Man laments: I'm a failure - Allah replies: The believers have indeed attained true success

One wanders around aimlessly if one is not sure of what one is pursuing in life. An aimless life thus becomes meaningless and one thinks as if one has hit the wall and has no clue where to go. These distressful conditions induce a depressive thought in such people who then think that they are failures in their life and will not be able to find their true destination. 

The same is true when it comes to one's faith. True faith as defined by our Lord is in fact the final destination one should be seeking for. But family traditions, the faith adopted by the forefathers restrict our decision making and keeps us wandering and black outing our thinking process. But those who have been introduced to Islam suddenly realize that this has been the truth they should have been seeking for much earlier. This realization dawns on people who find success in their life. This is the truth which is a turning point from failures to ultimate success. 

This is the theme of the very first verse of Surah 23. Al-Muminun, The Believers, being shared today and its explanation:

قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَۙ‏ 

(23:1) The believers have indeed attained true success:

That is “Believers”, who have attained true success, are those who have accepted the message of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and have acknowledged him as their guide and followed the way of life taught by him.

This assertion cannot be fully appreciated unless one keeps in view the background in which it was made. On the one hand, there were the well-to-do and prosperous chiefs of Makkah, the opponents of Islam, whose business was thriving and who were enjoying every good thing of life, and on the other hand, there were the followers of Islam, majority of whom were either poor from the beginning, or had been reduced to poverty by ruthless antagonism to Islam. Therefore, the assertion: Most certainly the believers have attained true success, with which the discourse begins, was meant to tell the disbelievers that the criterion of success and failure that they had in mind was based on misconceptions besides being transitory and limited in nature: it led to failure and not true success. On the contrary, the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him), whom they regarded as failures, were truly successful, because by accepting the invitation to the right guidance given by the Messenger of Allah, they had struck a bargain which would lead them to true success and everlasting bliss in this world as well as in the Hereafter, whereas by rejecting the message the opponents had incurred loss and would meet with the evil consequences both in this world and in the next.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(Successful indeed are the believers) means they have attained victory and are blessed, for they have succeeded. These are the believers' characteristics are given in the succeeding Ayats:

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Aflaha اَفۡلَحَ: win through, prosper, succeed, achieve their aims or obtain salvation from sorrow and all evil. This verse connects with verses 10 and 11 below. Success or victory may come in this world, but it is certain and lasting in the world to come.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

That is, it has been decided for them that they shall necessarily be successful. This style expresses the certainty of an event that is to take place in the future. It is also found in other languages. When will these glad tidings materialize? This question is answered at the end of the paragraph that they will live in Paradise forever.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

It is a true promise; nay, it is a firm decision ensuring success for the believers. If we take it as a promise, we know God never fails to honour His promises; and if we say that it is His decision, then no one can ever foil a decision by God. What is promised is success in the life of this world and in the life to come; success for the individual believer and for the community of believers. A believer will feel this success in his heart and will see it coming true in his day-to-day life. The success God promises includes all that human beings associate with success and what God keeps in store for His faithful servants.

Today, by the many blessings of Allah, more and more non-Muslims, especially Christians who had been clinging to a false concept of Trinity, are now entering fold of Islam. And most of them acknowledge that they were at a loss all their life and did not know what the truth was, and what differentiated between the truth and a misleading concept. Despite lot of information available on social media, there are still many a believer who feel at loss for they have not strived to know what Islam expects of them. While there are countless believers who have memorized the Qur'an, they do not know what have they memorized and what Allah expects from us. Let us not be the one who despite being Muslims are far away from understanding and practicing Islam. Let our prayers, charities and Hajj/Umrah take us near to Allah, instill the fear based on love for Allah so that we do not deviate from the path so Divinely defined for us. And then let us hope to be among the successful as expected of us in the verse shared today. Ameen

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.

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.

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

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.

You may read this post in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References:  | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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

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

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

In addition, 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 Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Etiquette of conversation when in a company: Let no two people hold secret counsel

Islam is a complete code of life and conduct. While it lays down the rights of individuals, it also mentions their obligations towards other human beings both as individuals and as society. Talking of the obligations, the etiquette of living in a society or attending the company of people assume prime importance. There are many a verse from Qur'an and Sunnah/Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which restrict two people to whisper to each other for it offend others for they may take it that something is being said against them.

