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His Longtime Servant

In Makkah the home life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was generally comfortable, because his wife ensured that he had all what he wanted. She was rich and conducted her own trade, sending her merchandise with the traditional trade caravans the Quraysh used to send in summer and winter to Syria and Yemen. When he emigrated to Madinah, he was not accompanied by any servant. Khadeejah had died three years earlier, and the Prophet traveled with only his close companion, Abu Bakr. For the first few months after arriving in Madinah, the Prophet stayed in Abu Ayyub’s home, where he was served by people around him. He never asked any of them for anything.

One of the Ansars, the Prophet’s companion from Madinah, felt that the Prophet needed a personal servant. He took his stepson, Anas ibn Malik, to the Prophet and told him: “Messenger of God! Anas is an intelligent lad. Let him serve you.” The Prophet accepted. This was the beginning of a 10-year association for Anas, who was then only 10 or 12 years of age. Anas accompanied the Prophet to the last day of his blessed life, realizing that he could not have hoped for a better position. The Prophet’s household was such that no servant was at the receiving end of any abuse, physical or verbal.

As a young lad, Anas could be excused if at times he was negligent of what was assigned to him. The Prophet once sent him on an errand, but on the way, he saw some of his friends playing. Joining them was so attractive, and the boy could not resist. He forgot his errand and was fully engaged in the play. Sometime later, he felt someone pulling him by his robe. Turning back, he saw the Prophet beaming with a smile. He told him endearingly: ‘Unays! (This is a short form of Anas) Go where I sent you.’ That was all the rebuke Anas received on this occasion. We can imagine how masters react if they see a servant playing in the street instead of attending to the business they are told to do. Yet the Prophet just smiled and told Anas to do what he was told.

This was the Prophet’s attitude throughout his life, with all those who served him. Anas reports: “I served the Prophet (peace be upon him) for ten years, on his journeys and at home. He never said to me as much as ‘Ugh!’ He never said about something I did, why I did so, nor did he ever say anything I left undone, why I did not do it. Never did he say to me that I did something badly, nor did he ever criticize anything I did. If I slackened in doing what he ordered, he never reproached me. If anyone of his family criticized me, he would tell them: ‘Leave him alone. Had it been possible for that thing to happen, it would have happened.'” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Women As Housewives

The notion that Islam ties the woman down to a homemaker’s role is frequently heard as a reflection on the way things are, and this is why it is worth discussing. But before going into the depth of the subject, we should point out the presence of two kinds of rulings in Islam.

The first kind is the binding rules that necessitate a person to do something or not to do it, and they are called the obligation and prohibition rules.

The second consists of the rules that urge a person to do something but do not compel him to do it; or exactly the opposite, wishing him not to do something but at the same time do not prevent him from doing it. They are called the preferable and the detested or the rules that allow a person the possibility of choosing whether to do or not to do, and so they are called the allowed.

Well, does Islam oblige a woman to be a housewife before and after marriage? According to Islam, no one, whether father, mother, brother, or any relative, is authorized to legitimately oblige the woman to manage domestic work in her parental house before marriage. So, housework is not imposed on women just like neither the father nor the mother has the legitimate right to oblige the boy to handle housework.

Yes, she can take on this charge if she willingly volunteers to, out of the sense of responsibility towards the house that is taking care of her. And when the girl becomes a wife, the fact that she manages the domestic work in her house or does not, will also remain a voluntary matter that is up to her to decide. The contract of marriage does not bind women, from a legal aspect, to do housework, not even to rear their children and take care of them, unless the two married people worked on including the performance of these tasks in the marriage contract under special terms. But Islam does not consider women’s housework as one of the marriage contract articles, and it also does not require the women to carry out any kind of jobs outside the home to support her family or to contribute toward supporting it.  On the basis of the marriage contract, a man can demand nothing from his wife but the rights to the private marital relationship and all that are related to it. Anything other than that, such as arranging the household affairs and bringing up the children, would not be imposed on her. From this perspective, we can approach the issue of women’s work in the house as women’s finest contribution that completes men’s finest contribution.

When Islam didn’t force women to manage household affairs, it offered them the opportunity to participate in building the society they live in. From an Islamic point of view, women are as responsible as men to help people find their way to God and to guide society to the right path with all the power they have. And as we have previously mentioned, women are also charged to enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil, the thing that represents the social practical surveillance against deviation in all the domains of life; a role that might get to the level of revolt against unjustness and deviation.

