#Qur'an: Az-Zumar (39)

[travelingprincess]

Advice to One Who Feels Irredeemable After Major Sins

﷽

Did you know, sister? The Muslim is not allowed to despair in the mercy of Allah.

Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.

—Qur'an (Yusuf) 12:87

As for suicide, you are correct. This is categorically forbidden.

And do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction.

—Qur'an (al-Baqarah) 2:195

So glad tidings to the believers, who know they have a merciful Lord who forgives them! :)

Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

—Qu'ran (az-Zumar) 39:53

I was listening to a lecture by a student of knowledge not too long ago and he mentioned something that I found amazing, regarding the devil's deception:

He is the one who, when it's time to commit a sin, whispers to you, "It's okay—we'll just repent for it later!"

However, once you've committed the sin, he pulls a pikachu face and makes you think, "Oh no, what have I done?! How will Allah ever forgive me for this disgusting act of transgression I've committed?! I can never be forgiven!"

And so in this way, he traps you into a mindset that ensures you will never turn to Allah and be forgiven, because you don't ask for it. SO many ayat and ahadith explain to us how Allah is only waiting for his slaves to turn to him. That is the only delay. Forgiveness is assured, the hold up is just in our turning to Allah.

And don't think for a second you're the only one who has gone through what you're going through, or sinned as you have. Indeed it is in human nature to sin, and the sins of desires are the easiest of all for us, because of the inclinations inherent in each of us.

With that said, just turn to Allah. :) It doesn't matter how ashamed you feel—in fact, it's good to feel regret since that helps to fuel a sincere repentance. But what makes you delay in seeking forgiveness? Do you think Allah doesn't already know what you've done? Of course he does. So repent to Him and show your sincerity in coming to the right path.

And this isn’t really me, I just feel that way because I feel so impure.

It is okay to feel regret; it is not okay to despair, or to feel that your mistakes define who you are. They do not.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The adulterer is not a believer while he is committing adultery. The drinker of wine is not a believer while he is drinking wine. The thief is not a believer while he is stealing. The plunderer is not a believer while he is plundering and the people are looking to him.”

In another narration, the Prophet said, “And he is not a believer while he is killing.”

—Sahih al-Bukhari 2343, Sahih Muslim 57

I'm sharing this to draw your attention to the wording of the hadith, specifically (which I've emphasized for your benefit). While you were sinning, you may have been impure, yes, but you are not currently sinning, alhamdulillah. You are begging Allah for forgiveness, and this is something the believer does and the believer is pure.

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best sinners are those who repent."

—Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2499

So the condition of the believer is like that.

It’s gotten to the point where salah isn’t even helping.

Another trick of the Shaiytaan. He hopes to distract you and cause you enough hopelessness that you turn away from Salah, which would be a greater sin than the one you're discussing in this post.

Let me repeat that: LEAVING OFF SALAH IS A GREATER SIN THAN ZINA.

'Abdullah bin Buraidah narrated that his father said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.'"

—Sunan Ibn Majah 1079

Salah will help 100%, you just have to keep at it so Shaiytaan can see that his antics aren't working. Who is more truthful? Shaiytaan, the consummate liar and enemy of the believers, or Allah, The Most High?

"Verily, Salah restrains (oneself) from shameful and unjust deeds…"

—Qur'an (al-'Ankabut) 29:45

You went on to mention:

I just feel like I’ve failed as a Muslim and I’ve failed in life.

As mentioned above, the Muslim is the one who turns to Allah again and again. So do that. You are not your past. You are what you do about it. So turn to Allah and He will forgive you. We have countless ahadith and ayat about Allah forgiving MUCH worse than what you've done.

Even to Fir'aun, who is among the worst of the people in all of creation, who will be in the depths of the Hellfire, Allah sent his noble prophet Musa (alayhisalaam)—to do what?

"And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah]."

—Qur'an (Taha) 20:44

Subhanallah, a great Prophet was sent to Fir'aun so that he might repent for his sin of associating himself as a partner with Allah. And if Fir'aun had not been arrogant and accepted the message, begging Allah for forgiveness, Allah would have forgiven even him!

So give yourself a little perspective. It is not the end of the world. Yes, it's a major sin and you fell into it. Many, many, many people do. Upon us is to turn to Allah and ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart, to not return to the sin, and to busy ourselves with goodness instead.

And Allah knows best.

[tintafugaz]

The Divine Mercy: Exploring Forgiveness in the Qur'an

• "But if you pardon, overlook, and forgive—their reward is with Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who do good."

(Surah Ash-Shura 42:40)

• "Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

(Surah Az-Zumar 39:53)

• "And let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

(Surah An-Nur 24:22)

• "Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant."

(Surah Al-A'raf 7:199)

• "And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who can forgive sins except Allah? And [who] do not persist in what they have done while they know."

(Surah Aal-E-Imran 3:135)

[diksibising]

Iman artinya yakin atau percaya kepada hari akhir hari pembalasan, dan Inilah ciri-ciri orang yang beriman dan yang tidak beriman.

Yang pertama ciri orang yang beriman ialah mereka yang ketika di ajak ngobrol tentang Allah mengenai Islam hatinya akan bergetar merespon atau sefrekuensi tertarik, dan apalagi di kasih taukan ayat Qur'annya akan menambah kuat imannya, dan menambah kuat yakinnya. Sehingga dirinya akan senantiasa tetap bertawakal hanya kepada Allah SWT dalam kondisi apapun itu.

اِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الَّذِيْنَ اِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّٰهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوْبُهُمْ وَاِ ذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتُهٗ زَا دَتْهُمْ اِيْمَا نًا وَّعَلٰى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُوْنَ 

"Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang beriman adalah mereka yang apabila disebut nama Allah gemetar hatinya, dan apabila dibacakan ayat-ayat-Nya kepada mereka, bertambah (kuat) imannya dan hanya kepada Tuhan mereka bertawakal,"(QS. Al-Anfal 8: Ayat 2)

Yang kedua ciri orang yang tidak beriman ialah mereka yang tidak mengimani atau menyakini kepada hari akhir hari pembalasan. Dan disaat di ajak ngobrol tentang Allah mengenai Islam atau Qur'an, membuat hatinya menjadi kesal, ngga merespon ngga tertarik bahkan ngantuk. Dan apabila ngobrolin sesembahannya yang disebut kesukaannya atau hobinya hatinya spontan akan berubah merasa sangat senang, gembira dan tertarik merespon nya.

وَاِ ذَا ذُكِرَ اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ اشْمَاَ زَّتْ قُلُوْبُ الَّذِيْنَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِا لْاٰ خِرَةِ  ۚ وَاِ ذَا ذُكِرَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖۤ اِذَا هُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُوْنَ

"Dan apabila yang disebut hanya nama Allah, kesal sekali hati orang-orang yang tidak beriman kepada akhirat. Namun apabila nama-nama sembahan selain Allah yang disebut, tiba-tiba mereka menjadi bergembira."

(QS. Az-Zumar 39: Ayat 45)

Disini kita akan mengetahui jawabannya masing-masing, karena yang mengetahui hanya diri kita dan Allah.

[bayuvedha]

"Keutamaan SAYYIDUL ISTIGHFAR"

عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: سَيِّدُ الْاِسْتِغْفارِ أَنْ يَقُوْلَ الْعَبْدُ : اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ ، لَا إِلٰـهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ ، أَبُوْءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمتِكَ عَلَيَّ ، وَأَبُوْءُ بِذَنْبِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ مَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ النَّهَارِ مُوْقِنًا بِهَا ، فَمَـاتَ مِنْ يوْمِهِ قَبْل أَنْ يُمْسِيَ ، فَهُو مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُوَ مُوْقِنٌ بِهَا فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُصْبِحَ ، فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ . (رواه البخاري و الأداب المفرد)

Artinya :

_Dari  Syaddad bin Aus Radhiyallahu 'Anhu dari Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, *“Sesungguhnya Istighfâr yang paling baik adalah seseorang hamba mengucapkan: (Ya Allâh, Engkau adalah Rabbku, tidak ada Ilah yang berhak diibadahi dengan benar selain Engkau. Engkau yang menciptakan aku dan aku adalah hamba-Mu. Aku menetapi perjanjian-Mu dan janji-Mu sesuai dengan kemampuanku. Aku berlindung kepada-Mu dari keburukan perbuatanku, aku mengakui nikmat-Mu kepadaku dan aku mengakui dosaku kepada-Mu, maka ampunilah aku. Sebab tidak ada yang dapat mengampuni dosa selain Engkau).* (Beliau ﷺ bersabda) *“Barangsiapa mengucapkannya di waktu siang dengan penuh keyakinan lalu meninggal pada hari itu sebelum waktu sore, maka ia termasuk penghuni Surga. Barangsiapa membacanya di waktu malam dengan penuh keyakinan lalu meninggal sebelum masuk waktu pagi, maka ia termasuk penghuni Surga."*_

(HR. Imam al-Bukhari dalam shahîhnya no. 6306, 6323 dan al-Adabul Mufrad no. 617, 620)

*PELAJARAN YANG TERDAPAT PADA HADITS DI ATAS :*

1. Setiap bani Adam itu pasti banyak berbuat dosa, namun yang terbaik dari orang yang berbuat dosa yaitu yang memohon ampun kepada Allah SWT. dan bertaubat. Allah SWT. memerintahkan hamba-Nya untuk selalu memohon ampun dan bertaubat kepada-Nya.

2. Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam menamakan lafazh istighfar ini dengan Sayyidul Istighfar karena terkandung dalam hadits ini makna taubat dan merendahkan diri di hadapan Allah SWT., yang tidak terdapat dalam hadits-hadits taubat lainnya.