There is a Hadith on whispering or secret counseling mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 79 - Asking Permission /  كتاب الاستئذان/ Chapter 47: Two to have a secret talk in a gathering of more than three / باب  إِذَا كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِالْمُسَارَّةِ وَالْمُنَاجَاةِ ) as Hadith 6290, given herein under:

Narrated by `Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When you are three persons sitting together, then no two of you should hold secret counsel excluding the third person until you are with some other people too, for that would grieve him."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏{‏إِذَا كُنْتُمْ ثَلاَثَةً فَلاَ يَتَنَاجَى رَجُلاَنِ دُونَ الآخَرِ، حَتَّى تَخْتَلِطُوا بِالنَّاسِ، أَجْلَ أَنْ يُحْزِنَهُ‏}‏‏.‏

Let us abide by the Prophetic Etiquette and not let our actions leave a bad taste in the company of people or may smell animosity against others, for anything said in hidden words or whispering is tantamount to backbiting.

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 | 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.

Read More

Man laments: I feel lost - Allah replies: I found thee wandering and gave thee guidance

The feeling of being lost, both spiritually and physically, is often very intense and stressful. The hollowness within occurs when one's faith is wavering and one doesn't really know what is the truth and what is a fallacy or a lie. While one may steer oneself physically if lost by following landmarks or signs or even asking others the way to one's destination, the spiritual loss is another domain altogether.

When it comes to faith, the problem assumes a much trickier and complex nature. It is like differentiating between One True God and a God within a God or a path to the God through another God. In such like confusing states, it is Allah alone, the true monotheist God, who guides His servants to the plain truth and the only righteous path. It is this theme that we will be discussing in the 7th verse of Surah 93. Adh-Dhuha (The Morning Light). To under the reference to the context, please read the exegesis of the Surah Adh-Dhuha. It can only be said here that the subject here is Prophet Muhammad, whom Allah is telling that He found him lost spiritually as to what was the truth and what was a lie and put him on the right track of Tawhid and Islam:

وَوَجَدَكَ ضَآ لًّا فَهَدٰى‏ 

And He found thee wandering and He gave thee guidance

The word daallan "ضَآ لًّا"as used in the original is derived from dalalat, which has several meanings in Arabic. Its one meaning is to be lost in error and deviation; another, to be unaware of the way and to be bewildered at the crossroads as to which way one should choose; still another meaning is of being lost and astray. The tree also is daallah which stands alone and lonely in the desert; the word dalal is also used for a thing which is wasting in unfavorable and uncongenial condition and climate, and also for heedlessness, of which there is an example in the Qur'an itself: La yadillu Rabbi wa la yansa:. "My Lord is neither heedless nor He forgets." ('Ta Ha: 52). Out of these different meanings. The first meaning does not apply here, for in the historical accounts of the Holy Prophet's life, from childhood till just before Prophethood, there is no trace that he ever might have been involved in idolatry, polytheism or atheism, or in any of the acts, customs and practices of paganism prevalent among his people. Therefore, inevitably wa wa. jadaka daallan cannot mean that Allah had found him erring and astray in respect of creed or deed. The other meanings, however, can be applicable here in one or other aspect, and possibly all are applicable in their own particular aspect. Before Prophethood the Holy Prophet was certainly a believer in the existence of Allah and His Unity, and his life was free from sin and reflected excellent morals, yet he was unaware of true Faith, its principles and injunctions, as it has been pointed out in the Qur'an: "You did not know at all what was the Book and what was the Faith." (Ash-Shura: 52). This verse may also mean that the Holy Prophet was lost in society, engrossed in ignorance, and his personality as a guide and leader was not in any way prominent before Prophethood. It may as well mean that in the desert of ignorance, he was standing like a lonely tree, which had the capability to bear fruit and turn the whole desert into a garden, but this capability was not being put to any use before Prophethood. It may also imply that the extraordinary powers that Allah had blessed him with, were going waste in the unfavorable environment of ignorance. Dalal can also be taken in the meaning of heedlessness, so as to say: "You were heedless of the truths and sciences of which Allah made you aware after Prophethood." This thing also has been referred to in the Qur'an itself: "Though before this you were utterly unaware of these truths." (Yusuf: 3). (Also see AI-Baqarah: 282, Ash-Shu'ara: 20). 

