MOTHERHOOD

Representation of an eight-week dolphin foetus inside its mother’s womb.

Image of an elephant foetus in a womb.
                             Now you know let us exmine this role



......................................What does Islam say about "mothers"?....................

This is one of the most convincing things about Islam - the treatment of women in general and especially the high position mothers hold in Islam.

Amongst the clearest examples of Islam's honoring women is the great status of the mother in Islam. Islam commands kindness, respect and obedience to parents and specifically emphasizes and gives preference to the mother as shall be shown in this article. Islam raises parents to a status greater than that found in any other religion or ideology.

The command to be good to one's parents .
{And to your parents} meaning, be kind to your parents, shower on them love, affection and piety, both in words and deeds, treat them with tender humility, provide for them and never harm them verbally nor physically. [...] Then, Allah mentions the reason why we should be kind to our parents, when He says {His mother bore him in travail upon travail}, that is, the mother bore constant suffering; in pain and hardship from the first moment she felt the child moving in her womb to the worst pangs during the time of delivery. And {his weaning is for two years}, that is, during these two years the mother breast-feeds her child and looks after him/her. So after all the years of suffering, hardship, love and care, could we not, at least, compensate our mothers for what they have done for us and pay them back their rights?

The best Teacher and Guide for humanity, Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam. He elevated the women from their status as chattel to the dignity of being equal servants of Allah with men. Yet their status in society was not conditioned upon entering man's world. Their most important task is to take care of the home and children. "Take care of your home for THAT is your Jihad." [Musnad Ahmed]. Jihad is the epitome of Islamic life. Declaring home-making as Jihad for women is giving it the highest possible status in an Islamic society.

Not only is it an all-important task, only women are uniquely qualified to do it. It is not by accident that pregnancy and nursing are purely feminine tasks. Allah has given women the special talents and psychological makeup needed to take care of the children. There is no substitute for mother's milk or mother's love. No one can extract and bottle motherly compassion. Her patience, kindness, willingness to sacrifice her own comforts, and her natural affinity for children -- and the children's natural affinity for the mother-- are the key to successful upbringing of children. A mother understands the children's problem even when they cannot express it. She can uniquely sense their needs, both physical and emotional. She can satisfy some of these herself. For others, children need the father. But even he needs her insights in discharging his responsibilities in this area. No day care center or nursery can make up for the absence of the mother and father. "What the children need for  narulatheir upbringing is not a poultry farm,
  Mothers are the silent workers who are indispensable for building character of the next generation. A believing mother who understands the crucial nature of her responsibility, will imbue her children with faith and moral values, as only she can. She will raise children with courage, honesty, truthfulness, patience and perseverance, love and kindness, faith and self-confidence. On the other hand, a society without mothers and home-makers will produce at-risk youth.

    Treatment of mothers. The honor that Muslim mothers receive from their sons and daughters is exemplary. The intensely warm relations between Muslim mothers and their children and the deep respect with which Muslim men approach their mothers usually amaze Westerners.
A man once consulted the Prophet Muhammad about taking part in a military campaign. The Prophet asked the man if his mother was still living. When told that she was alive, the Prophet said: "(Then) stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet." (Al-Tirmidhi)

On another occasion, the Prophet said: "God has forbidden for you to be undutiful to your mothers." (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

One of the things I have always appreciated about my  faith is not only its emphasis on maintaining the bonds of kinship, but also the high regard in which women, particularly mothers, are held. The Quran, Islam's revealed text, states: "And revere the wombs that bore you, for God is ever watchful over you." (4:1)

It should be obvious that our parents deserve our utmost respect and devotion - second only to God. Speaking in the Quran, God ays: "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is thy final Goal." (31:14)

The fact that God has mentioned parents in the same verse as Himself shows the extent to which we should strive in our efforts to serve the mothers and fathers who sacrificed so much for us. Doing so will help us to become better people.

In that same verse, God says: "We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him."

In other words, the debt we owe to our mothers is magnified due to the difficult nature of pregnancy - not to mention the nurturing and attention paid to us in infancy.

Another narration, or "Hadith," from the life of the Prophet Muhammad again shows us just how much we owe to our mothers.

A man once asked the Prophet to whom he should show the most kindness. The Prophet replied: "Your mother, next your mother, next your mother, and then your father." (Sunan of Abu-Dawood) In other words, we must treat our mothers in a manner befitting their exalted position - and, again, revere the wombs that bore us.

