The Life of This World

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Abu 'Abdirrahmaan Muhammad al-Kanadi

Al hamdulillahi rabbil ‘aalameen wa salaatu wa salaamu ‘ala ashrifil anbiyaai wa al mursaleen nabeeyana Mohammad wa ‘ala aalihi wa sahbihee ajma’een.

Wa b’aad:

Truly, we were granted this life to be tested which of us would remain steadfast in the dhikr (remembrance) and shukr (gratitude) of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala). Living in a landmine where every step you take can lead to your possible destruction, and not destruction of the body but rather of the soul, we see people being annihilated every single day.

This world is one big attraction, making those who are in reality are meager and full of weakness look strong and mighty, making those who are ignorant seem intelligent, and portraying those who have been misguided and enslaved to their own desires as being the most guided of people.

Know, that no one lives in this dunya except that he will be eaten by it in its entirety or will leave bruised and scarred except for those whom Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) has mercy upon. Hassan al Basari (Rahimahullah) had some wise words concerning the dunya when he said: "So beware of this land (the dunya) that is falling down and is misleading and deceiving, being decorated by its deceit and having eluded (others) by its delusion, and having killed its people with its hopes. It looks forward with anticipation towards the one who proposes to it for marriage. Hence it becomes like the unveiled bride -all the eyes are looking towards it, and the souls are in love with it, and the hearts are captivated by it".^[1] Indeed he was true in his words, as we are all guilty of the crime of being deceived by the dunya with its beauty and glamour. Some of us were fortunate to get out, al hamdulillah, while others have wandered off into the everlasting dark tunnel that had no light at its beginning and has no light at its end, and the only thing that will allow him to leave is death itself. Refuge is sought with Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) from such an evil ending.

And know for a fact that no matter how much good you may see in this dunya, in reality it is just a wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing. Had there been any good in it, then Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) would have made it a place of reward, and place of dissension of His mercy. But rather Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) only sent one of His mercies upon the earth through which we are kind to one another, and rather has made it a place of trial and tribulation and a true prison for the believer. Likewise, had there been good in it we would have seen the Prophet (Salla Allahu ‘alayhee wa Sallam) being attached to it and living in its luxuries but rather he sacrificed it all with full certainty in that which will come after is better and everlasting. Thus, he (Salla Allahu ‘alayhee wa Sallam) said: “The dunya is cursed. Cursed is all that is in it except for the remembrance of Allah, and that which resembles it, a scholar, and a student (of knowledge).” ^[2] So do we need any more proof that this dunya is an endless pit for the one who is not careful and falls into it?

One of the most beautiful words ever uttered were at the end of a seerah lecture where the speaker said referring to the Prophet (Salla Allahu ‘alayhee wa Sallam) "He had the world at his feet, yet not a dinar to his name.” Indeed, that’s what true zuhd (asceticism) and taqwaa (piety) is, having the dunya bestowed upon you from every angle imaginable and sacrificing it for the noble face of your creator and sustainer, truly noble attribute that most have lost, except those who have been encompassed by the mercy of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala).

So let us abandon this dunya and its temporary beauty for the joys, which will last for eternity. Let us be the children of the aakhirah and not of the Dunya as 'Ali (Radiya Allahu ‘anhu) said: “Verily the dunya is coming to an end, and the aakhirah is coming to a beginning and they both have children. So be children of the aakhirah and don’t be children of the dunya. For verily today there is action with no account and tomorrow there’s account with no action”. ^[3] So let us wear the garments of Imaan (belief) and Taqwaa (piety) as they are the only true garments the cover the 'awrah, and are the only protection from the tribulations of the dunya. Like Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) said “And take provision, verily the best of provisions is at-Taqwaa" ^[4] and as He (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, " Verily for the Muttaqeen (people of Taqwaa) is success (paradise)" ^[5] and as He (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, “Indeed successful are the believers” ^[6] and as he (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says, "Verily those who believe and do righteous deeds will have the gardens of al-Firdous (the loftiest form of paradise)”. ^[7] May Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) make us of these people. Aameen.

Lastly, before I end off I leave you with the words of the Prophet (Salla Allahu ‘alayhee wa Sallam) "Every man starts his day being a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin". He who enslaves his soul to Allah has indeed liberated it and he who enslaves his soul to his whims and desires then let him prepare for a marriage to captivity till death do you part. Proving this point is the statement of the 'Allaamah of raqaaiq Ibn ul-Qayyim (Rahimahullah), "Verily the life of man is in the life of his heart and his soul. And there is no life in the heart except by knowing its creator, having love for him, worshipping him solely, turning to him in times of need, and seeking tranquility with His remembrance. And he who loses this life has lost all good. Even if he attempts to substitute (this loss) with all that is in the world. For verily not even all of the world together would be able to replace this life. And verily for everything that a slave loses there is a substitute, but the one who loses Allah will never find anything to replace Him". ^[8]

So take these two sayings, read them, understand them, and implement them to the best of your ability, and know, without a doubt, that Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) is the one who grants success.

