30 July, 2011

Divine Wisdom Behind Diseases

People who live in the societies of ignorance continually make plans for the future and hope these plans proceed as they desire. This being the case, an unexpected disease or some accident throws their life into complete disarray, since such incidents were not incorporated into their future plans. While they are enjoying good health, many of them never think that such incidents-even though it happens to thousands of others every day-could happen to them.

That is why, when confronted with such unexpected incidents, the ignorant people immediately become insolent towards their Creator. They contradict the fact of destiny and say, "Why has this happened to me?" for people who are far from possessing the morality commanded in the Qur'an, tend not to put their trust in Allah at times of sickness or accident, or to seek the good in what befalls them.

Such people, who do not grasp the reality of destiny, assume that it is merely the viruses or microbes that cause a sickness. Similarly, when they are involved in a traffic accident, they assume it is the driver of the other car that caused the accident. However, the truth is otherwise. Each disease-producing agent, such as a microbe or bacteria, or anything that causes harm to man, are, in actuality, creatures created by Allah as a cause. None of them are "haphazard" causes; they all act under the control of Allah. Man is vulnerable to microbes because Allah wills it so. If a man becomes seriously ill due to a virus, it happens because this is within the knowledge of Allah. If a car hits a person, leaving him disabled, this is also an event that has come into being by Allah's Will. No matter how one strives to avoid them, he can never alter the course of these happenings; not even a single one of them. He cannot remove a single moment from his destiny, because, fate is created as a whole. For a person who submits himself to the All-Mighty Allah, and who trusts in His infinite wisdom and mercy, an accident, disease or another adversity, is a temporary trial that leads to ultimate bliss.

It is the good moral qualities that a person adheres to in such circumstances that is important. Diseases and accidents are the incidents in the face of which believers have the opportunity to show forth their patience and good morals, and through which they can draw nearer to Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah discusses diseases while relating the importance of patience through such times:

... Those with true righteousness are those who believe in God and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the prophets, and who, despite their love for it, give away their wealth to their relatives and to orphans and the very poor, and to travellers and beggars and to set slaves free, and who attend to their prayers and give alms; those who honour their contracts when they make them, and are steadfast in poverty and illness and in battle. Those are the people who are true believers. Those are the people who go in fear of Allah. (Surat al-Baqara: 177)


A person confronted with a physical dilemma must keep in mind that it is a trial for him, and that it is only Allah Who brings about diseases and their cures. This is the reasoning necessary for maintaining a proper moral attitude. A person benefits from thinking about the good and divine purpose in the disease he suffers, or an accident he might be involved in, even though he may not be able to grasp them immediately. It may be that he must go through a temporary difficulty, but that, in the hereafter, as a servant who has wholeheartedly submitted himself to his Lord, he will be rewarded with infinite bliss.
We all need to keep in mind, however, that it is essential to recognize this fact deep in our hearts and to maintain high morals immediately after being confronted with a similar incident. For this end, we need to know that all diseases are created for a purpose. If Allah were to will it, a person would never become sick or feel pain. But, if a person is afflicted with such a trial, then he must be aware that it is for a purpose, helping him to grasp the transience of this world and the infinite might of Allah. 
-by,Harun Yahya

24 July, 2011

The Way To Achieve Happiness

It is the nature of every person to seek happiness.  Some people strive to seek material happiness in this world away from religion, thinking that this is the true happiness.  But this kind of happiness will be succeeded by pain and sorrow at the Day of Judgment, and its people will know that their striving led them only to misery and not happiness.

While others know that the true way to happiness is to obey Allah and follow His religion.  For them the pleasures and riches of the world are of little consequence.  When this happiness penetrates and fills the heart of the believer he does in fact live in this world as if he were in Paradise.  Those are the people who find true happiness in this world.

What kind of happiness could be greater than that of someone who humbles himself to Allah, worships Him, strives for His pleasure, and strives to enter Paradise and have salvation from Hellfire?

