Showing posts with label religion of Islam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion of Islam. Show all posts

Sunday, 28 November 2010

Kindness makes the Muslim

The high ranked generosity and natural kind-heartedness is one of the countless and innumerable good qualities and excellent characters the Holy Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam possessed. His generosity knew no limits, and the ocean of his kindness knew no shore.

Generosity and kindness covers such a vast field, and is such an ocean of a subject, that to cover all of its details is an almost impossible task. Generosity and kindness doesn't only mean that you give when you still gain or retain, but in fact means to give when you yourself hardly have anything. According to these details, generosity could be divided into three groups:
1. To give while one has something in possession and the one to whom it is given also has something in possession.
2. To give while one has something in possession and the one to whom it is given is in need.
3. The one who is giving is in need but places his own needs aside and gives priority to others over him.

The last group is the best and most desirable of all, and it is this third one which will be found in the life of the Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam. For example, a story has been narrated that in the time of the Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam a woman made an intention of giving the Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam a present; because she didn't have much wealth to buy him something expensive, she intended to weave and offer some cloth. The Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam accepted it, as he was in dire need of it, and wore it as an izar (a sheet of cloth worn to cover the lower part of the body). A companion saw the Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam with this izar and liked it, so asked for it. The Holy and Noble Prophet Sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam without second thoughts and without hesitation changed into another garment, which was borrowed from somebody, and gave this one away. The companions who saw this felt guilty about the person asking, because they knew well that the Holy Prophet sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam would never refuse, but what could be done now, it had already been given and the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi Wasallam would never take it back. The Sahabi reasoned his act by saying, "I asked for it to use as my shroud."
A sensible person can understand from this story and by now would have deduced, that the Prophet sallallaahu alaihiWasallam ’s generosity is on such a level that it is absolutely impossible to imagine, such as the case where he himself was in need, had come to the circumstances of borrowing from someone else, yet gave away his own to someone who had merely asked for it.

The religion of Islam has always viewed animals as a special part of God's creation.
The Holy Qur'an (Koran), the Hadith (Muslim religious text), and the history of Islamic civilization offer many examples of kindness, mercy, and compassion for animals.

Here are more sayings on kindness to animals from Prophet Muhammad saw, the Hadith and the Holy Qur'an (Koran):

God's kindness towards his creature is more than a mother's towards her babe.

If you put your whole trust in God, as you ought, He most certainly will give you sustenance, as He doth the birds; they come out hungry in the morning, but return full to their nests.

All God's creatures are His family; and he is the most beloved of God who doeth most good to God's creatures.

Whoever is kind to His creatures, God is kind to him; therefore be kind to man on earth, whether good or bad; and being kind to the bad, is to withhold him from badness, thus in heaven you will be treated kindly.

Prophet Mohammad (saw) repeatedly forbade cruelty to animals, saying in the Hadith popular tradition, "Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself."

He who is not kind to God's creatures, and to his own children, God will not be kind to him.
Similarly, Mohammed taught "A good deed done to a beast is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being."

Prophet Muhammad saw mentioned "Verily God hath one hundred loving kindnesses; one of which he hath sent down amongst man, animals, and every moving thing upon the face of the earth: by it they are kind to each other, and forgive one another; and by it the animals of the wilds are kind to their young; and God hath reserved ninety-nine loving kindnesses by which he will be gracious to His creatures on the last day."

It is mentioned in The Quran (Verse 6:38) "There is not an animal on Earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings, but they are communities like you.  Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to God in the end."

Islam encourages doing well with all its universal, humane sense, and commands kindness in all its forms and purposes, thus making it a most wonderful virtue.

Kindness is doing well, but this virtue has taken on the meaning of "Benevolence"; that is, the "charity" which a person gives to the poor and the needy as a consolation for their poverty and neediness.

In its essence and ultimate goal, kindness is when the well-doer alleviates the suffering of the person to whom he gives charity, and palliates his defeat and misery. It is the solidarity of one human being with another, to make the person who is suffering and disadvantaged feel that he is not lonely in this world, and that he has brethren who share his distress and happiness.

Kindness makes the Muslim - who follows the teachings of his religion - a partner of every sufferer in this world.

But the Most Kind is Allah -the Great and Almighty - to whom all the hearts turn whenever misfortune befalls people and adversity overwhelms them.

Allah has established kindness and commanded it, not only for the sake of the person to whom one is being kind but also for the doer of good as well:

"But do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee", [The Story: 77].

"If ye did well, ye did well for yourselves, if ye did evil, (ye did it) against yourselves", [The Night Journey: 7].

Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and he forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion (The Bee: 90).

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 552
Narrated by Asma' bint Abi Bakr,
The Prophet prayed the eclipse prayer, and then said, "Hell was displayed so close that I said, 'O my Lord! Am I going to be one of its inhabitants?"' Suddenly he saw a woman. I think he said, who was being scratched by a cat. He said, "What is wrong with her?" He was told, "She had imprisoned it (i.e. the cat) till it died of hunger."

Narrated by 'Abdullah bin 'Umar,
Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth."

