A Lecture by Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmed (db)

Created to Worship
Man has been created to worship Allah[1]. When he
becomes forgetful of this and becomes weak in his
worship and connection with Allah, he falls from his
status and becomes lower than animals.

An Awakening Moment
Hadrat[2] Bahlol Dana r.a [3] was walking by a
waterfront when he saw some children playing, and saw
another child sitting by himself lost in thought.
Hadrat Bahlol approached this child and asked him why
he was not playing with the others. The child looked
at Hadrat Bahlol i and quoted a verse from the Holy
Quran:

Does man think he will be left uncontrolled (without
purpose)? (75:36)

Hadrat Bahlol was astonished to hear something so
grave coming from what appeared to be a young child,
and said upon reflection, “You seem to be very
intelligent, give me some advice.” The child recited
some poetic verses:

O traveler, your time is short.
Make preparations before you come, and don’t let them
fall short.

Hadrat Bahlol started crying and said, “You are yet so
young. It would be more understandable if you were
someone older who was reflecting on his past sins.
What is the reason for this lamenting at such a young
age?”

The child looked at him and said, “I look at my mother
lighting the fire for dinner. She uses small sticks to
have the fire catch, and then puts in the larger
sticks. I often think that Allah too has to light the
Fire of Hell, and I fear that He might give the
command to have the little children thrown in before
the adults. Bahlol, when I think upon this I cry.”

Countless Blessings
Man has been sent to this world for the worship and
pleasure of Allah. If man does not understand this
then he has not understood anything. The Holy Quran
says:

If you count the favors of Allah, never will you be
able to number them (14:34)

Mankind is immersed in the blessings of Allah – the
air that he breathes; the foods that he eats; the
comforts that he enjoys. The reality should be that we
praise Him to the degree that we enjoy His blessings.
However, man is such an ingrate that he enjoys Allah’s
blessings but remains in doubt and complaint regarding
His Creator.

Man forgets His purpose and is heedless to the fact
that he has not been sent here to live forever. People
have to realize that some day they have to depart this
life for the next, and so they have to prepare.

Currency of Paradise
Every country has its particular financial currency.
Pakistani rupees cannot function in America, where the
currency is the dollar, and whoever has more dollars
will live that much more comfortably. Likewise, the
currency of Saudi Arabia is the riyal, and whoever has
more riyals will be that much richer than the one who
does not.

The currency of the Hereafter is righteous deeds and
no other currency will benefit man after his death.
There will be no foreign currency exchange where he
can change his money for good deeds like we do here
when traveling from country to country. The person who
has more of this currency of good deeds will be in
that much more comfort than the person who does not.
Today we have been given time to amass this currency
so that we may be in comfort in the Hereafter. It will
be too late in the grave.

Does man ever stop to reflect on the fact that he is
getting old? The answer is an emphatic no because man
always considers himself young in every circumstance.
His youth slips away and man becomes an empty shell
but he does not realize this. He still thinks himself
young when the Angel of Death comes for him.

Becoming Muslim
This is a limited life, but wealth distracts and
blinds man from his purpose. This wealth is chloroform
and whoever smells this forgets his purpose. He falls
deeper and deeper into the lusts of this world, until
he has no realization of the Hereafter. This is why
this wealth has been called a curse and the wife and
children have been called a curse. Why is this so? It
is because of these things that man turns his face
from Allah and starts towards the road of wrong in an
effort to please his wife and children.

Man’s purpose is to establish a connection with Allah
and to strive to attain His pleasure. Man was created
so he would rise – rise high and recognize his
Creator. Sadly, man’s animalistic desires make him
fall to the lowest depths. Man falls into a hole of
his own making and can only be called a man of God
when he shuns these animal desires and recognizes his
Creator.

People think that becoming a Muslim is easy, but in
reality it is very hard. Becoming a Muslim by tongue
is very easy, but becoming a practicing Muslim is very
hard. It makes no difference whether the tongue says
that we are Muslim if the eyes and ears and limbs are
not Muslim, and by that is meant that they submit to
the commandments of Allah. Only that person is a
Muslim whose eyes, ears, tongue, speech, thought, and
private parts are Muslim. A Muslim is a Muslim from
head to toe.

People have to reflect upon themselves and determine
whether their eyes have become Muslim in the life that
they have lived so far. If this is not the case, then
what have they gained in this life? The misfortune is
that man forgets himself and forgets to evaluate
himself.

A man forgets himself and his Creator to such a degree
that he will lie, cheat, take false oaths, and still
dare to say that Allah is Most Forgiving. The Holy
Quran says:

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying
We believe and that they will not be tested? (29:2)

Man should pray to Allah that he become Muslim.