The believer lives with such a sweetness in his heart that if the masters of the earth knew of it, they would fight him to death to take it from him. Allah has said:

  Whoever does right, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will make him live a good life, and We will award them their reward for the best of what they used to do.  (Quran, 16:97)

Happiness is in the good life mentioned in this verse, that even the rich disbelievers cannot find, despite the money they have.  That is why we are not surprise when we know that many among them committed suicide.

To reach true happiness, we need to know what is the purpose of our life, how to reach success in the hereafter, and to fulfill the requirements of reaching this success by following the commands of Allah and His true religion.

We know much about Mars, Earth, moon, stars, and galaxies, thanks to the century of knowledge.  But how much we know about our eternal life after death and how to reach success in the hereafter?

People need to eat every day to supply their bodies with energy and to keep themselves healthy.  If they stop eating for a period of time, diseases will sneak up upon them and overtake them, and perhaps even kill them.  Similarly, people also need food of another kind, food for the spirit and heart.  It is unfortunate that while people are careful never to forget to feed their bodies, they do not show the same concern for the health of their souls and hearts.  The heart needs food as the body does.  The diseases of the body and the debilitating effects they have are not more dangerous than the diseases of the heart and soul.

Source:Islam Guide

17 July, 2011

Trust in Allah

It is only a tiny rosebud,
flower of God’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
God opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God’s design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I’ll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Lord knows.
I’ll trust in Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.
- Author Unknown

11 July, 2011

Remedy For The Heart

There are two main things you have to do. The first is to move your heart from dwelling on the things of this world and move it to dwell on the Hereafter, then focus all your heart on the Qur’an and ponder its meanings and why it was revealed. Try to understand something from every ayah and apply it to the disease of your heart. These ayaat were revealed (to treat) the disease of the heart, so you will be healed, by the permission of Allah.
—Ibn al-Qayyim [d. 751H/1350CE] on curing one’s heart

06 July, 2011

4 Qualities To Tawakul

A man asked Hatim Al-Asamm, “What is the foundation of your firm trust in Allah?”

Hatim said, “Four qualities: I knew that my sustenance would not be eaten by anyone other than I, so my heart felt secure. I knew that others would not perform my righteous work, so I am busy performing it. I knew that death comes all of a sudden, so I rush (to fulfill my religious duties) before it strikes. I knew that I will never be absent from Allah’s Eye, wherever I may be, so I always feel shy from Him.”  

-(Read on pg 20, Abdul-Malik bin Muhammad ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Qasim, Life is a Fading Shadow. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:1999.)

Soften The Heart With Dhikr

A man said to al-Hasan al-Basri, ‘”O Abu Sa’eed, I am complaining to you of the hardness of my heart.”

He said, ‘“Soften it with dhikr.’ The more forgetful the heart is, the harder it becomes, but if a person remembers Allah, that hardness softens as copper melts in the fire. Nothing can soften the hardness of the heart like the remembrance of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Dhikr is healing and medicine for the heart. Forgetfulness is a disease, the cure for which is remembrance of Allah.”

-(Al-Waabil al-Sayib wa Raafi’ al-Kalim al-Tayyib, 142)
(Read on pg 93, Shaikh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid, Weakness of Iman. Daar us-Sunnah Publisher. Birmingham:2003.)

Tawakul-Trust in Allah

"If you had all relied on Allah (SWT) as you should rely on Him, then He would have provided for you as He provides for the birds, who wake up hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs at dusk."[At-Tirmidhi]

Do you truly have full trust in Allah (SWT)? There are some of us who strive our utmost to prepare for things wherein no certainty exists, whilst others fail to prepare for certain things wherein lies no doubt. And let us not forget those that believe their destiny is completely in their own hands, whilst their counterparts hold, in what can only be described as 'bravery', that they have full trust in Allah (SWT), thus granting themselves the ticket to do nothing at all.

Tawakkul is a light for our hearts and a means for us to seek nearness towards Allah (SWT) in a manner that absolutely nothing else can achieve. The essence of this quality of the heart is built upon two very important pillars: dependence upon Allah and trust in Allah.

