not a pillar of iman, it is a pillar of iman to believe that namaz is fard. 'Namaz' means 'dua'. The ibadat that is commanded by the Shariat and which we all know was named 'namaz' (salat). Performing the five daily prayers of namaz is fard-i 'ayn for every Muslim who has reached the age of puberty. That it is fard is openly stated in the Qur'an and hadiths. Five daily prayers of namaz became a commandment on the Miraj night. The Miraj happened on the twenty-seventh night of the month of Rajab a year before the Hegira. Before the Miraj, only the morning and afternoon prayers were performed.

A child must be ordered to perform namaz at the age of seven, and should be beaten if it does not perform it at the age of ten. The teacher at the school, too, may beat the student three times with his hands with the view of making the student study. He cannot beat him more than that. Nor can he beat him with a stick. [There cannot be bastinados in Islamic schools. Cudgeling may have taken place in a police station or in a jail. It will be a slander against Islam for the enemies of Islam, for the purpose of estranging the younger generations from Islam, to represent Muslim teachers (hodjas) as inflicting bastinado on students in theaters and movies and to say that the youth were saved from bastinado and cudgelling by the abolition of Islamic lessons and schools. It is openly written in Islamic books that Islam forbids beating the student with a stick. Our Prophet strictly prohibited even beating more than three times with the hand.] It is also necessary to teach other ibadats to children at this age, to make them get used to doing them, and to prevent them from sins.

With the view of showing the importance of fard namaz, Muhammad Rabhami (rahmatullahi alaih) wrote the Persian book Riyad-un-nasihin, a collection from four hundred and forty-four books, in India in 853 A.H., in the twelfth chapter of the first section of the second part of which he said:

" In the two fundamental books of Islam called Sahihayn [Bukhari and Muslim], Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked in a hadith ash-Sharif reported by Jabir bin Abdullah (radiallahu 'anh): "If there were a river in front of one's house and if he washed himself in this river five times every day, would there be any dirt left on him?" We [Jabir ibn Abdullah and other Sahabis present there] said, "No, o Rasulallah." The Prophet said, "Likewise, minor sins of those who perform the five daily prayers are forgiven." [Some ignorant people, upon hearing this hadith, say, "Then, I will both perform namaz and amuse myself as I wish. My sins will be forgiven anyhow." This thought is not correct, because a namaz that is performed observing its conditions and adab and is accepted will cancel sins. In fact, even if minor sins are forgiven, continuing to commit or insisting on minor sins will become grave sins. And insisting on committing grave sins will cause kufr (disbelief.)] Ibn Jawzi wrote in his tafsir Almugni: Abu Bakr-i Siddiq (radiallahu 'anh) said that, when the time of a daily prayer of namaz comes, the angels say, 'O the sons of Adam, stand up! Extinguish the fire prepared to burn human beings by performing namaz.' " In a hadith ash- Sharif, it was said, "The difference between the believer and the unbeliever is namaz," that is, the believer performs namaz, and the unbeliever does not. Munafiqs, however, sometimes perform it and sometimes do not. Munafiqs will undergo very bitter torment in Hell. Abdullah ibn Abbas (radiallahu 'anh), the leader of mufassirs, said that he heard Rasulullah say, "Those who do not perform namaz will find Allahu ta'ala angry on the Day of Resurrection."