The Arabic word for womb is "rahem." Rahem is derived from the word for mercy. In Islamic tradition, one of God's 99 names is "Al-Raheem," or "the Most Merciful."

There exists, therefore, a unique connection between God and the womb. Through the womb, we get a glimpse of the Almighty's qualities and attributes. It nurtures, feeds and shelters us in the early stages of life. The womb can be viewed as one manifestation of divinity in the world.

One cannot help but make the parallel between a Loving God and a compassionate Mother. Interestingly, the Quran does not portray God as exclusively male or female. As a matter of fact, by revering our mothers, we are paying respect to God.

Each of us should appreciate what we have in our mothers. They are our teachers and our role models. Every day with them is an opportunity to grow as a person. Every day away from them is a missed opportunity.

Noble Qur'an says:

"And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) "Ugh" nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! Have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little." Noble Qur'an (17:23-24)

Again Noble Qur'an says:

And We have enjoined man in respect of his parents - his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years - saying: Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming. And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to Me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did. Noble Qur'an (31:14-15)

WOMEN'S ROLE IN ISLAM

The Purpose of Life: Wherever God talks about the human beings (Insaan) or whenever He talks about human soul (Nafs) in the Qur'an, Muslims theologians and scholars have never considered that humanness or the soul as 'male' or 'female'. (See 51:56, 91:1-10; 53:38-39)

The male or female division is only possible when we talk about the physical dimension of humans, not when we talk about the spiritual dimension. And so, from the Islamic perspective, the humanness of woman has never been denied or questioned; nor has there ever been any discussion whether she possesses a soul or not.

Since both are same in their humanness, both have been created for the same purpose: to serve God.

The Virtues in Human Beings: Whenever and wherever Islam has talked about virtues in human beings, it has not differentiated between men and women. Both have the potential to acquire knowledge. Both, men and women, are expected to exhibit the spirit of piety and other good attributes in Islam

Parents are one of the means by which Allah SWT exercises His tarbiya (cherishing). They are due thankfulness, obedience, and gentleness towards their faults. If they command something contrary to Islam, they must not be obeyed yet even in that circumstance a Muslim must keep up good ties with them and consort with them honorably. He or she should never speak a harsh word to them or otherwise abuse them but instead should forgive them and ask Allah SWT to forgive them. Other actions that have been particularly mentioned are including parents in prayers and taking care of them when they are elderly. This is what is meant by the "beautiful conduct" that Allah SWT has commanded regarding parents. Remember that doing good by parents takes precedence even over hijra and jihad!

Mothers are one of the means by which Allah SWT exercises His creation. Beyond what she is due as a parent, a mother is additionally due special feelings of reverence and dutifulness. This is because of the travails that she suffered during pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing. The Prophet (sAas) has particularly instructed that mothers are due the best conduct four times before fathers are.
              ... .   …..What is love?........................

"what is love?.This mystical,mythical question goes back to ancient times-without a coherent answer.Each person’s experience of love is uniquely varied,and each person’s understanding of love is different from the next.Love varies from one period to another along the length of human life;a person can have many loves,but each experience will be different from the next.My friends,Summing it up,or pinning it down,are both impossible.

"Love is like the sunshine;no matter how tightly you shut down your heart,the  sunlight will find a way to shine into it.Love process is unstoppable"…………..Nurmuhemmet Yasin .

Love is like a continually shattering mirror that always leaves behind images etched in people’s hearts;but it will itself remain a mystery forever.

Many people give themselves over to this mystery,but while love can produce the most tender and delicate feelings in anyone’s soul, it alone can open a window in the heart of a very few.

"A simple analogy might be that of spring water which satisfies an extremely thirsty soul.Just imagine,in the intense heat of midsummer,a very thirsty soul using both hands to scoop the running water from a roadside creek to drink with a joy that satisfies his thirst.such a sensation is beyond compare.

In fact,love is a sort of deeply pleasing satisfaction,

but with various manifestations.It defies explicit definition.

The way I see it,"Regardless of the secret mystery of love,it is a process in your feelings and in your heart.Love,too,always manifests itself in the body.Love will appear repeatedly in your life.I am talking about a solid,concrete form of love. Still other forms of love exist secretly in human life.