Yusuf Ali Explanation (continuing from verse 6):

(2) The holy Prophet was born in the midst of the idolatry and polytheism of Makkah, in a family which was the custodian of this false worship. He wandered in the quest of Unity and found it by the guidance of Allah. There is no implication whatever of sin or error on his part. But we may err and find ourselves wandering in mazes of error, in thought, motive, or understanding: we must pray for Allah's grace ever to give us guidance. The Arabic root dhalla has various shades of meaning. In i. 7, I have translated it by the verb "stray". In liii. 2 the Prophet is defended from the charge of being "astray" or straying in mind. In xii. 9 and xii. 95 Jacob's sons use the word for their aged father, to suggest that he was senile and wandering in mind. In xxxii. 10 it is used of the dead, and I have translated "hidden and lost" (in the earth).

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The actual word is ضَالّ. It is an expression of the complexities the Prophet (sws) would be engrossed in resolving before he was called to the prophethood. In other words, it means: لم يهتد الي الطريق. For this reason, this word should not be translated as “one who has gone astray.” It should be translated as “one who is searching for the way.” In other words, it refers to a person who is wandering here and there but is not able to find the right way. In Arabia, before the Prophet (sws) was called to prophethood all the followers of the religion of Ḥanifiyyah were in this state. It is mentioned in various historical narratives that they would sit against the walls of the Ka‘bah and would longingly express while addressing God that they did not know how to worship Him, otherwise they would have done it in the prescribed way. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes:

The prophets of God have an upright nature even before they are given the responsibility of prophethood. Even in the early part of their lives they never deviate from the obvious norms of human nature; however, human nature can only guide a person in broad areas of faith and deeds. It cannot explain all the corollaries and consequences of all articles of faith nor is it capable of defining the exact limits of all deeds and morals. Therefore, even an upright person who lives by the guidance provided by his nature still needs to know the attributes of God and the requirements of faith in the attributes of the God on whose existence his heart bears evidence. He wants to know the obligations which he owes to His Creator and how he should discharge them. He also wants to know how he should lead his life in such a disciplined manner that even the distant aspects of his life are spent in subservience to God. Unless these questions are answered, a person does not receive real satisfaction and neither is he able to establish a relationship with the Almighty on the right footing. These were the questions which bombarded the Prophet (sws) in the phase of his life referred to by the words وَوَجَدَکَ ضَآلًّا. Obviously, this state of his can neither be regarded as of error nor of guidance. In precise words, this state of his reflects his effort to seek the truth. In other words, it is as if a person is standing on a crossroad and is unable to decide the path he should adopt. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Qur’an, vol. 9, 416)

Through this verse, we learn that anyone who has a sincere desire to know the truth, Allah helps and guides him to His path: The Divine Path which does not confuse or mislead anyone. It is this truth due to which more and more people are reverting to Islam and the many revert stories that we have shared stand as testimony to it. You may read the revert stories from our reference page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences.

So, whoever feels lost, must give it a try to read Al Qur'an, for Qur'an guides all those who have a jumbled up spiritual mindset and need a clear answer to their queries.

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.

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.

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

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.

You may read this post in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |

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

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

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

In addition, 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 Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ of performing Ablution during journey

Performing ablution during journey slightly differs from the ordinary ablution which we perform in masjids and our homes. It can either be dry ablution, called Tayammum (Arabic: تيمم) which is act of dry ritual purification using purified (clean) sand or stone or mud, or ablution with water with a slight difference of wiping over the Khuff.