3. Imam ath-Thibiy rahimahullah berkata,

_*“Karena do’a ini mengandung makna-makna taubat secara menyeluruh maka dipakailah istilah sayyid, yang pada asalnya, sayyid itu artinya induk atau pimpinan yang dituju dalam semua keperluan dan semua urusan kembali kepadanya.”*_

(Bahjatun Nâzhirîn Syarah Riyadus Shalihin, Syaikh Salim al-Hilali)

4. Rasûlullâh Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam mengumpulkan dalam  hadits ini makna-makna yang indah dan lafazh-lafazh yang bagus sehingga pantas untuk dinamakan Sayyidul Istighfâr.

5. Barangsiapa mengucapkan Sayyidul Istighfar di waktu siang dengan penuh keyakinan lalu meninggal pada hari itu sebelum waktu sore, maka ia termasuk penghuni Surga.

Barangsiapa membacanya di waktu malam dengan penuh keyakinan lalu meninggal sebelum masuk waktu pagi, maka ia termasuk penghuni Surga.

*TEMA HADITS YANG BERKAITAN DENGAN AYAT AL-QUR'AN :*

1. Allâh SWT.-pun berjanji akan mengampuni orang-orang yang meminta ampun dan bertaubat kepada-Nya;

١- وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ ۞

_*"Dan sungguh, Aku Maha Pengampun bagi yang bertaubat, beriman dan berbuat kebajikan, kemudian tetap dalam petunjuk."*_

(QS. Thâha/20: 82)

٢- قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ۞

_Katakanlah, *“Wahai hamba-hamba-Ku yang melampaui batas terhadap diri mereka sendiri! Janganlah kamu berputus asa dari rahmat Allâh. Sesungguhnya Allâh mengampuni dosa-dosa semuanya. Sungguh, Dialah Yang Maha Pengampun, Maha Penyayang.”*_

(QS. Az-Zumar/39: 53)

2. Allah SWT. memerintahkan kepada kita untuk banyak beristighfâr/meminta ampun kepada-Nya.

Begitu pula Allâh memerintahkan Nabi Shallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam untuk beristighfar;

وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۞

[smqazi]

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS!

Bismillahi-Rahmanir-Raheem, بسماللہالرحمنالرحیم

Rabbishrah lee sadree wa yassirlee amree wahlul ‘uqdatum-mil-lithaanee, yafqahoo qawlee.

رباشرحلیصدریویسرلیامریواحللعقدةمنلسانییفقھواقولی 

Amma ba’d امابعد,

CONGRATULATIONS! 

A MIRACLE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. BY THE GRACE OF ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA’ALA), CAPTAIN IMRAN KHAN AND HIS TEAM HAVE WON, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM MILLIONS OF SELFLESS, DEDICATED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, WHO ARE DEVOTED TO HIS MISSION IN LIFE, ALL OVER PAKISTAN AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

All Praises are due to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) Alone. Al-Hamdo lillahi Rabbil ‘aalameen الحمدللہربالعالمین. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) bless them all, one and all, young and old, men, women and children, Ameen آمین, and reward all of them with the best of everything in both the words, Thumma Ameen 

Bravo to Captain Imran Khan and his team, who worked hard with commitment and Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and with sheer faith in Allah  (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Laa ilaaha illAllah لا الا الله, a commitment to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), and a sincere promise not to beg from anyone else and bow to anyone but God Almighty, Iyyaka wa iyyaka nast’aeen  إياكنعبدوإياكنستعين.

God loves those who are steadfast” – Holy Qur'an Surah Al-e-‘Imran, 3, Ayah 146)

Say: "O My slaves who believe, be afraid of your Lord (Allah) and keep your duty to Him. Good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world, and Allah's earth is spacious! Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.” Surah Az-Zumar, 39, Ayah 10.

Because of Yaqeen Muhkam یقیں محکم , ’Amal Paiham  عمل پیہم, and Muhabbat محبت  for the world, he has won the hearts of Muslim children, women and old people all over the world as their beloved leader. Thanks to Allah, the only ONE, Who gave victory to H.E. Imran Khan and his team of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) پاکستان تحریک انصاف.   

God Almighty proved beyond a shadow of doubt that if you obey Me, have faith in Me, and trust Me, I will keep you steadfast and remove any obstacle in your marathon run of thirty (30) years to victory both as a good Captain and as a Leader, who can prove to the whole world that he is a unique and one of a kind LEADER par excellence of the Islamic World, In shaa Allah!

The good news for the whole world of Islam is the Imran Khan is going to come back soon as the New Prime Minister of New Pakistan نیا پاکستان, a new Raisat-e-Madinah  نئی ریاست مدینہ , In shaa Allah. 

It is his second coming to help the helpless, the needy, and the poor people of New Pakistan to get out of poverty and lead a decent life in the New Islamic Republic of Pakistan, just like in any other developed country anywhere in the world. It is just the beginning of a new coming and you haven't seen nothing yet.

Allahu (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is going to make him the nex Prime Minister, again, like he did before. The people of Makkah challenged Prophet Muhammad (SallAlllahu ‘alaihi wa Salllam) that how will Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) raise them again while they were be nothing but bones in the grave, Surah al-Qiyamah, 75, Ayaat 1-5.

So the answerv given to Meccans by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) was:

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَ, I swear by the Day of Resurrection

وَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلنَّفۡسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ, And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].

أَيَحۡسَبُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَلَّن نَّجۡمَعَ عِظَامَهُ, Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?

بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَه, Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

Please pray two Rak’at رکعات of Salatu Hajah صلواة الحاجه  on behalf of Imran Khan begging Allah (Subhanah wa Ta’ala) to give courage, wisdom and strength to Imran Khan to fulfill his promises that he made to Allah (Subhanah wa Ta’ala) in the Holy Ka’bah خانہ کعبہ in Makkah Mukarramah مکہ مکرمه , and to Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam) in his Hujrah Mubarak حجرہ مبارک in Masjid-e-Nabwi مسجد نبوى, Madinah Munawwarah مدینہ منورہ.

As to the government officials in opposition to him, who want to get rid of him because they are jealous of his wonderful achievements inall fields of life,both here and abroad.. They badly want what the Almighty has given him, but God Almighty has written curses in their fate. They are reaping what they sowed in last thirty (30) years. May God Almighty show them the light, Ameen, and make them also good Muslims, Thumma Ameen.

Last but least, please go to the Imam امام (Khateeb خطیب) of your Mosque (Masjid) on this coming Friday and request him to pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for his health, happiness and prosperity, Ameen,  and grant him the courage, the wisdom, the strength and Taufiq توفیق  to be the Best Prime Minister of Pakistan for all times to come, Ameen Thumma Ameen Yaa Rabbil ‘aalameen آمین ثم آمین یا رب العالمین.

[loverandservantoftheahlulbayt]

🍃🕊🍃 Relationship between Allah and His Creation

We were talking as to which word the word 'ism' in 'bismillah' is connected. In this regard there are several possibilities as I have mentioned.

🍃 The Creator and the Created

We cannot understand certain questions in this regard unless we know what sort of relationship there exists between Allah and the creation. We talk about this relationship either parrot-like and repeat some set words, or occasionally in addition to that advance some arguments also. A stage higher than this is the privilege of some other people.

Anyhow the relationship between Allah and the creation is not of the sort that exists, for example, between father and son, that is between two things existing independently but related to each other. The sun and its rays are an example of a closer relationship. In this case also the sun and its rays are two different things, each having a separate existence to some extent. Man and his mental and physical faculties are an example of another kind of relationship.

Even in this case man and his faculties are not identical, though they are closely related. Unlike all these examples, the relationship between the existing things and Allah, Who is the source of their existence, is of quite a different kind and cannot be compared to any of the relationships mentioned above. At several places in the Qur'an and the traditions the relationship between Allah and His creation has been described as Allah's glory. The Qur'an says:

When his Lord revealed His glory to the mountain. (Surah al-A'raf, 7:143).

There is a sentence in the Samat Supplication which says:

'By the light of Your glory You revealed to the mountain and thus sent it down crashing…’

At another place the Qur'an says:

Allah takes away the souls at the times of their death. (Surah az-Zumar, 39:42)

while it is known that taking away the souls is the job of the Death Angel. If somebody kills a person, in that case also it is said that he has put him to death. At another place the Qur'an says:

You did not throw when you threw (the pebbles), but Allah threw. (Surah al-Anfal, 8:17)

All this is the description of a light and a glory. If we ponder over this concept, certain questions occur to our mind.

🍃 Meanings of Al-Hamd

We said earlier that the first possibility about the definite article in al-Hamdu is that it might be denoting comprehensiveness. In that case hamd (praise) would mean all praises, and the word 'hamd' as well as the word, 'ism' will have a sense of multitude. From this point of view 'al-hamdu lillahi' would mean that every praise that is made is that of Allah, for it is always the praise of some aspect of His manifestation or glory.

The sun manifests itself in its rays. Man is manifested in his seeing and hearing faculties. Allah manifests Himself far more clearly in every creation of His. Therefore, when anything is praised actually a manifestation of Allah's glory is praised.

As all the existing things are the signs of Allah, they are His names. According to the second possibility we mentioned, the meaning would be diametrically different, and 'al-hamdu lillahi' would signify that no praise made by any praiser was that of Allah, although in this case also His glory is revealed in all the objects which are praised. But our praise cannot be absolute, nor are we capable of praising the Absolute Being.

Anyhow, as all pluralities are lost and absorbed in the unity of the Absolute Being, it may be said that from one angle even in this case it is the Absolute Being that is praised. The only difference is of the angle from which you look at this issue. If you look at it from the angle of plurality, then every praise would be that of Allah, every existing thing would be His name and every name would be different from other names.

