A monthly newsletter from Masjid Bani HashimJumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue#19 June 2015

بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيمالسالم عليكم و رحمة اهلل و بركاته

Introduction

Surah Al-Baqarah, ayah 183:

يام كما كتب على ٱلذين من قبلڪم لعلكم تتقون (١٨٣) يـأيها ٱلذين ءامنوا كتب عليڪم ٱلص

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was pre-scribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)!

In shaa Allah Ramadan is approaching fast and there is hope that in shaa Allah this Rama-dan is going to be better than the last Ramadan. We ask Allahسبحانه و تعالى that He

makes us reach Ramadan in very strong faith and health.

Taqwa is what we want to gain from fasting as Allah سبحانه و تعالى very clearly states in

the above ayah, i.e. if by fasting we do not become better Muslims, then surely something has gone quite wrong in our Ramadan. We want to fast to please Allah سبحانه و تعالى, to

come closer to Him سبحانه و تعالى, that involves an intention, a heart which knows Who

is Allah سبحانه و تعالى and why fasting was prescribed. We fast to become more obedient,

less rebellious towards Allah سبحانه و تعالى’s commands and all these we do out of love

for Allah سبحانه و تعالى, with hope in His reward and fear His punishment in case we are

ungrateful and we disobey Him. Subhanal Allah. Ramadan is the month of generosity, as we break the fast, we also share some of the blessings that Allah سبحانه و تعالى has pro-

vided us with our brothers and sisters in Islam.

Dear readers, the Month of Biggest Trading is going in shaa Allah to start around 18 June 2015, this is really a month where you want in shaa Allah to get your Profit And Loss state-ment in a very good shape.

A Monthly Newsletter by Masjid Bani Hashim, Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue #19 June 2015

What do I mean? Income is all the good deeds; expenses are your sins... In shaa Allah you want a very good profit at the end of this year’s Ramadan. What is your capital? Your capi-tal is your faith and this in shaa Allah you need to ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى before Rama-

dan to increase it, so that when you reach Ramadan you are ready to run faster in the Name of Allah سبحانه و تعالى. What is your Criterion, what is your Guide? سبحان اهللyour

Qur’an. The Qur’an was revealed in Ramadan and it is the Qur’an that teaches us how to live in this life and how to prepare for the big Prize, Firdaus al ala. Subhanal Allah.

The secret of the matter and the success of this Ramadan depends on how much are we go-ing to rely in Allah سبحانه و تعالى to make us succeed, how much we are going to run to

Allah سبحانه و تعالى. When we are hungry, weak, tired…we are going to run to

Alahسبحانه و تعالى and ask Him for strength and ask Him to fulfil each and every need of

ours. Alhamdulil Allah, Allah سبحانه و تعالى is ArRazaq.

In shaa Allah, we take the first step. We make the intention of coming closer to Allah and you will سبحانه و تعالى we make a little bit of effort to please Allah ,سبحانه و تعالى

see Allah’s support running towards you so that you can reach taufiq. May Allah سبحانه و

.bless you and your loved ones تعالى

الحمدهلل رب العاملني والصالة والسالم على رسول اهلل

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A Monthly Newsletter by Masjid Bani Hashim, Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue #19 June 2015

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This Issue

Introduction: Pages 1 - 2

Ramadan With Joy: Pages 4 - 10

Catching Thoughts: Pages 11 - 13

The Real Superstars: Pages 14 - 16

Biography of Prophet Mohammed (SAWS) A Quiz to refresh your memory: Page 16

Seasons of Worship: Pages 17 - 23

Developing Competence: Pages 24 - 25

Healthy Eating During Ramadan: Page 26

Surah Abasa: Pages 27 - 29

Cheer Up!: Pages 30 - 31

Inner Glow Before Ramadan: Pages 32 - 35

Masjid Bani Hashim: Pages 36 - 38

A Monthly Newsletter by Masjid Bani Hashim, Jumeirah Islands, Dubai Issue #19 June 2015

Article focusing on Ramadan

وسيق الذين اتقوا ربهم إلى الجنة زمرا حتى إذا جاءوها وفتحت أبوابها وقال لهم خزنتها سالم عليكم طبتم فادخلوها خالدين. وقالوا الحمد هلل الذي صدقنا وعده وأورثنا األرض نتبوأ من الجنة حيث شاء فنعم أجر العاملني. وترى املالئكة حافني من حول العرش

يسبحون بحمد ربهم وقضي بينهم بالحق وقيل الحمد هلل رب لعاملني

But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened & its keepers say, "Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein," [they will enter]. & they will say, "Praise to Allah , who has fulfilled for us His promise & made us inherit the earth [so] we may settle in Paradise wherever we will. & excellent is the reward of [righteous] workers. & you will see the angels surrounding the Throne, exalting [ Allah ] with praise of their Lord. & it will be judged between them in truth, & it will be said, "[All] praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds". 39:73-75

The people of Jannah will enter as a delegation, in groups.

واعتصموا بحبل اهلل جميعا وال تفرقوا

And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together & do not become divided. 3:103

Do not let the shaitan make problems between you, or the fragrance of your faith will go away, leaving you weak.

قال لهم خزنتها سالم عليكم طبتم فادخلوها خالدين

When the dwellers of Jannah enter their eternal abode, the keepers will welcome them, in a beauti-ful way.

وقالوا الحمد هلل الذي صدقنا وعده وأورثنا األرض نتبوأ من الجنة حيث نشاء

When you appreciate the blessings of Allah, He will give you more & more.

This will be a continuous process in Jannah. وترى املالئكة حافني من حول العرش يسبحون بحمد ربهم

The angels will surround the throne of Allah, & praise Him.

وقضي بينهم بالحق وقيل الحمد هلل رب العاملني

Everyone will be in their eternal abodes & all will praise Allah. We need to continue saying this.

Greet the month of Ramadan with joy.

Happiness & joy are some of the of best feelings. Allah (SWT) created human beings with emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, etc. so that we utilize them for the sake of Allah (SWT). Happi-ness gives energy & motivation, making you go for-ward on the way to Allah (SWT).

الفرح يدل على التعظيم هلل

Joy is an indicator of magnifying Allah

Joy is a worship when you magnify Allah (SWT). When you magnify Allah (SWT), then your happi-ness will be around Him (SWT). You will also mag-nify His (SWT) symbols. You will receive all the de-crees of Allah (SWT) with happiness. The joy or فرح is a higher level than رضا, being pleased with Allah

RAMADAN WITH JOY

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(SWT). The levels of your reaction according to your faith are: contentment رضا , gratitude شكر, happiness The joy is the highest level, & the intensity of this .فرحjoy depends upon your belief & the purity of your heart. These feelings cannot be forced. They come from تعظيم اهلل , how much you believe in the majesty of Allah (SWT).

Types of happiness in the Qur’an أنواع الفرح في القران

There are two types of الفرح mentioned in the Qur'an :

1. the dispraised joy الفرح املذموم

إن قارون كان من قوم موسى فبغى عليهم وآتيناه من الكنوز ما إن مفاتحه لتنوء بالعصبة أولي القوة إذ قال له قومه ال تفرح إن اهلل ال

يحب االفرحني

Indeed, Qaroon was from the people of Moosa, but he tyrannized them. & We gave him of treasures whose keys would burden a b& of strong men; there-upon his people said to him, "Do not exult. Indeed, Allah does not like the exultant. 28:76

Allah (SWT) relates the story of Qaroon, who was very wealthy, have been given treasures by Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) told him not to rejoice for the treasures of the dunya, this is a disliked & forbidden happiness. Ibn Umar (RA) said: “Rarely would the Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم stand from a sit-ting until he supplicated with these words for his Companions:

اللهم اقسم لنا من خشيتك ما يحول بيننا وبني معاصيك ومن طاعتك ن به علينا مصيبات الدنيا ومتعنا ما تبلغنا به جنتك ومن اليقني ما تهوبأسماعنا وأبصارنا وقوتنا ما أحييتنا واجعله الوارث منا واجعل ثأرنا

على من ظلمنا وانصرنا على من عادانا وال تجعل مصيبتنا في ديننا نا وال مبلغ علمنا وال تسلط علينا من ال وال تجعل الدنيا أكبر هم

يرحمنا.جامع الترمذي ، حديث # ٣٥٠٢

O Allah, apportion for us, fear of You, that shall come between us & disobedience of You, & of obedi-ence to You, which shall cause us to obtain Your Para-

dise, & of certainty, which shall make the afflictions of the world easy for us, & enjoyment of our hearing, & our seeing, & our strength as long as You keep us alive, & make it the inheritor of us. & let our venge-ance be upon those who have wronged us, & aid us against those who show enmity towards us, & do not make our affliction in our religion, & do not make this world our greatest concern, nor the limit of our knowl-edge, & do not give power over us to those who will not have mercy on us.

Do not let the affairs of the dunya be the source of your happiness or grief; do not give it so much impor-tance. Do not make dunya your goal. Use your share of the dunya as a bridge to Allah (SWT).

روا به فتحنا عليهم أبواب كل شيء حتى إذا فرحوا ا نسوا ما ذك فلم

ماا أوتوا أخذناهم بغتة فإذا هم مبلسون

So when they forgot that by which they had been re-minded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, & they were [then] in despair. 6:44

Those who are deceived by the dunya, forget the re-minders of Allah (SWT), & do not pay attention to these reminders. Be happy to welcome the month of Ramadan, don't be distracted by the dunya.

2.the praised joy الفرح املحمود

ا يجمعون ققل بفضل اهلل وبرحمته فبذلك فليفرحوا هو خير مم

Say, "In the bounty of Allah & in His mercy - in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumu-late. 10:58

Be happy with the favors & mercy of Allah (SWT). He (SWT) favors us with the fasting, the salah, the Qur'an. This should make us happy & excited. The mercies & favors of Ramadan should make you happy. This happiness is better than all the treasures of the dunya.

