Top 5 lies about israel...

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Top 5 Lies About Israel’s Assault on Gaza

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Latest updates on Gaza raids

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/12/2008122916531937971.html

Arab street angry over Gaza attacks

UPDATED ON: Sunday, December 28, 2008 19:06 Mecca time, 16:06 GMT
News Middle East Arab street angry over Gaza attacks Tens of thousands gathered in Yemen to protest against the Israeli attack [AFP] Protesters across the Middle East have held a second day of demonstrations against Israel's military assault on the Gaza Strip. In the occupied West Bank, one protester was killed and at least two others critically injured by Israeli fire at a protest near Ramallah on Sunday. In Yemen, tens of thousands of people gathered in and around a stadium in the capital, Sanaa, chanting anti-Israeli slogans and criticising Arab leaders for failing to act. "How long will the silence last? Arabs wake up!" read one banner. The demonstration was backed by the ruling party, opposition groups and other organisations. A few members of Jordan's parliament burned the Israeli flag under the parliament dome while in session on Sunday, after calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Amman. Action demanded In Lebanon, hundreds of Lebanese and Palestinian refugees staged a sit-in near the United Nations office in central Beirut. The protesters held banners calling on the global body to put pressure on Israel to end the attacks that have killed more than 280 people. The protest was organised by the Lebanese-branch of the Muslim Gamaa group, along with Hamas and other groups. Lebanon is host to more than 400,000 Palestinian refugees living in 12 camps across the country. Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, said that people were demanding more decisive action from their leaders. "From the people we have heard very critical remarks, not only against Israel, but also against Arab governments. Many were angry at the Egyptian government, they feel they needed to do more," she said. 'Firm stand' The Hezbollah movement, which fought a 33-day war with Israel in 2006, has condemned the attacks as a "war crime and a genocide that requires immediate action from the international community and its institutions". "I'd like to say ... that Gaza will remain steadfast in the face of Americans and Zionists whatever the plots and conspiracies hatched by tyrants and arrogant enemies" Dalil al-Qasoos, Palestinian ambassador to Iraq In a statement, the group called on Arab countries to "take a firm stand and exert its utmost efforts against the Israeli barbarism - which is covered by the US - and the international community to stop this ongoing massacre". The Arab League will not meet to discuss a common response to the Israeli assault until a summit in Doha, Qatar, on January 2. Arab foreign ministers were due to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday, but the meeting was postponed until Wednesday. Amr Moussa, the Arab League secretary-general, said the delay was because many ministers were busy in separate meetings of two Arab regional groups - the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and the Maghreb Union. "The time worries us very much because of the delay in holding the ministerial meeting but we will not remain silent and consultations are continuing," he said. The attack will, however, be discussed by the GCC, which on Saturday described the situation as "barbaric" and "ugly". Protest attacked Demonstrations also took place across Iraq. Dozens of Palestinian refugees gathered in Baghdad's eastern Baladiyad neighbourhood chanting anti-Israeli slogans and waving messages of support for Gaza. Dalil al-Qasoos, the Palestinian ambassador to Iraq, said: "I'd like to say to my relatives and to my people in Gaza that Gaza will remain steadfast in the face of Americans and Zionists whatever the plots and conspiracies hatched by tyrants and arrogant enemies." In Mosul, a suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of demonstrators killing at least four people and injuring 20 others, police said. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Fear Allah; Let not any one of you belittle himself

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Fear Allah

Subhana watala

WWW.MUTTAQUN.COM

Hadith - Qudsi 22

Let not any one of you belittle himself. They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [It was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear.

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5083, Narrated AbuDharr

Allah's Messenger said to him, "Fear Allah wherever you are; if you follow an evil deed with a good one you will obliterate it; and deal with people with a good disposition."

Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Darimi

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5140, Narrated Hudhayfah

The Prophet said, "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin what is reputable and forbid what is disreputable, or Allah will certainly soon send punishment from Himself to you. Then you will make supplication and not receive an answer."

[Transmitted by Tirmidhi]

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5142, Narrated AbuBakr as-Siddiq

You people recite this verse, "You who believe, care for yourselves; he who goes astray cannot harm you when you are rightly guided." I heard Allah's Messenger say, "When people see something objectionable and do not change it, Allah will soon include them all in His punishment."

Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi, who declared it to be sahih, transmitted it.