§  The statement of Fudayl bin `Iyyad (Rahimahullah), "Man's fear of Allah is equal to his knowledge of Him and his renunciation of worldly pleasures is equal to his desire in the Hereafter." ^[9]

§  Secondly, the advice of Sufyan ath-Thawree (Rahimahullah), "Work for the sake of this life within the extent of your stay in it, and for the Hereafter within the extent of your stay therein." ^[10]

And Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) knows best.

May Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) make us of those people who benefit from admonition and of those who when they are given are thankful, when tested are patient, and when sin are repentful (as these are the keys to success in this dunya and the aakhirah). Aameen.

Completed on the 3rd day of Safar 1424 A.H.

By the Slave of Allah, the one most in need of His mercy,
Abu ‘Abdir Rahman Mohammad Al Kanadi,
Al Madeenah An-Nabaweeyah.

---

Footnotes:

[1] Related by Abu Nu’aym in Al Hilyah (2/135-136)
[2] Related by Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah, and Bayhaqi. The wording is taken from Shaikh al-Albaani’s Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (1/34). 
[3] Related by Ibn ul-Qayyim in Ad Daa’ wad-Dawaa- Fasl 15.
[4] Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Ayah 197.
[5] Surah An-Nabaa (78), Ayah 31
[6] Surah Al-Mumi’noon (23), Ayah 1.
[7] Surah Al-Kahf (18), Ayah 107.
[8] Related in Ibn ul-Qayyim’s Ad Daa’ wad-Dawaa- Fasl 49. 
[9] Related in Abdul-Malik Al-Qasim’s Life is a Fading Shadow, (Dar-us-Salam).
[10] Ibid

Source: kalamullah.com

Islam: Truth, Virtue & Beauty

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Dr. Ja`far Sheikh Idris

The principles of truth, virtue and beauty. What they mean to Islam and how they should be incorporated into our everyday life.

Indeed, Islam is the religion of ultimate truth, virtue and beauty. Other doctrines and philosophies of life may have aspects of each of these principles but never are they in as consistent harmony as they are in Islam.

In other teachings or writings, we may find beautiful expressions used to make false claims, undermine virtuous behavior or even encourage corruption. Not so in our religion. These three principles are in constant interaction to convey the message of Allah.

The religion of Islam invites us to worship Allah, the ultimate in truth, virtue and beauty, the Creator of all things. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, too was a manifestation of truth and virtue. In Surah al-Qalam, Verse 4, the Almighty tells the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, "And surely you are of great morality." His wife said of him: "The Qur'an was his moral principle.". Ahmad related that the Prophet of Allah was honest, trustworthy, loyal, generous, merciful, courageous, patient and committed to the truth, whatever hardship he had to endure in the process. He was handsome both in features and spirit and his speech was beautiful to the ears. He was a man whose qualities commanded respect.

The Noble book of Islam, sent by Allah through Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, is a book of truth. It commands virtue and does so in unmatched beauty of expression. The following verses clearly state that this is the purpose of the Qur'an:

-Surah al-Israa, Verse 105: "And we have revealed this with the truth, and in truth it was sent."

-Surah al-Baqarah, Verses 1-2: "Alif(A) Lam (L) Mim (M). There is no doubt about this book, a guidance to the pious."

-Surah Fussilat, Verse 42: "No falsehood can come to it, not from before it or from behind it. It is a revelation from the All-Wise, the One worthy of all praise."

-Surah al-Israa, Verse 9: "Indeed, this Qur'an guides to the way that is most right."

-Surah al-An'am, Verse 115: "And the revelations of your Lord have been perfected in truth and justice."

-Surah az-Zumar, Verse 23: "Allah has revealed the best of revelations, a book consistent with itself, repeating its teachings in various aspects. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver at it, then their skins and hearts soften to the celebration of praising Allah."

The Qur'an is not like other books whose sources may be unknown and whose translations and meanings are doubtful. All three principles of truth, virtue and beauty are conveyed in the essence of the Almighty, His Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and through the Noble Book. Since this is the case, it becomes clear that these three principles should also be woven through the events of our everyday lives as they complement each other.

Truth, virtue and beauty are so closely related in Islam, that we often find in the Qur'an and the Sunnah that they are used to describe each other. For example, virtuous morals are described as beautiful as in Surah Yusuf, Verse 18: "But beautiful patience. Allah is my refuge from what you are describing." Also in Surah al-Ma'arij, Verse 5, "So endure patiently, with a graceful patience.” At other instances, words are described using derivatives of the word 'husn' which in Arabic means beauty. In the following verses, the faithful are advised to speak beautifully (meaning politely and pleasantly) to other people:

-Surah al- Mu'minoon, Verse 96: "Respond to evil by saying that which is best."

-Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 83: "Speak of good to the people."

-Surah an-Nahl, Verse 125: "Reason with them in a well-mannered way."

Islam also encourages people to appreciate beauty even in practical things which people make use of and usually don't consider to be items of beauty. For example, Surah an-Nahl, Verses 5-7 say, "Allah created cattle for you. In them you find warmth and benefit and from them you eat. In them there is beauty for you when you bring them home and when you take them out to the pasture. They bear your heavy loads to lands you could not have reached except with great effort. Surely, your Lord is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful."