The imams of hadith unanimously said, "A person who does not perform a namaz in its due time intentionally, that is, if he is not sorry for not performing a namaz while its due time is ending, will become a kafir or will lose his iman during his death. What will become of those who do not remember namaz or see namaz as a duty?" The Ahl as-Sunnat savants unanimously said, "Ibadat are not a part of iman." But there was not a unanimity concerning namaz. The fiqh imams Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Ishaq ibn Rahiwayh, Abdullah ibn Mubarak, Ibrahim Nahai, Hakam ibn Hutayba, Ayyub Sahtiyani, Dawud Tai, Abu Bakr ibn Shayba and Zubair ibn Harb and many other great savants said that one who does not perform a namaz intentionally becomes a kafir. Then, o Muslim Brother, do not miss any namaz and do not be slack; perform it with love! If Allahu ta'ala punishes according to the ijtihad of these savants on the Day of Judgement, what will you do? Tafsir-i Mugni says, "One of the superiors asked the devil what he should do to become damned like him. The devil was pleased and said, 'If you want to be like me, do not pay attention to namaz and take an oath on everything right or wrong, that is take an oath very much!' That person said, 'I will never neglect namaz and will not take any oath from now on. ' " In the Hanbali Madhhab, a Muslim who does not perform a namaz without an excuse will be put to death like a murtad, and his corpse will not be washed or shrouded, nor will his janaza namaz be performed. He will not be buried in Muslims' cemetery, and his grave will not be made distinguishable. He will be put in a hollow on the mountain. In the Shafi'i Madhhab, one who persists in not performing namaz does not become a murtad, but the punishment will be death. That the Maliki Madhhab is the same as the Shafi'i in this respect is written in Ibni 'Abidin and on the sixty-third page of the translation of Milal-nihal. And in the Hanafi Madhhab, he is imprisoned until he begins namaz or beaten until bleeding. [However, he who attaches no importance to namaz or who does not know it as a duty will be a kafir in all the four Madhhabs. It is written in the subject of the afflictions incurred by the tongue in Al-Hadiqa that he becomes a kafir according to the Hanafi Madhhab, too, if he neglects namaz intentionally and does not think of performing its qada and does not fear that he will be tormented for this.] Allahu ta'ala did not order non-Muslims to perform namaz or to fast. They are not honored with the commandments of Allahu ta'ala. They are not punished for not performing namaz or for not fasting. They only deserve Hell, which is the punishment for kufr. In the book Zad-ul-muqwin, it is said: "Early savants wrote that he who does not do five things is deprived of five things:

1) He who does not give the zakat of his property does not get any benefit from his property.

2) In the land and earning of a person who does not give his 'ushr, there is no abundance left.

3) Health is absent in the body of a person who does not give alms.

4) Person who does not pray will not attain to his wish.

5) Person who does not want to perform a namaz when its time comes cannot say the kalima-i shahadat at his last breath. A person who does not perform namaz because of laziness although he believes that it is the first duty, is a fasiq. He is not the peer of a saliha girl, that is, he does not deserve and is not suitable for her."

As it is seen, not performing the fard namaz causes one to die without iman. Continuing to perform namaz causes the enlightenment of the heart and the attainment of endless bliss. Our Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) declared, "Namaz is nur," that is, it brightens the heart in the world and illuminates the Sirat in the next world. Do you know what happens to Allah's beloved ones in namaz and how they attain to their wishes in namaz?

Story: Abdullah Ibn Tahir, the Governor of Khurasan, was very just. His gendarmes captured some thieves and reported them to the Governor. One of the thieves escaped. A blacksmith from Hirat was caught on his way back from Nishapur at night. He was brought to the presence of the Governor with the thieves. The Governor said, "Imprison them!" The blacksmith performed an ablution and namaz. He stretched his hands and supplicated, "O my Allah! You alone know that I am innocent. Only You can free me from this jail. O my Allah! Protect me!" That night, the Governor woke up just as four strong men were about to turn his throne upside-down in his dream. He immediately performed an ablution and two rakats of namaz. He went to sleep again. He again woke up upon dreaming that those four men were about to pull his throne down. He realized that he oppressed someone. As a matter of fact,

the poem says:

Thousands of cannons and rifles can never make,
What the tears have made at the time of dawn,

The bayonets that make the enemy flee,
Are usually made into dust by a believer's prayer.

O Allah! Only You are Great! You are so great that superiors and inferiors, when in trouble, entreat only You. Those who entreat only You can attain their wish.

