Ramadan Bites 16-20...Ramadan Mini Bites – Part 4 Day 16 - 20 4 You just say ‘Astaghfirullah’ – and you will get more mercy and the love of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You will

Ramadan Mini Bites – Part 4 Day 16 - 20

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Sister Eman al Obaid www.alhudasisters.wordpress.com

Mini Ramadan Bites #16 Saturday 4th August 2012. Summary of Days 1 - 15 Virtues of Wudu and Purification Virtues of the Prayer

- Obligatory - Voluntary - Qiyam al Layl - Jama’ah

o Fajr - Asr

o Isha Virtues of Loving Someone for the Sake of Allah Virtues DhikrAllah Virtues of the Study Circle Virtues of Is’tighfar and Tawbah

- to be reformed - Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Love - Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Mercy - Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Happiness - Forgiveness of the sins - Tree in Paradise - Happy to receive the Book of Records - Answered Invocation - Brings forward the Blessings - Averts the Calamity

What is the importance of the virtues? In life you are surrounded by so many things. You need to follow the message from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The virtues will motivate you to be on the straight path. Of all the virtues one particular virtue is repeated each time - Allah subhana wa ta'ala will expiate you sins. By itself, when you are seeking the forgiveness, repenting to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, there is an additional special virtue, as seeking the forgiveness from Allah subhana wa ta'ala is an ibadah and the remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.


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Making tawba is not only for those people sinning and making mistakes. We all need to ask for the forgiveness all the time to reform us. Chapter (11) sūrat hūd (Hud) 11:90 And ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is Merciful and Affectionate." In order for Allah subhana wa ta'ala to reform you, you need to make Istighfar (the act of seeking forgiveness) and then you need to make tawbah (the prayer of repentance). I want to be better, I want to be elevated, I want to be reformed, with Istighfar and Tawbah. What will motivate you? Ar Rahim, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the Most Merciful and Al Wadood, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is full of Love.


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2:222 Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves." Firstly Allah subhana wa ta'ala is commanding me to repent and ask for forgiveness in order to be reformed. Then you will get the Love of Allah – I want Allah subhana wa ta'ala to love me. If you are a believer it is important for you to obtain Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Love. If Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the Most Beloved to you and to your heart, you will try to seek His love. If you repent to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will love you. By itself seeking forgiveness and repenting is an ibadah. Allah subhana wa ta'ala hates people who are far away from Him – those who are not repenting to Him.

In life and in the Hereafter we need to be under Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s mercy. We don’t want to be among those who do not act upon the knowledge. We have one rope to hold onto, we should never leave it, Rahmatillah. Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Mercy is so vast, more than the mercy of a mother to her children. I want the mercy from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. If you are always repenting and asking for forgiveness, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will cover you with His mercy. Nobody else can give you the mercy, if you seek forgiveness, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the only provider of the mercy.


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You just say ‘Astaghfirullah’ – and you will get more mercy and the love of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

You will benefit from the repentance. When you make istighfar Allah subhana wa ta'ala, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the One who rose over His throne, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be happy and rejoice with your repentance – even though I am only one person. We are so dear to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, if you go back to Him, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be more happy than a person who is about to die and someone saved his life. You and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be one to one, you heart will be full of Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Love, this is in the life even though Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the Most Rich. Even when you are far away, when you are sinning, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is always there for you stretching out His Hands for you.

When we have a burden, the burden of loads of sins, and you are seeking the forgiveness with your heart, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will forgive you. Hadith; Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said the Allah said ‘O My servant, you are committing sins day and night and I am the One who will forgive you all your sins. Your major sins, your sins are as big as a mountain; your sins that fill the earth, your sins as vast as the foam of the sea, if you come to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and ask for the forgiveness, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will expiate all your sins. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is Al Ghafoor (The All Forgiving), Ar Rahim (The Most Merciful).


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A special tree in Paradise called shujaratayiba – if you under the shade of this tree, you can walk for 100 years under its shade. Allah subhana wa ta'ala promised this tree to one who in his book of records, there is much Istighfar. Even if we didn’t sin we still need to make istighfar as an ibadah.

If you want to come on the Day of Judgement and in your hands is your book of records, what will make you happy to receive your book of the records? The one having the most Istighfar in their book of records, they will be more happy to receive their book of records. Who will get the book of records from the left? Those with a book of records full of sins. When you are constantly make Istighfar you will get your book of records from the right hand side. You will receive it with joy and happiness.