Also Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 69 tells us: "They said, 'Pray to your Lord for us that He may make clear to us what its color should be.' He said, 'Allah said it should be a yellow cow, so deep and bright as to delight those who see it.'" And Surah an-NamI, Verse 60, "Or who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the sky and caused the growth of beautiful gardens whose trees you could never grow? Is there another god with Allah? No indeed. But they are a people who deviate."

Surah al-An'am, Verse 99 asks us to appreciate the beauty and value of fruit and growth: "Look at their fruit, when they bear it and their ripening. Surely in that there are signs for people who believe." Here we have been asked to see the signs of Allah in the beauty of creation, and in its usefulness to man. Verse 141 of the same Surah reminds us to look at fruits, appreciate their beauty and pay our dues for them: "Eat of their fruits when they bear fruit, and pay due alms (for) them on the day of harvest."

Our religion has also asked of man to look for both beauty and virtue in the selection of a wife. "If he looks at her, he is pleased. If he commands her, she obeys and if he is away, she is loyal in taking care of herself and his money." (Ibn Majah.)

In Islam truth, virtue and beauty are not only used to describe each other, they are used to complement and support one another at all times. Virtue can only be built on truth and must be done in a way that people find acceptable (beautiful). Stories from the Qur'an are not only exceptional in content and style but also tell of real life people and events. The morals and wisdom taught through them thus become all the more pertinent for they are not fictional. "We narrate to you the best of narratives." Surah Yusuf, Verse 3: "Most certainly, in their narratives is a lesson for those who possess minds. It is not an invented story but a confirmation to that before it and an explanation of all things, a guidance and mercy to people who believe."

If people are going to listen to the call of Islam for virtue and truth, it can only be through good expression and words which will warm people's hearts and appeal to their ears. "Speak of good to the people." Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 83. "Call mankind to the way of your Lord with wisdom and sound advice. Reason with them in a well-mannered way." [16:125]

Despite this, some people, may Allah forgive them, have adopted extremely unpleasant, harsh and blunt ways of spreading the truth and virtue of Allah and his Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.

As a result, people are driven away from Islam instead of being drawn to it. Have these people not thought about the words of Allah to his Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, in Surah ali-Imran, Verse 159 "It was by Allah's mercy that you were kind to them. Had you been harsh and hard of heart, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them and pray for forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter...”

It is as though the Almighty is telling the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, that even if he were virtuous and calling for the truth, if he did it harshly and without being sensitive, those around him would be driven away. Why would they do that? Because they were kind and respectable people. They would not accept violation of their dignity, even by a person like the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.

Of course, not all people are like that. Some people only respond to humiliation and disrespect, such as the people of the Pharaoh, of whom we are told in Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 54: "Thus did he take his people for fools, and they obeyed him, indeed they were a wicked people."

Only the first kind of people are the ones that will respond to the call for truth and virtue. Only they will believe, and do it with strength and courage. Let those people be our target in dawah and let us address them in the manner that they deserve so that they will hear us. As for those who have no good in their hearts, they will not respond to respectful ways and we should not waste time with them.

Some people use kind and sensitive words to draw people to evil and corruption, but Allah will only be with those who are calling for truth and he is truly fortunate who calls for the truth in the manner that Allah has described.

Beauty is therefore a quality which we must desire and strive for. It is as important as virtue and truth. We should take every opportunity to enjoy beauty except if this activity is going to lead to corruption and undermine our morals and principles. In this case, beauty should be avoided.

We are prohibited from looking at certain pictures which may be beautiful and listening to certain beautiful voices. This is because this kind of beauty leads to betrayal of ethical behavior. For this reason, the beauty of a woman is reserved for her husband and certain relatives and family members. This way, it will not lead to dishonorable behavior. Husbands are allowed and encouraged to enjoy the beauty of their wives, as this is not a prohibited behavior, and may even prevent corruption.

Beautiful voices, depending on what they are saying, may provoke certain unethical behavior. Sometimes men are aroused by the voices of soft-spoken women. Thus even the wives of the Prophet of Allah were addressed in Surah al-Ahzab, Verse 32, "O wives of the Prophet You are not like any other women. If you fear Allah, speak not in an affected tone so that he in whose heart is a disease may yearn. But speak in honorable words."

The same applies for certain kinds of music and song. In Surah Luqman, Verse 6, we are told, "And there are among people some who use vain talk to lead astray from Allah's way without knowledge and to make mockery of it. For such there is a humiliating punishment." Ibn Masoud referring to the talk described in this Verse said, "It is -by Allah- singing."

We are thankful that Allah has guided us to the truth and paved for us the ways to virtue and explained to us the significance of beauty of words, deeds and meanings.