The Governor immediately called the director of the jail at that night and asked him whether there was a prisoner kept unjustly. When the director said, "I cannot know him. But there is someone who performs namaz, prays much and sheds tears." The blacksmith was brought to the presence of the Governor, who asked him questions, realized that he was innocent, begged his pardon and said, "Please forgive me for having done an injustice to you, accept my gift of one thousand silver coins and come to me whenever you have a wish!" The blacksmith said, "I forgive you and accept your gift. But I cannot come to ask my affairs or wish from you." When he was asked its reason, he said, "Does it befit a slave like me, a humble person, to take my wishes to someone other than my Proprietor who several times overturned the throne of a Sultan like you? He made me attain so many wishes of mine. How could I take refuge in someone else? While my Rabb has opened the door of His Treasure of Endless Mercy and spread His Table of Infinite Endowment for every body, how can I have recourse to others? Who has asked and He has not given? Who has come to Him and returned empty-handed? One cannot attain if one does not know how to ask. If one does not enter His Presence with proper manners, one cannot attain His Mercy.

Poem:
Whoever puts his head on the threshold of worship one night;
The Darling's Kindness certainly opens thousands of doors for him.

Rabiat-ul-Adwiyya 'rahmatullahi alaiha', one of the great awliya, heard a man pray, "Oh Allah! Open Your door of Mercy!" She said to him, "O you ignorant person! Has Allahu ta'ala's door of Mercy been closed up to now so that you want it to be opened now?" [Though the source of Mercy is always open, the hearts, the receivers, are not open in everybody. We should pray so that they may open!]

Oh Allah! You, alone, are the One who relieves everybody from distress. Do not leave us in distress in this and the next worlds! Only You are the One who sends everything to the needy! Send auspicious, useful things to us in this and the next worlds! Do not leave us in need of anybody in this and the next worlds! Amin." Translation from Riyad-un-nasihin is completed here.

While beginning its subject about namaz, the book Kitab-ul-fiqh 'alal-madhahib-il-arba'a says: "Namaz is the most important of the arch-stones of Islam. Allahu ta'ala made namaz fard so that His slaves would worship Him only. The hundred and third ayat of Surat an- Nisa' purports that namaz became fard, the times of which are definite, for the believers. A hadith ash-Sharif declares, 'Allahu ta'ala has made it fard to perform namaz five times each day. Allahu ta'ala has promised that He will send to Paradise a person who performs namaz five times each day esteeming it highly and observing its conditions.' Namaz is the most valuable of worships. A hadith declares, 'He who does not perform namaz has no share from Islam!' A hadith ash-Sharif quoted in Mishkat, and in Kunuz-ud-daqaiq, and in Sahihayn, and in Halabi declares, "Difference between man and disbelief is to give up namaz!" It does not mean, "Men and disbelief are two separate beings. Between them lies not to perform namaz. When not to perform namaz goes away from between them, that is, when a person performs namaz, the connection between him and disbelief goes up, the two can not be united, and man will not be a disbeliever." But it means, "Disbelief is a property. It does not exist alone. It exists with some people. People who have disbelief have ' (not performing namaz)'. But people who do not have disbelief do not have ' (not performing namaz)'. Difference between a person who has disbelief and one who does not have disbelief is not performing or performing namaz." This hadith ash-Sharif is like the saying, "Difference between man and death is 'not to breathe.' " A person who has death does not breathe. But a person who does not have death, does not have (the property) "not breathing." When a person does not breathe, it will be understood that he is dead. This hadith vehemently threatens those who are lazy in performing namaz. To perform namaz is to realize one's inferiority before Allahu ta'ala, thinking of His greatness. A person who realizes this always does what is good. He can never do evils. The namaz which is performed by a person who follows his nafs is fruitless, even if it may be accepted. The heart of a person who intends that he is in the Audience of his Rabb five times each day gets filled with ikhlas. Every action that one has been commanded to do in namaz provides uses for one's heart and body. Performing namaz in jamaat in mosques attaches Muslims' hearts to one another. It provides love between them. Thus they realize that they are brethren. The elder become merciful towards the younger. And the younger become respectful towards the elder. The rich become helpers for the poor and the powerful for the weak. The healthy, not seeing the sick in the mosque, visit them in their homes. They race with one another for attaining the glad tidings in the hadith, 'Allahu ta'ala is the helper of a person who runs to the aid of his brother in Islam'."

A hadith ash-Sharif, quoted in the book Qurratul'uyun, declares, "If a person does not perform namaz though he has no good excuse, Allahu ta'ala will give him fifteen kinds of plague. Six of them will come in the world, three will come at the time of death, three will come in the grave, and three will come when rising from the grave. The six plagues in the world are:

1 - Person who does not perform namaz will not have barakat in his lifetime.