We did test those before them, and Allah will
certainly know those who are true from those who are
false (29:3)

By (the Token of) Time (through the ages),
Verily man is in loss
Except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and
(join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and
of Patience and Constancy (103:1-3)

The Messenger [4] of Allah said, “Shall I tell you of
a people who are in grave loss? They are those who
spend their lives chasing the attractions of this
world and think that they are in a state of good
fortune.”

Submission to Allah’s Will
Wealth is a test for man; if mere wealth were a ticket
to Paradise then Qarun[5] would have been assured a
residence there. The successful person is the one who
acts righteously and advises others upon righteousness
also. Today everyone knows but we are no longer
concerned with knowing because today everyone claims
they know everything. This is a matter of accepting
and not knowing. We refuse to accept and act upon what
is right, and we should pray to Allah that we
recognize our purpose.

We are only Muslims by mouth whereas our actions are
comparable with the Hypocrites of Madinah. One of our
pious elders once asked a man in a foreign country,
“Why dont you accept Islam?” To this he replied,
“Islam is very good in theory, but show me a country
where Islamic Law is being applied and people are
living according to its tenets, and I am willing to
accept Islam today.”

Bernard Shaw said that Islam is not a religion for the
lazy, but for the dynamic who spend their lives to
please Allah. Our purpose is not to fill our bellies,
but to please Allah.

Definition of a Muslim
What is a Muslim? The Messenger of Allah said, “A
Muslim is he from whose hands and tongue other Muslims
are safe.” Now let us evaluate ourselves and determine
whether our tongues speak and lash out against other
people? Do we raise our hands against other people?
What sort of Islam are we practicing, and what sort of
Muslims are we? These are all pertinent questions for
which everyone should search his soul.

A Muslim is a well wisher not only for his fellow man,
but also for Allahs entire creation. A Muslim’s eyes
and heart are clean: he fearlessly speaks the truth
and his character is flawless.

This flawless character was the only reason that the
world was compelled to bow before the camel and
sheepherders of Arabia who were the Companions
(Sahabah) of the Messenger of Allah. Caesar of Rome
bowed before those same camel herders, who changed the
geography and destiny of the world. Where are those
people now before whom armies fell and kings bowed?
Where is that strength? This is only the strength of
faith (iman).

Man has forgotten the status that Allah has created
him for. An eagle is a high-flying bird, but it will
never learn to soar high as it was meant to if it is
reared like a chicken. Man is a mere handful of clay,
but if he realizes his true purpose he can soar higher
than the angels. Man has to realize why he has been
sent here and why he was created if he is to succeed
and progress towards Allah. Today we are chasing after
this temporary life and do not seek out the company of
pious people, and this indicates that we have truly
forgotten our purpose.

Where are the people who used to cry in front of Allah
all night? Where are the people whose beds were never
slept in and who used to pray Fajr with the previous
night’s ablution? It seems that they were some other
people with whom we have now lost touch. They were
Allah’s worshippers in every condition whether they
were rulers or beggars.

Hadrat Umar ibn al-Khattab[6]
The Muslims have a superb example in Hadrat Umar ibn
al-Khattab. It is written that Hadrat Umar was making
his nightly rounds through the streets of Madinah when
he heard voices coming from a nearby house. He drew
nearer and heard a mother saying to her daughter,
“People will come to collect the milk in the morning.
We dont have a lot – add some water so we can get a
good price.” The daughter refused, to which the mother
said, “It is not such a big thing, Umar isn’t
watching.” The daughter replied, “Mother, if Umar
isnt watching, then Umars Creator is watching.”

Hadrat Umar returned home impressed with the young
lady’s faith. Upon awaking the next morning he sent a
message to that house that he wanted the girl of that
house as his daughter-in- law. These were times when
people were evaluated on the basis of their sincerity
and character, not on how many education degrees they
had or how many houses they owned.

On another occasion, Hadrat Umar was traveling and
came upon a shepherd herding sheep in what appeared to
be a barren wasteland, with no settlement in sight. He
asked whether the sheep belonged to the shepherd, who
replied that he had a master. Hadrat Umar offered him
food but the shepherd said that he was fasting; Hadrat
Umar was amazed that he was fasting in such heat and
decided to test him.

Hadrat Umar offered to pay for a sheep that they could
sacrifice and eat, but the shepherd said that he must
first ask permission from his master. Hadrat Umar
said, “Your master is not here, neither is he
watching.” The shepherd then replied, “My master may
not be here, but Allah is everywhere.” Hadrat Umar was
amazed at this man’s sincerity and steadfastness. We
should reflect on where such people are today and how
we can become like them.