Effective Approach To Raise Children

One of the most effective approaches to raising children, especially those who are a bit older, is to instill in them proper values – teach them to distinguish right from wrong – and then step back and give them some leeway to monitor themselves. This means that they first need to learn what is right and wrong to the point where they begin to internalize it, and then they need to be given opportunities to put into practice what they have learned so that they gain experience.

As far as boycotting certain media outright and engaging in constant and perpetual monitoring of their movements, though it may provide some real and substantial benefits in the short run, it is doomed to fail in the long run.

Moreover, sooner or later, the children will find a way to get access to what is forbidden to them.

Older children and adolescents are resourceful, and no matter how strictly and carefully they are monitored, they will find a way to get access to watch what is prohibited to them. Everything that is forbidden becomes enticing to young people simply because it is forbidden.

Therefore, it is best for you to experiment with them. Teach them what is right and then give them some leeway to put what you teach them into practice. Let them watch some common programs in your company and let them identify what is right or wrong about those programs. Let them identify what is lawful behavior and what is unlawful in Islam. You can still intervene when you have to – especially when they fail to distinguish what is good from what is reprehensible.

If you find that this approach helps them develop their own consciousness of these matters, then this is for the best.

If, in the long run, they show an unwillingness or inability to conduct themselves properly, then you must be straightforward with them. Tell them that you gave them a chance to monitor themselves, and gave them time to prove themselves, but they have failed. Tell them that you will give them a chance again in the future when you feel that they are more ready. Keep trying until you instill in them the ability to make good choices on their own.

Once you succeed in this, you will have provided them with an upbringing that will prove better and more beneficial for them in the long run.

Allah Has Set Laws Of Nature

At the time when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was assigned the task of delivering God’s last message to mankind, the Arabs had developed a wealth of knowledge about stars and their times of rising and setting.

This was easy for them as they mostly lived in desert areas, with clear skies most of the time. They identified, for example, 28 stars and planets which they called “points of moon rise.” Each of these remains for approximately 13 nights before it sets at a point in the west. A different star replaces it at an eastern point. They gave these 28 stars names to identify them. As rain was scarce, yet very important for their living, they observed that rain was more frequent when certain stars or planets were on the rise, or at particular points. Prior to Islam, the Arabs were pagan, ascribing divinity and powers of cosmic nature to certain objects which they called deities and considered them God’s partners. With their observations about rain and different stars and planets, their paganism led them to attribute the rain to the planet, rather than to God. They would say, “We have been sent rain by this or that planet.”

As the Qur’an was revealed in passages and surahs over a period of 23 years, it mounted a sustained campaign to eradicate all traces of paganism from the hearts of believers. However, when certain ideas take hold in one’s mind, they are difficult to erase. Islam makes clear that whatever happens in the universe is by God’s will. Forces of nature operate by His command. It is He who sends the winds to drive clouds and causes rain to fall where He determines. It is He who created everything in the universe and set them in operation. He set the laws of nature so that the universe could function to allow life to progress. Hence, nothing that takes place in the universe, or on Earth, is caused by anyone or anything other than God. Therefore, we must attribute things to Him only.

The Prophet was keen to instill this truism in the hearts of his followers. Hence, he used every opportunity to emphasize it, as we see when we read the following Hadith:

Zayd ibn Khalid Al-Juhani reports: “God’s messenger led us in the dawn prayer at Al-Hudaybiyah, after it had rained that night. When he finished the prayer, he turned to the people praying with him and said: ‘Do you know what God Almighty has said?’ We replied: ‘God and His messenger know best.’ The Prophet said: ‘God said: Some of My servants are believers this morning and some are unbelievers. Anyone who says, ‘We have had rain by God’s grace,’ believes in Me and disbelieves in the planet, while anyone who says, ‘We have had rain by such and such a turn in the climate,’ disbelieves in Me and believes in the planet.”’ (Related by Al-Bukhari).