According to this possibility the meaning of bismillah will be different from its meaning according to the other possibility. The main feature of this possibility is that a sense of numerousness is implied in the conception of 'ism' or name. Allah is the name in which the stage of multitude and detail is taken into consideration. This name is the 'Exalted Name' in which Allah's glory is revealed.

🍃 Divine Glory in Everything

The glory of Allah's Exalted Name is revealed in everything. Allah's name Rahman (Beneficent) is the reflection of His beneficence in the state of action and His name Rahim (Merciful) is the reflection of His mercy in the state of action. The same applies to 'rabbil 'alamin' (Lord of the Universe), 'iyyaka na'budu' (You we worship) etc.

According to the second possibility, hamd (praise) in 'al-hamdu lillah' signifies absolute and unqualified praise. In this case the conception of Allah, Rahman and Rahim will also be a little different. According to the first possibility 'ism' (name) means every existing thing with reference to its function.

In other words, as the function of anything changes, it becomes a different ‘ism’ or name. But according to the second possibility 'hamd' in 'al-hamdu lillah' signifies unqualified and absolute ‘hamd’ with the names of Allah, Rahman and Rahim.

Allah alone can perform such a ‘hamd’ or praise and He does so with a name that is the name of the manifestation of His glory at the stage of self. In other words, He praises Himself with some of His names at this stage. Allah is the comprehensive name at the stage of self, not at the stage of manifestation.

Allah's every name at this stage is His glory. Rahman (Munificent) is the name of His munificence at the stage of self. Rahim (Merciful) is the name of His mercy at the stage of self. The same is the case with such other names as Rab (Sustainer) etc.

These conceptions can be proved by means of higher philosophy which is different from commonly known ordinary philosophy. But the case of the holy men, the friends of Allah is quite different. They have perceived and grasped these things by traversing the stages of spiritual journey.

🍃 Prophet’s, Observations and Experiences

The holy men cannot tell others what they see. Even in the Holy Qur'an many sublime truths have been mentioned in a simplified and diluted form so that they may be communicated even to the ordinary people not yet free from their low and base desires.

In this respect the hands of the Holy Prophet himself were tied. He was not allowed to explain the truths to the people in clear terms and therefore he stated the truths in a weakened form. The Qur'an has many degrees of meanings and has been revealed in 70 or 70,000 layers.

Having been reduced in intensity in each layer it has come to us in a form which we may be able to understand with our limited intellect. Telling us about Himself Allah says:

Will they not regard the camels how they have been created? (Surah al-Ghashiya, 88:17)

It is our bad luck that while describing lower creations like sun, sky, earth and man, the Prophets felt that there was a knot in their tongue and that they could not express the truth in clear words:

O my Lord! Open my chest for me; make the matter easy and untie the knot in my tongue. (Surah Taha, 20:25)

Other Prophets also had knots in their tongues as well as their hearts, and for that reason they could not express the truths exactly as they perceived them. They tried to a certain extent explain them to us through examples and illustrations.

When an example of camel is used to explain to us the existence of Allah, it should not be difficult to understand where we stand. In fact we are no better than animals, and as such the knowledge we can obtain must be very defective. As for the Prophets the Qur'an says at one place:

And when his Lord revealed His glory to the mountain, He sent it crashing down. And Moses fell down senseless (Surah al-A'raf, 7:143).

When Allah imparted special spiritual training to Moses he said to Allah: 'My lord, let me see you.' Obviously an eminent Prophet cannot ask for seeing Allah with his physical eyes. Therefore his request must have been for a kind of seeing appropriate to the seer and the object to be seen. But even this kind of seeing was not possible, Moses said to Allah: 'My Lord! Let me see you.' The answer was: 'you will not see Me.' Allah further said: 'But gaze upon the mountain.’

What is meant by the mountain here? Does it signify Mount Sinai? Was it that the glory that could not be revealed to Moses, could be revealed to this mountain? If some other people had been present at the Mount Sinai at that time, could they also see the revelation of Allah's glory? The sentence, 'Gaze upon the mountain' implies a promise. Allah said:

'You cannot see Me. But gaze upon the mountain. If it stands still in its place, then you will see Me.' (Surah al-A'raf, 7:143)

There is a possibility that the mountain here might have meant the remnant of egoism still left in Moses. As the result of the revelation of glory the mountain was smashed. In other words egoism of Moses was completely done away with. 'And Moses fell down senseless.' That means that Moses reached the stage of completely passing away of his human attributes.

What happened to Moses is a story for us, but for the Prophets it is an experience. This experience has been narrated to us in the form of a story because we are not yet free from egoism. The mention of the mountain or the Mount Sinai is only for our sake.

🍃 Meaning of Glory

People like us think that the glory revealed to Prophet Moses was a light seen by him. It might have been seen by others too. What a novel idea! As if it was a light that could be seen by everybody. Jibra'il (Gabriel), - the Holy Ghost used to recite the Qur'an before the Holy Prophet. Could others hear him? We do not have the slightest idea of the reality and our knowledge is confined to hearsay.

The Prophets can be compared to a person who saw a dream or witnessed something, but is unable to describe what he saw and others are also not fit to understand what he says. The same is the case with the Prophets. Neither they can describe what they see, nor can we understand what they say.

No doubt the Prophets have said something, but we can understand only that which is comprehensible to us. The Qur'an contains everything. It has the rules of law as well as the stories, to the underlying idea of which we do not have access, but we can understand what they apparently mean.

There are certain things in the Qur'an by which everybody can be benefited to some extent, but in the real sense the Holy Qur'an could be understood only by him to whom it was addressed. Of course those Holy men, who were both trained and instructed by the Holy Prophet direct or later imbibed his teachings, also understand the Qur'an.

Through the Holy Ghost the Qur'an was revealed to the heart of the Holy Prophet. The Qur'an itself says:

The Holy Ghost descended with it on your heart (Surah ash-Shu'ra, 26:193)

The Qur'an was revealed many a time and each time it was revealed in a more diluted form. The Qur'an says:

We revealed it on the Night of Power. (Surah al-Qadr, 97:1).

On each Night of Power the same glory is revealed, but on a reduced scale.

In short the Qur'an was revealed to the heart of the Holy Prophet many a time. It was revealed in stages, grades and layers till it finally assumed the form of words.

🍃 Nature of the Quran

The Holy Quran is not a collection of words, nor is it a thing that could be seen, heard or expressed in words. Nor is it a mode or a quality. It has been accorded an easy form for the benefit of us, who could neither hear it nor see it. Those who were really benefited by the Quran, were trained on different lines.

Their method of deriving benefit from the Quran was quite different. They had a special way of attending to the source from which the Quran has emerged. Glory of Allah is revealed from the hidden world and reaches the physical world after having been reduced gradually in intensity.

As there is a vast difference between the various grades of the hidden world and the corresponding grades of the physical world, similarly there is a vast difference between our perception and the perception of those who are superior to us and then between their perception and the perception of those who are still higher.

The Prophets and the Imams enjoy the highest grade of perception. Only they can have that divine glory revealed to them which was witnessed by Prophet Musa and which is mentioned in the Quran when it says:

When his Lord revealed His glory to the mountain. ..(7:143) This even has been hinted at in the Samat Supplication also. The Quran says:

…a voice was heard saying: 'Moses, surely I am [Allah] your Lord…(20:11-12)

Each of these things is perfectly all right in itself. As for the question what should we do if we want to learn the Qur'an, it must be remembered that these things are not a subject for learning and teaching.

🍃 Exegesis of the Quran

If we are interested in the interpretation of the Quran, we have to study those commentaries which are well-known and commonly available. Some of these commentaries occasionally mention some of these subjects, but all that they say amounts to leading the blind by the blind. The Quran deals with all these questions, but only for him who can understand them. It has been said: 'Only he to whom it is addressed, knows the Quran.' This fact has been alluded to in the following verses:

The Holy Spirit descended with it on your heart. (26:193)

We revealed it on the Night of Power (97:1)

Nobody can witness the reality of the Quran except the Holy Prophet, who was the first addressee of the Qur'an. Here there is no question of intellectual perception nor of any proof or argument. It is a question of witnessing the truth, not with the eye or with the mind, but with the heart, and for that matter, not an ordinary heart, but the heart of the Holy Prophet, who himself was the heart of the world.

The Holy Prophet witnessed the reality of the Quran. As its first addressee he knew the Quran well. But even he expressed the truth in veiled words and by means of examples. How can we explain sunlight to a blind man? What language should we use for this purpose? Where can we find the appropriate words?

All that we can say is that sight is possible in the light only. What can he who has seen the divine light tell the one who has not seen it? What can he who has a knot in his tongue tell him who has a knot in his ears. The Prophets had a knot in their tongues because their listeners lacked the capacity of understanding what they said.

The Holy Prophet's Embarrassment

This knot was causing a great deal of worry and inconvenience to the Holy Prophet who wondered to whom he should explain the Qur'an which was revealed to his heart. Perhaps there were a good number of things which could not be told to anybody except the person who was occupying the position of absolute Wilayat.

The Holy Prophet is reported to have said: 'No Prophet has been tortured so much as I have been.' If this report is correct, it might have implied among other things that the Holy Prophet was unable to convey to others what he wanted to convey. His position in this respect was that of a father keen to show the sun to his blind child. His frustration can easily be imagined.

The father wants to explain the sunlight to his child, but on account of child's blindness he is unable to do so. He does not find suitable words to convey what he wants to convey.

It is said that knowledge is a great hurdle. It prevents people from undertaking gnostic journey and instead involves them into intellectual questions and scientific theories. For the Holy men knowledge is the greatest barrier and veil.