Other Examples of Sincerity
Our traditions speak of a cruel king who used to
kidnap beautiful young women to use and abuse as he
wished. Once he was sitting with a very beautiful and
naturally terrified young woman as night fell. He told
her to close all the windows and doors, and she
grudgingly walked to comply, terrified and
contemplating what would happen. He grew angry when
she delayed and raised his voice, asking why she was
taking so long. The young woman replied, “Your
Majesty, I have closed all the windows and doors, but
one door is not closing.” The king jumped up, “What
door is that?” The woman continued, “Your Majesty, the
doors through which creation can look are closed, but
no one can close the door through which the Creator
looks.”

These bold words touched and awakened the king’s heart
and he immediately fell in prostration, begging
forgiveness for his previous life. We today also must
realize that our Creator is watching our every move.

Hadrat Salahuddin Ayubi was the commander of the
Muslim forces in Palestine during the First Crusade,
when all the Christian forces were massing against the
Muslims. He learnt that a large force had just left
Europe intent on destroying the Muslims, and so he
spent the whole night in the mosque crying to Allah.

He exited the mosque after Fajr and saw an elderly man
coming out at the same time. He was dressed in white
and looked angelic. Hadrat Salahuddin Ayubi approached
him and asked him to pray for the Muslim forces. The
elderly man looked at him and said, “Do not worry
Salahuddin, your night’s tears have drowned the
Christian convoy!”

An anecdote from the time of Muslim rule serves to
teach us what a believer is. This was a time when
people knew that a Muslim’s tongue speaks truth. A
Muslim hunters arrow accidentally struck and killed a
Christian child, whose father hence entered a plea to
the local judge. The judge was a Muslim and rendered a
verdict of death by hanging. Upon request, the judge
granted the accused respite for three days so he could
settle his affairs. People of course found it hard to
believe that this man would live up to his word and
return in three days.

However, this man returned in the allotted time and
said, “I have settled all my affairs and have come
back to pay for my crime.” The child’s father was
amazed and said, “Seeing this I accept Islam and
forgive him of my child’s blood.” This was a time when
Muslims were true.

One day during his rule (khilafat), Hadrat Umar
thought that he should make his nightly rounds in the
newly developing suburbs instead of the city like he
usually used to do. It was very dark at night and he
heard a rider approaching.

“Who goes there?” he asked in a loud voice. The rider
answered, “I am a woman and I have an emergency.”
Hadrat Umar was surprised because it was too late for
anyone to be out, so he asked, “Why have you come out
alone so late?” The woman answered, “Commander of the
Faithful, I have an emergency which compelled me to
come out.” Hadrat Umar asked in amazement, “How did
you know you were speaking to the Commander of the
Faithful?” The woman replied, “I knew that it could
only be the Commander of the Faithful who would dare
to ask me another question after I said that I was a
woman. Any other would have continued walking on his
way without another word.”

This is just one example of how the honor of ladies
was respected. Today the honor of women sitting in
their homes is not safe because we are only Muslims of
the tongue, whereas they were Muslims of their word.

Examples for Eternity
Muslims are just in their dealings with others, and
hence measure and weigh correctly because they fear
Allah. We see an excellent example of this in Hadrat
Imam Abu Hanifa, who used to own a clothing store. One
day he returned home earlier than usual and someone
asked, “Abu Hanifa, you usually come later than this,
why are you coming early today?” Hadrat Abu Hanifa i
answered, “Today there was a thick cloud cover and so
people would not have been able to tell the difference
between different qualities of cloth. I closed early
so that my customers are not defrauded by this.”

Islam has given us perfect guidance in the Holy Quran
and shining examples in the lives of the Messenger a
of Allah and his Sahabah. At one time during his
khilafat Hadrat Umar was seated working on a budget
when he heard a knock. Hadrat Ali entered and said
that he had something to discuss. Hadrat Umar asked,
“Is it personal or does it have to do with matters of
state?” Hadrat Ali answered that it was a personal
matter, and so Hadrat Umar closed his books and blew
out the lamp, turning his full attention to his guest.

Hadrat Ali asked, “Why have you blown out the lamp?
Hadrat Umar answered, I cannot justify letting the
oil of the people burn while we have a personal
discussion.”

This above example is enough to illustrate the degree
of fear and respect within these people. Living on
this Earth they were able to please Allah and set
examples for generations of mankind to come.

Complete Submission
Allah says that He subjugates creation in front of one
who subjugates himself to Allah, and nowhere is this
more applicable than in the lives of the Sahabah of
the Messenger of Allah.

