Which supplication made upon waking up at night is responded to by Allah

No supplication made by a believer is ever rejected or responded to by Allah, although the Divine response may not come immediately, or may bless the supplicator with something better than what has been prayed. However, there are times when a supplication is responded to earlier than before. And of the times when a supplication is responded to by Allah is when someone suddenly wakes up at night and makes a supplication.

In a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a supplication has been mentioned which if made upon suddenly waking up at night is made and are responded to by Allah.  And if one then performs ablution and offer the Tahajjud prayer, the supplication is accepted. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 19 -   Prayer at Night (Tahajjud) /  كتاب  التهجد / Chapter 21: The superiority of one who wakes up at night and offers the Salat with a loud voice / باب فَضْلِ مَنْ تَعَارَّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَصَلَّى) as Hadith 1154, given herein under:

Narrated by 'Ubada bin As-Samit:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever gets up at night and says: -- 'La ilaha il-lallah Wahdahu la Sharika lahu Lahu-lmulk, waLahu-l-hamd wahuwa 'ala kullishai'in Qadir. Al hamdu lil-lahi wa subhanal-lahi wa la-ilaha il-lal-lah wa-l-lahu akbar wa la hawla Wala Quwata il-la-bil-lah.' (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. He is the Only One and has no partners. For Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are due for Him. He is Omnipotent. All the praises are for Allah. All the glories are for Allah. And no one has the right to be worshipped but Allah, And Allah is Great And there is neither Might nor Power Except with Allah). And then says: -- Allahumma, Ighfir li (O Allah! Forgive me). Or invokes (Allah), he will be responded to and if he performs ablution (and prays), his prayer will be accepted."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا صَدَقَةُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَيْرُ بْنُ هَانِئٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي جُنَادَةُ بْنُ أَبِي أُمَيَّةَ، حَدَّثَنِي عُبَادَةُ بْنُ الصَّامِتِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ تَعَارَّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ‏.‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي‏.‏ أَوْ دَعَا اسْتُجِيبَ، فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى قُبِلَتْ صَلاَتُهُ ‏"‏‏.

Not a lengthy supplication which cannot be remembered by heart. One must make an endeavour to remember it by heart and must make it if one wakes up at night. And to add more spice to its acceptance, one must perform ablution and offer Tahajjad prayer. This will ensure acceptance of the prayer. 

Here it should be noted that this is the premise for whenever making a supplication, one must first invoke the mercy of Allah by mentioning as many attributes of Allah as one remembers. And then make one's earnest wish to be forgiven or any wish desired to be made. The premise will be responded to and when one offers the Tahajjad prayer, his prayer will be accepted.

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 exclusive reference page: Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more supplications attributed to 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

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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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Believers! Cleanse your faith if you believe in God and yet associate others with Him

Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". And talking of religions, almost all religions, whether worldly or Divine inadvertently hinge around the concept of an unchallengeable Heavenly Deity Who created the entire universe and all living beings. It is He, alone, Who controls the motion of stars, galaxies, and celestial bodies. It is He alone who controls the weather, rainfall and growth of crops and trees from the earth. It is He alone Who ensures a balance in everything that is in the entire universe.

That is from the heart of the heart, everyone believes there is One Deity, yet because of a weak and wavering faith they have doubts and find worldly deities at par with the One True God. And the most in alarming thing is that many a Muslims too fall into this category and take their worldly deities, both dead and alive as their deliverer. This indeed is the worst form of Shirk, associating others with One True God - something most detested by One True God, or Allah as we say in Arabic. 

We share today the 106th verse of Surah 12 Yusuf (Prophet Joseph, may peace be upon him) whic cautions believers of associating others with Him:

وَمَا يُؤۡمِنُ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ بِاللّٰهِ اِلَّا وَهُمۡ مُّشۡرِكُوۡنَ‏ 

(12:106) And most of them believe not in Allah without associating (others as partners) with Him! 

That is, they associate other deities with Allah because they do not pay heed to His Signs, which serve as pointers to the Right Way. So, they go astray from it and get lost in thorny bushes. Nevertheless, many of them do not lose sight of Reality entirely, and do not disbelieve in Allah as their Creator and Sustainer, but they get involved in shirk. That is, they do not deny the existence of God, but they believe that there are other deities who are also partners in His Being, His Attributes, His Powers, and His Rights. They should never have been involved in shirk, had they considered these Signs in the heavens and the earth from this point of view, for in that case they would have discovered everywhere, in each and every one of them, the proofs of the Oneness of Allah.

