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Reaping The Fruits Of Afflictions

Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, No fatigue, nor disease, nor anxiety, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

This world is no more than a test in which all humans are bound to face some hardships and challenges that reveal their patience and steadfastness. The forms of this test are numerous and diverse: Some people suffer poverty, some suffer physical illnesses, some live in a state of insecurity, some are deprived of their cherished and beloved ones, and still others suffer psychiatric disorders. Referring to this fact, Allah says:

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, loss of wealth and lives and fruits but give glad tidings to the As-Sabirun (the patient). Who, when afflicted with certain calamity say: Truly to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return. They are those on whom are the Salawat (who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones. (Al-Baqarah, 2:155-157)

Since trials and hardships are inevitable, Islam does not let them pass by without instructing Muslims on the best course of action or by guiding them to the safest and most appropriate attitude. The Hadith reveals one dimension of Islam s recipe for successfully dealing with life’s challenges. In order to balance the negative effects posed by afflictions, Islam draws our attention to their expected fruit.

Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, He whom Allah intends good, He makes him to suffer from some affliction. (Al-Bukhari)

Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property, and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record. (At-Tirmidhi)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – Delivering God’s Message

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the bearer of God’s message to mankind. As such, his task was to deliver the message and ensure that those who received it understood it well.

Since Islam is a complete way of life, providing guidance in every aspect of life, including economics and politics, its teachings in these areas must be fully understood by ordinary persons, so that they are able to put them into practice; everyone in their own areas.

Before we go further, we should explain that in areas where circumstances and situations differ from one society to another and develop from one period of time to another, Islam provides broad lines, basic principles and clear values for guidance. For example, in politics Islam accepts only consultative government. As long as the principle of consultation is fully applied, the shape of government and its mechanism can be determined by each society as it prefers. In economics, Islam lays down the principles of prohibition of usury, fair distribution of wealth, prevention of poverty and payment of zakat. When these are taken into account, people and governments can choose how they run their economies, ensuring the implementation of these principles.

The Prophet was fully aware that he must make every aspect of God’s message abundantly clear. He was the most eloquent of people. He never found difficulty in expressing his meaning. This is a quality God had given him so that he would be able to perform his task of delivering the message he was given. He expressed himself in a variety of ways, as the situation required. He did not resort to verbosity on any occasion, realizing that too many words, expressions, similes and images could lead to a loss of meaning, rather than to amplify it. On the contrary, he was always clear and precise. He might use a story, a prayer, an advice, a warning, a simple statement or even a hint. He chose the mode that served his audience best and made his meaning clear. We mentioned recently how he ordered one latecomer to the Friday prayer to stand up and offer the prayer of greeting the mosque, although the sermon was in progress. The Prophet wanted the people to realize that person was very poor and hoped that one or two of them would be forthcoming with their help. This is exactly what happened, although the Prophet did not mention anything about the man’s case, either during the sermon or afterward. However, this would not have happened, had he not instilled into the Muslim community the importance of charity and the need to alleviate the poverty of any poor person in their midst.

It was just a gesture and the people understood. Such is the task of God’s messenger: To make the meaning clear and to let people take the position they wanted after that. No one is compelled to do anything other than what they choose. God told the Prophet very clearly the extent of his task: “Your duty is only to deliver your message.” (42: 48) And he certainly did, by word and by example. His life was a practical implementation of His message. We only need to look at his handling of any situation to learn what God wants us to do in similar circumstances. In his teachings, he was always focused on delivery. His farewell speech, during his pilgrimage, shortly before he passed away, was comprehensive as it outlined the main areas of the divine message. Every time he explained a certain aspect, he would conclude it by asking his audience: “Have I made this clear? Have I delivered my message plain?” When they said: “Yes, indeed,” he looked up and said: “My Lord! Be my witness.”

Who Are Your Real Friends?

It is very important for every Muslim to make sure that his choice of friends and the company he keeps is correct. It has been proven through experience that habits and behavior of friends and associates slowly manifest in an individual.

Without realizing, a person begins to adopt the style and behavior of his friends. We are all witness to this fact. Sadly, I can recall many incidents where those who were pious, religious and of good character lost all their good qualities because they kept company and associated with an inappropriate circle of friends.

I have also seen others who were drowning in sin and evil, who underwent a complete revolution in their lives after adopting the company of a pious person of huge moral standards.

Rasullullah May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him has advised, “A person is on the way of his life friend. Therefore, he should think very carefully whom he is making a friend with.” (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood)

We need friends who are sincere, genuine and true and also true in their friendship. Those who care for our well-being from every aspect are true friends.

Whereas on the other hand, worldly friends are not only a waste of time, but also on the day of Qiyamah, they will be a means of destruction.

The Quran says:
“All friends on the day of Qiyamah will be enemies of one another except the God fearing.”
(Mutaqeen) (43:67)

Here, the Quran is not saying that friends will not help or benefit each other on that day, it is saying something much stronger, that friends who were not God-fearing will be the enemies of each other on the day of Qiyamah.

