Salam

Nice post. May Allah bless you (Amin)

if you are out somewhere and probably you are pressed and there's npwater for you to clean up(maybe the expressway), would your prayer be valid when u finally get to the mosque?

salam,


seeking for knowledge is compulsory on every male and female muslim.


seek for knowledge even if it is at china



All muslims are brother.


Your brother/sister is he/she who stays with u in term of hardship

@Mustay

Insert Quote
if you are out somewhere and probably you are pressed and there's npwater for you to clean up(maybe the expressway), would your prayer be valid when u finally get to the mosque?

Salam. Bismillah Rahaman Raheem.
There is no sin when there is no water when you are pressed but when you get to the mosque clean yourself and do ablution before any prayer.

God's True Promise
By Sayed Qutb
Translated By Adil Salahi


After we are informed about the hypocrites in some verses of Surat An-Nur, a verse follows with glad tidings that Almighty Allah's promises His obedient believers. The verse outlines the reward of sincere obedience and proactive faith:

[Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will surely make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will surely establish for them their religion, which He has chosen for them, and that He will surely, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall worship Me, not ascribing a thing as partner unto Me. And those who reject faith after that are the miscreants.] (An-Nur 24:55)

Such is Allah's promise to the believers who do good deeds and follow the guidance of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). This promised reward is awarded in this life first, before human beings are held to account on the Day of Resurrection. According to this divine promise, the believers who do good will be given power and will be established on earth. Their state of fear will be replaced by a state of reassurance and security. Certainly, Allah's promise always comes true.

Actions, Not Words

It is then pertinent to ask about the nature of the faith referred to in the verse, as well as the practical fulfillment of this promise by Allah .Great indeed is the true faith required as a condition for fulfilling the promise given by Almighty Allah. It influences all human activity and defines its direction.

Once faith is well established in a person's heart, it begins to manifest itself in the form of positive and constructive actions purely undertaken for Allah's sake. It means full compliance with Allah's orders in all matters, major and minor. Furthermore, this faith transforms a believer's desires and inclinations in such as a way as to make them all in line with the Prophet's guidance bestowed on him by Allah.

It is the sort of faith that positively impacts people's whole entity, feelings, aspirations, natural inclinations, actions, and movements. It is the faith that governs people's behavior at home, in society, and with their Lord. All these must be devoted to Almighty Allah alone. This is specifically mentioned in the verse as a condition for giving believers power and establishing them on earth: [They will worship Me, not ascribing a thing as partner unto Me.]

Different Faces of Idolatry

Idolatry can take different shapes. It can creep into a person's mind through a variety of ways. However, the verse makes it clear that devoting one's deeds to anyone other than Allah is a manifestation of idolatry.

Through such trust and power, the believers would be able to establish justice on earth and lead humanity to a state of sublimity.
Belief in Allah is a complete way of life. It incorporates all divine orders, including the providing of all means, taking all precautions, and ensuring all that is necessary to fulfill the great trust of being in charge of the earth and of building human life on it.

So, what does this involve in reality? It does not merely entail being in power and forming a government. Rather, it involves all this with the proviso that it is used for promoting sound human life and the implementation of the way of life chosen by Allah for humankind. It is only through such implementation that humanity can achieve the level of perfection that befits the species that Allah has honored.

The trust given to human beings on earth is meant for building and promoting goodness, not for corruption and destruction. If truly handled, it should ensure justice and happiness for all, not the opposite. It leads to the elevation of human beings, saving them from sinking to the level of animals.

It is such power and such trust that Almighty Allah has promised the believers who do good deeds. He promised to give them power on earth, just as He gave it to earlier communities of believers so that they would put into practice the constitution He chose for His servants. Through such trust and power, the believers would be able to establish justice on earth and lead humanity to a state of sublimity.

In contrast to true believers, people who spread corruption and injustice and promote carnal desires are not in the position of trustees. They are subjected to a test or are the means to test others. All this is done to fulfill Allah's purpose. What further demonstrates this aspect of giving power to the believers is the fact that this promise is followed in the same verse by another one:

[And that He will surely establish for them their religion, which He has chosen for them.]

The firm establishment of their religion means that religion will, on one hand, take a firm hold on people's hearts and will, on the other, form the basis on which all life affairs are conducted. Allah has promised the believers who do righteous deeds to grant them power on earth and to make their faith govern human life. Their faith bids them do well, establish justice, shun worldly desires, and build a happy human life, making good use of all the resources Allah has placed on earth. More importantly, their faith drives them to devoting all these to Almighty Allah alone.

Furthermore, Allah's promise to the believers stipulates [And that He will surely, after their fear, give them security in exchange.]
For a long period of time, the Prophet's Companions were in a state of fear. Even after the immigration to Madinah, the city that served as the first base for Islam in history, they still could not put down their arms. Ar-Rabi` ibn Anas quoted Abu Al-`Aliyah's comments on this verse as follows:

The Prophet and his Companions remained in Makkah for around 10 years calling upon people to believe in and worship Almighty Allah alone, associating no partners whatsoever with Him. They did so in secret, as they were in a state of fear, and also they were commanded not to fight. But, when they later immigrated to Madinah, they were allowed and even commanded to fight for their cause.This meant that they were again in a state of fear, wearing their body armors day and night.

They persevered for as long as Almighty Allah willed. That being the case, one of the Companions asked the Prophet, "Are we to remain in fear for the rest of time? Will there come a time when we can put our armaments aside?" The Prophet replied, "It will not be long before any one of you can sit among a huge crowd without anyone carrying arms." Soon afterwards, Allah revealed this verse [quoted above].

The Prophet was thus able to establish his authority over the whole of Arabia , and his followers became in a state of security. Therefore, they put down their arms. As such, after the Prophet's death, the Muslims remained in security during the reigns of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, `Umar ibn Al-Khattab, and `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with them all). Yet, after that, friction occurred among the Muslims, and thus fear crept into their midst. When they changed their overall stance, their conditions also changed.

Not Among Those Promised

[And those who reject faith after that are the miscreants.] They are the ones who do not meet Allah's conditions, and therefore, His promise does not apply to them. When Allah's promise was fulfilled once, it remained effective for as long as the Muslims continued to meet the conditions set by Him: [They shall worship Me, not ascribing a thing as partner unto Me.] This includes any partners, whether deities to which worship is offered or personal desires and ambitions.

Victory, power, and security may be slow in coming, but this will only be the result of the believers' failure to meet some aspects of the conditions outlined. But, when Muslims have benefited from the trials they have to endure and passed the test Allah put them to; when they have endured fear and sought security; when they have yearned for dignity after humiliation; and when they have aspired to power after weakness, only then Allah's promise will be fulfilled for them in spite of any opposing power.

True believers must never give any weight to the power of unbelievers who fight the believers on account of their faith. Almighty Allah says:

[And keep up Prayer and pay the zakah and obey the Messenger so that mercy may be shown to you. Think not that those who disbelieve shall escape in the earth, and Fire will be their abode, and certainly evil is the resort!] (An-Nur 24:56–57)

Believers must maintain their bond with their Lord. They should keep their minds and hearts on the right path through Prayer. They should resist stinginess and purify themselves as individuals and as a community through the payment of zakah (obligatory alms). They must obey the Prophet and accept his judgment and implement Allah's law in all matters, great or small.

