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Losing Hope In Finding A Spouse

We learn from the guidance of the Beloved of Allah to seek the strongest and most effective means available while placing one’s trust in Allah.

Sayyiduna Umar (Allah be pleased with him) said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) say, “If you relied on Allah as He should be relied on, He would provide for you as He provides for birds. They go out hungry in the early morning, and return full in the evening.” [Tirmidhi] . The scholars note that birds do not merely place their trust in Allah: they go out early and take all means to fulfill their goals.

In every community, there are people who set up marriages, who know suitable would-be spouses, and who should be sought out if one wants to marry. If it does not work through one’s family, try going through other elders in the community (such as one’s friends’ parents, community leaders, imams of mosques, marriage services, etc.)

Perform the Prayer of Need (Salat al-Haja): make wudu and perform 2 rakats after which you make heartfelt supplication, asking for a suitable spouse.

Be certain that Allah will answer your duas, in the best of ways:
“Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Who provides for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owns hearing and sight; and Who brings forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living; and Who directs the course? They will say, Allah. Then say: Will you not then keep your duty (unto Him) ?” [Qur’an, 10.31]

Allah reminds us:
“And in the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised;

And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, it is the truth, even as (it is true) that you speak.” [51.22-23]

So keep taking the best of means, with complete trust in Allah and certainty that if you do that which He has asked of you, He will most certainly give you all that is best for you, in this life and the next.

Allah tells us:
“The devil promises you destitution and enjoins on you lewdness. But Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself with bounty. Allah is All-Embracing, All-knowing.” [Qur’an, 2.268]

And:
“And the believers, men, and women are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.

Allah promises to the believers, men and women, Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide – blessed dwellings in Gardens of Eden. And – greater (far)! – acceptance from Allah. That is the supreme triumph.” [Qur’an, 9.71]

And be patient. The Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) reminded us that:
“No tiredness, illness, difficulty, sorrow, harm or sadness afflicts a Muslim, even to a thorn pricking him, without Allah wiping away his errors through it.” [Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim, from Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with them)]

And Allah alone gives success.

The Leaders Of The People Of Paradise

(i) The Leaders of the Men
A number of the Sahabah, including ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, Anas ibn Maalik, Abu Hudhayfah, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, and Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger (saw) said, “Abu Bakr and ‘Umar will be the leaders of men of Paradise from the earlier and later generations.” [Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah, 12/487, no. 824]

(ii) The Leaders of the Youth
at-Tirmidhi, al-Haakim, at-Tabaraani, Ahmad, and others reported that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said, that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Hasan and Husayn are the leaders of the youth of Paradise”. This is proven by so many reports that reach the level of tawatur. [see also the narration from Hudhayfah and from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar in Ibn ‘Asaakir – Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah, no. 797]

(iii) The Leaders of the Women
The true female leader is the one with whom her Rabb is pleased and whose deeds He accepts. The best women are those who attain the Paradise of delights. The women of Paradise are of different levels, and the Messenger (saw) told us about their leaders:

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) drew four lines and said, “Do you know what these are?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said, “The best women of Paradise are Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, Faatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint ‘Imraan and Aasiyah bin Muzahim, the wife of Fir’awn” [Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah, 4/13, no. 1508, from Ahmad at-Tahhaawi, al-Haakim from Ibn ‘Abbaas, saheeh]

Maryam and Khadeejah are the best of the four – “The best of its women is Maryam and the best of its women is Khadeejah” [from ‘Ali in al-Bukhaari, Kitaab Manaaqib al-Ansaar, Fath al-Baari, 7/133] – and Maryam is the “First Lady” – “The leaders of the women of Paradise, AFTER Maryam bint ‘Imraan will be..” [Silsilat al-Hadith as-Saheehah, 3/410, no. 1424, from Jaabir in at-Tabaraani, saheeh]. The reason why Maryam is considered the best of all women is clearly stated in the Qur’an:

“Behold! the angels said, “O Maryam! Allah has chosen you and purified you, chosen you above the women of all nations.” [3:42]

How could she not be the best of women when Allah has clearly stated that,

“..her Rabb accepted her with a goodly acceptance. He made her to grow in a good manner”. [3:37]

These four women are beautiful examples of perfect, righteous women. Maryam, the daughter of ‘Imran, is praised by Allah in the Qur’an:

“And Maryam, daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breather into [the sleeve of her shirt/garment] through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibreel] and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Rabb, and [also believed in] His Scriptures and she was one of the Qaaniteen [obedient to Allah]” [66:12]

Khadeejah as-Siddeeqah believed in the Messenger (saw) without hesitation; she consoled and supported him in every way. Her Rabb gave her the good news, during her lifetime, of a place in Paradise in which there would be no noise or exhaustion [al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Manaaqib, Fath al-Baari, 7/133]

Aasiyah the wife of Fir’awn, despised the power and luxuries of this world and rejected Pharaoh and his false claims of divinity. Hence, her husband tortured her until her soul departed to her Creator:

“And Allah sets forth an example for those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “My Rabb! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his works, and save me from the Dhaalimoon [those that do wrong]” [66:11].