Adopt Islamic Etiquettes And Manners In Routine, Get Unlimited Rewards

1. Praying for someone who does good to you
Praying for the one who treats you kindly by saying “Jazak Allaahukhairan”

It was narrated that Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever has a favour done for him and says to the one who did it,JazakAllaahu khairan, has done enough to thank him.(May Allah reward you for the good)

2. Shaking hands with the opposite gender
It is NOT permissible for a man to shake the hands of a non –mahram[ woman]

Narrated Maqal ibn Yassaar (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “If one of you were to be struck in the head with an iron needle, it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman he is not allowed to.”
(al-Tabaraani; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 5045)

3. Drinking
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do not drink water in one gulp (or one breath) like a camel, but take it in two or three installments (with break for breaths);
take the name of Allah (i.e. recite Bismillah) when you start drinking and praise Him (say Alhamdulillah) when you finish.” Al-Tirmidhi Hadithh 758 Narrated byAbdullah ibn Abbas (ra)

Your Richness Before Your Poverty

One day we might not have anything, and the next day we might have much more than we need. One day, a person has a great job and a fat pay check, yet the next day, something happens and he does not have that job anymore and loses his source of income. So, the wise person uses his richness before he becomes poor. He invests for his future.

As for the investments of this world, then the Muslims and non-Muslims are somewhat same, in the sense they both invest in it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would store staple food items up to a year. Sometimes he would store barley and grain for a whole year for his family. This is obviously something Halaal as the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself did it, and we should do it too. We should make sure we have enough money for our family, so we do not turn beggars. There is no doubt that this is part of our Shariah.

But while we do this, let us not forget that we should also invest for the hereafter. Should we not think about investing money so we can pluck its fruits in the hereafter, where we will need it far more than currently in this world? We should invest for the real future – in our life after death.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) once asked his companions, “Who amongst you loves his inheritors’ money more than his own money?”

A father, for example, will love his own money more than his son’s money. This is something natural. Every person will love his own money more than other people’s money.

The Companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, all of us love our own money more than we love the money of our inheritors. We all love our own money. We guard it and protect it more than the money of our inheritors.”

Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Verily, the money that you spend in charity is your money, and the money that you leave behind is the money of your inheritors.” (Al-Bukhari, 4/217)

Ponder over that Hadith for a while. How true it is. Do we not realize that all our lifelong savings enough to feed generations of people will be of no benefit to us? It will all be our inheritors’ money. But the money we spend in our lifetime for the sake of Allah will be ours permanently.

Remember that feeding your family is a type of worship if you are doing it for the sake of Allah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whatever you spend in Allah’s Cause, you will get reward for it, even for the morsel of food which you put in your wife’s mouth.” (Al-Bukhari)

Now everybody feeds his family. But will everybody be rewarded? No. Because only the one who does it remembering Allah, thinking about Allah, and doing it for the sake of Allah will be rewarded.

Ask yourself if the last time you went shopping, was Allah in your mind? Did you think of doing this for Allah? When you picked up the milk and the bread, was your heart thinking,

“O Allah, I am buying this food through Halaal money, and this is Halaal food, because I want to feed my family and this is an obligation that You have put upon me, therefore, I am doing it for your sake.” Who amongst us has this in the mind?

When we say, “Money that is spent for the sake of Allah,” we are not just talking about Zakat and charity. They are among the most virtuous deeds no doubt. But do not forget that the majority of income we spend can all be for the sake of Allah if we have the right intention. Such consciousness of Allah all the time will also prevent us from extravagance and wasting our money.

Humility Is A Guide For Islamic Rulers

In everything the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, whether a comment on a situation, a story, an advice, or a sermon, and in everything he dictated, such as an agreement, a promise or a letter, he was in effect delivering God’s message, explaining the part of it that was related to the situation in hand.

He realized that his mission meant that he dedicated his life to this task. God tells us that His messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him), provides a good example for us to emulate if we aim to earn His pleasure and happiness in the life to come. Therefore, the Prophet realized that he had to provide such good example, by word and deed. He certainly did that in the best way a human being could do.

One value that the Prophet wanted instilled in his followers was humility. This is a virtue that people would do well to have. However, it is easily lost when a person is in a position of authority. The Prophet wanted those whom he appointed as commanders or governors to make this virtue natural to them. Last week, we looked at a hadith which detailed some of the instructions the Prophet gave to such commanders, when they faced an enemy. Before they could engage the enemy in a fight, they were to offer them one of three choices. The same hadith gives further instructions, as follows: “If you besiege people in a fort and they want to make an agreement with you, asking you to give them a pledge on God’s honor and His messenger’s honor, do not give them that. Give them a pledge on your own and your companions’ honor. Should you violate a pledge on your honor is much lesser (as an offense) than violating a pledge on God’s and His messenger’s honor. If you besiege people in a fort and they want you to administer to them God’s judgment, do not do that, but give them your own judgment. You do not know whether you exactly pass God’s judgment on them or not.” (Related by Muslim).