If properly achieved, this would enable Muslims to set human life on the path that Allah chose for them. Moreover, believers must do all this so that perhaps mercy may be shown to them. In this worldly life, Allah's mercy removes corruption, fear, worry, and error, and in the hereafter, it acts as a shield against His punishment, if He so wills.

* This article has been taken with modifications from the author's book In The Shade of The Qur'an.

Sayed Qutb(1906-1966) was a prominent and influential Muslim intellectual and writer. He wrote many books about Islam and its distinctive features as a comprehensive way of life. Among his most important works is his exegesis of the Qur'an In the Shade of the Qur'an, which was widely welcomed among Muslims and established itself as one of the best references in Qur'an exegesis.


"O Allah! let me love You as You deserved to be loved, and let me fear You as You deserve to be feared, and let me leave this world serving Your creation for Your sake! "O Allah! let my heart have light, and my sight have light, and my hearing (senses) have light, and let me have light on my right, and let me have light on my left, and let me have light above me, and have light under me, and have light in front of me, and have light behind me; and let me have light." (Bukhari, vol. 8. pp. 221, #329)

Assalam Alaikum

There's an issue that has being bothering me for sometime now and I dont know how to approach it, but by Allah's mercy I stumbled upon this forum today. . . .If a father gives out his daughter's hand in marriage, receives conditional gifts, and fixes the date of the marriage, can he later (after 2 yrs and for no just reason), decide to nullify it eventhough the couples are still interested in each other?And if he does so, how can he be influenced out of his decision?PLS ADVICE ME

One thing we constantly hear from the followers of Islam is that, "There is no compulsion in religion." Perhaps someone could then explain the hadith of sahih Bukhari vol. 1, book 11/ number626. This hadith states quite clearly that The Great Prophet ordered the the homes, and the people in them , to be burnt for not heeding the call to prayers. Maybe you have a different meaning for the word "compulsion" but as I understand it and the dictionary explains it, compulsion it was.

The issue here concerns only muslims.The hadith came only to show the importance of the 2 prayers.In Islam, every act has its rewards or punishment.The prophet is trying to show people that if they ignore these prayers that is the punishment they will meet unless God forgives them.So, the prophet did that to save the people from the punishment.And I have not yet stumbled upon anything that says he has ever carried-out the act.

tearface:

Assalam Alaikum

There's an issue that has being bothering me for sometime now and I don't know how to approach it, but by Allah's mercy I stumbled upon this forum today. . . .If a father gives out his daughter's hand in marriage, receives conditional gifts, and fixes the date of the marriage, can he later (after 2 years and for no just reason), decide to nullify it eventhough the couples are still interested in each other?And if he does so, how can he be influenced out of his decision?PLS ADVICE ME

Assalam Alaikum

Bro …the parent has no right to nullify the marriage if both of you are still interest one another. you have the right to depend your marriage if no reason to be found. It is not the right of the parent to intervene the two couple of their relationship. You should seek advice from Imam or sheik in your community. Just a piece of advice brother.

InshaAllah he will guide you to the rightpath.

I find it very difficult to understand the reason for smoking while there are lots of danger in smoking.some adverts write BOLDLY that SMOKERS ARE LIABLE TO DIE YOUNG! and people still smoke please let me have your views

infoseller.

Islam bans Smoking. The health conscious people do not

@Tearface

Salam sister.

I think your question is being attended to in another thread and I thank you for providing explanation to Piacere on the Hadith he claimed meant compulsion to him which happened to be similar to my response towards him.

May Allah increases your knowledge

(39) And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do. (40) If they refuse, be sure that Allah is your Protector - the best to protect and the best to help. (41) And know that out of all the booty that ye may acquire (in war), a fifth share is assigned to Allah,- and to the Messenger, and to near relatives, orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer,- if ye do believe in Allah and in the revelation We sent down to Our servant on the Day of Testing,- the Day of the meeting of the two forces. For Allah hath power over all things.
(Al-Anfal: 39 - 41)

Creating the Balance

Islam does not subscribe to the type of asceticism where we purify our hearts and yet remain immersed in political, economic or social corruption. Purification must encompass our entire life, the privacy of our thoughts as well as their social manifestations in our daily life.

Everything must be in conformity with Allah's will. This will of God also requires you to seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations that demand your attention; between your obligations to Allah, your obligations towards others and your obligations towards yourself.

The Prophet advised us against extremism of any kind. It is reported that he said to Abdullah ibn Amr,

Have I heard right that you fast everyday and stand in prayer all night? Abdullah replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah" The Prophet said, "Do not do that. Fast, as well as eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as sleep. For your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you." (Muslim)

Unless you approach purification as an all-embracing process, you will find that your life is compartmentalized, certain parts impeding the development of others. This can only result in a life of disharmony and unhappiness.

Approached as a comprehensive and all-embracing process, however, you will find that each part of your life will complement some other part.

This should, God willing, make your struggle on the path to God and Paradise easier and full of grace. As you struggle to make headway on the path to God, always remember that you have an excellent example before you. This is the example of the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace.

Often we would like to emulate our sports heroes, our parents, our teachers, our friends or others who attract our attention.

For your spiritual development, however, the most beautiful example is that of the Prophet. Allah says in the Quran:

{You have, indeed, in the Messenger of God an excellent exemplar, whoever places his hopes in God and the Final Day, and who remembers Allah much.}(Al-Ahzab 33: 21)

Blessings and Benefits

The decision to purify and develop yourself requires that you clearly define the path and consider the ways and means to achieve Paradise . This whole process will not only purify your heart, but also affect your entire life and the will of Allah will become so much easier for you to follow.

Following the Divine Will is, of course, purification itself. Soon, all your efforts will be directed towards the ultimate goal – the pleasure of Allah and Paradise .

Know that every sin can be effaced through forgiveness, and forgiveness is a sure way to Paradise . As you strive to better yourself, then, simultaneously and continuously pray for forgiveness for all your shortcomings.

{God says: And whoever repents and believes and works righteous deeds, God changes evil deeds into good ones, and God is Ever-Forgiving, Merciful.}(Al-Furqan 25:70)

It is a misconception to believe that simply by setting up Paradise as the ultimate goal, one can get there without any further effort.

It is also a misconception that Paradise can solely be achieved by concentrating only on certain aspects of life, the "religious and the spiritual."

The very fact that Paradise is the ultimate objective means that purification must be pursued in all aspects of life, and in life as a whole. Consider, for example, the following:

· Is not honesty a means to enter Paradise ?

· Will not a sense of responsibility enable me to enter Paradise ?

· Will not striving to fulfill the needs of fellow human beings make me deserve Paradise ?

· Will not abstaining from vain talk and aimless actions bring me closer to Paradise ?

· Is not consciousness of the best use of my time a key to Paradise ?

· Will not keeping promises and offering prayer on time, which are distinguishing traits of the righteous, put me on the highway to Paradise ?

· Must not all of the above be sought to attain Paradise ? Every effort that is legitimate and is aimed at attaining Paradise is also an integral part of the process of purification.

