What to ask Allah (Scholars' Viewpoint)

Today, we at Islam: My Ultimate Decision, touch upon a subject which may seem very easy and simple on the face of it. But in fact, the topic today is seldom answered correctly by many believers when they are asked what they should ask from Allah.

We often have lists of things to ask from Allah and when we sit down at the end of our obligatory or even voluntary prayers, we start reading our lists as stored in our mind. These include every array of our lives, like money, position, children, good spouse, a comfortable house and a means of transportation and ending up with good health. We may also include grant of Paradise, Jannah, and escape from Hell, Jahanam.

But while doing so, we forget one thing: Seek forgiveness of our sins, wrongdoings and misguided life. If we ponder over the very meaning of forgiveness, the reality would start to dawn on us that unless we seek forgiveness from Allah and really feel ashamed of the dark part of our lives, the doors of heaven will never open for us. and rightly so, why should Allah grant us all blessings that we spell ot, if we have not been faithful to him and ashamed of our misdeed.

The theme of forgiveness is the topic of our post today and we have selected a very informative, enlightening and educative video lecture by one of the most eminent scholars of present times, Nouman Ali Khan. And we are very sure that if listen very patiently to this lecture in silence, preferably alone, so that each word of wisdom that oozes out of Nouman Ali Khan pierce into our hearts and move us to establish a one-to-one communication with Allah and seek forgiveness - and nothing else.

Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

That is our duty to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

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

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, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Hold Allah in awe - And listen and obey, and be charitable, for this is for your own good

We all undertake some sort of job to ensure the sustenance of ourselves and those dependent on us. And we are always on the guard not to annoy our boss for he may terminate us, hold or slash our salary or even humiliate us in front of others for not doing our duties as desired. So we are always on our toes not to annoy our boss and go into minutest details in performance of our duty to earn good name and expect a raise in the salary or promotion. 

If we are so fearful of our boss, shouldn't we be fearful of Allah, our Creator and our Sustainer? If we perform our worldly duties sincerely, shouldn't we be sincere to the Deity that created us and sustains us? In this regard, an Arabic word Taqwa is often used, which simply means Fear of Allah. 

In Arabic literature, a word-phrase Ittaqullah (Arabic: اتقوا الله) is often used to express fear of Allah. The word "Ittaqu" (the command or imperative form of the word taqwa), and "Allah". It is found in several verses in the Quran, It has been translated variously as "fear God", "keep your duty to Allah and fear Him", "guard your duty to Allah", "be careful of (your duty to) Allah", "be pious to Allah", "be aware of Allah", to "love and be faithful to", as well as fear Allah.

Today, we have selected a verse that tells the believers to hold Allah in awe - that is we should fear our Creator for we have been asked to undertake duties in respect of Him and if some duty is not been done or done improperly, we may annoy Him. 

فَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ مَا اسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ وَاسۡمَعُوۡا وَاَطِيۡعُوۡا وَاَنۡفِقُوۡا خَيۡرًا لِّاَنۡفُسِكُمۡ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يُّوۡقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهٖ فَاُولٰٓـئِكَ هُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُوۡنَ‏ 

(64:16) So hold Allah in awe as much as you can, and listen and obey, and be charitable. This is for your own good. And whoever remains safe from his own greediness, it is such that will prosper.

To understand this verse correctly, we may consider a few others verses of Qur'an which will make the meaning of Holding Allah in awe will be better understood.

At another place in the Qur'an, it has been said: "Fear Allah as He should actually be feared." (Al-'Imran: 102). At still another place: “Allah does not burden anyone with a responsibility heavier than he can bear." (Al-Baqarah: 286) And here: "Fear Allah as far as you can." When these three verses are read together it appears that the first verse sets an ideal which every believer should try to attain. The second verse lays down the principle that no one has been required to exert himself. beyond his power and ability, for in Allah's Religion one has been made responsible only for what is within one's power and ability. This verse enjoins every believer to try to attain piety and consciousness of God as far as he can. He should carry out His Commands and avoid His disobedience as best as he possibly can. For if he shows laxity in this regard, he will not be able to escape punishment. However, one will not be held accountable for what was beyond one's power (and Allah alone can decide best what was really beyond a person's power and ability).

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

(فَاتَّقُواْ اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ So have Taqwa of Allah as much as you can;) meaning, as much as you are able and can bear or endure. The Two Sahihs recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, (When I command you to do something, do as much as you can of it, and whatever I forbid for you, then avoid it.) 

Allah's statement, (وَاسْمَعُواْ وَأَطِيعُواْ listen and obey,) means, obey what Allah and His Messenger command you to do and do not stray from it to the right or left. Do not utter a statement or make a decision before Allah and His Messenger issue a statement or decision. Do not ignore what you were ordered to do, nor commit what you were forbidden from doing.