In this outline, the Prophet urges anyone who is in a leadership position to keep focused on their positions. They are entrusted with duties of responsibility and they must discharge their responsibility without losing sight of the fact that as human beings, they are liable to make mistakes or take wrong actions. Hence, if an enemy wants to arrive at some peaceful arrangements with the Muslims, the Muslim commander should grant them that. It is natural that the surrendering enemy wants to be certain of the commitment of the Muslim army. Therefore, they ask for the agreed arrangements to be solemnized with a pledge on God’s and His messenger’s honor. The Prophet tells such commanders not to give such a pledge. Should circumstances change, a different commander takes over, or a threat is perceived, or anything that might compel or persuade the Muslims to go back on their commitment, they would be violating a pledge given in God’s name and on His honor. This is very serious. Hence, they should never put that to the test. Instead they make their pledges on their own honor. This is sufficient for any party, because Muslims must never violate their promises.

The same applies to anyone asking for his case to be dealt with according to God’s verdict. A Muslim governor or commander must never give such a pledge, because he will rule according to the circumstances and conditions that are presented to him. There may be something he does not know that may affect his judgment. Hence, he cannot tell in advance that his judgment will concur with God’s judgment. Therefore, his pledge is to look into the matter in hand and consider it in accordance with God’s law, but his judgment will be on the basis of what he sees to be right. Of course he will have to make every effort to arrive at the right judgment, but in the end it will be his own. We see how in our world dictators utilize every means at their disposal to instill in people’s minds that what they do is the absolute right, producing the ultimate good. Even leaders in democratic regimes make similar claims, albeit a little tamed. A Muslim ruler will always know his place and say that he will endeavor to be right, but as a human being he is liable to err.

– by Adil Salahi

Social And Political Peace

Islam brings social and political peace because submission to Allah requires that a society totally rejects corruption, wrong-doing, deviant and harmful behaviors. Commitment to peace with God and His creation leads to unity, love, harmony, dialogue and respect for others. An ideal society is what human beings have been dreaming of since even before Plato’s ‘Republic’ or Augustine’s ‘Eternal City of God’. With Muhammad (S), the ideal society was constituted of faithful followers called the Sahaaba or the companions, who submitted to the Message in obedience to God and His Prophet and Messenger (S).

The organization of that society started from basic requirements such as the brotherhood between all Muslims. Peace was declared verbally in every daily encounter of two individuals or more. Salutation  – As-Salaamu Alaikum!- in its verbal form means “Peace be upon you!” Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Salute each other a greeting of blessing and purity as from Allah” (Q 24:61).

And He also says:
“When a courteous greeting is offered to you, meet it with a greeting still more courteous, or at least of equal courtesy. Allah takes careful account of all things.” (Q 4:86).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was once asked:
“Which is the best Islam?” He (peace be upon him) replied: “You feed the hungry and you say Salaam to those you know and those you don’t know.” (Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim).

He (peace be upon him) also said:
“You won’t enter Paradise unless you believe, and you won’t believe unless you love each other. Do you want me to show you something that if you do it you will love each other? Say Salaam to each other- Send messages of peace to each other-” (Related by Muslim).

The Ungrateful Nature Of Man

“Man does not get tired of asking for good; but if an evil touches him, then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair. And truly, if We give him a taste of mercy from Us, after some adversity has touched him, he is sure to say: ‘This is due to my (merit); I think not that the Hour will be established. But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him.’ Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment. And when We show favor to man, he turns away and becomes arrogant; but when evil touches him, then he has recourse to long supplications.” (Qur’an, 41:49-51)

Ibn Kathir writes in his commentary on the above verses: Allah tells us that man never gets tired of asking his Lord for good things, such as wealth, physical health, etc., but if evil touches him – trials and difficulties or poverty – “then he gives up all hope and is lost in despair.” He thinks that he will never experience anything good again.

If something good happens to him or some provision comes to him after a period of difficulty, man says, ‘this is because of me, because I deserve this from my Lord.’

The verse “I think not that the Hour will be established” means that he does not believe the Day of Judgment will come. So when he is given some blessing, he becomes careless, arrogant and ungrateful. Allah says: “Nay! Verily, man does transgress. Because he considers himself self-sufficient.” (Qur’an, 96:6)

The verse “But if I am brought back to my Lord, surely there will be for me the best with Him” shows man’s feelings that if there were a Hereafter after all, then my Lord will be generous and kind to me just as He was in this world. So he expects Allah to do him favors in spite of his bad deeds and lack of firm faith. Allah then says: “Then, We verily will show to the disbelievers what they have done, and We shall make them taste a severe torment.” Allah threatens punishment and vengeance to those whose conduct and belief is like that.

The verse “And when We show favor to man, he turns away and becomes arrogant” means that man turns away from doing acts of obedience and is too proud to obey the commands of Allah. This is like the verse: “But Pharaoh turned away along with his hosts.” (Qur’an, 51:39)

Allah continues to say about man that “when evil touches him,” which means difficulties, “then he has recourse to long supplications.”

Man asks at length for one thing. Long supplications are those which are long in words, but short in meaning. The opposite is concise speech, which is brief but full of meaning.

Allah also says: “And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him!) (Qur’an, 10:12)