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Tuesday, 4 July 2023

Awesome revert experience of a Priest (Ibrahim Richmond) and his followers and taking Shahadah in their church

Islam, the last of the earlier three Divine religions, is here to stay and its light is enlightening the hearts of thousands of non-Muslims around the world every day. No matter how many copies of Qur'an are burnt (the last gory incident just a day ago in Sweden) or how many Muslims forced to drink cow's urine in India and chant extremist Hindu slogans in India, or snatching of hijab from the chaste Muslim women or spreading Islamophobic content on social and print media every other day, Islam would continue to flourish and reach to the hearts of non-Muslims in every nook and corner of the world.

While we have shared a large number of varied revert experiences, today we share an awesome revert experience wherein none of the reverts strived to become Muslims. Rather it was a Divine call that awaken them and not only the priest but all his followers reverted to Islam instantly, for the Divine call had softened their hearts and showed them the invisible light that leads one to the truth and straight path of Allah, a path which leads to Allah alone without any associates and partners.

This is the revert experience of ex priest Ibrahim Richmond of South Africa. Ibrahim has been leading his people of the church for almost fifteen years and not on any point in time there came any moment that he had thought of even thinking of embracing Islam. But then things changed from a few months from hence. Here is how it began as Ibrahim explains:

Just a few months ago, Ibrahim Richmond experienced a series of transformative dreams that changed the course of his life. He saw in his dream someone calling him to tell his people to wear white. Getting up, though te dream was still afresh in his mind, he just shrugged of the idea for white dress is synonymous to Muslims. This dream persisted and one night, the voice was so forceful that it really shook him. So, he went to his people and told them about his dream and like good followers, every one of his Christian followers accepted the Divine call. On their next meeting in the church, everyone wore the white dress and along with Ibrahim Richmond reverted to Islam. [1]
“I will follow the footsteps [of Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him] and I believe by following these footsteps millions of my people in South Africa will follow these footsteps to see the light,” he said in a video uploaded on Twitter by Saudi Arabia’s Government Communication Center on Sunday. [2]
While his reversion along with his large number of followers made headlines across the world, the king of Saudi Arabia also heard the news and invited him to Hajj 2023. For Ibrahim Richmond, the Hajj pilgrimage represents the culmination of his extraordinary spiritual transformation and inspires a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities Allah has given him. Ibrahim Richmond’s path from former priest to an influential Islamic figure who inspired many Christians to follow the path of Islam illustrates the power of faith and the transformative nature of dreams.

The media abounds in videos of Ibrahim performing Hajj and explaining his reversion experience from the very beginning. How lucky and blessed is he and his followers who deciphered the Divine call of wearing white and reverted to Islam - the final Divine religion.

Please watch the full video of Ibrahim Richmond's experience below in his own voice:
May Allah (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 have unflinching faith and trust in Divine Wisdom and decisions and should never lament for we do not know that something better has been planned for us by our most caring Lord. 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.

Disclaimer: The data / video for this post has been collected from the references given below or YouTube. 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.

To read personal accounts of many who have reverted to Islam, please visit our page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.
Photo | References| 1 | 2
If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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.

Wednesday, 28 June 2023

Reward for supporting a widow or a poor (Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

No two men are born equal. While a few are the blessed ones, the majority live a life of utter poverty and deprivation. It is thus the responsibility of those who have extra than their needs to spare and dole it out to the poor (NOT BEGGERS) and widows or those who are incapacitated to earn a living.

The concept of Zakat (obligatory charity) and Sadaqat/Khairat (obligatory charity) in Islam is a tremendous step towards alleviate the sufferings of the poor. We have already shared a number of posts based on verses from Qur'an on charity in our series of posts on Selected verses from Qur'an to stress on the need to help the poor and let them live a better life. The concept of slaughter of animals (Qurbani) on Eid al Adha is also a step in this direction, for anyone slaughtering an animal has to apportion it into three equal parts to keep one for self, one for the relatives and one for the poor. This sole act brings a smile to the faces of many who cannot afford to buy meat.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also asked the believers to help and support the poor and the widows and has assured the donors a very high reward. 

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 69 - Supporting the Family كتاب النفقات / Chapter 1: The superiority of providing for one's family / باب فَضْلِ النَّفَقَةِ عَلَى الأَهْلِ) as Hadith 5353, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ قَزَعَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ ثَوْرِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْغَيْثِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ السَّاعِي عَلَى الأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، أَوِ الْقَائِمِ اللَّيْلَ الصَّائِمِ النَّهَارَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The one who looks after a widow or a poor person is like a Mujahid (warrior) who fights for Allah's Cause, or like him who performs prayers all the night and fasts all the day."