In brief,as a living human being with a soul,it’s impossible not to fall in love in the course of a life time.You must love or have loved someone or something.Think about it.
 After worshiping Allah SWT alone, beautiful conduct to parents is the next most important duty for a Muslim. Considering that mothers are due this conduct even before fathers, it is no wonder that the Prophet (sAas) also said that Paradise is at the feet of mothers!

Clearly Understand about Islam

 THE RELIGION OF ISLAM

At the core of Islam is the Qur'an, believed to be the final revelation by a transcendent Allah to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam; since the Divine Word was revealed in Arabic, this language is used in Islamic religious practice worldwide. Muslims believe in final reward and punishment, and the unity of the umma, the "nation" of Islam. Muslims submit to Allah through arkan ad-din, the five basic requirements or "pillars": shahadah, the affirmation that "there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God"; salah, the five daily ritual prayers; zakat, the giving of alms, also known as a religious tax; Sawm, the dawn-to-sunset fast during the lunar month of Ramadan; and hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The importance of the hajj can hardly be overestimated: this great annual pilgrimage unites Islam and its believers from around the world.

The ethos of Islam is in its attitude toward Allah: to His will Muslims submit; Him they praise and glorify; and in Him alone they hope. However, in popular or folk forms of Islam, Muslims ask intercession of the saints, prophets, and angels, while preserving the distinction between Creator and creature. Islam views the Message of Muhammad as the continuation and the fulfillment of a lineage of Prophecy that includes figures from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, notably Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. Islamic law reserves a communal entity status for the ahl al-kitab, People of the Book, i.e., those with revealed religions, including Jews and Christians. Islam also recognizes a number of extra-Biblical prophets, such as Hud, Salih, Shuayb, and others of more obscure origin. The chief angels are Gabriel and Michael; devils are the evil jinn.

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) I in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God's religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah states the following:

    "This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Soorah Al-Maa'idah 5:3)

    "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (God) never will It be accepted of Him" (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:85)

    "Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim." (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:67)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses' people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos which means the annointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title "Messiah". The name "Jesus" on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.

For simplicity's sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; (which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.

According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: "Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".

Since the total submission of one's will to Allah represents the essence of worship, the basic message of Allah's divine religion, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah.Since everything other than Allah, the Creator of all things, is Allah's creation; it may be said that Islam, in essence calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator. He is the only one deserving man's worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. If man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it was not the tree which answered his prayers but Allah who allowed the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, "That is obvious," however, to tree-worshippers it might not be. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, to Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them but are answered by Allah. Jesus did nottell his followers to worship him but to worship Allah. As the Qur'an states:

    "And behold Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary Did you say to men, Worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah He will say-"Glory to you I could never say what I had no right (to say')" (Soorah Al-Maa'idah- 5:116)

Nor did he worship himself when he worshipped but rather he worshipped Allah. This basic principle is enshrined in the opening chapter of the Qur'aan, known asSoorah Al-Faatihah, verse 4:

    "You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help".

Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah also said:

    "And your Lord says:"Call on Me and I will answer your(prayer)."(Soorsh Mu'min 40:60)

it is worth noting that the basic message of Islam is that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Neither is Allah His creation or a part of it, nor is His creation Him or a part of Him.

This might seem obvious, but, man's worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some aspects of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of creation though such worship maybecalled the worship of Allah through his creation. How ever, the message of Islam as brought by the prophets of Allah is to worship only Allah and to avoid the worship of his creation either directly or indirectly. In the Our'aan Allah clearlystates:

    "For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet,(with the command) worship meand avoid false gods " (Soorsh Al-Nahl 16:36)

When the idol worshipper is questioned as to why he or she bows down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but Allah who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for Allah's essence and is not in itself Allah! One who has accepted the concept of the presence of God's being within His creation in any way will be obliged to accept this argument of idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never concede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized. Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that Allah is present in man. They merely had to assert that although Allah according to their false beliefs, is in all of us, He is more present in them than in the rest of us. Hence, they claim, we should submit our will to them and worship them as they are either God in person or God concentrated within the person.

Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their passing have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God's presence in man. One who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstances. God's religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:

"Laa Elaaha lllallaah" (There is no god but Allah)

Its repetition automatically brings one within the fold of Islam and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise.