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Istighfar is a means to make your du’a acceptable. You don’t need to beg people to make du’a for you.

When you make Istighfar as an ibadah, all the gates of blessings and good will be drawn close to you. You will be showered with the blessings, the worldly things. Our goal should be the hereafter but the worldly blessing’s is extra. Chapter (24) sūrat l-nūr (The Light)

24:10 And if not for the favour of Allah upon you and His mercy... and because Allah is Accepting of repentance and Wise. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will enrich you with wealth and children. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you all the bounties and blessings of the dunya before the blessings of the akhirah. Chapter (11) sūrat hūd (Hud)


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11:3 And [saying], "Seek forgiveness of your Lord and repent to Him, [and] He will let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and give every doer of favour his favour. But if you turn away, then indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a great Day.

The problems make us sad in life. Don’t think of the problems, just make Istighfar as your goal and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you the result. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will remove the distress and calamity. Be generous with making Istighfar. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala guide us to remember to make Istighfar. The best time to ask for forgiveness is before Fajr – the predawn. Du’a – Asking from Allah (page 53) part 2 http://alhudasisters.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/precious-remembrance-c-07242012.pdf


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5. Revenge You are asking Allah subhana wa ta'ala to take revenge on those unjust towards you. Our revenge is unjust as our emotions take over. For a believer, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will take care of the revenge without being unjust to the people.

6. Enemies This is the power of the du’a, this is your weapon, not when you are shouting and screaming and making plots against the people.


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Don’t rely on yourself or others to take the revenge for you, you rely on Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the One who can give you the victory against your enemy, whoever is your enemy in the dunya or the deen, you are relying on Allah subhana wa ta'ala. 6. Calamity I don’t want anything to happen in my life that will affect my religion – to stop praying, to stop wearing hijab, to stop doing the good deeds, I don’t want to commit sins. When you stop the good deeds this is a calamity in the deen.

Maybe a particular situation in your life, for example a bad companion, a neighbour, they may decrease your faith, affect your religion. This can be a shortage in the obedience or committing sins or the wrong belief. 7. Dunya Do not make this dunya our main concern. How? By making du’a to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will answer your du’a if you are truthful. Make our happiness and sadness for the akhirah. I am sad if I miss a prayer, and I am not sad if I miss something in the dunya. People know about the dunya but they do not know about the religion. Our goal should be the knowledge of the deen.


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8. Mercy Don’t make people who have no mercy have power over us. For example a husband, a father etc who has no mercy and they are commanding you, this is a disaster. You can see around the world people having authority and they have no mercy in their heart.

Mini Ramadan Bites #17 Sunday 5th August 2012. Every step in Islam, if you do it with your heart, with the intention, imagine the reward. The Taqwa is a shield to protect your heart from thinking of anyone other than Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You need to make a shield between you and something that will distract you from remembering Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Thanking Allah subhana wa ta'ala and obeying Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Remembering the virtues should occupy your heart. Before every good deed, you are hoping for the reward from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. There is no place for anything else. Your heart is the main thing.


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When I have a need, I ask Allah subhana wa ta'ala, but you need to know the virtues of the dua. Don’t make the du’a your last option after you have tried all the means and they didn’t work for you. When you know the virtues of the du’a you will never leave the du’a in all your conditions. Everytime you will see that you need to make the du’a. What will make it easy it to understand?

2:186 And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. The sahaba asked Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam ‘Is Allah subhana wa ta'ala far so that we call out to Him or is He very close so that we will whisper the du’a’. Allah subhana wa ta'ala revealed the above verse to answer their question. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be close to you the moment you will make the du’a. You need to respond to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you need to believe in Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you need the faith to make the du’a. When everyone makes the du’a at the same time Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be close to every single person at the same time and Allah subhana wa ta'ala can hear everyone at the same time. There is no confusion or overlapping by His Knowledge, by His Seeing, and by His Hearing, Allah subhana wa ta'ala rose over His Throne.


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Chapter (40) sūrat ghāfir (The Forgiver God) 40:60 And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible. Making du’a is not optional, I will do it when I need to do it. Making du’a is a command from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. This is the best invitation from your Lord subhana wa ta'ala. This an open invitation for everybody in all your positions, sitting, standing, lying down.