Insha' Allah (God willing), if you take heed of all the prerequisites, blessings and benefits of purification, you will surely find the right environment, the true companionship and brotherhood and the most appropriate training programs to make the task of self development easier and more rewarding.

{So give the good news to My servants who listen to the word [of God], then follow the beauty in it. Such are they whom God has guided. And such are they who are endowed with understanding } (Az-Zumar 39:17-18

@asamuel
Now see, your story is confirming what people are saying about you. I am coming back with full response, just a bit busy.

(96) Until the Gog and Magog (people) are let through (their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every hill. (97) Then will the true promise draw nigh (of fulfilment): then behold! the eyes of the Unbelievers will fixedly stare in horror: "Ah! Woe to us! we were indeed heedless of this; nay, we truly did wrong!" (98) Verily ye, (unbelievers), and the (false) gods that ye worship besides Allah, are (but) fuel for Hell! to it will ye (surely) come!
(Al-Anbiya: 96 - 98)

Tips on attaining Patience

1. If it is difficult for you to be patient, then you can sincerely supplicate to Allah (Ta'ala) to make you patient.
The Prophet (SalAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: 'Whoever seeks to be patient, Allah will make him patient
[Bukhari]. So ask Allah (Ta'ala) to make you patient.

Prophet Ayuub (alayhis salam) said to Allah (Ta'ala) in supplication:
"Verily distress has seized me,and you are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy." [Quran 21.83]

"We found him patient; how excellent a servant! Truly he was ever turning (to God) with supplications." [Quran38.44]

If we walk towards Allah (Ta'ala), Allah will run towards us and help us.

2. Our good intentions are rewarded!!! So your good intentions to become patient will be rewarded, inshaAllah. And good intentions are very important.

"Verily, Allah (Ta'ala) has ordered that the good and the bad deeds be written down. Then He explained it clearly how (to write): He who intends to do a good deed but he does not do it, then Allah records it for him as a full good deed, but if he carries out his intention, then Allah the Exalted, writes it down for him as from ten to seven hundred folds, and even more. But if he intends to do an evil act and has not done it, then Allah writes it down with Him as a full good deed, but if he intends it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed". [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

3. If you get into something that might make you impatient then say:

"Truly to Allah we belong, and truly to Him shall we return".

"Certainly, We shall test you with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient - those who, when afflicted with calamity say, "Truly to Allah we belong, and truly to Him shall we return." it is those who will be awarded blessings and mercy from their Lord; and it is those who are the guided ones" [Quran 2:155-157]

4. Try to do deeds that Allah (Ta'ala) loves. Basically any good islamic practices that will allow you to get closer to Allah (Ta'ala), and this will change your overall character, and therefore, patience, inshaAllah.
Dhikr might help you. Dhikr means to remember God. And for that,we repeat phrases of worships such as: "La ilaha ill-Allah" (There is no deity worthy of worship, but Allah (Ta'ala), "Astaghfirullah" (I seek the forgiveness of Allah), etc.

5. Always keep in mind the reward for the patient ones,it will allow you to keep striving. The reward is immense as Allah (Ta'ala) says

Say: "O ye my servants who believe! Fear your Lord: good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world. Spacious is Allah's earth! Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!"
[39:10]

6.If something annoys you, remember this hadith:

Abu Saeed al-Khudri (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:

"A Muslim is not afflicted by hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression - even if pricked by a thorn, but Allah expiates his sins because of that." [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Aishah (radiAllahu anha) narrated that once some pain afflicted the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) causing him to suffer and turn about in his bed. she said:

"Had one of us done this, you would have blamed him." He (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied:

"An ailment is intensified for the righteous. whenever a believer is afflicted by a hardship, whether it is a thorn or more, a sin is taken off from him because of it, and he is elevated by one rank (in Jannah) [i.e. in Paradise ]."
[Ahmad]

7. You can always try to fast if you think it could help you. If being patient is difficult to achieve, then try to fast if you are able too. The reward for fasting is IMMENSE.

Fasting will allow you to focus on pleasing Allah (Ta'ala), so you will more likely become patient. If you have never fasted before, the first fast might be a little difficult, but then it will be easy, and Allah (Ta'ala) will help you. Remember that for every effort that you make to become patient, you will be rewarded, inshaAllah.

8.The lack of patience will not change things around you,on the contrary it will only worsen things if you are impatient, so it will make you more sad. If you realize that it will only further your anguish, then it will help you strive to be patient. Just think of the time when you were impatient, the bad feeling you had, then think to yourself "Do I want to feel like that again?"

Finally, thinking of the reward will always keep you striving.

The Excellence of Friday
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Abu Huraira reported the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as saying: ‘The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was made to enter Paradise , on it he was expelled from it. And the Last Hour will take place on no day other than Friday.’ The Holy Prophet also said on the occasion of Friday: ‘We who are the last shall be the first on the Day of resurrection, except that every Ummah (nation) was given the Book before us and we where given it after them. It was this day (Friday) which Allah prescribed for us and guided us to it and the people came after us with regard to it, the Jews observing the next day and the Christians the day following that.’ With regard to Friday, the Holy Prophet was also reported as saying: ‘There is no time on Friday at which no Muslim would stand, pray and beg Allah for what is good but He would give it to him’ and he pointed with his hand that (this time) is short and narrow. There is a good deal of difference of opinion among the scholars as to what exactly is that fortunate hour on Friday when the supplication would be granted. The best course is that this hour should be treated as hidden, and the whole day should be spent in supplication and glorification of Allah. It was the Holy Prophet’s practice to attach special significance and honour to Friday. Examples of this behaviour are numerous, however, the following could be cited: On that day, he recommenced reciting Soorah as-Sajdah (in fajr) [and al-Insaan] because it is inclusive of all affairs relevant to Friday; taking a bath, using perfume and miswak, going to Friday’s congregational prayer early, listening to the sermon, wearing one’s best clothes and remembering Allah all the time. When the Holy Prophet stood on the pulpit delivering Friday speech (sermon), his eyes would redden and his voice rise sharply with extreme anger. He, however, used to shorten the speech but prolong the prayer following it.

Barka Da Jumah.

Rabbanna la tu'a-khidhna in-nasina aw akh-ta'na, Rabbanna wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala-lladhina min qablina, Rab-bana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa-'fu 'anna waghfirlana warhamna anta Maulana fansurna 'alal-qawmil kaafirin.(2:286)


"Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people."

Your Heart and Gates of Satan

The heart is the most honorable part of the human body, for it is the part that knows Allah, works for Him, seeks to draw near to Him, and feels the value of His bounties and favors. The other organs are only followers of the heart, which it utilizes as kings utilize their slaves.

Whoever knows his or her heart knows the Lord, yet most people are ignorant of their hearts and souls. Allah, Most High, comes in between a person and his or her heart, and He is in full control of all hearts. Thus, knowing the heart and its qualities and functions is an integral part of the religion and a basis for those who seek the right way to Almighty Allah.

Naturally, the heart is prepared to accept guidance, but because of vain desires and wishes, it may reject such guidance. In this way, the heart remains a field of struggle between angels (the soldiers of good) and devils (the soldiers of evil) until it chooses to side with either. Then, the chosen party will settle in the heart, with the heart still having to resist the other party.