Faatimah az-Zahraa, the daughter of the Prophet (saw), was patient, forbearing, and feared Allah. She was a branch from the pure tree, brought up by the educator of humanity.

How Prophets Informed Their Nations About ALLAH

In his well-known book, Al-Hikam(Words of Wisdom), sheik Ahmad Ibn `Ataa’illah As-Sakandari says:

Every speech comes out with a cover from the heart of the speaker. If Allah allows a speaker to express himself, people will understand his words and comprehend his gestures.
This stage on our journey to Allah relates to the believer’s speech in which he tells people about Allah. Every believer has a responsibility to call people to their Creator, to remind them of their Lord, and to participate in reform.

{I desire no more than reform in so far as it lies within my power.} (Hud 11:88 )
{Say [O Prophet]: “This is my way: Resting upon conscious insight accessible to reason, I am calling you all unto Allah – I and they who follow me”.} (Yusuf 12:108)
This was the mission of every prophet of Allah and every follower of the right path.

There are different kinds of speech. There is a certain type of speech that has a considerable influence on people. This speech, as the Sheikh explains, is not the fluent speech that comes out from an intelligent mind or an eloquent tongue, but it is the speech that comes out from an enlightened heart.

Now I recall many speeches given by Prophets, reformers, and righteous leaders; a few sentences that changed the course of history. Their speeches came out of pure hearts. Some of these speeches deserved to be recorded by Allah in His Glorious Book, the Qur’an. The following are a few examples.

Here is a speech delivered by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him):
{Said Abraham: “Have you, then, ever considered what it is that you have been worshipping – you and those ancient forebears of yours? Now as for me, I know that, verily, these false deities are my enemies, and that none is my helper save the Sustainer of all the worlds, who has created me and is the One who guides me, and is the One who gives me to eat and to drink, and when I fall ill, is the One who restores me to health, and who will cause me to die and then will bring me back to life, and who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on Judgment Day! O, my Sustainer! Endow me with the ability to judge between right and wrong, and make me one with the righteous, and grant me the power to convey the truth unto those who will come after me, and place me among those who shall inherit the garden of bliss! And forgive my father for, verily, he is among those who have gone astray, and do not put me to shame on the Day when all shall be raised from the dead: and when only he will be happy who comes before Allah with a heart free of evil!”}. (Ash-Shu`araa’ 26: 75-89)

Read also the speech of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him):
{And convey unto them the story of Noah-when he said unto his people: “O my people! If my presence among you and my announcement of Allah’s messages are repugnant to you -well, in Allah have I placed my trust. Decide, then, upon what you are going to do against me, and call to your aid those beings to whom you ascribe a share in Allah’s divinity; and once you have chosen your course of action, let no hesitation deflect you from it; and then carry out against me whatever you may have decided, and give me no respite! But if you turn away from the message which I bear, remember that I have asked no reward whatever of you: my reward rests with none but Allah, for I have been bidden to be among those who have surrendered themselves unto Him”} (Yunus 10:71-72)

Read also this dialogue between Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and Pharaoh and his people:
{Said Pharaoh: “And what and who is that ‘Sustainer of all the worlds’?” Moses answered: “He is the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them: if you would but allow yourselves to be convinced!” Said Pharaoh unto those around him: “Did you hear what he said?” And Moses continued: “He is your Sustainer, too, as well as the Sustainer of your forefathers of old!” Pharaoh exclaimed: “Behold, your ‘apostle’ who claims that he has been sent unto you is mad indeed! But Moses went on: “He of whom I speak is the Sustainer of the east and the west and of all that is between the two”- as you would know if you would but use your reason!” Said Pharaoh: “Indeed, if you choose to worship any deity other than me, I shall most certainly throw you into prison!” Said he: “Even if I should bring about before you something that clearly shows the truth?” …} (Ash-Shu`araa’ 26:22-30)

Read also the speech of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him):
{But Jesus said: “Behold, I am a servant of Allah. He has vouchsafed unto me revelation and made me a prophet, and made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live and has endowed me with piety towards my mother, and He has not made me haughty or bereft of grace. Hence, peace was upon me on the day when I was born and will be upon me on the day of my death, and on the day when I shall be raised to life again!’’} (Maryam 19 30-33)

