8. august (sunnah selection for daily reading)

Like Lightning or Crawling

• The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said about crossing over

the Siraat bridge over Hell : The first of you will cross

it like lightning. “bu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased

with him asked: May my father and my mother be

sacrificed for you! How can it be like lightning? He

pbuh said: Have you not seen lightning, how it goes

and comes back in the blinking of an eye? Then (some

will pass) like the wind, or like birds and fast horses,

and the speed at which people cross will be according to

their deeds…. until the people s deeds will be failing in

strength, and a man will come who can only move by

crawling. At the edges of the Siraat will be hooks,

hanging ready to catch anyone whom they are

commanded to catch . [Muslim]

4

• In life we have choices: We can choose to

travel on Siraat-e-Mustaqeem, “llah s

prescribed Path to Jannah, or we can

keep off it and live as we please.

• Even if we choose to stay on Siraat-e-

Mustaqeem (the Straight Path), we

choose the speed with which to move on

it. Some people rush to obey Allah

(subhana wa ta ala), some go crawling,

some stand still on it, hardly moving,

and some sometimes hit reverse.

5

• Pay heed to what you are doing! The

manner and speed with which you

travel on Siraat-e-Mustaqeem in life, will

determine the manner and speed with

which you will cross the Siraat over

Hell.

6

Hard Work

• The Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him said: The Momin dies

with his sweat on his brow. [“n-

Nasai]

7

• To have sweat on one s brow indicates labour and hard work. This means that a momin

dies working. Our concepts have gotten

messed up. We think that the place of

recompense is this world; that once you reach

a certain age you should be living in luxury,

if not all your life. But where in the Quran

does Allah (subhana wa ta ala) say that a

luxurious life (eeshatin raadhia) is supposed

to happen anytime on earth? “ll of “llah s promises of never-ending ease, of comfort to

your heart s content, unblemished happiness, freedom and plenitude, are regarding

Jannah. This life is our qualifying exam to get

there. As a sensible person in the middle of

an exam does not say, I m tired of writing, and retire from the exam, Muslims also need

to realize that death is the only time of

retirement for him/her. 8

• Some girls think that the place where all

their wishes should come true is their

husbands home. Nowhere does “llah or His

Messenger state this to be the case. When

you get married you simply move from one

exam room to another. There is an increase

in the number of questions you now have to

answer correctly to successfully pass the

exam of life. First you had to correctly deal

with your parents, siblings and other

relatives. Now there is an increment in your

responsibilities and you also have to

correctly deal with your husband, children,

in-laws, etc. The place where all your wishes

will come true is only and only Jannah. It is

not possible that this should happen in the

temporary life of this worldly. 9

• Hard work is considered to be one of

the most important traits of Muslim

men and women alike. Never shy away

from work. It is your key to Jannah. If a

man works to earn for his family and

his wife takes care of the children and

other household chores, this does not

mean that either person s work is more

important or valuable than the other s.

You are both just managing different

areas to efficiently run your home. Both

of you contribute to this partnership, as

the two wheels of a bike, so make sure

that no one is treated less in any way.

10

Least Punishment

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

The least punished person of the

people of Hell-Fire on the Day of

Resurrection will be a man under

whose arch of the feet two smoldering

embers will be placed, because of which

his brain will boil just like Al-Mirjal

(copper vessel) or a Qum-qum

(narrow-necked vessel) boils with

water. [Sahih ”ukhari]

14

• Nobody can bear the least punishment

of Hell-Fire. But whoever enters it will

have to endure the punishment as there

will be no death anymore. How stupid

is the person who barters away the

Hereafter for the enjoyment of the

world. This is what the people of Hell-

Fire will say about themselves: Had

we but listened or used our

intelligence, we should not (now) be

among the Companions of the

”lazing Fire! [Quran : ]

15

• The Nobel laureates, the Pulitzer prize

winners, the scholarship holders of the

world, the business tycoons, the crafty

politicians, all will realize that their

intelligence was of no use to them if it

does not secure them from the worst

calamity nor allow them to attain the

greatest felicity.

16

Momin Dies Working


upon him) said: "The momin dies

with his sweat on his brow (i.e. with

labour and hard work)." [Tirmidhi,

Nasai]

17

• A momin's work is never done. If a

conscientious student is sitting for a three

hour exam and gets done in two and a half

hours, he/she will go over their work making

sure that they did not miss anything or make

any mistakes. Moreover, if an exam has been

designed for three hours, it is meant to take

around three hours to finish.

• Our lifespan should likewise be fully utilized

to make sure we have not left anything

undone that we could have earned Jannat

with. This is the only chance we get; there

will be no exams after this, only results.

Therefore, we have to give this one exam our

best shot.

18

• If somebody is sitting around with

nothing to do, it means that they have

not understood the purpose of life,

what Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) gave it

to us for! There is no time to waste, no

moment to lose. As long as we are

alive we can keep earning sawaab. A

momin, therefore, keeps working to

please Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)

before death overtakes him, and his

exam paper is taken away from him.

19

Last Third of Night

• “llah s Messenger peace be upon

him said: Every night when it is the

last third of the night, our Lord, the

Exalted, the Blessed, descends to the

nearest heaven and says, Is there

anyone to invoke Me that I may

respond to his invocation? Is there

anyone to ask Me so that I may grant

him his request? Is there anyone

asking My forgiveness so that I may

forgive him? [”ukhari] 23

• This hadith informs us of the excellence

of the last third of the night, how Allah

is hoping for someone to ask him for

something at that time, so He may grant

it to them. Although Allah hears us,

watches us, and is aware of our feelings

at all times, but the time before dawn is

extra special.

• Wake up a little before Fajr to capitalize

on these moments of extraordinary

nearness to Allah, the Exalted, the

Blessed.

24

Hand-Shaking Wipes Away Sins

• Al-Bara (radi Allahu anhu) reported

that the Messenger of Allah (peace

be upon him said: No two

Muslims meet and shake hands

except that their sins are forgiven

by “llah before they depart. [“bu

Dawud]

25

• This hadith tells us that Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) forgives the minor

sins of the two believers who shake

hands. Thus, when two Muslims meet

they should follow the Sunnah of

shaking hands to increase their

mutual love and to have their minor

sins pardoned by Allah (subhana wa

ta ala).

• We should make the Sunnah of the

Prophet (pbuh) our culture so that we

can be close to him on the Day of

Judgement and are blessed with his

intercession. 26

• If I only understood how much effort

the Prophet (pbuh) made for me, and

what he suffered so that Islam could

reach me, I would love him. And once

I love him I would love to copy every

thing about him. And by loving

“llah s ”eloved I would become

eligible for even more of “llah s love.

27

Meaningless Work

• The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon

him said: It is the excellence of a

man s faith that he gives up

meaningless work. [Tirmidhi,

Ahmad]

31

• List all your activities and label them to

see which belong to the category of

meaningless. If the activity is not taking

you towards a meaningful goal for any of

the roles that arise from your ideology

(e.g. Muslim, parent, son/daughter, self,

breadwinner, daee, etc), then it would be

to your advantage to replace it with more

meaningful activity. Anything that does

not bring you closer to Jannat and distance

you from the Fire is meaningless in the

long run, and will cause you to regret

when it is too late why you bothered to

waste your time with it. 32

Height of Aadam

• The Messenger of “llah pbuh said: “llah

created Aadam. His height was sixty cubits.

He said to him, Go and greet that group of

angels and listen to how they reply, for that

will be your greeting and the greeting of your

offspring. Aadam went and said, “s-salamu

alaykum Peace be upon you . “nd they

answered, “s-salamu alayka wa rahmat

Allah (Peace be on you and the mercy of

“llah . So, they added the words and the

mercy of “llah. So, whoever will enter

Paradise will be of the shape and picture of

Aadam. Since then the stature of the children

of Aadam is being diminished continuously

till the present time. [Sahih ”ukhari] 33

• When Aadam (alaihis salam) was

created he had a height of about 90

feet. Height has been decreasing for

humankind ever since. In the

Hereafter people will have the same

height as Aadam (alaihis salam).

Scientists today believe that the earth

was once much smaller, hence had

less gravity. With less pull of gravity,

living creatures would be much larger

and taller.

34

My Best Day


him said: “llah will say to the

inhabitants of Paradise: O inhabitants

of Paradise!.... “re you contented?