Courtesy Of: Islaam.com

Source: kalamullah.com

"The Goodly Life"

Sheikh Muhammad Mukhtar Ash-Shinqiti

It's hours and seconds, days and years pass him by
Leading him (by his actions) to the Love and Good Pleasure of Allah
until he is amongst the people of Ultimate Success and the Gardens of Paradise
or they are against him, leading him (by his actions) to the Fires of Hell 
and to the Anger of the One, the Just Ruler [Allah]

Life, either it will make you laugh & rejoice for an hour
over which you will cry for an eternity (in the Hereafter)
or it will make you cry for an hour 
over which you will laugh & rejoice for an eternity (in the Hereafter)

Life, is either a great blessing for a person,
or an adverse affliction against him

This is a life which was lived by the earliest generations
by our fathers and forefathers
and by all those who preceded us
All of them, returned to Allah with what they used to do [their deeds]

"Life" refers to every single moment that is lived within it
and every hour spent within it
And within all of these, we live a life that is either for us or against us

Thus, the successful and happy person
is the one who sees life, and recognises it's reality and true nature
For by Allah, it is a life that frequently causes some people to weep, their tears never drying
and frequently makes others laugh, their laughs and joys then never to return

My beloved, Allah has made this life as a trial, a test,
an exam, in which is made apparent the true nature of His slaves
Thus happy is the one who is made successful (in this exam) by the Mercy of Allah
while miserable & banished (from salvation) is the one upon whom the Pleasure of Allah becomes forbidden (through this exam)

(Know) for every hour that you live, either Allah is pleased with you in this hour (by your deeds)
or the opposite, we seek refuge in Allah from that
Therefore (by this hour) either you come closer to Allah
or you stray further from Him

Thus it may be, that you live a single moment of love and obedience to Allah (by your actions)
by which are forgiven the inequities of your life
and a lifetime of sins
And it may be that you live a single moment in which you deviate purposely from the Path of Allah
distancing yourself from His obedience
which then becomes a cause of misery & distress, for the rest of your life
We ask Allah for His Safety and Pardoning

In this life there exist two seperate 'callers'
The first, is anything that calls to the Mercy, the Good Pleasure and the Love of Allah (be they thoughts or actions)
The second type of caller, is anything which invites to the opposite of that
(Such as) a desire or lust that incites one to evil
or a sudden sinful whim that may result in an evil ending (dying in bad or sinful circumstances)

Thus it may be, that a person within a moment of his life, weeps;
a weeping of regret and repentance over his negligence towards his Lord;
and by (these tears) Allah changes his evil deeds into good deeds (on his record)

But how many a people continue to commit sins?
how many a people still indulge in evil?
how many a people continue to distance themselves (from Allah),
frequently travelling away from their Lord (by their actions)?
Thus all of them are distant from the Mercy of Allah
unbeknownst to them, strangers to the Good Pleasure of Allah

Then comes upon them that hour, that exact moment (of penitence),
which is what we are referring to, by "the goodly life",
in order that they shed tears of regret and remorse,
and that a reason for anguish in the heart may be ignited,

Such that the person realises how long his alienation from Allah has been
and how long his absence from his Lord truly has been
so that he may then say, "Indeed I am turning to my Lord repentant, remorseful,
and in hope of His Mercy and Good Pleasure!"

This time (of penitence) is a person's key to happiness and contentment,
the time of regret.
It is as the scholars say,
"Indeed man sins a great deal,
but if he is truly sincere in his regret and repentance,
Allah will change his sins into good deeds"
Thus his life too then becomes pure and goodly,
by the purity and truthfulness of that regret and repentance
and by the sincerity in the very distress and pain felt within himself

We ask Allah the Greatest, Lord of the Honourable Throne, 
to give life to this blessed caller to His Mercy, within our hearts
and to the pain we should feel when we are neglectful towards Allah and His Commands

My beloved, every single one of us needs to ask themselves a question,
we need to ask ourselves day and night,
How many nights are spent awake in activity?
and how many hours are passed (in this way)?
How many have laughed in this life?
And (most importantly) was Allah Pleased with this laughter?

How much of this time was spent in entertainment and enjoyment in this life?
Was this enjoyment one that Allah was Pleased with?
How many nights were spent awake (in activity)?
Was this staying awake (and what you did in those nights), pleasing to Allah?

And so on and so forth,
(These are) questions that he should be asking within himself
But a person might wonder why he should be asking these questions (i.e. what's the point)?

Yes! You must ask yourselves these questions
as passes not the instant of a blinking of an eye,
nor a fleeting moment in your life, 
except that you are living in and experiencing the Blessings of Allah!

Thus it is from great respect and humility towards Allah
that a person remains constantly aware of the greatness of the Blessings bestowed upon him

From this humility is to truly feel and acknowledge that the food we eat, 
belongs to and is provided by Allah

And that we quench our thirst with a drink created by Allah
And that we are shaded and sheltered by a roof provided by Him
And that we walk forth upon a ground provided by Him
And that without doubt we are living in and experiencing His every Bounty and Mercy
So what could we possibly have to offer Him in return? 

(So it's important) a person asks himself these questions.

(For example) doctors say that there exists a substance in a person's heart,
that if it were to increase or decrease by 1%
he would die instantly...
So (think) in which courtesy and kindness, 
which mercy and compassion from Allah does mankind enjoy, experience and live in!

(Even if) a person asks himself about the Mercy of Allah alone,
When he wakes up in the morning,
possessing his hearing
possessing his sight
possessing his physical strength,
who is the one safeguarding his hearing?
Who is the One safeguarding his sight?
Who is the One safeguarding his intellect?
Who is the One safeguarding his very soul?

