Immense reward of voluntary prayers at night during Ramadan

Believers all over the world should consider themselves luck and blessed that they have found the month of Ramadan once again in their lives. It is the sacred month when the doors of paradise are opened and that of hell closed. So, whoever makes every endeavour to please Allah by his act of worship and good deeds will have enormous rewards. However, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave good tidings to those believers who spend their nights in offering voluntary prayers at night during this month.

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (Book 31 - Praying at Night in Ramadaan (Taraweeh) كتاب صلاة التراويح / Chapter (1): The superiority of Nawafil at night in Ramadan باب فَضْلِ مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ) as Hadith 2008, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ لِرَمَضَانَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَامَهُ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying regarding Ramadan, "Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven."

After offering one's Traveeh prayers, one is left with just a few hours to rest before one awakens for the Suhoor, the early meal which is one of the pre-requisites for keeping the fast, for after the call for the pre-dawn prayers, one cannot eat or drink till the call of the evening prayer / the Maghrib. And if one still sacrifices his rest time and keeps himself on the praying mat to please Allah, he is promised immense reward for this sacrifice of his. It is matter of just 30 days and if one can make best use of his night by voluntary prayers, he is sure to be rewarded to an extent that he can never imagine and as promised "all his previous sins will be forgiven,"

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah / Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

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What is the Reward For being Merciful to the People (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. We always look towards our Lord, the Creator of the entire universe, for forgiveness when we sin and beg for mercy for may not invite His wrath. 

Mercy fuels compassion, providing promising glints of light in a darkened world. It's kindness, forward forgiveness, and empathy. Mercy chooses not to be offended, and compassionately sees a hurting heart behind hurtful words.

But do we show mercy to someone who has wronged us and do we forgive him? If we cannot, how can we ask for mercy from Allah for we are never merciful ourselves? Once a person told Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that he had ten children, but had never kissed any of them. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ looked at him and said, “He who does not have mercy will not have mercy upon him.”

This is same very theme of the Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (Book # 27 Chapters on Righteousness and Maintaining Good Relations with Relatives كتاب البر والصلة عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم/ Chapter # 16 What Has Been Related About Being Merciful with People باب مَا جَاءَ فِي رَحْمَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ‏ ) as Hadith number # 1924

Abdullah bin 'Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي قَابُوسَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ ارْحَمُوا مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ يَرْحَمْكُمْ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ الرَّحِمُ شُجْنَةٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ فَمَنْ وَصَلَهَا وَصَلَهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ قَطَعَهَا قَطَعَهُ اللَّهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

"The merciful are shown mercy by Ar-Rahman. Be merciful on the earth, and you will be shown mercy from Who is above the heavens. The womb is named after Ar-Rahman, so whoever connects it, Allah connects him, and whoever severs it, Allah severs him."

That is unless we show mercy to others, Allah will never be merciful to us. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ always exhibited mercy and showed restraint when he could have punished someone who wronged him. On the capture of Makkah, he forgave all polytheists who left no stone unturned to harm him morally, physically and mentally when he proclaimed to be a prophet and invited them to Islam. When people of Taif stoned him and he was bleeding profusely, Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) came and asked his permission to uproot the mountain and throw on the cruel people of Taif. But the mercifulness of the Prophet of Allah did not allow revenge. That is why it is mentioned in Quran that:

“And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.” (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:107)

In the Hadith quoted above, one of the leading attributes of Allah  Ar Rahman (الرحمن) - The Beneficent, Most Kind and Gracious has been used. This attribute coupled with another attribute Ar Rahim (الرحيم) - The Most Merciful, show infinite mercy and graciousness of Allah. And Allah promises to be merciful to those who show mercy to His creation, especially all the living beings including humans, animals and birds. So  let us show mercy to others so that Allah showers His blessings and mercy on us. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

This post is part of series of posts on the subject of: Are you among the best Muslims, as mentioned by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | Source of Hadith

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Allah promises Ultimate Reward for the righteous slaves (Al Hadith ul Qudsi)

Allah, the Lord of the entire universe, has given the man two choices to choose from while in his worldly life: The hard life of tests and trials with its ultimate reward in the life of the Hereafter, and the life of amusement and lewdness in this earthly world with severe retribution in the life of the hereafter. Those who choose the latter form are generally seen joyous, merrily living their lives and in a state of immense amusement. These people are often envied by many who cannot afford a luxurious life with no worries and amusement. But the men of faith and the true and righteous slaves of Allah know that the illusions of this world have no meaning to them for their reward of curbing their desires and taking the harder tests in this life for they have been promised a much luxurious life that one cannot even dream of.