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.) Ibn `Abbas commented, "They have a part of faith, for when they are asked, `Who created the heavens Who created the earth Who created the mountains' They say, `Allah did.' Yet, they associate others with Him in worship.' 

In the Sahih, it is recorded that during the Hajj season, the idolators used to say in their Talbiyah: "Here we rush to Your service. You have no partners with You, except a partner with You whom You own but he owns not!' 

Allah said in another Ayah: (إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ Verily, joining others in worship with Allah is a great Zulm (wrong) indeed.) [31:13] 

This indeed is the greatest type of Shirk, associating others with Allah in worship. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "I said, `O Allah's Messenger! What is the greatest sin' He said, (أَنْ تَجْعَلَ للهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَك That you call a rival to Allah while He alone created you.)'' 

Al-Hasan Al-Basri commented on Allah's statement, (And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.) "This is the hypocrite; if he performs good deeds, he does so to show off with the people, and he is an idolator while doing this.'' 

Al-Hasan was referring to Allah's statement, (Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salah, they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.) [4:142] 

There is another type of hidden Shirk that most people are unaware of. Hammad bin Salamah narrated that `Asim bin Abi An-Najud said that `Urwah said, "Hudhayfah visited an ill man and saw a rope tied around his arm, so he ripped it off while reciting, (And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him.) 

In a Hadith, from Ibn `Umar collected by At-Tirmidhi who said it was Hasan, the Prophet said, (He who swears by other than Allah, commits Shirk.) 

Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and other scholars of Hadith narrated that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah said, (إِنَّ الرُّقَى وَالتَّمَائِمَ وَالتِّوَلَةَ شِرْك Verily, Ar-Ruqa, At-Tama'im and At-Tiwalah are all acts of Shirk.) 

In another narration collected by Ahmad and Abu Dawud, the Prophet said, (Verily, At-Tiyarah ﴿omen﴾ is Shirk; everyone might feel a glimpse of it, but Allah dissipates it with Tawakkul.)''

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Even if people profess a nominal faith in Allah, they corrupt it by believing in other things as if they were Allah's partners, or had some share in the shaping of the world's destinies! In some circles, it is idolatry, the worship of stocks and stones. In others, it is Christolatry and Mariolatry, or the deification of heroes and men of renown. In others it is the powers of Nature or of Life, or of the human intellect personified in Science or Art or invention, and this is the more common form of modern idolatry. Others again worship mystery, or imaginary powers of good or even evil: greed and fear are mixed up with these forms of worship. Islam calls us to worship Allah, the One True God, and Him only.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

Yet even the believers among them allow an element of disbelief, in one form or another, to creep into their hearts. True faith requires being constantly alert so that any fleeting thought that Satan tries to sneak into our beliefs, and every worldly value in any action or attitude we take are removed straightaway. To do so is to ensure that we address all our actions to God alone. Pure faith needs a firm decision in the question of who has the supreme influence on people’s hearts and actions. This ensures that all submission is to God alone.  No one else has any position that requires even partial submission.

 

“And most of them do not even believe in God without also associating partners with Him.” (Verse 106) They associate some earthly value in the way they consider events, matters and people, or give to something other than God’s will or power a role in what brings them harm or benefit. Or they may acknowledge an element of submission to a ruler or master who does not confine himself to God’s law alone; or they look up to someone other than God for the fulfilment of their hopes; or address their sacrifice in a way that seeks to win people’s admiration; or strive to ensure some benefit or dispel harm but their striving is not done purely for God’s sake; or they may allow something to creep into their worship which makes it not purely dedicated to God alone. Hence, the Prophet says: “Shirk, i.e. associating partners with God, may be more subtle than the creeping of an ant.” [Related by Abū Ya’lā on the authority of Ma’qil ibn Yasār.]

Verse 106 is followed by the Divine answer (verse 107):

Then, [by trusting the partners they associate with God,] have they become content that a torment visits them from God or the Day of Judgement suddenly descend on them and they are absolutely unaware of it?

Let us conclude that there are two categories of men: 

One which does not believe in any religion, yet silently acknowledges that there is a Supreme Deity that manages and administers the world. Despte the realization, they have made idols that REPRESENT various attributes of the Supreme Deity. This is more applicable to Hindus and Buddhists.