Hadith: ‘I am as my servant looks at Me, thinks about Me, I am like how My servant thinks of Me. I am with my servant when He invokes Me. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be your special companion – you will get the support, the help, the love, the victory. When Allah subhana wa ta'ala is with you no one can be against you. But if everybody is with you and you are not calling Allah subhana wa ta'ala nobody will be with you. We hope more from people because we can see them. Allah subhana wa ta'ala appreciates it that you can’t see Him and your heart is attached to Him. When you make du’a to Allah subhana wa ta'ala think about these virtues. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is with us by His Knowledge, by His Seeing and by His Hearing. I need the du’a and look at what Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you if you make that du’a.


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You do so many good deeds, but the du’a is most honourable deed because you left someone who is infront of you, you are not begging them and you are not asking them, and you have full faith in Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will honour and appreciate your moves. This du’a is not only by the tongue but when it comes from your heart. In your heart you are loving Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you are having hope in Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you are fearing Allah subhana wa ta'ala and you are relying on Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You feel Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so close and that Allah subhana wa ta'ala is with you. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will appreciate this because you are making du’a from the heart.

Hadith: If you are not asking Allah subhana wa ta'ala or invoking Allah subhana wa ta'ala, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be angry on you. Why will Allah be angry with you? Because the person who does not make du’a is feeling self sufficient, someone else can respond to me, listen to me. But when you are making du’a you know you have a Lord Who is always there with you, always listening to you and always hearing you. The du’a is to take away Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s anger because I cannot bear Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s anger. If you ask human beings once, if you ask twice or if you ask three times they will tell you to go away. But Allah subhana wa ta'ala loves for you to be constantly


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asking Him. Allah subhana wa ta'ala loves for you to be insisting in your du’a. It is not like with people who will get fed up and run away from you. Your relationship with Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so beautiful when you deal with Allah subhana wa ta'ala with your heart. Imagine the movements of your heart, how much are they worth? Allah subhana wa ta'ala will appreciate that you are calling Him and invoking Him so Allah subhana wa ta'ala will not be angry with you. This will encourage you to make du’a to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, the One perfect in Attributes.

The du’a with sincerity, from you heart, begging Him, minimum you mention your du’a 3 times, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will respond and answer your du’a. You may ask but why has Allah subhana wa ta'ala has not responded to my du’a? What does it mean when Allah subhana wa ta'ala answers the dua? You are a winner in all four cases: Hastened – answered immediately Delayed – Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the All Wise, He knows when this du’a is good for you. Averts evil – Maybe this du’a is not good for you because you don’t know the ghayb. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will guard and protect you from the evil. Preserved rewards – abundant rewards for you on the Day of Judgment. All the time you are a winner. Don’t underestimate the du’a, don’t be hasty. When you are making the du’a rely on Allah subhana wa ta'ala because you are making the du’a to someone Who is the All Wise. The All Knower Who knows exactly when you need it, Who knows what is good for you in the Hereafter and the dunya. When you make du’a you need to have Yaqin that Allah subhana wa ta'ala will answer your du’a. Don’t make du’a and in the back of your mind think Allah subhana wa ta'ala will not answer my du’a. You need to feel sure Allah subhana wa ta'ala will answer your du’a.


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Hadith: Allah subhana wa ta'ala feels ashamed if He does respond to your du’a. So for sure Allah subhana wa ta'ala will respond to you. This is your Creator, the King of the Kings, the One to Whom belongs the Heavens and the Earth. If you are raising your hands and making du’a to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, Allah feels ashamed not respond to you. Allah subhana wa ta'ala does want you to lower you hands without giving to you.

Du’a is a worship. When you start to invoke Allah subhana wa ta'ala and are making du’a to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and feeling close to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, and seeking Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s companionship, this will open up for the slave the delights of talking to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. We can talk to everybody but we need to enjoy talking to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. When you are talking to Allah subhana wa ta'ala this is an enjoyment by itself. When you to talk to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and invoke Allah subhana wa ta'ala in any language, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will listen to you and you will enjoy making your du’a. The best time to make du’a is when you are in sujood. In the sujood you are close to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, and you need to enjoy these moments when you are talking to the Most Beloved One. Nothing is more dearer to our hearts than our Creator. The more you are prolonging the du’a the more Allah subhana wa ta'ala loves that.