The only way to get devils out of the heart is to remember and mention Almighty Allah, as they cannot stay in a place where Allah, the Lord of all, is mentioned. In the Qur'an, Almighty Allah says:

[Say, "I take refuge with the Lord of humankind, the King of humankind, the God of humankind from the evil of the constantly slinking whisperer, who whispers in the breasts of humankind, of the Jinn and humankind."] (An-Nas 114:1-6)

The Gates

The heart is like a fort, and the Devil is like an enemy who seeks to enter this fort and control it. The best way to protect a fort is to safeguard its gates, and none can safeguard its gates except a person who is well aware of them. By the same token, no one can push Satan away except one who knows the means that he usually uses to penetrate the forts of his victims. Satan's means of penetration are human's qualities, which are so many. We are going to mention only some of those methods much used by the soldiers of Satan.

Envy and covetousness:- Once people covet something, their desire puts out the light of their hearts with which they would recognize Satan's evil means of penetration. Satan finds more support if the covetous person is envious, as this enables Satan to make good in the person's eyes everything that may help in satisfying his or her desire, no matter how abominable or offensive it may be.

Wrath and craving:- Anger precludes recognition. Once a person is no longer able to recognize things around him or her, it is then most suitable for Satan to attack with his evil insinuations. It is said that when a man becomes heedlessly angry, devils play with him as boys play with a ball.

Eating one's fill:- This strengthens one's desire and distracts from showing obedience to the Creator.

Haste:- About it, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "Deliberation is from Allah, and haste is from Satan." (This hadith is regarded as hasan by Al-Albani)

Love of wealth:- If inculcated in one's heart, it ruins it, driving the person to seek wealth through lawful or even unlawful means and making such person stingy and very afraid of poverty. A person like this in most cases holds the due rights of others unjustly.

Fanaticism:- Some people may fanatically follow or support certain doctrines or views without even acting according to the good requirements entailed therein. Moreover, they may be interested only in thinking about Allah's existence and attributes as well as other matters that are beyond their comprehension; thus they may come to doubt the very foundations of the religion they vehemently defend.

Thinking ill of other:- When a Muslim thinks ill of others, he or she may be led to despise, backbite, or spread evil things about them. He or she may, thus, believe that he or she is better than them.

A believer, on the contrary, should never think ill of others; rather, he or she should seek excuses for them. That is the way of believers. The hypocrite, on the other hand, always tries to detect defects and flaws in others. Anyway, a Muslim should keep away from suspicious situations so that others may not think ill of him or her.

These are some of the means used by Satan to lead humans to the way of evil. The remedy of these flaws is simply to block the ways leading to them and to purify the heart from all dispraised qualities.

When someone's heart is void of these evils, which represent the main instrumentality of Satan against human beings, nothing significant remains to support Satan against them. Satan is simply driven away just by mentioning the name of Almighty Allah. Adversely, if a person whose heart is controlled by vain desires and lusts remembers Allah, his or her remembrance does not settle in his or her heart, for Satan has already established himself therein.

The Solution

A person may experience the truth of this by observing his or her own Prayer, during which Satan keeps reminding him or her of worldly matters.

Out of Allah's mercy, this can be overcome: If a person, out of fear from the Creator, refrains from doing an evil thing that he or she has intended to do, it is written down for him or her as one good deed. But, if one has ultimately made up one's mind to do a certain evil deed, it is recorded against one as a sin.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "When two Muslims fight (meet) each other with their swords, both the murderer as well as the murdered will go to the Hell." He was then asked, "O Allah's Messenger! We understand why the murderer would go to Hell, but what about the murdered one?" The Prophet replied, "He surely had the intention to kill his companion." (Al-Bukhari)

Determination and keenness are condemned here because people's actions are judged according to their intentions; is it not that pride, hypocrisy, and ostentation are inner matters?

It was reported in a hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say, "O You Who [Allah] turns hearts, keep our hearts adherent to Your religion." (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

The Prophet is also reported to have said, "The heart is like a feather that the wind turns over in a desert." (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

May Allah help us and make our heart alwaysin remembrance of HIM and inclined towards doing good.

Barka Jum'ah.

And please do remember to get to the mosque early for the Imam's sermon has a reward

Mustay:

Barka Jum'ah.

And please do remember to get to the mosque early for the Imam's sermon has a reward

Barka Jum'ah bruv

Mustay, when the mosque is miles away from the work-place, what can one do?

I work just outside London and i can't remember when i went to a Jumaat service last!!

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Allah has said: "So keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him as much as you can; listen and obey; and spend in charity, that is better for yourselves. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones".[64: 16]. If you can go to the mosque, you should not miss the prayer in it. Know that the Prophet, when asked by a blind man to give him permission to pray in his home as he did not have any one to guide him to the mosque, said to him: "Do you hear the call?" When the blind man said: "Yes", he said to him: "Answer it; I do not find any authorization for you". [Muslim]. The scholars took this Hadith as a sound evidence for the obligation to pray in the mosque in congregation and that it is unlawful to miss it except for a sound excuse such as heavy rain or severe illness. The Prophet said: "The congregational prayer of anyone amongst you is more than twenty five times in reward than his prayer in the market or in his house". [Al Bukhari].
He also said: "The congregational prayer of anyone amongst you is more than twenty (five or twenty seven) times in reward than his prayer in the market or in his house, for if he performs ablution completely and then goes to the mosque with the sole intention of performing the prayer, and nothing urges him to proceed to the mosque except the prayer, then, on every step which he takes towards the mosque, he will be raised one degree or one of his sins will be forgiven. The angels will keep on asking Allah's forgiveness and blessings for everyone of you so long as he keeps sitting at his praying place. The angels will say, 'O Allah, bless him! O Allah, be merciful to him!' as long as he does not do Hadath or a thing which gives trouble to the other." The Prophet further said, "One is regarded in prayer so long as one is waiting for the prayer." [Al Bukhari].
So, Dear Brother, do your best to attend all the prayers in congregation. If you can not go to the mosque, for some reason, you can pray in your home or anywhere else (street) provided that it is a pure place. If there are people passing in front of you, put something (Sutra) between you and the passing people. The Prophet said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said" The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for offering Salat (prayer) and a thing to purify (perform Tayammum), therefore anyone of my followers can offer Salat wherever he is, at the time of a Salat". [Al Bukhari]
If you find some difficulties, Allah will give you a better reward.

Allah knows best.

[center]The conditions for saying the Jumu'ah Salaat[/center]

1. The Jumu'ah salaat should be in a city, BIG VILLAGE or a TOWN like the city. It is NOT PROPER to perform the Jumu'ah salaat in a SMALL VILLAGE.
2.Jumu'ah should be performed at Zohar time.
3. KHUTBAH (address by the Imam) should be delivered BEFORE the salaat.
4. The salaat should be read with Jamaat. It is compulsory to have at least three men besides the Imam to offer the salaat, or else the salaat will not be valid.
5. IZNE AAM (permission to all to attend).

If all these FIVE conditions are found, performing to the Jumu'ah Salaat will be CORRECT.




Most of us do these which is not proper:

[center]Things not allowed during the khutba[/center]

1. Talking.
2. Offering SUNNAT and NAFL Salaat.
3. Eating.
4. Drinking.
5. To reply to any TALK.
6. Reciting the QURAAN SHARIF, etc.