We must humble ourselves

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5186, Narrated Uthman ibn Affan

The Prophet said, "The son of Adam* has a right only to the following: a house in which he lives, a garment with which he conceals his private parts, dry bread and water."

Tirmidhi transmitted it.

*humankind

Hadith - Narrated 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (radhiyallaahu 'anhu)

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:

"Verily the most beloved speech to Allah is the servant's saying, 'Subhaanak Allaahumma wa bihamdika wa tabaarakasmuka wa ta'aalaa jad-duka wa laa ilaaha ghayruk.' (Glorified are you, O Allah, and to you is the praise, Blessed is Your Name and Lofty is your Majesty, there is none worthy of worship other than you.)

The most hated speech to Allah is when a man says to another man, 'Fear Allah!' and he replies, 'Worry about your own self!' "

[It was reported by Al-Asbahaanee in At-Targheeb (#739), and Sheikh Albani authenticated it in Silsilatul-Ahaadeethis-Saheehah (#2598)]

Health, Wealth and Happiness

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5290, Narrated by one of the companions

When we were sitting together, Allah's Messenger appeared with a trace of water on his head, and when we told him that he appeared to us to be in a happy frame of mind, he agreed. The people then began to discuss wealth and Allah's Messenger said, "There is no harm in wealth for him who fears Allah, Who is Great and Glorious, but for him who fears Allah health is better than wealth, and a happy frame of mind is one of Allah's favours."

[Ahmad transmitted it]

Who do you fear? Mankind? or Allah swt?

The Noble Qur'an At-Taubah 9:13

Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths (pagans of Makkah) and intended to expel the Messenger, while they did attack you first? Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers.

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5306, Narrated AbuDharr -Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Allah's Messenger said, he knew a verse which would suffice men if they would but apply it, "For him who fears Allah He will appoint a way out and He will give him provision from an unimagined source.'"

Tears of Fear

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #5359, Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

Allah's Messenger said, "If, through fear of Allah, tears--even to the extent of a fly's head--fall from any believer's eyes and drop on some part of his cheek, he will be kept away from Hell by Allah."

Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Must have Knowledge

The Noble Qur'an - Faatir 35:28

And of men and Ad­Dawâb (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and cattle, in like manner of various colours. It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is All­Mighty, Oft­Forgiving.

Sayings of the Salaf

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azîz (rahimahullâh) used to say, "None can reach the station of taqwâ until he possesses neither action nor words that can be exposed to his embarrassment either in this world or the Hereafter." He was once asked, "When does the worshipper reach the peak of taqwâ? He replied, "If he put all his thoughts and desires in his heart on a plate and then wandered around in the market, he should not feel ashamed of anything there." He would frequently say, "The sign of the muttaqî (pious person who fears Allah swt much) is to bridle oneself from speaking just like one in ihrâm bridles himself from speaking. The muttaqî need to be a scholar of the Sharî‘ah, all of it, otherwise he leaves taqwâ without realising."

How to Achive Taqwa

By Shaykh Saleem al Hilaalee

The concept of taqwaa is always linked to ibaadah in the Qu'raan. 'Ibaadah can be defined as: to do what Allah has commanded and to avoid what He has prohibited. 'Ibaadah has also been defined as a concept that includes all actions that Allah loves and approves of, whether they are actions of the heart, the tongue or the limbs. So taqwaa is linked with doing what is correct and avoiding that which is wrong. Taqwaa is the fruit of doing the actions of 'Ibaadah. In other words, if one does what Allah has commanded him to do, and abstains from that which he has been forbidden, he will achieve taqwaa. Allah mentions in His Book ( that means ):

" O you who believe ! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become muttaqoon ( those who have taqwaa or piety )." [ Al-Baqarah 2:183 ].

In this aayah and in many others, Allah has shown us that taqwaa is the result or fruit of doing actions of ibaadah.

The meaning of Taqwaa

Now that we have clarified how to achieve taqwaa, we define what the concept of taqwaa means. Taqwaa means: to cleanse or purify the heart and the soul. This fact is proven by some ayaat in Suorat ush-Shams in which Allah (T) says (what means)

" By the sun and its brightness, by the moon as it follows it, by the day as it shows its brightness, by the night as it conceals it, by the heaven and its wondrous make, by the earth and all its expanse, and by the soul and He Who perfected it in proportion, then He showed it what is wrong for it and what is right for it - indeed he succeeds who purifies it, and he fails who corrupts it." [ Ash-Shams 91:1-10 ].