Hadrat Umar was once in council with his advisors when
an earthquake shook the city of Madinah. He looked in
amazement at the ground and stamped his foot down hard
upon it. He said sternly, “Why are you shaking? Has
Umar not established just rule upon you?” The ground
instantly stopped shaking because Allah had commanded
creation to be obedient to Hadrat Umar.

In Egypt the Nile River would occasionally flood its
banks and would recede only when a young virgin girl
was thrown in as a human sacrifice according to age
old pagan custom. Hadrat Umar learnt of this and wrote
a note, which he instructed the Muslim governor of the
region to throw into the river. The note read; “River
Nile, if you flow by the Will of Allah, then Allah’s
Khalifah commands you to start flowing. If you flow by
your own will, then we have no need of your flowing.”
The river receded and started flowing immediately and
has not stopped to this date.

We as a people should reflect on why the earth, the
wind, animals, and all humanity obeyed these people.
They used to bow to the Will of Allah and were so
attached to His Book that people and nations bowed to
Islam wherever these people turned. From this Book and
the excellent teachings of the Messenger a of Allah
they learnt impeccable character that we need to bring
into our lives today. Their purpose was but to please
Allah and prepare for the Hereafter, and we need to
reflect and learn from their excellent examples if we
are to please our Lord.

B i s m i l l a a h i r   R a h m a a n i r   R a h e e m   

   Ramadhaan

     Reflections    

   

Last Days of Ramadhaan

Think Deeply… Where Are You?

By Nermin Abd El-Moniem

Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. The Arabic word for prayer (salaah) derives from the word (silah) which means “a connection”. Prayer is the best way that we can make contact with our Creator and seek His guidance and support. Essentially, prayer is our main route to attaining Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala’s Pleasure, and it is the first thing we will be asked about after death.

Since Islam is the religion of all humanity, it encourages us to be successful and ambitious and to work hard in order to achieve the best for ourselves, our communities, and for humanity as a whole. Also, Islam urges us to better ourselves in the various aspects of our daily lives, including our worship of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. On the Day of Judgment, Allaah will ask us about our deeds, and we will be punished or rewarded according to the quality of those deeds.

Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala says: “To any of you that chooses to press forward, or to follow behind – Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.” [al-Muddaththir 74:37-38]

In light of this, all Muslims are obligated to try to be proficient and successful in their various walks of life – as students, workers, doctors, craftsmen…etc. Moreover, we should remember that we do not seek success for our worldly lives only, but also for our lives in the Hereafter. Likewise, we have to try hard to attain higher degrees of excellence in our worship.

Accordingly, the five daily prayers are not just a duty or a habit for Muslims, but they are a daily and direct connection between us and Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. In other words, they are our helpline that we use five times a day to give our hearts and souls the guidance that they need.

It is not easy for me, or for any of us as Muslims, to train ourselves to wake up daily before dawn in order to pray the Fajr prayer. It is also not easy to drag ourselves away from life’s hectic schedule so we can always pray the rest of the five prayers on time. Yet, do we ever ask ourselves if Allaah has accepted our prayers or not? Do we ever ask ourselves how we might improve the performance of our prayers?

In fact, I had never asked myself any of these questions until after reading the following words of Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah). He writes:

Mankind, with regard to the performance of their prayers, are on five levels:

The First: This is the level of one who is negligent and wrongs his soul. He is the one who falls short in performing wudoo’ properly, performing the prayer on time and within its specified limits, and in fulfilling its essential pillars.

The Second: This is the level of one who guards his habit of offering his prayers on time and within their specified limits, who fulfils their essential pillars and performs his wudoo’ with care. However, his striving (in achieving the above) is wasted due to disturbances in his thoughts during prayer that distract him and turn his attention to other preoccupations and concerns.

The Third: This is the level of one who guards his prayers within the specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and strives within himself to repel the disturbances in his thoughts and extraneous concerns. He is busy struggling against his enemy Shaytaan (Satan) so that the Shaytaan does not steal from the prayer. Because of this, he is engaged in (both) prayer and struggle (jihaad).

The Fourth: This is the level of one who carries out the prayer, completing and perfecting its due rights and essential pillars, who performs it within its specified limits and with his heart fully engrossed in safeguarding its rights and specified limits, so that nothing of his prayer is wasted. His whole concern is directed towards its performance, its completion and its perfection – as it should be. His heart is immersed in the prayer and in servitude to his Lord, the Exalted.

The Fifth: This is the level of one who carries out the prayer like the one mentioned above. However, on top of this, he has taken and placed his heart in front of his Lord, looking towards Him with his heart in anticipation, filled with His love and His might, as if he sees and witnesses Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. The misgivings, thoughts and preoccupations have vanished and the veil between him and his Lord is lifted. The difference between this person and others with respect to the prayer is greater than the distance between the heavens and the earth. This person is busy with his Lord, delighted with Him.