The second category is of those believers who follow a Divine Religion, like Jews, Christians and Muslims, who acknowledge that there is One True God. But one of these also believe that God is Three in One - that is adding associates with the One True God. Some even go to the extent of all calling the three gods at par with each other.

Yet again a part of the second category, that is of Muslims, who while having faith in One True God, called Allah in Arabic, also worship worldly deities, mostly dead and some alive. They visit their graves and ASK the dead saints to invoke Allah on their behalf for the fulfillment of their wishes. They even distribute food and charity money in the name of the dead saints and not in the name of Allah. Some even elevate their status so high that one starts to question the reality of their faith.

All above categories are extreme type of Shirk and those who do not want to be subjected to the punishment of committing shirk, must cleanse their faith and follow One True God without any conditions or additions attached to Him. Many non-Muslims are realizing the flaw in their faith and entering the fold of Islam everyday around the world. But what about the Muslims who have tainted their faith and yet are not concerned of the gravity of the offense they are committing. May Allah help them to cleanse their faith before angel of death takes their souls away.

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 refer to our reference page: Faith in Allah to read more directives on the subject.

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 |

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. 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.

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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Understanding Islam: Why should women stand behind men when offering Salat (Prayer) together?

Many a non-Muslim are always on the lookout to find some flaws in Islam to mock the Muslims. The Hijab is one main concern of non-Muslims for they think that it is tantamount to suppression of Muslim rights. We have written much on the philosophy and wisdom behind Hijab of women, and so have many others. But those who want to mock Islam are unmoved no matter how many arguments are proffered in support of Hijab.

Now here is another object: Why should women stand behind men when offering Salat (Prayer) together?

Yesterday, I shared the above photograph showing how a Muslim family offer prayer in ranks. It shows the women of the house standing in the last row behind men. This photo was immediately picked up and one of the commentators, obviously a non-Muslim, remarked: "Mother and daughter pray in the back cause they're not as intelligent as men according to your prophet, lol."

I in my counter remarks tried to explain the wisdom behind this, which is purely hinges to protect and respect he modesty of women. Yet the above said commentator continues to come up with her own arguments, though I asked her to read more about it before making her comments. But to no avail.

Since the aim of my blog is to present to the world Islam in as easy words and explanation as possible with a view to removing any doubts that non-Muslims may have to better understand Islam, I thought to explain the reason why. But before I do that, I must point out out right from outset that the rationale or the wisdom behind women standing behind men can only be understood by those non-Muslims who value the modesty, dignity and honour. Since in most of the countries, women are only considered as sex symbols, which is evident from the advertisement which show women in revealing outfit to attract men, accepting my viewpoint will be a bit difficult for both men and women, for they enjoy the hidden lust in public display of women.

Now coming to the issue at hand: we all understand that women have been so made that men cannot resist watching her because of her body shape and contours. So, if a woman stands in front of a man or even by his side, there is more than a possibility that her presence so close will be notice by man, and since the purpose of prayer is complete devotion to Allah, any distraction in the prayer due to presence of man may take his attention away from prayer. Even if a husband is standing close to his wife or behind her, her love for her may be distracting too.

The most logical reason why a woman is required to stand behind the man and not beside him when offering congregation prayer has got to do with the nature that Allah Subhanah has bestowed upon the man. It is in the inherent nature of the man that he is easily and immediately physically attracted to the woman. Thus, when one is in audience with the Lord of the Worlds when one is in prayer, there is a chance that his sight or glance might fall on the woman, and thus his natural attraction and thought towards the opposite sex might distract his attention, and that would affect his humility and sincerity required when in prayer. The Deen of Islam, being perfect and in absolute accordance with nature has taken care of even the smallest of issues; and guided its followers that when a man and a woman pray in congregation alone, the woman must stand behind the man and not beside him. [1]

Thus, it is not fair to read his tradition from a presentist standpoint and look at the configuration of the prayer in terms of female subordination to men. It’s not about male superiority or female inferiority. That women stand behind men does not suggest that they are secondary in the sight of God. God’s sight encompasses all. Furthermore, Islam is a religion whose overriding characteristic is modesty. The prayer is very physical. Some men might be able to ignore a woman standing beside them or in front of them. Others might not be so successful. If men weren’t moved by the female body, then the billion-dollar advertising industry that objectifies and commodifies women would not exist. [2]

Now you may like to watch a very informative video in which eminent Muslim scholar Dr Shabir Ally explains the issue at hand:

I hope this explanation amply answers the questions by the non-Muslims and they would try to find wisdom in women praying behind men, if objectively viewed with an open and unbiased mindset. 