Encouraging Charity, Allah the Exalted said, (وَأَنْفِقُواْ خَيْراً لاًّنفُسِكُمْ and spend in charity; that is better for yourselves.) meaning, give from what Allah has granted you to your relatives, the poor, the needy and the weak. Be kind to Allah's creatures, just as Allah was and still is kind with you. This will be better for you in this life and the Hereafter. Otherwise, if you do not do it, it will be worse for you in this life and the Hereafter. 

Allah said; (وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ And whosoever is saved from his own greed, then they are the successful ones.) A similar verse appears at the end of 9th verse of Surah 59. Al Hashr, where we also mentioned the relevant Hadiths (reproduced herein under:

(وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ and whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be the successful.) indicating that those who are saved from being stingy, then they have earned success and a good achievement. 

Imam Ahmad recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said:

(Be on your guard against committing oppression, for oppression is a darkness on the Day of Resurrection. Be on your guard against being stingy, for being stingy is what destroyed those who were before you. It made them shed blood and make lawful what was unlawful for them.) Muslim collected this Hadith. 

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Al-Aswad bin Hilal said that a man said to `Abdullah (bin Mas`ud),"O Abu `Abdur-Rahman! I fear that I have earned destruction for myself.' `Abdullah asked him what the matter was and he said, "I hear Allah's saying:

(And whosoever is saved from his own greed, such are they who will be successful.) and I am somewhat a miser who barely gives away anything.' `Abdullah said, "That is not the greed Allah mentioned in the Qur'an, which pertains to illegally consuming your brother's wealth. What you have is miserliness, and it is an evil thing indeed to be miser.'

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

"Fear Allah" combined with "as much as you can" obviously means: "lead lives of self-restraint and righteousness": the usual meaning of Taqwa: see note to to ii. 2 (reproduced herein under for better understanding):

(2:2 This is the Book; in it is guidance sure without doubt to those who fear Allah) Taqwa and the verbs and nouns connected with the root, signify: (1) the fear of God which according to the writer of Proverbs (i.7) in the Old Testament is the beginning of Wisdom; (2) restraint, or guarding one's tongue, hand, and heart from evil; (3) hence righteousness, piety good conduct. All these ideas are implied; in the translation, only one or other of these ideas can be indicated according to the context. See also xivii 17; and ixxiv 56

Charity is meant to help and do good to other people who need it. But it has the highest subjective value for the person who gives it. Like mercy "it blesseth him that gives and him that takes". It purifies the giver's soul: the affection that he pours out is for his own spiritual benefit and progress. Cf. Coleridge: "He prayeth best who loveth best all things both great and small, for the Great God Who loveth us, Who made and loveth all".

Cf. lix. 9. Our worst enemy is within ourselves, -the grasping selfishness which would deprive others of their just rights or seize things which do not properly belong to it. If we can get over this covetous selfishness, we achieve real Prosperity in justice and truth.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki: 

The believers are admonished to do their best to remain God-fearing and to obey God's orders. Here we see an aspect of God's care as He restricts what is expected of the believers to that which remains within their power and ability. He knows the limit of what they can do in obedience of Him. The Prophet says: "When I give you an order, do it as best you can, and when I prohibit something, refrain from it completely." [Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.]

Limits cannot be set on obeying an order to do something. Therefore, what is within one's ability and power is sufficient. On the other hand, prohibition cannot be divided. It is required in full.

They are also called upon to be generous in what they donate: "And be charitable. That will be best for you."  Normally, they spend their money on their own needs. God instructs them to spend in charity what is good for themselves. Thus, when they are charitable, they are actually spending their money on what is good for themselves. The surah also depicts meanness as a plague, one they must try to get rid of.

Now you may listen to the following short clipped video to explanation of the aforesaid Ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

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 more Selected Verses from Sürah 64. At-Taghābun - The day of Loss and Gain, already published.

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 | 2a | 3 | 3a | 5 | 6 | 7 |

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.

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Fitnah (test) of Wealth (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Man has always been tempted to making fortunes and profits. Although there is nothing bad in doing business, earning profits and amassing wealth has its own demerits. It is generally seen that wealth accumulation from unfair means makes a man arrogant and is interjected with a false sense of pride of being superior to others. The more one amasses money, the lust for more creeps in. And when one is blinded by the glitter of gold, his morality usually takes a nose dive, which robs him of soft corners for those who cannot afford even a decent meal in a day.

Believers have always been cautioned about the lust for wealth, as Allah, The Exalted, says in the 15th verse of Surah 64. At Taghabun (Mutual Loss and Gain) of Qur'an: Your possessions and your offspring are nothing but a trial for you. It has also been said in Surah (Al-Anfaal, Ayat 28), Allah says: If you save yourselves from the temptation and allurements of worldly possessions and children and succeed in keeping love of them subject to the love of Allah, there are rich rewards for you with Allah.