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When you make du’a all your limbs are talking, your mind is talking, your heart is talking, your tongue is talking, you have hope, you have fear, you have love, you have reliance, you are seeking refuge. In the du’a you can find three types of tawheed. Tawheed ruboobiyyah – Oneness of your Lordship, He has everything Tawheed al Asma as Sifat – The Oneness of the Names and Attributes because Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so perfect. He will answer your du’a. Oneness of the Worship – I am relying on Allah subhana wa ta'ala alone. I am loving Allah subhana wa ta'ala alone. In the dua itself you can find different kinds of tawheed.

A safety from being arrogant Chapter (40) sūrat ghāfir (The Forgiver God)

40:60 And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.


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Increase in the du’a so as not to be among the arrogant. It will free your heart from being arrogant.

You can talk to your Creator about whatever you want. When you talk to your Creator it will give you the relief and it will give you the comfort.

If there is a problem between you and someone, or you want the love to increase towards somebody or you have something in your heart towards somebody, you need to make du’a for that person. When you make the du’a it will remove the sickness of the heart towards that person or increase the love between you and that person.


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The du’a is our life, we cannot go one without making du’a and we need to enjoy it. We need to make the du’a for each other and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you the same. Du’a - page 48


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• Your Religion

• Your Dunya Provide the provision that will help me in the akhirah, for example my husband, my children, my house etc. this will help you to worship Allah subhana wa ta'ala more. The dunya is a bridge to the akhirah.

• Your Hereafter This is your return. Allah subhana wa ta'ala guide me to do the best of deeds, to acquire the knowledge etc.

• Your Life Make my life the source of good – full of worship, every good – let there be an increment of good every day I live.


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• Your Death Death is a relief from every evil. A believer, when he dies he will be relived of the evil from the dunya and go to the delights of the akhirah. The Mumin is going to a better life. The kafir when he leaves the dunya, all the Universe is relieved from him because of his sins.

We love to be with people who remind us of Allah subhana wa ta'ala, I don’t want anything to take me far away from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Mini Ramadan Bites #18 Monday 6th August 2012. Regarding the Remembrance of Allah we have looked at: The Virtues of the Du’a DhikrAllah Istighfar Today we will look at the du’a, which if we do not say it, our du’a is incomplete.


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As Salat an Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam This is a du’a so that Allah subhana wa ta'ala will praise (salat) Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. As Salaam an Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam This is a du’a so that Allah subhana wa ta'ala will protect Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, protect his Sunnah. Either you are the one initiating the praise or responding to someone mentioning Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

Chapter (33) sūrat l-aḥzāb (The Combined Forces)


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33:56 Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace. This is a command from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is praising him and the angels are invoking for Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. If you are a believer, the more you believe in Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you need to send blessings and salat on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

When you say ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam once, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will send blessings upon you (salat) 10 times.

Chapter (33) sūrat l-aḥzāb (The Combined Forces) 33:43 It is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darknesses into the light. And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful. When Allah subhana wa ta'ala praises you Allah subhana wa ta'ala will take you out of the darkness into the light, take you out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light of knowledge, out of the the darkness of the sins and into the light of obedience and worship, out of the darkness of the bid’ah and into the light of the Sunnah. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you the light on the Day of Judgment.


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Hadith: Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said ‘After 2/3 of the night has passed he was telling the sahabah to remember Allah subhana wa ta'ala, increase in the remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Remember the death and remember the Day of Judgment. A man came and said ‘O Messenger of Allah, I am increasing in sending my blessing upon you, what will I have? Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said ‘If you can make ¼ of your du’a sending blessings on me this is good. If you want to make it more you can make ½ your du’a salat an Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. If you can make 2/3 of your du’a salat an Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam then you can do it. If you make all your du’a sending blessings on me, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will expiate your sins and;

You send blessing on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam when you really need it, but by itself this is a du’a and you will get the forgiveness of your sins and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will remove the stress from your life – you will be satisfied, it will be enough. It is as if you are making du’a for yourself, making Istighfar, making du’a for your hereafter and your life etc. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will make you self-sufficient in the dunya and in the akhirah. You have so many worries in life, and the biggest worry is the Hereafter. I worry about my death, I worry about my grave, I worry about standing infront of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. To relieve the stress send blessings on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.


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Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is so special to us, but how will you be special to him, have more preference than others. Where will I be? The more you are sending blessing on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam the more you are special to Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

One who does not send blessings on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam when reminded, it is as if he is a miser.