Allah begins this soorah by taking seven oaths. Whenever Allah begins a soorah or an ayaah with an oath, He (T) does so to bear witness to the fact that whatever follows this oath is very important and essential for us to understand. Therefore, we should pay very close attention to what is being said, and reflect upon its meanings. To cleans one's heart and to purify the soul, one must perform righteous actions that Allah has enjoined upon us, and our destruction lies in doing the actions that Allah has forbidden. As Allah is the Guardian and Protector of the Soul, we should do every good deed hoping for Allah's Mercy and fearing His Punishment, having full reliance and trust in Him (T).

Purification of the Soul

Among the missions of the Prophet. Allah sent him with the command to purify the souls of the Muslims in particular, and of mankind in general. Allah (T) says (what means)

" He it is who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His ayaat, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the Hikmah, while before they had been in error." [ Al-Jumu'ah 62:2 ].

In this ayaah the word Hikmah is often translated as wisdom. Imaam ash-Shafi', one of the greatest scholars of Islaam, said that when Allah mentions Hikmah in the Qur'aan it refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet. In addition to this ayaah, we see that the Prophet, was sent with three tasks:

1) To teach the Qur'aan.

2) To teach the Sunnah.

3) To show the means of purifying the soul.

This purification is obtained by doing the proper acts of 'ibaadah and by avoiding sins and disobedience.

Conditions for Attaining Taqwaa

How does a person know that his acts of 'ibaadah are helping him to achieve taqwaa ? To develop taqwaa, one must fulfill the following conditions:-

1) Ikhlaas, sincere intention that the act is performed purely for the pleasure of Allah, out of love for Him, while hoping for His reward and mercy, as well as fearing His anger and punishment if He is disobeyed.

2) To do the deed in accordance with the authentic Sunnah. To have the necessary knowledge of the 'ibaadah that is being performed. To know how the Prophet. ..performed the action and proper times for the performance of that action.

Concerning Ikhlaas, it must be present both before and after performing the deed, with no riyaa or sum'ah (doing things to be seen or heard by people). For instance, after doing a good deed, someone tells others, "Look at all the good I have been doing", or "I'm such a marvelous person because I do such and such".

This formula, if used to achieve taqwaa, is scientific, in that if you follow it, while fulfilling all of its conditions and their rights, you will achieve taqwaa in shaa Allaah.

Source

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa'sallam said:

"The Muslim is a unique Ummah among the whole of mankind:
Their Land is ONE, their War is ONE, their Peace is ONE,
Their Honour is ONE and their Trust is ONE."
[Ahmad]

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Muslim

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Muslim Youth

By Altaf Husain

Social Worker — USA

You cannot escape it. The discussion about habits is all around you: Mom and Dad are constantly telling you to break your bad habits; your teachers are telling you to develop good habits; your friends are pressuring you to adopt their habits; and the television and media are influencing you to explore new and supposedly cool habits. "You will never be successful," the constant refrain goes, "unless you drop your bad habits and develop some good habits." In the end, it's all up to you. You have to decide what your habits are going to be. Have you given this matter some thought?

If you are alive and breathing, you should constantly be engaged in an inner struggle to develop habits which draw you closer to Allah Most High. Success in this world is directly related to the strength of your relationship with Allah. The farther one is from Allah and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the less likely one is to achieve success in this world and, for sure, even less likely to achieve success in the hereafter. Is it not time for us to reflect upon Islamic teachings to discern the necessary habits of highly successful Muslim youth?

Here are at least seven habits indispensable for highly successful Muslim youth, derived entirely from the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Be Truthful

Being truthful is not always easy, especially when we make a mistake. We fret over whether or not to disclose exactly what happened. We sweat, we are afraid, we feel nervous and anxious. We are often afraid that if we tell the truth about what we have done or said, we will be in trouble with our parents or friends. What we forget is that whether we tell the truth or not, Allah Most High knows exactly what took place, even those things that were never manifest or visible to people around us. Despite how burdensome telling the truth might seem, all of us are aware of the feeling of relief we experience when we tell the truth, even if the consequence of telling the truth is punishment. Casting the telling of truth and the fate of the truthful in terms of profit and loss, Allah Most High tells us in the Qur'an

