Have You Ever Thought About The Wonders Of Jannah?
In Sahih Muslim, Abdullah Bin Mas’ud narrates from Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) the warming story of the last man to escape Hellfire:
HIS crawl away from Hellfire is filled with his face slipping into the dirt, a tremoring walk, and a fire that licks him until he finally escapes.
When he is past it, he looks back, horrified, and announces with the loudest voice, “All praise is due to Allah Who saved me from you.” Then he says, most proud, “Verily I have been rewarded with something that no one from the beginning to the end of creation has been blessed with.”
At that moment, a tree catches his eye – a tree that was commanded to be raised for him. He quickly raises his hands, “O Allah! Allow me to draw near to that tree so that I can cool off under its shade and drink from its water.”
Then Allah calls him, “O son of Adam! If I grant you what you ask, you shall ask for more.”
“Nay, O Allah!” pleads the man and he testifies that he shall ask for no more. As the man basks in the glory of the tree, another tree is raised, one more bounteous and lush than the first. The man pleads, “O Allah! Allow me to draw near to that tree so that I can cool off under its shade and drink from its water.
Allah then says, “Did you not promise me that you would ask for no more? Perhaps if I give it to you, you shall ask for yet even more.”
The man testifies that he will not, and is granted that tree.
Just then a tree is raised near the doors of Jannah (paradise), one bigger and lusher than all the rest and the man’s heart sinks.
“O Allah, that tree, that tree. I’ll ask for nothing else.”
“Did you not promise you would ask for nothing more?”
“After that tree, O Allah, nothing more!”
He is permitted to draw nearer to the tree and there, as he nears the doors of Jannah, he hears the sounds of its inhabitants and he leaps, “O Allah! Enter me into Jannah!”
“O son of Adam!” Allah announces, “What shall satisfy you and put an end your pleading?”
Then Allah offers, “Will it please you if I give you all the treasures and bounties of the entire world and then double it!”
The man’s smile shuts off and his eyes lock up. “My Lord, You’re the Lord of the universe… Are You mocking at me?”
At this point Ibn Mas’ood started laughing. He said to his students, “Ask me why I’m laughing. I’m laughing because Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) laughed when he told us this. And he also asked us, ‘Do you know what makes me laugh? I’m laughing for Allah’s laughter when the man said, ‘You are the Lord of the universe… are You mocking at me?’”
Allah then tells him, “I am not mocking at you, rather I am capable of doing whatever I so wish.” Allahu Akbar!
Jannah – have you ever seen it or felt it?
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) taught us that in Jannah there is that “which no eye has witnessed, no ear has heard, and that which has never been imagined by any human.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” (Qur’an, 32:17)
Imagine yourself in Jannah
Imagine yourself present on the day when the gates of Jannah will be opened with all of the splendor that lies beyond it. Allah tells us in the Qur’an about when the muttaqun (pious) are escorted to the gates of Jannah by the most handsome of angels.
“And those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, and its gates will be opened (before their arrival for their reception) and its keepers will say: Salamun ‘Alaikum (Peace be upon you)! You have done well, so enter here to abide therein.” (Qur’an, 39:73)
The shade in Jannah
“Verily, the Muttaqun (the pious. See V.2:2) shall be admidst shades and springs. And fruits, such as they desire. Eat and drink comfortably for that which you used to do. Verily, thus We reward the Mushsinun (good-doers.)” (Qur’an, 77:41-44)
The ambience in Jannah
Imagine yourself in Jannah. Your face is shining with joy and you’re so glad that you woke up for Fajr all those days, glad you paid your Zakah, glad you wore Hijab all those summer days. This is what the atmosphere is like in Jannah:
“(Other) faces that Day will be joyful, glad with their endeavor (for their good deeds which they did in this world, along with the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism), in a lofty Paradise, Where they shall neither hear harmful speech nor falsehood.” (Qur’an, 88:8-11)
Jannah is the fruit of a seed planted in this world. Let’s go driving towards Jannah!
– by Muhammad Al-Shareef – Director of Al-Maghrib Institute, Canada
Sunnah Acts On The Day Of Eid
EID AL-FITR is the day of benefits and blessings for all fasting Muslims, as they are promised great reward by Almighty Allah for their good observance of fasting. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims express their gratitude to Allah, Who has enabled them to observe fasting and, at the same time, granted them abundant provision during this blessed month. Eid Al-Fitr, therefore, is a day of joy, acts of worship, thanksgiving to Allah, cooperation, solidarity, brotherhood, unity, and spiritual provision.
On the day of Eid, there are some Sunnah acts that we should do, among which are the following:
1. Engage in takbir (saying “Allahu akbar”) from fajr until the imam comes out for salah. Takbir is recommended for males, females, young and old.
2. It is also important to make sure to pay Zakat Al-Fitr before the salah. Ideally, it should be given in advance so that the poor can enjoy their Eid.
3. Appear in the best clean dress that you can afford to, that are reasonable and modest.
4. It is recommended to go early to the prayer place.
5. And most importantly, to wish every one the joy of Eid and show true signs of Islamic brotherhood by shaking hands and embracing and supplicating: “Taqabbal Allahu Minna wa Minkum” (May Allah accept it from us and you).