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Hadith: A people who sit in a gathering and they did not remember Allah subhana wa ta'ala, and they did not send blessing upon Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, this gathering will be a regret on the Day of Judgement. In Al Qiyamah if Allah subhana wa ta'ala wills Allah subhana wa ta'ala can punish them for that, or if Allah subhana wa ta'ala wills He will forgive them.

When you are not sending the blessings on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam it is as if you are mistaking the path to Paradise. For your good deeds to be acceptable you need to it for the Sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala and you need to follow the Sunnah of Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. If you not mentioning Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam this means the Sunnah is not important to you – so you are mistaking the path to Paradise. You need to go to Paradise behind Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. You need to seek the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, follow his Sunnah.


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Friday is the best day with Allah subhana wa ta'ala so send more blessing on Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala make us to remember that, Ameen. You will get the intercession of Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

This is a command from Allah subhana wa ta'ala and you need to follow the commands of Allah subhana wa ta'ala because you are AbdulAllah. Whenever you send blessings upon Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam your salaam will reach Allah subhana wa ta'ala. There is a special angel who will send the salaam to Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. One of the etiquettes of making the du’a, completing your du’a, is when you send blessings upon Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Du’a – page 51


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- Standing You stand so many times during the day.

- Sitting In all your conditions you need protection.

- Sleeping You will ask Allah subhana wa ta'ala to guard you with Islam. Make me to hold on to my religion and to make me firm in my religion.

- enemies You are afraid of two groups of people,

- jealous person They may plot against you so you are asking Allah subhana wa ta'ala not to let them have the upper hand over you, to rejoice and be happy when a calamity befalls you.

- every good You want every good; the Treasures of every good in Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Hands – this is praising Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You have so many needs, but if you say this, this will be enough.

- every evil You are seeking refuge from all the evils in Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Hands – the treasure of everything.


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This du’a will be enough for the whole of your life. You can say this du’a in all situations, in your sujood, before the salaam, the last third of the night, before breaking your fast, when travelling, etc. Remember the du’a and say the du’a with your heart. Tuesday 7th August 2012. The Last 10 Nights and Layla tul Qadr

The month of Ramadan is a guest and an honourable guest and it is about to leave. How beautiful are the days of Ramadan, how peaceful are the nights of Ramadan and how enjoyable is the worship in Ramadan. You cannot taste the sweetness of the worship more than in the month of Ramadan. The worship has a different taste and a different delight in Ramadan which you cannot taste in any other month. The days of Ramadan go so fast like a blessed breeze. We only have 10 days remaining. The best of the deeds and the greatest of the deeds will be displayed at the end. In the past 20 days you fell you did not do much, you did not do enough, but you still have a chance. This chance is open for everybody. Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam made more of an effort in the month of Ramadan than in any other month. During the last 10 days of Ramadan Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam increased his worship. You are in a race, going so fast to get to the final, to get the prize. Now you are near the end of the race so you need to increase your speed, you need to race more than in any other time. You need a checklist for the last 10 days.


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You need to truthful with yourself and with Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You need to free yourself of the chains and obstacles. You need the freedom. You need a one to one relationship with your Lord. You need to seek the Pleasure of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. We have chains, the chains of thinking about everybody else and forgetting ourselves. You need to seek the Pleasure of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. For the Salaf as Salih they are doing the best in their good deeds and making du’a to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and feeling truthful to themselves – am I doing the good deeds for myself or for the Sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala? They are really afraid their deeds will be rejected more than the deeds themselves. Chapter (5) sūrat l-māidah (The Table spread with Food)

5:27 And (O Muhammad SAW) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam [Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain)] in truth; when each offered a sacrifice (to Allah), it was accepted from the one but not from the other. The latter said to the former: "I will surely kill you." The former said: "Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun The Mu’mineen is doing the good deeds and being truthful. You need to constantly make Istighfar. The barrier between us and the qiyam, doing the good deeds and doing our best in the last 10 days, the most precious moment, is our sins. So you need to increase in asking for forgiveness. You need the Istighfar so that your glass is transparent and there is an effect. You need to ask Allah the Pardoning. You need to feel poor to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you need to feel that you did not do much so you go to Allah subhana wa ta'ala seeking Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s pardoning. Pardoning is more than forgiving. Pardoning is that I have sins as high as a mountain and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will remove it them for me. I am doing the good deeds but they are not perfect and I need Allah subhana wa ta'ala to reform my deeds for me and perfect my deeds for me. You want the pardoning from Allah subhana wa ta'ala.