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 also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Islam for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo: Facebook | Resource References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. 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.

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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Do not you know that none apart from Allah is your protector or helper?

True belief in Allah is one of the most difficult things to achieve. Although, many, including Muslims, believe that Allah is the Creator of the universe and thus it is only He who can help and protect us from any calamity or bad time, yet our faith wavers much too often. It is often seen that when a believer is in distress, while invoking the mercy of Allah, he also seeks help from worldly gods. This is something that is least liked by Allah for He had commanded His servants at many places in the Qur'an that one must seek His help when so needed for none but He is our protector and helper.

Please read the following verse, the 107th verse of Surah 2. Al Baqarah (The Cow) which is based on the same theme as of the premise:

اَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمۡ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهٗ مُلۡكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ​ؕ وَمَا لَـکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ مِنۡ وَّلِىٍّ وَّلَا نَصِيۡرٍ‏ 

(2:107) Are you not aware that the dominion of the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah, and that none apart from Allah is your protector or helper?

This verse is most often not read out by the interpreters and religious men so as to keep their hold on the people around them and fleece money in the name of Allah. In many countries of Asia, believers, with weak faith still cling to culture of non-Muslims and rely on giving alms and charity in the name of some saint which is strictly against the teachings of Islam. Anything which is to be sacrificed or given out in charity has to be done only in the name of Allah and no other worldly deity.

Many Muslims are seen observing the charities on 11th of the month, or the arranging feasts on 40th day of the death of near or dear one, or even hanging charms to ward off evil in their shops or houses. All these accts are inherited from the pagans of Araba of the pre-Islamic era or from non-Muslims, especially Hindus of Indian sub-continent. This happens when belief in Allah is weak and one depends more on worldly gods. A lot of people go to the extreme of visiting the graves of the saints and beg them to pray for them. Imagine how a dead being can be of any help when his own record in the world has been sealed. This is the extreme of SHIRK, an unforgiveable acct by Allah for asking someone other than He to fulfill their needs. 

Let us purify ourselves from all such acts that were shunned by Prophet Muhammad when he proclaimed victory over the pagans and non-Muslims of Arabia and believers were asked not to follow the culture and traditions of their previous faith. From thenceforth, they were to take Allah, and no one else, as their guardian, helper and protector. Anyone who is still indulged in activities of the pagan Arab era or the Hindu culture, his faith is seriously at risk.

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 refer to our reference page: Faith in Allah to read more directives on the subject.

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. 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.

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

Visit three places, often, to understand the meaning of life

Generally, all of us are so engrossed in the colours of life, that we forget how much we are blessed with and how Allah blesses us without even being asked and desired. For many, merrymaking, fun and laughter is what life is all about. For many others, indulging in a sinful life to satisfy their lewdness is the purpose of life. But unfortunately, many do not value life the way it should be or live life as it should be to please Allah for it is He who has created us and provided us with means of sustenance, which most of the people around the world really long for. 

In order to prove my point, let me share a valuable eye opener which if really understood will open the doors for us to understand the reality of life. This was shared by one of my sisters in Islam and with her permission I am sharing it with my readers:

A rich person looked out the window and saw someone taking things out of the trash...!! He said: Thank God that I am not poor...!! The poor man looked up and saw a crazy person wandering in the street...!! He said: I thank God that I am not crazy...!! The crazy person looked forward and saw an ambulance...!! He said: I thank God that I am not sick...!! In the hospital, a sick person passes the body of a dead man...!! He says: I thank God that I am alive...!!

Only the dead could not thank God for anything...!! So, what does life mean to you and me...!!?? In order to understand the meaning of life, you must visit three places: Hospital, prison and graveyard /cemetery.

In the hospital you will see that there is nothing more beautiful than health. In prison, you will see that there is nothing more beautiful than freedom. And in the cemetery, you will see that life is not worth anything...!! The ground you tread now will be your roof tomorrow...!! We all came with nothing and we will leave with nothing...!!

This is why we must be humble before God Almighty We thank Him at all times for all... What we are and everything we have... it is blessing of Allah who gave us so much without being asked or even making a request. And when we visit a hospital, we know the meaning of a healthy life. Even if a thumb is cut off, we suddenly find how important it was for the function of our hand. And so is good for a loss of eye or a limb. Just see those who have lost their body parts and how they dearly feel the void that has been created since. Or see the life of someone who is born blind. Can we still remain oblivious of the blessing that we are blessed with?