“nd they will say: “nd how should

we not be contented, O Lord, when

You have given to us that which You

have given to no one else of Your

creation? [”ukhari]

38

• Out of all His creations, Allah chose me

to give eternal life to. He made Jannat for

me. Allah wishes to be with me for

eternity. For this He bestows eternal life

to me. After I reach Jannat I become

immortal. The ultimate pleasure in

Jannat is that I will be allowed to look at

“llah s face. “ll that exists is perishable

except “llah s face. [“l-Quran 28:88]

Allah tells us that He was a hidden

treasure. He created us so that we could

have this treasure. Those who realize this

are intense in their love of their Lord.

[Al-Quran 2:165] 39

• “llah s justice demanded that He ask us to do

something, no matter how insignificant, in

exchange for which we are loved more than all

creation and granted immortality. So He gave

us free will – the choice to recognize Him or

deny Him. But He loaded the scales heavily in

favor of our being able to recognize Him. He

created all our souls at the time that He created

Adam (pbuh) and we all testified to Allah

being our Creator and Cherisher at that time.

Our testimony is embedded in our sub-

conscious mind, because of which we know

instinctively that He is to be worshipped and

that the beauty of the universe is His doing.

40

• May we love Allah as He should be

loved, and may we worship Him as He

should be worshipped. A dua made by a

bedouin that particularly impressed the

Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

was Oh “llah Make my best day – the

Day that I meet You.

41

Hearts as One


upon him said: There will be no

hatred or resentment among them,

their hearts will be as one, and they

will glorify Allah, morning and

evening. [Sahih ”ukhari]

42

• This hadith explains the state of the

people in Jannah. Remorse felt due to

rifts in personal relationships will be

non-existent in Paradise. There will be

no enmity between people, nor any

ill-feelings: “nd We shall remove

from their breasts any (mutual)

hatred or sense of injury (which

they had, if at all, in the life of this

world)… [Quran : ]

43

• People will never hear any evil or

hurting comments or speech in

Paradise. They will only hear pleasant

words and words of peace. The hearts

of the people of Jannah will be pure,

their speech will be good, their deeds

righteous. There will be no offensive,

upsetting or provocative talk there, for

Paradise is free of all things worthless.

If we were to discuss all the causes of

anguish in this life, we would surely

find their absence and opposite to be

true in Paradise.

44

Most Beloved

• Abdallah ibn Amr (may Allah be

pleased with him said: The

Messenger of Allah (peace be upon

him) was never immoderate or

obscene. He used to say, “mong those

of you who are most beloved to me are

those who have the finest character.

[Sahih Muslim]

48

• The character of the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh) was the best of all humankind

and testified to by Allah . Therefore, if

we would like to be among the most

beloved to the Messenger of Allah

(pbuh), and also most beloved to Allah ,

we must make his character our model,

as it was displayed in the masjid, in the

market place, in the battle field, in his

home and everywhere.

49

• Allah has told us explicitly through the

Quran and Hadith what is good and

what is bad . So this is not for any

individual or human rights group to

determine for anyone anymore. Some of

the attributes of good character are:

suppressing anger that is for the sake of

one s ego, not vindicating or justifying

oneself when in the wrong, hating

oppressors and the immoral, being

gentle and humble with believers, being

honest and decent in speech.

50

• Imam al-Bayhaqi gives a few practical

examples of good character saying “ person

with good character makes what is better the

imam of his soul, and obeys it completely,

making it the basis of his dealings with others.

When he deals with other people, he is

tolerant in claiming what is his right, and does

not ask for anything which is not; but he

discharges all the duties which he has towards

others. When he falls ill or returns from a trip,

and no-one visits him, or when he gives a

greeting which is not returned, or when he is a

guest but is not honoured, or intercedes but is

not responded to, or does a good turn for

which he is not thanked, or joins a group of

people who do not make room for him to sit, or

51

speaks and is not listened to, or proposes to a

woman but is not allowed to marry her, or

asks for more time to repay a debt, but is not

given more time, and all similar cases, he

does not grow angry, or seek to punish

people, or feel within himself that he has

been snubbed, or ignored; neither does he try

to retaliate with the same treatment when

able to do so, but instead tells himself that he

does not mind any of these things, and

responds to each one of them with

something which is better, and closer to

goodness and piety, and is more

praiseworthy and pleasing to “llah . [The

Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith by Imam

Al-Bayhaqi, p.48-49] 52

Hardening of the Heart

• The Prophet (peace be upon him)

said: "Do not speak much without

mentioning Allah, for too much

speech without mentioning Allah

hardens the heart, and the hard

hearted are the furthest of all people

from Allah Most High." [Tirmidhi]

53

• Imam Nawawi explains: "Every legally

responsible person should refrain from

saying anything except when there is a

clear advantage to speaking. Whenever

speaking and not speaking are of equal

benefit, it is sunnah to remain silent, for

permissible speech easily leads to that

which is unlawful or offensive, as actually

happens much or even most of the time --

and there is no substitute for safety. The

Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

whoever believes in “llah and the Last

Day, let him say what is good or remain

silent. “uthenticated by Imams ”ukhari

and Muslim)" [r 1.1: Reliance of the

Traveller by Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri] 54

Maintaining Relations with Relatives


him said: Whoso desires that his

sustenance may be made ample for him

and that his term of life be prolonged,

let him keep affinity with his

relatives. [Tirmidhi]

58

• Being kind to relatives, visiting them,

honoring them, being present on their

occasions of sadness and joy, when done

for the sake of “llah s pleasure will

make one s entry into Jannah easier,

Allah willing. The additional worldly

benefit of keeping relations with

relatives is that because of it Allah

(subhana wa ta ala increases one s

provisions and prolongs one s life span.

59

How Do You Smell


upon him) said: "The example of a

good companion and a bad one is the

bearer of musk and the worker on the

fires. A bearer of musk would give

you some, you might buy some from

him, or you might enjoy the fragrance

of his musk. The worker on the fires,

on the other hand, might spoil your

clothes with sparks from his bellows,

or you get a bad smell from him."

[Sahih Bukhari] 60

• Who are the top 5 people you hang

out with? List them. Now look at their

qualities and you'll notice that you are

a product of the sum of them. Do they

have the outstanding qualities that

you seek? If not, then it's time to find

some bearers of musk that you can

truly smell great from.

61

Make Dua After Burial

• Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be

pleased with him) relates that when the

Prophet (peace be upon him) used to

finish burying someone, he would

stand by the grave and say, “ll of you,

ask Allah to forgive your brother and

make him steadfast, for he is now being

asked. [“bu Dawud]

65

• The dead are questioned in their graves.

It is legally valid and recommended

after burial for a living person to ask

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to forgive the

deceased and keep him steadfast during

the questioning of the two angels about

to ensue.

66

Have Book But Knowledge Is Lost

• Imam Ahmed narrates that the Messenger of

“llah pbuh said regarding something: That

would happen when knowledge is lost. One of

the Sahabah asked, O Messenger of “llah

(pbuh), how could knowledge be lost when we

have studied the Quran, we are teaching it to

our children and our children will teach it to

theirs. The Messenger of “llah pbuh said:

Woe to you! I thought you were one of the

most learned men of Medinah. Can t you see

the Jews and Christians are not benefiting even

though they have their scriptures (Torah and

Injeel right with them?

67

• This hadith makes clear that if there is no

application of the Quran, its recitation

becomes useless. If we know what the

Quran contains but don't apply it, we

become like donkeys carrying books as

our burdens, not benefitting from our

loads.

• How did the Sahabah study the Quran? If

we take the example of Abdullah ibn

Umar (radi Allahu anhu), it took him 14

years to finish memorizing Surah

Baqarah. He was so happy after he

completed memorizing it that he

slaughtered a camel and invited all the

people to come celebrate with him. 68

• Abdullah ibn Umar (radi Allahu

anhu) was a companion of the


him) and the Quran was revealed in

his own language. Abdullah ibn Umar

(radiAllahu anhu) was also an

eminent scholar. Then how is it that

he took 14 years to memorize what is

done nowadays by Muslims in a

matter of months?

69

• This is because the way that the

Sahabah would study the Quran is

that they would take ten ayaat at a

time only. They would study these ten

ayaat, study the eemaan, the ilm, the

halal and the haram in these ayaat.

They would memorize the ayaat and

apply its rulings to their lives. They

would not move onto the next ten

ayaat until they had brought their

lives into compliance with the first

ten. The Quran thus became alive and

second nature to them, its knowledge

was not wasted and lost. 70

Monopoly


him said: He who holds a monopoly

is a sinner. [Sahih Muslim]

74

• A Muslim is one who likes for others

what he likes for himself. To hoard and

monopolize what others need, and over-

charge for it, contradicts the character

that Allah (subhana wa ta ala) wants us

to develop and exhibit towards each

other. A Muslim cannot be a capitalist,

because for him “llah s Pleasure has the

highest priority, not money.