[This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are gardens, with rivers flowing beneath — their eternal Home: Allah well-pleased with them, and they with Allah. That is the great salvation, (the fulfillment of all desires).] (Al-Ma'idah 5:119)

So much is to be gained from being truthful as opposed to escaping punishment or blame because of not being truthful. Not being truthful, in fact, leads us down a slippery slope, guaranteeing that with one lie, more lies must be told. Being truthful is not an option for Muslims, but rather an obligation, because our goal in being truthful is Paradise. The beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), said, as narrated by `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him),

Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. And a man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a truthful person. Falsehood leads to al-fujur [wickedness, evil-doing], and al-fujur leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is witten before Allah, a liar." (Sahih Bukhari, Book #73, Hadith #116)

Ultimate success is therefore achieved by living one's entire life — the youthful years, the adult years, and the elderly years — being truthful.

Be Trustworthy

Who do you rely on? Of course, Allah. He is indeed the Most Trustworthy. But among humans, who do you rely on? Who can you trust to come through for you all the time? Do people rely on you? Are you considered trustworthy?Moving ahead in life, achieving ultimate success, requires that people consider you trustworthy and reliable. Being trustworthy should not be an arbitrary activity but rather a habit so that you can be relied upon in all instances, big or small, convenient or inconvenient, easy or difficult.


In colloquial terms, we often hear "I've got your back," implying, in the most literal sense, that people cannot see what is behind them so they need to rely on their friends to cover that angle, just in case a threat occurs from the back. Just imagine what it would be like if a friend were climbing a tree and was heading out onto a very thin branch to get a kite that got stuck there. She asks you if you "have her back." In this instance, she is relying on you entirely to hold on to her in case the branch breaks. There is no room for joking around or for being distracted: your friend is trusting you with her life.

When we say Allah is the Most Trustworthy, we are coming to terms with the fact that Allah Most High will never let us down, will never leave our side. He, Most High, says about someone who willingly accepts Islam,

[Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah Heareth and Knoweth all things.] (Al-Baqarah 2:256)

Indeed, the prophets of Allah were all trustworthy people and Allah attested to the trustworthiness of those who were doubted by their communities. Prophet Hud, appealing to his community, declared to them,

[I but fulfill towards you the duties of my Lord's mission: I am to you a sincere and trustworthy adviser.] (Al-A`raf 7:68)

Practice daily developing the habit of being trustworthy. Accept responsibility and then fulfill it. When others trust you, do not betray their trust.

You can read in the beautiful biography of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) how people used to entrust him with their valuables, knowing that upon their return they would find their valuables safe and unharmed. His personal and business practices were commendable to the degree that he was known for it in his community, even before he became aware that he was the Prophet of Allah, literally one who is most truthful and trustworthy.

Have Self-Restraint and Be God-Conscious

Perhaps the most difficult challenge while navigating adolescence is to restrain oneself from falling victim to one's desires — especially one's lower desires.

Our success in life depends to a great extent on how well we are able to restrain ourselves and to be moderate in what is permissible, as well as how capable we are of distancing ourselves from what is impermissible.

Why is self-restraint so critical? Satan's goal is to make you a slave of your desires to the extent that you eat until you are actually uncomfortable; that you consume without restraint beverages made of caffeine, sugar, and artificial flavors; that you find yourself longing for sleep more than prayer; and that you yearn to satisfy your sexual desires. Developing self-restraint as a habit entails making self-restraint your second nature — something which is done almost without thought, without too much effort. We are reminded by Allah Most High,

[And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, — none but persons of the greatest good fortune.] (Fussilat 41:5)

In seeking to be highly successful Muslim youth, that is, youth deserving of the greatest fortune, it is imperative that you develop self-restraint.

An interesting parallel is that, throughout his Qur'an translation, the late Abdullah Yusuf Ali translates taqwa as self-restraint. While taqwa is most commonly translated as "God-consciousness," one realizes without much effort that the height of self-restraint is full and complete understanding that one is indeed conscious of one's duty to one's Lord. How awesome will it be if you can look back at your life and say to yourself, all praise is due to Allah that I did not succumb to my lower desires and instead exercised self-restraint consistently!

Be Thorough

Look around your room. How many unfinished projects do you have? When you work on homework, are you likely to rush through the assignment just so you can be done with it or are you more likely to take your time, to check your work, and most importantly, to be thorough?

