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Being Undutiful To Parents

As Muslims it is our duty to keep ourselves away from all sins; minor and major. This is based on the fact that the first priority for Muslims is to gain the pleasure of Allah the Almighty by doing what He likes and avoiding what He dislikes, irrespective of the gravity or the simplicity of the sin.

The first commandment in Islam as revealed to all the prophets is to worship Allah the Almighty and immediately after this comes the duty of being dutiful to parents

{Thy Lord has decreed, that you worship none save Him, and (that you show) kindness to parents.} (Al-Israa 17: 23).

Thus, Islam urges every Muslim to be dutiful to his parents, extending to them the kindest treatment possible.

Failing to treat parents kindly makes the person guilty of disobedience to parents as well as to Allah the Almighty.

Doing so may deprive him of the chance of being admitted to Paradise. Therefore, it goes without saying that disobedience to parents or mistreating them is the second major sin after Shirk (associating other beings with Allah).

The Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) was asked about the greatest sins. He said, “To join partners in worship with Allah; to kill a soul which Allah has forbidden to kill; and to be undutiful or unkind to one’s parents…“(Bukhari)

In another tradition, the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, “The person who severs the bond of kinship will not enter Paradise.” (Al-Bukhari)

He also said, “The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of one’s parents and the wrath of Allah is in the wrath of one’s parents.” (Ibn Hibban)

Right Consequence Of Faith

A student studies hard for his final examinations, researching in libraries, re-doing past papers, and revising his notes because he wants a university degree that will help advance his career.

A businessman invests much of his time, energy, and money into a commercial venture in the hope of large profits in the future.

A farmer plows his land, sows it, waters it, and tends it regularly in the hope of a good harvest.

They all know that success does not come down on a plate but has to be achieved through hard work. Man does certain things in life for certain results, and he avoids other acts because of their consequences.

An adult will not put his hand into a naked flame because he knows that fire burns, but a child will do so as he is unaware of the consequences.

The most important belief and knowledge that should dictate our actions is that Allah Almighty exists, that He is the Creator and Provider, and that none can benefit nor harm us except with His permission. If a person’s Iman (faith) in Allah is firm and unyielding, he will be able to direct all his worship and obedience to Allah and will feel no fear of false deities or worldly powers.

Consider the encounter of Pharaoh’s court magicians with Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) as described in the Qur’an. Before meeting the Prophet, they pleaded with Pharaoh for a substantial reward were they to defeat Musa in a duel using magic.
“So the sorcerers came to Pharaoh and said, ‘Of course, we shall have a suitable reward if we win.’ (Qur’an, 7:113)

Finding Time For The Family

Today an average person spends more dedicated time with technological devices than with people. We do not even realize nowadays how for hours we are occupied with televisions, laptops, smartphones, and game consoles that we hardly spend time with our families. It’s time we woke up to reality: family members need to communicate more with each other.

Weekdays are a whirl of chores, activities, classes, errands, and deadlines; the morning’s whiz-by and the evenings provide a fleeting respite from the day’s drudgery. The family hopes for a “slower” weekend, one that’ll allow them to spend more time together. But with the presence of 24-hour Internet, weekend TV programs, and the washer waiting to be loaded with a pile of laundry, the weekend is gone before anyone can even say ‘Subhan Allah.’

However, there are creative ways of cashing in on must-do activities that can make family members enjoy each other’s company more.

Everyday Islamic gathering
“And warn your nearest family members.” (Qur’an, 26:214)

There’s nothing like Allah’s speech, the Qur’an, to bond its adherents together by true love, one that is for the sake of Allah. An hour before dinner or after Fajr, the family can sit around the dining table to read the Qur’an aloud to each other. This could be followed by a reading from Hadith books like Riyad-us-Saaliheen or stories from the Seerah.

Going to mosque
The mosque should be like a second home to a Muslim family. Everyone should try to attend the weekly Jumuah congregation together. If that’s not possible, try to go to mosques for lectures, as they are usually available to both men and women. Going with the family will give a sense of togetherness, Insha, Allah boosts everyone’s faith at the same time and keep up with the obligation to learn Islam.

Barrier Between Seas

He has let loose the two seas (the salt and fresh water) meeting together. Between them is a barrier that none of them can transgress. (Qur’an, 55: 19-20)

A FAMOUS French oceanographer, J. Cousteau, gives the following account as a result of his studies of water barriers.

“We studied the assertions by certain researchers about barriers separating seas and noticed that the Mediterranean Sea had its own salinity and density and housed autochthonous fauna and flora. Then we examined the water of the Atlantic Ocean and discovered features entirely different from those of the Mediterranean Sea. According to our expectations, these two seas that merged in the Strait of Gibraltar should present similar characteristics in terms of salinity, density, and other properties. The two seas presented different features even though they were adjacent. This greatly puzzled us. An incredible barrier prevented the two seas from coming together. The same sort of barrier had also been observed in Bab Al-Mandab in the Gulf of Aden connecting with the Red Sea.

Subsequent to our observations, further researchers made it clear that the seas which had different characteristics had some barriers.”

This fact that astounded oceanographers was revealed 14 centuries ago in the Qur’an. This aspect, not visible to the naked eye and appears to be in conflict with the properties of water known to man, was first revealed to men in the Arabian peninsula, men who were not at all experienced in any sense with oceanography.