We share the sunnah of ablution while in journey attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and joining a prayer already in session and completing the prayer after the Imam leading the prayer performs the final salutation. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 1 Purification (Kitab Al-Taharah): كتاب الطهارة / Chapter # 60 Wiping Over the Khuff / باب الْمَسْحِ عَلَى الْخُفَّيْنِ ) as Hadith number # 149, quoted herein under:

Al-Mughirah b. Shu’bah reported:

I was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the expedition of Tabuk. He abandoned the main road before the dawn prayer, and I also did the same along with him. The Prophet (ﷺ) made his camel kneel down and (went to) relieve himself. He then came back and I poured water upon his hands from the skin-vessel. He then washed his hands and face. He tried to get his forearms out (of the gown), but the sleeves of the gown were too narrow, so he entered back both his hands, and brought them out from beneath the gown. He washed his forearms up to the elbows and wiped his head and wiped over his socks. He then mounted (his camel) and we began to proceed until we found people offering the prayer. They brought forward ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf who was leading them in prayer. The Prophet(ﷺ) stood in the row side by side with other Muslims. He performed the second rak’ah of the prayer behind ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Awf. Then ‘Abd al-Rahman uttered salutation. The Prophet(ﷺ) stood to perform the remaining rak’ah of the prayer. The Muslims were alarmed. They began to utter tasbih (Subhan Allah) presuming that they had offered prayer before the Prophet (ﷺ) had done. When he uttered the salutation (i.e. finished his prayer), he said: You were right, or (he said) you did well.

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبَّادُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، أَنَّ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ شُعْبَةَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ أَبَاهُ الْمُغِيرَةَ، يَقُولُ عَدَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنَا مَعَهُ فِي غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ فَعَدَلْتُ مَعَهُ فَأَنَاخَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَتَبَرَّزَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَكَبْتُ عَلَى يَدِهِ مِنَ الإِدَاوَةِ فَغَسَلَ كَفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ ثُمَّ حَسَرَ عَنْ ذِرَاعَيْهِ فَضَاقَ كُمَّا جُبَّتِهِ فَأَدْخَلَ يَدَيْهِ فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِنْ تَحْتِ الْجُبَّةِ فَغَسَلَهُمَا إِلَى الْمِرْفَقِ وَمَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأَ عَلَى خُفَّيْهِ ثُمَّ رَكِبَ فَأَقْبَلْنَا نَسِيرُ حَتَّى نَجِدَ النَّاسَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ قَدْ قَدَّمُوا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَوْفٍ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ حِينَ كَانَ وَقْتُ الصَّلاَةِ وَوَجَدْنَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ وَقَدْ رَكَعَ بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَفَّ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَصَلَّى وَرَاءَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ الرَّكْعَةَ الثَّانِيَةَ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي صَلاَتِهِ ‏.‏ فَفَزِعَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ فَأَكْثَرُوا التَّسْبِيحَ لأَنَّهُمْ سَبَقُوا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالصَّلاَةِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ لَهُمْ ‏"‏ قَدْ أَصَبْتُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ ‏"‏ قَدْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)

The Arabic word khuff refers to what is worn over one's feet, whether it be in leather, wool or other material, including socks. To wipe over the khuff instead of washing one's feet for ablution is valid according to the general view of Sunni scholars upon basis of Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as mentioned above. 

Thus, we learn two things from the aforesaid Sunnah: (1) Ablution over khuff and (2) The procedure for joining a prayer already in session. Let us follow the Sunnah and concessions given for journey. But we should not skip our prayer at any cost during the journey. and if water is not available, we must perform Tayammum, the procedure has already been given in one of our earlier posts: How to perform Dry Ablution (Tayammum)

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 | 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.

Read More

Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Reference Page)

Sometime back, we at Islam: My Ultimate Decision, started sharing Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for these complement the guidance contained in Al Qur'an. We are pleased to know that our readers read these posts with due enthusiasm to add to their knowledge and live their lives as per Divine commandments given in Al Qur'an and life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the form of Hadiths and Sunnah.

But as more and more Hadiths, Sunnah and Prophetic Supplications are being added to our reference page: Sunnah, Hadith and Prophetic Supplications of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, we feel we need to divide these three subjects for easy reference and consultation. 

Therefore, we begin a separate reference page, that is this page, exclusively for the Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.  The supplications so far added are appended herein under. These provide well worded formats as were prayed by our revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, for we may not be able to properly word our supplications when beseeching Allah for fulfilment and resolution of our wishes and woes.