All those things, which DISTURB the Khutba, become MAKROOH from the minute the Imam prepares to deliver the Khutba. 


In addition, counting tasbirs while the Imam is giving his lecture is very wrong


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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvEwArhlMpU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"[/flash]


My Brother, Jum'ah is a very important congregation, If there is no mosque in your town, try to reach the nearest large city with a mosque at Jumah time.

Also, If you find four other brothers in your town, you can perform jumma in a house or apartment.

I've been told this since I was about 7

Narrated Abu Huraira(R.A.):
Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "Any person who takes a bath on Friday like the bath of Janaba and then goes for the prayer (in the first hour i.e. early), it is as if he had sacrificed a camel (in Allah's cause); and whoever goes in the second hour it is as if he had sacrificed a cow; and whoever goes in the third hour, then it is as if he had sacrificed a horned ram; and if one goes in the fourth hour, then it is as if he had sacrificed a hen; and whoever goes in the fifth hour then it is as if he had offered an egg. When the Imam comes out (i.e. starts delivering the Khutba), the angels present themselves to listen to the Khutba." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 13, Number 6:

[list]
[li]Narrated Abu Hurayrah(R.A.):
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was made to enter Paradise, on it he was expelled from it. Sahih Muslim: Book 4, Number 1856:[/li]

---

[li]Narrated Abu Huraira(R.A.):
Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) talked about Friday and said, "There is an hour (opportune time) on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while praying and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet his demand." And he (the Prophet) pointed out the shortness of that time with his hands. Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 13, Number 57: [/li]

---

[li]Narrated Salman-Al-Farsi(R.A.):
The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Whoever takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, then uses his (hair) oil or perfumes himself with the scent of his house, then proceeds (for the Jumua prayer) and does not separate two persons sitting together (in the mosque), then prays as much as (Allah has) written for him and then remains silent while the Imam is delivering the Khutba, his sins in-between the present and the last Friday would be forgiven." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 13, Number 8: [/li]

---

[li]Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar(R.A.) ; Abu Hurayrah(R.A.):
Ibn Umar and Abu Hurayrah heard Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) say on the planks of his pulpit: People must cease to neglect the Friday prayer, or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the negligent. Sahih Muslim: Book 4, Number 1882: [/li]

[/list]

Surat Al-Baqarah 2: 196

[size=20pt]وَأَتِمُّواْ الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ لِلّهِ فَإِنْ أُحْصِرْتُمْ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ وَلاَ تَحْلِقُواْ رُؤُوسَكُمْ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْهَدْيُ مَحِلَّهُ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضاً أَوْ بِهِ أَذًى مِّن رَّأْسِهِ فَفِدْيَةٌ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ فَإِذَا أَمِنتُمْ فَمَن تَمَتَّعَ بِالْعُمْرَةِ إِلَى الْحَجِّ فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ فِي الْحَجِّ وَسَبْعَةٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ تِلْكَ عَشَرَةٌ كَامِلَةٌ ذَلِكَ لِمَن لَّمْ يَكُنْ أَهْلُهُ حَاضِرِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ[/size]

And perform properly (i.e. all the ceremonies according to the ways of Prophet Muhammad SAW), the Hajj and 'Umrah (i.e. the pilgrimage to Makkah) for Allah. But if you are prevented (from completing them), sacrifice a Hady (animal, i.e. a sheep, a cow, or a camel, etc.) such as you can afford, and do not shave your heads until the Hady reaches the place of sacrifice. And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving), he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of either observing Saum (fasts) (three days) or giving Sadaqah (charity - feeding six poor persons) or offering sacrifice (one sheep). Then if you are in safety and whosoever performs the 'Umrah in the months of Hajj, before (performing) the Hajj, (i.e. Hajj-at-Tamattu' and Al-Qiran), he must slaughter a Hady such as he can afford, but if he cannot afford it, he should observe Saum (fasts) three days during the Hajj and seven days after his return (to his home), making ten days in all. This is for him whose family is not present at Al-Masjid-al-Haram (i.e. non-resident of Makkah). And fear Allah much and know that Allah is Severe in punishment.

The Day of Judgement will last for fifty thousand calender years, during which time people will stand before thier lord to receive His sentence. He will judge between them on the matters wherein they use to differ. They will be distinct in respect of thier iman and thier ranks. The mizan is a fact and as-zirat is a fact and the intercessionof the chief of the Messengers is a fact, and the intercession by those entitled to it by Allah is a fact. May Almighty Allah forgive us our sins before the doomsday, on the day when no wealth or family will be of any assistant, except who arrived with a clean heart. Amin.

Surat Al-Baqara 2:155
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وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ[/size]
And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).

Refinement of the Soul

In Surat Ash-Shams, Allah swears by the nafs [here translated “soul” but better understood as “self”] saying [By the soul [nafs] and He Who proportioned it, and inspired it its wickedness and its righteousness; he has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it (with corruption)]. (Ash-Shams: 7-9).

The above Qur’anic verses signify the following:

1. Allah swears by the nafs, and this is an indication of the serious role that the nafs plays in the life of man. According to the verses, Allah has created the nafs and inspired it with what is right and what is wrong. This means that every nafs could know what is right and what is wrong. Every nafs could drive and lead man to the truth if it is good and purified.

The nafs is of three kinds:

a. Ammarah or evil-inciting, which is prone to evil, and, if not checked and controlled, will lead to perdition. This kind of nafs in stated in Surat Yusuf: [Yet, I do not absolve myself (of blame): it (human) soul [nafs] certainly incites evil, unless my Lord do bestow His mercy: but surely my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful] (Yusuf: 53).

b. Lawwamah or self-reproaching, which is conscious of evil and resists it, asks for Allah’s grace and pardon after repentance, and tries to amend. It hopes to reach salvation. This kind of nafs is stated in Surat Al-Qiyamah, where Allah says: [I do swear by the Resurrection Day, and I do swear by the self-reproaching soul [nafs]] (Al-Qiyamah: 1-2).

c. Mutma’inah or reassured. This is the highest kind of nafs, which achieves full rest and satisfaction. This is referred to in Surat Al-Fajr: [O reassured soul [nafs], return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing (to Him), and enter among My servants and enter My paradise] (Al-Fajr: 27-30).

2. [He has succeeded who purifies it] This verse guides the Muslims to the way of success both in this world and the world to come. Success depends on purification of the nafs. The important question, then, is how can a Muslim purify and refine his or her nafs in order to succeed?

Tazkiyat an-nafs (purification of the nafs) is the basis for development and improvement of the personality. It is a long, proactive, and uphill task. It is not an easy esoteric rite or overnight formula. Misunderstanding of tazkiyah manifests when people look for quick methods of becoming better. Some may visit graves of the righteous; some may repeat certain supplications a given number of times. Yet others subject themselves to physical suffering in the hope that this will lead to spiritual purity. All of these are forms of escapism from facing the real challenges of tazkiyah.

3. [And he has failed who instills it (with corruption).] The last point to be reflected on is the causes of failure both in this world and in the Hereafter. The corruption of one’s self (nafs) is the result of following the ways of Satan, violating the rules of Shari `ah, and following vain desires.