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دور ا في الص بكم وشفاء مل يا أيها الناس قد جاءتكم موعظة من ر

هدى ورحمة للمؤمنني

O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord & healing for what is in the breasts & guidance & mercy for the believers. 10:57

The source of happiness, found in the Qur'an & sun-nah, is the actual one. Allah (SWT) nurtures you by the Qur'an. The Qur'an is: ا في بكم - وشفاء مل موعظة من ر

دور - وهدى - ورحمة للمؤمنني - الص

Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an. The سلف the righteous previous generations, read ,الصالحmore Qur'an before Ramadan, to feel the happiness in Ramadan. You must increase your faith all year long, in order to benefit from Ramadan. After Rama-dan finished, the Salaf invoked Allah (SWT) to ac-cept their worship during Ramadan for six months, & the rest of the year they asked Allah (SWT) to let them be alive to worship the next Ramadan.

Ramadan is the month of happiness, by the favor & mercy of Allah (SWT). The excitement for Ramadan is better than anything in this world.

يام كما مصادر فرح في رمضان يا أيها الذين آمنوا كتب عليكم الص

كتب على الذين من قبلكم لعلكم تتقون

O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fast-ing as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. 2:183

يا أيها الذين آمنوا-

The form of address from your Creator is a beauti-ful way to make you listen attentively, wanting to be included with those who believe.

يام- كتب عليكم الص

Do not be unhappy with any legislation. Allah knows that if fasting was not obligatory we would not do it, & would then be lost. The mother obliges her chil-dren to do some things for their benefit. Allah is the Only One who knows what is good for you. Trust Al-lah blindly, & believe that, by default, anything that Allah commanded is for your happiness, & anything Allah forbids is misery. Allah knows best what makes you happy & benefits you.

كما كتب على الذين من قبلكم-

Fasting was prescribed to the previous nations too. -لعلكم تتقون

When you fast with your heart in Ramadan, you will, at the end, become a very strong person, able to eliminate any bad behavior, & adopt good habits. Ramadan is a school for learning taqwa, which is to shield yourself from any action which brings the wrath of Allah (SWT) upon you. The one who has taqwa controls himself to do all that Allah (SWT) loves. This is not for scholars only; anyone can en-roll in this 'school'. This is the main reason for fast-ing, to attain taqwa.

The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

يام جنة فإذا كان أحدكم صائما فال يرفث وال يجهل فإن امرؤ الص

قاتله أو شاتمه فليقل إني صائم إني صائم. موطأ مالك ، كتاب # ١ ، حديث # ٦٨٠

Fasting is a protection for you, so when you are fast-ing, do not behave obscenely, & if any one argues

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with you or abuses you, say, 'I am fasting. I am fast-ing".

Fasting is a shield from your soul, which you cater to with food & drink. All year long, the nafs & the shai-tan play together, with the nafs controlling you. In Ra-madan, you control your nafs, by not eating or drink-ing, which suppresses the nafs. You focus more on food for the soul, so you want to do more good deeds. While you are fasting, you are upgrading yourself. Do not waste time in Ramadan by focusing on food. Eat & drink as a worship, to get strength to do more worship. Control all your actions & reac-tions, specially the sins of the tongue. The 30 days of fasting in Ramadan will make this your habit. The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said:

من لم يدع قول الزور والعمل به فليس هلل حاجة في أن يدع طعامه وشرابه. رواه البخاري ، رياض الصالحني ، كتاب # ٩ ، حديث #

١٢٤

If one does not eschew lies & false conduct, Allah has no need that he should abstain from his food & his drink.

If someone insults you while you are fasting, you must control your reaction. The best fast is the one in which the heart fasts too.

The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said about the month of Ramadan :

هر قد حضركم وفيه ليلة خير من ألف شهر من حرمها فقد إن هذا الشحرم الخير كله وال يحرم خيرها إال محروم. الراوي: أنس بن مالك املحدث: األلباني - املصدر: صحيح ابن ماجه - الصفحة أو الرقم:

134. خالصة حكم املحدث: حسن صحيح

This month has come to you, & in it there is a night that is better than a 1000 months. Whoever is de-prived of it is deprived of all goodness, & no one is deprived of its goodness except one who is truly de-prived.

The one who does not benefit from Ramadan is de-prived. Allah (SWT) changes the laws of the universe for the fasting person. It is a feast only some will benefit from. The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و -greeted his companions at the advent of Rama سلمdan by saying:

قد جاءكم رمضان شهر مبارك افترض اهلل عليكم صيامه تفتح فيه ياطني فيه ليلة خير أبواب الجنة ويغلق فيه أبواب الجحيم وتغل فيه الشمن ألف شهر من حرم خيرها فقد حرم. الراوي: أبو هريرة املحدث: أحمد شاكر - املصدر: مسند أحمد - الصفحة أو الرقم: 12/134.

خالصة حكم املحدث: إسناده صحيح

There has come to you Ramadan, the blessed month, in which Allah (SWT) has prescribed fasting upon you. The gates of Paradise are opened, & the gates of the fire are closed in it, & the devils are chained up. In it is a night equal to 1000 months. Whoever is de-prived of it is truly deprived.

The changes which take place in the universe as soon as the crescent is seen, are unseen. The eight gates of Jannah are opened, & you can feel the breeze from Jannah, welcoming the fasting believ-ers. The seven gates of hellfire are closed. These changes take place only in Ramadan. The more pow-erful devils are chained, so the nafs is easier to con-trol. Whatever evil we now feel can be detected to our own nafs. This should make us happy, because we can now reform our souls. Also we don't know which night is the Night of the Decree, but we have been informed that it is from the last ten nights of Ra-madan. The calculation for this one night is :

One night = 1000 months

1000 months = 83 years, 3 months

When you see the care & kindness of Allah (SWT), how can you not be happy?? The Messenger of Al-lah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said:

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ياطني ومردة الجن ل ليلة من شهر رمضان صفدت الش إذا كان أووغلقت أبواب النار فلم يفتح منها باب. وفتحت أبواب الجنة فلم يغلق

ر أقصر وهلل منها باب وينادي مناد يا باغي الخير أقبل ويا باغي الش عتقاء من النار وذلك كل ليلة.جامع الترمذي ، حديث # ٦٨٢

On the first night of the month of Ramadan, the Shayatin are shackled, the jinns are restrained, the gates of the Fires are shut such that no gate among them would be opened. The gates of Paradise are opened such that no gate among them would be closed, & a caller calls: 'O seeker of the good; come near!' & 'O seeker of evil; stop! For there are those whom Allah frees from the Fire.' & that is every night.

The month of Ramadan has come, with the mercy of Allah (SWT). In it there are countless opportunities to increase the level of the believers, & to attain taqwa. How can you not be happy??

- Ramadan is the month of the Qur'an

The scholars leave everything else in this month, & focus on the Qur'an. At the time of the Prophet Mo-hammad صلى اهلل عليه و سلم, Jibreel (AS) used to de-scend every night & study the Qur'an with him.

شهر رمضان الذي أنزل فيه القرآن هدى للناس وبينات من الهدى الفرقان

The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was re-vealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people & clear proofs of guidance & criterion. 2:185

The Qur'an was revealed in Ramadan. There are two descents of the Qur'an. The Qur’an was stored in the Preserved Tablets, & descended as a ,اللوح املحفوظwhole onto السماء الدنيا, the first heaven, on الليلة القدر, the Night of the Decree.

- Rejoice for the month of repentance

There are three ahadeeth with different actions carry-ing the same reward.

1.The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said:

من صام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا، غفر له ما تقدم من ذنب، متفق عليه رياض الصالحني ، كتاب # ٩ ، حديث # ١٢١٩

He who observes fasting during the month of Rama-dan with Faith while seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven.

The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said:

من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبهرواه مسلم ، رياض الصالحني ، كتاب # ٩ ، حديث # ١١٨٨

Whosoever performs (optional Tarawih) prayers at night during the month of Ramadan, with Faith & in the hope of receiving Allah's reward, will have his past sins forgiven.

2.The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

صالة املرأة في بيتها أفضل من صالتها في حجرتها وصالتها في مخدعها أفضل من صالتها في بيتهاسنن أبي داود ، حديث # ٥٧٠

It is more excellent for a woman to pray in her house than in her courtyard, & more excellent for her to pray in her private chamber than in her house.

3.The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

من قام ليلة القدر إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبمتفق عليه ، رياض الصالحني ، كتاب # ٩ ، حديث # ١١٨٩

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Whosoever performs Qiyam during Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), with Faith & being hopeful of Allah's reward, will have his former sins forgiven.

The Night of the Decree, or ليلة القدر, is in the last ten odd nights of Ramadan; the nights of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th. It is better to worship in all the last ten nights, so that there is no chance of losing it.

Aisha رضي اهلل عنها reported :

كان رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم إذا دخل العشر أحيا الليل وأيقظ أهله، وشد املئزر. متفق عليه ، رياض الصالحني ، كتاب # ٩ ، حديث # ١٢٢

When the last ten nights (of Ramadan) would begin, the Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم would keep awake at night (for prayer & devotion), & صلى اهلل عليه و -awaken his family & tighten his belt (prepare him سلمself to be more diligent in worship).

جاء رجل إلى النبي ، فقال : يا رسول اهلل أرأيت إن شهدت أن ال إله إال اهلل ، و أنك رسول اهلل ، و صليت الصلوات الخمس ، و أديت الزكاة ، و

ديقني و ن أنا ؟ قال : من الص صمت رمضان ، وقمته ، فممهداءالراوي: عمرو بن مرة الجهني املحدث: األلباني - املصدر: الش

حيح الترغيب - الصفحة أو الرقم: 1003خالصة حكم املحدث: صحيح

A man came to the Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و said : oh Messenger of Allah, if I bear witness & ,سلمthat there is no one worthy of worship except Allah, & you are the messenger of Allah, & pray 5 times, & give zakat, & fast in Ramadan, & establish the night prayers in it, who will I be with? He صلى اهلل عليه و سلم replied : with the truthful ones & the martyrs.