• There is no shortage with Allah

(subhana wa ta ala). So instead of

squeezing what you want out of other

people, ask Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to

give it to you. 75

Grateful Servant

• The Prophet (peace be upon him) is

reported to have stayed up in prayer

all night until his feet swelled up.

He was asked, Why do you do this

when Allah has already forgiven you

all your past and future wrong

actions? He peace be upon him

said, Should I not still be a grateful

servant? [“l-Bukhari; Kitab at-

Tahajjud]

76

• If your friend gave you a beautiful

sweater as a gift should you feel

grateful to her in your heart? And if

you feel grateful to her in your heart,

shouldn t you also use your tongue to

show your appreciation of her favor?

Gratitude doesn t end here Shouldn t

you then wear it on appropriate

occasions? How would your friend

feel if she saw you mopping the floor

with her gift?

77

• True gratitude involves the heart,

tongue and limbs. That is why the

Prophet (pbuh) would stand up long

during the night in prayer – to show

with his limbs that he was grateful to

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) for his

blessings on him.

78

Most Hated


him said: The most hated man

(person) to Allah is the one who is the

most quarrelsome of the opponents.

[Sahih Bukhari]

82

• Quarreling never settles disputes.

Extricate yourself from quarrels as soon

as possible. Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

does not like either of quarreling

opponents, but the more quarrelsome

one is the more hated to Allah (subhana

wa ta ala).

83

• Keep this checklist in mind if a quarrel seems to

be in the offing:

1. Let your opponent have the last word

(ostensibly). In reality, the one who is quiet is

the one who is defended eloquently by angels.

2. Stop trying to prove that you re right.

3. Accept blame where the fault is yours.

4. State your position just once and then listen.

5. Before the blaming becomes unbearable, politely,

either change the topic or physically leave the

place of argument.

6. Remember that all cases will be reopened and

settled on the Day of Judgment, and on that day

none will be able to lie, trick or deceive in any

way, to support their position.

84

Get Married


upon him said: Get married,

reproduce, and let your number

increase. [Sunan Ibn Majah]

85

• Islam stresses the importance of the

institution of marriage and the

desirability of having children and

taking good care of all members of the

family. Healthy societies are built on

healthy families. Remaining single,

having relationships outside of

marriage, or neglecting one s family,

are looked down upon and contrary

to the teachings of Islam.

86

• Whoever desires to gain “llah s

Pleasure and win his/her everlasting

abode in Paradise needs to take care

of the responsibilities that Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) wants us to

shoulder on earth and which

(anyway) satisfy the demands of

human nature. Marriage should be

looked forward to as a way to earn

good deeds and the most responsible

and fitting way in which to satisfy the

cravings of human nature.

87

• Allah (subhana wa ta ala) mentions as

one of His favors on us: “nd “llah

has made for you mates of your

own nature; and made for you, out

of them, children and

grandchildren; and provided for

you sustenance of the best. Is it,

then, falsehood that they believe in,

and the blessing of Allah that they

reject? [Quran: Surah an-Nahl,

Ayat 72]

88

Mingle because Aloofness Disliked


The Muslim who participates in

social matters with other men and

shows forbearance if he suffers any

pain from them is a far better person

than the one who isolates himself from

people and is dismayed at the

hardships caused by others.

[Tirmidhi]

92

• Maintain amicable social relations with

your friends and relatives. Avoid

adopting an attitude of annoyance with

them or keeping aloof from them.

93

• When a person lives in the society of

other men and has to participate in social

matters, it is inevitable that he suffer

different kinds of shocks. Sometimes his

sentiments are hurt, at other times his

reputation is tarnished, one time his peace

is disturbed, at another his usual activities

are interfered with. Sometimes things are

done against his temperament and

desires, at other times his patience and

endurance are severely tried, and at times

he has to suffer great financial loss. In

other words, he has to face all kinds of

trials and tribulations.

94

• ”ut when a person suffers these

hardships, his heart is strengthened and

he gains in wisdom and experience. Good

morals develop in his personality and

passing through a natural process of

training and purification he makes rapid

spiritual and moral progress. He thus

acquires the sublime virtues of patience,

forbearance, selflessness, affection,

sympathy, humanity, respect, loyalty,

devotion and co-operation, sincerity and

love, generosity and gallantry, kindness

and favor to the highest degree and he

becomes an instrument of goodness and

blessing for human society. [Etiquettes of

Life in Islam by Muhammad Yusuf Islahi]

95

Greed Destroys Deen


upon him said: Greed is the cause

of destruction of Deen and safety

and protection from it lie in Taqwa.

[Minhaaj ul-Abideen by Imaam

Ghazali]

96

• You will only get what is destined for

you, so don t compromise your Deen

in the delusion that you can gain more

by disobeying Allah, Mighty and

Majestic.

• None other than you can chew the

sustenance which has been destined

for you to chew. So eat your

sustenance with grace and do not eat

it with disgrace.

97

Morning and Evening


When any one of you dies, he is shown his

position (in Paradise or Hell) morning and

evening. If he is one of the people of

Paradise, he will be shown his position in

the Garden as one of the people of Paradise,

and if he is one of the people of Hell, he will

be shown his place in Hell as one of the

people of Hell, and he will be told: This is

your position until Allah resurrects you to

it on the Day of Resurrection. [Muslim]

101

• Whoever dies, regardless of where he is

buried, or how his body is disposed of,

is shown his place in the gardens of

Paradise or the fire of Hell, morning and

evening.

• Being shown their everlasting homes in

Jannah is an additional reward for the

people who are about to enter it. They,

thus, spend their time in Barzakh in

happy anticipation of their destination.

Being shown their homes in Hell is an

additional punishment to the people

deserving Jahannum because being

constantly reminded of the horrors that

they are soon going to face is scary. 102

May Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) make us one of the

people of Jannah.

Aameen.

103

Give and Take with Right


said: Let any one of you eat with

his right hand, drink with his right

hand, take with his right hand and

give with his right hand, for the

Shaytaan eats with his left hand,

drinks with his left hand, gives with

his left hand and takes with his left

hand. [Sunan Ibn Maajah]

104

• If we know that something is one of the things

that Shaytaan likes, or is one of his characteristics,

then we must do the opposite. From early

childhood we practice how to use our hand to eat,

drink, write, draw, and do all manner of things

with it. We just need to ensure that we teach our

children to use the right one for eating, drinking,

giving and taking. If a child is inclined to use the

left, gently remind him/her, holding their hand

back, till they get used to using the right one.

• There is no advantage to eating, drinking, giving

or taking with the left hand. Nobody who says so

should be believed. The Shaytaan always comes

in the form of one keen to offer sincere advice, for

if he said, I hate you and the goal of my life is to

send you and your family to Hell, so listen to me

nobody would listen to him. 105

• Since Shaitaan is a liar and deceiver one

has to do the opposite of what he says,

i.e., do exactly what Allah and His

Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) tell us to

do.

• Shaitaan should be told, If you want to

offer sincere advice to anyone, offer it to

yourself, for you have doomed yourself

to Hell and brought upon yourself the

wrath of the Almighty. How can anyone

offer advice to others when he cannot

take it himself? [Islamic Creed Series

The World of the Jinn and Devils In the

Light of the Quran and Sunnah, by Dr.

Umar S. al-Ashqar] 106

Masjid in Mind


The man whose heart is devoted to

the Masjid will rest in the shade of

“llah s Throne. [”ukhari]

110

• The best portion of the earth in the sight

of Allah is that upon which a Masjid is

raised. The distinctive feature of the

devotee of Allah is that he loves the

Masjid. On the Day of Judgment, when

there will be no other shade anywhere,

Allah will keep that person in the shade

of His Throne whose heart was devoted

to the Masjid.

111

Grave's Call • Once when he was seated near a grave, the

Prophet pbuh said: Every grave

proclaims in the most horrific voice, O

progeny of Adam! Have you forgotten me?

I am the house of loneliness. I am a strange

land of wilderness! I am a hole of mites and

worms. I am a place of hardship and trial,

save those fortunate ones for whom Allah

makes me commodious and wide. I am for

all other human beings a tortuous place.