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You need to do the best in your Ibadah. Do your Maghrib and Isha with your heart. You don’t want to waste a moment, you don’t want to waste a second without filling it with the worship. I don’t know if I will live until the next Ramadan so you don’t want to loose this chance. You need to do your best during this time. Be away from the sicknesses of the heart. Pride and arrogance – Allah subhana wa ta'ala prescribed the fasting to purify the heart. While fasting you don’t want to feel proud that you finished the fast. I don’t want to feel that when I accomplish the Qiyam, I am really doing my best. One of the signs of the acceptance of your good deeds is that you feel more humble to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. A believer never feels arrogant and proud of his good deeds. A believer never feels that they did their best because no one can ever do their best. We are doing the good deeds to feel closer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. We need our good deeds, while Allah subhana wa ta'ala is the Most Rich, the Most Praiseworthy, He doesn’t need the worship from us. We have these chances to go to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. This is KaramAllah subhana wa ta'ala, in the month of Ramadan, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so generous. In the beginning of the month, in the middle of the month and in the end of the month Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so Generous. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is stretching out His hands to everybody. If you are not doing well or if you are doing well, you need Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Do not feel proud and arrogant. The more you do, the more humble you feel towards Allah subhana wa ta'ala. This checklist is for your heart. The journey to Allah subhana wa ta'ala is only with your heart. The journey to Allah subhana wa ta'ala is not by your limbs. The journey to Allah subhana wa ta'ala is how your heart is running to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, the All Mighty. What did Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam do in the Last Ten Night of Ramadan?

The first night is the 20

th night.

Hadith: when the last 10 nights came Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam did three things.

1. Ahyal Layla – you will make the night like it is the morning. During the night Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to alternate between sleep and worship. In the last 10 nights of Ramadan Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to stay up all night. The night starts from Maghrib. You need Isti’anah billah. People loose these nights shopping for Eid. These 10 nights are for extra Taqwa. You only need your heart.


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2. ‘Ayqaza a’hlahu – Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to wake up the whole household. This is very important. This is to share the good deeds with them.

3. Shadil mizar – tie the belt, don’t waste your time. Fill this time with different ibadah. You need isti’anah billah.

Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam is seeking one night. This one night is equivalent to more than your life. This one night is an honourable night, this one night is high in rank. In the last 10 nights I am seeking this one night.

We all need to seek this particular night. If the breeze of this night hits us what will you get? Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said ‘The one who establishes the night prayer in Layla tul Qadr, Allah will expiate your sins. No one knows exactly when is Layla tul Qadr, every night we need the motivation. Some people only seek the 27

th night or the odd

nights. By not doing anything you are a looser. This is your last chance. This is a chance so don’t loose it. you need to welcome the last 10 nights of Ramadan with determination ‘Ya Rabbi help me’. If you are truthful Allah subhana wa ta'ala will make it easy for you. Chapter (97) sūrat l-qadr (The Night of Decree)


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97:1 Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree. Allah subhana wa ta'ala revealed the Qur’an in Layla tul Qadr. For the Kalamullah, Allah subhana wa ta'ala choose Layla tul Qadr, from the Preserved Tablet to the lowest Heaven. Allah subhana wa ta'ala honoured this night.

97:2 And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

This is to emphasise the importance of this night. Laylatul Qadr is from the qadr – from it’s high status, it’s rank and honour because of the forgiveness of the sins and because of the pardoning. How many people will Allah subhana wa ta'ala pardon during this night? How many people will Allah subhana wa ta'ala forgive them their sins during this night? The Qur’an is revealed in this night – that’s why it is Laylatul Qadri – qadr from the honour. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will decree the following year in this night. Who will die, what you will get from the provision etc. it will be shown to the angels. From the Preserved Tablet it will be shown to the angels to carry out the commands.


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We don’t know when is this night so we need to seek it every night. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala give us the motivation right up to time they announce it is Eid.

A thousand months is approximately 83 years – if you establish that one night it is the equivalent to the good deeds of a 1000 months, better than your whole life. If you are truthful with yourself, making the niyah, doing it for the Sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala, relying on Allah subhana wa ta'ala, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you the aid, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will help you, you don’t want to loose it. A looser is one who didn’t take this opportunity. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala never deprive us from this night.