The people whose performance of prayer is at the first level will be punished, those at the second will be held to account, those at the third will have their sins and shortcomings expiated, those at the forth fourth will be rewarded, and those at the fifth will be close to their Lord, because they will receive the portion of the one who makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of His eye. Whoever makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of His eye will have the nearness of his Lord made the delight and pleasure of His eye in the Hereafter. He will also be made a pleasure to the eye in this world, since whoever makes Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala the pleasure of His eye in this world, every other eye will become delighted and pleased with him.

From that time on, I started to ask myself: Where am I? Will I be punished or rewarded? How can I reach the 5^th level?

Now, during the last ten days of Ramadhaan, we have to seize the opportunity to gain Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala’s forgiveness. These are last ten days of Ramadhaan, in which we seek Laylat ul-Qadr. Muslim all over the world perform I‘tikaaf, and offer the Tahajjud prayers asking Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala to accept all their good deeds, forgive all their sins, and to keep them free from Hell.

It is the time for all of us to think deeply about the answer to these questions. And I pray to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala that we will all be on the fifth level or will soon reach to this venerable level.

The Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa allam said, “If any Muslim comes out of Ramadhaan without gaining forgiveness and goodness, he is a real loser.” [Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan and Mu‘jam al-Tabaraani]

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Rasulullah’s ((sallallahu alayhe wa sallam / Peace be Upon Him)) Sense of Humor

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) is an example for the Muslim to follow in every aspect of life, as it is mentioned in the by Allah the almighty in the Quran

“In the Messenger of Allah is a good example for you to follow.”
[Quran Surah#33 Ayah #21].

Even in joking and having a good sense of humor Rasulullah has set an example for us.

It is reported that the Prophet was asked by his companions : “You are joking with us.” He said, “But I never say anything but the truth.”
[Authentically reported in Sahih Bukhari]

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) used to joke, but he never said anything but the truth in his jokes. The Sahabah took the same approach to humor. There are many delightful reports about the jokes exchanged between the Prophet and the Sahabah.

Among the stories related in the books of hadith and sirah is the report that the Prophet used to joke with the small child of one of the Sahabah, a boy called Abu ‘Umayr, who had a small bird he used to play with.

One day he saw the child looking sad, so he said, “Why do I see Abu ‘Umayr looking sad?” The Sahabah told him, “The nughar [a small bird, like a sparrow - author] which he used to play with has died, O Messenger of Allah.”

The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) began to gently joke with the child, saying, “O Abu Umayr, what happened to the nughayr?” [Nughayr: diminutive of nughar. - author. In Arabic, this is a play on words, because of the rhyme between the boy's name and that of the bird. - Translator. This story was reported in Hayat al-Sahabah, 3/149]

A man came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) to ask him to give him a beast to ride. The Prophet jokingly told him, “I will give you the offspring of a she-camel to ride.” He said, “O Messenger of Allah , what will I do with the offspring of a she-camel?” The Prophet said: “Are riding-camels born except from she-camels?” [Reported by Imaam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, with a Sahih isnad.]

Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal reported from Anas (radhiallahu `anhu) that there was a man from the desert people whose name was Zahir. He used to bring gifts from the desert to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) , and in return the Prophet would provide him with whatever he needed when he went out to fight. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “Zahir is our man of the desert, and we are his town-dwellers.” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam)loved him very much, and he (Zahir) was an ugly man. One day the Prophet came to him whilst he was selling some goods. He embraced him from behind. The man could not see him, so he said, “Let me go! Who is this?” Then he turned around and recognized the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam), so he tried to move closer to him once he knew who it was. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) started to say, “Who will buy this slave?” Zahir said, “O Messenger of Allah , you will find me unsellable.” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “But in the sight of Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) you are not unsellable,” or he said, “But in the sight of Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) you are valuable.”

An old woman came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) that I will enter Paradise.” He said jokingly, “O Mother of So-and-so, no old women will enter Paradise.” The old woman went away crying, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said, “Tell her that she will not enter Paradise as an old woman, for Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala) says: (We have created [their Companions] of special creation, and made them virgin-pure [and undefiled]) [Quran 56:35-36].” [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, it is hasan because of the existence of corroborating reports.]

