Good deeds being an expression of ‘Uboodiyyah

 

“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

 

Full article here

 

The Tranquil Soul

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

The Key to loving Allah

Journeying to Allah is impossible without taking His beloved ﷺ as a guide on this journey

Loving him is the key to loving Allah

The Tasbeeh of the Conscious

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…”

Reflections of Ramadhaan

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

Reflection 1:

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.

Reflection 2:

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

Reflection 3:

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

The Qiblah of the Heart & Soul

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

The Mighty Pen

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

Internalising الله أكبر

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

Riya’ is Self-delusion

Riya’ (hypocrisy) is one of the secret sins of the heart, and often the perpetrator of riya’ is self-deluded and hardly realizes his hypocrisy. Hypocrisy means that the state of the heart, in its intention and desires, does not correspond to the virtue of the outward act; it is the desire for something beside Allah ta’ala, in serving Him, and the desire to gain something from men by that service to Allah; it is to do an action, outwardly for the glory of Allah, but with the intention of having glory of men. The Noble Prophet, Sallallaahu alaihi wasallam, said, “The thing most to be feared for my community is hypocrisy and secret desire.”   If man is not heedful of the direction of his secret desires, they will corrupt his service of Allah.

In its most open form, hypocrisy is falsehood and in its most hidden form, it is guile

It is hidden from him who is neglectful and is manifest to him who searches for it with understanding knowledge; and he who knows the gravity of his need of it cleaves to sincerity, out of fear of hypocrisy.

The Dirty cloth is more in need of washing than perfuming

Sheikh Mawlāna Rashīd Ahmed Gangohi (رحمة الله عليه ) was once asked by someone,

“Should Istighfaar or Durood Shareef be recited first?”

‎He replied ,

‎Do you first wash your dirty clothes or first apply ‘Itr (perfume)?

Thus first one should purify the heart/ soul from the dirt of sins through seeking forgiveness and then the perfume of Durood Shareef should be applied.