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Jibril alaihi as-salaam always came for the Messengers. But on this night Jibril alaihi as-salaam will descend and will be followed by all the angels. The whole Earth will be filled with the angels. The mercy will come down to the Earth so you don’t want to loose this chance. Any place you remember Allah subhana wa ta'ala there will be angels. But on this particular night, the angels are all around the Earth. Your du’a is so precious and important. ‘Ya Rabbi forgive me for my sins, Ya Rabbi pardon me. I didn’t do much, I didn’t do what I am supposed to do. Ya Rabbi free me from Hellfire, Ya Rabbi help me to do the best, Ya Rabbi make me among the Muttaqeen, Ya Rabbi I want to reach to You.’ There is no other time you can so easily reach to Allah subhana wa ta'ala more than in the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially in Layla tul Qadr. This is from sunset to the dawn – you need to be busy with the ibadah.

This night will be full of peace, free from all the evils, there is increase in the forgiveness, this night free from the punishment if you want that. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala make it easy for us. If you are truthful Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be truthful with you. ‘Ya Rabbi I want Your Pleasure.’ March forward, hasten to Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Pleasure.


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Though it is dark, the night is glowing.

In this night is it as if there is blessed breeze – then you have the peace and tranquillity. You need to be alert, don’t occupy your heart, free your heart to feel that peace and tranquillity.


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In this night you want to do more Ibadat – in this night you enjoy the Ibadat more than at any other time. You cannot hold your tears. You can taste the sweetness of the ibadah.

In the morning the sun will rise without any rays, like a bowl.


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How should I fill my time?

Establish the night prayer – Qiyam al Layl is after the Isha prayer. After maghrib you can do the dhikr, read the Qur’an etc. Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to do 11 rakats of Qiyam al Layl but they were very long. Do Qiyam al Layl wherever you find your heart – at home or in the masjid. During your menses you cannot pray but you will still get the full reward as if you established the whole night. Look at where your heart is. Struggle against the distractions, small children etc. with your struggle Allah subhana wa ta'ala will give you more and more, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will make it easy for you and will give you the full reward. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is so Generous and He will accept from you and give to you as if you established the whole night prayer.


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Read and ponder the Qur’an.

One du’a, repeat it minimum three times. Increase your du’a.


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Remember Allah subhana wa ta'ala all the time – anything that makes you remember Allah subhana wa ta'ala, just do it. Allah subhana wa ta'ala wants the quality – which is your heart.

Increase in the du’a;

Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni, O Allah indeed You are the Pardoner, You love to Pardon, so Pardon me.

Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun - Allah subhana wa ta'ala will erase all the sins, even the big sins, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will overlook your sins and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will make you to do more good deeds. We need Your pardoning. tuhibul ‘afwa – Allah subhana wa ta'ala loves the pardoning. This is one of Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s Attributes and Actions. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is of Pardoning and He loves pardoning. fa’fu ‘anni - If you want Allah subhana wa ta'ala to pardon you need to pardon others, you need to overlook their mistakes, don’t put it in your heart. The more you free your heart the more you will get the pardoning. Mini Ramadan Bites #20 Wednesday 8th August 2012. There are two types of guidance

- the knowledge - acting upon the knowledge


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The religious knowledge will soften the heart, bring you closer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and will make you do the good deeds.

You have to know the knowledge.


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We are here in this life to know Allah subhana wa ta'ala, to worship Allah subhana wa ta'ala, to be attached to Allah subhana wa ta'ala in order to go to Paradise, this is our home. Seeking the religious knowledge is obligatory upon everybody. Seeking knowledge is not optional - if I have the time I will learn the knowledge, if I don’t’ have time no problem.

Allah subhana wa ta'ala will guide the person to acquire the knowledge and to be the best in the knowledge, the in-depth knowledge. I want Allah subhana wa ta'ala to do the best for me, to do the good for me.


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This is from the hadith of Nabi ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The angels are a great creation of Allah subhana wa ta'ala and they have the noble job of carrying out the commands of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The angels are a huge creation of Allah subhana wa ta'ala who worship Allah subhana wa ta'ala day and night, they are the best of the worshippers. The angels obey Allah subhana wa ta'ala and they never disobey Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The angels will lower their wings for the seeker of the knowledge. The angels will lower their wings to show their appreciation for what you are doing. They remember the past when Allah subhana wa ta'ala told them to prostrate to Adam alaihi as-salaam because Allah subhana wa ta'ala favoured Adam alaihi as-salaam with the knowledge more than Allah subhana wa ta'ala favoured the angels. The angels cannot prostrate to you so they will lower their wings.