2 - He will not have the beauty, the loveableness peculiar to those who are loved by Allahu ta'ala.

3 - He will not be given thawab for any good he does. [This hadith ash-Sharif shows that the sunnats of those who do not perform the fard prayers in time are not acceptable. That is, they will not be given thawab for their sunnats].

4 - His prayers (duas) will not be accepted.

5 - No one will like him.

6 - Blessings that (other) Muslims invoked on him will do him no good.

Kinds of torment he will suffer when dying are:

1 - He will expire in an abhorrent, unsightly, repugnant manner.

2 - He will die hungry.

3 - Much water as he may have, he will die with painful thirst.

Kinds of torment he will suffer in the grave are:

1 - The grave will squeeze him. His bones will intertwine.

2 - His grave will be filled with fire, which will scorch him day and night.

3 - Allahu ta'ala will send a huge serpent to his grave. It is not like terrestrial serpents. It will sting him at every prayer time each day. It will never leave him alone any moment.

Kinds of torment he will suffer after rising are:

1 - Angels of torment that will drag him to Hell will never leave him alone.

2 - Allahu ta'ala will meet him with wrath.

3 - His account will be settled in a very vehement manner, and he will be flung into Hell."

Imam Ali bin Husayn Zaynal Aabidin is the author of this dua'a.
To get immediate acceptance of your supplication, in less time than the flash of an eye, recite this dua'a 100 times, preferably on Thursday, after praying 2 rakat salat, and 15 durood (Salawat) before and at the end of this dua'a, and beseech The Almighty Allah to fulfill your legitimate desires, wants and needs.

Imam Jafar e Sadiq (as) had expressed surprise ,that why when in need Momins do not use the 4 SIMPLE EFFECTIVE DUAS available to them ...........

These are quranic ayats ,immediately(fa) after these ayats follows that ayat which is the solution for the problem so we recite only the previous part of the ayat.(ie the transliterated part)
1. To overcome fear of Authority/ruler
”Wa Ufawwizu Amree ilallaah inallaaha baseerun bil ibad” (Ch. Al-Ghafir, or Mu’min (40), vs. 44)
So you shall remember what I say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah, Surely Allah sees the servants.


2. For Rizq (sustenance)
”Mashaallahu laa Quwwata illa billah" (Ch. Al-Kahf (18), vs. 39)
And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden: It is as Allah has pleased, there is no power save in Allah? If you consider me to be inferior to you in wealth and children


3. For Sorrows/sufferings
La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen(Ch. Al-Anbiya (21): vs. 87)
And Yunus, when he went away in wrath, so he thought that We would not straiten him, so he called out among afflictions: There is no god but Thou, glory be to Thee; surely I am of those who make themselves to suffer loss.


4. Other issues/Needs
Hasbunallah wa ni'mal wakeel(Ch. Aale I’mraan (3), vs. 173)
Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.


There are some preconditions for it to be accepted ,eg:a person is to be married before he can pray & wish for a child.:-
a. Taqwa -Fear of Allah swt
b. Efforts & Perseverance.Efforts like that of Sarah between safa & Marwah & Patience in not giving up &continuing upto 7 rounds
c. Conviction that it can work & not an attitude of 'what can one line do'

This will inshallah result in rewards beyond imagination ,like zam zam though what was asked was only a cupful!

Three Short Duas from Imam Taqi Al Jawad(AS)

1.When Invoking the Tawheed of Allah swt every morning and evening

Allaahu, Allaahu, Rabbee, Ar-raHmaanur-raHeem, laa ushriku bihi shay'aa

Allah, Allah, my Lord, the Most Gracious [and] the Most Merciful I do not associate anything with Him.

2. When asking relief from every anxiety and grief

Yaa man yakfee min kulli shay' Walaa yakfee munhu shay'

Ikfinee maa ahammanee mimaa anaa feeh.

O He who is sufficent from all things But nothing is sufficient from Him

Be sufficient for me in what worries me in the state I am.