In addition, the Prophet pbuh said: The

grave is either one of the pits of Hell or a

small flower garden out of the gardens of

Paradise. [Tabarani] 112

• Given that a less rewarded person s

property in Jannah will be much more

than all of the land on earth, a small

flower garden might be as big as a

small country such as Switzerland. This

could be your grave. Alternatively, it

could be one of the trenches from Hell

filled with scorpions, snakes and fire.

May Allah (subhana wa ta ala) save us

all from a bad end.

• Take heed from the sight of the grave

and concentrate your thoughts and

imaginative powers on meditating life

after death.

113

Mirror Mirror on the Wall


Each one of you serves as a mirror to

his brother. Hence, if you see any fault

in your brother, eliminate it.

[Tirmidhi]

117

• When a person stands in front of a

mirror, it causes him to remove any

apparent defect on his person and adorn

himself. Let s look at what qualities a

mirror has so that we can be proper

mirrors to our Muslim brothers and

sisters:

118

1. A mirror that works well is one that is

clean. If a mirror is dirty, smudgy, has oil

stains on it, or is rusty, it won t give a

good reflection. To be a good mirror, you

have to purify yourself of defects first. In

the light of your exalted conduct and

character others will see the

shortcomings in their own, without your

even having to say anything. For

example, when a person witnesses your

scrupulous honesty, their own

untrustworthiness will strike them.

119

2. Since a dirty mirror will project onto you

the dirt that is on it, look for your

reflection only in another Momin, not in

a Faajir, Faasiq or Kaafir.

3. A mirror reflects the spots and stains on

your person when you stand before it.

When you stand aside, the mirror ceases

to reflect these blemishes. Similarly, you

should expose the foibles of your friend

only if he presents himself before you

for criticism. Make sure his heart is

receptive and eager to accept

suggestions. In the absence of these

conditions, keep silent and put the

matter off wisely for a later occasion.

120

4. A mirror honestly reflects shortcomings;

it neither hides their number nor adds to

them. Likewise, you should present a

true picture, neither suppressing the

exposure of faults, nor exaggerating

their dimensions or number.

5. A mirror only reflects those deformities

that are outward and apparent. It

doesn t expose hidden blemishes nor

does it probe inward. So a Momin points

out only those faults which are exposed

in the normal conduct of life without

curiosity about others secrets or

searching out their faults. 121

6. A mirror shows your reflection but

doesn t store the image to show it to

others. Likewise, don t expose the

shortcomings of your Muslim brothers

and sisters to others.

7. A mirror informs a person of how they

look without any motives. A mirror

nurses no grudge against anyone, nor

wreaks vengeance on them. You should

also be unaffected by personal motives.

A Muslim is an emblem of sincerity and

love for other Muslims. If the criticism is

offered with sympathy, love and

sincerity it will unite hearts and correct

wrongs. 122

8. No one feels annoyed at seeing his true

image in a mirror, nor commits the

blunder of breaking the mirror in a fit of

rage. Instead, they begin to remove

defects on their persons and adorn

themselves based on what they see.

Similarly, when someone presents your

true picture to you, do not retaliate in

annoyance; express your gratitude to

him and be thankful.

123

Goodness of the Good Won't Save

• Aisha (radi Allahu anha) narrated

that the Messenger of Allah (peace

be upon him said: In the end of

this Ummah there will be a collapse,

transformation, and Qadhf. She

asked: O Messenger of “llah! Will

they be destroyed while there are

righteous among them? He said:

Yes, when evil is dominant. [Jami

at-Tirmidhi]

124

• Maskh is transformation. It means

that the appearance of some humans

will be transformed, for example, into

dogs or monkeys. Qadhf means to

have stones cast down upon it from the

heavens.

• This hadith is explicit on the point that

when sinfulness and moral depravity

become rampant in society, and people

of goodness and virtue find themselves

powerless to stand up to it, or choose

not to resist it, then the people shall

suffer “llah s retribution, and not even

the goodness of the good among them

shall save them. 125

• Death has to come to all creatures. For

evil people it is the beginning of

eternal punishment, while for the

righteous it is the end of suffering.

126

Misers Cursed

• “llah s Messenger peace be upon

him said: Every morning two angels

come down to earth. One of them says,

O “llah! Give full recompense to the

spender in good causes . The other

one says, O “llah! Ruin and destroy

the miser. [Muslim]

130

• Those who spend in the cause of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) remain in His sight

and shelter in both the states of plenty

and adversity. The angels send blessings

on them and wish for increase in their

wealth.

• As for those who hoard money miserly,

the angels pray for their loss and ruin.

• Will anyone s wealth remain with them

forever? The wealth has come to us from

others and will again go to others.

• The only way we can make the wealth

ours forever, is by spending it in the

Path of Allah.

131

Gender Differences

• Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu)

narrated: The Prophet peace be

upon him) cursed the effeminate

men and those women who assume

the similitude of men. He also said,

Turn them out of your houses. He

turned such-and-such person out,

and Umar also turned out such-and-

such person. [“l-Jaami Al Saheeh]

132

• Men and women are two of the

wonderful creations of Allah (subhana

wa ta ala). He has made them of the

same species, but different. He

(subhana wa ta ala) has appointed

some tasks to them that are the same.

For example, each of them must pray

and fast and perform Hajj. And he has

appointed some roles that are distinct

for each of them. Like two wheels of a

motorbike, each must work in its

place if the bike is to go anywhere.

133

• A woman is like a precious goblet that

is protected, wrapped carefully when

transported, and handled with care.

She is saved from the hardship of

having to earn for the family. She is

devoted to the task of making the

home a sanctuary of peace and a

fortress of Islam. A man is given the

overall responsibility for the family.

He is to provide for them and defend

them. He must be respected as the

final decision maker.

134

• Each will be rewarded equally for

performing the tasks Allah has set for

them.

• Each of them gets Jannah in reward.

• Everything in the universe is humbly

Muslim. We don t see chickens

rebelling, We re not going to lay eggs

anymore, we re giving milk. Nor do

we see cows swapping their roles with

chickens. But it is human beings that

are prone to discontent and revolt.

135

• The Prophet (pbuh) warned us against

trying to distort our natures. Men should

dress, walk, talk and behave like men and

women should dress, walk, talk and

behave like women. A genderless society

is the product of Shaitaan s handiwork. It

is Shaitaan who tells people that they

should have the right to choose their

own gender.

• Love yourself the way Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) made you. Maintain the gender

differences defined by your Creator and

work for your Jannah where there is no

discontent, only satisfaction, happiness

and peace. 136

Misfortunes Enrich You for Day of Judgement


him said: The believer continues to

be afflicted with hardships in his or her

body, wealth and children, until he or

she meets Allah completely free of all

wrong actions. [“l-Hakim; Kitab ar-

Riqaq]

140

• Hardships and afflictions erase our bad

deeds from our records. Our patience

through misfortunes is recorded as good

deeds. When Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

wishes to favor us, He helps us with our

Record of Deeds in this way, so that

when we meet Him we are free of sins

(them having been wiped out with

misfortunes) and our Record is in good

shape. Then its smooth sailing to

Paradise, inshaAllah!

• That is why some of our predecessors

used to say, Had it not been for

misfortunes, we would have arrived in

the Akhirah completely destitute. 141

Make Extra Use of Your Sajdas


upon him said: The slave is

nearest to Allah at the moment when

he is in Sajda before Him. Hence,

while you are performing Sajda,

pray fervently. [Sahih Muslim]

142

• When you are praying remember that

you are in the presence of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala). Even though you

do not see Him, He is with you and

watching you. The moment that you

are most beloved to Him is when you

are in Sajda. So, utilize this time to ask

of Him whatever you want.

143

Neighbors


him said: He will not enter Paradise

whose neighbor is not secure from his

wrongful conduct. [Muslim]

147

• Make sure that a wedding, construction

or other event at your house does not

encroach upon the privacy, peacefulness

or clean environment of your neighbors

or neighborhood. Does noise from your

house disturb your neighbor? Did you

park your car in such a way as to cause

your neighbor inconvenience? Do you

even know who your neighbor is? The

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: If you

are kind to your neighbor you will be a

believer. [Tirmidhi]

148

Mika eel has not Laughed


said to Jibreel (alaihis salam : Why

do I never see Mika eel laugh? He

replied: Mika eel has not laughed

since the Fire was created.

[Musnad Ahmad]

149

• The sight of Jahannum and imagining

its punishment has taken away the

mirth of so great an angel as Mika eel

(alaihis salam). This should be

sobering for us all.