He must ask himself, who is the One protecting all of these things?
Who is the One who Bestowed him with good health and wellbeing?

(Think of) those who are sick, lying on white beds (in hospital)
those who are sighing and in pain (from illness),
By Allah, through these great blessings Allah conveys His Love for us,
The great blessings of good health, wellbeing, security and safety
All of these are provided purely so that we may live a goodly life

Allah, praised & exalted is He, desires two things from His slave:
The first is that he carry out his obligatory duties (e.g. prayer)
and the second, is the abandonment of all Allah has forbidden and held him back from

As for the one who claims that closeness to Allah
entails a life of suffering or limitations
Then such a person without doubt has erred greatly in how he perceives Allah

For, by Allah, if you do not purify and make good your life by closeness to your Lord,
you will never be able to do so by way of anything else

And if you do not purify and adorn your life by carrying out your obligatory duties to Him,
and abandoning all that He has forbidden,
Then by Allah, you will never be able to so by way of anything else

A person may experience every single pleasure life has to offer
but by Allah, he will never experience anything more pleasurable, 
more beautiful than servitude to Allah
by carrying out his obligations to Him
and leaving all that He has forbid him from

(In life) you are subjected to two choices,
whenever you are faced with a matter, 
you have the choice to either do it or not do it

If you decide to go forth and do anything in this life,
ask yourself, "Has Allah permitted you to do this thing, or not?"

Since the human being himself is owned by Allah
the hearts are all owned by Allah
and the souls are all owned by Allah

Thus a person should,
whenever he wants to do something or hold back from it,
ask himself, will Allah be pleased with you (by this action)?
If so, then let him proceed
Or, will Allah not be pleased by this action?
If not then he should hold himself back.

For, by Allah, a person does not proceed with an action nor hold back from it,
requesting Allah's Mercy (and counsel in the decision), 
except that he pleases his Lord in the process

Therefore true happiness and a goodly life are only to be found in closeness to Allah

Closeness to who?
To the King of Kings
the Controller of the Heavens & the Earth
To whom belongs the Ultimate Command, all creation 
and the perfect arrangement and measure of all that exists

Thus you may find that man is always
in a state of anxiety and weariness
You may find an individual who has everything he desires
But by Allah, you will find most of those who have all they desire
suffer from mental or psychological problems,
from anxiety and depression,
most of them are extremely unhappy and dissatisfied with their lives

Go and look for the wealthiest person
and you'll most likely find him to be from 
the most miserable people in life

And has made the sweetness and savour of life to be found,
in being close to Him

And has placed the key to a pleasurable, amiable life,
in a pleasurable, amiable relationship with Him

(If we look at just) one prayer that a person performs
from the 5 obligatory daily prayers;
at the moment of completing his bowing and prostrating
and completing his servitude to his Lord,
then at leaving the place of prayer,
he feels a great sense of ease and peace within himself!

By Allah, even if he were to spend all the wealth on the earth
(in attempt to buy this feeling)
He would be unable to seek a way to it.

Thus the goodly life is found only in closeness to Allah
A pleasant, comfortable life will only be found by a closeness to Allah
If a person does not purify and make good his life
through this close relationship,
then by who (or what) will he....?

Life, is either for a person, or against him

Source: kalamullah.com

Jihaad an-Nafs: Striving Against the Soul

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Shaykh Hasan Ayyub – may Allah preserve him -

From the first chapter of his book 'Fiqh al-Jihad fil-Islam'

The world, in its overwhelming majority, is encountering waves upon waves of evil and is being struck by evil passions and trials and tribulations, and it is being overtaken by various kinds of destructive evils, and it is being governed by Satanic ideas and selfish, imposing laws, and concepts that destroy all aspects of the human being that can be considered virtuous and noble. We are surrounded by an environment that has deviated from the truth, submitted to its desires and has been put to trial by its forbidden passions. And the human being inherits all that those who came before him have left for him of corruption in belief, entrenchment in misguidance, submission to the Sharī'ah of the Devil, permitting the forbidden, forbidding the permissible, and beautifying the lowest of actions and the most disgusting sins. And he is - with this - longing to satisfy his desires as he has been surrounded by the devils of the humans and Jinn.

So, he is a product of the environment, culture, upbringing, thoughts and all that he is surrounded by, and affected by; beginning with his family, his people, all the way to the general human population.

This human being, if Divine Guidance was sent down for his sake, and Allāh showed him ways of living in happiness in this life and the next, and he was given from Allāh a Book, and He favored him – by His Favor – with a Messenger to take him by the hand to that which is better and higher, and organizes the affairs of his life on the basis of justice and mercy, and saves him from everything that could be a cause of his destruction in this life and the next; if all of this occurred, then his situation would be quite different.

From the people, however, are those who have been defeated by this accumulation in evil, and are pressured by these influences, so they don't pay any attention to the religion and give it not the slightest consideration. Rather, he belittles the religion, and mocks it, and has enmity to those who call to it, and fights all those who try to change his ways and plant a pure seed in his head in place of the filthy Satanic seed that is in place.