    Thus, the final Prophet of Islam is reported to have said, "Any one who says: There is no god but Allah and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise".(Reported by Abu Dharr and collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

It consists in the submission to Allah as one God, yielding to Him by obeying His commandments, and the denial of polytheism and polytheists.


The Great Challenge to Produce  One Chapter Like the Chapters  of the Holy Quran.

God has said in the Quran:

 And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed (the Quran) to Our worshiper (Muhammad ), then produce a chapter like it, and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides God if you are truthful.  And if you do not do it, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones.  It has been prepared for disbelievers.  And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that for them are gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... (Quran, 2:23-25)

Ever since the Quran was revealed, fourteen centuries ago, no one has been able to produce a single chapter like the chapters of the Quran in their beauty, eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy, and other perfect attributes.  Also, note that the smallest chapter in the Quran (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet this challenge, then or today.1  Some of the disbelieving Arabs who were enemies of the Prophet Muhammad  tried to meet this challenge to prove that Muhammad  was not a true prophet, but they failed to do so.2  This failure was despite the fact that the Quran was revealed in their own language and dialect and that the Arabs at the time of Muhammad  were a very eloquent people who used to compose beautiful and excellent poetry, still read and appreciated today.

The smallest chapter in the Holy Quran

The smallest chapter in the Holy Quran (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet the challenge to produce one chapter like the chapters of the Holy Quran.

 VIRTUES of SALATUL AWWABEEN: 6 or 20 NAFL RAKA'AH

Hadrat Ayeshah narrated that the Rasoolallah said: For the person who offers 20 Raka'ah nafl after the Maghrib Salat Allah Ta'ala will make a house for him in Paradise. {Tirmidhi, Mishkat, Tarteeb Shareef pg. 169}
Hadrat Abu Hurairah narrated that the Rasoolallah said: The person who offers 6 Raka'ah Nafl after the Maghrib Salah, and does not speak evil in between receives rewards equal to 12 years of worship. {Tirmidhi, Mishkat, Tarteeb Shareef pg. 169}

How to perform prayers of Ishraq, Duha (Chaasht), Awabeen, Tahajjud, Tasbeeh, Hajaat to the benefits of greatness that accrue from them.

Prayer of Ishraq

Salatud Duha [Chaasht]

Salatul Awwabeen

Prayer of Tahajjud

Salatul Tasbih

Salatul Hajaat



Prayer of Ishraq

The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: Those who perform the Fajr prayer in congregation (Jamaa’at), read the Zikr (remembrance of Allah) till the sun has completely arisen (length of a spear from the horizon, after 20 minutes of sunrise) and read 2 Raka-at Nafil prayer, will have the benedictions (sawaab) equal to those of Haj-Umrah. It is recommended to read the Surah Fateha and Ayyat-uk-Kursi till Khaalidoon, in the first Raka-at, and in the second Raka-at to read, after Surah Fateha, Aamanar Rasul till the end of Suratul Baqarah. In the case that this verse cannot be read from memory, one can recite any other verse and then ask Duas. Woman should read all prayers of Farz and Nafil at home and will derive the same benefits (sawaab) that accrue from prayer performed at the Mosque (Tirmizi Shareef).

Salatul Duha [Chaasht]

The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: For the one that has read the 12 Raka-at Salatud Duha, Allah will build for him a golden castle in paradise, and the one that always reads the 2 Raka-ats of Chaasht will have his sins forgiven even though they may be of oceanic dimensions (Tirmizi and Then Maaja). The prayer of Chaasht consists of 2 Raka-at and of a maximum of 12 Raka-ats. It should be read between the time the sun has completely risen from the horizon and before Zawal (zenith of the sun).

Salatul Awwabeen

This Nafil prayer is read after the Farz (Fard) and Sunnat of Maghrib. It consist of a minimum of 6 Raka-ats and this Nafil prayer procures many benedictions (blessings) and mercy.

Prayer of Tahajjud

Our Master, the beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: In Paradise there is a castle reserved for those who read Tahajjud and the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) further adds, those who pray at night will enter paradise without having to account for their acts in this life. The Nafils of Tahajjud are read after the Esha prayer, but it is important to sleep before performing Tahajjud. The prayer consists of a minimum of 2 Raka-ats, and a maximum of 8 or 12 Raka-ats (to be read according ones capacity).