Supplications mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī:

• To invoke the very Mercy of Allah ( Hadith 834)
• For Protection against Evil and envious eye (Hadith 3371)
• To seek refuge from helplessness and being overpowered unjustly (Hadith 5425)
• What is Ruqyya and How Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used this form of healing (Hadith 5743)
• The Most Superior Way of Asking Forgiveness from Allah (Hadith 6306)
• Pre-sleep actions at night Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prescribed before making a Supplication  (Hadith 6311)
• In time of distress (Hadith 6346)
• To seek refuge with Allah from the difficult times (Hadith 6347)
• For Protection against Grief, Incapacity and Cowardice (Hadith 6369)
• لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّٰهِ A Special Glorification of Allah that is one of the treasures of Paradise (Hadith 6384)
• سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ‏. For Forgiveness (Hadith 6405)
• Prophetic Supplication after As Salat (Hadith 6615)
• Seven people will be shaded by Allah on the Day of Resurrection (Hadith 6806)
• A comprehensive supplication " دُعا " with which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to invoke Allah at night (Hadith 7385)

Supplications mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:

• For salvation in times of Distress (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 7426 | Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2730)
• For forgiveness of sins  (Hadith 483)
• A supplication that has the power of opening of gates of Jannah (Hadith 601)
• Prophetic Prayer While in Prostration (Hadith 1084)
• Who would be the POOR of the Ummah on the Day of Resurrection (Hadith 2581)
• The virtue of a short Prophetic supplication if recited 100 times a day  (Hadith 2691)
• Prophetic Supplication which was dearer to him than anything over which the sun rises (Hadith 2695)
• Special supplication for Reverts after embracing Islam (Hadith 2697a)
• How to beg to our Lord (Hadith 2697c)
• Seeking Refuge from a Bad End and Misery (Hadith: 2708 b / 2709 a)
• Supplication to Seek Refuge from All ills (Hadith 2722)
• A supplication that outweighs many other supplications (Hadith 2726a)
• Praise Allah " الحمد لله " after Eating and Drinking (Hadith 2734a)
• For Seeking Refuge from Withdrawal of Allah’s Protection (Hadith 2739)
• Supplication to relieve pain (even from a sting of a scorpion) (Hadith 6880)

Supplications mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud:

• (Sunan Abi Dawud: Hadith 1495)
• Supplication that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made after saying the Taslim (Hadith 1509)
• What should a person supplicate after the Taslim (Hadith 1510)
• A Small prayer yet Paradise the reward (Hadith 1529)
• For Seeking Protection (Hadith 1537)
• Protection from trials of Fire and evils of richness and poverty  Hadith 1543)
• For Protection against Poverty and from being Wronged (Hadith 1544)
• How to seek refuge from all forms of Evil  (Hadith 1551)
• How to supplicate to Allah for seeking refuge from evil diversions (Hadith 1551)
• Supplication for protection against Dangerous Diseases (Hadith 1554)
• Allah answers and gives when making supplication using His special names (Hadith 1495)
• What to say when waking up (Hadith 5077)
• For Good Health and Protection from Torment of Grave (Hadith 5090)
• When leaving the house (Hadith 5095)

Supplications mentioned in Jami` at-Tirmidhi:

• How to Ward Off Pain from Oneself (Hadith: 2080)
• Prophetic (ﷺ) supplication when visiting the sick (Hadith: 2083)
• O Changer of the Hearts! Strengthen my heart upon Your Religion (Hadith: 2140)
• Etiquette of Supplicating (Hadith: 3381)
• How to repent when getting up from a sitting engaged in idle and meaningless conversation (Hadith: 3433)
• What has been related about a Comprehensive Supplication from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (Hadith: 3475)
• What to supplicate when mounting an animal or any means of transportation (Hadith: 3446)
• Prophetic Supplication for Night of Al Qadr (Hadith: 3513)
• Protection against evil (Hadith: 3591)

Supplications mentioned in Sunan Ibn Majah:

• Protection against every evil (Hadith 3525)
• Comprehensive supplication (Hadith 3846)
• Upon waking up in the morning (Hadith 3878)
• Supplication if something overwhelms you (Hadith 4168)

So, our dear brothers and sisters in Islam now you can easily access to the Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, remember these and recite these as much as they can to invoke the blessings of Allah.