Read the speech of the believing man of Pharaoh’s family:
{Still, the man who had attained faith went on: “O my people! Follow me: I shall guide you onto the path of rectitude! O, my people! This worldly life is but a brief enjoyment, whereas, behold, the life to come is the home abiding. There, anyone who has done a bad deed will be requited with no more than the like thereof, whereas anyone, be it man or woman, who has done righteous deeds and is a believer withal – all such will enter paradise, wherein they shall be blest with good beyond all reckoning! And, O my people, how is it that I summon you to salvation, while you summon me to the fire? For you call upon me to deny the oneness of Allah and to ascribe a share in His divinity to aught of which I cannot possibly have any knowledge the while I summon you to a cognition of the Almighty, the All-Forgiving! There is no doubt that what you summon me to is something that has no claim to being invoked either in this world or in the life to come – as there is no doubt that unto Allah is our return, and that they who have wasted their own selves shall find themselves in the fire: and at that time you will have cause to remember what I am telling you now. But as for me, I commit myself unto Allah: for, verily, Allah sees all that is in the hearts of His servants.”} (Ghafir 40:38-44)

You can feel, through the words, that all the above speeches came out with a cover of light from the heart of the speakers.

It is a prerequisite for anyone who tells the people about their Creator that his speech should come out from the heart.

The same holds true for Prophet Muhammad’s speech. Read, for example, his speech in the battle of Tabuk:

“Verily the most veracious discourse is the book of Allah. The most trustworthy handhold is the word of piety. The best religion is the religion of Ibrahim. The best of traditions is the Sunnah of Muhammad. The noblest speech is the mentioning of Allah. The finest of narratives is this Qur’an. The best of affairs is that which has been firmly resolved upon. The worst matters are those which are created without ALLAHly sanction. The best of ways is the one trodden by the Prophets. The noblest death is the death of a martyr. The most miserable blindness is waywardness after guidance. The best of knowledge is that which is beneficent. The best guidance is that which is put into practice. The worst blindness is the blindness of the heart. The upper hand is better than the lower (i.e., it is better to give than to receive). The little that suffices is better than the abundant and alluring. The worst apology is that which is tendered when death stares one in the face. The worst remorse is that which is felt on the Day of Resurrection. Some men do not come to the Friday prayer, but with hesitance and delay. And some of them do not remember Allah but with reluctance. The tongue that is addicted to false expression is a bubbling spring of sins. The most valuable possession is the contentment of the heart. The best provision is that of piety. The highest wisdom is the awe of Allah. The best thing to be cherished in the hearts is faith and conviction; doubt is part of infidelity. Impatient wailing and fulsome praise of the dead is an act of ignorance. Betrayal leads one to the fire of Hell. Liquor is the mother of evils. Each one of you must resort to a place of four cubits (in the grave). Your affairs will be decided ultimately in the next life. He who pardons is himself granted pardon. He who forgives others is forgiven by Allah. He who represses anger, Allah rewards him. He who faces misfortunes with perseverance, Allah compensates him. He who shows patience and forbearance, Allah gives him a double reward. He who disobeys Allah, Allah chastises him”. (Reported by al-Bayhaqi)

This is a speech that came out from the Prophet’s heart so that it reached the people easily and it had a considerable influence on them. It is a prerequisite for anyone who tells the people about their Creator that his speech should come out from the heart.

If you want to offer advice to anyone, you should mend your heart first. When you have a sincere intention in your heart, your influence on people will be stronger, i.e., people will understand your words and comprehend your gestures, as the Sheikh says in this word of wisdom.

The Prophet’s companions also gave very fluent speeches which did not only influence their audience but changed the course of history as well.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) gave a very important first speech after he became a Caliph. One of the most influential statements was the following:
“I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right”.

`Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“When did you enslave people whose mothers bore them free?”

`Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“O people, you need an active ruler, not a ruler who is a good speaker”.

`Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The keeper of a safe dies and what he guards and the treasures remain, however, a man of knowledge lives throughout the ages”.

Ibn `Ataa is right: If Allah allows a speaker to express himself, people will understand his words and comprehend his gestures.

By Jasser Auda

The Prophetic Peace Formula: Feed, Greet and Pray

Abdullah ibn Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated When the Prophet arrived for the first time in Madinah, I went with everyone to see him. When I saw him, I knew his face was not that of a liar. The first words he said were, “O people, feed the hungry, spread Salam(greeting of peace), maintain your kin relationships, and pray at night while others are asleep. With this, you shall enter Heaven in peace.” (Al-Bukhari)

Community organizers and leaders of all kinds who share and promote ideas play an important role in spreading values and bringing people together. They have the ability to leverage the collective strength of people to serve the well-being of humanity.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was sincere and had strong, clear convictions in his message, which is why he implemented it first on himself before he took it to others. His sincerity showed on his face, attitude, and body language, lending confidence and credibility to his words and message. The essence of his message is the well-being of people, and his first words as he entered into the new community of Madinah emphasized that.