Often teachers will grade a report based on how well and to what extent the student covered the topic at hand. Being thorough is not a habit that is developed overnight. The opposite of being thorough is being incomplete, being rushed, and working in haste without any regard for accuracy or quality. The most perfect is Allah Most High, Who perfected creation, Who perfected our religion, and Who guided His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to be the most perfect among humans in behavior and in character.

We read in the Muwatta of Imam Malik "Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

'I was sent to perfect good character'" (Book #47, Hadith #47.1.8).

To be thorough stems from a desire to be perfect to the extent that this is humanly possible. Seeking perfection in our actions and speech from an early age helps us to develop a keen eye, not only for thoroughness in our own life, but also for thoroughness in the lives of those around us. Being thorough in prayer, for example, teaches us to be patient and to concentrate upon the words we are reciting and the different positions of the prayer.

Be Focused

One thousand ideas go through your head the moment you stand up for prayer. Is that you? Really? What do you make of those ideas? Do you process them? What about when you are sitting in class? Do you find your mind wandering, daydreaming, and unable to focus on the lecture at hand? Are you likely to use any excuse whatsoever to leave what you are doing?

Developing the habit of being focused ensures that you are awake, alert, and totally motivated to work on and complete the task at hand, whatever it may be. Being distracted early on in childhood by video games, fast-paced imagery, and constantly changing scenes on television shows contributes to an inability to concentrate, to focus. Among the best ways to develop focus is to practice praying with deep concentration to the extent that you are almost unaware of your surroundings. Allah Most High tells us in the Qur'an that the believers are

[those who humble themselves in their prayers] (Al-Mu'minun 23:2)

The humility referred to here results from total focus and concentration on the fact that one is in the presence of Allah, standing before Him, Most High. Do your best to develop focus, no matter what activity you are engaged in — whether in prayer, in academics, in athletics, or some other pastime.

Be Punctual

Stop saying over and over again that you are late because of "Muslim standard time," or the "standard time" of your particular ethnicity. The last thing we should attribute to Islam is the notion that its teachings somehow make us late, slow, slugging, and anything but punctual. What a sad state of affairs, indeed, that we attribute our own weaknesses to our religion or ethnicity!

Highly successful individuals, be they Muslim or not, understand and appreciate the value of not only their time but the time of everyone else with whom they interact. Keeping people waiting for hours on end is neither something to be proud of nor a habit that has a place in the mindset of a person who tries to be successful.

One of the central pillars of Islam is prayer, and Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) have given us clear reminders that we are to establish prayers at their due times.

When `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked "which deed is the dearest to Allah?" the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times" (Sahih Bukhari, Book #10, Hadith #505).

If indeed your day is to be considered successful, you must have prayed all the obligatory prayers at their established times and as many voluntary prayers as possible. If your day is planned around the times of prayer, you should not pray exactly at the time when you are to pray but then come late to all other appointments. Being punctual is a habit which, when perfected, demonstrates to others the tremendous value that Islam places on time — not only ours but that of everyone else with whom we interact.

Be Consistent

Apart from all the habits listed above, perhaps the one that is sure to help you become a highly successful Muslim youth is that of being consistent. One cannot be truthful one day and a liar the next; one cannot be trustworthy in one instance and totally unreliable in the next; and so on for each of the other habits. A Muslim understands from an early age that it is easier to do something once or whenever we feel like it but much harder to do something regularly and consistently.

Indeed, the Mother of the Believers `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that "the most beloved action to Allah's Apostle was that which is done continuously and regularly" (Sahih Bukhari, Book #76, Hadith #469).

Regular and consist actions show that a person has thought about it, has intended to do it, has planned to do it, and therefore does it.

We urge you to be as consistent as possible, especially in those areas of your life which need constant improvement, such as your prayers, your fasting, your manners, your studying habits, etc. Do not say, I am going to pray all day every day, or fast voluntarily all of the days of every month, or study all night every night, because such actions cannot be humanly sustained over a long period of time. Say on the other hand, I am going to be sure to read at least one part of the Qur'an every day, or I will strive to help my parents with at least one household chore every day, or I will try to study at least one new item every week so that I can be ahead of the lesson plan.

Conclusion

Finally, Muslims aspire to develop all of these habits because, in doing so, we draw nearer to Allah Most High. If you are intent on being a highly successful Muslim youth, then you owe it to yourself to reflect upon your own life and see how many of these habits are already a part of who you are and how many you need to further develop or acquire.