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 as against each supplication. 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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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

Man laments: I am all alone - Allah assures him 'Have no fear, I am with you'

In her famous poem "Solitude", Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote: Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone. That is as long as man has wealth, health and position, happiness surrounds him and so do people. Even under such a prime time of one's life, many forget to thank one's Lord for the blessings one has in possession. But when the dark clouds start to loom overhead someone and gets into difficulties or his financial and physical health deteriorates, people tend to disassociate from him and find some other lively company to laugh and make merry. 

It is these times, when man feels the loneliness surrounding him and find no open door to knock at other than the door of one's Lord. And one's Lord, always so gracious and merciful assures the man in distress not to worry for He is always with His servants to save them from difficulties, solitude and fear of demagogues and the tyrants.

This is the theme of our selected verse from Qur'an, the 46th verse from Surah 20. Ta Ha (طٰهٰ​). This verse is continuation of the 45th verse (Verily, we fear lest he should hasten to punish us or lest he should transgress.) in which Prophet Musa علي السلام (Moses) expressed his fear when Allah ordered him to go to the court of the Pharoah and call him to worship One True God. To this God reassured them not to fear for He would be with them and that they should feel them all alone in from of the tyrant Pharoah:

قَالَ لَا تَخَافَآ​ اِنَّنِىۡ مَعَكُمَاۤ اَسۡمَعُ وَاَرٰى‏ 

(20:46) He said: "Have no fear. I am with you, hearing and seeing all. 

Ibn Kathir explains this verse and notes: (He (Allah) said: "Fear not, verily, I am with you both, hearing and seeing.') meaning; "Do not fear him (Pharoah), for verily, I am with you and I hear your speech and his speech as well. I see your place and I see his place as well. Nothing is hidden from Me of your affair. Know that his forehead is in My Hand, and he does not speak, breathe, or use any force, except by My leave and after My command. I am with you by My protection, My help and My support.''

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

At this point they receive God’s decisive answer which leaves no room for fear or worry: “Answered He: Have no fear. I shall be with you. I hear all and see all.” (Verse 46) Thus, God Almighty who has power over all creatures and who creates the universe and all creatures in it, using nothing more than His will to bring them into existence, tells them that He is with them. This should have been sufficient, but God adds to this what increases their certainty of help. This is evidenced by the fact that He hears all and sees all. What could Pharaoh do against the power of the Almighty, whether in a precipitate reaction or a well-considered one?

The purpose of sharing this verse is that one must never forget to remember God whether in good or bad times. And especially so when in distress or faced with tyranny of a tyrant or a demagogue. For in one's hard times, no one sides with the oppressed or a man in distress. If man has been consistent in remembering God, then the Divine help is guaranteed. Let us remember our Creator and thank him in good times or even bad times for bad times could have been worse than what we are facing. We should never ever feel alone if we have unflinching trust in our Creator and leave our affairs to Him, for He knows our plight and will definitely take us from our bad times and solitude.

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.

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.

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

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.

You may read this post in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 |

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

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

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

In addition, 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 Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine guidance and help

The purpose of our blog, Islam: My Ultimate Decision, is to provide selected verses from Al Qur'an for the newly reverted Muslims, so that they may select a topic or a query and find its answer quickly from our special pages. We have summarized our many pages into Reference Pages which may be consulted to find quick references and answers.

We have recently concluded a number of posts about the Most of the people who do not know as against the few who sought truth by pondering over verses from Qur'an to be better guided. Our readers who are new to our blog may consult our reference post: Let us be of the few who are grateful to know who is in the majority and otherwise.

Today, with this post, we begin a reference to number of verses from Qur'an which provide hope and guidance to those who sincerely seek Divine guidance by reading Qur'an, for Qur'an opens up the closed minds and hearts if read in total sincerity and humility. This post in fact is in the form of a Question-and-Answer format, wherein a servant seeks Divine guidance and hope and is assured of Allah's guidance and help. We will then take each verse in our coming posts and explain it for those who want explanation and reference to the context of selected verse.