One of the ahadith that reflects the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) sense of humor and enjoyment of fun is the report that Imaam Ahmad gives from ‘A’ishah who said: “I went out with the Prophet on a journey. At that time I was a young girl and was quite slender. The Prophet told the people, ‘Go on ahead,’ so they went ahead, then he said to me, ‘Come, let us have a race.’ So I raced with him, and I won. He let the matter rest until I had gained weight. Later, I accompanied him on another journey. He told the people, ‘Go on ahead,’ so they went ahead. He said to me, ‘Come, let us have a race.’ So I raced with him, and he won. He began to laugh, and said, ‘This is for that.”‘

The Sahabah saw nothing wrong with joking or having fun, as they saw the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) , their leader and teacher, occasionally doing so. The many delightful stories about their sense of humor reflect the easy-going nature of the first Islamic society, and how far removed it was from narrow-mindedness and gloom.

In al-Adab al-Mufrad, Imaam Bukhari reports from Bakr ibn ‘Abdillah who said: “The Companions of the Prophet used to throw melon-rinds at one another, but when the matter was serious, they were the only true men.”

This is moderate, Islamically acceptable humor, which does not go beyond the bounds of truth, or lessen the gravitas or manhood of a person. Rather, it serves its purpose of refreshing hearts and minds.

An example of the Sahabah’s sense of humor, which made the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) laugh, is the report given by Imam Ahmad from Umm. Salamah (radhiallahu `anha). Abil Bakr (radhiallahu `anhu) went to do business in Busra, and with him were Nu’ayman and Suwaybit ibn Harmalah (radhiallahu `anhuma), both of whom had been present at Badr. Suwaybit was in charge of food on the journey, and Nu’ayman said to him, “Feed me!” Suwaybit said, “Not until Abu Bakr (radhiallahu `anhu) comes.” Nu’ayman was a fun-loving man with a sense of humor, so he went to some people who had brought livestock with them, and said, “Will you buy a sturdy Arab slave from me?” They said, “Yes.” He said, “He has a big mouth, and he may tell you that he is a free man. If that means that you do not want to take him, then forget the matter, and do not cause trouble for me with him.” They said, “No problem, we will buy him.” So they bought him for ten young she-camels. Nu’ayman brought the animals back, and told the people: “There he is!”

Suwaybit said: “I am a free man!” They said, “He has already told us all about you,” and put a rope around his neck and led him away. Then Abu Bakr came, and was told what had happened. He and his companions went and returned the animals and took Suwaybit back. They told the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) what had happened, and he and his Sahabah would laugh about the story for a year afterwards.

A Bedouin came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam). He entered the mosque and left his camel in the courtyard. Some of his Companions said to Nu’ayman ibn ‘Amr al-Ansari, who was known as al-Nu’ayman: “If you slaughter it, we will eat it, because we want to have some meat, and the Messenger of Allah will pay for it.” So al-Nu’ayman slaughtered it. Then the Bedouin came out and saw his saddle, so he shouted, “They have slaughtered my camel, O Muhammad!” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) came out and asked: “Who did this?” They said, “Al-Nu’ayman.” So he went looking for him, and found him at the home of Duba’ah bint al-Zubayr ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib (radhiallahu `anha), where he had hidden in a ditch and covered himself with palm branches and leaves. A man pointed to where he was and said, loudly, “I have not seen him, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) brought him out of the ditch, and his face was dirty from where the leaves had fallen on him. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) asked him, “Why did you do that?” Al-Nu’ayman said: “The ones who told you where I was, O Messenger of Allah, are the same ones who told me to do it.” The Prophet (sallallahualayhe wa sallam) began wiping his face and laughing, then he paid the price of the slaughtered camel. [See Hayat As Sahabah, 3/154, 155]

There is no clearer indication than these and similar reports of the lightheartedness and sense of humor that Islam wants its followers to have. These qualities will make a person good-natured and likeable, which will enable him to win people’s hearts. No one needs such characteristics more than the Muslim who seeks to call others to Islam.

Shaik Sadik

I’tikaf

One of the many observances that are related exclusively to Ramadhan, particularly to it’s last ten days, is I’tikaf. The basic aim of I’tikaf is that the bondsman continued at the door of the Almighty, i.e.; in the corner of a mosque, cutting himself aloof from the world and devoting his time wholly to prayer and worship. It is the worship of the favourite worship of the bondsman of the Lord. Evidently, no time could be more appropriate for it than the month of Ramadhan, especially it’s ten days.

The powerful urge that had seized the Prophet (saw) before the revelation of the Qur’an to seek solitude and spend his time mostly in prayer and meditation, and , in consequence of which, he used to pass several months on end in the Cave of Hira – this, so to speak was the first I’tikaf of the Prophet (saw), and it was in that that his spirituality had evolved to the stage that marked the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an. During the last ten days of this I’tikaf, Gabriel (as) came to him with the opening verse of the Surah of Iqra. Beyond doubt and for certain it was the month of Ramadhan, it’s last ten days, and the night was the Night of Power. The last ten days of Ramadhan have, thus, been set apart for I’tikaf.