We end with a reminder that developing these habits will help you to emulate the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). His message and his life are summarized well in a narration of `Abdullah ibn `Abbas:

Abu Sufyan told me that Heraclius said to him, "When I enquired of you what he (Muhammad) ordered you, you replied that he ordered you to establish the prayer, to speak the truth, to be chaste, to keep promises, and to pay back trusts." Then Heraclius added, "These are really the qualities of a prophet." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #48, Hadith #846)

Strive to develop the seven habits listed above and many others from the Islamic teachings so that you will be among the highly successful Muslim youth.

||Source||

[Video] Nasheed- Days of Eid

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Belated Eid Mubarak!!!

Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any obscenity...

"Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any obscenity or transgression shall return [free from sins] as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him." (Al-Bukhari)

A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet, "As jihad is the best deed, shouldn't we [women] make jihad?" The Prophet replied, "The best jihad for you [women] is a Hajj mabroor." `A'ishah later said, "I have been keen to regularly perform Hajj since I heard that from the Messenger of Allah" (agreed upon).

"The one striving in the cause of Allah and the one performing Hajj and the one performing `Umrah are all the delegation of Allah. He calls them and they respond to His call, and they ask Him and He answers their supplication." (Ibn Majah)

Day of `Arafat. The Prophet is reported to have said,

"There is no day on which Allah frees servants of His from Fire more than [those freed on] the Day of `Arafat. And, verily, He draws near and then proudly speaks about them [i.e. the pilgrims] before the angels, saying, 'What do these seek?'" (Muslim)

The Prophet also said,

"Verily, Allah proudly speaks about the people of `Arafat before the people of Heaven [i.e. angels], saying, 'Look to My servants: They have come to Me disheveled and dusty.'" (Al-Haithami and Al-Wadi`i)

The Virtues of Dhul-Hijjah

By Islamic Religious Council of Singapore

Dec. 21, 2005

We are now approaching the month of Dhul-Hijjah, the month of Hajj. This is the month upon which Allah has bestowed the days of `Arafah, `Eid Al-Adha, and the Days of Tashreeq, which are the three days following `Eid. This is a special month, a month in which we are encouraged to double our efforts in performing our acts of worship and our good deeds. If we have missed the opportunity to increase our worship during the last Ramadan, or if we have missed the opportunity to fast the six days of Shawwal, then let it be known, that right now, spread in front of us, is a golden opportunity. An opportunity to be closer to Allah. An opportunity to increase our worship. This golden opportunity is the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Let us grab this opportunity before it leaves us. Let us do more dhikr, more Prayer, and more fasting. Let us recite Al-Qur’an more. Allah says in Surat Al-Fajr: [And by the ten nights] (Al-Fajr 89:2). According to most scholars, the 10 days mentioned in that verse refer to the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. Allah mentions it and swears by it in that verse because of its virtues. This is strengthened by the hadith: “There are no days during which good deeds are more beloved to Allah than these (ten) days.” He was then asked, “Not even jihad in the path of Allah?” He replied, “Not even jihad in the path of Allah, except for a person who goes out with his self and his wealth, and comes back with nothing.” (Al-Bukhari and others) So let us increase our `ibadah in these virtuous days, which come but once a year— an opportunity that is better than any offer on earth. If we look around, sometimes we would see a petrol station offering a 15 percent discount. We would then see cars snaking out of that petrol station. Everyone is trying to grab that offer of just 15 percent discount. These 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah offer a much better offer—an offer that has its rewards waiting for us in the Hereafter, the day when nothing will be of value except those who had prepared for it. A day which Allah describes in the Qur’an as [the day when wealth and children will be of no use, except those who come with clean hearts] (Ash-Shu`ara’ 26:88–89). In a previous sermon we touched upon the need to have proper resolutions and how to achieve them. Let us put into practice what we have heard. Let us all make this resolution to double our efforts in worshiping Allah in these virtuous days of Dhul-Hijjah. Let us not wait till we get home to make that resolution. Let us do it now! And when we get home, or to office, let us jot down those resolutions on paper so that we may not forget them. If we want to do more sunnah prayers, write it down, and be specific on the type of prayers. If we want to fast on these days, jot down on our calendar or organizer which days will we fast. If we want to pray the Tahajjud Prayers, write it down. And set our alarm clock to ring at least half an hour before Fajr Prayer so that we may have time to do at least do three rak`ahs of Witr Prayer. If we want to lessen the sins of our tongue, put in on paper that we will be quieter and only say those things that are necessary. And as a return, we will say more dhikr and istighfar silently. If we want to read the Qur’an more, jot it down on our organizer and calendar, the amount we will read each day. Is it half a page? A full page? Or more than that? Write it down. And remember this: Failure to plan is planning to fail.