6. It is also considered a good Islamic practice to visit one another and exchange gifts. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Exchange gifts in order to foster love.”
7. Remember the true spirit of Eid is reflected in our extreme generosity to the poor and the needy. So, be charitable as best as you can.
8. Make lots of istighfar (asking Allah for forgiveness) and pray that Allah accept our fast, prayers and devotion, and may He grant the Ummah glory and success.
Etiquette OF Eid-ul-Fitr
Ramadhaan is coming to the end and Eid ul Fitr is fast approaching us. I felt it necessary to share with you some information about Eid ul Fitr . Firstly Let me tell me the Sunnats that a Muslim should observe on the day of Eid and then I would warn you of some evils which have spread amongst us during this day.
THE SUNNAHS
1. Doing Ghusl before going out to the prayer.
It was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth in al-Muwatta’ and elsewhere that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to do ghusl on the day of al-Fitr before going out to the prayer-place in the morning. Al-Muwatta’ 428.
2. Eating before going out to pray on Eid al-Fitr and after the prayer on Eid al-Adha:
A hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas ibn Maalik, who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates of which he would eat an odd number. Al-Bukhaari, 953.
It is mustahabb to eat before going out to emphasize the fact that it is forbidden to fast on that day and to demonstrate that the fast has ended. But on Eid al-Adha it is mustahabb not to eat anything until one comes back from the prayer, so he should eat from the udhiyah if he has offered a sacrifice. If he is not going to offer a sacrifice there is nothing wrong with eating before the prayer.
3. Zakaat al-Fitr is due on this day .
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that it should be paid before the Eid prayer.
It is permissible to pay it one or two days before that, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) which was narrated by al-Bukhaari: “They used to give it one or two days before (Eid) al-Fitr.” If it is paid after the Eid prayer, it does not count as Sadaqat al-Fitr, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas: “Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is Zakaat al-Fitr, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is ordinary charity.” It is haraam to delay Zakaat al-Fitr until after the Eid prayer. If one delays it with no excuse then it is not acceptable zakaah, but if there is an excuse, such as if a person is traveling and does not have anything to give or anyone to give it to, or he is expecting his family to pay it and they are expecting him to pay it, then in this case he should pay it when it is easy for him to do so, even if that is after the prayer, and there is no sin on him because he has an excuse.
4. Takbeer on the day of Eid
One of the greatest Sunnahs on the day of Eid is saying Takbeer because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [ i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him”[al-Baqarah 2:185]
Al-Daaraqutni and others narrated that on the morning of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, Ibn ‘Umar would strive hard in reciting takbeer until he came to the prayer place, then he would recite takbeer until the imam came out.
Shaitan Ki Mezbaani
Etiquette Of Jumu’ah
1 . Every Muslim should make preparations for jumu’ah from Thursday. After the asr salaat of Thursday, he should make a lot of istighfaar. He should clean his clothes and keep them ready. If he does not have any perfume in his house, then if it is possible he should try and obtain some and keep it ready so that he will not get distracted with these things on jumu’ah. The pious people of the past have stated that the person to receive the most benefit on Friday will be that person who waits for it and who makes preparations for it from Thursday. The most unfortunate person will be he who does not even know as to when Friday will fall, so much so that he will ask the people in the morning as to which day this is. Some pious people used to go and stay in the jaame musjid from the night of jumu’ah in order to make full preparations for the following day. (Ihya aul-Uloom, vol. 1, page 161)
2 . On the day of jumu’ah, ghusl should be made and the hair of the head and the rest of the body should be thoroughly washed. It is also very virtuous to use the miswaak on this day.
3 . After making ghusl, a person should wear the best clothing that he possesses, and if possible he should also apply some perfume. He should also clip his nails.
4 . He should try and go very early to the jaame musjid. The earlier a person goes, the more reward he will receive. Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “On the day of jumu’ah, the angels stand at the entrance of that musjid in which jumu’ah salaat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the musjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continue doing this . The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a camel in the path of Allah, the one who followed him will get the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the khutbahcommences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the khutbah. ” (Bukhari and Muslim)
In olden times, the roads and alleys used to be extremely busy in the mornings and at fajr time . All the people used to go so early to the jaame musjid and there used to be such a large crowd that it used to look like the days of Eid . Later, when this habit was given up, people began saying that this is the first innovation in Islam. After writing this, Imam Ghazali rahmatullahialayh says: “Aren’t the Muslims ashamed of themselves that the Jews and Christians go so early in the morning to their synagogues and churches on Saturdays and Sundays. Those who are businessmen go so early to the bazaars in order to do their buying and selling . Why don’t the Muslims do the same?” The reality of the situation is that the Muslims have totally reduced the value of this blessed day. They do not even know what day this is, and what a high status it has. How sad it is that the day which was more valuable than eid in the eyes of Muslims of the past, which Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) was proud of and the day which was not granted to the previous nations has become so dishonoured at the hands of Muslims today and it is such a great ingratitude to the favor of Allah Ta’ala that the consequence of all this can be seen with our very eyes.
