Sunday, April 29, 2012
Message (s)
take care of ur self
n evry time feel that u r bit diffrnt from others
coz u r special to allah
if allah kept u in such conditions
then it means u r closer to allah n u worth more,,,
thats y allah diffrentiate u among others,
u knw the live of holy prophet "MUHAMMAD"
special people hav special chalanges
coz allah want them filter out
coz u r worthy n allah like them in sacred holy form
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
question is y u r not assembling urself
Answer is
U have left everything for one man
u have already faced a lot
Allah will not let u astray
just ask urself
Y Allah is not bringing u both closer?
Search for answer in urself
What r the things which shud think of
The way u struggled is praiseworthy
the way u walked through path of thorns is praiseworthy
the way u lived in fire is praiseeworthy
ur patience
ur belief
ur struggle
ur ambition
ur sacrifice
ur hardships
are praiseworthy
don't think u will not get reward
try to sit at some place
think by urself
what r things that u r doing right and what r wrong
after few days u will get an answer
shu
U selected this path, U have to strive for the best
dont panic
just keep going
Be strong Shu
I know you are strong
I know you are strong
Saturday, April 28, 2012
The Power of Dua
Never underestimate the power of Du’a
Allah says in the Quran,
“And your lord said pray to me, I will respond to your invocations.” (90:60)
What is the value of du’a?
That you are transferring a situation from your power and ability to the power and ability of ALLAH.
You are moving obstacles from Yourself to the One who has no obstacles.
Keep the ummah in your prayers
Friday, April 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Shukr (Islamic term)
Shukr
Shukr
(Arabic شكر
), an Arabic term denoting thankfulness, gratitude,
or acknowledgment by humans, is a highly esteemed
virtue in Islam. The term may also be used if the subject is God, in
which case it takes the meaning of "divine responsiveness".
God
When
the subject of shukr is God, the concept signifies "requiting
and commending [a person]", "forgiving" a person, or
"regarding" the person "with content, satisfaction, good
will"; and thus, necessarily, "recompensing". In
fact, the Arabic saying s̲h̲akara 'llāhu saʿyahu mean "May God
recompense, or reward, his work or labour".
One
of the beautiful names of God is al-S̲h̲akūr,
meaning "He who approves, or rewards, or forgives, much; He in
whose estimation small, or few, works performed by His servants increase, and
who multiplies His rewards to them". The Qur'an refers to Him by al-S̲h̲ākir too.
God
is considered al-S̲h̲akūr in the sense that He widely extends His favors.
God's shukr is not to be considered thankfulness in
a literal sense. Rather God's shukr is a
recompense to man for doing good, (just as man is recomposed for
committing offenses). According to al-Ghazali, God
is absolutely grateful, because of His unlimited multiplication of
the reward of the pious, as they shall receive eternal bliss in Paradise . Al-Maksad writes that God's praise for man's
good deeds is praise for His own work, since the good of man is His creation.
Prophets
The
Qur'an provides narratives of the prophets of God as individuals of gratitude.
Their thanksgiving is exemplified by their obedience and faithfulness to God
•Abraham’s
obedience and faithfulness were tokens of his gratitude to God
•Noah
is described as a man of gratitude;
•The
Qur'an reasons that the endowment of Solomon with supernatural gifts to
accomplish the ends for which God appointed him, was so that he would be
grateful.
The
hadith collections include various reports of Muhammad(SAW) expressing
gratitude to God. He fell down prostrate to God three times during the Hijra
from Mecca to Medina . He is also reported to have done this
after Gabriel informed him a favor God had bestowed upon him. Muhammad(SAW)
used to also do this to thank God for his good health, especially when he met
those afflicted with illness. Other instances on which Muhammad(SAW) prostrated
in thanks: military success, conversion of notable people to Islam.
Expression
The
expression of shukr takes various forms in the Islamic tradition. The maxim
"he who does not thank his fellow men shows ingratitude towards God"
highlights the importance of such expression. On the other hand, those who are
thanked are expected to say "don't thank me, be grateful to God."