The fasts of Ramadhan have been prescribed for all Muslims for the development of the soul and for enabling it to subdue the carnal appetites. In other words, this much exertion and sacrifice of sensual desires has been made obligatory for every Muslim that he neither ate nor drank anything nor sought sexual satisfaction during the whole of the blessed month, in compliance with the command of Allah (SWT) and with the intention of paying divine honours to Him, and, along with it avoided all sinful acts and worthless things. It is the general, compulsory course of spiritual training and self-purification for the month of Ramadhan. For higher upliftment and forging a closer affinity with the Celestial World we have I’tikaf.

In I’tikaf the bondsman cuts himself away from everything and throws himself at the threshold , or rather the feet oh his Lord and Creator. He remembers Him, exalts His name and offers earnest repentance to Him, cries over his sins and follies, entreats Him for mercy and forgiveness and seeks His countenance and propinquity. His days and nights are spent in that way. The holy Prophet (saw) used to take special care to observe I’tikaf during the Last ten days of Ramadhan. Once when he could not carry it out due to some reason, it observed it for twenty days in the following Ramadhan.

It is related on the authority of Ayesha (RA) that “The Apostle of Allah (saw) observed I’tikaf in the last ten days of Ramadhan, till the end of his life. After his death his wives continued with it.”

Bukhari and Muslim

Commentary; The Prophet’s wives observed I’tikaf in their apartments, and for women, in general, the place where they celebrate the prayer-services at home is the right place for I’tikaf. If there is no such place in the house, arrangements should be made for it.

Anas narrates the “The Apostle of Allah (saw) observed I’tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan. One year he could not do the I’tikaf, and so in the next year he did it for twenty days.”

Tirmidhi

Commentary: It is not stated in the above narrative of Hazrat Anas (RA) why the Prophet (saw) could not observe I’tikaf in that year. But in another tradition quoted in Nassai and Abu Dawood, on the authority of Hazrat Ubbi bin Ka’ab, it is told that once the Prophet (saw) had to go on a journey during the last ten days of Ramadhan, and therefore he could not carry out the I’tikaf that year, but in the next year he did it for twenty days.

It is further mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, on the authority of Hazrat Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (saw) had also observed I’tikaf for twenty days in the month of Ramadhan of the year in which he died. Perhaps the Prophet (saw) had received some indication that his hour of departure from the world was near, and after it he naturally felt more powerfully drawn to observances like I’tikaf.

Ayesh (RA) related to us that “The rules of Shariat for the M’otakif (i.e.: one who is in I’tikaf) are that he should neither go out to visit the sick nor attend a funeral nor have sexual intercourse nor engage in (love play) like kissing and embracing nor even step out of the Mosque for personal needs save those that are unavoidable (such as, answering the call of nature), and I’tikaf (should be observed only with fasting) – there can no I’tikaf without fasting – and it must be carried out in the jam’I masjid and at no other place.

-Abu Dawood

Commentary: As we have explained earlier, when a Companion says about a thing that it is the Sunnat it denotes that it is what is prescribed in the Sharia and the inference is that he had learned it from the sayings or doings of the Prophet. The rules of I’tikaf delineated in the above tradition, thus, fall within the category of the Prophet’s commands and directives.

The term Jam’I masjid occurring in it means the “mosque of congregation” , i.e., the mosque in which the five daily services are celebrated in congregation.

It is related by Abdullah bin Abbas that the Apostle of God said about the person who is in I’tikaf that “(owing to I’tikaf and by reason of keeping within the limits of the mosque) he is protected from sin and the account of is virtues deeds goes on like that of any other virtues bondsman and (they ) are put down in his Balance-sheet of Deed.”

-Ibn-I-Maja

Commentary: When the bondsman confines himself in the mosque for I’tikaf, he makes a great addition to his virtuous deeds through prayer, Zikr and Tilawat but, at the same time, he is prevented from performing certain acts of high moral and religious worth, as for instance, he cannot visit the sick or care for them which is a most meritorious act in the sight of God or work for the welfare of the weak, the indigent and the orphan and the widow or bathe the dead body which, is done with sincerity and there is the desire to earn the divine recompense, is a deed of much moral goodness. In the same way, he cannot go out to participate in the funeral service nor accompany the bier to the graveyard in doing which sin are forgiven at each step and good deeds are written in the Scroll of Deeds.

The above traditions, however gives, the glad tidings to the devotee observing I’tikaf that, by the command of God, all the good acts he used to perform normally but is kept away from performing owing to I’tikaf are written down in his Register of Deeds

FROM MEANING AND MESSAGES OF THE TRADITIONS

BY SHAYKH MOHAMMAD MANZOOR NOMANI (RA).