The more the knowledge, the bigger hurdle it will prove. Man being egoistic and self-centered, feels elated by his limited knowledge and thinks that there is nothing beyond what he knows. Only a few persons guided by the help of Allah refrain from such false notion and silly thinking.

🍃 Tendency of Monopolization in Knowledge

Everybody thinks that knowledge is confined to what he has learnt and all achievements depend on it. The jurist holds that the only branch of knowledge that exists is jurisprudence. The gnostic thinks that there is nothing except gnosis.

The philosopher is of the opinion that everything other than philosophy is useless. The engineer maintains that only engineering is important. Nowadays, it is said that knowledge is only that which can be proved by experiment and observation. Everything else is unscientific. Thus knowledge is a big hurdle. There are other hurdles too, but this is the biggest.

Knowledge, which was expected to be a beacon light and a guide has became a hurdle, an obstacle. That is true of all kinds of formal knowledge. Formal knowledge does not allow man to become what he should. It makes him egoistic. Its adverse effect on an untrained mind leads man backward.

As knowledge accumulates, its disadvantages and harmful effects grow. It is no use sowing seeds in a barren soil. A barren soil and untrained mind averse to the name of Allah are alike. Some people are scared by philosophical questions, although philosophy is a branch of formal knowledge. Similarly philosophers shy of from gnosis, while the gnostics consider all formal knowledge to be an idle talk.

Formal Knowledge is a Hurdle in the Way of Remembering Allah

I do not know what we should become, but I know that our training should be such that our formal knowledge should not be a hurdle in the way of remembering Allah. This is an important question. Our pre-occupation with knowledge should not make us forget Allah.

Our pride on account of our knowledge should not make us self-conceited and away from the source of all perfection. Such a pride is common among the scholars and intellectuals irrespective of the fact whether they are the scholars of medical sciences, Islamic sciences or rational sciences. If heart is not purified the emergence of such a pride is natural. It keeps man away from Allah.

How is it that the study of a book often absorbs man's entire attention, but prayer does not? I had a friend who is dead now. Whenever he forgot something and could not recollect it, he used to say: 'Let me stand up for offering prayers. I hope I'll immediately recollect it.'

He thought as if while offering prayers man was not required to pay attention to Allah and was free to think of anything on the face of earth, even to try to solve any scientific question if he wanted. Knowledge which was meant to help man reaching his goal can thus prevent him from doing so. Religious law and other branches of religious knowledge are only a means, which enable us to act according to Islamic injunctions.

Even action according to Islamic injunctions is not an end in itself. The real objective is to awaken our conscience so that we may be able to reach the veils of divine light after crossing the veils of darkness. According to a tradition there are 70,000 veils of divine light. The number of the veils of darkness is also stated to be the same. Further, the veils of divine light are also after all veils or screens. We have not yet come out of the veils of darkness, to say nothing of the veils of light. We are still wriggling in the veils of darkness.

As the luck would have it, the sciences whether religious or rational, have affected us adversely.

🍃 Mental and Concrete

Some of those who are wandering about in darkness call the rational sciences mental sciences. Probably what they mean is that these sciences have no concrete existence. Anyway, all sciences are a means of reaching a goal. Any science that does not serve that purpose is not fit to be called a science.

Any knowledge which does not allow man to achieve the objective for which the Prophets have come, is darkness and a barrier. The Prophets came to take the people out of the darkness of this world and to lead them to the sole source of light. They wanted man to pass away in absolute light. They want the drop of water to be mingled in the ocean and lose its existence. (It must be remembered that the simile does not represent the position fully.)

All Prophets came for this very purpose and all sciences are a means of achieving this goal. The real existence is of that Light only. We are but nonentity. All Prophets came to pull us out of all sorts of darkness and to lead us to the sole and absolute Light, the source of all existence.

Sometimes even scholastic theology becomes a hurdle and a barrier. In this branch of knowledge arguments are adduced to prove the existence of Allah, but in some cases even these arguments lead people away from Him. The method followed by scholastic theology is not that of the Prophets and the Holy men who never adduced arguments. Of course they were aware of the arguments, but did not use them, because they did not like this method of proving the existence of Allah.

Imam Hussain (as) addressing Allah once said: 'When were You not there?' When Allah has always existed, where is the necessity of proving His existence? It is a different thing that a blind eye does not see Him.

🍃 Rising for Allah

The Qur'an mentions the first stage of rising in these words:

Say: I advise you to do one thing: that you rise for Allah. (Surah Saba, 34:46)

The gnostics say that this verse describes the first stage of spiritual journey. The Manazil al-Sa’irin1 also says so. But what the verse mentions may be only a prelude, not a stage. Anyhow, what is important is that Allah through his well-beloved Prophet offers an advice and asks people to rise.

This is the starting point. Those who are sleeping have been told to get up and rise for Allah only. This is the only piece of advice which we have not so far listened to. We have not yet begun walking for Allah. We do walk, but for our own sake. Those who are good and pious, are also good for their own sake only. Yes, there are some friends of Allah whose ways are different.

The advice given in the verse is for us who are sleeping. Those friends of Allah have gone to the higher world. We will also be carried there. Nobody can claim that he would forever stay here. We are being pushed away by the angels controlling our organs. We will go there, but shall we go with all our veils and darkness's?

🍃 Love of the World is the Root Cause of all Troubles

Besides being the source of all things, love of the world is the main cause of all mistakes, as a well-known maxim says: 'Love of the world sometimes makes a man so irresponsible that if he feels that Allah has withdrawn something from him, he, in spite of being a believer, gets offended'.

It is said that when a person is about to die the devils who do not want him to die as a believer bring before him certain things to which he was very much attached. For example, if he was a student and loved books, the devils would bring before him his favorite books and would threaten him to set them on fire if he would not deviate from his faith. The same way the devils threaten the person who loves his child or is strongly interested in something else.

It is not correct to think that a worldly person is he who possesses wealth. One may possess a lot of wealth, but still may not be worldly. On the other hand, a student possessing only one book may be worldly if he was too much attached to it. Attachment to worldly things is the criterion of being worldly.

Because of this attachment a person may become hostile to Allah when he finds himself at the time of his death forced to quit his favorite things and thus may die as an enemy of Allah. Therefore, we must lessen our attachment to worldly things. Obviously we have to quit this world one day or other. So it does not make any difference whether we are attached to the world or not.

Suppose you owned a book. Whether you were attached to it or not, it would remain with you. You could use it and could get benefited by it. Similarly if a house was yours, you could use it in every case. Therefore diminish attachment as much as you can, and if possible, give it up altogether, for it is this attachment that causes trouble. It is because of self-love that man gets attached to the world. Love of self, power and position ruins man.

Love of chair and love of pulpit both show attachment to the world. All these are veils, 'some of them above others.' Instead of saying worldly people are those who possess such and such things, we should see how far we are attached to the things we possess. It is only because of this attachment that we criticize others.

A man who is not egoistic, does not criticize others. If some of us find fault with others, it is because they consider themselves to be cultured and perfect and regard others imperfect and faulty. There is a couplet which I would not recite because it is liable to some objection. Anyway, it says: 'I am just what you say, but are you what you pretend to be!'

Here in the seminary we show that we have come here for the sake of Allah. We call ourselves 'Allah's troops'. Are we really so? At least we should not pretend to be what we are not.

Is hypocrisy something else? Hypocrisy is not merely that a man pretends like Abu Sufyan to be religious while he is not so. It is also hypocrisy that a man claims to be what he is not. Anyway, hypocrisy has degrees, some of which are more severe than others.

Another important thing is that when a man departs this world it should not be said about him that he was merely inviting people to the next world and was indifferent to the present one. The Prophets invited people to the next world, but in this world also they used to set up justice and fair play.

The Holy Prophet was very close to Allah, but he used to say that he sought the forgiveness of Allah seventy times every day as he felt his heart somewhat perturbed. Naturally for a man who wants always to be with his beloved, it is perturbing to meet other people and talk to them. Suppose a man came to you to ask you about a rule of law. He is a very good man, and you know that it is your duty as well as a meritorious act to answer his question, but you still feel perturbed because at that time you wanted to be with your beloved.

'Because of the perturbation of my heart I seek the forgiveness of Allah seventy times every day.' The Holy Prophet is reported to have said some such thing. But for us it would not be proper to involve ourselves in such things. At least we should be as we give ourselves out. If we have a mark of prostration on our forehead, we must not be showy in our prayers. If we profess to be pious, we must not deceive anybody, we must not take usury.

Those who say that spiritual sciences make a man idler, are mistaken. The man who taught these sciences to the people and who next to the Holy Prophet knew the spiritual truths more than anybody else, according to history, took up his shovel and went out to work the same day as he pledged his allegiance to the Holy Prophet. There is no contradiction between spiritual sciences and physical work.

Those who, in order to keep people busy with their worldly affairs, prevent them from praying and saying liturgy etc., are not aware of real facts. They do not know that it is prayer that builds human character and teaches man how to live in this world respectably. The Prophets prayed and said liturgy etc. and it were they who established justice in the world and rose against the wrongdoers. Imam Husayn also did the same thing. Just see his Supplication of the Day of Arafah and ponder over it.

All their achievements were due to this prayers. It is prayers that make man attentive to Allah. If man recites them properly, then as the result of divine favor brought about by them, his self-attachment is diminished, but his efficiency is in no way affected adversely. Not only that but he becomes more active and ever ready to render service to his fellow human beings.

Some ignorant people criticize the books containing supplications. They do not know what kind of men these books build. Some of these supplications such as Munajat Sha'biniyah, Dua' Kumayl, Dua' Yawmul 'Arafah, Dua' Samat etc. have come down to us from our Imams. What kind of men do these prayers build. Those who recited the Munajat Sha'biniya, wielded the sword also.