The barriers between adjacent seas demonstrate a rich diversity, a result of the perfect planning of God. Wherever we turn our gaze, the complexion of human beings, the infinite diversity of flowers, etc., demonstrate the marvelous diversity of God’s creation. The Qur’an refers to the waters that do not coalesce. This is because of a physical characteristic called “surface tension.” Thus, neighboring seas present different densities, salinity rates, and compositions. These differences enable media that permit different species to coexist. Thus, fish, plants, and microorganisms living underwater present untold varieties. Water, which usually mixes easily, can turn into a wall thanks to God’s imposition and operation of physical laws, contributing to this variety. This fact is not affected by strong waves and currents. This property to which the Qur’an refers is a miraculous statement unknown at the time of the Prophet and presents clear evidence for the man of understanding.

He is the One who has set free the two seas; one is sweet and palatable, and the other is salty and bitter. And He made a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to be passed.
 
And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water): one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them. (Qur’an, 25:53)

Priceless Value Of Righteous Actions

Islam came to aid the world and to make it a better place to live in. Be it countries, communities, or individuals, this great religion provides them with clear guidance. Allah has guaranteed those who live by the rules laid down in the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet eternal paradise.

As Muslims, we are commanded to perform righteous deeds and Allah says about those who perform righteous actions: “Verily, those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are the best of creatures.” (Qur’an, 98:7)

Righteous actions will aid us in this world and in the hereafter. In the famous narration collected by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace be on him) said, “The dead person is followed (to his grave) by three: His family, his wealth, and his actions. Two of them return and only one remains. His family and wealth return, but his actions remain.”

From this narration, it is understood that our good actions and their benefits will remain with us forever.

But we need to look at what constitutes a righteous action. How often do people think they have performed a good action but in fact, they have not. So what are the conditions that a Muslim must fulfill in order for the action to be righteous? This is shown in the statement of Allah:
“Say (O Muhammad, peace be upon him): I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your God is One God. 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.” (Qur’an, 18:110)

For our deeds to be rewarded by Allah, we must first have the proper belief in Allah. We must worship Him alone and not associate anyone with Him. This is Tawheed, the foundation of Islam.

Simple Words That Protect From Every Harm

Khawlah Bint Hakim narrated that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever arrives somewhere and says: ‘I seek refuge with Allah’s complete Words from the evil He has Created (A’oodhu bi-Kalimaathillaahi- Ath-Thaammaathi min-Sharri maa Khalaq),’ nothing will harm until he leaves that place.” (Sahih Muslim, no. 2708)

In Taysir Al-Aziz Al-Hamid (p. 146), Sulayman Bin Abdullah relates that Al-Qurtubi commented on this by saying:

“And this is true and real, and I believe in it due to the textual proof as well as my own experience. Since I heard this narration, I would constantly act upon it and nothing was able to harm me until I left it.

One night, I was stung by a scorpion in Al-Mahdiyyah (a province in Tunisia). So, I thought to myself until I realized that I had forgotten to seek refuge using these words.”
In Al-Qawl Al-Mufid (1/155), Al-Uthaymeen commented on this Hadith:

“This protection is from all human and jinn devils – whether they are visible or invisible – until the person leaves that place. And there is no way that what is described in this narration will not take place, as these are the words of the truthful one who is believed (i.e. the Messenger of Allah)!

However, if what is mentioned in this narration does not take place, it is because of a preventative factor and not because of a deficiency in the method itself or the narration.

This also applies to anything that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned as a Shar’ee method in which the desired outcome is not achieved. So, this is not because of a fault in the method and is rather because of the presence of an obstacle that is blocking the desired outcome.

For example, reciting ‘Al-Fatihah’ for a sick person is a form of healing. Some people recite it and find that the sick person is not healed.

This is not because of a deficiency in this method and is instead because there is something present that is preventing this method from bringing about its desired effect.

Another example is mentioning Allah before having sexual intercourse in order to prevent Satan from harming the future child.

Some people will mention Allah and find that Satan still ends up harming the child due to something that is preventing this effect from being achieved.

So, you should check yourself to figure out what the obstacle is so that you can remove it and experience the effect of the method.”

Making Du’a While Reciting Qur’an

Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “Whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) read a verse about Allah’s punishment, he would seek refuge in Allah. And whenever He read a verse mentioning Allah’s mercy, he would ask Allah for His mercy.” (Ahmad, 6/24, Abu Dawood, no. 873, and others; graded Hasan by Al-Albani)

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz said: It’s Sunnah for every Muslim who reads the Qur’an – during prayer or elsewhere – to ask Allah for His bounty at the verses of mercy; and to seek refuge from the Hell-fire when he reads about Allah’s punishment. Furthermore, when a Muslim reads a verse that deems Allah above something, he declares it by saying, “Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.”

It’s recommended for every Muslim who reads “Is not Allah the Best of judges?” (Qur’an, 95:8) to say, “Indeed! I believe that to be true.” When one reads, “Is not He (Allah Who does that) Able to give life to the dead?” (Qur’an, 75:40), he should say, “Indeed! I bear witness to this.”

When one reads, “Then in what statement after this (the Qur’an) will they believe?” (Qur’an, ), he should say, “I believe in Allah.” (Qur’an, 77:50)

After the slave recites the verse, “Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? (Qur’an, 55:13), he should say, “We don’t deny any verses from our Lord.” And after reading, “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High,” (Qur’an, 87:1), he says, “Subhana Rabbiyal A’la.”

All these acts are recommended for the Imam, followers, or a person reciting the Qur’an. These words are dua. They resemble saying “Ameen” after Fatihah, and Ameen should be said in the prayer and elsewhere after reciting Fatihah.

(Majmoo Fatawa Bin Baz, vol. 26, p. 62-63)
– Translated by Abdullah Bin Dwight Battle