The moral of the story is that if we wish Allah to be merciful to us, we must be eager to show mercy to all the living creatures of the earth.

When a flower blooms, its colour and scent first touch the garden near it, and then spread. In the same way, a Muslim’s acts of human kindness should first touch those nearest to him, his family and his neighbors.

May Allah make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........

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P.S.: "Have fun praying    don’t forget to make dua for me."

Friday, 30 April 2010

“The best thing my slave does that gets him closer to me"

The Islamic Law has introduced and propagated a cluster of public ethics. At the same time, it warned of failure to strictly abide by it, as this will entail punishment in the Hereafter. Imam Muslim narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Do you know who is the bankrupt?” They answered: A bankrupt among us is the person who has neither money nor property. The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)  said: “The bankrupt in my nation is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayer, zakat and fasting, yet he used to insult, slander, slay and beat others. Thus claimants are rewarded according to their good deeds. If one’s good deeds are gone, he is punished for his ill deeds until he is thrown into Hell.”

.........Ethics of Greeting (Salam)......

Islam has encouraged the custom of greetings among the members of Society because it leads to love and friendship. This is supported by the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ’s Hadith: “You will never enter Paradise until you become believers, and you will not become believers until you love each other. Shall I guide you to something that makes you love each other? Spread greetings with peace among you.” (Muslim) - Answering a greeting is obligatory: “When you are greeted with a greeting, reply with a better one or return it...” (The Qur’an, Chapter An-Nisa’a, 4: 86)

 Islam has also explained obligations in matters of greeting priorities. According to the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “A rider should greet a pedestrian, a pedestrian should greet him who is seated, and a small number of people should greet a bigger number.” (Narrated by both Bukhari and M) In one narration by Bukhari, it is added: A little or young person should greet an older one). 

......................Eternal Life: Rewards and Punishments......

        Those who believe in the oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (s.a.w.), including all obligations ordered by Islam, and do the righteous good deeds, their reward with their Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) is “Eden Paradise” -- i.e., gardens of eternity, underneath which, rivers flow, they will abide therein forever.

On the other hand those who disbelieve in the religion of Islam, the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), from among the people of scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikun will abide in the fire of Hell. (Al Bayyinah 6-8)

The Good Signs of Death: 

1.      Dying saying “La Ilah Illa Allah” will automatically enter one Paradise.

2.      Dying on a Friday “Whoever dies on a Friday, Allah prevents him from the grave trial” (Ahmed and Turmithi)

3.      Dying in Jihad, which also includes dying guarding soldiers fighting for Allah’s cause

4.      Dying giving Da’wah (guiding) to the rulers.

5.      Dying defending one’s money, women or oneself.

6.      Dying in child birth.

7.      Dying with a plague.

8.      Reading Surah Tabarak would ease the grave trial.

    Reward and punishment of a person is shown to him the minute of his death. Ibn Al Bar’a narrated a long Hadith about that, saying that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told Assahaba:  “When a pious (mu’min) is about to die, the angel of death would sit near his head, show him his place in heaven and says to his soul (O you the one in complete rest and satisfaction come back to your Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer), to God’s forgiveness and Paradise.” (Al Fajr 27-28)

    Angels descend with a shroud and perfume from heaven, and the angel of death, then, takes the soul puts it in the shroud and perfume and pass it to the angels to ascend with it to heaven. When they pass it to the first heaven, other angels ask: “Whose good soul is it?” They reply: “It is so and so, would you let it ascend to the next heaven?” They would not only agree, but also join them in ascending it to the higher heaven, and so on until they reach the seventh heaven, where Allah tells his angels to register the pious in illiyyun (nearest to Allah) and take his soul back to his body in his grave. The grave trial then starts.

    Two stern and severe angels would ask the deceased: “Who was he worshipping, they would shout (frightening him) who is your God? What is your religion and who is your Prophet? He would answer, “Allah is my God, Islam is my religion and Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is my Prophet.” At that time a voice from heaven would call, “Open a door in heaven for him”, and a good looking man would tell him the good news of Allah granting him paradise. Then he shows him his place in heaven. That good looking man is the person’s deeds.

    As far as the Kafir (non-believer) is concerned, the same happens except the angel of death would take his soul violently and the angels in every heaven would ask: “Whose stinky soul is it?” Then the gates of heaven are never opened to him:

 “Those who believe our Ayat, and treat them with arrogance, for them the gates of heaven will not be opened and they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle .”   (Al A’araf 40)

  Angels then take his soul back to his body and the two severe angels would squeeze him asking the same questions, and every time the deceased would not know the answer, and the grave would tighten and squeeze him until his ribs overlap. An ugly man (his bad deeds) shows him his place in hell and hits him hard on the head so hard  that he becomes dust and Allah returns him as he was, then he hits him again and so on until the day of judgment.

 The Inhabitants of Hell:

      Hell has seven gates, every one is assigned for a specific class of sinners: “And surely Hell is the promised place for them all, it has seven gates, for each of those gates is a special class of sinners assigned.” (Al Hijr 42-43)

    Its depth is so extensive that it would take a stone thrown in it 70 years for it to reach the bottom. And its fuel is evil and hard hearted people, Jinn, stones and idols that were worshipped instead of Allah.