Tazkiyah Is by Allah

[Allah purifies whom He wants] (An-Nisaa’: 49). All human effort towards tazkiyah should always be accompanied by supplication for Allah's support, without which human effort will bear no fruit. On the other hand, it is wrong for a human to make no effort and passively expect Allah’s help. Humans must play their role before expecting Allah's help.

Human Efforts Toward Tazkiyah

The human can do a lot to refine the nafs. The Qur'an talks about humans who purified themselves and about human efforts toward refinement (Fatir:18). Humans have been described by the Qur'an as clean (Maryam:19). Some human self-refinement (tazkiyah) involves maintaining correct and firm `aqeedah (belief), observing the acts of worship, avoiding the forbidden, reflecting on the creation, developing a good character and good behavior, and avoiding bad behavior.

The Seven under the Shade of Allaah Almighty

On the Day of Resurrection, all people that ever lived will be gathered before Allaah to await His judgment for all they have done of said during their lives. During this time, the sun will come very close to the people (as close as one mile according to some narrations).

People will want to get away from the heat of the sun but there will be no Shade or shelter to go to and they will start sweating in proportion to their sins. The more sins a person has the more he or she will sweat.

During this traumatic time, however, the seven groups of people who are mentioned in the following Hadeeth (Prophetic narration) will be completely immune to the sun's heat and they will be in complete comfort.

These people will be in such comfort because they will be enjoying the only shade available on that day and that is the Shade of Allaah. They will enjoy such an honor because of their piety and obedience to Allaah while they were in this life.

The Prophet said: "There are seven whom Allaah will shade in His Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each other for Allaah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal intercourse] , but be says: 'I fear Allaah'; a man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allaah in private and so his eyes shed tears." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

In this beautiful narration, the Prophet spoke about small acts of worship which result in such a huge reward: shade on the Day when there will be no shade except His Shade, i.e., the Shade of His Throne.

This may not seem like much at first but then reflect upon the following narration: "On the Day of Resurrection, the sun would draw so close to the people that there would be left a distance of only one mile. The people will be submerged in perspiration according to their deeds, some up to their ankles, some up to their knees, some up to the waist and some would have the bridle of perspiration (and, while saying this, the Messenger of Allaah put his hand towards his mouth)." [Muslim]

Let us examine now the characteristics and virtues of these seven categories of people who will be worthy of such an exalted position on the Day of Gathering.

1. A Just Ruler: The concept of Justice in Islam is very important and it is something which the Muslim - Ruler and the ruled - must apply in all matters without exception. Justice means to give each the right he deserves: Muslim or non-Muslim, relative or stranger, friend or enemy. Allaah Says (what means): ", And do not let hatred cause you to act unjustly, that is nearer to piety." [Quran 5:8]

Unfortunately, even if we admit this in theory, we quickly forget it in practice. So we find that when we speak about our friends and loved ones, we praise them beyond reason and when we speak about those whom we hold difference with, we can find no good in them and we just capitalize on their bad points.

The Prophet said: "Allaah does not bless a people among whom a weak man is not given his right." [At-Tirmithi]

The concept of justice is most important for the Ruler, since he is in charge of his people and the primary disposer of justice in the land. For this reason, the Ruler is given special mention as one of the seven who will be honored with Allaah's Shade

[b]
2. A youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah: [/b]The great scholar, Imaam Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaani (d.131H) stated: 'From the success of a youth is that Allaah guides him to a scholar of the Sunnah (to study under and learn from).'Indeed, it is a great blessing from Allaah for a youth be guided towards worship and be befriended by the righteous, since it is in youth that a person is most vulnerable to the temptations of life and liable to drift away from the Islamic Path. This becomes apparent when we look at society around us and we see that most of the worldly distractions, such as music, games, clubs, fashion etc. are all specifically targeted at the young.

'You're only young once!' they are told, which is why many Muslims nowadays waste their youth thinking that they will pray, wear Hijaab and go on Hajj, etc. when they are old, as if they have a guarantee of longevity from Allaah! How well we would do to heed the Prophet's advice when he said: "Take benefit of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied and your life before your death." [Al-Haakim]

3. A man whose heart is attached to the mosques: There is great encouragement in the Sunnah for men to pray in the mosques and the reward associated with it is tremendous. Not only does it make the person eligible for Allaah's Shade on the day of Judgement, but also: "he does not take a step [towards the mosque except that because of it, he is raised by one rank and one sin is removed from him. Then when he prays, the Angels do not cease supplicating for him [for] as long as he remains at his place of Prayer [sayings]: O Allaah send blessings upon him, O Allaah have mercy upon him, " [Al-Bukhaari]

It must be emphasized here however, that all the narrations encouraging the men to be attached to the mosques are not intended to lead one to the conclusion that Islam is a Religion which should be confined to the mosques, as many people imagine. Nonetheless, the mosque should be at the heart of the Muslim community, and the role of those in authority of the mosques is vital here. They are the ones mainly responsible for making the mosque a welcome refuge for the Muslims.

4. Two men who love each other for Allaah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that: Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "T[b]he believers are nothing else than brothers, so make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allaah, that you may receive mercy." [Quran 49:10] [/b]

Having mutual love for the sake of Allaah is one of the great doors leading to the good of the Hereafter and a cause of tasting the sweetness of faith in this world. Loving one another for Allaah's sake means that the Muslim does not love another except for the correctness of his religion. So it does not matter what the person looks like, what he wears, how rich or poor he is, where he comes from, or what the color of his skin is - perhaps you dislike everything about him, but you love him for his belief in Allaah: this is loving for Allaah's sake. 'Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent Says in a Sacred Narration: "Those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory will have minarets of light and will be envied the Prophets and martyrs." [At-Tirmithi & Ahmad]

Imagine being envied by Allaah's chosen Messengers and those who were slain in His Path! Such is the reward of those who love one another for Allaah's sake.

5. A man who is called (seduced) by a woman of beauty and position but he says: 'I fear Allaah': Allaah Says (what mean): "And come not near to the adultery. Verily, it is a shameful (deed) and an evil way (that leads one to Hell)." [Quran 17:32]

This world is full of temptations that lead to burning in the Fire and amongst them is that which comes from women. Many a man has led his soul into destruction on account of the lure of a woman, which is why the Prophet warned his nation specifically about this. He said: "The world is sweet and green and verily Allaah is going to install you as successors upon it in order to see how you act. So avoid the allurement of women: verily the first trial for the Children of Israa'eel was caused by women." [Muslim]

The most important provision which we need to protect ourselves from this and all other temptations in life is the fear of Allaah. This fact is alluded to in the following verse (what means): "And as for him who feared standing before his Lord and restrained himself from impure evil desires, verily Paradise will be his abode." [Quran 79:40]

[b]6. A man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives in charity: [/b]This describes the type of person who goes to great lengths to protect himself from ostentation and showing off in worship. Being ostentations is to do deeds in order to earn the praise and recognition of people. This sin destroys all the benefits that lie in righteous deeds and brings on a serious punishment for the one who commits it. It is particularly dangerous because it is in man's nature to desire and enjoy the praise of others.