It
is common practice to kiss one's hands and to say "I praise Him and thank
Him for His bounty." Another expression is "we are thankful to God,
and we kiss the ground thousand fold that you are pleased." When asked
about health, one may answer "thank God", gratitude to God is also
commonly expressed for someone's recovery. In times of calamity, gratitude is
expressed by saying "thank God it is not more grave"
Shukr
is also expressed by prostration (sujud).
Although most notable for being a fundamental part of the Islamic prayer,
Islamic traditions also mentions the sujud al-shukr,
literally meaning "the thanksgiving prostration."
Tawwakul (Islamic term)
Tawwakul
●Tawwakul (Arabic: تَوَكُل )
in the Arabic language, is the word for the Islamic concept of reliance on God or "trusting in God's plan".
●Tawwakul as a
theological concept formalized by Shaqiq al-Balkhi (d. 810), who defined it as
a spiritual state or hal.
●Tawakkul is also
considered a natural result of extreme zuhd.
In practice, Tawwakul is a form of fatalism,
which for results in Muslims rejecting medical attention or other remedies,
for example in case of depression or mental illness,
instead resigning to trusting in God's plan.
The Arabic word Tawwakul is a masdar (verbal noun)
derived from the fifth form of the Arabic root وكل (w-k-l). It translates to
"to give oneself over to, to rely/depend on, or have confidence in another"
"to give oneself over to, to rely/depend on, or have confidence in another"
And
whoever puts all his trust in the God, He will be enough for him. [Quran 65:3]
And
put all your trust [in the God], if you truly are believers. [Quran 5:23]
Tawakkal-tu-’ala-Allah (=I have put my trust in Allah/rely on Allah solving a problem)
Tawkkalna-’ala-Allah (= We have put our trust in Allah, waiting for a problem to be solved)
Umar bin Khattab said: I heard Muhammad saying, "If you all
depend on Allah with due reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He
gives it to the birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with full
bellies at dusk." (At-Tirmidhi)
The Concept of Tawakkul in Islam
إن الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره
ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا ومن سيئات أعمالنا من يهده الله فلا مضل له ومن يضلل فلا
هادي له..وأشهد ان لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله
All thanks is to Allah, whom
we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from whatever evil
our hearts conceal and from the consequences of our evil deeds. Whoever Allah grants guidance will never be
led astray. Whoever He leads astray will never find guidance. I attest that
none is worthy of worship except Allah, who has no partners, and that Mohammad
is His slave and Messenger.
The topic of today’s khutba
is about Tawakkul or reliance on Allah subhanahou wata’ala.
So we’ll look at the meaning
of tawakkul, its pillars, its benefits, and how we apply it in our daily lives.
Part
1 – Meaning of Tawakkul
التوكل: مشتق من ” الوكالة “. يقال:
وكَّل أمره إلى فلان، أي فوَّضه إليه، واعتمد عليه فيه. ويسمى الموكول إليه ” وكيلاً
“. ويسمى المفوِّض إليه متكلاً عليه، ومتوكِّلاً عليه،
The meaning of Tawakkul is
expressed by the term taukeel (to make or appoint a wakeel or a counselor,
agent, representative). When one lacks the understanding and ability for
something then another is appointed to execute the task. Such appointment of an
agent to act on one’s behalf is the meaning of taukeel.
Tawakkul is to repose your trust…to
have resolute
trust and reliance on Allah
Reliance
on Allah was the manner of all the prophets:
( ومالنا ألا نتوكل على الله وقد
هدانا سبلنا، ولنصبرن على ما آذيتمونا، وعلى الله فليتوكل المتوكلون ) (إبراهيم:
12).
And
why should we not put our trust in Allah while he indeed has guided us our
ways? And we shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us,
and in Allah (Alone) let those who trust, put their trust” (Ibrahim/Abraham, verse 12)
And
put your trust and reliance in Allah, and sufficient is Allah as a Trustee.” (Surah Al-Ahzab 33: 3)
وتوكل على الله، وكفى بالله وكيلاً
How beautiful and comforting
it is to know that you have Allah on your side!