According to reports all Imams recited Munajat Sha'biniya. I have not read anywhere about any other prayer or supplication that it was recited by all Imams. Those who recited this prayer, also fought against the unbelievers.

These prayers take man out of darkness and he who comes out of darkness becomes the real man. Then he does everything for Allah's sake. If he wields the swords, he does so for the sake of Allah; if he fights, he does so for the sake of Allah and if rises, he does so for the sake of Allah. It is absolutely wrong to say that prayers make man idle and useless.

Those who say such things, to them this world is everything. They believe everything beyond this world to be fantastic. But one day they will find that the things they thought to be fantastic were real and the things they thought to be real were fantastic. In fact prayers, sermons and the books like Nahjul Balaghah and Mafatihul Jinan help man in building his personality.

When one becomes a real man, he automatically begins to act according to true Islamic principles. He cultivates land, but his cultivation is for Allah. He fights but only against the infidels and wrongdoers. Such people are the monotheists and pious prayerers. Those who accompanied the Holy Prophet and the Commander of the Faithful were devoted worshippers.

Imam Ali himself used to offer prayers while fighting was going on. Fighting and praying went on side by side. Once while fighting was going on somebody asked him a question. He immediately rose and delivered a sermon. Somebody said: 'Sermon even on this occasion?' He said: 'It is for what we fight.' According to a report he added: 'We do not fight against Mu'awiyah to capture Syria. Syria has no importance to us.'

The Holy Prophet and Imam Ali were not keen to conquer Syria and Iraq. They wanted to deliver the people from the oppressors and to reform them morally. It was they who were ardent worshippers. Dua' Kumayl was taught by Imam Ali to Kumayl, who himself was a warrior.

🍃 Effect of Prayer on Heart

To prevent people from praying and reciting prayer books one day some wicked people, the followers of Kasrawi etc. collected gnosis and prayer books and set them on fire. These people did not understand what prayer was and what effect it produced on heart. They did not know that all good things in the world were due to the pious prayerers who prayed and remembered Allah. Although some people repeat their prayer simply parrot-like, yet it produces some effect, for the people who pray are better than those who do not.

A man who offers prayers, of howsoever low quality his prayers may be, is better than a man who does not offer prayers. The former is more cultured. He does not commit theft. Look at the list of the offenders and criminals. How many of them are the students of religious sciences? How many mullas drink wine, commit theft or perpetrate other crimes?

It is true that the smugglers include some unreal mullas and sufi looking persons, but those wicked people neither offer prayers nor do they perform any other meritorious acts. They have assumed this disguise just to achieve their vicious ends. Among those who recite prayers and observe Islamic injunctions, there are few who have ever been charge-sheeted for any serious crime.

The world order rests on the people who pray. Praying must not be done away with. It will be wrong to divert the attention of our young men from prayer on the plea that instead of prayer the recitation of the Quran should be popularized. What paves the way for the Quran must not be given up. It is a diabolic insinuation that the Quran should be recited and the tradition and supplications to Allah should be abandoned.

🍃 The Quran Without Traditions and Prayer

Those who say that they do not want supplications, would never be able to popularize the Quran. Their deceptive ideas are mere devilish insinuations. The young men should consider who have rendered better service to society, those who took keen interest in traditions, supplication and liturgy or those who said that the Quran was enough for them. All these charitable institutions and religious endowments are the works of those who offered prayers and recited the Quran, not of others.

All the religious schools and hospitals were built by those members of the rich nobility of the previous era who offered prayers. This system should continue. People should be encouraged to keep their attention to the good works. Besides helping in the achievement of spiritual excellence, these prayers and supplications help in the administration of the country also.

Those who attend the mosques and pray do not violate the law of the country nor do they breach the public order. This in itself is a great service to society. Society consists of individuals. Even if fifty per cent individuals in a society, being busy with prayers and supplications, did not commit crimes, it would be a happy situation!

A craftsman who does his job honestly and earns his livelihood, does not commit sins. Similarly those who commit murders and robberies, are not interested in spiritual matters. If they had been interested in them, they would not have committed such crimes.

Prayers and supplications play a significant role in training society. These supplications have been taught by Allah and His Prophet. The Holy Quran says:

Say: My Lord would not have cared for you, if you had not been calling Him. (Surah al-Furqan, 25:77)

If you read the Quran, you will find that Allah Himself urges people to pray to Him and says that ‘He would not have cared for you if you had not been calling Him.’ It appears that those who oppose supplications, do not believe even in the Quran. If anyone says that he does not want supplications, that means that he is neither interested in the Quran, nor does he believe in it. He does not know that Allah says:

Call Me, I will respond to you. (Surah Ghafir, 40:60)

May Allah include us among those who are keenly interested in supplications, prayer and the Quran.

✧༺♥༻∞　🌺　∞༺♥༻✧

al-Islam.org

✧༺♥༻∞　🌺　∞༺♥༻✧

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[abuhusna]

Simple Advice: Do Not Delay Repentance

Dear brothers and sisters,

Who are we deceiving by committing sins in secret? Perhaps we think we are fooling those around us, but in reality, we are only deceiving ourselves. Even if no one sees our sins, the Master of the Universe, Allah ﷻ, witnesses every action we take. What will we do when we stand before our Lord, the Almighty, and He commands us to open our Book of Deeds (Sijill or Kitab al-A'mal), which contains every action—good or bad—we performed in this life?

Evidence from the Qur'an

Allah ﷻ reminds us in Surah Al-Isra (17:13-14):

> “And every person, We have fastened to him his record of deeds upon his neck, and We will bring forth for him on the Day of Resurrection a book he will find spread open. [It will be said], ‘Read your record. Sufficient is yourself against you this Day as accountant.’”

The noble angels, Kiram al-Katibeen, record every action as Allah ﷻ mentions in Surah Al-Infitar (82:10-12):

> “Indeed, [appointed] over you are keepers, Noble and recording; They know whatever you do.”

Everything we do, whether in public or private, is being recorded. On the Day of Judgment, nothing will be hidden from Allah ﷻ.

Practical Advice Based on the Qur'an and Sunnah

1. Be Honest in All Situations

Do not act righteous in public while disobeying Allah in private. Allah ﷻ sees everything and knows what is in your heart. Be sincere and truthful in your worship and dealings, both when alone and among others.

2. Repent Without Delay

Do not postpone repentance. Allah ﷻ has given us time as a mercy, but it is not guaranteed. At any moment, our soul may be taken, leaving us no opportunity to return to Him. Allah ﷻ warns us in Surah Az-Zumar (39:59):

> “My signs came to you, but you denied them, were arrogant, and were among the disbelievers.”

3. Seize the Opportunity to Change

Once the soul is taken, there will be no second chances. Allah ﷻ does not accept repentance at the time of death. Change yourself now while you still have time.

4. Prepare for the Day of Judgment

A day will come when all our deeds will be exposed, and we will face the truth of our actions. Strive to earn Allah’s pleasure and forgiveness instead of seeking worldly desire and to earn the praise of people.

Final Reminder

This life is short and temporary. Use your time wisely to worship Allah sincerely, repent from your sins, and seek His mercy. Do not let procrastination or heedlessness lead you to regret when it is too late.

May Allah ﷻ make us among those who repent sincerely, act righteously, and earn His eternal pleasure.

Wa Allahu A'lam.

[raven-haz]

Is Earth Flat According To Islam?

Lately, there’s been some confusion among people, even within the Muslim community, about whether the Earth is flat or not. Some claim that Islam teaches that the Earth is flat, but when we look deeper into the Qur’an and Islamic teachings, that’s not actually the case.

Firstly, Islam has always encouraged the pursuit of knowledge, especially about the natural world. Allah tells us in the Qur’an to observe and reflect on His creation, and throughout history, Muslim scholars have made significant contributions to fields like astronomy, geography, and physics. Many of these scholars were aware that the Earth was round centuries before it was widely accepted elsewhere.

In the Qur’an, Allah describes the Earth in ways that align more with the modern understanding of its shape. For instance, in Surah Az-Zumar (39:5), Allah says, “He created the heavens and Earth in truth. He wraps the night over the day and wraps the day over the night.” The word used here for "wrap" is yukawwir, which in Arabic refers to something being wrapped or coiled around a spherical object, like a turban around someone’s head. This suggests a round shape of the Earth, as the day and night cycle wouldn't work the same way if the Earth were flat.

Another verse, in Surah An-Nazi'at (79:30), says, "And after that He spread the Earth." Some people misunderstand this to mean that the Earth is flat, but the Arabic word dahāhā used here means "spread out" or "made expansive." It’s actually connected to the word for an ostrich egg, which has a rounded shape. This verse is more about how Allah has made the Earth expansive and habitable, not about its flatness.

The notion that the Earth is flat doesn’t align with the Qur'an or with the history of Islamic science. Muslims like Al-Biruni and Ibn Hazm explored the concept of a spherical Earth long before it became common knowledge in Europe. These scholars used observations of the stars, shadows, and geography to conclude that the Earth was round. Islam encourages us to seek knowledge and reflect on the signs of Allah’s creation, not to deny the truths that science has shown us.

The idea that the Earth is flat is not based on Islamic teachings but is a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of scripture. Just like with many things, it’s important to read the Qur’an in context and understand that our faith does not contradict reality. Islam is a religion that supports knowledge, growth, and discovery, and science is a part of understanding Allah’s creation.

In the end, Islam teaches us to use both reason and faith. Allah encourages us to explore the world around us, and in doing so, we come to appreciate His creation even more. So, while some might believe the Earth is flat, this isn’t supported by the Qur’an or the rich history of Islamic scholarship. The Earth is round, and this fact only deepens our understanding of the wisdom behind Allah’s creation.