After Esha prayers sleep for some time, then wake up any time during the night before the rise of morning for Tahajjud prayers. With the performance of 2 Rakats you have duly achieved your Tahajjud. However, the performance of 8 Rakats in Sunnat, and complying with the practice of the Holy Saints of Islam and performing 12 Rakats is commendable.

It is recommended that you recite in your prayers as much of the Sacred Quran as you know. If you happen to know by heart the whole of the Sacred Quran you may, in at least 3 nights or most 4 nights of Tahajjud effectuate the complete reading of the Sacred Quran.

Otherwise, you may recite 3 Surah Ikhlas (Qul Hu Allahu Ahad) after your "Alhamdu..." in every Rakat and you will thus derive full benefits of the full recital of the Sacred Quran in every Rakat.

Salatul Tasbih

Our beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had taught this Nafil prayer to his Uncle, Hazrat Abbas (RA) and told him; He who performs this prayer will have his past and future sins forgiven. The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has recommended to read this prayer daily on each Friday or once a month or once a year, in case of this not being possible, to read it even once in one’s life. This Nafil prayer provides limitless benefits both in the material and spiritual life.

How to perform this Nafil:

After having pronounced one’s intention (Niyat), say Allaho-Akbar, read "Subhanaka-Alla humma" completely (Sana), read now 15 times "Subhaanallah wal hamdo Lillaah wala illaha Illallah Wallah-o-Akbar." Then read Aoozu billah and Bismillah (completely) and Surah Fateha. Then recite 10 times the Tasbih mentioned above and go to Ruku. Here also recite 10 times the Tasbih before raising yourself to read another 10 times the same Tasbih, this time in a standing position. Then prostrate (Sajdah) and read 10 times the Tasbih, sit now and read again 10 times this Tasbih (Jalsa) and prostrate again, Tasbish 10 times in the 2nd Raka-at begin by reading 15 times this Tasbih before reading "Bismillah" and Surah Fateha. After that read 10 times the Tasbih and then proceed as in the first Raka-at. To end the second Raka-at, read as usual "Attahiyat", "Durood" and "Duas". Then read 2 other Raka-ats. As in each Raka-at the Tasbih is recited 75 times, it means that in all 4 Raka-at the Tasbih is read 300 times. In the other 2 Raka-at, after "Subhana Rabbiyal-azeem", read the Tasbih 75 times and in the Sajdah (prostrations after Subhaan Rabbiyal-ala) read again 75 times the Tasbih.

Note: No fixed time has been prescribed for this prayer, a fact, which means that besides any time prohibited this prayer, can be read at any time.

Salatul Hajaat

In case of difficulty, illness or of authorized necessity this prayer is read. The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had taught this to a blind person who, as soon as he performed it, regained his eyesight. (Tirmizi Shareef Tibrani)

To perform this prayer it is recommended to wear one’s best and clean clothes and to perform pleasingly one’s ablution (Wudu). Then 2 Raka-ta Nafil is read in the usual way, after salaam this dua is read:

Allahuma Inni As-aloka wa (Atawassalo) Wa Atawajjaaho ilaika be nabbiyeka Muhammadin nabi yir Rahmate ya Rasullulah. Inni tawajjahto be ka ila Rabbi fi hajaati haa-zehi (here we make our requests (le tuqza li) Allahumma fashaffiho fiya

Translation: O Allah I implore You and I come near You through the intermediary of Your Prophet (Nabee) Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) who is the Prophet of Grace. Ya Rasullullah, through your intercession I implore Allah to accept my request. O Allah grant the intercession of your Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in my favor.


VIRTUES of SUNNAH


"Tell them O' Muhammad that if you love Allah then follow my

footsteps {follow my Sunnah}, Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la will love you and He will forgive all your sins. Indeed He is Most Forgiving and Merciful."

Indeed following the Sunnah of the Rasoolallah is following the Siratal Mustaqeem. Indeed the very purpose of The Coming of The Rasoolallah was to show his followers how to put the Guidance of the Holy Quran into practice in their lives. This is also why Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la described His beloved messenger Muhammadin The Quran as Uswatul Husnah {the perfect model} for his followers, and indeed the word "Ummah" which means followers, is in itself self explanatory. How can we be his Ummah without following him?

When Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la has mentioned in the Holy Quran that He did not create humans and Jinns but for His Worship, it is obvious that worship does not just include rituals of Salat, Fasting, Zakah and Hajj. Since the entire purpose of our creation is to worship our Creator, our entire life is therefore to be spent in His Worship. Indeed this larger worship would include all the hours of the day, every day of the month and every day of the year. If the word worship only meant the compulsory rituals, the Rasoolallah would have finished his mission in just one year. Therefore every aspect of the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad which is his Sunnah can truly reflect the larger and wider meaning of the word worship.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad saw therefore commanded his holy companions males, females, and his holy wives, very early in his mission to write down and note every action performed by him and everything said by him very carefully and then convey it to those not present. Therefore it is from the collection of the Ahadith {Hadith singular} that we get a clear, picture of his practices, which forms the sum total of the worship of Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la, as revealed in the Holy Quran. To complete the picture: we need to follow and obey our Beloved Prophet Muhammad to learn how to worship our Lord and Creator; We need to look and follow the Sahabah {companions} May Allah be pleased with them all to learn how closely they obeyed and followed the Rasoolallah in every action of his, from the simplest and common place to the performance of all the compulsory rituals of worship

When there is only a single star left in the sky..
At that very moment, the path of forgiveness will close.
The writing in the Quran will vanish.
The sun will lower itself with the earth.

Prophet Muhammad Salalallahu Alayhi Wassallam said, ‘Who ever delivers this news to someone else,
I will on the Day of Judgement make for him a place in Jannat.’

When Mu’min will enter into Jannah, it will be announced

1.   You will remain healthy forever, disease will never come.
2.   You will remain alive for ever, death will never come.
3.   You will remain in bounties which will never be finished.

Jannah is made with

Bricks of Gold and Silver.
Its cement is of perfumed Musk.
Its chips are pearls and Yaqoot.
Its sand is Zafraan.

There are eight doors of Jannah. These are eight grades of Jannah

1.   Jannatul Mava
2.   Darul Maqaam
3.   Darul Salaam
4.   Darul Khuld
5.   Jannat-ul-Adan
6.   Jannat-ul-Naeem
7.   Jannat-ul-Kasif
8.   Jannat-ul-Firdous

Jannatul Mava is in the lowest,
Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle &
Jannat-ul- Firdous is on the highest.

Food of Jannah

They will eat foods and fruits continuously up to 40 years.
Every bowl will have a new taste.
They will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of water.
There will be no urine and stool.

Place Name

There will be gardens in Jannah.
Every garden will have the length of about 100 year’s journey.
The shadow of these gardens will be very dense.
Their plants will be free of thorns.
The size of their leaves will be equal to ears of elephants.
Their fruits will be hanging in rows.

Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will get a pillar of Yaqoot,
On which there will be seventy thousand (70,000) rooms.
These will shine for the residents of Jannah as the sun shines for the residents of Duniya.

There will be rooms in Jannah in such a way that every room will have seventy thousand (70,000) dinning sheets.
On every dinning sheet 70,000 types of foods will be served.
For their service 80,000 young boys will be moving around looking like beautiful scattered pearls.

One bunch of dates will be equal to the length of 12 arms.
The size of a date will be equal to the big pitcher.
These will be whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and softer than butter and free
Of seeds.
The stem of these plants will be made up of gold and silver.
There will also be gardens of grapes. The bunches of grapes will be very big.
The size of a single grape will be equal to a big pitcher.

Someone asked, Ya Rasulullah (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam):
will it be sufficient for me and my family.

It was answered, it will be sufficient for you and your whole tribe.

The Dresses of Jannah

The dress of Jannah will be very beautiful.
One will wear 70 dresses at a time.
These will be very fine, delicate, weightless, having different colors.
These dresses will be so fine that the body even the heart will be visible.
And the waves of love in the hearts will also be visible.
These dresses will never become old, never be dirty and will never tear.

There will be four canals in every Jannah.