This life of comfort and luxury is such that man's shallow vision cannot even perceive what reward is in waiting in the life of Hereafter as has been promised in the 17th verse of Surah 32. As-Sajda. This in fact is a reference to the eternal kingdom which the righteous will receive as a reward for the few days of effort they put in.:

فَلَا تَعۡلَمُ نَفۡسٌ مَّاۤ اُخۡفِىَ لَهُمۡ مِّنۡ قُرَّةِ اَعۡيُنٍ​ۚ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَانُوۡا يَعۡمَلُوۡنَ‏ 

(32:17) No one knows what delights of the eyes are kept hidden for them as a reward for their deeds.

Yusuf Ali in his explanation of the verse terms Delights of the eye as an idiom for that which pleases most and gives most satisfaction. In our present state we can scarcely imagine the real Bliss that will come to us in the Future.

Muhammad Asad notes that literary "what is kept hidden for them [by way] of a joy of the eyes", i.e., of blissful delights, irrespective of whether seen, heard or felt. The expression "what is kept hidden for them" clearly alludes to the unknowable - and, therefore, only allegorically describable - quality of life in the hereafter. The impossibility of man's really "imagining" paradise has been summed up by the Prophet in the well-authenticated hadith: "God says: 'I have readied for My righteous servants what no eye has ever seen, and no ear has ever heard, and no heart of man has ever conceived'" (Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah; also, Tirmidhi). 

The same promise has been mentioned in a Hadith ul Qudsi, as mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 97 Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah (Tawheed) كتاب التوحيد / Chapter 35: “…They want to change Allah’s Words….” باب قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ‏{‏يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُبَدِّلُوا كَلاَمَ اللَّهِ}) as Hadith 7498, reproduced herein under:

Narrated by Abu Huraira:

حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ أَسَدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَدْتُ لِعِبَادِي الصَّالِحِينَ مَا لاَ عَيْنٌ رَأَتْ، وَلاَ أُذُنٌ سَمِعَتْ، وَلاَ خَطَرَ عَلَى قَلْبِ بَشَرٍ ‏"‏‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, "I have prepared for My righteous slaves (such excellent things) as no eye has ever seen, nor an ear has ever heard nor a human heart can ever think of.' "

The Grade of this Hadith is "Muttafaqun Alayhi", for this also appears in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim in Book Sahi Muslim, Chapter 52 (The Book of Paradise, Its Description, Its Bounties and Its Inhabitants), Baab: Jannat Aur Is Ki Naimatein Awr Ehl E Jannat as Hadith number 7132.

Besides Bukhari, Muslim (as mentioned above), Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmad have in different ways cited on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah says: I have made ready for My righteous servants that which has neither been seen by the eye, nor heard by the ear, nor ever conceived by any man.” The same thing has been reported with a little difference in wording by Abu Said Khudri, Mughirah bin Shubah and Sahl bin Saad asSaidi from the Prophet (peace be upon him) and related with authentic links by Muslim. Ahmed, Ibn Jarir and Tirmidhi.

So, believers, and even non-Muslims reading this post, be happy if you have chosen the righteous, yet the harder life, to please Allah and mock the Satan for he must be feeling helpless not having brought you in his evil fold and seeing you slipping away from his life of lust and lewdness. Let us all remain steadfast and anxiously wait for the immense reward that awaits us in the life of Hereafter, something that we in this world cannot even perceive of.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.  

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Reward for Covering (the Faults of) the Muslims (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

The Deen of Islam lays a special emphasis on taking care of brother Muslims. If a believer finds his brother in distress or in difficult times, he must step forward without being asked to do his best to relieve one's brother from his difficulties. Likewise, if one knows some faults or weakness of one's brother, one should not divulge this to others for it may add to one's miseries and push him deeper in additional worries by the exposure of his weakness to others, especially those already thinking bad of him.