That is to say that wealth is a trial, and this is the supportive argument of those who believed that poverty is better than wealth. They said that if the only problem with richness is being a source of Fitnah, and only a few are saved from its negative impacts on their religiosity, then it would be a sufficient proof (of the merit of being poor).”

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ too has termed wealth as a trial (Fitnah) for his Ummah. This Hadith is mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (Book # 36 Chapters on Zuhd  كتاب الزهد عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / Chapter # 26 What Has Been Related About 'The Fitnah of this Ummah is waelth باب مَا جَاءَ أَنَّ فِتْنَةَ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ فِي الْمَالِ‏ ) as Hadith number # 2336:

Ka'b bin 'Iyad narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ سَوَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ جُبَيْرِ بْنِ نُفَيْرِ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عِيَاضٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ فِتْنَةً وَفِتْنَةُ أُمَّتِي الْمَالُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ إِنَّمَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ ‏.‏

"Indeed, there is a fitnah for every Ummah, and the Fitnah for my Ummah is wealth."

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

The Arabic word Fitnah " فتنة " is very hard to define. Here we would like to explain the word as described in the Wikipedia:

Edward William Lane, in his Arabic-English Lexicon compiled from various traditional Arabic lexicographical sources available in Cairo in the mid-19th-century, reported that "to burn" is the "primary signification" of the verb. The verb then came to be applied to the smelting of gold and silver. It was extended to mean causing one to enter into fire and into a state of punishment or affliction. Thus, one says that something caused one to enter al-fitna, i.e. trial, affliction, etc., or more generally, an affliction whereby some good or evil quality is put to the test. Lane glosses the noun fitna as meaning a trial, a probation, affliction, distress or hardship, and says that "the sum total of its meaning in the language of the Arabs" is an affliction whereby one is tried, proved or tested.

Thus, the above quoted verse from Qur'an and the Hadith clearly show that man will be tested with children and wealth and position. And those, who despite being blessed with children, wealth and position in the community, do not forget to thank Allah for His blessings and help others from what they have been blessed with, are the ones who will be rewarded both in this world and in the life in the Hereafter.

On the contrary, those who forget to thank Allah for His kindness to them and become arrogant and boastful of their possessions, children and wealth, and do not give out a position of their wealth in charity to help the poorwill bear the wrath of Allah, both in this world and the in the Hereafter.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also been quoted as saying, which Tabarani has related on the authority of Abu Malik al-Ashari, saying: Your real enemy is not he whom, if you kill there is success for you, and if he kills you, there is Paradise for you; but your real enemy may be your own child who is born of your own loins, or the wealth of which you are the owner. 

Let us cleanse our possessions and let not blessings form Allah make us proud and arrogant and rob us from the soft corner for the poor, lest our wealth becomes a fitnah for us.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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 | Other references: | 1 | 2 |

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

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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Etiquette of clearing walkways for ease of others (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

One doesn't have to tell others that he is a Muslim. Rather, one's outward behaviour should be so pleasing and refreshing that others should realize that he has been groomed well and knows the etiquette of living and easing living off others. 

We share today a Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which is about the etiquette of clearing walkways for ease of others. This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan Ibn Majah (Book # 33 Etiquette كتاب الأدب / Chapter # 7 What Removing a harmful thing from the road  باب إِمَاطَةِ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ ) as Hadith number # 3681 

It was narrated that Abu Barzah Al-Aslami said:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ أَبَانَ بْنِ صَمْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْوَازِعِ الرَّاسِبِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي بَرْزَةَ الأَسْلَمِيِّ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ أَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏ "‏ اعْزِلِ الأَذَى عَنْ طَرِيقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ‏" Muslims, and create hurdles for others. ‏‏.‏

"O Messenger of Allah! Tell me of an action by which I may benefit.' He said: 'Remove harmful things from the path of the Muslims.'"

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam) 

This a simple advice by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, yet it has far reaching effect on the wellbeing of the community. We often come across stones and other distracting things littered on the walkways and many a times we simply ignore the menace these could cause for someone who doesn't see these and stumbles, getting hurt in the process. Although the ease for Muslims has been mentioned in the Hadith, this does not mean that one clears walkways frequented by Muslims, say walkway to the masjid or madrassa, and make it inconvenient for others. Etiquette must be applicable for everyone's ease.

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 Etiquettes taught by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more etiquettes attributed to Prophet Muhammad.

You may also 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo | Source of Hadith

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

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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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What Rewards continue to reach a Man even after his Death (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Death: A word least liked by every living human being. Yet it is a reality which has to dawn on every living being. 