Anytime there is rainfall in Arabia, people are very happy because it replenishes their stock, and provides drinking water for themselves, their livestock and their plants. Those companions of the Prophet, in their place of encampment about 25 km outside Makkah were particularly happy when they woke up for their dawn prayer to find that there was a good rainfall. The Prophet took this opportunity to emphasize the Islamic principle that everything in the universe occurs by God’s will. He asks his companions if they knew what God said. He was fully aware that they did not know, but he put the question in order to make them fully attentive to what would come next. He then made it clear that anyone who thought that the rainfall was caused by the movement of the planets or by their own will was an unbeliever. A believer attributes all phenomena to the Creator who has created the universe and set its laws and maintained its operation. He is the Almighty who controls everything.

– By Adil Salahi

Easy Actions For Which Rewards Are Multiplied

Primary reference: “Al-Amal al-Mudaaafah” (Dar al-Watan, Riyadh)
By Sulaymaan ibn Saalih al-Kharaashi

“So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [18:110]

How great will be the regret of those who waste this opportunity?

1. Preserving the ties of kinship: ” Whoever wishes that his provision be increased and his age lengthened, let him maintain the ties of kinship.” [al-Bukhari and Muslim]

2. Performing many prayers in the two noble Harams (in Makkah and Madinah): “Prayer in this masjid of mine is superior to a thousand prayers elsewhere, except for Masjid al-Haram, and prayer in Masjid al-Haram is superior to one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.” [Ahmad and ibn Majah]

3. Performing prayers in congregation. “Prayer in congregation is superior to praying individually twenty-seven times.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

4. Praying `Isha and Fajr in the congregation: “He who prays Isha’ in Jama’ah [congregation] is as if he has prayed for half the night. As to him who (also) prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he has prayed all night.” [narrated by Malik and the wording is that of a Muslim who also reported it]

5. Performing voluntary prayers at home. “Superiority of a man’s prayer in his home over his prayer when people see him is like the superiority of an obligatory prayer over a voluntary one.” [al-Bayhaqi, classed as Saheeh by al-Albani]

“The most superior prayer of a person is in his home, except for obligatory prayers.” [al-Bukhari and Muslim]

6. Observing some manners of the day of Jumu`ah. “Whoever ghassala (washes his head, and it is said: has intercourse with his wife so that it be a means to lower the gaze from the haram that day) on the day of Jumuah, then comes in the earliest time and before the first khutbah, walks and doesn’t ride, stays near the Imam, listens and does not speak – for each step [he makes] he has actions of one year, the reward of fasting and standing in prayer in it.” [Ahl as-Sunan]

7. Salat ul-Ishraq. “Whoever prays al-ghadaa (i.e. al fajr) in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise, then prays two units of prayer, has a complete reward of Hajj and Umrah [The Prophet, sallallahualayhi wa sallam, repeated ‘complete’ three times for emphasizing].” [at-Tirmidhi, classed as Saheeh by al-Albani]

Cleanliness At Home

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith…” (Bukhari).
Cleanliness in our homes is not just a matter of routine; it is actually part of our religion.

Our homes are where we live, eat, sleep, and offer salah (prayer). You could even say that our homes are our identities. The bottom line is that our homes deserve respect. Keeping them clean is a way to demonstrate our regard for them.

This fact is further reinforced as Allah clearly tells us: “Make your dwellings as places for your worship.” (10:87).

One might ask, why should we show regard to our homes? In fact, they are only buildings.

But, Allah explains to us repeatedly in the Qur’an: “Be grateful to Me (For My countless Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” [2:152].

It all simply boils down to how we look at things. Our homes are not just buildings; they are favors given to us by our Creator. Therefore, it is obligatory for us to show regard and appreciation for the blessings that He has bestowed on us.

Could anyone of us ever imagine mistreating a gift from Allah? It’s not likely that when viewed in this light, anyone of us would ever have the intention of disregard. Our homes are among the numerous blessings that we have been given in this life. They are a test for us as well as a luxurious blessing that not all have been granted.

“Verily Allah is full of bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful.” (10:60)

This is not to say that we must scrub the floors daily, but keeping a neat home nurtures our mental state and encourages us to have confidence, which fuels optimism.

It has been suggested that people who are surrounded by constant untidiness become depressed and dispirited. When a woman is feeling her worst, the state of her home may be a direct reflection of her state of mind at that time.

By keeping our homes clean and in order, we are better equipped to handle difficult situations and be better Muslims. Cleanliness is also a wonderful gift we can teach our children. Children learn by our example, and their habits will rival our own – good or bad.