“And trust and rely on the
Living One (Allah), Who will never die, and celebrate His praises and thanks.
And Sufficient is He to be acquainted with the sins of His slaves.” (Surah
Al-Furqan 25:58)
وتوكل على الحي الذي لا يموت وسبح بحمده
وتوكل على الحي الذي لا يموت وسبح بحمده
The Prophet Muhammad, peace
and blessings be upon him, said: “Were you to put your complete trust and reliance on Allah, He
would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They issue forth
hungry in the morning and return filled in the evening”. (Tirmidhi)
وفي الترمذي عن عمر رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: ( لو أنكم تتوكلون على الله حق توكله لرزقكم كما يرزق الطير، تغدو خماصاً، وتروح بطاناً ). ومعنى ” خماصاً ” أي فارغة البطون.
وفي الترمذي عن عمر رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: ( لو أنكم تتوكلون على الله حق توكله لرزقكم كما يرزق الطير، تغدو خماصاً، وتروح بطاناً ). ومعنى ” خماصاً ” أي فارغة البطون.
The Chapter Al-Mulk is
actually a beautiful manifestation for the meaning of Tawakkul. It starts and
finishes with the same message: To Allah belong all that is in the universe and
nothing would happen without His Mercy and His constant watchful care. He
Almighty Says in the first verse: “Blessed
is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is Able to do all things.” He
Almighty then Says in the last verse what means: “Say, if your water was to
sink away [into the earth], then who could bring you flowing water?” [Quran 67
:30]
Part
2 – Pillars
• The first is to know Allah
(swt) by his qualities and attributes, such as the fact that he is all capable
and sufficient to rely on; that he is the sustainer; that he is
all–knowing and that things can only happen with his will and decree. Knowing
all this achieves the first pillar. The
more we know about Allah (swt) the more sound and firm is our reliance on him.
• The second pillar is to
believe that every matter has a cause or a means. Some people give up utilizing
these means due to their ignorance and think that this is reliance on Allah
(swt). They wait for Allah (swt) to send down their provisions, feed them and
take care of their concerns and affairs while they do nothing. In Arabic, this
is called “tawakul” (تواكل); the difference may be on letter, but it is
significant enough; we should not be complacent or stagnant; we should do
everything that’s available to us to reach our goals.
• The third pillar is to remain firm in relying on Allah alone. A
person’s reliance on Allah cannot be fulfilled until one relies on him alone.
Support for this pillar comes
in the Quran – again in surah number 3 Aal-Imran in verse 160.
إن ينصركم الله فلا غالب لكم وإن
يخذلكم فمن ذا الذي ينصركم من بعده وعلى الله فليتوكل المؤمنون
If Allah helps you, none can overcome you:
If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you?
In Allah, then, Let believers put their trust.
If Allah helps you, none can overcome you:
If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you?
In Allah, then, Let believers put their trust.
• The fourth pillar is to depend on Allah
(swt) whole-heartedly and feel tranquility when doing so, to the
extent that one does not feel anxious or confused regarding the status of means
with which objectives are accomplished. Some people do not feel secure until
they utilize these means, and if Allah (swt) decrees that these means are not
available they feel overwrought. Such people’s reliance on Allah (swt) is
incomplete, because true reliance is
when a person does not care if means are available or not, because they know
that all matters are in the hand of Allah (swt), all he has to do for a matter
to occur is say ‘Be and it becomes’. But
remember, you’ll have to utilize all the
means available to you first.
“Be keen to do that which
would benefit you, rely on Allah and do not be lazy (by not exerting effort)
and do not say, when a problem befalls you: ‘If I would have done such and
such, then the result would have been such and such’ rather you should say:
‘This was decreed by Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) does what he wills. Saying
‘If” opens the gate for “Satan.” (muslim).
• The fifth pillar is to realize that the essence of reliance on
Allah (swt) is to entrust all matters to him willingly, without feeling forced
to do so.
Part
3 – Benefits
Adopting the belief and
practice of Tawakkul has two benefits for us.