This hadith shows that that you will go to Jannah with your heart, not your limbs. It doesn't matter how much worship you do, Allah (SWT) looks at your heart. You cannot do good while having evil in your heart. The im-portant thing is to have the hope of being with the truth-ful ones & the martyrs.

ر أولو األلباب قل هل يستوي الذين يعلمون والذين ال يعلمون إنما يتذك

Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of un-derstanding. 39:9

Rejoice with Ramadan كل عبد منهم دعوة مستجابة

for every slave there is an accepted invocation

For everyone who fasts, there is one guaranteed ac-cepted dua, which will never be rejected. The time for this dua is just before Iftar, so don't busy yourself fry-ing food! Don't make food the focus of Iftar, rather, fo-cus on submitting to Allah (SWT). Eat as soon as the adhan is announced, which shows complete submis-sion. The sunnah is to hasten the Iftar, & delay the suhoor. The best food for Iftar is fresh dates, while the best for suhoor is dry dates.

Rejoice for the intercession

The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said:

་ أي رب يام ་ الص يام و القرآن يشفعان للعبد يوم القيامة ، يقول الص

منعته الطعام و الشهوة ، فشفعني فيه ، و يقول القرآن : منعته النوم بالليل ، فشفعني فيه ، قال : فيشفعان. الراوي: عبداهلل بن عمرو املحدث:

أللباني - املصدر: صحيح الترغيب - الصفحة أو الرقم: 984

خالصة حكم املحدث: حسن صحيح

The fasting & the Qur'an will intercede for the slave on the day of judgement. The fast will say : oh my Lord, I stopped him from food & drink & relations, so save him. The Qur'an will say : oh my Lord, I stopped him from sleeping at night, so save him. He said : so they will intercede for him.

The Qur'an & fast will be in tangible form on the Day of Judgement, & intercede for you, like lawyers. They will defend you until you enter Jannah. If your sins are equal to your good deeds, you will be taken out of the hellfire; if you are already in Jannah, you will be up-graded.

Rejoice for the rewards 9

The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said, in a Divine hadith, or : الحديث القدسي

وم فإنه لي، وأنا أجزي (قال اهلل تعالى) كل عمل ابن آدم له، إال الصائم أطيب عند اهلل من ريح املسك. صحيح البخاري به، ولخلوف فم الص

حديث # ٥٩٢٧

(Allah the Most High said): Every good deed of Adam's son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. & I shall reward for it. Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.

Any other good deeds carry the normal reward, of 10-700. The fast has a different & unique calculation; it has no numbers. The reward is infinite, Allah (SWT) did not mention it. Only Allah (SWT) knows who is really fasting with his heart, with sincerity. Another privilege which shows how much Allah (SWT) appre-ciated the fast is that the smell of the fasting per-son's breath, which is rather offensive, is better than the fragrance of musk in the eyes of Allah (SWT).

The Messenger of Allah صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said:

ائم فرحتان فرحة حني يفطر وفرحة حني يلقى ربه. جامع الترمذي ، للص

حديث # ٧٦٦

There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, & the joy of when he meets his Lord.

Imagine the happiness when you meet Allah (SWT) (SWT). When you see the reward, the favors & mercy of your Lord, all your struggles will be like nothing. You will meet Allah (SWT) with great joy. In dunya, we are happy because we trust Allah (SWT) to do what He (SWT) promised. In Akhirah, you will actually see the rewards.

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Introduction

Catching Thoughts (صيد الخاطر) by ibn Al Jawzi. When we get a thought, we can easily forget it, and ibn Al Jawzi had observations and reflections when going through different experiences which he wanted to capture. These thoughts are based on knowledge and wisdom, and if these thoughts are not written down, then it will go away. Ibn Al Jawzi is a famous scholar, even the khalifa of his time used to pray behind him, 100,000 used to attend his study circle, he wrote 600 books, and 200,000 people became Muslim through him. May Allah (SWT) be pleased with him.

#1 Thought (الخاطرة): Heedlessness and Alertness (الغفلة و اليقظة)

)قد يعرض عند سماع املواعظ للسامع يقظة(

When people are attending study circles, they hear admonitions. So he observed why do some people become heedless after hearing the lesson. There are those who hear the lesson, and they wake up and become alert.

)فاذا انفصل عن مجلس الذكر عادت الغفلة و القسوة(

But as soon as the person departs from the study circle, then heedlessness and hardening of the heart returns, subhan Allah.

)فتدبرت السبب فعرفته(

I was pondering the reason for this, and I found it.

)ثم رأيت الناس يتفاوتون في ذلك(

I saw that people are different in this matter. People are of different levels.

)السبب في ذلك(

The reasons for this:

)املواعظ كالسياط و السياط ال تؤلم اال حال وقوعها(

The lessons/ admonitions are like a lash, they will hurt at the moment, so the lesson is effec-tive, but as soon as the ‘pain’ goes away, then heedlessness returns.

)حالة سماع املواعظ ان االنسان به مزاج علة(

CATCHING THOUGHTS (صيد الخاطر) BY IBN AL JAWZI.

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The condition of the one hearing the admonition has a certain mindset – which is to attend some study circle in order to be reformed, learn and increase in faith. So when they are in this mindset, they are alert, but as soon as that mindset changes, then this alertness goes away.

One of the companions was saying to himself that he is a hypocrite out loud, then Abu Bakr As Sid-dique (ra) heard this, and said why are you saying this? He said when we are with the Prophet (pbuh) listening to his preaching, then it is as if we are in paradise, as if we can see Allah (SWT) (swt), but as soon as we leave, this changes. So he said I am a hypocrite, then Abu Bakr As Siddique (ra) said I feel the same. So they went to the Prophet (pbuh) and told him about this. He said this is human nature, but if you remain in that same mindset even afterwards, then as if the angels will shake hands with you, it means to be very high in faith. That’s why it is important to prepare yourself for the study circle.

This condition is felt generally by everyone (هذا الحالة تعم الخلق)"

إال ان أرباب اليقظة يتفاوتون في بقاء األثر

But there are those who are high in alertness, the effect remains even after having left the study circle, sub-han Allah. For some people it can last up to an hour, some a day, some a week, month, etc.

)فمنهم يعزم بال تردد و يمضي بال التفات(

This is the best group, they have determination and are very alert in the study circle, they want to change for the better. Some move forward and know that what they are hearing is what Allah (SWT) wants for them, so they don’t hesitate to apply. May Allah (SWT) make us of this group. Ameen.

)و منهم أقوام يميل بهم الطبع الى الغفلة أحيانا و املواعظ تدعوهم الى العمل كالسنبلة تميلها الرياح(

This group has heedlessness and laziness in their nature, and sometimes the admonition/advice can encourage them to do deeds, just as the wind moves the grain stalks left and right.

)و أقوام ال يؤثر فيهم إال بمقدار سماعه كماء دحرجته على صفوان(

The majority is affected by the admonition only at the time of hearing it, but as soon as they leave, they go back to their original state, just as water falls on a rock – so the effect is only on the spot. May Allah (SWT) protect us from this. Ameen.

#2 Thought (الخاطرة): The benefits of looking at the consequences (فوائد النظر في العواقب)

)من نظر بعني البصيرة العواقب نال الخير و نجا من الشر(

Whoever looks at the consequences with deep insight, then he will have all that is good and be saved from all evil.

Sometimes you hear about something good like memorizing the Quran, or you hear about a sin and you are not abstaining from it. Why? Because the good deeds appear to have a struggle and the sins appear to be beautiful. At the time of doing a good deed, it appears difficult, and at the time of doing a sin it appears very beautiful. But as soon as you overcome yourself, you will see that when you do the good deeds, you will feel so sweet and as soon as a person commits a sin and looks back at it, it’s painful. So don’t look at the present of performing deeds, but look at the consequence of good and evil deeds.

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)و من لم ير العواقب غلب عليه الحس فعاد األلم م طلب السالمة و بالنصب ما رجا منه الراحة(

Whoever does not look at the consequences, then his feelings will overtake him and make him feel pain-ful for doing good and relaxed when doing bad.

Allah (SWT) did not leave us without guidance and He told us about the results – paradise and hellfire.

As soon as you do a good deed, you will not feel the pain, and when you look back, you will not recall any pain. And vice versa with a sin, you will look back with pain and misery.

)ان عصيت اهلل فأين لذة املعصية(

If you disobey Allah (SWT) (swt), then where is the delight of that sin? Subhan Allah. A sin has a delight only at the moment of committing that sin, but when it’s over, you will not find any delight from that sin, it

is only replaced with misery and pain.

أن أطعت اهلل فأين تعب الطاعة؟)

If you obey Allah (SWT) (swt), then there may a struggle for the obedience, Subhan Allah. After you finish an obedience, then you forget all of the struggle and tiredness behind it, it is replaced with sweetness and

comfort.

)رحال كل منهم(

Both will go away, the delight of the sin will go away and the tiredness of the obedience will go away. The sin will be replaced with punishment and the obedience will be replaced with joy and paradise.

)فراقب العواقب تسلم(

If you want to be safe, then be mindful of the consequences. Don’t think of the short-term of doing a sin or good deed, but the consequence of each one.

)و ال تمل مع هوى الحس فتندم(

Don’t go with your desire, because you will only regret it. Just think of what it will be like to be in paradise, to be under the throne of Allah (SWT) (swt), to be with the Prophet (pbuh), subhan Allah.

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CATCHING THOUGHTS (صيد الخاطر) BY IBN AL JAWZI.

In this issue of The Real Superstars, we continue with the the last part of our Sahaba - Uthman Bin Affan (RA).

The final six years of Uthman’s (RA) reign were marked by rebellion. He (RA) did not want to shed the blood of any Muslim however rebellious they may be. He (RA) wanted to persuade the people with gentleness & kindness. He (RA) re-membered the words of the Prophet (SAWS) “Once the sword is unsheathed among my follow-ers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day.”