And a prison would remind us that it is all about freedom that life really is. There are many who undergo a life sentence and would never see the world again. How torturous it is to see the high walls of prison and the feeling of losing their families. They must be thinking all the time how their children were being raised and would there be enough for them to live a decent life?

But the real answer comes up when one stands alone in the quietness of a graveyard. There, close by us, lie between the surface of earth, many who took life to be a playing field where they yelled and cheered and made fun, not caring for a second that they have to be thankful to their Lord for the good they have. But the death angel did not wait for them to thank God and one day quietly made their exit from this worldly life forever.

The grave finally dawns on us the reality of life. A final full stop when nothing could be added or subtracted. And mind you, this full stop comes without announcing, just like I am typing this post, and I never knew whether I would live to hit the full stop. and freedom.

Before the end comes and we are taken to be buried under the earth, let us understand the true reality of life. Let us start to thank our Lord for every penny that we have, our health and our freedom. We still have breath left in us to repent and seek forgiveness so that when we leave, we leave with a satisfied heart to embark upon a journey which would one day lead us to stand in front our Lord. Such will be the blessed ones who would say:

“O soul that are at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased (with him), well-pleasing (Him), So enter among My servants, and enter into My garden.” (Quran, 89:27-30)

If we have played our innings well, we will be the most blessed people. But if we wasted our life to enjoy to worldly life, and never thanked our Lord for His blessing or never repented our sins and sought His forgiveness, then rest assured the blazing fire of hell will never spare us, God forbids. 

“And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, ‘My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous’. But never will Allah delay a soul when its time has come. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.” (Quran, 63:10-11)

So do not wait to die. Be alive to the reality of death and make ARRANGEMENTS for a blessed life in the hereafter rather than a life in hell that no one can imagine how brutal and painful it would be. 

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 more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to Life from our reference page: Compiled verses from Qur'an on specified subjects: Life. 

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 |

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. 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.

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

Repent! Before the last time to repent arrives (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Much has been written by us in our previous posts about forgiveness and repentance. Today, we share a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which warns the believers about the last time that they can repent, for thereafter there will be no repentance accepted by Allah.

This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book (#48) Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness - كتاب الذكر والدعاء والتوبة والاستغفار   / Chapter # 12 It Is Recommend to Pray for Forgiveness a Great Deal / باب اسْتِحْبَابِ الاِسْتِغْفَارِ وَالاِسْتِكْثَارِ مِنْهُ ‏‏‏) as Hadith number # 2703 as under:

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

"He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), Allah turns to him with Mercy."

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَالِدٍ يَعْنِي سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ حَيَّانَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ غِيَاثٍ - كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ تَابَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَغْرِبِهَا تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It is said that the Day of Resurrection will be established when the sun will rise from the West. And when this happens, the entire geometry and geology of the spatial object will reverse, resulting in the destruction of the earth we live on. Who knows when this will happen: This could be millions and billions of years from now - OR EVEN THE NEXT SECOND.

Since it will happen anytime in future commencing right next second, believers have been warned to repent of their sins and seek Divine forgiveness before time runs out. Once the final phase of destruction of the earth sets into motion and man will witness the beginning of the end, no repentance will be accepted for he has been given enough time and warned enough. 

So, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, do not wait to repent if you sin. Repent immediately with utmost sincerity and resolve not to repeat the evil action. Remember, when time runs out, one's ledger book closes and is sealed. Remember, it is not only the rising of the sun from the west that one should wait for, it could be your death too which can occur any time from now. When one sees the angel of death, his time is already over and then there remains not a fraction of second to repent. So, keep repenting and seek Divine forgiveness as many times as you can during the day and night. Let us keep invoking mercy of Allah as much as we can so that He, the Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner, Ar Rahim (الرحيم) - The Most Merciful and At-Tawwab (التواب) - The Acceptor of Repentance, forgives us and makes us a contender for Jannah. Aameen.

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.

You may refer to our exclusive page: Collection of Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on Warnings / Cautions to read posts written on similar matters.