The Hadith, based on the same theme as shared today, attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is mentioned in Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (Book # 17 The Book on Legal Punishments (Al-Hudud) كتاب الحدود عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / Chapter # 3 What Has Been Related About Covering (The Faults Of) The Muslim  باب مَا جَاءَ فِي السَّتْرِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ ) as Hadith number # 1425

Narrated by Abu Hurairah:

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ نَفَّسَ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الدُّنْيَا نَفَّسَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ الآخِرَةِ وَمَنْ سَتَرَ عَلَى مُسْلِمٍ سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ فِي عَوْنِ الْعَبْدِ مَا كَانَ الْعَبْدُ فِي عَوْنِ أَخِيهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ وَابْنِ عُمَرَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ هَكَذَا رَوَى غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَ رِوَايَةِ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ ‏.‏

That the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of the world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from the burdens of the Hereafter. And whoever covers (the faults of) a Muslim, Allah will cover (his faults) for him in the world and the Hereafter. And Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother."

Grade:  Sahih (Darussalam)

Let us help our fellow believers by being on their sides so that Allah is also pleased with us for Allah loves those who help others in total sincerity and in good faith. and remember: And Allah is engaged in helping the worshipper as long as the worshipper is engaged in helping his brother.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.  

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

This post is part of series of posts on the subject of: Are you among the best Muslims, as mentioned by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | 

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Reward of Fasting (Hadith Qudsi Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Intermittent fasting has become a modern trend to keep oneself in shape and healthy - an act purely on a medical basis and physical fitness. But fasting purely to please Allah has altogether a different dimension. Fasting for Allah means abstaining from every Halal thing during the duration of the fasting period, not for personal fitness and health reasons, but only to please Allah. 

Saum / fasting assumes an important place in the five-founding pillar of Islam:

• Profession of Faith (shahada). The belief that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God" is central to Islam
• Prayer (salat). Muslims pray facing Mecca five times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark
• Zakat (Obligatory Charity)
• Sawm صَوْم (Fasting) 
• Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Sawm is directly stated in the Quran saying: “Eat and drink until the whiteness of the day becomes distinct from the blackness of the night at dawn, then complete the fast till night…”. The fast occurs from dawn to sunset each day during which time believers are expected to prohibit themselves from any food, drink, sexual intercourse, or smoking. However, after sunset and before dawn, individuals can participate in any of the actions previously stated as they desire.

Since one abstains from Halal things purely to please Allah, Allah has Himself promised that the reward of fasting will be awarded by Him, mainly for this reason that a believer abstains from otherwise Halal things, though still accessible to him, for Allah. Therefore, when we fast, we must make sure that we do it to please Allah and not as a show off to appear pious in the eyes of others. 

This importance of fasting and its reward by Allah has been mentioned as * Hadith Qudsi in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 30 Fasting (Al-Adab) كتاب الصوم / Chapter 9: Should one say, "I am observing Saum (fast)" on being abused? باب هَلْ يَقُولُ إِنِّي صَائِمٌ إِذَا شُتِمَِ) as Hadith 1904 (Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi متفق عليه - (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

* Hadith Qudsi is a narration from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which is supposed to be from Allah (SWT) in its meanings and from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) in its wordings. Hadith Qudsi is not like Qur'an because the whole Qur'an is absolutely authentic and every letter in Qur'an is from Allah the Glorious in the meaning and the words, while Hadith Qudsi is a narration which must be authentic and if it is proves authentic, then the meanings is from Allah but the wordings is from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Narrated Abu Huraira:

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَطَاءٌ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ الزَّيَّاتِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ كُلُّ عَمَلِ ابْنِ آدَمَ لَهُ إِلاَّ الصِّيَامَ، فَإِنَّهُ لِي، وَأَنَا أَجْزِي بِهِ‏.‏ وَالصِّيَامُ جُنَّةٌ، وَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ صَوْمِ أَحَدِكُمْ، فَلاَ يَرْفُثْ وَلاَ يَصْخَبْ، فَإِنْ سَابَّهُ أَحَدٌ، أَوْ قَاتَلَهُ فَلْيَقُلْ إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ صَائِمٌ‏.‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَخُلُوفُ فَمِ الصَّائِمِ أَطْيَبُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ رِيحِ الْمِسْكِ، لِلصَّائِمِ فَرْحَتَانِ يَفْرَحُهُمَا إِذَا أَفْطَرَ فَرِحَ، وَإِذَا لَقِيَ رَبَّهُ فَرِحَ بِصَوْمِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relations with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is' The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting."