Thus, great care has to be taken to ensure that one's intentions begin and remain pure whenever good actions (such as charity) are being done. Allaah warns (what means): "O you who believe! Do not render vain your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men and he does not believe in Allaah nor in the Last Day." [Quran 2:264]

7. A man who remembered Allaah in private and so his eyes shed tears: Our noble Prophet informed us: "If you knew what I knew, you would laugh little and weep much." [Al-Bukhaari] Crying is not a sissy thing to do! The Prophet who was the best of all creation, would weep, as would all of his Companions. Tears are a genuine expression of fear of Allaah's Punishment and of our sincere love and awe of Him.

But how often do we remember Allaah in seclusion and are then moved to tears? How much do we laugh and how little do we weep? The Prophet said: "There is nothing more beloved to Allaah than two drops and two marks: A tear shed due to fear of Allaah, and a drop of blood spilled in the path of Allaah. And as for the two marks, then a mark caused in the path of Allaah, and a mark caused by fulfilling one of the duties made obligatory by Allaah." [At-Tirmithi]

Finally, through these seven types of people mentioned in the narration, we have been given clear signposts of the way to attain Allaah's pleasure and satisfaction. So you should devote yourself to being one amongst those seven, for indeed fortunate will be those who are granted Allaah's Shade on the Day when there will be no shade but His.

Surat 'Āli `Imrān 3:135
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وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ[/size]
And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse etc.) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; - and none can forgive sins but Allah - And do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.

Symptoms of Ailing Faith from Quran and Hadith


The heart is probably the most vital organ in the human body and it might become sick or even spiritually dead without the awareness of its owner. A person with a diseased heart displays lack of sensitivity to sins or remains ignorant of his deviant beliefs. In today's world, most people are preoccupied with the accumulation of material wealth, and very few give even the slightest thought to moral and spiritual values. As a result, modern society is plagued by crime, corruption, moral degradation, greed, violence and insecurity. It is therefore necessary for every Muslim to know the causes of these ailments, and actions that poison the heart. Muslims should also know the potential inlets as well as the cure for the diseases that afflict the heart. So, how can the Iman (faith) of Muslims be strengthened? How can the Muslim mind be purified from innovations and superstitions?

SYMPTOMS OF WEAK FAITH

The disease of an ailing Iman has many symptoms, which include:

(1). Committing sins:

Some people insist on committing the same sins over and over again. As a result, repugnance of sins is slowly withdrawn from their heart to the point that they commit these sins openly as described in this Hadith of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam).

"All of my followers will be forgiven except those who commit sins openly. Such is the case of a man commit a sin at night and Allah had his sin concealed till the morning comes. But, he says openly: 'O so and so, I did such and such yesterday.' Allah had covered his sin, but he uncovered the veil of Allah from it." (Related by Al-Bukhari).

(2) Hardening of the heart:

The person reaches a stage where he feels that his heart has turned into a solid rock that is not affected by anything. Allah says: "And yet, after this, your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder." (Al-Baqarah, 2:74). A hardened heart is not affected by anything - even seeing people die and attending funerals would not move it. The person with a hardened heart may even carry a corpse and bury it, yet, he walks in the graveyard as if he were strolling between pine trees!

(3) Performing acts of worship poorly:

Such a person remains absent-minded during prayers and while reciting the Qur'an. He also does not contemplate upon the meaning of the supplications he is making. As a result, he recites them in a monotonous tone void of any reflections. He does not think for a moment about the value of these supplications. He forgets that: "Allah does not accept the supplication from an inattentive, heedless heart." (Related Al-Tirmidhi).

His acts of worship are reduced to hollow movements with no spirit behind them. Allah describes the hypocrites: "And they do not remember Allah but little." (Al-Nisa', 4:142).

A hard hearted person remains indifferent when he does not perform some good deeds and misses those times of worship that have more reward in them. His lack of interest to earn rewards is obvious. Delaying Haj when he is capable of performing it, missing congregational prayers in the Masjid, and even the Jumu'ah prayer are a few examples of this. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "People will continue to withdraw to rows behind the first one until Allah puts them in a back place in Hell." (Related by Abu Dawud).
Furthermore, he does not feel remorse if he misses obligatory duties and does not try to perform the different Sunnah prayers or invocations that he misses. He ignores them, convincing himself that they are only Sunnah!

(4) Lack of tranquility:

His breast gets tightened, his mood changes, he feels as if he is carrying a heavy load, and he becomes annoyed quickly because of minor things. He gets pestered by the behaviour of the people around him and he does not forgive them easily. He harbours malice towards fellow Muslims over insignificant issues. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) has described Iman to be forgiveness: "Iman is patience and forgiveness. " (Related by Al-Tirmidhi) . In another Hadith, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) described the believer in the following manner: "He makes friends and is befriended and there is no goodness in (one who) does not make friends or is not befriended." (Related by Al-Tirmidhi) .

(5) Verses of the Qur'an have no effect upon him:

The promises, warnings, commands, prohibitions and descriptions of the Day of Judgment do not make his eyes flood with tears, or his heart quiver, or his soul shiver. Consequently, he gets bored and tired when he listens to the recital of the Qur'an!

(6) He is negligent in remembering Allah:

This simple act of devotion becomes heavy upon him to the point that when he raises his hands in supplication, he hastens to fold them up quickly to conclude it. He is not eager to repent to Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, and to make invocations to Him for his needs. Allah describes the hypocrites: "And when they stand up to pray, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little." (Al-Nisa', 4:142).

(7) He does not get angry when the commandments of Allah are violated:

This is because the glowing light of honour in his heart has been extinguished and as a result, his limbs have become numb to repudiate evil. So he does not bother to enjoin good or forbid evil. This is due to a weak heart as indicated by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam): "Temptations are presented to the heart, one by one. Any heart that accepts them will be left with a black stain, but any heart that rejects them will be left with a mark of purity, until the hearts become one of two types: a dark heart that has turned away and become like an overturned vessel, and a pure heart that will never be harmed by temptation for as long as the earth and the heavens exist." (Related by Muslim).

So the desire of enjoining good and forbidding evil disappears from a sick heart. Good and evil are the same to it.

Rather, the person may even be happy to hear about the corruption that is being committed on earth. His unfortunate soul forgets that the sin upon him is the same as the sin upon the person who witnessed the evil and approved of it, as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "When a sin is committed on earth, the one who witnessed it and hates it is like one who was absent from it, and the one who was absent from it but was pleased with it (after he found out about it), it is like he witnessed it." (Related by Abu Dawud).

Since being pleased with the sin is a deed of his heart, it makes the sin upon him equal to the sin of the one who witnessed it.

(Cool He loves to be in gatherings and be engrossed in talking:

He tries to impose his view on others and likes the discussion to centre around him. Gatherings in which idle talk takes prominence are considered like slaughterhouses from which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) warned us when he said:

"Watch out for the slaughterhouses (meaning) gatherings." (Related by Al-Bayhaqi).

(9) He is arrogant:

He likes people to stand up for him when he enters to meet them because feeling great gratifies his diseased soul, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "The one who is pleased that the slaves of Allah stand up for him, then let him be assured of his place in the Fire." (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).