150

Never Tires of Good


him said: “ believer never gets

satisfied doing good until he reaches

Jannah. [Tirmidhi]

154

• According to this hadith, it is a quality of

a Muslim that he or she is very concerned

about acquiring virtues and doing good,

and never tires of struggling for and

living by virtuous deeds. This is because

a believer sees his sins as if he were

sitting under a mountain which, he is

afraid, may fall on him; whereas the

wicked person considers his sins as flies

passing over his nose and he just drives

them away like this. Abu Shihab (the sub-

narrator of this statement of Abdullah ibn

Masud s) moved his hand over his nose

in illustration. [Sahih ”ukhari] 155

• High achieving students never stop

studying because they never feel

satisfied that what they know is

sufficient. They don t limit themselves

to the bare minimum amount of

knowledge needed to pass. One who

does so is in danger of failing. Even

when they are well prepared they feel

that they could know more, or that they

might make a mistake which they

would have to compensate for with

something else. Another reason that

high achieving students keep on

studying is because of their love for

learning. 156

• Similar is the case of a Muslim with good

deeds. They love to please Allah and enter His

Jannah. Additionally, they are afraid that what

they have prepared of good deeds may not be

sufficient so they keep doing what is pleasing

to Allah. A borderline pass is not what they

aim for, because one could easily make a

mistake and end up failing. They aim for a

high “ . They do not underestimate the

enormity of the sins that they commit and see

their sins as a huge mountain looming over

them. Thus, they are always trying to

compensate for their shortcomings. In this

struggle a Muslim reaches the end of his or her

life. Such is the successful person for he

achieves Jannah.

157

Miserly Beyond Words


upon him said: The miser is the

one in whose presence I am

mentioned and yet he does not

invoke blessings on me. [“hmad,

al-Musnad]

158

• How much effort does it take to say

sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam ? Is it so

much to ask for, for the person who

spent 23 years of his life for me? So

that Islam could reach me and I could

be with him in Paradise?

• Indeed, I would be a miser if I could

not take a few seconds out to ask

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) to bless the

Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi

wa sallam).

159

No Free Time

• Narrated Ibn Abbas (may Allah be

pleased with him) that the Messenger

of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

There are two blessings which many

people lose: health and free time for

doing good. [The ”ook of Ar-Riqaq:

Sahih Bukhari]

163

• When in an examination hall, with the

exam incomplete, does anyone have

free time? As long as we are alive, our

life is an ongoing exam. We will be

judged on what we did with every

moment of it. The results determine our

Hereafter – the rest of our life for

eternity. Then how can one who has no

free time preoccupy himself with this

world? How can one whose exam is

incomplete, experience free time?

164

• So consider, may Allah have mercy

upon you, what one of the scholars said

about one of the Imams I was a

neighbor of his at the school in Cairo,

my house was above his house. For

twelve years, I did not awake on any

night, at any hour of the night except

that I noticed candle light in his house

and he was occupied with knowledge.

Even when he was eating, his books

would be with him and he was

occupied with them. Bustaanul

Aarifeen of an-Nawawi)

165

• Imam Nawawi is the author of the

famous eighteen volume commentary

on Sahih Muslim, known as Sharh

Sahih Muslim. He is also the author of

Minhaj at-Talibin, Kitab al-Adhkar and

Riyad as-Salihin. He would drill himself

on lessons he learnt by heart while

walking along the street. That is how,

although he died at the age of 44, young

in years he was great in the service of

Islam and Muslims.

166

Mu awwidhat

• The Messenger of “llah peace be

upon him) used to seek refuge from

the jinn as well as from the evil eye

until Surah al-Falaq and an-Naas

were revealed. When they were sent

down, he utilised them and left other

things." [Tirmidhi]

167

• This hadith affirms the reality of the

harm that can befall an individual from

the envious, jealous gaze of a person

who when he/she looks at you does not

wish well for you. After the revelation

of these two surahs, the Prophet (pbuh)

sought refuge with Allah (subhana wa

ta'ala) against the evil of the envious

person, the evil of magic and all other

evil, by using these surahs. Regarding

Surah al-Falaq and an-Naas, the

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said that

these are ayaat "the likes of which have

never been seen before." [Sahih

Muslim] 168

• Aisha (radi Allahu anha) reported that

when the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed

every night, he used to cup his hands

together and blow over them after

reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-

Falaq and Surah An-Nas, and then rub

his hands over whatever parts of his

body he was able to rub, starting with

his head, face and front of his body.

He used to do that three times. When

he became seriously ill, she used to

recite (these two Surahs) and rub his

hands over his body hoping for its

blessings. [Sahih Bukhari] 169

• These two surahs are the best to seek

Allah's protection with. Uqbah ibn Amir

(radi Allahu anhu) reported that the

Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "No

seeker of refuge can seek refuge with

anything like these two." [Abu Dawud]

And he (pbuh) said: "O Uqba, learn to

recite Surah al-Falaq, for you will never

recite a surah more cherished by Allah

and more profound in His sight than this

surah." [Hakim, Dhahabi]

• Both of these surahs as well as surah al-

Ikhlas, to be recited three times each, are

included in the morning and evening

supplications/duas. 170

No Faith, No Religion


him said: He who is not trustworthy

has no faith, and he who does not keep

his word has no religion. Bayhaqi)

174

• Truthfulness is the foundation of

prophethood. When Heraclius, the

ruler of Rome, asked Abu Sufyan about

the characteristics of the Messenger of

Allah (pbuh), one of his questions was,

Did you ever accuse him of lying

before he said what he said? “bu

Sufyan, though an enemy of the

Prophet (pbuh) at his time, replied,

No. Heraclius said If he refrained

from telling lies about people he would

not go and tell lies about “llah.

175

• Truthfulness is the result of taqwa and

is the cause of praiseworthy

characteristics. It is not possible for a

person to be a Momin if he is not

truthful. If you want to count yourself

among those who have a religion then

you must adopt truthfulness and

honesty in every sphere of your life and

fulfill each of your promises, big or

small.

176

Like Cow Chewing Cud

• It is narrated that once a deceitful man,

wearing beautiful clothes, went in the

presence of the Prophet (pbuh) and during

conversation raised his voice higher than

the voice of the Prophet (pbuh). When he

went away the Prophet pbuh said: “llah

does not like people of this type. They

work their tongue in the way a cow does

when it chews the cud. In the same way

Allah will twist their faces and mouths on

Doomsday in the fire of Hell. [Tibraani]

177

• We have to be very careful in what we

say and how we say it. Words are like

arrows; once they leave our mouths we

no longer have control over them. Our

prosperity in the next life depends on our

controlling our tongues today, not being

conceited about ourselves, and keeping

our feelings within the bounds of the

Shariah.

• Keeping our voices lower than the voice

of the Prophet (pbuh) for us today means

to not argue against his teachings and not

raise our voices higher than the voice of

those who command us with his

teachings. 178

• Having the fineries of the world often

makes people conceited. Sometimes

they consider themselves to be more

valuable and of higher caliber than the

Ulema who dress ordinarily and live

humbly. Since righteous Ulema are the

inheritors of prophets, we should be

careful not to raise our voices higher

than theirs.

179

No Obedience in Disobedience to Allah


him) said: "There is no obedience to

the creation in disobedience to the

Creator." [Ahmed and Haakim]

183

• If a father and son sleep in one place,

and the son wants to pray fajr but his

father sleeps, does anyone suggest that

the son needs to take permission from

his father to pray the obligatory prayer?

Suppose that the father forbids his son

from performing the prayer, should the

son obey his father? The answer is clear

according to the above mentioned

hadith, as well as the following one:

"Obedience is in what is right." [Sahih

Bukhari and Sahih Muslim]

184

• Therefore, it is clear that no permission

is required for anyone from anyone

when an act is fard ayn (individual

obligation), just as no permission is

required from the father, the husband

or the ruler for the obligatory fajr

prayer.