   After judgement, people will be sent to Hell or Paradise, according to their deeds. Then Allah would save those who guarded against evil.


Some of the Inhabitants of Hell:

1.      Hypocrites  -- “Indeed the hypocrites will be in the lowest depth  of the fire “(An- Nisa:145)      

2.      Polytheists  --  “Those who reject the truth among the people of the Book and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell, dwelling therein forever. They are the worst creatures.”  (Bayyinah: 5-6)

3.      Sinners and criminals  -- “Indeed the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, dwelling therein forever. It will not be lightened for them and they will be overwhelmed there in  despair. (Zukhruf:74-76)

4.      Pharaoh, the wives of Lut and Nuh, Abu Lahab and his wife and Abu Talib.

5.      Those who are unjust   -- “It will be said to those who were unjust: taste the eternal punishment. Are you recompensed except for what you  used to earn “(Tawbah:63)

6.      Transgressors   -- “For him who had transgressed and preferred the life of his world, indeed Hell will be his shelter.” (Nazi’at 39)

7.      Tyrants   -- “But they asked victory and disappointment is the lot of every obstinate tyrant. In front of him is Hell and is given pus to drink.” (Ibrahim:15-16)

8.      People of the Book who reject Islam.

9.      Murderers of Believers   --  “And whoever kills a believer intentionally his recompense is Hell to abide therein forever.” (Buruj 10)

10. Those who commit suicide.

11.  Women who were ungrateful: Imran bin Husayn narrated that Prophet (s.a.w.) said “I looked into Paradise and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were the poor, and I looked into Hell and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women who are ungrateful to their husbands.”    (Al Bukhari)


Description of Paradise:

     Paradise or Heaven has eight gates. This was narrated in an authentic Hadith compiled by Imam Muslim that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said “The opening of every gate is like forty years walking.  One of the gates is called “Al Rayyan” for fasting people.”  Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, that Allah says in a Hadith Qudsee:

“I have prepared for my good slaves that which no human eye has seen, nor that of which no human ear has heard, and nor that of which no human heart has thought of.”  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then recited “No person knows what is hidden from them of joy as a reward for what they used to do.” (Al Sajdah 17)

Castles are made up of bricks: one brick of gold and another of silver cemented with Musk (perfume), pearl and ruby are its floor, and saffron is its grass. Its inhabitants live (dwell) forever young and never bored. They will have Essah’s age, Ayyub’s patience, the handsome and beautiful face of Yousef, and they will also have Muhammad’s tongue (few words will have so many meanings).

The description of paradise which the pious have been promised is that in it are rivers of water, the taste and smell of which are not changed rivers of milk of which the taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey (clear honey). (Surah Muhammad:14)

   As for Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and his followers’ river, it is called (Al Kawther). At-Tirmithi narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: “While I was walking in heaven I came across a river, its banks are gold, its mud is Musk, its water is sweeter than honey and it is whiter than ice.”

More description of Paradise are to be found in Surah Al Rahman 47-75 and Al Waqe’a 11-40.


Means by which to avoid Hell and guarantee Paradise:

      Everyone must pass over Hell’s fire, however, those who have taqwa (the fear of Allah, the restrain of guarding of one’s self from evil, righteousness, piety and good conduct) will be saved.

There are actions which would protect one from Hell-fire.  The best among these deeds are salaah and jihad or martyrdom for the sake of Allah the Almighty. 

It was narrated in a Hadeeth Qudsee,  “The best thing my slave does that gets him closer to me is obligatory salaat, and then if he does the nawafil (supererogatory or extra prayers), I like him more. And if I like him, I protect his hearing and his sight from going to haram things and anything he asks for, I give him, and if he asks refuge from anything, I will protect him. I never hesitate in anything which I do except when I take the Muslim’s soul away. He hates death and I hate harming him.” (Bukhari)

Rewards of Al Shaheed (Martyr) according to the Hadith (TirmidhĂ®  and Ahmad):

·    The soul of the martyrs dwell in Paradise whenever they like.

·   All the Shaheed’s sins and faults are forgiven with the first drop of blood that comes out of his body.

·    He sees his place in Paradise and Allah makes him intercede for 70 of his family.

·    He will not feel the grave trial: Martyrs are the only people who are spared the grave trial.

·   He will not feel the agony of death.

·     He will not be horrified by the Great Gathering on the day of Resurrection.

·    He does not feel the pain of the killing except like that of a pinch.

·    Allah will marry him to Hur-al-een.

Finally, let us pray together to Allah to “Let us live Muslims and die Muslims without disgracing or subjecting us to temptations.”

We ask You our Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer) to give us a merit in this world and a merit in the here after, and to protect us from the agony of fire and make the agony of death and grave trial easy for us.

O Allah!  We ask You to raise the standing of Islam and Muslims and degrade the standing of Al-Kufr and Al-Kafirin. May the blessing and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.), his family, his companions and followers.