5 . By going walking for the jumu’ah salaat, one gets the reward of fasting for one year for every step that he takes. (Tirmidhi)
6 . On Fridays, Rasulullah (Allah bless him & give him peace) used to recite Surah Alif Laam Meem Sajdah and Surah Hal Ataa, in the fajr salaat . These Surahs should therefore be occasionally recited in the fajr salaat on Fridays . Occasionally they should be left out so that people do not regard their recitation as wajib.
Ajwa: The Prophet’s Favorite
AJWA is a soft dry variety of date fruit from Saudi Arabia. It is cultivated in Madina. A delightfully soft and fruity date with fine texture.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever has seven Ajwa dates every morning will not be harmed on that day by poison or magic.” (Al-Bukhari, no. 5445/5768/5769/5779)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Ajwa dates are from paradise.” (Al-Tirmidhi, no. 2068, Hasan Saheeh)
In Sahih Muslim, no. 2047, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said regarding eating seven Ajwa dates, “He will not be harmed by anything until he reaches the evening.” (Sahih Muslim, 2047)
Other dates are sometimes sold as Ajwa to ignorant customers. To know if its really Ajwa, look closely at the dates and see if there are very fine white lines on it.
Paradise At Her Feet
There is a tradition usually attributed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which is variously interpreted to mean that the mother is responsible for teaching her children their religious obligations and good behavior that will win them Paradise; or it may mean that we earn Paradise by serving our mother throughout her life.
Either way, it shows the great esteem, honor and respect that Islam has for mothers. While the fourth commandment in the Bible is Honor thy father and thy mother, the Bible does not mention the mother separately as deserving good treatment.
The Quran, in contrast, gives special recognition to the mother s suffering in bearing and nursing her child: And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents.
His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years – give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination. (31:14).
Becoming a mother is one of the greatest joys of a Muslim woman.
Today in the Muslim world, even where many of the precepts of Islam are ignored, Westerners are often amazed at the gentle, loving treatment that parents receive. An Arab proverb says if you want to know how a man will treat his wife, look how he treats his mother.
Becoming a mother is one of the greatest joys of a Muslim woman. She knows that her child is both a gift and a trust from God.
She carries a great responsibility in raising a family, not only in caring for their physical needs, but also in educating them in their religion and morals.
For this and other reasons, Islam calls upon all Muslims, male and female, to be educated, for how can a woman teach her children when she herself is ignorant?
Islam also recognizes that, compared to the man, the woman is by nature more psychologically fitted to nurturing, more compassionate and patient.
For that reason, Islam decrees that husbands must maintain their wives and children, and it encourages mothers with young children to remain at home with their children rather than work outside the house. And, in case of divorce, custody of young children goes to the mother.
All this respect and honor goes to the mother, even if she is a non-Muslim, and also to maternal aunts.
Thus the woman does not cut from her own family when she marries, but her children continue to honor the kin relationships of both their mother and father.
Dastarkhwan-E-Nabi
Islamic Remedies: Milk Is Excellent For General Health
ALMIGHTY Allah said: “And verily! In the cattle, there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretions and blood, pure milk; palatable to the drinkers.” (Qur’an 16:66)
In the Sunan it is narrated:
“Whoever Allah gives some type of food, let him supplicate, ‘O Allah! Bless it for us and grant us what is better.’ Whoever Allah grants some laban, let him say, ‘O Allah! Bless it for us and grant us more of it,’ for I do not know of a more complete food or drink than milk.”
Hadith
Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was presented two cups at Bait Al-Maqdis on the night of Heavenly Journey, one containing wine and the other containing milk. He looked at both of them, and he took the one containing milk, whereupon Gabriel (peace be upon him) said: Praise is due to Allah Who guided you to the true nature; had you taken the one containing wine, your Ummah would have gone astray.
Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. It has an important role in strengthening the bones.
Nutrients
Milk and milk products contain a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate and are a very important source of essential nutrients including: Calcium, riboflavin, phosphorous, Vitamins A, D and B12 and pantothenic acid.
Milk products also contain ‘high quality proteins’ that are well-suited to human needs. Milk proteins increase the value of poorer quality cereal and vegetable proteins in the diet by providing amino acids these proteins lack.
Milk and tooth decay
The amounts of calcium and phosphorous in milk and dairy products are also beneficial for the development and maintenance of healthy teeth. The most abundant protein in milk is casein and is protective as it forms a thin film on the enamel surface which prevents loss of calcium and phosphate from the enamel when the teeth are exposed to acids in the mouth. In fact, dentists recommend that milk is the only safe drink to have between meals (except for water) as it has been shown not causing tooth decay even in conditions perfect for damaging teeth!
Bone health
Milk and dairy products are providers of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and protein which are all essential for healthy bone growth and development.
Adequate consumption of milk and dairy products from early childhood and throughout life can help make the bones strong and protect them against diseases like osteoporosis (a debilitating, brittle bone disorder) in later life.
If milk and milk products are removed from the diet, it can lead to an inadequate intake of calcium. This is of particular concern for women and the elderly, who have high calcium needs. Calcium deficiency may lead to disorders like osteoporosis (a disease characterized by bone loss).