185

Leaving Fast without Reason


upon him said: Whoever breaks a

fast of Ramadan without an excuse

or dispensation could not requite it

by fasting a lifetime, were he to do

so. [Tirmidhi]

186

• Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has excused

the ill, the traveler, the pregnant and

nursing women from keeping the fasts

of Ramadan. Some are required to

make the fasts up later while others

may pay Kaffara, feeding the needy,

instead. If someone does not keep the

fasts of Ramadan without having an

excuse from the Shariah, their sin is

enormous. Making up those missed

fasts of Ramadan, while obligatory,

cannot remove the sin. One must also

make a sincere repentance to Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) in order to be

forgiven. 187

• Imam Adh-Dhahabi says “ccording

to the established believers, anyone

who leaves the fast of Ramadhan

without being sick is worse than a

fornicator or an alcoholic. In fact, they

doubt his Islam and they suspect that

he might be a zandiqah (one who

claims to be Muslim in order to

destroy it from within) and one of

those who destroy Islam. [quoted in

Fiqh us-Sunnah by As-Sayyid Sabiq]

188

Natural Phenomena or Our Sins


him said: If a community decreases

the measure and weight (of sold grains

or food), they will be overcome by

poverty, their provisions will decrease

and their ruler will be unjust. [Ibn

Majah, al-Bazzar, al-Baihaqi]

192

• We complain all the time about the evil

of our rulers - how they cheat us, lie to

us and are the cause of our ruin. It is

easy to point fingers at others. Much

more under our control are our own

actions. But how much do we analyze

what we do?

193

• The first lesson that we get from this hadith is

that it is the result of our own sinning that we

are afflicted with the rulers that we have.

Everybody thinks of changing the world;

nobody thinks of changing themselves. It is in

exchange for the deception that we practice that

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) punishes us with

poverty and unjust rulers.

• During the khilafah of Hazrat Umar (may Allah

be pleased with him) three minor earthquakes

afflicted Madina. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be

pleased with him) addressed the people and

told them that if they did not stop sinning he

would leave Madina. He did not explain away

the earthquakes as natural phenomena. They

surely are, but all natural phenomena are under

“llah s control.

194

• Hazrat Umar s sagacity and wisdom can

be judged from the fact that several of

the recommendations that he made to

the Prophet (pbuh) were confirmed by

revelation from Allah (subhana wa

ta ala). The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)

also said that if there were to be any

prophet after him it would be Umar!

195

• The second lesson we get from this

hadith is of “llah s mercy. While poverty

and cruel rulers are certainly not

desirable, it is “llah s mercy that he does

not save the punishment of the cheating

Muslims for the Day of Judgment.

• What about those who themselves are

not unethical traders but do not

discourage others from sinning either?

Such are also sinful in the eyes of Allah

(subhana wa ta ala).

196

• Sometimes those who apparently did

not sin and also advised others to obey

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) also appear to

be caught in punishment when it

descends on a community. In such a

case, the punishment may be a

purification for their other sins or a

means of earning higher and better

levels in Jannah.

197

Have an Angel Make Dua for You


upon him said: Whoever visits the

sick, or visits his brother in Allah

faith , a caller calls out, May you

have goodness and your livelihood

be good, and may you dwell in an

abode in Jannah. [Tirmidhi]

198

• There are two reasons given in this

hadith that cause Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) to appoint an angel to pray

specifically for you. These are:

(1) Visiting a person in his illness, and,

(2) Maintaining relations with a

brother/sister-in-faith for the sake of

Allah (subhana wa ta ala).

• For the sake of “llah means to love

a Muslim only because that Muslim

loves Allah (subhana wa ta ala) or

because maintaining relations with

that Muslim will please Allah

(subhana wa ta ala). 199

• The angel prays for all kinds of good

in your life, in particular your

livelihood, and that you end up in

Jannah. And since the angel is

assigned by Allah, his supplication is

sure to be answered by Him (subhana

wa ta ala). Visiting a sick person or a

brother/sister in faith prompts an

angel to make these Duas for you.

200

Ninety-Nine Murders and “llah s Mercy

• Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri that the

Prophet pbuh said, “mongst the men of

Bani Israil there was a man who had

murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he

set out asking (whether his repentance

could be accepted or not). He came upon a

monk and asked him if his repentance

could be accepted. The monk replied in the

negative and so the man killed him. He

kept on asking till a man advised to go to

such and such village. (So he left for it)

but death overtook him on the way. 204

While dying, he turned his chest towards that

village (where he had hoped his repentance

would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy

and the angels of punishment quarreled

amongst themselves regarding him. Allah

ordered the village (towards which he was

going) to come closer to him, and ordered the

village (whence he had come), to go far away,

and then He ordered the angels to measure the

distances between his body and the two

villages. So he was found to be one span closer

to the village (he was going to). So he was

forgiven. [Sahih ”ukhari] 205

Ninety-Nine Murders and “llah s Mercy…

• This hadith is an illustration of “llah s

Mercy and His love of repentance. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) loves repentance and

the repentant so much that he caused

the earth between the man and the

village of good people to shrink and the

earth between the man and the village

he had left to expand, so that the angels

of mercy might have cause to take his

soul.

206

• The man had killed a hundred people and

had not been able to begin his new life in

the village of good people, so hadn t done

any good deeds to make up for his previous

sins. But Allah (subhana wa ta ala) erases all

the sins of the true repentant and so He

saved the repentant man from the angels of

punishment.

• Thus, we must never despair of the Mercy

of Allah (subhana wa ta ala). Hazrat Fudail

bin Ayaadh says that fear is best while one

is healthy, so that one may excel in good

deeds. However, during weakness and

illness, hope is best so that one does not

grow despondent. 207

Half Body Paralyzed


upon him said: If a man has two

wives, but does not treat them with

equality and even-handed justice, he

shall be resurrected on the Day of

Judgement in such a condition that

half of his body is paralysed.

[Tirmidhi]

208

• If you possess more than one wife,

treat them all impartially, fairly, and

equitably, in the time and material

resources you allocate to each of them.

Keep your behaviour the same with

all of them. As for the fact that a man

may be especially attracted towards

one wife or cherish deeper feelings of

love for her, Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

will award no punishment to a man

for that. The Prophet (pbuh) used to

take great care in dispensing equal

treatment to his wives.

209

No Obedience in Sin


him said: There must be no

obedience in respect of sin. Verily,

obedience is intended for good things

only. [Sahih ”ukhari]

213

• Although Allah (subhana wa ta ala) has

enjoined obedience towards parents, the

husband, and the ruler of the Muslims,

nevertheless, nobody has the right to be

obeyed in preference to Allah (subhana

wa ta ala). In other words, if obedience

to any human being, system or law

entails disobedience of Allah and His

Messenger, then such obedience must be

rejected.

214

• Allah Most High is the One who created

us, gave us life, gave us parents and

spouses and enjoined their rights on us.

Therefore, we obey them for the sake of

obeying Allah Most High. To obey them

by neglecting what Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) requires us to do is to doom

ourselves forever. It is to Allah that we

will return and it is Him to Whom we

will be held accountable for the way we

lived this life.

215

Good Planning


upon him said: There is no

wisdom equal to good planning.

[Mishkat]

216

• Although the Messenger of Allah was

“llah s Messenger he planned. “ngels

came to assist him but after he had

planned to the best of his ability with the

best resources that he could muster. This

is because he had to set a precedent for

us.

• Allah (subhana wa ta ala) does not need

us to carry out His plans, or to serve His

Deen. The reason we work for “llah s

Deen is only to give Allah (subhana wa

ta ala) an excuse to put us in Jannah. So

also for “llah s pleasure we plan, in order

to do our best possible, and thus to show

our sincerity. 217

• Suppose you invite 30 people over for dinner.

”ut you don t plan a menu, don t do groceries

according to the menu, don t clean the house,

don t make any seating arrangements and

don t prepare any food. The doorbell rings

and your first guest arrives. Will you be

considered sincere in your invitation when

your guests find out that you are not

prepared to receive them and have no food to

serve them?

• Sincerity shows in planning, while the

outcome is always in “llah s Hands. While

we plan extensively for our education,

careers, and holidays, should we not also

plan for getting to Jannah?

• To have no plan is to have a plan for failure.

What s your plan? 218

No One is Perfect


him said: Let no Mu min hate a

Mu minah: if he hate her for one trait

in her character, let him be pleased

with another that is in her. [Sahih

Muslim]

222

• Love does not mean that we should

always agree with or feel good about

our partners. A man may like a quality

not in his wife, but he should be

conscious of the fact that she might have

other qualities that are even better.

223

• Allah (subhana wa ta ala) says that

spouses are like clothes for each other.

They hide the defects in the body, and

beautify the body. Each person wears

clothes that are just the right size for

their body. So also Allah gave you the

spouse just right for you, somebody who

complements your strengths and

compensates for your weaknesses.

Therefore, never compare your partner

with others. Somebody else s clothes

may look great on them but terrible on

you.

224

• The same applies to the wife regarding

her husband. Perfection in humans is

only possible in Jannah; it does not exist

in humans on earth. So don t look for it

here.

• As clothes and bodies go together but

are not the same, so also your and her

strengths will be different. Do not expect

your spouse to be good at the same

things as you. Do not compete with each

other, nor expect the other to become

just like you.