First, knowing that our
responsibility for what happens is limited is very comforting. Those who do not
realize the limits of human responsibility normally transgress on others’
rights by forcing their will on them through verbal or physical violence or
they may get depressed and lose their mind or hurt themselves. So it is the
Mercy of Allah that He has told us that our
responsibility is limited. And that is the meaning of “On no soul does Allah place a burden greater
than it can bear” (Quran 2: 286) as well as the understanding of individual
responsibility.
The second consequence of
Tawakkul is that it invites us to connect to a powerful Ally Who is no one but
the Lord Himself. The more we rely on Him, the greater the chances that we will try to
please Him by following the guidance He has given us, which in turn
will lead to goodness in this world and success in the Hereafter.
The third consequence of
Tawakkul is what Br.
Hakeem learned by observing himself. By fully trusting in Allah and relying on
Him, we are not depressed by what we have lost or intoxicated by our success
(Quran 57:22-23). We know that all things are in Allah’s hands. And that makes us not only
humbler but more submissive to God, thus better believers.
“The believers are only those
who when Allah is mentioned feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses are
recited unto them, they increase their faith, and they put their trust in their
Lord. Who perform prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them. It is
they who are the believers in truth. For them are grades of dignity with their
Lord, and Forgiveness and a generous provision.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8: 2-4)
Part
4 – Application
If there is one lesson to be
taken from this khutba, it is “al Istikhara”. It’s a blessing from Allah that
we can pray to Him and seek His direction.
Istikhara (Arabic) means to
ask Allah to guide one to the right thing concerning any affair in one’s life,
especially when one has to choose between two permissible alternatives, e.g. a
career choice, getting married.
To take marriage as an
example, you may meet the right person, with deen, akhlaq, values, good
upbrining (or any other desired attribute); but subhanAllah, it may not work
out for whatever reason that you have no knowledge of, but Allah does. On the
flip-side, you may meet a person that doesn’t meet all that you desire, and you
can’t find that comfort in your heart, but again, you may become the happiest
person with that person. You have no knowledge of it at the time of making a
decision, but Allah does.
Sa’ d ibn Waqas reported that
the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Istikharah
(seeking guidance from Allah) is one of the distinct favors (of Allah) upon
man, and a good fortune for the son of Adam is to be pleased with the judgment
of Allah. And a misfortune of the son of Adam is his failure to make
istikharah (seeking Allah’s guidance), and a misfortune for the son of Adam is
his displeasure with the judgment of Allah.” Ibn Taimiyyah said, “He who seeks
guidance from the Creator and consults the creatures will never regret it.”
“The Prophet sallallahu alehi
wasallam would teach us al-istikhara for all of our affairs as he would teach
us a surah from the Qur’an. He said: ‘If one of you is deliberating over an
act, he should pray two non-obligatory rak’at and say: “O Allah, I consult You
as You are All-Knowing and I appeal to You to give me power as You are
Omnipotent, I ask You for Your great favor, for You have power and I do not,
and You know all of the hidden matters. O Allah ! If you know that this matter
(then he should mention it) is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and
for my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: ‘for my present and future life,’)
then make it (easy) for me. And if you know that this matter is not good for me
in my religion, my livelihood and my life in the Hereafter, (or he said: ‘for
my present and future life,’) then keep it away from me and take me away from
it and choose what is good for me wherever it is and please me with it.”
عَنْ جَابِرٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ
: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُعَلِّمُنَا الاسْتِخَارَةَ فِي الأُمُورِ
كُلِّهَا كَمَا يُعَلِّمُنَا السُّورَةَ مِنْ الْقُرْآنِ يَقُولُ : إذَا هَمَّ أَحَدُكُمْ
بِالأَمْرِ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ مِنْ غَيْرِ الْفَرِيضَةِ ثُمَّ لِيَقُلْ :
( اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ , وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ , وَأَسْأَلُكَ
مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلا أَقْدِرُ , وَتَعْلَمُ وَلا أَعْلَمُ
, وَأَنْتَ عَلامُ الْغُيُوبِ , اللَّهُمَّ إنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ
(هنا تسمي حاجتك ) خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ
: عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي وَآجِلِهِ , فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي
فِيهِ , اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الأَمْرَ (هنا تسمي حاجتك
) شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي أَوْ قَالَ : عَاجِلِ أَمْرِي
وَآجِلِهِ , فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِي الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ
كَانَ ثُمَّ ارْضِنِي بِهِ . وَيُسَمِّي حَاجَتَهُ ) وَفِي رواية ( ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي
بِهِ( رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ (1166)
So let’s take advantage of
this great blessing; always consult with Allah and seek His direction for any
important permissible matter.