Ramadaan: Save the Changes

Nearly everyone in this age of modern technology has at some stage worked with a P.C. We have used it to draft documents, amend these documents, copied and pasted onto documents, used the ‘undo’ icon, edited documents, just to mention a few of the time saving operations that we find on this device.

After opening a document that we have worked upon previously and made the necessary changes and improvements a little box appears on the screen asking the question: Do you want to save the changes you have made to this document? You are then given the option of selecting the YES tab or the NO tab. Selecting the YES tab will give you the desired results while selecting the NO tab literally takes you back to square one. All the effort made in editing, improving and shaping the document becomes an exercise in futility.

Don’t we all find ourselves in a similar predicament when the blessed month of Ramadaan passes us? Just think of your book of deeds like a document on your P.C. During the month of Ramadaan we have done amongst other things the following-
· Increased our ibaadah and acts of charity
· Taken control of our feelings and emotion
· Responded with compassion and sensitivity to the needs of other.
· Multiplied our good deeds

At the same time we have spent many hours on the Musallah begging for Allah’sforgiveness for our sins, errors and transgressions.

The vital question that needs to be asked is :
Do we want to save the changes that we have made in the month of Ramadaan?, Are we going to press the YES tab or the No tab?
Pressing the YES tab will leave us with a new, improved version. A version of heightened spirituality, a version of righteousness, a version that is pleasing to our Creator. Pressing the NO tab will take us back to square one; back to our old habits before Ramadaan, back to the life of sin and immorality, back to a life of heedlessness and back to a life subjecting ourselves to the wrath of the Almighty.

How do we improve on this document; the document of our lives, the document of our deeds, the document that we are going to present to Allah the Almighty on the Day of Reckoning. Here are some hints: Copy and Paste from the life of our illustrious master Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)

Use the ‘undo’ icon by making taubah immediately after any transgression as the Hadith states “The one who repents from sin is like one who has committed no sin at all”

There may not be a need to do a “spell check” but there is certainly a need to do a “sincerity check” and a “shari’ah check” Are we complying?

There may be files and folders that we want to keep while there could be some others we would not even want others to know exist. Many of us begged Allah to “delete” our sins and dark deeds .We cried before Allah, shed tears of remorse and vowed not to commit those sins in future. Going back to the sins that we have asked Allah’s forgiveness for would be like making a visit to the “recycle bin”.

What about viruses? P.C. users are also very wary about e-mails they receive and the sites that they visit, fearing the admission of a virus that may pollute their system and cause it to malfunction.

Why do we then subject our minds and thoughts to immoral sites and dens of vice which would pollute our moral system and cause us to malfunction? What anti-virus software have we installed to ward off the variety of fitnahs that confront us everyday?

Fortunate is the person who has saved the changes. Even more unfortunate is the person who has made no changes as he /she has nothing to save.

Moulana Imraan Khamissa

Please forgive – Positive energy

The Prophet Muhammad (SAW – may the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) said:   “Musa (AS – peace be upon him), the son of Imran once asked, ” Oh my Lord! Who is the most honourable of Your servants? And He replied, the person who forgives even when he is in a position of power” (Baihaqi).

 
You know you’re right. You know what I’m referring to – those times when you get into an argument(s) with a family member, friend, boss, employee, coworker, classmate, teacher or whoever. You know your facts are right or that you’ve been wronged with an insulting remark, sarcastic comment or rudeness. And so, you choose to hold a grudge. After all, you’ve got a right to. Nobody should be treated this way. Why should you forgive? You’re not the one who started this. You’re not the one who doesn’t have the facts straight. True. You may be right. You may be in that position of power mentioned in the Hadith above. But forgiving others, apart from positively affecting our health (less stress) and our minds (one less negative thing to focus on), is a necessary step to closeness to God.

 
How can we move up the ladder of spiritual development when we hold bitterness and anger towards another person?
 
While we may have been in the right, is it worth sacrificing our energy on a grudge instead of on growth?

 
Is there not something strange about asking for God’s forgiveness of our sins while withholding our forgiveness from someone who has hurt us?

 
One of the distinguishing features of Ramadan is forgiveness. The Prophet explained in one Hadith that Ramadan is a month whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is Forgiveness and whose end is freedom from the Hellfire.

 
This makes it a great time to ask God for His Forgiveness. It’s also a wonderful time to open our hearts and cleanse them of grudges and bitterness by forgiving others. Let us use these remaining days of forgiveness this Ramadan to open our hearts to those who have wronged us and forgive them as we beg Allah to forgive us.

 
Please forgive .