Teaching tidy habits to children will help them to become more successful during their school-age years and also at work when they grow older. Organization and tidiness are useful traits in every walk of life and profession.

Cleanliness is also a part of Da’wah (propagation of Islam) to non-Muslims. It exhibits one of the many wonderful benefits that are a result of practicing our religion. For example, if a Muslim family rents a home and leaves it clean, the owner of the property will be drawn to renting to other Muslims in the future.

Our day-to-day living conditions can either leave the mark of a good impression or a negative one that will be remembered for years. By keeping our homes clean, to the best of our ability, we are making our homes a more desirable place for our families and ourselves.

Furthermore, we are practicing our religion by completing half of our faith and displaying deep gratitude for the blessings we have been provided with in this life in hopes of gaining better ( Paradise) in the next, God willing.

About Honey

If you have allergies, honey can be beneficial. If you eat honey that is local to your area, it may help prevent your seasonal allergies. Bees use the pollen from local plants and eventually, it ends up in your honey.

[16:114] Therefore, you shall eat from GOD’s provisions everything that is lawful and good, and be appreciative of GOD’s blessings, if you do worship Him alone.

Honey may also be good for your skin. It has the ability to attract water. It is also safe for sensitive skin. You can use it as a moisturizing mask for your skin as well as your hair. To use it as a conditioner, mix the honey with olive oil. Be sure to wash your hair thoroughly before you go outside.

[35:3] O people, remember GOD’s blessings upon you. Is there any creator other than GOD who provides for you from heaven and the earth? There is no other god besides Him. How could you deviate?

If you have a sore throat, take some honey.  Honey has powerful antimicrobial properties, which can soothe your raw tissues. Pour a teaspoon of honey into a large serving spoon and then top off the spoon with lemon juice. Swallow the concoction (without water) every few hours until symptoms clear up. Some people add a pinch of black or red pepper to increase blood circulation to the throat.  Due to its natural anti-inflammatory effect, it will help to heal wounds more quickly. It also has different phytochemicals–chemicals found in plants and different foods–that kill viruses, bacteria, and fungus making it a good substitute for wound dressings. The taste may also take your mind off the pain. There is evidence that honey diluted in water will help with your stomach aches and dehydration.

[33:17] Say, “Who would protect you from GOD if He willed any adversity, or willed any blessing for you?” They can never find, besides GOD, any other Lord and Master.

Do you have a cut? Honey is a natural antiseptic. Medical journals cite more than 600 cases in which honey was employed to treat wounds. By applying honey to your wounds, you prevent infections. Honey contains antimicrobial agents, which prevent infections by killing the bacteria in and around your wounds. When using honey it may help to heat it up before putting it on your wound (caution test the heat before you place it on the wound). Many types of bacteria can’t survive in honey, so wounds heal, swelling eases, and tissue can grow back.

[16:53] Any blessing you enjoy is from GOD. Yet, whenever you incur any adversity you immediately complain to Him.

Honey may also be effective in the treatment of your ulcers.  In Europe, honey has been used internally to help cure ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers. Burns, too, heal better with honey, studies show. The advantage of honey is that it not only prevents infections from occurring, it actually accelerates skin healing. Since the sugar in honey absorbs water it helps to trap some of the moisture so that the bacteria and other microbes can’t grow as easily as in other food.
It is true that honey has healing.  But, it is not the only food that heals:

[16:68] And your Lord inspired the bee: build homes in mountains and trees, and in (the hives) they build for you.
[16:69] Then eat from all the fruits, following the design of your Lord, precisely. From their bellies comes a drink of different colors, wherein there is healing for the people. This should be (sufficient) proof for people who reflect.

The Quran is the best hadith that gives us the correct understanding.

[39:23] GOD has revealed herein the best Hadith; a book that is consistent and points out both ways (to Heaven and Hell). The skins of those who reverence their Lord cringe therefrom, then their skins and their hearts soften up for GOD’s message. Such is GOD’s guidance; He bestows it upon whoever wills (to be guided). As for those sent astray by GOD, nothing can guide them.

Embracing Islam In Daily Life

Islam has existed since the beginning of time and it is the natural religion of mankind. Since the beginning of His creation, Almighty Allah had planned that Islam would be the way His creation would find true happiness.