Part
5 – Conclusion
The one who entrusts Allah
(swt) does so in the certainty that what Allah (swt) decrees is best for them,
even if it is apparently the opposite of what they believe to be good. Such a
person is content with the decrees of Allah as they know whatever is decreed is
best for them, whether the benefit is apparent or not.
Relying on Allah (swt) can instill an enormous amount of peace and
contentment.
But remember
Allah helps whom he wills, so ask him for help often, do your best with
patience and certainty and remember the other condition: be conscious of
Allah.
The Prophet's Beautiful Character
“The best among you is the one who is the best towards his wife.”
— Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Sabr (Islamic term)
Sabr
Sabr or Sabur
(Arabic: صْبِرْ
ṣabr)
is the Islamic virtue of "patience"
or "endurance". Sabr is
characterized as being one of the two parts of faith (the other being shukr). Its practice challenges, and to remain spiritually steadfast.
[Qur'an]
In the Qur'an,
words that are derived from the root ṣ-b-r occur frequently, with the general
meaning of being patient. For example, Muhammad is told to be patient
like the Apostles of God before him The Qur'an promises the patient with double the reward. The concept
is also in jihad, where it is translated
as "endurance" or "tenacity". It is also used
when God commands Muslims to serve Him: XIX, 66, "Serve him and persevere
in his service." Sometimes sabr is associated with the salāt.
According to the Qur'an commentators, sabr in these passages is synonymous with
fasting, as the month of Ramadan was given the name s̲h̲ahr ṣabr (meaning
month of patience).
The word is
found with the meaning resignation, for example in the sūra of Joseph, Jacob,
on hearing of the death of his son, says "[My best course is] fitting
resignation", where resignation is the most appropriate translation for
sabar. The Qur'an also uses the adjective ṣabbār. This concept is
related to s̲h̲ukr (meaning gratitude).
In Qur'an there
is usually a close connection between being patient and expecting relief or
deliverance from God (tawakkul). Thus
Muhammad is told to be "patient till your Lord
decides, for you are in Our
sight."
sight."
"Seek God (Allah)'s help with patient perseverance and
prayer. It is indeed hard except for those who are humble."
(2:45)
Oh you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and
prayer, for God is with those who patiently persevere." (2:153)
"Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and
hunger, some loss in goods, lives, and the fruits of your toil.
"But give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who say, when afflicted with
calamity, 'To Allah we belong, and to Him is our
return.' They are those on whom
descend blessings from their Lord, and mercy. They are the ones who receive
guidance." (2:155-157)
"Oh you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy.
Vie in such perseverance, strengthen each other, and be pious, that you may
prosper." (3:200)
"And be steadfast in patience, for verily Allah will
not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish." (11:115)
"Be patient, for your patience is with the help of Allah." (16:127)
"Patiently, then, persevere - for the Promise of Allah is
true, and ask forgiveness for your faults, and celebrate the praises of your
Lord in the evening and in the morning." (40:55)
"No one will be granted such goodness except those who
exercise patience and self-restraint, none but persons of the
greatest good fortune." (41:35)
"Verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do
righteous deeds, and join together in the mutual enjoining of truth, and of patience
and constancy." (103:2-3)
"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards
East or West. But it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day, And
the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; To spend of your substance, out
of love for Him, For your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer,
for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; To be steadfast in prayer
and give in charity; To fulfill the contracts which you have made; And to be
firm and patient, in pain and adversity And throughout all periods of
panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing. (Qur'an 2:177)
Through every difficulty there is relief. Verily, through
every difficulty there is relief. (Qur'an 94:5-6)
[Sunnah]
The virtue of
sabr can also be found in traditions attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad
(SAW). The hadith talk of God's sabr, which is considered one of the beautiful
names of God, indicating the high value laid upon this concept. One example
God's sabr is His patience towards those who deny
Him. The hadith also say that he/she who practices sabr will be
granted sabr for sabr is the greatest charisma.