3. When thanking Allah for creating us and dignifying us (over other creatures)

AlHamdu lillaahil-ladhee khlaqanaa min noorihee biyadih

waSTafaanaa mim bariyyatih

waja`lanaa umnaa-ahu `alaa khalqihee wa-waHyih

Praise be to Allah who created us from His Light with His hand

And digified us over His creatures

And made us trustees of His creation and His revelation.

DU'A FOR PARENTS

"Rabbighfir lii wa liwaalidayya wa lilmu"miniina yauma yaquumul'hisaab, Rabbirhamhumaa kamaa rabbayaanii shaghiiraa."

O Lord, forgive me, my parents and Muslims in the Hereafter. O Lord, show mercy on them as they have nourished me when I was young.

Dua Jam'e (complete & concise)

This is a complete & concise dua to be repeatedly recited for any need.


"Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem Alhamdu lillaahii Alaa kulli ni'matin,wa Astaghfirullaaha min kulli zambin,wa as-aluha min kulle khairin ,wa auzu billahi min kulle sharr"

Thank you Allah swt for all the blessings ,Oh Allah Forgive all our sins,give us all that is good & keep us away from all that is bad..........

(Remember: Always read Durood before and after your Duas)

Jazakallah Khair...............

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, his household and companions.
Fellow Muslims! I implore myself and you all to fear Allah; this honours the soul and brings it close to its Lord. No God-fearing person will ever fail and anyone who disregards the importance of piety will never be successful.
Dear Muslims! Whoever observes the condition of people in light of the current trials, tribulations and calamities that are occurring all over the world will see that the Muslims are in dire need of a generous guest that brings with it relief and progress. They are in need of this grand guest with whom they hope to be strengthened after a series of indescribable calamities and weakening incidents; hence their need for this great month of tranquility and spiritual development. It is the month of self-examination, conscience reawakening and freedom from selfishness and lustful desires. Allah says that which translates as:

“O you who have believed! Decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you, that you may become righteous.”
–  (Surah Al Baqarah 2:183)

Fellow Muslims! The month of Ramadan is the month of the Quran; a Book whose light will never fade and which is a path that never leads one astray. The Glorious Quran is to man as the soul is to the body; it is a light for guidance. Whoever does not read the Quran or put its injunctions into practice is dead, despite the fact that they may speak and move. Whoever does not put it into practice has gone far astray even if they are apparently successful in all areas of life. Allah says that which translates as:

“Is one who is dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom?”
– (Surah Al An’am 6:122)

A human being without the guidance of the Quran is like any living being without air or water; all their endeavors will end up in bankruptcy. Allah says that which translates as:

“Say: ‘It is for those who believe, a guidance and a cure’ And those who do not believe – in their ears is deafness, and it (i.e. the Quran) is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place.”
– (Surah Fussilat 41:44)

Fellow Muslims! There is no doubt that the relationship of many Muslims with the Quran is one of abandonment of either its recitation or implementation of its injunctions. It is no exaggeration to say that the diseases of past nations have affected the Muslims, while they are unaware of this. Allah says that which translates as:

“And there are among them unlettered people who do not know not the Scripture except (indulgement in) wishful thinking, but they are only assuming.”
– (Surah Al Baqarah 2:78)

The scholars of Tafsir say about this verse: ‘It means: they know nothing about the Book except for its recitation, for it never passed their lungs and throats. This is because of the fact that there was a spiritual absence in their recitation and therefore, they were unable to ponder over its meanings’.
Among the causes of the absence of reflection on the meanings of the Quran is the failure to explore and understand the laws of Allah in relation to human-beings and natural phenomena. Also to blame is the sanctification of erroneous concepts and wrong interpretations of life that have become widespread among people and which are caused by unrestrained love for this world and the hatred of death. Ziyad Ibn Labid Al-Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam mentioned something and then said:

‘… and that is when there will be no more knowledge.’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! How will knowledge disappear while we have the Quran with us and we teach it to our children and while they will also teach it to theirs?’ The Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam retorted: ‘I thought you were one of the most knowledgeable of the people of Madinah! Are there not Jews and Christians who have their scriptures with them and yet they take no benefit from what is inside them?’
– (At-Tirmidhi and others)

One is stricken with grief and shock when they see the stance that many Muslims have adopted with regard to the Book of their Lord. They have been covered by darkness and wander aimlessly; the foreign systems and ideologies that they have embraced have done nothing for them. How can it be that we have the light and yet follow the paths of other nations?