Unlike other religions, Islam is not just a religion of rituals and religious observance, but it is a complete way of life. In Islam, we find a complete way of living. In fact, the ordinary routines of life become for us a way of worshiping Almighty Allah.

The first and most important way in which we embrace Islam in our daily lives is to be regular about the five daily prayers. These five prayers are essential for us. Without them, we are just pretending to be Muslim. Without them, we are not taking our faith seriously.

The five daily prayers are the way in which our whole day becomes grounded and rooted in Allah. They have been given to us to make it possible to live as good Muslims, turning our eyes and our hearts throughout the day to Allah.

If we are looking for ways to live as Muslims, we need to look no further than to try to be faithful and prompt in the five daily prayers. By doing this, our whole day revolves around Allah and all the activities of the day; all our thoughts and all our intentions become devoted to Him.

It is only natural for us, as humans, to get caught up in the rushing around and the business of the day. It is only natural that the television news and the newspapers will affect us with their stories of tragedy and disaster. This is why so many people in the world become depressed and anxious.

We, too, as Muslims, might fall into the trap of getting caught up in the affairs of the world if it were not for the five daily prayers. Just as an air raid siren calls citizens in a time of danger to rush and take shelter, so the Adhan, the Call to Prayer, urges us to rush and take shelter from the cares of the world and to take refuge with Almighty Allah, Who is in control of all things. So prayer is the first way to embrace Islam in our daily lives.

We might find some time, too, during the day to read the Qur’an and ponder its message. This might not take a great deal of time, but it will heap rewards upon us and will make our day richer. Setting aside a few minutes each day, maybe early in the morning or late at night, to read the Qur’an will make our day a better day.

Aside from these two central things, we may take a whole book to list just some of the ways in which to take our faith seriously and embrace Islam in our daily lives.
The way we greet others, for example, reminds them that we are Muslim and it reminds us, too, that we are Muslim.

The greeting of salam, a greeting of peace, reminds us that Islam is a religion of peace.

In some countries, it may not be the custom to greet all people with as-salamu alaykum, but we can at least not forget to do this with our Muslim brothers and sisters. There is an unfortunate trend at the moment to answer the telephone by saying “hello.” Where did this “hello” come from? Are we not Muslim? Is our greeting not always the greeting of peace?

Throughout our conversation during the day, we remind ourselves that we are Muslim by words and phrases that call to mind Almighty Allah. For example, we praise Almighty Allah with exclamations like al-hamdu lillah (all praise to Allah) and ma sha’ Allah (whatever Allah wants). We can remain strong in faith by saying aloud such phrases as la hawla wa la quwwata ill bil-lah (There is neither strength nor power save from  Allah,) whenever we hear of something bad or of some tragedy or disaster in the news.

Of course, as Muslims, we embrace Islam in our daily lives by the way we dress modestly, which applies to both men and women, the way we lower our gaze at the proper time, and the way we relate to others during the course of the day. The way we talk, the topics of our conversation, and the people we mix with are all part of our Islam. The choice of friends is all a part of who we are as Muslims.

Good manners are a complete part of our Muslim way of life. In fact, it is these Islamic good manners that can be a very strong part of our da’wah to others, telling them about Islam in a gentle way, without “preaching” to them.

Muslims are courteous toward others and are respectful to others and to all of Allah’s creation. In this sense, Muslims are the world’s natural environmentalists, since we love and respect our environment as part of creation.

In addition to all these natural ways of being a good Muslim, we can add extra things to help us even more. We can get up in the middle of the night, for example, to pray extra prayers, knowing that Almighty Allah is ready to listen to us. We might pray an extra two rak’ahs at different times during the day to ask Allah for our needs or to pray for the needs of others.

We might choose to follow the example of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), by fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. During the special month of Ramadan, we are given an even greater opportunity to dedicate our whole day to Almighty Allah, by fasting for His sake.

So there are so many ways in which Islam becomes a part of our daily lives. It is easy for anyone to say with their lips that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger, but as Muslims, we must mean it with all our hearts.

We can show how much we mean it by embracing Islam daily and making it, as you say, a part of our daily lives. In Sha’ Allah, Almighty Allah will give us the will to do this and reward our efforts.