Mu'awiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan entered upon two companions of the Prophet, Ibn 'Amir stood up and Ibn Zubayr sat down. Seeing this, Mu'awiyah said to Ibn 'Amir: "Sit down, because I heard the Messenger of Allah say: "The one who loves that another man stand up for him, then let him rest assured of his sitting place in the Fire." (Related by Abu Dawud).

A similar example is that he will get angry at a person who applies the Sunnah and starts shaking hands with people on his right hand side. Also, when he enters a gathering, he is not satisfied unless someone else, already sitting, gets up so that he may sit in his place despite the fact that he is forbidden to do so by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam):
"Let not a man make another one stand for him thesit in his place." (Related by Al-Bukhari).

(10) Stinginess and greed:

Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) has praised those who spend their wealth for good causes and at the same time blamed those who are miserly. In the Qur'an Allah has praised the Ansar for the way they gave preference to the Muhajirun (Muslims who migrated from Makkah) over themselves: "But they (Ansar) give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that (the booty). And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful." (Al-Hashr, 59:9).

Allah has clarified that the successful ones are those who protect themselves against stinginess. Without doubt, weakness of Iman is born from stinginess as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "Iman and covetousness can never come together in the heart of a slave." (Related by Al-Nasa'i).

Concerning the dangers of stinginess and its effects upon one's soul, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) explained it to be: "Beware of covetousness, because the ones before you perished because of covetousness. It induces them to be miserly so they became misers and it induced them to break the ties (of kinship) so they broke it and induced them to commit sins so they committed sins." (Related by Abu Dawud).

A greedy person also has a weak Iman. He scarcely spends anything for the sake of Allah even if he is called to donate in charity when his Muslim brothers are hungry and afflicted by hardships. There is nothing clearer in this matter than the Book of Allah: "Behold! It is you who are called to spend freely in Allah's Cause: but even among you are such as turn out to be niggardly! And yet, he who acts niggardly in Allah's Cause is but niggardly towards himself: for Allah is Rich, and you are poor. And if you turn away from Him, He will cause other people to take your place, and they will not be the likes of you." (Muhammad, 47:38).

(11) He falls into doubtful matters:

When he performs an action, he does not ask if it is an act of righteousness but rather will it earn him any sin or not. This is exactly what the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) informed us of: "But he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all about grazing therein. Truly, every king has a sanctuary, and Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions. “(Related by Muslim).
When such people ask for a fatwah (Islamic ruling) about something, and find out that it is forbidden, they do not give up. They want to know how severe the prohibition is. How many sins does he earn if he commits it? He is not concerned to stay away from evil and sinful deeds, rather he is inclined to take the first step towards haram things by belittling the burning effects of sins which run him the risk of committing haram, and remove the screen between him and the sin. This is why the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "Know that some people from my Ummah will come on the Day of Judgment with good deeds like the white mountains of Tihama, but Allah will make them scattered dust." Thawban said, 'O Messenger of Allah, describe them to us, clarify them to us, so that we may not be one of them without knowing it! He said: "They will be your brothers, and from your people, and they will take from the night as you do (meaning prayers, etc), but they are a people who, when they were alone with the prohibitions of Allah, violated them." (Related by Ibn Majah).

So, you will find him engulfed in forbidden things without any protection or shielding, and this is more evil than the one who commits them but with some reluctance. These people commit sins with ease as a result of their ailing Iman and do not see their act to be an evil one. This is how Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (radhiallahu anhu) described the way of believer and a hypocrite perceive sins: "A believer sees his sins as if he were sitting under a mountain, fearing it might fall upon him, while a sinner sees his sins as a fly passing over his nose, so he gets rid of it with his hand." (Related by Al-Bukhari).

(12) Belittling good deeds:

There is lack of concern on the part of the sick at heart to perform small deeds of righteousness contrary to what the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) has taught us when he said: "Do not belittle any small act of kindness even if it is to pour water from your bucket into the vessel of the one who asks for it or to talk to your brother with a cheerful face." (Related by Ahmad).

So acts that appear to be minor should not be underestimated. Hence, meeting a fellow Muslim with a smiling face and removing trash and dirt from the Masjid - even as little as a straw - entails great rewards. It may be that a small deed becomes a reason for the forgiveness of major sins. Allah thanks His slave for these small deeds and forgives him. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "Once, a man saw the branch of a tree in the middle of a road. So, he said, 'By Allah, I will remove this from the path of the Muslims so they may not be burt.' For this action, he was put in Paradise ." (Related by Muslim).

Mu'adh Ibn Jabal was once walking with someone. He removed a pebble from the way. The man asked Mu'adh why he did that. Mu'adh answered him: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) say: 'One who removes a stone from the way has a good deed written for him, and one for whom a good deed is written shall enter Paradise .'" (Related by Al-Tabarani) .

(13) Not caring about the affairs of Muslims:

A person with a sick heart does not react to the needs of Muslims by making supplications, giving charity, or offering assistance. He does not care if his brothers are afflicted by a hardship in any part of the world such as being overwhelmed by the enemy, being persecuted, or being stricken by disasters. It is enough for him that his conditions are good! This is because of his ailing Iman. A believer is the opposite of that as described by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam): "A believer feels pain for the believers, just as the body feels distress over what is troubling the head." (Related by Ahmad).

(14) He is deprived of friendship of brothers:

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "Two persons who became friends for the sake of Allah do not separate except because of a sin committed by one of them." (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).
This is a proof of the evil effects of sins: it breaks the ties of brotherhood. This alienation that a person finds between himself and his brothers is sometimes the result of a decline in Iman which results from committing sins. So the love others have for him dwindles.

(15) Showing grief and fear when afflicted by a hardship or when in difficulty:

Such a person is often found to be shaky in offering obligatory duties, unbalanced, absent minded, lost and fidgety. He is not able to face reality with unwavering limbs and a firm heart. All of this is due to ailing Iman.
If the Iman were strong, he would have been firm and faced the greatest of hardships with strength and steadfastness.

(16) Disputing and arguing unnecessarily:

Much engagement in these habits hardens the heart as the Prophet said: "A people never went astray after being upon guidance except through disputes." (Related by Ahmad).

So, argumentation without proof and proper intention takes one away from the Straight Path. These days, most people argue falsely and without knowledge or guidance. It is enough for them to leave this bad habit after knowing what the Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) said: "I guarantee a house in the outskirts of Paradise to the one who gives up arguing even if he were on the right side." (Related by Abu Dawud).

(17) Attachment to worldly life:

He is so materialistic that he feels anguish when something of this life, like wealth, honour, status, etc is taken away from him. He feels as if he has been injured badly because he did not get what others did. His feeling of injury becomes stronger and he feels rejected on seeing his Muslim brother get of this world which did not reach him. Envy takes root in his heart so he wishes that this bounty be taken away from his brother. This is what Prophet (sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) warned us against: "Never can Iman and envy come together in the heart of a slave." (Related by Al-Nassa'i).

(18) His speech is void of the etiquette of the Qur'an and Sunnah:

The signs of Iman are absent from him. You will barely find in this person's speech quotations from the Qur'an, or Sunnah, or the sayings of the early pious generations of Muslims.

These are some of the symptoms of a weak faith. By becoming aware of the symptoms, one has made the first step towards the remedy.