1.  Water
2.   Milk
3.   Honey
4.   Sharabun Tahoora.

There will also be three fountains in  Jannah:

1.   Kafoor
2.   Zanjabeel
3.   Tasneem

Qualities of People of Jannah

In Jannah, height of every Mo ‘min, will be equal to the height of

Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalaam) 60 arms (90 feet).
Beauty will be like that of Hazrat Yousuf (Alaihissalaam).
Age of youth will be like that of Hazrat Esa (Alaihissalaam) 30-33 years).
Sweetness of voice will be like that of Hazrat Dawud (Alaihissalaam).
Tolerance will be like that of Hazrat Yaqoob (Alaihissalaam).
Patience will be like that of Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihissalaam).
Habits will be like that of Sayyaduna Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam)

NOTE:

If a person makes Du’a for Jannah three times,
Jannah requests Allah that O, Allah; make his entry into Jannah.
And if a person makes Du’a for safety from Jahannum three times,
The Jahannum requests Allah that, O, Allah; save him from Jahannum.

Please pass on and may Allah grant the entire Ummah of Nabi sallalahu alayhi wasallam Jannat ul Firdous Ameen!

Every good act is charity

:"Do you know what backbiting is?"

Backbiting – mere words – but they are words that bring upon the one who utters them shame and ignominy and that consign him to the Fire. Such a person has given in to his vain desires and succumbed to his destructive tendencies.
Backbiting is one of those Islamic topics that often gets sidelined. Appearing as one of the frequent tarbīyyah topics in common circles and gatherings, the issue may be forgotten or ignored. This is severely problematic, as backbiting is one of the most devastating sins a person can ever commit, and not keeping ourselves reminded about it can lead to grave consequences.

Instant gratification. That’s what one finds when one indulges in some deeply heart-warming gossip.
I’m sure many of us have been in a similar situation. While the fairer sex is famous for gossip and back-biting, I have come across many men, who can just as easily bad-mouth a person behind their back — and thoroughly enjoy it. I always thought it was good revenge for those who wronged me, until an ugly head called conscience showed itself.
After a long conversation of apparent ‘revenge’ on my offenders, a bad feeling crept up inside me. A guilt I couldn’t explain, and a feeling of remorse that I couldn’t quite place my finger on. There came a time when I questioned the very idea of back-biting — simply because it made me feel sick inside.
Life is governed by karma, what goes around comes around. That thought began creaking my grey matter (which, my better half affectionately calls idle) into action. Did that mean life itself would avenge my offenders in its own way and at its own sweet time, and that I had no need to stoop to their level behind their backs? I wondered.
Some things that are haram in this life, however, won’t be found in Jannah. One of them is backbiting.

In Surat an-Naba, Allah [swt] says,

“There they shall neither hear ill speech nor any falsehood.” 78:35

Here, Allah clearly states that one thing that’s forbidden to us now will always be forbidden, even in Jannah, is backbiting (along with other forms of evil speech).

Imam Nawawi said:
"Be aware that it is incumbent upon every competent Muslim to guard his tongue against all kinds of talking except when it is evident that talking will be a means of beneficence. When talking and being quite are both equal as a prudent measure, then the Sunnah is to abstain from talking. Because often even lawful talking may lead to unlawful or distasteful matters. This is common practice."

Usually "back biting" is the equivalent of "back stabbing." That is, you smile at someone and pretend to be friendly, but when they're away you'll tell their secrets and say terrible things about them.

Islam, the religion founded by Prophet Mohammed, means submission to the will of God. It is a religion of self-surrender, acceptance of the revelations and following the commands of God. Islam establishes a universal brotherhood of man. Islam teaches that "No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. God will not be affectionate to that man who is not affectionate to God's creatures. He is the most favored of God from whom the greatest good comes to His creatures."

In Islam, abuse, anger, avarice, back-biting, blood-shedding, bribery, dishonesty, drinking, envy, flattery, greed, hypocrisy, lying, miserliness, pride, suicide, violence, wickedness, warfare, etc., are deprecated and virtues such as brotherhood, charity, cleanliness, chastity, forgiveness, friendship, gratitude, humility, justice, kindness, love, mercy, moderation, modesty, purity of heart, righteousness, truth and trust are enjoined. (9)

The Qur'an states: (10) Those who abstain from vanities and the indulgence of their passions, give alms, offer prayers, and tend well their trusts and their covenants, they shall be the heirs of eternal happiness.   

Backbiting & Slander - an Islamic perspective
And why did you not, when you heard it, say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to God, this is a most serious slander" (Quran 24:16)
A commentary on one of the most destructive of major sins

Islam is a religion of peace, love and compassion. Lies, suspicion, back biting, slander and gossip are totally alien to Islam. In fact they are considered amongst the most destructive of major sins. This is so because these sins sow enmity and discord among the Muslim Ummah and lead to its destruction. They cause hostilities between people of the same household, and between neighbors, friends and relatives.