You are going to a place to acquire the knowledge, you came out for the Sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala, until you return it as if you are out for the Sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You will have the blessings from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. People who go from place to place to acquire knowledge – Allah subhana wa ta'ala will appreciate this.


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When you are busy taking notes, busy listening, busy reading, busy acquiring the knowledge – all other creatures are asking forgiveness for you, even the fish in the sea. You forget to make Istighfar because you are busy. Even the ants will make Istighfar for you.

May Allah subhana wa ta'ala gather us all in Paradise, and in the best place in Paradise. The easiest way to Paradise is to seek the knowledge. The knowledge is the means for the guidance. You cannot be guided without the knowledge. Ibadat without the knowledge has no value – it is just a practice, something my parents taught me. The correct ibadah is based on knowledge.


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The more you increase in the knowledge, you will believe more and you will be more elevated in rank. The elevation in rank will be in the dunya, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will honour you. Some people maybe honoured because of their wealth, their position, or their family lineage. For the seeker of knowledge Allah subhana wa ta'ala will elevate them in the dunya and elevate them in rank on the Day of Judgement, in the akhirah.

Especially the heritage of Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The Messengers did not leave their wealth, their worldly things, they left the knowledge. Our Beloved Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, when he left the dunya he left nothing except the knowledge. The one who is taking that knowledge is taking a great fortune. This is a treasure, you need to treasure it. When you know even one ayah, this is a treasure of Prophet Muhammad ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, you need to treasure it, appreciate it, and feel grateful towards Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Everyone is invited to take the treasure by seeking the path of knowledge.


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The Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam left us the advice that we need to acquire the knowledge.

Chapter (35) sūrat fāṭir (The Originator) 35:28 Only those fear Allah , from among His servants, who have knowledge. This is a positive fear which makes you close to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, makes you abstain from the sins. They are the ‘ulama, those having the knowledge. The more knowledge you have, the beneficial knowledge, this will make you closer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, fearing Allah subhana wa ta'ala and by itself this is a higher rank of the believer. Some people will have all the knowledge of the dunya, but what about the Qur’an, what about Allah subhana wa ta'ala, what about the hadith etc? May Allah subhana wa ta'ala make it easier for me to learn, to acquire the knowledge, especially with the new technology. How to take the knowledge?


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Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to take everything in one go. Take it slowly like a turtle.

Don’t flee from the knowledge, take the path of knowledge and act upon the knowledge.


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May Allah subhana wa ta'ala make this our path until we reach Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Du’a – page 60


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This du’a has three parts; You asking Allah subhana wa ta'ala for that which benefits you with the people.

Help me to worship You, obey You, to overcome the trials, to face the enemies and to overcome myself.


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Support and grant me victory over my nafs, the shaitan, do not let anyone have power over me. Sometimes in life people are plotting against you or do evil against you. ‘O Allah, You plan for me’ – you don’t want to do it as you will sin, so you rely on Allah subhana wa ta'ala, Allah subhana wa ta'ala’s plans are the best. Don’t plan against me if I am doing something wrong. Give me the means in order to guide me and the knowledge that I take, make it easy for me to act upon it. I cannot do anything without Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You need Allah subhana wa ta'ala to change your heart so that you act upon the knowledge and understand it easily. Don’t make me to be busy with other things except the guidance. Don’t make the guidance heavy on my chest. If you are the oppressed one – you don’t take the revenge, you want the victory from Allah subhana wa ta'ala as you may do the wrong thing. To be continued. We ask Allah subhana wa ta’ala for His forgiveness and His Mercy. Anything that is good from these notes is from Allah

subhana wa ta’ala. Any mistakes & misrepresentations are my own. I ask Allah subhana wa ta’ala for His forgiveness and to

put forgiveness in the hearts of those who read them. JazakAllah Khairan.

Documents

Ramadan Bites 16-20...Ramadan Mini Bites – Part 4 Day 16 - 20 4 You just say ‘Astaghfirullah’ – and you will get more mercy and the love of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You will