Let us fast to please Allah alone for we will be rewarded exclusively by Allah on the Day of Resurrection.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.  

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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(The value of) an action depends on the intention behind it (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Today in our series of posts of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, we share today one of the most popular Hadiths which is memorised by most of the Muslim around the world. Its substance and theme revolve around one's actions and intentions behind. No matter how a noble act is being performed by a man, but unless it is backed by clean and good intentions, the reward will not be as expected or intended.

This Hadith has been mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 33 on Government كتاب الإمارة / Chapter 45: The words of the Prophet's saws: "Deeds are but with intentions" which includes fighting and other deeds باب قَوْلِهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ.‏"‏ وَأَنَّهُ يَدْخُلُ فِيهِ الْغَزْوُ وَغَيْرُهُ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ) as Hadith 1907 a:

It has been narrated on the authority of Umar b. al-Khattab that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ، بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ وَإِنَّمَا لاِمْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ ‏"‏ ‏.

(The value of) an action depends on the intention behind it. A man will be rewarded only for what he intended. The emigration of one who emigrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) is for the sake of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ); and the emigration of one who emigrates for gaining a worldly advantage or for marrying a woman is for what he has emigrated.

Many scholars have commented that this hadith comprises one-third of knowledge because the actions of man involve his heart, his tongue and his limbs, and hence the intention in the heart is one-third of action. It is also deemed to be one-third of knowledge due to scholars commenting that this hadith along with two others comprises the religion of Islam. The other two hadith being “The Halal is clear and the Haram is clear and between them are doubtful matters” (1), and “Whoever innovates in this religion that which is not from it will have all his actions rejected (by Allah).” [1]

The background of this Hadith is mentioned on the basis of an actual incident which happened on the migration of Muslims from Makkah to Medinah. While all Muslims migrated from Makkah with the true intentions of being part of an Islam state which was being formed at Madinah, there was one individual who migrated mainly because the woman he was in love with was migrating. Thus, his intention was to be with the women he loved rather than in the name of Islam or in the way of Allah. When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came to know of this, he responded:  إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ.

This simple Hadith leaves a big message for us. We must keep our intentions clear, clean and for the sake of pleasing Allah when realizing these intentions.  If we are giving away to charity, let it not be a show off to tell others of our generosity but rather it should be a quieter action if we really want to please Allah. Though sometimes it is essential to give charity in a show off to encourage others to give charity too. But then one's intention should also be very clear and there shouldn't be an iota of pride in doing so.

The believers should be visionaries because they should always be checking their intentions and understanding the purpose of their actions. They should be persistently asking themselves about their intentions for their short term and their long goals. Overall, the believer should constantly ask himself; “Why am I doing what I am doing?” Using the words “shall have" in this hadith means that the person will be rewarded for only that which he intended. So, as mentioned in the hadith, if a person performed the Hijrah, but did it with a different intention then he would not be rewarded for that action of Hijrah. [1]

You may like to watch the following video on explanation of the aforementioned Hadith in which Dr. Imad Bayoun asserts that this hadith is central to Islamic thought, culture, and understanding and shows the balance between the internal and external states of oneself:

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.  

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible to make you accept it forcibly, And if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, You will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Reward for those who fear Allah

Spending in the way of Allah sometimes irks humans, even believers. Mostly they are of the view that if they spend in the name of Allah, like giving Zakat, charity, alms or even helping someone who has been unjust to them would drain out their resources and make them poor. But they forget the fact that it is Allah who has given them more than what they deserve and Allah can take back what He has given to them. But alas the greed in man and fear of being poor still restrains him to spend in the name of Allah.

For such poor hearted people, Allah reassures them that if the fear Allah, Allah will open avenues unknown to them and help them to make up for what has been spent in the name of Allah, as promised in the verses 2-3 of Surah 65. At Talaq:

 وَمَنۡ يَّـتَّـقِ اللّٰهَ يَجۡعَلْ لَّهٗ مَخۡرَجًا ۙ‏

وَّيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُ​ ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهٗ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بَالِغُ اَمۡرِهٖ​ ؕ قَدۡ جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ قَدۡرًا‏ 

Allah will find a way out for him who fears Allah, and will provide him sustenance from whence he never even imagined. Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely Allah brings about what He decrees; Allah has set a measure for everything.

Believers thus take heart and should never act miserly when it comes to giving away a part of their wealth or resources in the name of Allah. 