225

• What happens if something falls on your

best clothes? You carefully wash the

stains off them. You don t junk the

clothes or exhibit the stains, but make

the clothes all beautiful again.

• Sometimes the clothes are perfect.

Everybody says they look great. But you

don t like them. Then it is your own

sight that needs to be fixed. When

partners are able to accept and live with

their differences, love and respect will

grow and that is how this relationship

stays.

226

Gratitude to Others


said: He who does not thank people

is unthankful to “llah. [“bu

Dawud]

227

• One of the early Muslims said:

Ingratitude for a kindness is one of the

enormities. Gratitude consists of

reciprocating the kindness or praying for

the person. Thus, thanking a person

consists of saying JazakAllahu khair

and returning the favor or asking Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) to bless the person.

• Although Allah (subhana wa ta ala) is the

ultimate source of all good, and people

are only the channels through whom

Allah (subhana wa ta ala) sends His

blessings; nevertheless, it is a part of

thanking Allah (subhana wa ta ala) that

we thank the person who does us a

kindness. 228

Northern Wind Will Increase Beauty

• The Messenger of “llah pbuh said: In Jannah

there is a market to which the people will come

every Friday. The northern wind will blow and

shower fragrance on their faces and clothes and,

consequently, it will enhance their beauty and

loveliness. They will then return to their wives

who will also have increased in their beauty and

loveliness, and their families will say to them,

We swear by “llah that you have been increased

in beauty and loveliness since leaving us.

Thereupon they will reply, We swear by “llah

that you have also been increased in beauty and

loveliness since we left you. [Sahih Muslim]

232

• Not just the reward but the beauty of the

people of Paradise will also go on

increasing with time. This is another

speciality of Jannah that the looks and

charm of men and women will keep

increasing, and the love and affection

between husbands and wives will also

keep on progressing and increasing,

without any effort of theirs.

• People will gather in the bazaar for a

time period equal to that of a Jumuah

(friday), as there will be no sun, nor

alternation of night and day.

233

Gaining Knowledge to Revive Islam

• Hasan Al-Basri narrated that

“llah s Messenger peace be upon

him said: He whom death

overtakes while he is engaged in

acquiring knowledge with a view to

reviving Islam with the help of it,

there will be (only) one degree

between him and the Prophet in

Paradise. [Tirmidhi and Darimi]

234

• When Islam first came, society was so

corrupt that the teachings of Islam

appeared strange. The Prophet (peace

be upon him) foretold that there

would once again come a time when

people would have gone so astray that

the teachings of Islam would appear

strange to them.

235

• This hadith promises a fantastic

reward to those who exert themselves

in acquiring the knowledge of Islam

for the sole purpose of reviving Islam

again. Before one may revive Islam in

oneself or in society, one must first

know what Islam is exactly. It is

therefore necessary to study Islam in

order to cleanse our understanding of

it from the cultural and whimsical

beliefs and practices that we have

added to it.

236

• Allah (subhana wa ta ala) will bless,

with one of the highest levels of

Jannah, the Muslim who is engaged in

acquiring knowledge to ultimately

revive Islam with it. Our efforts are

within our control, whereas the

results of our efforts are not. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) in His mercy has

not made what a Muslim is able to

achieve by his/her efforts the basis for

reward. Rather, it is our desire,

intention, and effort which Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) values and

rewards. 237

• When one s efforts for the Deen are going

well and many appear to benefit by it, it is

easy to feel content. It is important then not

to let worldly recognition of the effort

become the goal, rather than “llah s

pleasure. On the other hand, it is easy to

get disheartened when one sees that one s

efforts are not bearing fruit. In “llah s

system of assessment, each effort for His

sake is rewarded fully, regardless of its

worldly outcome. We need to stay focused

on seeking only “llah s pleasure with

whatever we do.

Muhammad (pbuh) has the highest level in

Jannah. To be only a degree away from him

is the greatest success. 238

No Wedding, No Meat, No Bed?

• There was a group of the Companions of

the Prophet pbuh , one of whom said: I

will not marry. “nother said: I will not

eat meat. “nother said: I will not sleep

on a bed. “nother said: I will fast and

not break my fast. News of that reached

the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and he

praised “llah then said: What is the

matter with people who say such and

such? But I pray and I sleep, I fast and I

break my fast, and I marry women.

Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is

not of me. [Sunan an-Nasai]

242

• The concluding words of this hadith are

an admonition. Turning away from the

Sunnah of “llah s beloved Messenger

puts one s Islam in doubt. It is not

possible to exceed him (pbuh) in piety.

Whatever one tries to do against the

teachings of the Prophet (pbuh) is a

distortion of the religion.

• In this hadith we are warned against

adopting the extremism of the people of

earlier religions, who forbade for

themselves those things which Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) had made lawful for

them. Then they were not able to live up

to these self imposed hardships. 243

• Islam is the religion of the Fitrah; it

corresponds to human nature. Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) has only forbidden

us those things which harm our Dunya

or Akhirah. It is extremely unwise to

start adding or subtracting from this list.

Doing so implies knowing better than

Allah; while no-one knows better than

Him and no-one loves us more than

Him.

244

Good News for the Blind


upon him) said: "Allah said, 'If I

deprive my slave of his two beloved

things (his eyes) and he remains

patient, I will let him enter Paradise

in compensation for them.'" [Sahih

Bukhari]

245

• There was once a man who had spent his

whole life in piety. He came on the Day of

Judgement with a mountain of good

deeds, confident of his having earned his

way to Jannah. The angels asked him

whether he wanted to go Jannah by

Allah's mercy or by virtue of his good

deeds. Since he had spent his whole life

doing good, he felt confident and said

that he would like go to Jannah by virtue

of his deeds. So the angels put his

mountain of good deeds on one side of

the scale and on the other side put his

two eyes. The weight of his two eyes sent

all his good deeds flying into the air. 246

• The immense blessings that Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) has bestowed

upon us in the form of our eyes, ears,

tongue, nose and sense of touch is

something we take for granted. If on

top of that we add all of the other

blessings Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

has bestowed on us, we will see that

nobody does enough good to deserve

Jannah. We do not even thank Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) enough for His

blessings. We use our eyes every

waking moment: Do we thank Allah

(subhana wa ta ala) for them every

waking moment? 247

• Jannah is such a great place that there is no

chance that we could do enough good to

deserve it. Allah bestows it on us out of His

love for us. The Prophet (pbuh) said that

even he would enter Jannah by virtue of

Allah's mercy.

• Those who have sight do not thank Allah

(subhana wa ta'ala) enough for this blessing.

Try to go half a day blindfolded to appreciate

the enormity of this blessing. Allah (subhana

wa ta'ala), therefore, promises Jannah to

him/her who is patient with Allah's decree on

losing their sight. Each person's life is an

exam for them. For the person who goes

blind, patience is the key to passing the

exam.

248

Net Over Us


him said: ”y “llah, I am not afraid

of your poverty, but I fear that the

world will spread its net over you, as it

had spread it over the people that

preceded you. Then you will also

compete in world-seeking, as they

begun doing. So it will also destroy

you, as it destroyed the people before

you. [”ukhari]

252

• While total deprivation of material

goods may make a man helpless and

useless; competing for the things of the

world and trying to gain superiority

over others through them, puts one in

greater danger of losing one s religion.

253

• Self absorption in the earning and

spending of wealth puts one in great

trouble on the Day of Accountability.

What the Messenger of Allah (peace be

upon him) warned often as a source of

destruction was wealth and competition

for it.

• Moderation is that the conditions of

living be brought under control so that

they may be used to reach the high ideal

(Jannah).

254

Give a Smile Instead of Chocolate

• Ibn Jaz said: I have not seen anyone

who smiled more than the


him . Hasan) [Chapters on Al-

Manaqib: Jami At-Tirmidhi]

255

• What do you gain when you smile?

When you smile, the actual movement

triggers the brain s pleasure points.

Smiling causes endorphins, which are

known as the body s natural

painkillers, to be released. Not

surprisingly, endorphins are also

released when laughing, exercising,

eating chocolate, getting massaged,

meditating, to just about anything that

leaves a smile on your face. A smile

makes a person feel as good as eating

2000 bars of chocolate.

256

• Research shows that after being

shown pictures of smiling people, the

brain and heart activity of participants

is equal to that when given 2,000

chocolate bars. So the next time you

think of giving someone chocolate,

give a smile instead – it will do 2,000

times better.