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam lived for sixty-three years; we are used to believing that old age and the vicissitudes of life cause hair to turn grey. What then will you think of a man who attributed grey hair to some verses of the glorious Quran that he used to recite? Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam about what caused some of his beard to become grey, he sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: ‘It was caused by Surah Hud, Surah Al-Waqi’ah, Surah An-Naba’ and Surah At-Takwir.”
– (At-Tirmidhi)

Brothers in faith! The blessed month of Ramadan should be regarded as a wonderful opportunity for every Muslim to save himself from destruction and to purify their soul in preparation for the Quranic guidance that is inherent in night prayer. Allah says that which translates as:

“Indeed, the hours of the night (i.e. the rising for Tahajjud prayer) are more effective for concurrence (of heart and tongue) and more suitable for words (i.e. for recitation of the Quran and for hearing and understanding it).”
– (Surah Al Muzzammil 73:6)

Brothers in faith! The blessed month of Ramadan is a great opportunity for the Muslims to wake up for night prayers, seek refuge with Allah and turn to Him for their needs, for none has the power to answer their call except Allah alone. The Lord descends to the nearest heaven, in a way that befits his majesty, in the last third of the night and asks: “Is there anyone who seeks My forgiveness so that I can forgive him?” Do any of us ever reflect upon and appreciate this great period which is one of those in which supplications are answered? Tell me, what are the people doing in this last part of the night? Many a miserable soul missed this blessed period! Many people are in deep slumber at this time. It is saddening that some of those who are negligent of this great period are however, ready to go anywhere where they can lodge their complaints and seek solutions to their problems – from their fellow human beings, forgetting that it is only Allah who is capable of removing sorrow and distress. He says that which translates as:

“What is (the matter) with you that you do not attribute to Allah (due) grandeur while He has created you in stages?”
– (Surah Nuh 71:13-14)

Imam Tirmidhi reported that the Prophet of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
‘There are three persons whose supplications are never rejected: The just leader, the fasting person when he breaks his fast and the oppressed when he supplicates and whose supplication is raised above the clouds and the gates of heaven are opened for it and Allah will say, “By My Glory! I shall assist you even if it is after a while.”’
Brothers in faith! There are however, some people who raise their hands in prayer and are impatient for a rapid answer; they may even feel despair if their supplications are not speedily answered. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

“Allah will answer the supplication of any one of you as long as he is not hasty and says: ‘I called my Lord and He did not answer.’”

The delay may also be caused by sins such as the failure to uphold the rights of kinship, or perhaps it may be due to the fact that the prayer emanated only from the tongue and was not rooted in the heart. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: ‘Allah does not accept the supplications from an inattentive heart.’ The heart is not free from turning to the desires of this life and we all know that one who always looks back does not reach his goal in time.
Therefore, I implore you O Muslims, to make plentiful supplications to Allah, for supplication is the essence of worship. Let nobody slight their requirements however great or small they may be. Allah says that which translates as:

“And your Lord says: ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell (rendered) contemptible.”
– (Surah Ghafir 40:60)

Here is an example for those in sorrow and distress: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam entered the mosque one day and saw an Ansari (a resident of Madinah) man there by the name of Abu Umamah. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam asked him,

‘O Abu Umamah, why are you sitting in the mosque at a time that is not a prayer time?’ He replied: ‘I was forced to do so by sorrow and debt.’ The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam then asked: ‘Shall I teach you a supplication by which Allah will remove your sorrow and pay for you your debts?’ He answered: ‘O yes, Messenger of Allah!’ The Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam then said: ‘Say every morning and evening: Allahumma inni a’udhu bikka minal-hammi wal hazan, wa a’udhu bika minal-‘ajzi wal-kasal wa a’udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhul wa a’udhu bika min ghalabatid-dayn wa qahrir-rijal.’ (Meaning: O Allah, I seek refuge with You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.) Abu Umamah said: ‘I did that and Allah removed my distress and paid for me my debt.’
– (Abu Dawud)