Video: Surah Noor 34-40 [Qari Ziyad Patel]

Patience is a BRIGHTNESS....

Sabr (patience) is a shining glory

On the authority of Abu Malik al-Harith bin 'Asim al-Ash'ari, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:

"Purification is half of iman (faith). Saying 'Al-Hamdulillah' (Praise be to Allah) fills the scales. Saying 'Subhanallah wa al-Hamdulillahi' (Exhalted be Allah and Praise be to Allah) fills the space between the heavens and the earth. Salah (prayer) is a light. Sadaqah (charity) is a proof. Sabr (patience) is a shining glory. The Qur'an is an argument either for you or against you. Everybody goes out in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves."

[Muslim]

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The third part of the hadith is about the prayer (salah) and it's position in Islam. The hadith says: "Al-Salah (the prayer) is a light". According to Ibn Rajab, prayer is indeed a light for the believers in their lives. It is also a light in their hearts and delights the inner parts of their body. They will be guided by the salah and will be given enlightenment and satisfaction in their hearts. That is why the salah is a delight of the eyes of the righteous people. Al-Imam Ahmed recorded a hadith saying that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, used to say: "The delight and pleasure of my eyes is in the salah".

In another hadith the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "When a servant of Allah preserves and safeguards the salah and performs it perfectly in terms of its ablution, its sujud, and ruku' then the salah will say to him: 'May Allah preserve and safeguard you as you preserved and safeguarded me', and then the salah will be taken by the angels up to the heavens while it has lights until it reaches Allah subhana wa ta'ala and it will do shafa'ah or intercession for the servant of Allah." In another similar hadith that is recorded by Imam Ahmed in his al-Musnad, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "Whoever preserves the salah, it will be a light, proof and safe place for him during the Day of Judgment." The hadith also states the importance and significance of the salah for the believers who always perform it in its right time and right way.

The hadith says "Patience is a dhiya' or brightness". According to Ibn Rajab, linguistically al-dhiya' (brightness) is different from al-nur (light). Al-dhiya' is more powerful than al-nur, because it not only gives out light but also heat, while al-nur gives out only a shining light. That is why in the Qur'an the term dhiya' is used for sunlight which, beside its light, has heat or high temperature, but the term al-nur is used for the moonlight which gives out only light and does not emit heat.

Being patient is a very difficult and painful experience. It requires a lot of effort and struggle within. So when people control themselves and overcome impatience, they develop a good habit of self-control and become masters of their own selves. This is the real meaning of al-sabr or patience. Al-sabr literally means to 'withhold' or control something. It means to control the nafs and prevent it from being in a state of panic or impatience. It also means to prevent the tongue from complaining or saying negative things. People do not practice this value. They become impatient for minor reasons. They seem to be against the qadar and plans of Allah in their lives.

Imam Ibn Rajab says that there are three kinds of al-sabr or patience in Islam:

1. Al-Sabru ala da'ati allahi - to be patient in performing the acts of worship or ibadah of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.
2. Al-Sabru an ma'asi allahi - to be patient in the acts of avoiding sins (ma'asi) or disobedience of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.
3. Al-Sabru ala aqdari allahi - to be patient with the Qadar of Allah or His plans which are predestined by Him and happens to us in our lives.

Some scholars add a fourth kind of al-sabr to these three classifications: Al-Sabru ala al-bida' - to be patient on matters related to religious innovations (but this can be included under the ma'asi (sins) or disobedience).

On the question of which of these three kinds of al-sabr is more important, Imam Ibn Rajab said that to be patient in ibadah and to be patient in avoiding ma'asi or sins are more virtues than being patient with the qadar. One act of ibadah that contains all these three forms of al-sabr is fasting. For example, when fasting you obey Allah by performing the act of fasting, you avoid sins of eating during the day, and you believe that this is the plan of Allah and hence a test for you.

For full Hadith Commentary click here

Eid Mubarak :)

Taqabbala 'llaahu minnaa wa minkum (may Allaah accept from us and you) !!