(keep in mind I'm not a scholar and i write these based on my knowledge.)

[dailytafsirofquran]

Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surah Al-Kahf Ayah 45-46

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

18:45 And mention the parable of the worldly life:

it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter.

And Allah is able to do everything.

18:46 Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

The Parable of the Worldly Life

Allah says:

And mention,

O Muhammad, to the people,

the parable of the worldly life,

its transient nature and how it will eventually cease and come to an end.

it is like the water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it,

It mingles with the seeds that are in the earth, so they grow and become good, producing bright, fresh flowers, then after that,

it becomes dry and broken pieces, withered up,

(which the winds scatter) tossing them about right and left.

And Allah is able to do everything.

He has the power to do this and that.

In the Qur'an Allah often gives parables like this of the life of this world, as He says in Surah Yunus,

The parable of the worldly life is but that of water which We send down from the sky so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat.... (10:24)

and in Surah Az-Zumar:

See you not that Allah sends down water from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, then out from it comes crops of different colors. )39:21(

and in Surah Al-Hadid:

Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and rivalry in respect of wealth and children. (It is) like the parable of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is pleasing to the tiller... )57:20(

and in the Sahih Hadith:

This world is sweet and green.

Between Wealth and Good Deeds

Allah says:

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world.

This is like the Ayah:

Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, vaulted hoards of gold... )3:14(

Allah says:

Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allah! With Him is a great reward (Paradise). (64:15)

turning towards Allah and worshipping Him is better for you than keeping busy with them, and accumulating wealth for them and going to extremes in feeling pity and compassion for them.

Allah says:

But the good righteous deeds that last, are better with your Lord for reward and better for hope.

Ibn Abbas, Sa`id bin Jubayr and others among the Salaf said that;

the good righteous deeds that last are the five daily prayers.

Ata' bin Abi Rabah and Sa`id bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn Abbas,

"The good righteous deeds that last are

-Subhan Allah (glory be to Allah)',

-Al-Hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)',

-La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah)', and

-Allahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great).'"

The Commander of the faithful, Uthman bin Affan was

questioned,

"Which are the good righteous deeds that last'' He replied,

"They are:

-La ilaha illallah,

-Subhan Allah,

-Al-Hamdu Lillah,

-Allahu Akbar and

-La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah hil- `Aliyil-`Azim (there is no strength and no power except with Allah the Exalted, the Almighty).'''

This was recorded by Imam Ahmad.

Imam Ahmad also recorded from a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah that he said:

Well done! Well done for five things! (How heavy they will weigh in the balance!

-"La ilaha illallah,

-Allahu Akbar,

-Subhan Allah, and

-Al-Hamdu Lillah,'' and

-a righteous son who dies and his parents seek the reward of Allah.

And he said: (Well done! Well done for five things! Whoever meets Allah believing in them, he will enter Paradise; if he believes in:

-Allah,

-the Last Day,

-Paradise and Hell,

-resurrection after death,

-and the Reckoning.

the good righteous deeds that last,

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"This is the celebration of the remembrance of Allah, saying;

-La ilaha illallah,

-Allahu Akbar,

-Subhan Allah,

-Al-Hamdu Lillah,

-Tabarak Allah,

-La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah,

-Astaghfirallah,

-Sallallahu `ala Rasul-Allah', and

ï fasting, prayer, Hajj, Sadaqah (charity), freeing slaves, Jihad, maintaining ties of kinship, and all other good deeds.

These

which will remain in Paradise for those who do them for as long as heaven and earth remain.''

are the righteous good deeds that last,

Al-Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas: "They are good words.''

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said, "They are all righteous deeds.''

This was also the view chosen by Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him.

[drmaqazi]

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS!

Bismillahi-Rahmanir-Raheem, بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

Rabbishrah lee sadree wa yassirlee amree wahlul ‘uqdatum-mil-lithaanee, yafqahoo qawlee.

رب اشرح لی صدری و یسرلی امری واحلل عقدة من لسانی یفقھوا قولی 

Amma ba’d اما بعد,

CONGRATULATIONS

!  A MIRACLE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. BY THE GRACE OF ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA’ALA), H. E. CAPTAIN IMRAN KHAN CHAIRMAN PTI, AND HIS TEAM HAVE WON, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM MILLIONS OF DEDICATED HELPLESS, POOR, SELFLESS, AND SIMPLE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN OF PAKISTAN, WHO ARE DEVOTED TO HIS MISSION IN LIFE, ALL OVER PAKISTAN AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.AT LARGE, SO FAAAR!

WARNING!

آ گیا وه شاه كار تھا جس كا انتظار ، انتظار كى گھڑیاں ختم ہوئیں 

بھاگو بھ��گو بھاگو 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Your Passporta are ready, you have you Iqamas from you kafeel  and visas from your masters and you have transferred all the loot and robber5from the helpless, the needy, the poor and the simple people of Pakistan either transferred to your overseas accounts or packed to take with you and your planes are waiting for you at the nearest. So, run and run and runs as fast as you can, with your  dull and limited capabilities,  get the hell out of here before it is too late;  but it is never too late. 

JUST THINK ABOUT, SERIOUSLY, REALLY!

All Praises are due to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) Alone. Al-Hamdo lillahi Rabbil ‘aalameen الحمد للہ رب العالمین. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) bless them all, one and all, young and old, men, women and children, Ameen آمین, and reward all of them with the best of everything in both the words, Thumma Ameen 

Bravo to Captain Imran Khan and his team, who worked hard with commitment and Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and with sheer faith in Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Laa ilaaha illAllah لا الا الله, a commitment to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), and a sincere promise not to beg from anyone else and bow to anyone but God Almighty, Iyyaka wa iyyaka nast’aeen إياك نعبد و إياك نستعين.

God loves those who are steadfast” – Holy Qur'an Surah Al-e-‘Imran, 3, Ayah 146) Say: "O My slaves who believe, be afraid of your Lord (Allah) and keep your duty to Him. Good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world, and Allah's earth is spacious! Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.” Surah Az-Zumar, 39, Ayah 10.

Because of Yaqeen Muhkam یقیں محکم , ’Amal Paiham عمل پیہم, and Muhabbat محبت for the world, he has won the hearts of Muslim children, women and old people all over the world as their beloved leader. Thanks to Allah, the only ONE, Who gave victory to H.E. Imran Khan and his team of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) پاکستان تحریک انصاف. 

God Almighty proved beyond a shadow of doubt that if you obey Me, have faith in Me, and trust Me, I will keep you steadfast and remove any obstacle in your marathon run of thirty (30) years to victory both as a good Captain and as a Leader, who can prove to the whole world that he is a unique and one of a kind LEADER par excellence of the Islamic World, In shaa Allah!

The good news for the whole world of Islam is the Imran Khan is going to come back soon as the New Prime Minister of New Pakistan نیا پاکستان, a new Raisat-e-Madinah نئی ریاست مدینہ , In shaa Allah. 

It is his second coming to help the helpless, the needy, and the poor people of New Pakistan to get out of poverty and lead a decent life in the New Islamic Republic of Pakistan, just like in any other developed country anywhere in the world. It is just the beginning of a new coming and you haven't seen nothing yet.

Allahu (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is going to make him the next Prime Minister, again, like he did before. The people of Makkah challenged Prophet Muhammad (SallAlllahu ‘alaihi wa Salllam) that how will Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) raise them again while they were be nothing but bones in the grave, Surah al-Qiyamah, 75, Ayaat 1-5.

So the answer given to Meccans by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) was:

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَ, I swear by the Day of Resurrection

وَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلنَّفۡسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ, And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].

أَيَحۡسَبُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَلَّن نَّجۡمَعَ عِظَامَهُ, Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?

بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَه, Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

Please pray two Rak’at رکعات of Salatu Hajah صلواة الحاجه on behalf of Imran Khan begging Allah (Subhanah wa Ta’ala) to give courage, wisdom and strength to Imran Khan to fulfill his promises that he made to Allah (Subhanah wa Ta’ala) in the Holy Ka’bah خانہ کعبہ in Makkah Mukarramah مکہ مکرمه , and to Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam) in his Hujrah Mubarak حجرہ مبارک in Masjid-e-Nabwi مسجد نبوى, Madinah Munawwarah مدینہ منورہ.

As to the government officials in opposition to him, who want to get rid of him because they are jealous of his wonderful achievements inall fields of life, both here and abroad. They badly want what the Almighty has given him, but God Almighty has written curses in their fate. They are reaping what they sowed in the last thirty (30) years. May God Almighty show them the light, Ameen, and make them also good Muslims, Thumma Ameen.

Last but least, please go to the Imam امام (Khateeb خطیب) of your Mosque (Masjid) on this coming Friday and request him to pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for his health, happiness and prosperity, Ameen, and grant him the courage, the wisdom, the strength and Taufiq توفیق to be the Best Prime Minister of Pakistan for all times to come, Ameen Thumma Ameen Yaa Rabbil ‘aalameen آمین ثم آمین یا رب العالمین.

[edyyanu]

BERJALAN TERLALU JAUH

Siapa orang yang disebut dalam Al Qur'an berada dalam kesesatan yang jauh?. Orang yang ingkar pada ayat-ayat Allah, secara khusus Al Qur'an.

Tanda-tanda kebesaran Allah itu ada di segala penjuru , bahkan di diri kita, sekitar kita, di laut, di gunung, di langit, di tata surya, dimanapun.

Apakah tidak cukup tanda-tanda kebesaran itu untuk menjadikan seseorang yakin pada Allah?