'Ayesha (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah (SWT) said: Call one of my companions." I said: Abu Bakr? He said: No. I said: 'Uthman? He said: Yes. When he came he said (to me): Move away. Then he started to converse with him & 'Uthman's color changed. When he was besieged in his house we said, "O Ameer al-Mu'mineen will you not fight?" He said: No. The Messenger of Allah (SWT) gave

me some advice & I am going to persevere with it.

(Fada'il al Sahaba with a sahih isnad)

When the rebels called for Uthman (RA) to step down, many of the companions advised him to do so. Uthman (RA) was of 80 years then & remem-bered the words of the Prophet (SAWS) & refused to stand down from his (RA) position. The Prophet (SAWS) had said “Perhaps God will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman, and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it off for them.” Uthman (RA) remained true to his covenant but after a long siege, the rebels broke into his (RA) house & murdered him (RA). As the assassin’s sword struck, Uthman (RA) was reciting the following verse.

إن تولو ‌ و بمثل مآ ءامنتم بهۦ فقد ٱهتدوا فإن ءامنوا

ميع ٱلعليم فإنما هم فى شقاق‌ فسيكفيڪهم ٱهلل‌ وهو ٱلس

“So God will suffice for you against them. And He is the All Hearer & the All Knower.” (Surah

Al Baqarah 2:137)

The Prophet (SAWS) had predicted that 'Uthman (RA) would be martyred:

Ibn 'Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (SWT) mentioned turmoil and a man passed by and he said: The one with his head covered will be killed unlawfully on that day." He said: I looked & saw that it was 'Uthman bin 'Affan. (Fad'ail al Sahaba with a hasan isnad & Musnad Ahmed.)

Abu Abdullah al-Hakim narrated with his sanad that Abu Hurayrah (RA) said: I heard the Messen-ger of Allah (SAWS) say: "There will be turmoil & conflict - or conflict & turmoil-" We said: O Mes-

THE REAL SUPERSTARS

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senger of Allah, what do you command us to do? He said: "Be with the trustworthy one & his companions." And he pointed to 'Uthman. (Al-Mustadrak. Hakim de-clared it sahih & Dhahabi agreed).

From Sumama ibn Hazan al-Qurayshi: I was present near the house of 'Uthman (when the army of rebels had laid seige to it). 'Uthman looked at the crowd from the top of his house & said, "I ask you in the name of Allah (SWT) and Islam whether you know that when the Messenger of Allah (SWT) came to Madina there was no sweet water well here except Beer-e-Roma (which was owned by someone). The Messenger then said, 'Is there anyone who could buy Beer-e-Roma & set it apart as a waqf for the com-mon Muslims so that all believers could freely draw from it?' I bought the well with my money and made a waqf in favor of all Muslims & today you do not allow me to drink its water forcing me to drink brackish wa-ter like that of the sea." The people answered, 'Yes by Allah! We are aware of it.'

After this 'Uthman (RA) said, "I ask you in the name of Allah (SWT) and Islam, do you know that when the Prophet's mosque became too small for the worship-pers, the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) had said, 'Is there anyone who would buy the land of so-and-so family & join it to the masjid & the Lord give him a bet-ter reward in return for it in Paradise?' Upon this, I bought the land with my money & today you prevent me from offering two cycles of prayer in it?" The peo-ple replied, 'Yes, by Allah! We are aware of it.'

After it, 'Uthman (RA) said, "Do you know that I pro-vided the equipment for the army raised for the battle of Tabook with my money?" Yes, by Allah! We are aware of it, the people said.

Then 'Uthman (RA) said, "I ask you in the name of Al-lah (SWT) & Islam, do you know that once when Rasu-lullah was on Mount Subir in Makka & Abu Bakr, 'Umar & I were with him, the mountain began to shake till some of its rocks fell down. The Prophet of Allah (SWT) then struck the mountain with his

blessed foot and said, 'O Subir! Be still. There is a di-vine Apostle, a true & sincere friend & two martyrs upon you.' The people again replied, 'Yes by Allah! We are aware of it.' 'Uthman then said, "Allah (SWT) is Greatest! By the Lord of the Ka'bah! Even these people bear witness that I am a martyr." He said it thrice. Sunan Tirmidhi & Sunan al-Nasa'i.

Ibn 'Umar (RA) said: At the time of the Prophet we did not regard anyone as equal to Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, then after that we left the Com-panions of the Prophet & did not differentiate be-tween them. Sahih al Bukhari.

Ibn Taymiyya (RA): This hadith tells us what the Sa-haba believed at the time of the Prophet (saws) that Abu Bakr was the best, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman. It was narrated that the Prophet heard about it and did not deny it. Minhaaj al Sunnah.

From what we read of Uthman( RA), we get an image of someone who was honest, very gentle, generous & a very simple man, noted especially for his mod-esty and his piety. He (RA) often spent part of the night in prayer, fasted every second or third day, per-formed hajj every year, & looked after the needy of the whole community.

There is so much more to be learnt about this sa-haba, a simple article as this will not do justice to it. Indeed not to any of the sahabas ,tabi'een, taba ta-bi'een.

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We end our article on him with his own words. A khut-bah he once gave. It was relevant now as it was then.

He (RA) praised Allāh (SWT), then said:

O people! Fear Allāh & obey Him, for piety is a valu-able prize. Verily

the most intelligent person is he who takes ac-count of himself & works for what comes after death, & acquires through the light (guidance) of Allāh a light for the darkness of the grave.

The servant of Allāh should fear lest Allāh the Mighty & Sublime resurrects him blind though he used to see. A few comprehensive words can be enough for a wise man, whereas the deaf (who does not listen to guidance) is being called from afar.

And know that whoever Allāh the Mighty & Sub-lime is with has nothing to fear; but whoever Allāh the Mighty And Sublime is against, then in whom can he hope after Allāh?!

[Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm 4:116,117].

Biography of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)

A Quiz to refresh your memory1.In the New Testament by what name was the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) mentioned?

2.What is Kabah?

3.Who built it?

4.How did Quraish arrange rebuilding of

Kabah?

5.Who laid the stones?

6.Where did the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) go into seclusion?

7.What was the first stage of the revelation?

8.Who brought it?

9.Who were the first to embrace Islam?

10.Who accepted Islam at the instance of Abu Bakr (May Allah (SWT) be pleased with him)?

11.Who were the ladies to accept Islam at first?

12.How was the Dawah done in the begin-ning?

13.How many people embraced Islam in the early stage?

14.How many years did the call in secret continue?

• Answers on page 29

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إن الذين ال يرجون لقاءنا ورضوا بالحياة الدنيا واطمأنوا بها والذين ثم عن آياتنا غافلون

Indeed, those who do not expect the meeting with Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein and those who are heedless of Our signs. 10:7

Obedience and worship. طاعة

Only Allah (SWT) knows whether you have joy for Ra-madan. Emotions should be used as a bridge to Al-lah (SWT). Joy in worship is a consequence of faith. Those who are not happy with worship are heedless to the signs of Allah (SWT). These signs are all around us in the universe, and the Qur'an is full of them. The signs in the Qur'an are easier to take, be-cause they are presented in a clear and straightfor-ward manner. To enjoy the month of Ramadan, don't be heedless to the signs of Allah (SWT)). There is a strong bond between Ramadan and the Qur'an.

شهر رمضان الذي أنزل فيه القرآن هدى للناس وبينات من الهدى هر فليصمه ومن كان مريضا أو على والفرقان فمن شهد منكم الشسفر فعدة من أيام أخر يريد اهلل بكم اليسر وال يريد بكم العسر لتكملوا العدة ولتكبروا اهلل على ما هداكم ولعلكم تشكرون

The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah (SWT) intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah (SWT) for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. 2:185

There is a close relation between Ramadan and the Qur'an. You cannot enjoy Ramadan without the Qur'an.

Ramadan is the month of Qur’an رمضان شهر القرآن

The connection between the heavens and the earth started in Ramadan. The Qur’an was revealed as a whole from the Preserved Tablets to the first heaven in Ramadan. It was also started to be revealed verse by verse to the Prophet Mohammad صلى اهلل عليه و سلم in Ramadan. Allah (SWT) made it easy for you to fast in the month of Ramadan. Allah (SWT) wants ease for you, and you cannot get ease without the Qur'an. The Qur'an is a shortcut to guidance and Allah (SWT) , and anything else is difficult. Every day in Ra-madan with the Qur'an, you can see how much Allah (SWT) guides you. When you see this, it makes your heart magnify Allah (SWT), and appreciate the guid-ance. You must make Allah (SWT) the Greatest in your life, and while you are fasting with the Qur'an as your companion, Allah (SWT) wants you to be grate-ful to Him.. Spend your days and nights with the Qur’an. Then you will see all the actions of Allah (SWT) mentioned in the Qur'an for you; He (SWT) will bring ease for you, make you complete the fasting period, and guide you to magnify Him (SWT), and be grateful to Him (SWT).

Virtues of the Qur'an from the Qur'an itself

The Qur’an is mercy القرآن رحمة

أولم يكفهم أنا أنزلنا عليك الكتاب يتلى عليهم إن في ذلك لرحمة ذكرى لقوم يؤمنون

And is it not sufficient for them that We revealed to you the Book which is recited to them? Indeed in that is a mercy and reminder for a people who believe. 29:51

SEASONS OF WORSHIP

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When you read the Qur'an again and again, you see the mercy of Allah (SWT). With the advent of Rama-dan, the salaf, the righteous previous generations, stopped reading any other book, and concentrated upon the Qur'an, reciting, studying the tafseer, pon-dering upon it. Even the renounced scholar of Hadith, Imam Malik, left study circles, and focused solely upon the Qur’an.