Fellow Muslims! The month of Ramadan is a month of generosity and spending in ways that are virtuous. Let every Muslim take part in the generosity of this month and not hesitate to wipe the tears off the faces of orphans, widows and the destitute. Let everyone keep away from stinginess and covetousness for these are two of the bad qualities from which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam sought refuge with his Lord from. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was the most generous of mankind and his generosity multiplied during the month of Ramadan. He would never say ‘no’ when he was asked of anything.
Further, the benefits of charity are not restricted to the beneficiary; the donor also has a share. An example of this is when a generous person gives in charity, their heart becomes gladdened and they become pleased with that. Therefore, this person will be encouraged to give more and gain extra rewards. As for the miser, whenever he thinks of giving in charity his heart feels constrained; he feels as if he is giving away a chunk of his life!, this in turn leads to his whole life feeling constrained. However, nothing destroys the tricks and insinuations of Satan more than giving sincerely in charity. Allah says that which translates as:

“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is All-Encompassing and Knowing.”
– (Surah Al Baqarah 2:268)

All praise is due to Allah the great, the might. We praise him for the blessings and we also praise him whilst in trial and tribulations. And I bear witness that no one has the right to be worshipped except Allah. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the leader of the pious and the master of those who came before us and those who come towards the end. May the peace and blessings be upon the prophet salAllahu alaihi wa sallam. And may the peace and blessing be also on the companions and those who followed them until the day of resurrection.
Indeed, to proceed, the advice that I would like to give to everybody including myself is to fear Allah Subhanau wa ta’ala. As Allah says, fear Allah and indeed He will teach you, and He is aware of all affairs. Indeed, we live in a time in which our civilisation has attained and developed in different spheres of life. These types of developments are unprecedented, which we haven’t seen in previous nations and previous civilisations. We find that we have a higher degree of worship whether it be related to life or technology. We see this advancement.
So we live in this contemporary life which really surprises and astonishes us. Despite all of these advancements, we see in society, we find that these advancements in our society, they do not guarantee happiness in the way we have seen people attain happiness in the past. And this is all due to the absence of a matter which is extremely important. And without this particular thing, there is no meaning to life. And we ask ourselves, what is this important thing , without which you can not attain happiness in life. It is indeed, Oh Servants of Allah, it is attaining baraqa – benefit – blessings in our life. There is no person who has a steadfast life and he does not receive blessings. And what is the benefit of time if it has no blessing in it? What is the benefit of knowledge if it has no blessing in it? And what is the benefit of having food that has no blessings in it?
So blessings is not just about attaining great amounts of wealth, rather it is a value which Allah Subhanau wa ta’ala has given to particular deeds. Rather it is a blessing which leads to tranquility in the soul and also to be content ed. These are the signs of baraqa. And likewise for a person to continue and remain good health, these are the effects of Allah’s baraqa in a person’s life. And so if you were to assume life to be like a tree, then the water that goes to the tree, this is the baraqa. The baraqa is the water which gives life to the tree and this baraqa is that which gives life to the soul itself. and by this baraqa, a person is able to live in a small hut, to him, it will be like a palace.
If a person does not understand baraqa and does not receive baraqa, if he was to live in a palace, then to him it would be like living in a prison. And this is the result of even attaining this blessing in life or being prevented from attaining it. So baraqa essentially is that which gives an increase in good, so for example a person wants to have blessings in his life then that would tell a person has long blood. this blessing could also occur in a persons wealth, that would mean that a person attains a sufficient amount of wealth until he dies and Allah makes his wealth go a long way. A person could be blessed in his food as well and the blessing in this food is that it fills a persons stomach even though it might be a small amount and likewise, a blessing in knowledge, the blessing in knowledge is that it leads to beneficial deeds. These are the effects of baraqa.
However, we live in a time where we suffer from lack of baraqa, and we live in a time where people really suffer in all aspects of life from the lack of baraqa from Allah Subhanau wa ta’ala. So people think that in reality, blessings is all about attaining great amounts o wealth and many children but you will find that there are many people with great amounts of wealth yet you find they have no blessings in their wealth. You find they earn hundreds of thousands of pounds yet you find that it does not benefit them and they lose their money quickly. People have many children yet you find there is no baraqa in their children.