Eliminating hunger starts with everyone recognizing that we share the world’s food resources. We can start to feed the hungry by creating opportunities for people to have healthy meals through social occasions, dedicated outlets, or personal concerns on the individual level.

Food is a necessity of survival and a prerequisite for peace. We cannot expect communities and countries to tackle other issues until we have helped them ease the pangs of hunger among their people. Ensuring that everyone is able to find their meals for the day is an important step toward world peace.

As we meet each other on the road, while waiting in lines, in classrooms, in the workplace, or in social gatherings, warmly greeting each other goes a long way in creating compassion and awareness among one another. Ignorance leads to hatred and greeting one another opens the door to learning about one another. It diffuses tension and fosters dialogue. A greeting of peace like “I wish you peace” or “May Allah’s peace be with you today” goes even a step further. In Islam, one of Allah’s names is Peace. A greeting of peace is a prayer for Allah to send His peace upon each one of us.

The spiritual connection with Allah is the reactor that gives us the energy to sustain our relationship with others.

Family and relatives are important units for peace in the world. As families grow and expand, the connection and ties potentially grow weaker. Individuals may find themselves alone, unsupported, and without a safety net. Small cliques and competition for power may grow inside the family, and people slowly disconnect from one another.

Renewing and maintaining family ties on a regular basis, even with distant relatives, create opportunities for collaboration and appreciation for one another. It ensures that everyone belongs with someone, somewhere. In today’s world, we are fortunate that technology has provided means of communication by which we can easily stay in touch with other family members.

In an inspiring connection between our spiritual life and physical life, the Prophet lists praying at night along with feeding the hungry, greeting each other, and maintaining family ties. There is something special about praying at night. When we are by ourselves in the quiet moments of the night, it is a powerful time to build our connection with Allah. The spiritual connection with Allah is the reactor that gives us the energy to sustain our relationship with others and our service toward them.

By balancing our inner strength and implementing our role towards others, we chart not only a path to peace in our world but a peaceful path to Heaven as well.

By Dr. Hazem Said and Maha Ezzeddine

In Allah, Do Believers Put Their Trust

[ALLAH’S Quran – 33:3 – And put your trust in Allah. Allah is sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) has said :
[Bukhari, Book #37, Hadith #488h] “Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “An Israeli man asked another Israeli to lend him one thousand Dinars. The second man required witnesses. The former replied, ‘ALLAH is sufficient as a witness.’ The second said, ‘I want a surety.’ The former replied, ‘ALLAH is sufficient as a surety.’ The second said, ‘You are right,’ and lent him the money for a certain period. The debtor went across the sea. When he finished his job, he searched for a conveyance so that he might reach in time for the repayment of the debt, but he could not find any. So, he took a piece of wood and made a hole in it, inserted in it one thousand Dinars and a letter to the lender, and then closed (i.e. sealed) the hole tightly. He took the piece of wood to the sea and said. ‘O ALLAH! You know well that I borrowed one thousand Dinars from so-and-so. He demanded a surety from me but I told him that ALLAH’s Guarantee was sufficient and he accepted Your guarantee. He then asked for a witness and I told him that ALLAH was sufficient as a Witness, and he accepted You as a Witness. No doubt, I tried hard to find a conveyance so that I could pay his money but could not find it, so I handed over this money to You.’ Saying that he threw the piece of wood into the sea till it went out far into it, and then he went away. Meanwhile, he started searching for a conveyance in order to reach the creditor’s country. One day the lender came out of his house to see whether a ship had arrived bringing his money, and all of a sudden he saw the piece of wood in which his money had been deposited. He took it home to use for fire. When he saw it, he found his money and the letter inside it. Shortly after that, the debtor came bringing one thousand Dinars to him and said, ‘By ALLAH, I had been trying hard to get a boat so that I could bring you your money, but failed to get one before the one I have come by.’ The lender asked, ‘Have you sent something to me?’ The debtor replied, ‘I have told you I could not get a boat other than the one I have come by.’ The lender said, ‘ALLAH has delivered the money you sent in the piece of wood on your behalf. So, you may keep your one thousand Dinars and depart guided on the right path..’ ”

[Bukhari, Book #60, Hadith #86] “Narrated Ibn Abbas: ‘Allah is Sufficient for us and He Is the Best Disposer of affairs,” was said by Abraham when he was thrown into the fire; and it was said by Muhammad when they (i.e. hypocrites) said, “A great army is gathering against you, therefore, fear them,” but it only increased their faith and they said: “Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer (of affairs, for us).” (3.173)