These verses have in fact been meant for those men who divorce their wives and whom Allah asks to be given something more than what is due to them for their settlement. This means a lot to the woman who has been divorced for she needs a shelter to restart her life alone. This may amaze many non Muslims as this verse was revealed at a time when women were treated as a third rate human and were not given anything for their protection once divorced. 

To spend on a woman whom one has already decided to send away because of strained relations will surely be irksome, and if the man is also poor, this expenditure will further pinch him. But a man, who fears Allah, should endure all this gracefully. Allah is not niggardly as the people are. If a person spends his wealth in accordance with His law, He will provide for him in a manner beyond all expectations.

In fact this is the time when anger and our impatience have to be curbed. Our friends and our mates or associates may seem to us ever so weak and unreasonable, and the circumstances may be ever so disheartening; yet we must trust in Allah. How can we measure our own weakness or perhaps blindness? He knows all. His universal Purpose is always good. His Will must be accomplished, and we should wish for its accomplishment. His ordering of the universe observes a due, just, and perfect proportion. 

The West came to realize this many centuries later when rights of women were accepted and were protected legally after divorce. Those who allege that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wrote the Qur'an should realize that such commandment can come only from Allah as the time when these verses were revealed, the non Muslims considered women worse than their animals and even buried them alive. Islam is a complete code of life and tells men how to constitute a healthy and just society in which all could live peacefully with their dues properly catered for.

For details of these verses and matters related to divorce, please read our earlier post on exegesis of Sürah 65. Al Talaq (Divorce)

May Allah help us understand Qur'an and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

Reading the Holy Quran should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Hadith of the Day: Actions are dependent upon Intentions

The entire life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is an excellent specimen of how a true Muslim and believer should live his life.  Thus the numerous sayings or Hadiths as these are called of the Prophet of Allah must be correctly understood in reference to the context for their better understanding and implementation in our daily chores and undertakings. 

One of the very famous Hadith attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is:

"Innamal a’malu binniyat" ~ “Actions are dependent upon their Intentions”

We must understand that Allah will bless us or otherwise of our actions based on our intentions, for He alone knows what resides inside our thoughts. 

This [articular saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is attributed to an event that took place during the migration of Muslims from Makkah to Medina. While most of the Muslims migrated in the name of Allah to preserve His religion from being polluted by the pagans of Makkah, it so happened that one man who when found that the woman he loved was migrating to Medina, he followed suit to be near her and marry her. Thus his intention was not to migrate in the name of Allah but to follow his worldly desires.

This incident has been narrated on the authority of Omar bin Al-Khattab, who said : I heard the messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam say : “Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, his migration was for Allah and His messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

It has also been related to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as narrated by Imam Muslim,that:

The first people to be judged on the Day of Judgement was a martyred. Allah asked him, “What have you done in the world?” The martyred replied, “I fought for your religion.” Allah said, “You lie. You fought so that people will call you the dare one.” And you will be judged for your intention accordingly.

A seeker of knowledge that knowledge and diligent practice read the Qur’an comes before God. Allah asked, “What have you done in the world?” He replied, “I seek knowledge, act upon it, and I read the Qur’an because of Allah.”  Allah said, “You lie. You seek knowledge and you read Qur’an so that others call you religious people.”  

one with a wealth of rich and famous because his charity come before God.  Allah asked, “What have you done in the world?” He replied, “I spent all the wealth that I have because of You.” God said, “You lie. You do it all so that people call you generous.” 

Then the Prophet of Allah remarked: “They are the first people to feel the heat of hell fire on the Day of Resurrection.”

There are many Hadiths that can be quoted on this account, but the purpose here is to highlight the importance of our hidden desires and to reign these as per the dictates of the commandments of the Holy Qur'an and sayings of the Prophet of Allah so that our actions do not go waste and instead of being blessed with for our apparent good and noble actions, we may not displease Allah and suffer His wrath. 

Watch this beautiful video below on intentions and actions:

So before embarking upon anything, first set your intentions right and be mindful of the fact that any polluted intention and its consequent action may harm you rather than benefiting from it. Having set your course right, then put in your best effort not to implement your plan but also keep in mind that you may not select a discourse that is illegal or Haram for any such act may ruin your intentions, no matter how good and noble these may be. Then leave it to Allah to make it happen, and whatever is the outcome,rest assured that Allah never wrongs His true believers.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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