257

• Research has also shown that women

who showed an intense happiness in

their smiles indicated a happier

future. When we smile our voices

project a warmer tone. So if you smile

while speaking you are likely to have

a better conversation. Smiling is also a

ticket to better health. Numerous

medical and psychological studies

have found that through the

triggering of certain hormones, a

smile promotes good overall health.

This leads to lower heart rates, steady

breathing and the ability to smile

through stressful situations. 258

• Jarir ibn “bdullah said I did not see

the Prophet, since I embraced Islam,

without a smile on his face. I saw him

smiling when he could not see me and

he would smile in my presence.

[Sahih Bukhari]

259

Nearness of Sun on the Day of Judgment


him said: On the Day of

Resurrection, the sun will be brought

so close to the people that it will be as

close to them as one mile. [Muslim]

263

• The sun will be brought close to people s

heads on that Day, until the distance

between it and them will be no more

than one mile.

• If it were not for the fact that people will

have been re-created in a form in which

they will not die, the heat would melt

them and cause them to evaporate.

• However, after their death on earth they

will not die again.

264

Frequently on Fridays

• The Messenger of “llah pbuh said: “mong

the most excellent of your days is Friday

because on that day Adam was created, and on

it he died, and on that day the Trumpet will be

sounded, and on it shall come the Hour. So

invoke blessings on me frequently on that day,

for your blessings will be brought to me. He

was asked: O Messenger of “llah, how will

our blessings be conveyed to you when your

body has become part of the decaying earth?

He replied: “llah has prohibited the earth from

destroying the bodies of the prophets. [Ibn

Majah; Kitab al-Janaiz] 265

• Frequently invoke blessings on the


him), especially on Fridays. The

blessings you send on him will be

conveyed to him.

266

No Light for Hypocrites


him was asked: Where will the

people be on the Day when the earth is

changed into another earth and the

heavens? He peace be upon him

said: They will be in darkness ahead

of the ”ridge. [Muslim]

270

• This stage comes after the

Reckoning and Weighing of

deeds.

271

• Allah describes this scene in the Quran:

On the Day you shall see the believing

men and the believing women, their light

running forward before them and by their

right hands. Glad tidings for you this

Day! Gardens beneath which rivers flow

(Paradise), to live therein forever! Truly,

this is the great success! On the Day

when the hypocrite men and hypocrite

women will say to the believers, Wait

for us! Let us get something from your

light! It will be said, Go back to your

rear! Then search for light! 272

Then a wall will be placed between them, with a

gate therein. Inside it will be mercy, and outside

it will be torment. The hypocrites will call the

believers, Were we not with you? The believers

will reply, Yes! ”ut you led yourselves into

temptations, you looked forward to our

destruction; you doubted (in faith) and you were

deceived by false desires, till the Command of

Allah came to pass. And the chief deceiver

(Shaitaan) deceived you in respect of “llah. So

this Day no ransom shall be taken from you

(hypocrites), nor of those who disbelieved. Your

abode is the Fire. That is your Mawla (friend -

proper place), and worst indeed is that

destination. [Surah al-Hadeed: Ayaat 12-15] 273

• Believing men and believing women, who

allowed themselves to be guided by the

light of Islam in this life, will be given light

on the Day of Resurrection, which will

show them the way to the Gardens of

Delight.

• The hypocrites will ask the believers to wait

for them so that they can avail themselves

of their light. But it will be said to them to

go back and seek light. What is behind them

is the life of this world. This is where the

believers got their light from. The light of

the believers is in exchange for the good

deeds they performed in the world for

“llah s Pleasure alone. 274

• Another explanation offered, for the

hypocrites being told to go back to

search for light, is that this is to trick

them, just as they used to trick the

believers in this world.

• So the hypocrites will retreat to the rear

and the believers will advance to the

front. Thus, the two parties will become

distinct. Then Allah (subhana wa ta ala)

will set up between them a wall. The

believers, who will be on the inside of

that wall, will be enveloped in “llah s

Mercy; while the hypocrites, on the

outside, will have to endure “llah s

Punishment. 275

Friday's Significance


him said: The best day on which the

sun rises is Friday. On this day Adam

was created, on this day he came down

(from Jannah), it was Friday when his

repentance was accepted, and this day

he died. The Hour will occur on Friday.

There is no creature which is not

waiting every Friday, from the moment

the sun rises, fearing the Hour – apart

from jinn and men. [Sunan Abi

Dawood]

276

• Friday is a significant day for

Muslims. It has been important

historically and there are many

recommended and obligatory deeds

that are especially rewarded on

Fridays. However, it is also a day

feared by all creatures except men and

jinn, because of their knowledge that

it is a Friday on which the Hour will

commence.

277

Noor of Believers


him said: Each one among them,

believer or hypocrite, will be given a

light (Noor), then they will follow

Him… Then the light of the hypocrites

will be extinguished, and the believers

will be saved. [Saheeh Muslim]

281

• Our Prophet (peace be upon him)

narrated that on the Day on

Resurrection, after each nation follows

its made-up god to Hell, and only the

people of his Ummah are left, and then

they begin to follow Allah, darkness will

be cast all around them, and they will

each be given some light.

282

• The commentator on Sharh at-

Tahaawiyah said Some of them will be

given light like a mountain, in front of

them; some will be given more light than

that. Some will be given their light like a

palm-tree, to their right, and some will be

given less than that, on their right. The

last one to be given light will be given it

on his big toe, in front of him, which will

shine on and off. When it will shine, he

will move forward, and when it will be

extinguished he will stand still. He and

they will move forward across the Siraat

(bridge over Hell), and

283

the Siraat will be like the edge of a sword, a

void in which one is likely to slip. It will be

said to them, Carry on as much as your light

enables you to. Some of them will cross it like

a falling star (i.e., very fast), others will cross it

like the wind, or like the blinking of an eye, or

like a man running or jogging, according to the

level of his deeds. Then the one whose light is

on his big toe will cross it, with one hand

slipping and the other holding on, and one foot

slipping and the other hanging on, with the

Fire hitting his sides, until when they pass it

and reach safely they will say, Praise be to

Allah who has saved us from you (Hell) after

we had seen you. We have been given what no

one else has been given.

284

• The light of the hypocrites which was

initially granted them will be

extinguished before they can cross the

Siraat because of which they will fall

into Hell. When the believers see that

the light of the hypocrites has been

extinguished they will pray to Allah to

not let this happen to them: Our Lord!

Keep perfect our light for us and

grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are

“ble to do all things. [Quran: Surah

Tahreem, Ayat 8]

285

The Tourism of My Nation


upon him said: The tourism of my

nation is Jihad in the Cause of

“llah. [“bu Dawud]

286

• Real tourism, for relaxation and

enjoyment with one s family, is in

Jannah. This life is a test that qualifies

people for Jannah or Jahannum. Jihad

serves the purpose of removing the

barriers to the spread of Islam, so that

people are free to choose Islam

without fear of persecution, and are

free to live under the justice and

mercy of the Shariah. The Sahabah

and generations of Muslims

undertook difficult journeys to far

away lands, with no guarantee of

returning, for this purpose alone. 287

• Uqba bin Nafi (radi Allahu anhu) was

one such person who spent his life

spreading the message of Islam to the

people of Africa. Uqba (radi Allahu anhu)

traveled as far as the coast of the Atlantic

ocean in present day Morocco. There, he

rode his horse into the pounding ocean

waves and asked Allah to be his witness:

O “llah! If this sea of darkness had not

appeared before me, I would have

conveyed Your Name, which is the source

of light, to the most remote corners of the

world. The country of Morocco was thus

called in “rabic, al-maghreb al-aqsa,

the land of the farthest west! 288

Falsehood is Falsehood Big or Small

• Asma bint Yazeed (radi Allahu anha)

narrated that she once asked the


him : If one of us women stated that

she had no desire to have a certain

thing even though she had that desire,

then would it be considered a lie? He

(peace be upon him) replied:

Falsehood is written as falsehood,

and a small falsehood is written as a

small falsehood. [Muslim] 289

• There are many lies we tell in the course

of a day that, unfortunately, we don t pay

much attention to. They have become

standard forms of speech for us, even

though they are lies.

• Like a few drops of urine, are not the

same as a chamber pot full of urine, but

are urine nevertheless; small lies, no

matter how insignificant they may

appear to be, will be noted in our record

of deeds as lies and not truths.

• We need to remove even the small traces

of falsehood from our speech otherwise

they will soon desensitize us to big lies as

well. 290

8. august (sunnah selection for daily reading)

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