Allah (SWT) wants this one source to penetrate your heart during Ramadan, so that you are purified inside-out. The Qur'an is a reminder for us of Allah (SWT), and His (SWT) greatness. It informs us about our enemies, and gives us any information we need, it solves any problem we have. The Qur'an is a truth-ful friend which will never leave you; it will accom-pany you into your grave and after. For the believer, every ayah is a joy, and a message from Allah (SWT). Each word of the Qur’an has a different ef-fect on people, based on their belief.

القرآن طمأنينة

The Qur’an is tranquility

اهلل نزل أحسن الحديث كتابا متشابها مثاني تقشعر منه جلود الذين

يخشون ربهم ثم تلني جلودهم وقلوبهم إلى ذكر اهلل ذلك هدى اهلل

يهدي به من يشاء ومن يضلل اهلل فما له من هاد

Allah (SWT) has sent down the best statement: a consis�tent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver there�from of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah (SWT) . That is the guidance of Allah (SWT) by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allah (SWT) leaves astray - for him there is no guide. 39:23

The verses of the Qur’an resemble each other in their beauty. There is not a verse which is not beauti-ful and amazing. Every word has an impact on the reader. These words are repeated again and again.

Allah (SWT) did not make the Qur’an as separate topics for different chapters. The effect of these words of Allah (SWT), upon those who fear Him (SWT), is an involuntary shiver which results in mak-ing their hearts soft and malleable. They become softer for remembrance of Allah (SWT).

القرآن شفاء

The Qur’an is a cure

وننزل من القرآن ما هو شفاء ورحمة للمؤمنني وال يزيد الظاملني إال خسارا

And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the

wrongdoers except in loss. 17:82

Allah (SWT) sent the Qur’an as a cure and mercy for the believers; the prerequisite is belief. You must have faith to be cured, or you will not benefit from it. If you believe and trust Allah (SWT), and everything He (SWT) informs you of, it will be a cure for your heart. Allah (SWT) wants you to be cured in Rama-dan, with the Qur’an. It is guaranteed to cure you of all sickness, be they physical, which are apparent, mental, which van be made apparent with tests, and those of the heart, which are so hidden, even you don't know about them. Only Allah (SWT) knows what is in your heart, and He (SWT) makes you real-ize them by putting you in certain situations which bring these sicknesses to the surface.

خذ الكتاب بقوة

take the Book with determination. 19:12 (Part of a longer ayah)

The Qur’an is a cure from the whispers of the shai-tan, from uncontrollable desires, greed, jealousy, etc., all problems you face. It is a cure from financial problems, poverty, social and economic issues, and

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those concerning the family. This is كالم اهلل, the speech of Allah. القران حياة القلوب The Qur’an is the life of the heart. It is mercy, guidance, tranquility, and cure, it will make you happy in Ramadan.

ألم يأن للذين آمنوا أن تخشع قلوبهم لذكر اهلل وما نزل من الحق وال يكونوا كالذين أوتوا الكتاب من قبل فطال عليهم األمد فقست قلوبهم

وكثير منهم فاسقون

Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the re�membrance of Allah (SWT) and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were

given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are

defiantly disobedient. 57:16

This was a strong admonition from Allah (SWT) to the Companions of the Prophet Mohammad صلى اهلل The Qur’an was freshly revealed, the .عليه و سلمProphet صلى اهلل عليه و سلم was with them. Allah (SWT) wanted to elevate them more. They were believers, but Allah (SWT) wanted more from them. Allah (SWT) wants more from the believers, not the mini-mum worship. Allah (SWT) wants the Qur’an to hum-ble your heart, and for you to submit to Him (SWT). We should give priority to the Qur’an, these are the words of Allah (SWT). It is Allah (SWT) who is speak-ing to you, when you read the Qur’an. The quality of what you recite is important, not the quantity. Focus while you are reading the Qur’an.

Ibn ‘Abbas رضي اهلل عنه reported: The Messenger of Al�lah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم was the most generous of the men; and he was the most generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibreel visited him every night and recited the Qur’an to him. During this pe�riod, the generosity of Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى .waxed faster than the rain bearing wind اهلل عليه و سلم

وعن ابن عباس رضي اهلل عنهما: قال: كان رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم أجود الناس، وكان أجود ما يكون في رمضان حني يلقاه جبريل وكان جبريل يلقاه في كل ليلة من رمضان فيدارسه القرآن فلرسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم حني يلقاه جبريل أجود بالخير من الريح

ملرسلة.متفق عليه، رياض الصالحني، كتاب #9، حديث 1222#

Generosity is not portrayed only with money, it is anything beneficial. Money helps the physical needs, whereas Divine messages help the soul and the body at the same time. The source of this provi-sion was that every night, after Isha prayers, Jibreel revised and studied the Qur’an with the Prophet . .This made him most generous صلى اهلل عليه و سلمWhen you spend your days and nights with the Qur’an in Ramadan, this will cure you of greed and miserliness, making it easy for you to be generous.This hadith is also evidence that the best time to study the Qur’an is in the night. Reciting the Qur’an in your night prayers is also included in this practice. Studying the Qur’an in a gathering is rec-ommended, as is evident by this hadith; at least two people should be together.

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

من قرأ بمائة آية في ليلة كتب له قنوت ليلة الراوي: تميم الداري املحدث: األلباني - املصدر: السلسلة الصحيحة - الصفحة أو الرقم:

64خالصة حكم املحدث: صحيح

Whoever recites 100 verses in the night it will be written for him as praying all night. This includes reciting

from Qur’an, and in the night prayer.

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

يجيء القرآن يوم القيامة فيقول يا رب حله فيلبس تاج الكرامة ثم

يقول يا رب زده فيلبس حلة الكرامة ثم يقول يا رب ارض عنه وارق وتزاد بكل آية .حسنة . جامع فيرضى عنه فيقال له اقرأ

الترمذي، كتاب # ٤٥ ، حديث # ٣١٦

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The Qur’an shall come on the Day of Judgement and say ( for its companion) O Lord! Decorate him. So he is donned with a crown of nobility. Then it says: O Lord! Give him more! So he is donned with a suit of nobility. Then it says: O Lord! Be pleased with him. So He is

pleased with him and it will be said : Recite and rise up, and be increased in reward with every Ayah.

The Qur’an will intercede on the Day of Judgment, like the fast. The Qur’an will come in a tangible form with its companion, and intercede for him, as a law-yer. This is the unseen. Every ayah will elevate the person by one degree, each degree being the width of the space between the heaven and the earth.

رنا القرآن للذكر فهل من مدكر لقد يس

And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for re�membrance, so is there any who will remember? 54:17

There are certain etiquettes while dealing with the Qur’an which are recommended, in order to taste its sweetness.

مما أنزلنا عليك القرآن لتشقى

We have not sent down to you the Qur’an that you be distressed. 20:2

كيف تحصل لذة القران في رمضان ؟

How can we taste the sweetness of Qur’an in Ramadan?

You must enjoy every ayah of the Qur’an in order to be its companion. Every ayah of the Qur’an has a sweetness, a unique taste. To taste this sweetness, there are some manners you should follow.

There are two kinds of etiquettes :

outer and apparent manners : اآلداب الظاهرة

: inner and hidden manners اآلداب الباطنة -

These points are recommended, in order to be in the best form, they are not obligatory.

آلداب الظاهرة - آداب القارئ

Apparent - the manners of the one who recites

ablution- لوضوء

face the Qiblah اتجاة الوجه الى القبلة

رون في خلق الذين يذكرون اهلل قياما وقعودا وعلى جنوبهم ويتفكذا باطل ا سبحانك فقنا عذاب ماوات واألرض ربنا ما خلقت ه االس

النار

Who remember Allah (SWT) while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of

the Fire. 3:191

The best position to recite the Quran is :

Standing قياما

This is possible while standing in prayer and reciting. Then :

sitting قعودا

This is the common position when we recite the Qur’an.

lying on their sides على جنوبهم

This leaves no excuse. Don’t leave any opportunity to study the Qur’an. These choices show the kindness of Al�

lah (SWT) towards mankind.

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

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من أتى فراشه وهو ينوي أن يقوم يصلي من الليل فغلبته عيناه حتى أصبح كتب له ما نوى وكان نومه صدقة عليه من ربه عز وجل سنن

لنسائي، حديث # ١٧٨٧

Whoever goes to his bed intending to get up and pray qiyam at night, then sleep overwhelms him until morn�ing, will have recorded that which he intended and his sleep is a charity given to him by his Lord, the Mighty

and Sublime.

Amount of daily recitation قدار القراءة

The amount of daily recitation depends on the state of your heart. A scholar said that if your heart is pure you will not be bored of the Qur’an. Some scholars read multiple juz in a day, but attentively, with إحسان or excellence. Every one has a different capacity. The more pure the heart, the more can be read. Umm Salamah رضي اهلل عنها was asked about the recitation and prayer of the Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم, and she said: "Why do you want to know about his prayer?" Then she de-scribed his recitation and as being so measured and clear that each letter could be distinguished.

سأل أم سلمة عن قراءة، رسول اهلل صلى اهلل عليه وسلم وصالته قالت رة حرفا حرفا ما لكم وصالته ثم نعتت فإذا هي تنعت قراءته مفس

نن النسائي، حديث # ١٠٢٢

The wisdom behind reading the Qur’an is to ponder upon it, so that it changes you. الترتيل is a tool for .or pondering ,التدبر

Weeping البكاء

Crying cannot be contrived or forced, but more you ponder upon the Qur’an, the more it makes you weep. Every ayah has a different and overwhelming effect. You weep out of joy, shedding tears of happi-ness, when your read about the blessings Allah (SWT) showers upon you; you weep out of fear when you read the ayaat of the wrath of Allah (SWT)

and the punishment. The ayaat do not make you sad or depressed, rather, they give you hope.

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

عينان ال تمسهما النار عني بكت من خشية اهلل، وعني باتت تحرس في سبيل اهلل رواه الترمذي، رياض الصالحني، كتاب # ١٢، حديث

١٣٠٥

Two eyes will never be touched by the fire of Hell; an eye which weeps out of Fear of Allah (SWT) and an eye which spends the night in guarding in the Cause of Al�

lah.

