Don’t ever underestimate du’a. What is the value of du’a? That you are transferring a situation from your power and ability to the power and ability of Allah. You are moving obstacles from yourself to the One who has no obstacles…
From Ibn al-Jawzi’s ‘Bustan al-Wa’idhin wa Riyad as-Sami’in’ (p. 213-214):
“The month of Ramadan to the other months is like Yusuf to his brothers. So, just like Yusuf was the most beloved son to Ya’qub, Ramadan is likewise the most beloved month to Allah
Something to Ponder
Since last Ramadhan how many of our friends, relatives, and associates have passed on to the next life May Allah mercy on them.
Who knows if we ourselves will to see another Ramadhan. Lets begin our preparations for this Blessed Month
in earnestness as if it were to be our last!
May Allah give us tawfiq to derive all of its blessings ameen.[/QUOTE]
These are collected in al-Ghazzali’s ‘Ihya’ ‘Ulum ad-Din’ (2/195 onwards):
1 – ‘Umar bin al-Khattab رضي الله عنهما said:
“If one of you is blessed with affection from his brother, he should hold onto that as tightly as possible, as it is quite rare for one to be blessed with this.â€
2 – ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما also said:
“Nobody is given anything besides his Islam better than a righteous friend.â€
3 – ‘Ali bin Abi Talib رضي الله عنهما said:
“Tend to your brothers, as they are your sustenance in this world and the next. Do you not hear the saying of the people of Hell:
“Now, we have neither intercessors nor close friends to help us!â€
[ash-Shu'ara'; 100-1]?â€
4 – ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما said:
“By Allah, if I fasted all day without eating, prayed all night without sleeping, spent all of my wealth in the Path of Allah, died the day I died, but had no love in my heart for those who obey Allah, and no hatred in my heart for those who disobey Allah, none of this would benefit me in the least.â€
5 – ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud رضي الله عنهما said:
“If a man were to stand for seventy years worshipping Allah between the Yemeni Corner and the Maqam of Ibrahim (at the Ka’bah), he would still be resurrected on the Day of Judgement with those whom he loved.â€
6 – Ibn as-Sammak رحمة الله عليه said, on his deathbed:
“O Allah! You Know that, even if I had disobeyed You, I loved those who obeyed You! So, make this for me a means of nearness to You!â€
7 – Mujahid رحمة الله عليه said:
“Those who love each other for Allah’s Sake, when they smile at each other, their sins fall from each other, just as the leaves fall from a tree before the winter.â€
8 – al-Ghazali رحمة الله عليه said, commenting on the saying of the Prophet: “The strongest bond of faith is to love for Allah and to hate for Allahâ€:
“Because of this, it is a must that a person have those that he hates for Allah’s Sake, just as he has friends and brothers that he loves for Allah’s Sake.â€
9 – Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنهما said:
“The slave will be brought between the Hands of Allah – the Exalted – on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will Say to him: ‘Did you love one of my awliya’, so that I can join you with him?’“
10 – al-Hasan al-Basri رحمة الله عليه said:
“Being harsh against a fasiq brings you closer to Allah – the Exalted.â€[/QUOTE]
The following has been extracted from Aap Beeti the autobiography of Shaykh Zakariyya Khandelwi رضي الله عنه.
On Integrity
Shaykh Zakariyya Khadelwi رضي الله عنه narrates: " At the time of the annual Jalsa of the Mazahirul Uloom, I have never seen any teacher or administration official partaking of the Madressa food, tea or paan. All the teachers used to eat their own food whenever they found time to eat.
Hazrat Khalil Ahmed saheb رضي الله عنه, however, used to eat with the V.I.P. guests of the Madressa, but food for about ten or twelve people came from his home. This he placed before the guests, and he himself ate from it.
The Principal of the Madressa, Maulana Inayat Ilahi saheb رضي الله عنه always spent the two days and nights of the function at the Madressa. At Zuhr time and late at night he used to sit down alone in a corner of his office, to eat his own simple and cold food. Maulana Zuhoorul Haq رضي الله عنه a teacher was the supervisor of the kitchen during the annual Jalsa and as such remained in the kitchen for twenty-four hours daily.
When the need arose for the food to be tasted for salt etc., he had one of the students taste the food. He himself did not taste it. Whenever he found time, he used to go home to eat. In this manner I have never seen any of the teachers even tasting the food of the Madressa.
In spite of all the precautions, Hazrat Saharanpuri (Ra), on leaving for Hejaz with the intention to settle there permanently, took one added precaution. He granted his own personal library as waqf to the Madressa saying he did not know how many of the Madressas rights are still due against him."[/QUOTE]
“He who acts without knowledge causes more corruption than good, and he who does not consider his speech to be part of his actions sins repeatedly. Satisfaction is scarce, and the true believer should rely on patience. Allaah never bestowed a blessing upon one of His servants and then took it away from him, giving him patience in return for that which was taken away, except that the replacement was better than what was taken away from him.â€
Then he recited the following verse:
“Surely the patient will be paid their wages in full without reckoning.†[39:10]
Do not lose hope in Allah, for He is the Creator. He will create another way for you. Do not flee from your trials; patience in adversity is the foundation of all virtue, of compassion and sainthood.
- Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani رحمة الله عليه [/QUOTE]
"Do not strut proudly on account of your good deeds. Do not let pride waylay you. When you deem yourself holier than others, know that you have fallen into grave error."
Shaykh Saleem al Ashkabadi, purchased an old rooster that had become sick and emaciated due to being neglected by its owner.
Over the course of the following days and weeks Shaykh Saleem al Ashkabadi payed special attention to that old rooster,feeding him an assortment of seeds and nuts, along with home made herbal concoctions.
Likewise the old rooster became devoted too Shaykh Saleem, he would follow the Shaykh everywhere, even during the Shaykhs trips to the bazaar, that old rooster could be seen hobbling along after him.
However as the months passed by, the rooster regained his strength and vitality, the rooster no longer followed the Shaykh around any more, instead he was content to crow and strut and flaunt his handsome coat of feathers, in the chicken pen.
People started expressing surprise and commenting to the Shaykh on the absence of the Old Rooster.
Shaykh Saleem responded; " My brothers you express surprise and amazement at the behaviour of a rooster. Yet I myself am even more surprised at your behaviour! When calamity strikes you come with shoulders drooped and worry and toil etched on your faces to the Masajid, you take extra care in your religious devotions. But when ALLAH through His infinite mercy gives you ease and relieves you of your difficulties, you abandon your devotions ,and turn away from ALLAH. Instead you crow and strut in pursuit of the dhuniyah, filled with vain desires and passions you go back to being heedless, and ungrateful."
Story by Julaybib.
Something to Ponder.
Is it not true, that at times of calamity and misfortune, we become particular with our devotions. Yet in ease we become utterly heedless.
The Ulemah state that if misfortune brings you closer to Allah, then it is in reality a blessing. And if in times of ease and comfort you turn away from Allah then rest assured you are suffering a calamity, and you have earned the displeasure of Allah...and vice versa.
Strange how we seem to consider the blessings of Allah as Calamities, and we consider the Calamities as blessings.
It is reported from `Umar رضي الله عنه that he used to praise Allaah سبØانه وتعالى for tests and trials and when asked about it he said,
“I was not touched by testing except that Allaah bestowed on me four favours: that it wasn’t a test in my Deen, that it was not greater than me, that it was not greater than what befell me, and that I was not deprived of being contented and patient, and that I hope for the reward from Allaah.â€
May Allah guide us all especially a hypocrite and sinner like me ameen.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=sudoku;]السلام عليكم
ماشاء الله
edit: That reminded me of a story of my grandfather in India. One day when he was coming back home, he found a dog that had been injured by a bicycle, and it's legs were broken. So my grandfather brought it back home and used some herbal techniques to treat the wounds and also made a splint for the dog's legs. The dog :mash: became healthy and used to follow my grandfather around (much like the rooster, except not in the house of course). When he was finally healthy, my grandfather dropped him off where he first found him and came back home. A while later he found the dog had followed him back! This happened more than once, until my grandfather decided to keep the dog as a guard dog.
I guess we humans should try to be like the dog rather than the rooster![/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Julaybib;]Salaam.
Very Good analogy, reminds of a classic book of arab literature Shaykh Hamza Yusuf mentioned, written by al kindi its called the preference of dogs over men. In which he highlights the qualities of loyalty that dogs have and humans lack.[/QUOTE]
Repel the thought, for if you don’t, it becomes an idea. So repel the idea, for if you don’t it will become a desire. So fight against that (desire), for if you don’t, it will become a determination and a passion. And if you don’t repel that, it will become an action. And if you don’t replace it with its opposite, it will become a constant habit. So at that point, it will be difficult for you to change it.
- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [from al-Fawaa'id][/QUOTE]
Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه said, “If anyone has five things then he will not be deprived of five others.
1. He who is enabled to show gratitude will never be deprived of increase of blessings.
“If you give thanks, certainly I will give you more.†(14:7)
2. He who is guided to persevere will not be deprived of reward.
“Truly the persevering will be paid their reward in full without reckoning.†(39:10)
اسْتَغْÙÙرÙوا رَبَّكÙمْ Ø¥Ùنَّه٠كَانَ غَÙَّارًا
5. He who is spurred to make supplication is not deprived of an answer.
“Call upon Me, and I shall answer you.†(40:60)
ادْعÙونÙÙŠ أَسْتَجÙبْ Ù„ÙŽÙƒÙمْ
Someone else added a sixth proposition that one who is encouraged to spend will not be deprived of reward thereof.
“And whatsoever you expend (for good) He shall replace it.†(34:39)
The superiority of amassing knowledge over wealth is that the Pharaoh’s vast wealth caused him to say, “Truly I’m deserving of your worship.†Whereas the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) vast knowledge caused him to say, “Truly we have not worshipped You as You deserve to be worshipped.
“I looked at all the friends and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue. I thought about all the dresses but did not find a better dress than piety. I thought about all sorts of wealth but did not find a better wealth than contentment in a little. I thought of all sorts of good deeds but did not find a better deed than offering good advice. I looked at all types of sustenance but did not find a better sustenance than patienceâ€.[/QUOTE]
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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