سَنُرِيْهِمْ اٰيٰتِنَا فِى الْاٰ فَا قِ وَفِيْۤ اَنْفُسِهِمْ حَتّٰى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ اَنَّهُ الْحَـقُّ ۗ اَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ اَنَّهٗ عَلٰى كُلِ�� شَيْءٍ شَهِيْدٌ

"Kami akan memperlihatkan kepada mereka tanda-tanda (kebesaran) Kami di segenap penjuru dan pada diri mereka sendiri, sehingga jelaslah bagi mereka bahwa Al-Qur'an itu adalah benar. Tidak cukupkah (bagi kamu) bahwa Tuhanmu menjadi saksi atas segala sesuatu?" (QS. Fussilat 41: Ayat 53)

Sejauh mana kita merenungi, memahami Qur'an? Padahal Allah sudah mengatakan Al Qur'an itu petunjuk, arah kebahagiaan dunia dan akhirat.

Dan hal yang menakutkan itu kalau diberi petunjuk tapi masih ragu, tidak mampu memperhatikan tanda-tanda kebesaranNya itu ada di penjuru langit dan bumi, bahkan di diri kita. Jangan-jangan hati ini sudah terlalu jauh hingga tak mampu lagi melihat kebesaranNya?

اَفَمَنْ شَرَحَ اللّٰهُ صَدْرَهٗ لِلْاِ سْلَا مِ فَهُوَ عَلٰى نُوْرٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّهٖ ۗ فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْقٰسِيَةِ قُلُوْبُهُمْ مِّنْ ذِكْرِ اللّٰهِ ۗ اُولٰٓئِكَ فِيْ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِيْنٍ

"Maka apakah orang-orang yang dibukakan hatinya oleh Allah untuk (menerima) agama Islam lalu dia mendapat cahaya dari Tuhannya (sama dengan orang yang hatinya membatu)? Maka celakalah mereka yang hatinya telah membatu untuk mengingat Allah. Mereka itu dalam kesesatan yang nyata." (QS. Az-Zumar 39: Ayat 22)

Kepada siapakah kita mempercayakan hidup kalau bukan kepadaNya? Kepada siapakah kita meminta petunjuk kalau bukan kepada Allah?

[wisdomrays]

REFLECTIONS ON THE QUR'AN: Sūratu’n-Nisā’ (Women): Part 1

But of no avail is the repentance of those who commit evil (for a lifetime) until, when one of them is visited by death, he says, “Indeed now I repent.” Nor (likewise does the repentance avail) of those who (spend their lives in unbelief and offer to repent just at the time of death, but) die as unbelievers (since such repentance is not acceptable). For such We have prepared a painful punishment. (An-Nisā’ 4:18)

The last moment of the life of a person who has not believed until that very moment—the moment when the belief of the person is no longer accepted—is called “the state of despair.” However, it is important to define the limits of this moment very well. This is the moment when it is certain both for the dying one and those around them that it is impossible for the dying one to go back to life and live long enough to believe consciously and practice it even for a very short while.

Indeed, the belief of a person is accepted provided he believes at least for a moment in full consciousness even before it is certain that the person will die. It was this moment when Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, offered belief to his uncle Abū Tālib. Having retained his consciousness, Abū Tālib—under the influence of the polytheist Makkans around him—responded that he was dying in the old religion of his forefathers. Another example worth mentioning is young Jewish boy who was sick. Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, visited the sick Jewish boy and offered him to profess “lā ilāha illa’llāh”—There is no deity but God. Then the boy looked into his father’s eyes expecting a response. The father made a gesture of acceptance. The young boy declared faith in a loud voice, repeating the words God’s Messenger said to him. Therefore, unless one does not lose one’s consciousness, the heavenly doors are open to faith.

The state of despair, that is, the moment when belief is not accepted, begins when it is certain that a sick person will die and will not have even a new conscious moment of returning to life when that person can believe. But if there is still even a little hope of return to life when one can believe consciously and practice it even by saying a good word, this may be a blessed seed to grow into a tree of blessings and rewards in the intermediate world of grave and in the Hereafter. However, if the eyes are about to close unto the world and open unto the other realm, any opportunity to believe and practice it even by saying a good word has been lost.

There are those who constantly darken their horizons with sins after they have believed. It is hoped from God’s all-encompassing mercy that they may be referents of the Divine declaration, “Say: (God gives you hope): ‘O My servants who have been wasteful (of their God-given opportunities and faculties) against (the good of) their own souls! Do not despair of God’s Mercy’” (Az-Zumar 39:53).

[travelingprincess]

On Memes

﷽

As Muslims, we know that we cannot afford to follow along with whatever the people are doing—we have a clear guidance before us, alhamdulillah; a set of principles by which we measure everything we do.

"Are those who know equal to those who do not know?"

—Qur'an (az-Zumar) 39:9

Once we understand the nature of memes and what's involved in them, the rulings attached to joking about the religion, the rulings on picturemaking, and the manners of a Muslim, we will see that dedicating too much time to this pursuit is not praiseworthy.

Joking About the Religion

In a world as irreverent and blaisé as ours, it's easy to see that there are no frontiers which comedy doesn't violate. Rather, those calling for guardrails to humor are openly vilified. Essentially, we're raised with the understanding that you can joke about anything.

Of course, this isn't true, as Allah warns us in the Qur'an:

And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?" Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after your belief.

—Qur'an (at-Tawbah) 9:65-66

Subhanallah, joking about the religion is categorized as kufr, clear cut.

Shaykh ibn Baz brought a consensus from the scholars, who are all in agreement that "if a Muslim reviles Islam, or criticises it, or he reviles the Messenger (ﷺ), or criticises or mocks him, then he is an apostate and a kafir" (Fataawa Noor 'ala ad-Darb by ibn Baz, p. 139).

Shaykh ibn Jibreen has also explained that this kufr makes an individual's spouse haram to them (they're automatically divorced) and the individual is not able to inherit from his Muslim relatives, and so on (Fataawa Islamiyyah, 3/533).

Interesting to note is that mocking the religion is enough to take a person outside of the fold of the religion without the need to refer the matter to scholars / the ulema. It is something which is open and apparent.

With this in mind, is it any wonder that memes and idle internet jokes are a hotbed for this type of fitnah? Imagine how quickly a word of kufr can be uttered in a group, and everyone laughs and all of them have now participated in this?

And when you (Muhammad (ﷺ)) see those who engage in a false conversation about Our Verses by mocking at them, stay away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaiytaan causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the company of those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong­doers, etc.).

—Qur'an (al-An'am) 6:68

Some of the students of knowledge have gone on to explain that seemingly "simple" things, such as calling the niqabi a ninja or saying that she looks like a letterbox, denigrating the Sunnah beard, making fun of one who wears his trousers above his ankles, and so on—all fall under the category of mocking the religion.

May Allah guide us all and keep us steadfast upon his religion; may He protect us from every kind of fitnah. Ameen.

Picturemaking

Another aspect of standard-issue memery is picturemaking. As is quite well-known, picture making (and statuary) are not permissible in Islam.

"...a person came to ibn 'Abbas and said, "I am the person who paints pictures; give me a religious verdict about them." He (ibn 'Abbas) said to him, "Come near me (still further)." He came near him so much so that he placed his hand upon his head and said, "I am going to narrate to you what I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I heard him say, 'All the painters who make pictures would be in the fire of Hell. The soul will be breathed in every picture prepared by him and it shall punish him in the Hell,' and he (ibn 'Abbas) said, "If you have to do it at all, then paint the pictures of trees and lifeless things..."

—Sahih Muslim 2109c, 2110a

In the hadith, we learn that landscapes and inanimate things (cityscapes, abstract art, etc.) are not forbidden, rather, the prohibition is most stern on living beings, whether human or animal. Though the issue may be somewhat nuanced, the following guidelines are generally agreed upon for the most liberal opinoin on the matter:

avoid living subjects, especially to draw them in their entirety

among living subjects, refrain from making a complete face, or including the eyes and nose

pictures of people or animals must not be hung up in the home or elsewhere

photo manipulation, especially of living beings, is forbidden

With these above points in mind, let us be honest and realistic about what memes typically entail:

they almost always involve photo manipulation of living beings

animal head on human bodies or vice versa (chad doge meme)

manipulation of living beings for gifs (2 legged horse gif)

transferring the faces or facial features of one individual onto another (as when combining memes to double up on a sentiment)

they usually involve living beings, generally; not many memes involve landscapes

often the meaning of a meme itself can be problematic, wherein someone is being denigrated or slandered unjustly

Manners of a Muslim

From the manners of a Muslim is that she does not engage overmuch in frivolity and idle play. It is permissible to joke around from time to time or as the opportunity arises. But to be a jokester, or someone who is known as such, is not for the Muslim to aspire to.

Oftentimes, one starts off in the permissible bounds of joking around and idle chit chat and ends up where it was unnecessary or even impermissible to go. Because as we know, the tongue is the quickest way to jahannam, and all it takes is a single word to get us there.

(Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions). Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).

—Qur'an (Qaf) 50:17-18

The scholars have mentioned, even, that whoever speaks more—fears Allah less. Subhanallah.

Additionally, women should be especially careful with our speech, as we know from authentic hadith that our tongues and our words will cause a large portion of us to enter the Hellfire (may Allah protect us from such a fate, ameen!):

It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (radhiAllah anhu) said, "I attended Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He started with the prayer before the khutbah, with no adhan or iqamah. Then he stood up, leaning on Bilal (radhiAllah anhu), speaking of fear of Allah (taqwa) and urging us to obey Him. He preached to the people and reminded them. Then he went over to the women and preached to them and reminded them. Then he said, 'Give in charity, for you are the majority of the fuel of Hell.'