Allāh – the Exalted – said: {"Rather! On their hearts is the black spot of the sins that they used to earn…"} [al-Mutaffifīn; 14]

And He – the Exalted – said: {"And if it is said to them 'Come to that which Allāh has revealed and to the Messenger!' they said 'What we found our fathers upon is enough for us.' Were it not that their fathers knew nothing and were not guided…"} [al-Mā'idah; 104]

And He – the Exalted – said: {"Verily, those who disbelieve will not believe whether you warn them or not."} [al-Baqarah; 6]

And yet, there is another type of person that you might see who is ready to reflect calmly and with deep insight, and remove himself from any outside influences in order to look at the issues that are important, and puts aside all that he has been fed in order for his research to be upon clarity. So if he is guided and comes to know, he turns and changes and becomes another person.

This human being struggles against (yu jāhid) his soul that commands him with evil, as well as his overwhelming passions and transgressing innate nature, deviated desires, misguided cultural practices, and bad habits.

He says: there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, certain that it means: none is rightly deserving of being served or worshipped except for Allāh, and none deserves to be submitted to or humbled before except Allāh, and none has the right to command or forbid except Allāh, and there is no legislation of laws except by Allāh, and by Him – the Exalted – the Muslim takes his steps, and with this, he submits himself to Allāh in a complete manner – in every way, shape and form – so he is called a Muslim (a submitter).

And he believes in everything that Allāh has revealed - so he is called a Mu'min (believer).

And he stands watch over the devils among the humans and Jinn, so he does not allow them to affect him – so he is called a Sābir (an endurer).

And he stops at the limits set by Allāh, and does not cross them unless in a moment of heedlessness (in which case he repents) – so he is called a Murābit (one who guards his territory).

And he sacrifices himself and his wealth for the sake of his belief, and he lives as a fugitive who has been uprooted from his home – so he is called a Mujāhid (one who strives).

And regarding this, the Exalted says: {"And those who strive in Our cause, we will guide them to Our ways, and verily, Allāh is with those who do good."} [al-'Ankabūt; 69]

And He – the Exalted – says: {"O you who believe! Endure and be patient and guard your territory and fear Allāh so that you may be successful."} [Āl 'Imrān; 200]

This kind of person, wherever he is found in a land or amongst a certain group of people, he is like a rising sun who's rays are sweet-smelling perfume; by him, the Earth is connected to the Heavens, and upon him descends the Mercy of Allāh, and surrounding him are the Angels of the Most Merciful.

He has a heart with the innocence of children, and a tongue with the purity of water from a rain cloud, and a helping hand that extends as if it was sent from Allāh, and a face that shines with the truth as if it were the morning light, and firmness upon the religion of Allāh as if he himself was a firm mountain.

If you walk with him he benefits you, and if you befriend him he serves you, and if you consult him he advises you, and if you wrong him he excuses you, and if you comfort him he thanks you, and if you are at odds with him he forgives you. Truthful; easygoing; trustworthy; he fears Allāh, so he is as Allāh says regarding him: {"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh, and those who are with him are harsh against the disbelievers and merciful between each other. You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking Favor from Allāh and His Pleasure. Their distinctive sign is the mark of prostration on their faces."} [al-Fat’h; 29]

And the struggle of the soul (jihād an-nafs) is the severest type of struggle, and the hardest and longest-lasting. It is a struggle at night, and during the day; in times of hardship, in times of ease; in times of relaxation and tension. It is a struggle in your beliefs and worship and interactions; while you are secluded from the people as well as when you are mixing with them. And it is a struggle by way of remembrance, prayer, fasting, and patience – as well as all things that strengthen your soul. And it is a struggle that calls for the person to be fully awake, aware and knowledgeable of the weak points of the enemy, the strategies of the Devil, the incoming waves of falsehood, the possible entrance points of doubts and confusions, as well as knowledge of the permissible and forbidden, and the commands of Allāh and his prohibitions, etc.

And without this struggle (Jihād) that polishes and purifies the soul, and changes everything in the life of the believer, and makes the Muslim a leader not a follower, and makes him a head and not a tail, and one who initiates change in others as opposed to one who is changed by others; without this type of struggle, a person is known simply as a Muslim – not a believer – and this is not a name that he would even be deserving of, and an outer image that does not reflect the inner truth.

And since this Muslim has given up on the struggle against his soul, he has also given up his Islāmic personality.

The struggle against the soul causes explosive changes – both internal and external – that give birth to a person that has been purified the utmost purification in comparison to the entire human race, so that the one who undergoes this change deserves to shine under the saying of Allāh:

{"You were the best nation brought out for the people."} [Āl 'Imrān; 110]

Source: kalamullah.com

Miracle of the Qur'an

Scientific exploration of facts from the Qur'an

Orbits

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Cage - n. 1. a boxlike enclosure having wires, bars, or the like, for confining or displaying birds or animals. 2. anything that confines or imprisons; prison.

