“The nature of the Ahlullaah (friends of Allah) is like that of fragrance which floats in the atmosphere due to which all those around cannot help but be perfumed.”
Come, let us be seekers on the path of Tazkiyah (Purification of the heart) in the company of those with purified hearts, illuminated with the love of Allah ta’ala and His beloved Rasool sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam.
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“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
Whoever fasts Ramadān with īmān and iḥtisāb (hoping for reward), all his previous sins will be forgiven. Whoever performs qiyām in Laylat al-Qadr with īmān and iḥtisāb, all his previous sins will be forgiven. Whoever performs qiyām in the month of Ramaḍān with īmān and iḥtisāb, all his previous sins will be forgiven” (Bukhārī).
Notice the caveat of ‘īmān’ and ‘iḥtisāb’ with these actions of Ramaḍān. When you fast in Ramaḍān, it cannot be because of habit, or because it’s what your family does and is deemed ‘culturally’ the right thing to do.
The repetition of īmān and iḥtisāb in the above ḥadīth reminds us that all our good deeds should be an expression of our servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) and obedience to Allah
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If we wish to be successful on the Day of Judgement, then in this world we must develop a sound heart (qalb salīm).
Allah has informed us: …The Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit. Only those who come before Allah with a pure heart (will be saved)” (26:88-9).
In order to achieve a sound heart, we must:
Purify our hearts from its ‘diseases’ and evil characteristics, such as shirk, showing off (riyā’), envy, hatred, pride, greed, heedlessness, hypocrisy, and the love of the world and leadership.
Beautify our hearts with the ‘actions’ of the heart and praiseworthy characteristics. These include: firm belief (īmān), knowledge of Allah (maʿrifah), sincerity (ikhlāṣ), piety and mindfulness (taqwā), trust in Allah (tawakkul), hope (rajā’), fear (khawf), gratitude (shukr), patience (ṣabr), love (ḥubb), yearning for Allah (shawq) and certainty (yaqīn), and excellent character when dealing with the creation of Allah, such as kindness, mercy, love, forgiveness, generosity, humility etc. Taken from here
Occupying yourself with purifying your heart is better than an abundance of prayer and fasting whilst your heart is corrupt. Ibn Rajab
Journeying to Allah is impossible without taking His beloved ﷺ as a guide on this journey
Loving him is the key to loving Allah
Ibn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes,
“The heedless one says سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ out of habit. As for the conscious one, he is constantly thinking about the wonders of creation, or the awesome nature of the Creator, and this thinking drives him to say سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ.
Thus this tasbīḥ is the fruit of these thoughts, and this is the tasbīḥ of the conscious…”
Ibn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes:
“It has been said that the example of the 12 months is like the children of Yaʿqūb (ʿalayhis-salām): Ramaḍān is like Yūsuf (ʿalayhis-salām), while the remaining months resemble his brothers. Just as Yūsuf was Yaʿqūb’s most beloved child,
Ramaḍān is likewise Allah’s most beloved month
From his mercy and compassion, Yūsuf forgave his brothers and said, ‘There is no blame on you today’ (12:92).
Ramaḍān is likewise the month of compassion and mercy
It is a month of blessings, goodness, freedom from the Hell-fire, and forgiveness from the All-Powerful King.
The brothers of Yūsuf (ʿalayhis-salām) came to ask him if he could remedy their situation. Subsequently, Yūsuf (ʿalayhis-salām) treated them with kindness and was hospitable to them. He provided them with food and told his servants: ‘Put their (traded) goods back into their saddlebags, so that they may recognise them when they go back to their family, and perhaps they may return’ (12:62). Thus, one person remedied the shortcomings of eleven others.
Likewise, the month of Ramaḍān is one month that remedies our shortcomings and deficiencies of the other eleven months
Yaʿqūb (ʿalayhis-salām) had eleven sons who were living with him and whose actions he would see at all times. However, his eyesight did not return due to any of their clothing. Instead, it returned due to Yūsuf’s shirt.
Likewise, if the sinner smells the scents of Ramaḍān, sits with those who remind him of Allah, recites the Qur’ān, and avoids backbiting and vain talk, he will be forgiven after being a sinner. He will become close after he was far. His heart which was previously blind, will now have the ability to ‘perceive’.
Throughout his entire life, he will be granted tawfīq (divine providence) to obey Allah, and in his last moments, his soul will be extracted gently from his body. When he eventually meets Allah, he will be blessed with forgiveness and lofty ranks in Paradise.
So, by Allah, take advantage of this blessing during these few days; and you will soon see endless blessings and a very long period of rest and relaxation, Allah willing.” (Adapted from Bustān al-Wāʿiẓīn)
Taken from livewithallah.com
Quotes to reflect upon in times of grief and hardship…
“Understand that whatever befalls you could not have missed you”
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“If this world were to be filled with thorns,
the hearts of the lovers of Allah will still be flowery gardens” Rumi
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“The day the love of Allah enters the heart, mountains of difficulties will be crushed to fine sand” Shaykh Muhammad Akhtar Sahib (Raheemahullah)
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The valley of love is far, but a hundred year’s journey is covered with one sigh!
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He has afflicted you from every direction
in order to pull you back in His direction
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The changing conditions of life do not influence a man whose goal is Allah!
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When we weep, waves rise from the sea of His mercy
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The “Aah!” of the grief of the bandah (slave)
Is joined with the name of Allah!
The secret of the Ṣalāh, its soul and core is the slave’s turning to Allāh in totality whilst in the prayer. Therefore, just as it is not befitting that he turns his face away from the Qiblah to other than it during the Ṣalāh, it is likewise not befitting to turn his heart away from his Lord to other than Him during the Ṣalāh.
Rather he (the slave) makes the Ka’bah, which is the house of Allāh, the Qiblah of his face and body. (Likewise) he makes the Lord of the House the Qiblah of his heart and soul
Ibn al-Qayyīm رحمه الله
Allah has sworn an oath by the pen in the Qur’an (Surah Qalam, verse1) and all great tasks are accomplished by pen.
Abu Hatim Al-Busti has encapsulated the idea that,
The pen is mightier than the sword
When the brave people swear by their sword someday, And count it among things that give honour and veneration to men,
The writers’ pen is sufficient for their honour and superiority, For all times to come, because Allah has sworn oath by the pen
Do our hearts tremble with fear after doing good deeds?
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَآ ءَاتَوا۟ وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَٰجِعُونَ
Those who give to charity whatever they can give, while their hearts are full of fear by the very idea that they shall have to return to their Rabb [Qur’an 23:60]
There are different words for “fear” in the Arabic language. وَجِلَ is fear where the heart is restless due to shortcomings.
The Sahabah gave what they gave in the path of Allah but even after this clearly virtuous act, their hearts trembled with fear. What was their fear?
They were worried about the acceptance of their sadaqah by Allah
Each time we utter this phrase let us remind ourselves of the greatness of Allah and say: Allah is Greater than us, greater than our desires, greater than our loved ones, greater than our hobbies, greater than the most powerful armies and empires, greater than everything.
As our knowledge of الله أكبر deepens, our awe and fear of Allah should increase. A firm belief in the greatness of Allah should lead us to constantly remember, thank and praise Him with our tongues.
It should shake the body into humbling itself, feeling its own insignificance
Adapted from lifewithallah.com
Fragrance of Musk 