We may often trust a person, without necessarily depending upon them, and likewise we may depend upon a person without fully trusting them. However when it comes to Our Lord (SWT), both exist simultaneously in perfection. So why are we so ready to trust others, but so quick to question Allah (SWT)? I'm sure we can all recall at least one incident in our lives when we experienced the rahma of Allah (SWT) in disguise. What did we do? What did we say? When one of the innumerable blessings we failed to count and thank our Lord for was unexpectedly taken from us, what thoughts rushed to our minds? What regrettable words came from our mouths? Why has this happened? What did I do wrong? Why has my blessing been taken away from me? Such spur of the moment questions, tainted by our false comprehension that the blessings bestowed upon us belonged to us, in an instant, shakes our building of tawakkul, sometimes causing it to collapse, consequently opening up a door for our enemy -Shaytaan and closing a door for us to Our Beloved (SWT).

Sisters, why do we become so devastated at the onset of calamity? Why do we lose all hope? Why do we not simply trust in Allah (SWT)? For every goodness and blessing we own has only been by His Rahma (Mercy). The amaanah (trusts) within our possessions are only ours for a temporary period of time; they belong to Allah and one day we'll have to return them to Him (SWT). When something is taken away from us or we are faced with a calamity, always remember that Allah is testing our Eemaan (faith) and He (SWT) knows that we are strong enough to deal with it, otherwise it would never have come to us in the first place, for Allah (SWT) never burdens a soul with more than it can bear.

Have full Tawakkul (trust) in Allah (SWT) and never belittle that trust. For the trust we have in Allah is a path to success and a means to achieving victory. Never lose hope and always remember that the situation of a true believer is always one of goodness: For when they are granted a blessing from Allah (SWT) they praise Him and due to that they are rewarded and their blessings increase and when a calamity strikes they patiently persevere, and as a result of which they are rewarded and granted something better than what they lost.

Put your trust in Allah. Allah loves those that trust [in Him].

[Surah al-Imran 3: 159]

Know that Allah (SWT) is pleased with those servants who persevere and He (SWT) loves those that trust in Him. Build a strong foundation of trust and allow for it to accompany you in all that you do. For it is a quality that will remain sufficient for you in the matters of this world, your deen (religion) and in the Aakhira (hereafter) insha'Allah. A beautiful example that never fails to touch my heart is that of our mother: Umm Salamah (RA), when her husband Abu Salamah (RA) passed away and she remained steadfast, uttering the best statement at the time of any calamity: 'Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon -Surely to Allah we belong and surely to Him we will return'. And she received exactly as Allah (SWT) promises: blessings and mercy:

'And give good news to those who persevere, those who say, when a misfortune strikes them, Surely to Allah we belong, and surely to Him we will return, these are the ones on whom blessings from their Lord descend, and mercy, and these are the ones who are rightly guided'.

[Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 155-157]

For who could be better as a husband than Rasoolullah (SAW) -A gift to our mother, Umm Salamah (RA) for her tawakkul in Allah (SWT).

It may seem difficult to imagine, and I don't make out that it's always the easiest of things to do. However, with complete conviction, as I too have witnessed such a great blessing from Allah (SWT) after a calamity had befallen me, that if you truly trust in your Lord, with every atom's weight of your heart, Allah will provide for you in ways you could never have imagined.

Let us take a moment to ponder over one ayah in the Qur'an, yes, just one ayah. If I asked you to guess which ayah it is, what would you say? Would it even cross your mind that you read this ayah without fail in every single rakat (standing) of your salah?

'You Alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help'

[Surah al-Faatihah: 5] "The Opening"

This ayah clearly establishes the tawakkul of the believer. Some of the Salaf (early believers) have said, "Al-Faatihah is the secret of the Qur'an, while these words are the secret of Al-Faatihah." So how can we stand before Allah day in and day out, uttering such perfect words of tawakkul, and yet not sincerely mean them? For belief, undoubtedly, must be followed by action.