It's all about the heart.

give the rights of each ayah يراعي حق اآليات

Every ayah has a right upon you, and you must con-sider this right. Your reward depends on this : either you fulfill this right or you don't; either the ayah will be for you or against you. Interact with every ayah, this is its right. When there is a verse with a prostra-tion, prostrate when you read it; when there is a command, listen attentively, ask Allah (SWT) for help, and resolve to obey and apply; when an ayah says praise Allah (SWT) (SWT), do so; when it says ask forgiveness, do that, etc. Interact with the ayah, in your heart or with your tongue. If you are reciting in the prayer, do so with your heart, otherwise, with your tongue. When you talk to people, you react, in-teract, show your emotions, you are not robotic. In the same way, when you are reciting the Qur’an, Al-lah (SWT) is talking to you, so you must show your emotions, and interest. All emotions are for Allah (SWT). Fly towards Him (SWT) with hope, love, fear. Thank Allah (SWT), praise Him, seek refuge with Him, ask Him for guidance and forgiveness, ask Him for protection.

Reciting softly or loudly إلسرار أو الجهر في القراءة

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This depends on your situation. If you are reciting alone, it is best to read aloud, which will have more effect on you. If you are with people and are afraid of disturbing them, or you are afraid your heart will incline towards seeking their praise, it is better to re-cite in a soft voice.

تحسني القراءة

Beautify your recitation, by learning the tajweed rules and the correct pronunciation of the letters.

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) said صلى اهلل عليه و سلم

زينوا القرآن بأصواتكم ؛ فإن الصوت الحسن يزيد القرآن حسنا الراوي: البراء بن عازب املحدث: األلباني - املصدر: صحيح الجامع -

لصفحة أو الرقم: 3581 خالصة حكم املحدث: صحيح

Beautify the Qur’an with your voices, for verily a beauti�ful voice increases the beauty of the Qur’an.

The beauty of the voice comes from the heart. You may not have a melodious voice when you speak, but Allah (SWT) said will give it to you when you re-cite, if you ask Him. Everyone has a unique tune when they recite, which adds to the beauty.

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said :

ليس منا من لم يتغن بالقرآن . وزاد غيره : يجهر به صحيح البخاري،

حديث # ٧٥٢٧

Whoever does not recite Qur’an in a nice voice & tune is not from us, and other narrators added, to recite it aloud

اآلداب الباطنة - القلب القارئ

Inner manners- the heart of the reciter

There should be certain feelings in the heart of the reciter for him to benefit from the Qur’an.

Realize the importance of the فهم عظمة املكالم -اهلل تعالىOne who speaks - Allah (SWT) the Most High

The words of the Qur’an are the words of Allah (SWT) said, our Creator. You must realize this great-

ness, that Allah (SWT) said out of His kindness and mercy, has made His words visible for us to see, read, understand, memorize, ponder upon.

Magnify the Speaker, Allah التعظيم للمتكلم - اهلل تعالى(SWT) the Most High

The more you magnify Allah (SWT), the more you will magnify His said words, the more you will benefit by them.

Presence of the hear حضور القلب

Your heart should be attentive while reading the words of Allah (SWT) said, with humility and humble-ness. Don't let your attention wander. Focus and en-joy when you read. If you missed understanding some word or ayah, repeat until your heart absorbs it.

Pondering التدبر

When your heart is present, you will be able to pon-der and reflect upon the ayaat.

Deeper understanding م التفه

Try and understand each word, with the grammar rules. This brings a deeper understanding. Ponder-ing and understanding go hand in hand.

Allah (SWT) is addressing you هلل هو املخاطب

You need to know that Allah (SWT) said is talking to you, addressing you alone. Take every ayah of the Qur’an personally, do not detach yourself from the Qur’an.

Barriers to understanding جب الفهم

The concern is to finish الهم هو االنتهاء

You are worried about when you'll finish the Qur’an, as soon as you start; this concern prevents you from understanding and benefitting from the Qur’an.

The concern is the tajweed rules الهم هو املخارج و التجويدand the correct pronounciation

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Tajweed is a tool for understanding and pondering, as are the grammar rules and the Arabic lan-guage. Do not make this the goal, thereby making an obstacle to understanding.

Persisting in sins or arrogance اإلصرار على الذنب أو الكبر

Allah (SWT) will not open the understanding of the Qur’an for the sinner, or for someone who is arro-

gant. There is no competition in the Qur’an, so do not be arrogant when Allah (SWT) makes you un-

derstand some point.

Feelings التأثر Impacts الثمرات

Your heart gives the rights of the ayah.

Upgrading الترقي

Allah (SWT) upgrades your heart, increasing your understanding.

Levels of recitation درجات القراءة

There are three levels of recitation, according to the upgrading of your heart.

1.The minimum level is that you recite as if you are reciting to Allah (SWT), standing in front of Him (SWT), while He (SWT) is watching you. You feel the fear and the humbleness.

2.You recite as if Allah (SWT) is talking to you. In your heart, you feel as if you are nor reciting, it is Allah (SWT). You feel shy in front of Allah (SWT).

3.You see Allah (SWT) and His attributes in each word of the Qur’an. You see the One talking to you, see the signs of Allah (SWT), not His words.

At the time of the death of the believer, an angel will come by the head. He will smell the perfume of the Qur’an. He will smell his scent of fasting in his heart, and the fragrance of qiyam, standing in the night prayer, in his feet. Then it will be said :

حفظ نفسه حفظه اهلل

he protected his soul, so Allah (SWT) will protect him. 23

At times, do you find yourself asking whether you have reached your desired potential, whether you are the best at what you do or whether you are compe-tent enough? There is a fair bit of self-evaluation go-ing on in these questions, however at times these questions do well to serve as a wake-up call for our self-motivation. We, as people at some points in our lives are centrally concerned with motivation & how to move ourselves or motivate others to act.

Around us we have family, teachers, coaches and managers that many a time struggle with how to moti-vate those that they mentor. Often we struggle to find the energy, effort and time to persist at the tasks of life & work in an upwards progressive manner. In to-day’s world we are moved by external factors such as rewards, grades, evaluations or the opinions of oth-ers. However, there are many of us that are simply mo-tivated from within; from our intrinsic interests, grow-ing curiosity or our abiding values. What motivates you?

We are living in an era where learning & growing op-portunities are endless. Whether it’s a career change, seeking further education, moving up the profes-sional ladder or learning a new skill, these goals can be achieved through self-confidence, action, self-belief coupled with sincere supplication to Allah (SWT). What we believe about ourselves can easily influence our ability to think & learn. Allah (SWT) tell us in the Quran,

فمن يعمل مثقال ذرة خيرا يره ۥ ومن يعمل مثقال ذرة شرا يره ۥ

‘whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and who ever does an atom’s weight of evil will

see it’ (Surat Al-Zalzala 99:7-8). This powerful verse highlights that at any mo-ment in time what we do next is just a small step which we can easily control. Faith and sincere supplication help us to sustain our ef-forts and give us the strength to continuously persevere in our efforts.

Allah (SWT) reminds us in the Quran,

فإن مع ٱلعسر يسرا , إن مع ٱلعسر يسرا

‘For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease’ (Surat Al-Inshirah 94:5-6). This verse tells us that with any problem comes the solution, thus the solution is not separate from the problem. The problem itself can lead us to focus on actions that will free us from it. Being positive & con-fronting the problem will mean less wasted time and energy spent on dwelling on the problem, thus inevita-bly pushing us forward.

We do need to be careful as sometimes progression is hindered through false perception of the problem and we are all guilty of seeing things larger than they are at times. Focusing on one chunk at a time, to break down problems into a simple list of tasks can help to prioritize and plan what needs to be done con-structively. Take small steps that are attain-able…these will develop into making a profound ef-fect on your achievement as success is most often attributed to small yet consistent steps.

The Prophet (saws) said in a narration collected by al-Bukhaaree (RA) on the authority of ‘Aaisha (RA), ‘Upon you is that which you have the ability to do. By Allah, Allah (SWT) will never become bored, and will thus continue to reward you until you yourself become bored with doing good deeds. Verily, the most beloved

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Developing Competence

Deen to Allah (SWT) is that which an individual is the most consistent upon.’ [Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, 3/38, English Reference: Volume 1, Book 2, Hadith 41].

Thus consistency is key in both deen and dunya. To take that next step, achieve the next goal means we need to be fiercely focused utilizing the best of our time whilst being consistent. Sounds easy but yet so hard in practice. For many of us being consistent can be a struggle, however through Salah, Allah (SWT) has given us a perfect model for establishing consistency. We should aim to leverage from this habit of consistency and apply this in redeeming the competence levels we are aiming for.

Unfortunately many a time as individuals we don’t do well with criticism, however, we should learn to har-ness from this and modify our behavior in light of feedback. This will help to continually deepen and strengthen our skills and expertise. Asking for help shouldn’t be seen as a weakness, we should ask for help when needed and draw on expertise and knowl-edge of others. We need to remember that helping others to progress is something which we should all do. As Allah (SWT) tells us in the Quran,

إن ٱهلل ملع ٱملحسنني وٱلذين جـهدوا فينا لنہدينہم سبلنا‌ و

‘& as for those who strive in Our path — We will surely guide them to Our ways. & Indeed, Allah (SWT) is with

doers of good’ (Surat Al-Ankaboot 29:69).

Moving forward we need to build autonomy within ourselves and take personal accountability to achieve our goals and objectives, only then we do have a better chance of reaching there. A simple change in our mind-set and behavior can make ad-aptation to any situation easier and accelerate our progress. We are aware that challenges and prob-lems have purpose and meaning and we have all ex-perienced these. We know challenges are placed by

Allah (SWT) in our lives to help us learn, expand, be-come stronger and rise to a higher level. Let’s not let past failures, disappointments or mistakes prevent us from progressing. Competence is never meant to be achieved first time round. It’s a cycle of repeated efforts, perseverance and consistency. Whatever we say or do, makes a difference and it accumulates. Allah (SWT) provides us with countless opportunities, the opportunity to make a better future is in the small steps we take hour by hour and day by day.