Death is when our bodies, minds, works, ambitions, the things that we have built up, the things that we want to do, the things that we have not finished, the things that we have been trying to finish – there is an end of all these when death comes. [1]

That is, it is period between the birth and cessation of earthly life is thus a time wherein one can decide what kind of future he will shape for himself when the world comes to an end and every man is paraded before his Lord for rewards and awards. 

Yet, there are three things that continue to benefit a dead man and add up to his reward points till the Day of Resurrection as told by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (The Book (#25) of Wills - كتاب الوصية / Chapter # 3 What Reward Reaches A Man After His Death / باب مَا يَلْحَقُ الإِنْسَانَ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ بَعْدَ وَفَاتِهِ ) as Hadith number # 1631 as under:

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ - وَابْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - هُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ ‏"‏ ‏

‏

"When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased)."

Recurring charity, known as the Sadaqah Jariyah (Arabic: صدقة الجارية), though looks a small word, encompasses in itself a volume of acts that fall into its fold. Sadaqah Jariya is a constant source of ongoing reward. This not only benefits us in this life but also in the hereafter. It is one of the most rewarding acts we can do in our lives as the benefits of giving this type of charity can be reaped in this lifetime and long after we have passed. However, it must be remembered that Sadaqah Jariyah is a private donation between the donor, Allah (SWT) and those who have received the kind gesture. This should not be boasted about by the donor as this means that it is not truly altruistic because this is seen as seeking praise from others.

“Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind, and all things We have accounted for in a clear register.” (Qur’an, Surah 36 Ya Seen :12)

Some of the acts of recurring charity / Sadaqah Jariyah may include:

• Installation of a water provision facility for a community where no regular water supply exists
• Donating a wheel chair to a handicapped or to a hospital for use by patients unable to walk
• Building a masjid 
• Donating books to a library
• Writing and spreading the word of Allah. As long as people get benefitted from one's literary work for the progression of Islam, the reward of each word being read will be given to the originator. 

These are some of the means by which one can ensure recurring of one's donation that will continue to reward him even after his death. We will publish a separate post deliberate in depth on this type of rewarding charity in time.

As for the knowledge by which people can benefit, it may include publishing of books of knowledge, or preparing people to carry on with the knowledge you have and continue to spread it even after one's death.

And the last type of recurring charity is the prayers by the faithful and pious children of the deceased who continue to remember their parents and continue to pray for their forgiveness. 

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 | 1 |

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Do not feed the devil (Sunnah Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Food is one of the many blessings of Allah that has been bestowed upon the man for his sustenance. While most of us are blessed with this blessing, countless still are devoid of even a few morsels to remain alive. Every day we watch photos and movies of children dying of hunger while we at our end leave food on our plates to be thrown away in the garbage and wasted away. 

It has been sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not to waste even a very small amount of food in his plate and even eat if something fell down for, he said nothing should be left for the Devil. 

This sunnah has been mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (The Book (#36) of Drinks - كتاب الأشربة / Chapter # 18 It is recommended to lick one's fingers and wipe the bowl, and to eat a piece of food that is dropped after removing any dirt on it. It is disliked to wipe one's hand before licking it, because of the possibility that the blessing of the food may be in that remaining part. The Sunnah is to eat with three fingers / باب اسْتِحْبَابِ لَعْقِ الأَصَابِعِ وَالْقَصْعَةِ وَأَكْلِ اللُّقْمَةِ السَّاقِطَةِ بَعْدَ مَسْحِ مَا يُصِيبُهَا مِنْ أَذًى وَكَرَاهَةِ مَسْحِ الْيَدِ قَبْلَ لَعْقِهَا) as Hadith number # 2034

Anas reported that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ate food he licked his three fingers, and he said:

وَحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ الْعَبْدِيُّ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ، بْنُ سَلَمَةَ حَدَّثَنَا ثَابِتٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا أَكَلَ طَعَامًا لَعِقَ أَصَابِعَهُ الثَّلاَثَ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِذَا سَقَطَتْ لُقْمَةُ أَحَدِكُمْ فَلْيُمِطْ عَنْهَا الأَذَى وَلْيَأْكُلْهَا وَلاَ يَدَعْهَا لِلشَّيْطَانِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَأَمَرَنَا أَنْ نَسْلُتَ الْقَصْعَةَ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَإِنَّكُمْ لاَ تَدْرُونَ فِي أَىِّ طَعَامِكُمُ الْبَرَكَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.

"When any one of you drops a mouthful, he should remove anything filthy from it and then eat it, and should not leave it for the Satan. He also commanded us that we should wipe the dish saying: You do not know in what portion of your food the blessing lies."

And what do we do: Feel shy of picking up something that falls down and eat it if it falls on clean earth, what to talk of licking our fingers for it may look against the so-called etiquettes. Let us not waste food and let each morsel of it be eaten away and not fill our plates more than our appetite. And if we do have surplus food, we should make an endeavour to pack it up and give it to someone who cannot even afford one meal per day.

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