Our Lord (SWT) With His Hikmah, Love and Rahmah knows exactly what is good for us, so let us not be amongst the sinful servants of Allah (SWT) who suspect Him of wrongdoing. So the next time you stand before Allah (SWT) and consult Him in your affairs, don't think He'll give you what is good for you; know with certainty that He (SWT) will:

                   
'Say: "Nothing will befall us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Protector. In Allah let the believers put their trust." [Surah At-Tawbah: 51]     

-Source: sisters-magazine 

03 July, 2011

Your Hope In My Heart



Your hope in my heart is the rarest treasure 
Your Name on my tongue is the sweetest word 

My choicest hours
Are the hours I spend with You

O Allah, I can't live in this world
Without remembering You

- Rabia al-Adawiyyah

Be Like The Sun

Sun Light
"Be like the sun for grace and mercy. Be like the night to cover others' faults. Be like running water for generosity. Be like death for rage and anger. Be like the Earth for modesty. Appear as you are. Be as you appea." 
— Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi

02 July, 2011

How Our Sins Impact On Our Lives

Ibn Qayyim provided one of the great descriptions of sins and the impact of sins in this life and after. Here is a very short summary of what he compiled about how our sins impact on our lives.

1.Sins deprive a person of provision (rizq) in this life. In Musnad Ahmad it is narrated that Thawbaan said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: ‘A man is deprived of provision because of the sins that he commits.’” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 4022, classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah).

2.A sinful person experiences a sense of alienation (indifference) with his Lord, and between him and other people. One of the salaf had said that he could see the impact of disobedience to Allah (in some aspects of his daily life).

3.A person who commits sins sees that things become difficult for him. In any matter that he turns to, he finds the way blocked or he finds it difficult. By the same token, for the one who fears Allah, things are made easy for him.

4.Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Good deeds make the face light, give light to the heart, and bring about ample provision, physical strength and love in people’s hearts. Bad deeds make the face dark, give darkness to the heart, and bring about physical weakness, a lack of provision and hatred in people’s hearts.”

5.Sin breeds sin until it dominates a person and he cannot escape from it. Sin weakens a person’s willpower. It gradually strengthens his will to commit sin and weakens his will to repent until there is no will in his heart to repent at all… so he seeks forgiveness and expresses repentance, but it is merely words on the lips, like the repentance of the liars, whose hearts are still determined to commit sin and persist in it. This is one of the most serious diseases that is likely to lead to doom. He becomes desensitized and no longer find sins abhorrent, so it becomes his habit, and he is not bothered if people see him committing the sin or talk about him.

So, we can easily see that by engaging in sins, we are not only making the prospects of our after life (integral part of Islamic faith) bleak but sins can greatly and actively contribute to the difficulties of our daily lives.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself…” [al-Nisa’ 4:79]
Whether we encounter challenges in earning a living, in our family affairs, or other matters of life, the burden of sins greatly inhibits us from seeking the ultimate blessings of Allah and to have the potential of leading a good life in this world and the hereafter.

Similarly, once we see the connection of how expiation of sins can potentially help us in this life and next, we can better understand the dire need to seek forgiveness from Allah. Who would want to stay entangled in the web of challenges of this life and the potential to be punished in the hereafter? Even a little faith can help us see this connection and the better we strengthen our faiths, the more we will strive to rid ourselves from the burden of sins.

Based on how sins can have a detrimental effect on our lives, just imagine the impact that your life will have if all your sins were forgiven. What more would you need if Allah specifically chose you and forgave your sins? What more would you need when as a result of a reduced burdens of your sins, you have better chances of more provision (rizq) in this life? What more would you need if because of His blessings, Allah could help you by reducing your worldly complications? What more would you need if in the judgment day you have the potential to stand in front of Allah with fewer loads of sins?

And getting to that stage is not that difficult. All it takes is a sincere intention and actions in seeking forgiveness from Allah. On the authority of Anas, Allah the Almighty has said: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as its.” (al-Tirmidhi, 3540; classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 4338)

 Similarly, it was narrated in al-Saheehayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If a person commits a sin, then says, ‘O Lord, I have committed a sin so forgive me,’ He says, ‘My slave knows that he has a Lord Who may forgive sins or punish for it; I have forgiven My slave…’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6953; Muslim, 4953)
Source: http://www.iqrasense.com