Alhamdulillah, with Ramadan so close what better op-portunity to take this month to start our shaping proc-ess. An inspiring month directing us all to help achieve our goals, undeniably the highest goal being to please Allah (SWT). Ramadan comes filled with our aspirations, however we know that attaining them all is challenging, however the blessings of this month does undoubtedly give us an unprecedented opportunity to succeed. Ramadan will always re-main a month of extensive training for the next year. A month full of physical & spiritual training for us all to benefit from.

Let us learn from our successes & mistakes & let’s applaud effort & not perfection. Perfection is only for Allah (SWT).

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HEALTHY EATING DURING RAMADAN

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بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم

This soorah is designated after the word Abasa, which means frowned. According to commenta-tors, once some big chiefs of Makkah were sitting with Prophet (SAWS) in an assembly for daawah. At this very point a blind man named Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoum approached the Prophet (SAWS) to seek explanation of some point in Islam. How-ever, Prophet (SAWS) did not like the interruption and there was a slight frowning on his (SAWS) face.

There are total 42 ayat in this soorah.

Ayat 1 -10

عبس وتولى (١) أن جآءه ٱألعمى (٢) وما يدريك لعله ۥ يزكى (٣)

ر فتنفعه ٱلذكرى (٤) أما من ٱستغنى (٥) فأنت له ۥ تصدى أو يذك(٦) وما عليك أال يزكى (٧) وأما من جآءك يسعى (٨) وهو ي

خشى (٩) فأنت عنه تلهى (١٠)

He frowned and turned away (1) Because the blind man came unto him. (2) What could inform thee but that he might grow (in grace) (3) Or take heed and so the reminder might avail him? (4) As for him who thinketh himself independent, (5) Unto him thou pay�est regard. (6) Yet it is not thy concern if he grow not (in grace). (7) But as for him who cometh unto thee with earnest purpose (8) And hath fear, (9) From him

thou art distracted. (10)

Prophet (SAWS) frowned and turned away be-cause there came to him a blind man. Allah (SWT) says , perhaps might purify and reminder may profit him than those who regard himself as self

sufficient.And there is no blame on prophet if the self sufficient does not purify himself.Thus very im-portant message from these ayat is that paying at-tention to wealthy people and neglecting poor is not agreeable.These verses are true miracles which support the prophethood of Mohammed (SAWS).These verses clearly support that Islam is in support of oppressed and is against the

arrogant.

Ayat 11-23

(١١) فمن شآء ذكره ۥ (١٢) فى صحف مكرمة (١٣ كآل إنہا تذكرة بررة (١٦) قتل رة (١٤) بأيدى سفرة (١٥) كرام ) مرفوعة مطهنسـن مآ أكفره ۥ (١٧) من أى شىء خلقه ۥ (١٨) من نطفة ٱإل

ره ۥ (٢٠) ثم أماته ۥ فأقبره ۥ ( بيل يس خلقه ۥ فقدره ۥ (١٩) ثم ٱلسا يقض مآ أمره ۥ (٢٣) ٢) ثم إذا شآء أنشره ۥ (٢٢) كال مل

Nay, but verily it is an Admonishment, (11) So let whosoever will pay heed to it, (12) On honored leaves (13) Exalted, purified, (14) (Set down) by scribes

(15) Noble and righteous. (16) Man is (self-)destroyed:

SOORAH ABASA (80)

27

how ungrateful is he! (17) From what thing doth He create him? (18) From a drop of seed. He createth him and proportioneth him, (19) Then maketh the way easy for him, (20) Then causeth him to die, and buri�eth him; (21) Then, when He will, He bringeth him again to life. (22) Nay, but (man) hath not done

what He commanded him. (23)

These verses are about the importance of the Qu-ran, its pure origin and its impact on individuals. Pagan Arabs called Quran poetry, magic and a sooth saying.But Allah refutes their accusation and emphasizes that Quran verses are reminders.and these reminders can only be grasped by those who really wish to and make de-cision to follow the guidance. The purity of Quran is beyond any contradiction, discrepancy and doubt. And it is delivered by divine angel. Here Al-lah (SWT) says how ungrateful is man and re-minds him of his origin, how from a a sperm drop he was created and proportioned into a human, and then how he was guided by Allah (SWT) to lead a life of ease and ,it is Allah who will cause him to die. After these statements the attention is drawn towards the day of judgment.

Ayat 24 - 32

نسـن إلى طعامهۦ (٢٤) أنا صببنا ٱملآء صبا (٢٥) ثم فلينظر ٱإلشققنا ٱألرض شقا (٢٦) فأنبتنا فيہا حبا (٢٧) وعنبا وقضبا (٢٨ا تـع ) وزيتونا ونخال (٢٩) وحدآٮق غلبا (٣٠) وفـكهة وأبا (٣١) م

لكم وألنعـمكم (٣٢)

Let man consider his food: (24) How We pour water in showers (25) Then split the earth in clefts (26) And cause the grain to grow therein (27) And grapes and green fodder (28) And olive-trees and palm-trees

(29) And garden-closes of thick foliage (30) And fruits

and grasses: (31) Provision for you and your cattle. (32)

These verses show us the proof of resurrection to-gether with mentioning the different kinds of nour-ishment Allah (SWT) provided us and our cattle. Also Allah (SWT) tells us to look at the variety in our food. The herbs, vegetable, grains, and fruits are all Allah (SWT)'s Grace and a Mercy to man-kind.

Ayat 33 - 42

ة (٣٣) يوم يفر ٱملرء من أخيه (٣٤) وأمهۦ وأبيه ( آخ فإذا جآءت ٱلص٣٥) وصـحبتهۦ وبنيه (٣٦) لكل ٱمرى منہم يومٮذ شأن يغنيه (٣٧) (٣٩) ووجوه يومٮذ (٣٨) ضاحكة مستبشرة وجوه يومٮذ مسفرة (٤٠) ترهقها قترة (٤١) أولـٮك هم ٱلكفرة ٱلفجرة (٤٢) ليہا غبرة

Let man consider his food: (24) How We pour water in showers (25) Then split the earth in clefts (26) And cause the grain to grow therein (27) And grapes and green fodder (28) And olive-trees and palm-trees

(29) And garden-closes of thick foliage (30) And fruits and grasses: (31) Provision for you and your cattle.

(32)

After the description of the divine gifts and the worldly blessings the topic of resurrection and

28

recompense is discussed in these verses, and how will be the end be of the believers and the non-believer on that day.

Very loud and deafening noise which will hap-pen with the second blast of the trumpet. Every individual will raise again. Everyone will only be concerned about themselves, they will not only leave the nearest and dearest ones of their family but also flee from them.

The face of righteous believers will be laughing, rejoicing, whereas that of the disbeliever will be dust covered and black.

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Biography of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)

A Quiz to refresh your memory

1. By the name of Paraclete.

2.It is the oldest house of worship on the earth

3.The Prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismael (May Allah (SWT) be pleased with them).

4.They divided the work among various tribes. Each tribe was responsible for re-building a part of it.

5.A Byzantine mason called Baqum.

6.To the Cave of Hira.

7.True dreams.

8.Jibrael a.s.

9.Four persons: Khadijah his wife, Zaid Ibn Haritha his freed slave, Ali Ibn Abi Talib his cousin and Abu Bakr his friend (May Allah (SWT) be pleased with them).

10.Uthman Ibn Affan, Zubair Ibn Awwam, Abdur Rahman Ibn Awf, Sad Ibn Abi Waqqaas, Talha Ibn Ubaidullah and Saeed Ibn Zaid (Umar’s son-in-law) (May Allah (SWT) be pleased with them).

11. Abbas’s wife Ummaul Fadl, Abu Bakr’s wife Asma Bint Umais, his daughter Asma Bint Abi Bakr and Fatimah Bint Al Khattab Umar’s sister (May Allah (SWT) be pleased with them).

12.It was done in secret.

13.About forty.

14.For three years.

بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم

From selfishness to selflessnessI knock one door,

I knock another door,

I knock the third one…

No one answers…

Where is everyone?

Why no one picks up my phone?

Why no one answers my whatsapp?

I lost it, I wasted time,

I thought you were there for me,

I was wrong!

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No one can be there for us, except Allah سبحانه و تعالى

This is a beautiful world, if the only door you knock is the door of Allah سبحانه و تعالى

Everyone is wonderful if you do not ask them for anything, Subhanal Allah

You are going to be loved by the One in the skies, if you turn & run to Him all the time, in happiness & sadness, Subhanal Allah

You are going to be loved by everyone around you, if you are going to be there for them but you do not expect them to be there for you,

سبحانه وتعالى

The world can be selfish but for you is to raise to selflessness for the sake of Allah

سبحانه و تعالى

The upper hand is better than the lower hand and Allah سبحانه و تعالى, Al Razaq is going to give you more if you give of yourself, your time, your

wealth, etc in His Name, SubhanAllah

You are here to serve your Rabb & if you want to come closer to Him, sometimes you will have to sacrifice for your brother or sister in need, you

will have to raise above your selfishness & reach selflessness

All these only for the pleasure of your Lord

الحمدهلل رب العاملني

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The journey to Allah (SWT) will never stop until we reach the final destination. We must make our goal to reach Jannah. Allah (SWT) gave us the means to go to Jannah, the dunya. He (SWT) wants us to use everything He gave us for our akhirah. Allah (SWT) wants to honor and elevate the tiny and weak hu-man being.

Ramadan is the greatest opportunity for elevation. We should feel joy and excitement while preparing for it, and enjoy every moment of worship. The Qur’an is a means to enjoy worship. There is a con-nection between the Qur’an and Ramadan. Fill your days with كالم اهلل, the words of Allah (SWT).