A woman with dark cheeks stood up in the midst of the women and said, 'Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?'

He said, 'Because you complain too much and are ungrateful to your husbands.' Then they started to give their jewellery in charity, throwing their earrings and rings into Bilal’s cloak."

—Sahih Muslim 885

In other versions of this hadith as well as the explanations of the people of knowledge, I've heard it said that the "complaining" mentioned here includes being quick to gossip, backbite, curse, or be otherwise careless with our tongues.

From what is normal in joking and playing around, is exaggeration or outright lying for the sake of making others laugh. On this, we have a very specific and explicit hadith:

Mu'awiyyah ibn Haydah reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Woe to one who tells lies to make people laugh. Woe to him! Woe to him!"

—Sunan Abu Dawud 4990

Whatever is repeated thrice is a dire matter indeed, so it isn't something we should take lightly or dismiss out of hand.

In Closing

For the reasons listed above, the Sisters in Sunnah Discord server does not have a meme channel, and the subthread which was created was also taken down. I do not wish to encourage that kind of dedicated space and time-wasting on the pursuit of idle joking. Whatever happens to come up in the main lounge chat is more than sufficient (and truth be told, could probably be toned down a bit.)

Because of the world we live in, I respect that submitting to the decree of Allah may be difficult. It may be something that many of us struggle with. But we should not be from the people who reject the truth when it comes to us, aouthubillah. Let us not, in a moment of knee-jerk, emotional reactions, speak a word displeasing to Our Creator.

May Allah rectify all of our affairs and make us from among those He is pleased with. May He take our souls in a good state and accept our sincere deeds from us. Ameen.

Citations & Resources

Is it permissible for ordinary people to label as a kaafir one who reviles Islam, without referring to the scholars concerning that?

Making Fun of Islam and Repenting From It

Ruling on Drawing Animate Beings Without Showing the Facial Features

[smqazi]

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS!

Bismillahi-Rahmanir-Raheem, بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

Rabbishrah lee sadree wa yassirlee amree wahlul ‘uqdatum-mil-lithaanee, yafqahoo qawlee.

رب اشرح لی صدری و یسرلی امری واحلل عقدة من لسانی یفقھوا قولی 

Amma ba’d اما بعد,

CONGRATULATIONS!

A MIRACLE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. BY THE GRACE OF ALLAH (SUBHANAHU WA TA’ALA), H. E. CAPTAIN IMRAN KHAN CHAIRMAN PTI, AND HIS TEAM HAVE WON, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM MILLIONS OF DEDICATED HELPLESS, POOR, SELFLESS, AND SIMPLE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN OF PAKISTAN, WHO ARE DEVOTED TO HIS MISSION IN LIFE, ALL OVER PAKISTAN AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.AT LARGE, SO FAAAR!

WARNING!

آ گیا وه  شاه كار تھا جس كا انتظار ، انتظار كى گھڑیاں ختم ہوئیں 

بھاگو بھاگو بھاگو 

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Your Passporta are ready, you have you Iqamas from you kafeel  and visas from your masters and you have transferred all the loot and robber5from the helpless, the needy, the poor and the simple people of Pakistan either transferred to your overseas accounts or packed to take with you and your planes are waiting for you at the nearest. So, run and run and runs as fast as you can, with your  dull and limited capabilities,  get the hell out of here before it is too late;  but it is never too late. 

JUST THINK ABOUT, SERIOUSLY, REALLY!

All Praises are due to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) Alone. Al-Hamdo lillahi Rabbil ‘aalameen الحمد للہ رب العالمین. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) bless them all, one and all, young and old, men, women and children, Ameen آمین, and reward all of them with the best of everything in both the words, Thumma Ameen 

Bravo to Captain Imran Khan and his team, who worked hard with commitment and Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and with sheer faith in Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), Laa ilaaha illAllah لا الا الله, a commitment to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), and a sincere promise not to beg from anyone else and bow to anyone but God Almighty, Iyyaka wa iyyaka nast’aeen إياك نعبد و إياك نستعين.

God loves those who are steadfast” – Holy Qur'an Surah Al-e-‘Imran, 3, Ayah 146)

Say: "O My slaves who believe, be afraid of your Lord (Allah) and keep your duty to Him. Good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world, and Allah's earth is spacious! Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.” Surah Az-Zumar, 39, Ayah 10.

Because of Yaqeen Muhkam یقیں محکم , ’Amal Paiham عمل پیہم, and Muhabbat محبت for the world, he has won the hearts of Muslim children, women and old people all over the world as their beloved leader. Thanks to Allah, the only ONE, Who gave victory to H.E. Imran Khan and his team of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) پاکستان تحریک انصاف. 

God Almighty proved beyond a shadow of doubt that if you obey Me, have faith in Me, and trust Me, I will keep you steadfast and remove any obstacle in your marathon run of thirty (30) years to victory both as a good Captain and as a Leader, who can prove to the whole world that he is a unique and one of a kind LEADER par excellence of the Islamic World, In shaa Allah!

The good news for the whole world of Islam is the Imran Khan is going to come back soon as the New Prime Minister of New Pakistan نیا پاکستان, a new Raisat-e-Madinah نئی ریاست مدینہ , In shaa Allah. 

It is his second coming to help the helpless, the needy, and the poor people of New Pakistan to get out of poverty and lead a decent life in the New Islamic Republic of Pakistan, just like in any other developed country anywhere in the world. It is just the beginning of a new coming and you haven't seen nothing yet.

Allahu (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) is going to make him the next Prime Minister, again, like he did before. The people of Makkah challenged Prophet Muhammad (SallAlllahu ‘alaihi wa Salllam) that how will Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) raise them again while they were be nothing but bones in the grave, Surah al-Qiyamah, 75, Ayaat 1-5.

So the answer given to Meccans by Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) was:

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَ, I swear by the Day of Resurrection

وَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلنَّفۡسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ, And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection].

أَيَحۡسَبُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَلَّن نَّجۡمَعَ عِظَامَهُ, Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?

بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَه, Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

Please pray two Rak’at رکعات of Salatu Hajah صلواة الحاجه on behalf of Imran Khan begging Allah (Subhanah wa Ta’ala) to give courage, wisdom and strength to Imran Khan to fulfill his promises that he made to Allah (Subhanah wa Ta’ala) in the Holy Ka’bah خانہ کعبہ in Makkah Mukarramah مکہ مکرمه , and to Prophet Muhammad (SallAllahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam) in his Hujrah Mubarak حجرہ مبارک in Masjid-e-Nabwi مسجد نبوى, Madinah Munawwarah مدینہ منورہ.

As to the government officials in opposition to him, who want to get rid of him because they are jealous of his wonderful achievements inall fields of life, both here and abroad. They badly want what the Almighty has given him, but God Almighty has written curses in their fate. They are reaping what they sowed in the last thirty (30) years. May God Almighty show them the light, Ameen, and make them also good Muslims, Thumma Ameen.

Last but least, please go to the Imam امام (Khateeb خطیب) of your Mosque (Masjid) on this coming Friday and request him to pray to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) for his health, happiness and prosperity, Ameen, and grant him the courage, the wisdom, the strength and Taufiq توفیق to be the Best Prime Minister of Pakistan for all times to come, Ameen Thumma Ameen Yaa Rabbil ‘aalameen آمین ثم آمین یا رب العالمین.

[z-thwri]

Surah Az-Zumar [39:53] - [39:67] | Abdulaziz Az-Zahrani | ♥

[risalahmuslim]

▶️ Tafsir QS. Az Zumar [39] ayat 54 ◀️ ㅤㅤ Bagi orang-orang yang menerima seruan ini dengan bertobat kepada Allah dan percaya dengan sepenuh hatinya kepada keluasan rahmat dan ampunan-Nya, Allah memerintahkan agar dia benar-benar kembali kepada jalan yang lurus yang telah dibentangkan-Nya, berserah diri kepada-Nya, dan bernaung di bawah lindungan-Nya. ㅤㅤ Di sisi Allah tersedia berbagai macam karunia dan nikmat yang akan dilimpahkan kepadanya, apabila ia telah insaf dan kembali menjadi hamba yang dimuliakan-Nya. ㅤㅤ Setiap orang berdosa hendaklah mengambil kesempatan baik ini dengan segera sebelum datang hari Kiamat di mana tobat dan penyesalan tidak akan diterima lagi. ㅤㅤ Janganlah kesempatan yang baik ini dibiarkan berlalu begitu saja karena yang akan rugi ialah orang yang tidak mengindahkannya. ㅤㅤ Peluang emas yang dikaruniakan Allah hendaklah dimanfaatkan sebaik-baiknya sebelum tiba saat yang menentukan di mana pintu tobat telah tertutup rapat, yaitu pada saat ajal telah tiba atau pada saat hari Kiamat telah datang. ㅤㅤ Pada saat itu, tidak seorang yang durhaka pun yang dapat melepaskan diri dari siksaan Allah dan tak ada suatu makhluk pun yang dapat membela dan menghindarkannya dari azab itu. ㅤㅤ Hendaklah dia benar-benar mengikuti dan mematuhi semua ajaran yang telah dijelaskan Allah dalam Al-Qur'an al-Karim untuk kebaikan dan kebahagiaan manusia di dunia dan di akhirat. ㅤㅤ Janganlah seseorang menunggu sampai besok untuk bertobat karena dia tidak mengetahui apakah ia akan hidup sampai besok. ㅤㅤ Mungkin seseorang berjanji kepada dirinya bahwa dia akan bertobat esok sore harinya, tetapi siapa tahu, belum lagi waktu sore datang dia sudah meninggal dan hilanglah kesempatan yang sangat berharga itu. https://instagr.am/p/ClNR1msM1Tf/