The story of
the epileptic woman is significant in this and other respects. The woman came
to Muhammad (SAW) and asked him for his du'a. He replied to her that, if she
refrained from her request and exercised sabr, then paradise would be given to
her.
[Hadith on
significance of Sabr]
Abu Yahya
Suhaib b. Sinan said that the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عايه و سلم)
said : “Wondrous are the believer’s affairs. For him there is good in
all his affairs, and this is so only for the believer. When something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful, and
that is good for him; and when something
displeasing happens to him, he is enduring (sabr), and that is good for him”
( Muslim )
( Muslim )
The Prophet
Muhammad (صلى
الله عايه و سلم) is reported to have said, "No
one had ever been given anything better than sabr." From Sahih
Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Abu Musa
al-Ashari reported that the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عايه و سلم)
said, "When a son of a servant of Allah dies, Allah Says to the angels,
'Have you taken the son of My servant?' They say, 'Yes.' Then Allah Says, 'Have
you taken the fruit of his heart?' They say, 'Yes.' Allah Says, "What has
My servant said?' They say, 'He has praised You and said, Inna lillahi wa
inna ilaihi raji'un (To Allah we belong and to Him is our return). Then Allah
Says, 'Build a house for My servant in Paradise
and call it the house of praise.' From Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad and ibn Habban
[Quotes
pertaining to Sabr]
Umar bin
Khattab (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) said, “We considered
the best part of our lives to be that in which there was sabr.”
Related by al-Bukhaaree (1 l /303)
in ta’leeq form, and it has been related in connected form by Imaam Ahmad in
az-Zuhd with a Saheeh isnaad – as al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar mentioned in
Fathul-Baaree (11/303).
Al (alayhi
ssalam) said, “Indeed sabr is from eemaan (faith).
Its position is like that of the head with respect to the rest of the body.”
Then he raised his voice and said, “Verily, there is
no eemaan (faith) for the one who has no sabr.” Related by
al-Laalikaa’ee in Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah (no. 1659),
al-Bayhaqee in Shu’abul-Eemaan and Abee Shaybaan in Kitaabul-Eemaan (no. 130),
with a slightly different wording.
Imam Ahmad
said, “Allaah has mentioned sabr (patient perseverance) in over ninety
places in His Book (Qur’an).” Related by Ibnul-Qayyim in
Madaarijus-Saalikeen (2/152).
[Classification]
Many Muslim
scholars have tried to classify and give examples of sabr. According to the
Encyclopaedia of Islam sabr is of two kinds:
1. Physical, like the endurance of
physical troubles, whether active (such as performing difficult tasks) or
passive (such as suffering illnesses)
2. Spiritual, such as renunciation in
face of natural impulses.
Fakh̲r al-Dīn
al-Rāzī distinguishes four kinds:
1. Intellectual endurance (for example
in disputed points in religious dogma),
2. Endurance in completing tasks one is bound
or recommended to do by Islamic law (such as fasting),
3. Being steadfast in refraining from
forbidden activities
4. Resignation in times of calamity.
He also gives
an application of the concept, Muṣābara,
in which ones refrains from taking revenge from one's fellow-creature (like
neighbors, People of the Book).
Al-Ghazali
said that sabr consisted of three parts:
(1)
maʿrifa
(the tree)
(2)
ḥāl
(branches)
(3)
amal
(the fruits).
[Sābirūn]
Those that
possess sabr to a certain extent are called sābirūn.
Out of the three classes of beings (animal and plant life, angels, and
mankind), man alone may possess sabr.