� زكية النفس حتى افرح برمضان حتى انتفع بالقران

Purification of the soul will give you the joy to experi-ence Ramadan, and benefit from the Qur’an. There is no exact translation of the phrase تزكية النفس in English; calling it as purification of the soul only scratches the surface of its profound meaning. There are many words in the Arabic language with such depth, they cannot be accurately translated in any other language.

There are two steps for تزكية النفس

� تطهير Elimination

� تحلية Beautification

The first step is to suppress and remove the dis-praised characteristics from yourself. These differ from person to person, and often they are inborn. Everyone has a different characteristic they want to purify. Someone might be prone to anger, and an-other impatient.

The next step is to beautify your character. Upgrade yourself by adopting good characteristics, making your actions good. So the one who is inherently im-patient will adopt impatience, and the one who is prone to anger will suppress it and react in a better manner.

To enjoy worship in the month of Ramadan, it is im-portant go through the process of تزكية النفس .

ونفس وما سواه

And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it فألهمها فجورها وتقواها

And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness,

اها قد أفلح من زكHe has succeeded who purifies it

اها قد خاب من دسAnd he has failed who instills it [with corruption]

91:7-10

Allah (SWT) has created your nafs in an amazing manner, and showed it way of good and bad. The one who is purified will be successful and achieve his goal, and one who is corrupting his nafs will fail.

� لتزكية طريق الفالح

INNER GLOW BEFORE RAMADAN

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Purification of the soul is the way to successSuccess and achievement are very attractive words, which you cannot achieve without . تزكية النفس What-ever your pace is towards purification, but start it and you will be granted الفالح or success. No one can succeed by themselves. Your duty is to do the .and Allah (SWT) will make you succeed ,تزكية النفسPeople call this process by the name of self improve-ment, but there is a huge difference between the success in Deen and in worldly ways. In dunya, the focus is on you; you are doing the achieving. This is contrary to what Allah (SWT) says. You purify your soul, and Allah (SWT) will give you success. Your duty is not to achieve, your duty is تزكية النفس.

� ما مطلوب منا و نحن في الطريق الى التزكية ؟What is required from us on the way to purification?

There are certain essential prerequisites for this path :

تزكية النفس It does not lead to perfection, that is not the achieve-ment. Do not expect yourself to change completely; you will never be perfect. الفالح or success does not mean perfection. It will be a gradual improvement; you had 0% sabr, now you have 1%; eventually you will have more. This is because you are dealing with Allah (SWT) الغفور الرحيم, the One Who Forgives and the Most Merciful. Do not be discouraged, and re-member you are a human being, you cannot be per-fect.

يكلف اهلل نفسا إال وسعهاAllah (SWT) does not charge a soul except [with that

within] its capacity. 2:286

Allah (SWT) doesn't want you to be perfect. Try-ing to be perfect will make you despair of the mercy of Allah, which is a major sin. Allah (SWT) appreci-ates your effort to try to purify yourself.

Sometimes you will feel as if you're going back-wards; don't lose hope. People will criticize you and make you feel hopeless, but Allah (SWT) knows your struggle, and rewards you for it. An example of this is that two people are praying together, the same prayer, but they get different rewards; the one who is struggling in his prayer, to attain khushoo, will be rewarded for his struggle too.

This is a very important point which you must put in your mind. Allah (SWT) doesn't want any achieve-ment from you; all He wants is for you to make the effort to change yourself. People expect too much from you, they want you to be an angel, without any faults. This leads to stress. The solution is : � أغفل عن الناس Ignore the peopleYou cannot change what people say or think. Don't justify yourself to them, just ignore them. People even criticized the prophets and messengers.

ذا الرسول يأكل الطعام ويمشي في األسواق لوال أأنزل وقالوا مال هليه ملك فيكون معه نذيرا

And they say, “What is this messenger that eats food and walks in the markets? Why was there not sent down to him an angel so he would be with him a warner? 25:7People can lead you to shirk if you give their opinion too much importance. Be yourself; do not change yourself for them, people have very high expecta-tions. You need to fix your image only in the eyes of Allah (SWT).

إن اهلل ملع املحسنني الذين جاهدوا فينا لنهدينهم سبلنا وAnd those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah (SWT) is with the do�

ers of good. 29:69

ما حال الذي يزكي نفسه؟What is the condition of him who purifies his soul ?

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الذل و االنكسار و ليس العلو و الكبرHumbleness and submissiveness, not a sense of su-periority and arrogance. This is the result of تزكية النفس in the religion. The same thing, called self improve-ment, in matters of dunya, aways leads to arrogance, which is called self confidence. These feelings cause people to become tyrants. The more you purify your soul, the more humble you become. This is the right direction. If, for example, you are trying to be patient, succeed, and feel proud of yourself, this is not the correct reaction. You should feel grateful to Allah (SWT) and more in need of Him. If you are struggling to wake up for the night prayer, and succeed, don't feel good about yourself; feel tiny in front of your Lord.

وا أنفسكم هو أعلم بمن اتقى فال تزكSo do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most know�

ing of who fears Him53:32 (Part of a longer ayah)

Don't think you can purify yourself, and reach perfec-tion. Only Allah (SWT) knows who is actually purified.

ون أنفسهم بل اهلل يزكي من يشاء وال ألم تر إلى الذين يزك �تظلمون فتيال

Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allah (SWT) purifies whom

He wills, and injustice is not done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed] 4:49

Allah (SWT) purifies whomever He wishes. Your duty is to try, but the results are in the hands of Allah.

� واعد التزكية Rules of purification

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said : من حسن إسالم املرء تركه ما ال يعنيه

رواه الترمذي، رياض الصالحني، كتاب # ١، حديث # ٦٧

It is from the excellence of (a believer’s) Islam that he should shun that which is of no concern to him.

Focus on yourself, don't concern yourself with what-ever does not concern you. Your ihsan is in being busy with yourself. Leave whatever will not benefit your Deen or your dunya. Leave talking about it, or even thinking about it. If you had a bad experience in the past, don't dwell on it. Don't worry about the fu-ture either. Your only concern should be whatever takes you to Jannah and drives you away from the hellfire. Think of the past only if you will learn from it, and ask forgiveness for it. Rely on Allah (SWT) for the future.

فمن يعمل مثقال ذرة خيرا يرهSo whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it. 99:7

Don't always focus in big deeds, even small good deeds can take you to Jannah. When you have this rule in mind, you will not miss even a tiny opportunity to do good. تزكية النفس is not by neglecting small chances in life to do good, such as smiling to some-one. Don't ignore even a chance the size of a parti-cle. These small opportunities come often in life, so seize any which come your way. Allah (SWT) will show you the result of these small deeds. The shaitan always tries to divert you from these small things which come your way all the time. If you miss an opportunity for benefitting in dunya, don't worry, it'll come again. But an opportunity for the benefit of the akhirah, if not taken, will go away never or return.

إن أسأتم فلها إن أحسنتم أحسنتم ألنفسكم وIf you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves. 17:7 (Part of longer ayah)

Deal with every situation in life with ihsan, or excel-lence, the best you can do, for the sake of Allah (SWT).

The Messenger of Allah (SWT) صلى اهلل عليه و سلم said : اإلحسان أن تعبد اهلل كأنك تراه، فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك

صحيح البخاري، كتاب # ٦٥، حديث # ٤٨٢٤

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Ihsan is to worship Allah (SWT) as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah (SWT) sees you. (Part

of longer hadith)

Ihsan is a mirror reflection, a boomerang. It reflects or bounces back to the doer. When you do ihsan for Allah (SWT), it benefits you. This is a way of pu-rification. In the same way, when you sin against someone, such as backbite, you are actually harm-ing yourself.

إن اهلل ال يغير ما بقوم حتى يغيروا ما بأنفسهمIndeed, Allah (SWT) will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.

13:11(Part of longer ayah)

Don't expect miracles. If you make an effort to change yourself, Allah (SWT) will change your situation and show you the results. Your outer situa-tion will not change until you work on your inside. If you change yourself from good to bad, your outer situation will also change from good to bad. Your situation depends on you. For example, you have a big house, and children; everything is good. In-stead of being grateful and thanking Allah (SWT), you complain that you cannot manage the house, and the children give you trouble. When you change yourself, by ingratitude, so Allah (SWT) changes your situation. Your life changes, prob-lems appear. When you face problems in life sud-denly, look at yourself. A change in your heart af-fects your outer situation, and you are deprived of the blessings. Don't let yourself flow with your de-sires, showing boredom and ingratitude to the blessings of Allah (SWT); this will destroy you. his will destroy you.

بطر النعمة# not appreciating and being ungrateful to the blessings

of Allah, is a sin.

نسان على نفسه بصيرة بل اإلRather, man, against himself, will be a witness. 75:14Don't give yourself any excuses; be truthful to your-self. Don't blame anyone but yourself for your situa-tion. You cannot change others, but you can changes yourself. For instance, you are an angry person, and Allah (SWT) puts you in a situation which makes your anger apparent to you. This is nurturing, don't dismiss or ignore it, nor give your-self excuses by blaming the behaviour of others for your anger. Accept the nurturing of Allah (SWT) and benefit by it.

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Masjid Bani HashimAt Jumeirah Isl&s, Dubai

Masjid Bani Hashim by the Grace of Allah (SWT) عز وجل, opened its doors 2nd Ramadan 1434; July 10th, 2013 & is a Non-Profit Organization. It envisions to offer intensive courses, lectures,

workshops, Tafseer elQuran with Taddabur, Tajweed, Seerah of the Prophet pbuh & major Islamic Studies.

Our MissionMasjid Bani Hashim’s mission is to provide authentic

underst&ing of Islam based on Qur'an & Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Mohammed (صلى اهلل عليه وسلم). Masjid Bani Hashim

welcomes all & provides a golden opportunity to access Islamic Courses to all seekers of Ilm. Without rushing back home, you

can make a stop at Masjid Bani Hashim to nurture your soul, pray & recite Quran.

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