• Man laments: I'm too sinful
• Allah says: Remember Allah Instantly if you sin and implore forgiveness (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:135)
• Read more on Repentance and Seeking Divine Forgiveness
• Man complains: Everyone is doing it, why shouldn't I?
• Allah says: They follow nothing but conjectures - they do nothing but lie (Surah 6 Al-An'am:116)

• Man laments: I am all alone
• Allah says: Have no fear. I am with you, hearing and seeing all (Surah Taha: 46)

• Man laments: I feel lost
• Allah says: Did I not find you unaware of the Right Way, and then directed you to it? (Surah 93. Ad-Duhaa: 7)

• Man laments: I'm a failure
• Allah says: The believers have indeed attained true success (Surah 23. Al-Mu'minoon: 1)

• Man laments: It’s too difficult
• Allah says: With every difficulty there is ease (Surah 94. Al Inshirah (The Opening Up): 5-6)     

• Man laments: No one can help me
• Allah says:  It's upon Us to help the believers (Surah Ar-Rum: 47)

• Man laments: I don't have much
• Allah says: For those who believe and do righteous deeds is a generous provision (Surah Al-Hajj: 50)

• Man laments: I'm physically and spiritually hollow
• Allah says: We've sent down the Qur'an as a healing (Surah Al-Israa: 82)

• Man laments: I'm overburdened
• Allah says: Allah will not burden a soul more than it can bear (Surah Al-Baqarah: 286)

• Man laments: I'm uncomely (Ugly)
• Allah says: We've certainly created man in the best make and appearance (Surah At-Teen: 4)

• Man laments: I'm unrewarded and feel unappreciated
• Allah says: Your efforts and striving will be appreciated and rewarded (Surah 76. Insan: 22)

• You say: I feel dishonoured
• Allah says: We have indeed honoured the children of Adam (Surah Al-Israa: 70)

• Man laments: Satan's plot is too strong
• Allah reassures: Feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan (Surah An-Nisaa: 76)

• Man laments: When will Allah's help arrive
• Allah reassures: Behold, Allah's help is close by (Surah Al-Baqarah: 214)

• Man laments: Religion is too hard (when it comes to fasting)
• Allah says: Allah wants ease and not hardship (Surah Al-Baqarah: 185) - post will be shared on 11 March 2024

We will add more such like questions and the references from Qur'an that may bring peace, guidance, tranquility and hope to a disturbed mindset.

For compiled verses for more specific subjects, please refer to our exclusive reference page: "Selected verses from Al-Qurʾān about a specific subject."

In addition, for more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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.

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.

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

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.

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

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

Do not let Satan steal your prayer

Salat / prayer is the second pillar of Islam. It is an act of one-to-one communication between Allah and His servant. It is therefore incumbent on every believer to establish communication with extreme devotion and humility. That is when one is offering one's salat / prayer, one should focus wholeheartedly to his act of communication for he is standing in front of his Lord, the Lord of universe. Any mean thoughts that may start to wander into one's mind to distract and disrupt the communication is thus an act of Satan who does his utmost to derail one's concentration. This happens to most of us and if we do not check this Satanic interruption, he may steal away that part of our prayer wherein we are being carried away by Satan's machinations. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has warned believers to refrain from losing concentration and let not Satan steal our prayer.

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 59 - Beginning of Creation /  كتاب بدء الخلق / Chapter 11: The characteristics of Iblis (Satan) and his soldiers / باب صِفَةِ إِبْلِيسَ وَجُنُودِهِ ) as Hadith 3291, given herein under:

Narrated by `Aisha: I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about one's looking here and there during the prayer. He replied, "It is what Satan steals from the prayer of any one of you."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَشْعَثَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، قَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْتِفَاتِ الرَّجُلِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ هُوَ اخْتِلاَسٌ يَخْتَلِسُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏

As can be seen from the above quoted Hadith, when one is losing concentration and tends to look away, this is the time when Satan is taking that portion of our prayer away from us. Therefore, we must shun any worldly thoughts to wander into our mind or look at what others are doing. May Allah let not Satan to rob us from the benefit and blessing of our prayers.

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 | 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.

Read More