Please also refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about sunnah / Hadith 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

If you want an abode in Jannah, be fearful of thy Lord and restrain from evil desires

The world we live is an excellent example of the tug of war: We keep pushing away the evil, while the evil keeps pulling us towards it. Since man is inherently weak, more often than not succumbs to the charms and enticements of Evil. But those who are fearful of Allah, immediately repent if they get de-tracked and seek Allah's forgiveness. 

Unless a believer instill fear of his Lord in him and restrains from evil, he is likely to be rewarded in the life of hereafter. In fact, it is fear of retribution that keeps a believer right on the corrected path. Those whose hearts are devoid of Allah, keep following evil and make their lives entertaining that hinge on carefree platform.

The 40th and 41st verses of Surah 79. An Naziat carry this theme and gives glad tidings to the believers whose hearts are fearful of committing a crime or a sin and should they err, they immediately repent their misdoing and seek forgiveness. It is such people whom Allah loves and gives them glad tidings of an abode in Jannah:

وَ اَمَّا مَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّہٖ وَ نَہَی النَّفۡسَ عَنِ الۡہَوٰی  

(79:40) But he who feared to stand before his Lord, and restrained himself from evil desires,

فَاِنَّ الۡجَنَّۃَ ہِیَ الۡمَاۡوٰی

(79:41) most surely his abode shall be Paradise.

Here, in a few words, it has been told briefly what shall be the criterion of the final judgment in the Hereafter. One kind of the conduct of life in the world is that transgressing all bounds of service man should rebel against his God and should make up his mind that he would seek only the benefits and pleasures of this world in whatever way they could be sought and achieved. The other kind of conduct is that while man passes life in the world, he should constantly keep in view the truth that ultimately one day he has to stand before his Lord, and should refrain from fulfilling the evil desires of the self only for the fear that if he earned an unlawful benefit in obedience to his self, or enjoyed an evil pleasure, what answer he would give to his Lord. The criterion of the judgment in the Hereafter will be which of the two kinds of conduct he adopted in the world. If he had adopted the first kind of conduct, his permanent abode would be Hell, and if he had adopted the second kind of conduct, his permanent home would be Paradise. 

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

The one who fears to stand in front of God does not indulge in sin. If he slips and commits a sin, in a moment of weakness, his fear of God will lead him to repent and pray for forgiveness. Thus, he remains within the area of obedience, the central point of which is the control of one’s caprice and desires. Indulgence of desire and caprice is essentially the cause of all forms of tyranny and transgression. It is the spring of evil. Man, hardly ever falls for any reason other than succumbing to caprice and desire. Ignorance is easy to cure. Desire, once ignorance has been cured, is a plague which requires a long and hard struggle to overcome. Yet fear of God is the only solid defense against violent attacks of desire. Indeed, there is hardly any other defence which can withstand such attacks. Hence, the surah mentions fear of God and control of desire together in one verse. This fact is here stressed by God, the Creator of man and the only One who knows the human soul, its weaknesses and their effective cure.

God does not ask man to suppress his desires, because He knows that it is not possible for him to do so. He simply asks man to control his desires and not to let them control him. He tells him that fear of standing before his Lord, the Almighty, should be of great assistance. He has fixed his reward for this hard struggle: paradise as a dwelling place. For God knows perfectly well the hardships involved in this struggle and the high standards to which man is elevated by the same. This struggle, self-control and elevation help man fulfil his humanity. Such fulfilment cannot be achieved by giving way to all desires, and following caprice wherever it leads, on the pretext that desire and caprice are part of human nature. God, who made man sensitive to certain urges, also gave himself discipline. He also gives him paradise as a reward when he elevates himself to a high standard of humanity.

There are two types of freedom. The first is achieved through scoring a victory over one’s desires and releasing oneself from the chains of caprice. When man achieves such a victory, he finds himself able to fulfil these desires and caprices in a controlled and balanced way which emphasizes his freedom of choice. This type of freedom is human, one which suits the honour God has bestowed on man. The other type is animal freedom, represented in man’s defeat, his enslavement by his desires, and his loss of control over himself. This type of freedom is advocated only by those who have lost their humanity, so they try to cover their slavery with a dress of deceptive freedom.

AS can be seen from the aforementioned explanation of the selected verses of today, it can be concluded that the vicious cycle of evil commences from the evil desires that germinate in our mind. Those who can shun this right in the thought process, are the believers of the highest standard. But those who cannot harness evil desires ultimately fall prey to doing what was cooking in their mind. Therefore, every effort must be made to restrain the evil desires within so that these do not lead us to evil without.

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.

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.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. 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.

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