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Leave this world in the best way you can….

“The life of this world is not your permanent dwelling because Allah has decreed that it should perish and that all its dwellers should leave it. How many a populated area that will soon come to ruins, and how many a happy resident who will soon leave his residence. You should therefore leave this world in the best way you can, and the best of provisions is piety. Since the life of this world is neither a home nor an abode for the believer, he should be in it, either a stranger whose objective is to take the required provisions and return home, or a traveler who is residing nowhere and who is proceeding day and night to reach a country of residence.” - Umar ibn `Abdul `Aziz (radiallahu anhu)

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The Two-Faced Person

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, may Allah protect him, said:

…A two-faced person is a chameleon-like individual with the people. In one sitting, he says what pleases the people who are there. Then, he goes to another sitting, praises those people, says what pleases them and speaks ill of the first group.

He shows one face to a group of people and another face to others. This is hypocrisy, and we seek refuge with Allah; it is also impermissible flattery. He goes to people who do evil deeds and gives the appearance that he is pleased with them. He shows them a pardoning, cheery face. He does the same with the people upon the truth.

For this reason, he is under a sever threat. Allah, The Lofty, described these people by saying (i.e. its meaning):

Wavering between them, [belonging] neither to these [i.e., the believers] nor to those [i.e., the disbelievers]. [Surah an-Nisa (4): 153]

And in another verse, He says (i.e. its meaning):

And when they meet those who believe, they say, “We believe”; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, “Indeed,we are with you; we were only mockers.” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 14]

As for a Muslim, then he is truthful, he does not display chameleon-like behavior, and he does not do things for the sake of people. He interacts with everyone according to what Islam dictates.

He clings to the fear of Allah and truthfulness in every circumstance and sitting in all situations. His goal is Allah, and he seeks His pleasure. He does not seek the pleasure of people…

Saalih al-Fawzaan, An Exaplanation of al-Kabaa’ir by Muhammad b. Abdul-Wahaab, 392

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Qiyamah

Hudhayfah ibn Usayd Ghifari, the companion of the Prophet, said,

“Allah’s Messenger came to us all of a sudden as we were (busy in a discussion). He asked: What are you discussing? (The Companions) replied: We are discussing (the subject of) the Last Hour. Thereupon he said: It will not come until you see ten signs. And (in this connection) he made a mention of the ‘smoke’, ‘Dajjal’, the ‘beast’, the ‘rising of the sun from the west’, the ‘descent of Jesus son of Mary’, ‘Gog and Magog’, ‘sinkings of the earth in three places, one in the east, one in the west and one in Arabia’ at the end of which ‘fire would burn forth from Yemen, and would drive people to the place of their assembly’ (i.e., the place where mankind will be assembled for judgment).”  (Sahih Muslim)

Here, then, are the ten major Signs of the Last Day as prophesied by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him):

• Dajjal — the false Messiah or Anti-Christ,  • Gog and Magog,  • Smoke,  • The beast of the earth or land (most likely the holy land),  • The sun would rise from the west,  • Three sinkings of the earth       • one in the east       • One in the west       • and One in Arabia,  • A fire would come out of Yemen and would drive people to their place of assembly (for judgement),  • The son of Mary would descend. Although these signs were not given by the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings of  Allah Most High be upon him) in their chronological order of occurrence I have made an effort to put them in that order, with the ones that have not as yet occurred at the bottom of the list. How did I arrive at the above order? We know from the prophecies of the blessed Prophet that the third major ‘sinking of the earth’, i.e., the one that would occur in Arabia, would swallow an army that would be heading south to Makkah. That army would be on its way to attack Imam al-Mahdi, the descendent of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Most High be upon him). It was prophesied that he would restore the Islamic Caliphate (or Islamic model of a state) in the Arabian peninsula. It is after that sign has occurred (i.e., the third major earthquake) that the son of Mary would descend from the sky with his hands resting on the wings of two angels, and would kill Dajjal the False Messiah or Anti-Christ. The Qur’an itself has described Jesus (i.e., the return of Jesus) as the ‘ilm (which here means the very key to the subject) of the Last Hour:

“And he (i.e., Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow Me: this is a Straight Way.”  (Qur’an, Zukhruf, 43:61)

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Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said: “…The seeker of Allah and the Hereafter - rather, the one who seeks to obtain all knowledge, productiveness, and leadership, such that he is a leader who is taken as an example in all of this - should be brave, bold, in control of his whims, and not under the control of his imagination. He should be abstinent from everything except that which he is after, passionate about what he has turned his face towards, knowing the path to it, as well as the paths which lead away from it. He should be bold in his aspiration, firm in his resolve, and not swayed from his goal by the blame of the blamers or the discouragement of the discouragers. He should generally be tranquil, constantly in thought, and not be moved by the sweetness of a compliment or the pain of criticism. He should be forthcoming in providing himself with what he needs to help him obtain his goal, and should not be incited by those who oppose him. His slogan should be patience, and his rest should be his fatigue, and he should love to have the best manners. He should make the best of his time, not mixing with the people except in a most cautious state, just like a bird that quickly comes down to snatch a morsel from between two people. He should stand over himself, encouraging himself by way of hope and fear, and should seek to be outstanding amongst his group…” [‘al-Fawa’id’; p. 265]

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Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) [691-751H] defined “gratefulness” in his book ‘Madaarijus- Saalikeen’ [Vol:2] as, “Gratefulness is the form of displaying the reflections of Allah’s Grace on His servant’s tongue through praises and recognition; on his heart through love and sensation; and on his limbs through submission and obedience.” And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings)…” [Qur’an 14:7]

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MaShaaAllah