Over the years, I've had the pleasure of viewing the interiors of a variety of steel cages. I've been locked in cages in the basements of Boston courthouses; I've been caged across from a barn and stacks of hay in Oklahoma; I've enjoyed the view from rooftop cages surrounded by New York City skyscrapers - I was once even held in a cage on the other side of a wall from a softball field, where I could hear and smell people having a cookout. In total, I estimate that I've spent over 2,000 hours in one cage or another over the past five years.

What most of you dread is, for me, a getaway. One experiences things while locked in a cage that cannot be experienced while locked in a cell. For example, it's the place to go when interested in fresh oxygen. And although the view is generally obstructed by razor wire and steel mesh, you can turn your sight to the heavens and think...

It's a cool autumn night here in the Midwest, and the cage has been left unlocked past its scheduled closing time (they lock it early as the days get shorter, since we apparently can't be properly surveilled in the dark). As I walk out, I look up at the sky: {"You will see no discrepancy in the creation of the Merciful. Look again: do you see any rifts? Then look again and again - your sight will come back humbled and unable to find such rifts."} (67:3-4) Commenting on these verses, the great Yemeni scholar Muhammad ash-Shawkani wrote that when looking at the natural world around you, "you won't see any contradiction or disparity, crookedness or inconsistency. Rather, it is all smooth, consistent, firmly structured, and proof of the existence of its Creator. Even though the various parts of creation vary in form and detail, they are all nonetheless bound together in perfect harmony in this way."

If you stop and reflect, you'll find that everything in the Universe indeed shares a common structure. This is true from the submicroscopic level all the way to the stellar:

We and everything around us are composed of incalculable atoms. Each atom contains a nucleus, around which electrons orbit billions of times every millionth of a second; we likewise make tawaf around the Ka'bah on Earth; the Moon is likewise orbiting the Earth; as you are reading this, our planet is likewise orbiting the Sun at over 62,000 miles an hour; the Sun is likewise orbiting the center of the Milky Way at 136 miles each second; the Milky Way, composed of over 200 billion other stars, is part of a cluster of over thirty other galaxies (known as the Local Group), and is orbiting the center of this cluster at 372 miles each second; the Local Group is part of a larger family of over a hundred other such clusters (known as the Virgo Supercluster), and is orbiting the center of this supercluster; the Virgo Supercluster, over 110 million light years wide (one light year equaling roughly six trillion miles), is part of an even larger cluster of superclusters (known as the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex), and is orbiting the center of this complex, and so on. And in a reversal of direction to our benefit, it's through the explosions of such faraway stars upon death that every life-essential chemical element buried in the Earth (e.g., carbon, oxygen, etc.) got to us.

Our lives share this structure with the Universe, consisting of seemingly unrelated events which likewise orbit in expanding rings around a nucleus. I can give plenty of examples from my own experiences, but suffice it to say that Allah has subtly embedded this pattern in the Qur'an, leaving us to discover this secret that unlocks the mysteries of so much that each of us encounters daily. In the story of Prophet Yusuf, for example, the nucleus is his shirt. The major events of his life orbit around this nucleus: As a young boy thrown in the well and separated from home, his shirt was taken to prove a lie to his father - his authority at the time (12:18); the circle expands to shortly before his imprisonment as a young man, when his shirt disproved a lie to al-'Aziz - his authority at the time (12:25-28); the circle expands again to after his release from prison, and to a reversal of direction to his benefit where his shirt was used to finally reunite him with his parents in Egypt - where he was now an authority (12:93).

As I begin to walk around in the cage, rain begins to fall. When the Prophet would see rain, he would say that "it is a mercy," and he would fold back some of his clothing to allow the raindrops to touch his skin. Water is a nucleus around which the very life of the Ummah revolves:

It's a condition for the existence of life itself (21:30, 24:45); purification with water is a condition for the acceptance of Salah; the opening du'a' of the Salah mentions water as a purifier of sins ("O Allah, wash me of my sins with water, snow, and hail"); the kuffar attacked the Prophets & their followers for being "people who purify themselves" (7:82); it's therefore fitting that water be used to purify the Earth of them, as occurred in the eras of Nuh and Musa. In fact, the major events of Musa's struggle against Fir'awn revolved around water: As a baby being hunted by Fir'awn, Musa's life was saved when his mother hid him in a river (28:7); the circle expands to him as a grown man and fugitive again being hunted by Fir'awn, finding refuge at a Madyan watering place (28:23); the circle expands again to Musa as the leader of an entire ummah, and to a reversal of direction to his benefit where he watched the seawater drown Fir'awn & his entire army (28:40). Thousands of years later, Allah sent rain upon the Mujahidin at Badr (8:11) - a battle which ended with the killing of "the Fir'awn of this ummah"; before 'Isa bin Maryam rules the world at the end of time, the Prophet described that Allah will send rain which "will wash the ground clean until it is left as shiny as a mirror."