Islam demands that our relationship with mankind should be one of sincerity and responsibility. It should be one where we have respect for the honor, reputation and privacy of others. Islam teaches us that we are not only held accountable for our own attitudes and actions but also for anything else over which we have control or influence over, in our society or the world around us.

Verses: Let's see what the Quran states about backbiting and slander - This is the Book, in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God. (2:2)

God has forbidden the believers from backbiting

O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear God, verily, God is the one who accepts repentance, Most Merciful. (49: 12)

When we reflect deeply over this assimilation it should be enough to keep us away from backbiting!

Do not treat the issue of Backbiting & Slander with indifference because it is a great sin

Behold, you received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things which you had no knowledge; and you thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of God (24: 15)

Many of us back bite and gossip without thinking. We think it is minor matter, however God reminds us to be careful and even though we think we are doing something little it is in fact very big in the sight of Allah(.God)!

God teaches us to speak out against Slander and try to put a stop to it
Allah swt said:
And why did you not, when you heard it, say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to God, this is a most serious slander" (24:16)

Many people are so busy spreading the slander they hear that they do not even stop to think if it is true or not.

Shaitan (Satan) wants us to use our tongue to create conflict and hatred

Say to My servants that they should only say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to man an avowed enemy. (17:53)

Are we falling into Shaitan's (Satan's) trap? We can all analyze ourselves.

Hadiths: Let's see what Prophet Muhammad  said about Backbiting in the hadiths. God states in the Quran - You have indeed in the Messenger of God an excellent pattern of conduct. (33:21)

The definition of Backbiting & Slander

Prophet Muhammad  said :"Do you know what backbiting is?" They said, "God and His Messenger know best." He then said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike." Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?" The Messenger of God  said, "If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him." (Muslim)

We should guard our tongue from sins and use our limbs in acts of obedience

Prophet Muhammad  said : "Who protects his tongue from unlawful utterances and his private parts from illegal sexual intercourse, I shall guarantee him entrance into Paradise." (Bukhari and Muslim)

The definition of the best muslim

"I asked the Messenger of God : Who is the best Muslim? The Messenger of God replied, "He is the one from whom Muslims are safe from the evil of his tongue and hands." (Muslim)

Deriding people in their presence by making negative facial expressions or by hand gestures while they are unaware is also a form of backbiting.

We need to beware of the slipping of our tongues

"When man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue saying, ‘Fear God as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright, we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked.’" (At-Tirmidhee)

Backbiting and slander .

Backbiting and slander is so widespread that it has become the topic of people’s meetings and an avenue for expressing their anger, misgivings and jealousy. Those who indulge in backbiting are oblivious of the fact that they are only harming themselves. This is because of the fact that on the Day of Resurrection both the wrongdoer and the wronged will stand before God, Who is the Just Judge, God will then give this wronged person from the good deeds of the person who wronged him in accordance with his wrong by backbiting.

Some situations allow us to inform others of what someone has done. It is allowed for us to inform the authorities when someone does injustice to us or others. It is allowed for us to inform someone who can help a perpetrator from committing further vice. It is also permissible for us to tell whoever seeks our advice on a person for business dealings or marriage. In this case it is not allowed for us to hide what we know about the person so that the enquirer will not be deceived. All these types of speaking about others are lawful.

Islam teaches us that if people are being ridiculed or backbited in our presence, we should defend their honor. If we neglect this, we shall deprive ourselves of ever needed help and mercy from God - If a man's Muslim brother is slandered in his presence, and he is capable of defending him and does so, God will defend him in this world and in the next. But if he fails to defend him, God will destroy him in this world and the next.  What will we do the next time we are tempted to backbite or hear slander in our presence? Right now the choice is ours!

We ask God the Most High, the All Powerful, to teach us that which will benefit us, and to benefit us by that which we learn. May God grant blessings and peace to our Prophet Muhammad  and his family and companions.

let’s not forget to ask Allah to forgive us for any comments we may have made knowingly or unknowingly. Because now that we know that speaking bad is not a characteristic of the people in Paradise, we know that it’s not a characteristic we want to come close to having.