We find, for example, in the developed world, they give loans to these developing and poorer countries. And they impose these loans on them, which incur interest. And in fact you find that these loans that these people take on, they do not benefit them. Rather it creates more hardship on the people. and so these countries and these poor nations that take these debts upon themselves, they sell their own products to the creditor. And they end up losing out on the benefit. It is as if the creditor is strangling the debtor. So what baraqa – blessing is this? This is a result of involving yourself in these transactions. It is just like a person who keeps drinking salty water, ever time he gets thirsty, he tries to drink it more but in reality, he becomes more thirsty.
However, if you were to compare the era that we live in today to the era of the Prophet salAllahu alahi wa sallam and his companions, you will find a stark difference in baraqa. So for example, you will find that the Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, he would find a great deal of blessings in just a small peice of bread that would suffice for him and all of his companions.
For example we see the companion, Uthman ibn A’afaan, Allah blessed his wealth and by his wealth, he was able to provide and sustain a whole army. And likewise we have the axample of zubair ibn Awaam, when he was on his death bed, he advised his son to pay back his debt. His debt reached one million and two thousand dinar, so he was in a great amount of debt. So in paying back the debt, he said that if you are unable to pay back the debt then seek help in my freed slave and he will help you. There was a peice of land he had which grew date palm trees and so his son was able to use this land and cultivate it and therefore the value of this land reached great amounts. In fact it reached millions of dinars and he was able to pay back his debt and he also left behind four wives and he was also able to give each wife a million dinar. So look at how baraqa occurs.
And likewise, it was reported in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, that the time of bani kudaiba, in the time of Imam Ahmad, that they found a piece of wheat and it was so large that it was written on it that this was grown in the time of blessings – baraqa. So when we have this baraqa, it has an effect on our food and the way that it grows. And we find other examples of earlier generations where they would find for example camel loads of grapes and this was something very rare to find in Arabia . So these are examples of the previous generations and how much they attained great amounts of baraqa.
And this is SubhanaAllah, despite the advanced technologically in other areas of life. The Prophet Muhammad salAllahu alaihi wa sallam mentioned in Sahih Muslim that the Day of Judgement will not return until the land of the Arabian Peninsular will become green and lush again as it was before. And it is reported that a time will come when just a small fruit will be enough for a few people and a small piece of flesh of a camel will be enough to feed groups of people and this is a sign that we will have this baraqa. Though we have to ask ourselves two important questions: How do you attain this baraqa? and you need to think; Are we doing these things that will entail the securing of these blessings. And at the same time we have to ask ourselves; What are the things that prevent the baraqa from befalling upon us. And as Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala says, indicating this, that if the people of the town had truly believed, then we would have sent rain in multitude gushing forth upon them.

All Praise is due to Allah, we praise Him and we seek His forgiveness and assistance. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil in ourselves and the evil of our actions. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whomever Allah lets be led astray none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no rivalry to Allah the One without any partners. And I bear witness that our Master and our Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is His servant and messenger. Oh Allah, we ask you to send our salutations and prayers upon Your servant and messenger Muhammad, and his family and companions.
Oh Believers, fear Allah and be aware of Him. Allah says:

“And have fear of the Day when you shall be brought back to Allah. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly.”
– [Surah Al Baqarah : Ayaah 281]

Oh Muslims, in explaining the obligatory responsibility upon every member of the Muslim community, the role of the man and the woman is mentioned as those whose responsibility that they cannot escape, whether it is for those who are under their care.

‘Abdullah ibn Masud (Radiallahu Anhu) has narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) say “Each one of you is a shepherd. And each of you will be asked about your flock. A ruler also is a shepherd and he will be asked about his flock. And every man is a shepherd to his family. And every woman is the custodian of her husband’s house and his children. Thus each one of you is a shepherd and each one will be asked about his flock.”
– [Sahih Bukhari and Muslim]