Water is thus a precursor to life, to Salah, and to the establishment of Allah's rule on Earth. And just as Allah teaches us to thank Him for the ability to purify ourselves for Him (5:6), He teaches us to thank Him when He purifies the Earth for us:

Ibn Kathir wrote that the first Friday khutbah at al-Masjid al-Aqsa after Salah ad-Din retook it from the Crusaders was given by a man named al-Qadi Muhi ad-Din az-Zikki (grandfather of the great scholar Ibn 'Asakir). The very first words spoken in that khutbah were the following verse: {"So, the oppressors were obliterated, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe."} (6:45) The significance of the verse, ash-Shawkani pointed out, is that "it teaches the believers to thank Allah when blessings come their way. From the greatest of these blessings is the destruction of the oppressors who corrupt the Earth rather than rectify it, as they are more damaging to the believers than anything else."

Expanding on this theme of purification, Sayyid Qutb commented on the same verse by asking: "Could Allah be thanked for a gift greater than that of purifying the Earth of oppressors? Could He be thanked for a mercy greater than His mercy towards His worshippers in carrying out such a purification? Allah destroyed the nations of Nuh, Hud, Salih, and Lut - just as He destroyed the Pharaohs, the Greeks, the Romans, and others - through this sunnah: the sunnah of istidraj (gradual entrapment). Behind the blossoming-then-destruction of their civilizations lies that hidden secret of Allah's power, this manifest portion of His sunnah, and this divine explanation of known historical events."

He continued: "Those nations possessed such culture, power, and luxury that they in some ways exceeded what today's nations enjoy as they drown in their own authority and luxury, deluded by their possessions, and deluding others who are clueless as to the sunnah of Allah when it comes to hardship and ease. These nations are unaware that such a sunnah even exists, and they are unaware that Allah is gradually entrapping them in accordance with this sunnah. Those who swim in the orbit of such nations are dazzled by their temporary power; they are impressed by their abundant wealth; and they are deluded by the fact that Allah leaves these nations untouched for a while despite their refusal to worship or know Him, instead rebelling against His authority, claiming for themselves godlike attributes, corrupting the Earth, and oppressing other people after having transgressed against the authority of Allah Himself."

Sayyid then summarized his experience in America: "When I lived in the United States of America, I saw for myself a confirmation of Allah's words: {"So, when they ignored all of the warning signs sent to remind them, I opened for them the doors of every worldly pleasure..."} (6:44) The scene depicted in this verse is one of an outpour of endless resources and goods that are unlikely to exist anywhere on the planet as much as they do there (i.e., America). I saw those people deluded by their opulence, thinking it to be the rightful inheritance of the white man. I saw the arrogance and brutality with which they treated people of color, and the conceit with which they dealt with all of the other peoples of the world... especially if such colored people were Muslims. I would see all of this, and I would recall this verse and await the implementation of the sunnah of Allah, practically seeing its precursors make their way towards these heedless people: {"... until, when they became arrogant and boastful with what they had, I suddenly seized them, and they were plunged into despair. So, the oppressors were obliterated, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe."} (6:45)

He then observed that "although Allah has ceased His sunnah of completely wiping out nations since the mission of His Messenger (peace be upon him), He has left other types of punishment to remain. Humanity - particularly the nations which have had the doors of every material pleasure opened for them - tastes quite a bit of this despite the high level of productivity and wealth in their societies. The psychological, mental, and spiritual distress, the queer sexual practices, and the moral depravity suffered by these societies today - all of this drowns out the enjoyment resulting from that productivity and wealth. These punishments stain the lives of its citizens with depression, anxiety, and sadness."

It's as if he's living amongst us today...

And over a half century before the establishing of the Dawlah (may Allah continue to give it victory), Sayyid Qutb concluded: "But it should be pointed out that Allah's sunnah in destroying falsehood is that the truth is first manifested on Earth in the form of a nation. Through this nation, Allah then smashes falsehood, thereby annihilating it. So, the people of truth shouldn't sit lazily, waiting for events to run their course with no effort on their part. In such a case, they wouldn't actually be representing the truth or be from its people. The truth isn't manifested except in a nation that establishes Allah's rule on Earth, and repels those who violate it and claim for themselves godlike attributes."

On that note, the circle around water expands one more time, finally transcending this world and reaching into the next:

While the kuffar will be denied even a drop of water in Hell (7:50), the Prophet confirmed that the shuhada' who gave their lives throughout history to purify the Earth enjoy plenty of it as we speak, as they await their eventual entrance into Paradise. In an authentic hadith, he said: "The shuhada' are at Bariq (a river at the gates of Paradise), in a green domed structure. Their provision is brought out to them from Paradise day & night." Noting the disparity between the Muslims & kuffar in this context, Shaykh 'Abdullah 'Azzam commented that these provisions for the shuhada' "are presented to their souls such that they feel refreshed & happy, just as Fir'awn's people are exposed to the Fire day & night such that they feel pain (referring to 40:46)." Another source of pain for them will be water (6:70), while it's water that will physically illuminate us in the future, as the Prophet said that on the Day of Judgment, "I will look ahead of me, behind me, and to my right and left, and I will recognize my ummah amongst all the others." A man asked him how he would recognize them, to which he explained: "Their faces and limbs will be shining with the traces of wudu', and nobody else will be like that..."

Having spotted no rifts whatsoever, I turn my sight back down from the sky, and I walk out of the cage.

Written by: Tariq Mehanna

Source: kalamullah.com