This is because the animals are entirely governed by their desires and
impulses; and the angels are completely occupied by their longing for God,
so they have no desires and thus need no sabr to overcome them. In man,
however, the two impulses (that of desire and that of religion) are
fighting, where the former is kindled by Satan and the latter by the angels.
This in
humans, there are the pious, who have attained sabr by overcoming their animal
extincts, called siddiqūn, while some
still struggle in this task. Sābirūn are to remain steadfast not only in
health and prosperity (where their sabr is to be used as gratitude to God) but
also in the performance of religious obligations, in refraining from forbidden
things and in the event of uncontrollable calamities.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Hardships: Path to the Most Merciful
(1) Ease comes with the hardship, not after it.
(2) When one still has something such as iman, then he got everything.
(3) Instead of putting full trust on ALLAH, seeking His help,
we start to shift our focus from the One who solves all problems
to the issue itself and we even try to solve the problems by ourselves,
This is our mistake.
(4) Our mistake is we think ALLAH as a professor.
When ALLAH gives us exam,
He wanna us raise our hands to ask for His help and to go back to Him.
He is directing us towards Him.
(5) When we got hit by hardship,
Where do we go first?
Where is our dependence?
From whom we seek help first?
The One who saves us, the One who cures us is Subhan ALLAH
(6) Desperation, our need for Subhan ALLAH, begging Him for help
(7) The reason why we feel heavy when ALLAH sends us hardship is because
we try to work out ourselves.
We don't depend on ALLAH when we got hit by the hardship.
(8) When every other door is closed,
then we only can turn to ALLAH,
seeking His help.
He alone we ask for help.
(9) One can come so much near to ALLAH in the hardship,
it's the best blessing, the mercy from the hardship.
Had that storm never come, one will not taste the closeness to ALLAH.
(10) Even in the ease, we cannot get deceived.
Maybe the hardest test of hardship is not the hardship, but the ease itself.
The test of ease is sometimes more difficult than the test of hardship.
(11) Hardship purifies us, it brings us back to Subhan ALLAH and it humbles us.
(12) If we response correctly to hardship, no hardship is the punishment for us.
(13) Sabr (Patience, endurance) صْبِرْ : Complaining to ALLAH only
(14) Rida (Contentment, satisfaction, inner peace) رضا or رضى : The highest level in response to hardship.
Here is Yasmin Mogahed's another speech on Hardship: Hardships and the Path to God
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Speaker: Yasmin Mogahed
The Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "If Allah wills good for someone, He subjects them to hardship."
How could that be?
How can hardship ever be good for us?
What is the purpose of trials?
why does Allah promise that we will face trials and tribulation?
In what way does hardship purify and develop us?
When is tribulation a punishment?
When is it a blessing?
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(1) When someone beats the rug with a stick,
he is not beating the rug,
his aim is to get rid of the dusts inside of the rug
(2) The purpose of this life is to please Allah Subhan Allah;
needs for body is for temperate this life
but needs for soul will remain eternal
(3) Making our attachment to Allah Subhan Allah;
the five pillars is actually about detachment...
verily it is such a brilliant point when talking about hardship/trial in life,
why does pain and hardship comes to us,
anytime when something new comes to us,
go through it and see Allah behind it...
Allahu akbar is such a powerful word, which means
Allah is above all things all attachments in life...
[Note]
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رضى الله satisfaction of Allah
رضى الوالدين satisfaction of Parents
في on
--> رضى الله في رضى الوالدين To make Allah satisfied , we have to make our parents satisfied
(rida Allah fi rida Alwalidayn)
رضا الوالدين من رضا الله To satisfy parents its to satisfy Allah
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Dua at the time of hardship
Here is the duaa. [Bukhari 7/158]
Allahhumma innee a oothu bika minal-hammi walhazani,
wal ajzi walkasali,
walbukhli waljubni,
wa dhala id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijaal.
اللّهُـمَّ إِنِّي أَعْوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الهَـمِّ وَ الْحُـزْنِ، والعًجْـزِ والكَسَلِ والبُخْـلِ والجُـبْنِ، وضَلْـعِ الـدَّيْنِ وغَلَبَـةِ الرِّجال