Just imagine how immensely a man is rewarded and equated to someone who fights in the cause of Allah or spends his entire night in prayers and keeping fasts during the day.

However, when helping the poor, one should differentiate between the needy and the beggar, for even if you give out a fortune to the beggars, they will be on the road again for begging is their profession and not need. Similarly, one should look after the widows and the elderly as much as one can with the sole purpose of pleasing Allah.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Tuesday, 27 June 2023

Rabbana “رَبَّنَا“ Supplications (Dua / دُعا) in Qur’an

We have been sharing supplications / invocations / prayers or simply (Dua / دُعا) from Qur'an and Hadiths of Prophet in our previous posts. Through this reference page, we share supplications that commence with prefix Rabbana “رَبَّنَا“, that Our Lord, which have been mentioned forty times in Qur'an and are mostly the supplications made by the prophets and messengers. These Rabbana “رَبَّنَا“ specific supplications cover a wide range of requests made by the servants to their Lord in times of repression, need for some worldly sustenance, protections from tyrants and demagogues, or seeking justice when human justice fails them. These supplications also ask for mercy and forgiveness when one commits and sin and repents and then seek from protection from the hellfire of Jahannam, the Hell, and grant of Jannah, the Paradise.

The beauty of these supplications is that these have been put in the mouth of prophets, messengers and ordinary men by none other than the Lord of the Heavens and the Universe. Thus, these are not only very well meaning, comprehensive and befitting to the different situations one may be in.

We have already shared many of these forty Rabbana “رَبَّنَا“ series supplications, which have been highlighted in blue so that a click on the highlighted text takes the reader to the explanation of the particular supplication. We will, In Sha Allah, keep on adding explanation of the remaining supplications in time.

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلۡ مِنَّآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ
“Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:127]

“Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites [of worship] and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:128]

رَبَّنَا وَابۡعَثۡ فِيۡهِمۡ رَسُوۡلًا مِّنۡهُمۡ يَتۡلُوۡا عَلَيۡهِمۡ اٰيٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الۡكِتٰبَ وَالۡحِكۡمَةَ وَ يُزَكِّيۡهِمۡ​ؕ اِنَّكَ اَنۡتَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡحَكِيۡمُ
Our Lord! Raise up in the midst of our offspring a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your verses, and instruct them in the Book and in Wisdom, and purify their lives. Verily, You are the Most Mighty, the Most Wise.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:129]

“Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:201]

رَبَّنَآ أَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرٗا وَثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
“Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:250]

“Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:286]

رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرٗا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ
“Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us.” [Surah 2. Al-Baqara:286]

رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
“Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.” 
[Surah 2. Al-Baqara:286]

*Note; The above quoted three supplications, being part of the same 286th verse of Surah 2. Al Baqarah, have been combined.

“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:8]

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ جَامِعُ ٱلنَّاسِ لِيَوْمٍ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ
“Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:9]

“Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:16]

“Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger [i.e., Jesus], so register us among the witnesses [to truth].” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:53]

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and the excess [committed] in our affairs and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:147]

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلًا سُبْحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
“Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:191]

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ ٱلنَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُۥ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
“Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire – You have disgraced him, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:192]

رَّبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا سَمِعۡنَا مُنَادِيٗا يُنَادِي لِلۡإِيمَٰنِ أَنۡ ءَامِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمۡ فَـَٔامَنَّاۚ
“Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller, calling to faith, [saying], ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:193]

“Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die among the righteous.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:193]

“Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise.” [Surah 3. Al-i'Imran:194]

رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱكْتُبْنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّٰهِدِينَ
“Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.” [Surah 5 Al Maida:83]

“O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table [spread with food] from heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.” [Surah 5 Al Maida:114]

“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.” [Surah 7. Al A'raf:23]

رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
“Our Lord, do not place us with the wrongdoing people.” [Surah 7. Al A'raf:47]
  
رَبَّنَا ٱفۡتَحۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَ قَوۡمِنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡفَٰتِحِينَ
“Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth, and You are the best of those who give decision.” [Surah 7. Al A'raf:89]

“Our Lord, pour upon us patience and let us die as Muslims [in submission to You].” [Surah 7. Al A'raf:126]

رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا فِتۡنَةٗ لِّلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ; وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحۡمَتِكَ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
“Our Lord, make us not [objects of] trial for the wrongdoing people. And save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people.” [10:85-86] 

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِى وَمَا نُعْلِنُ ۗ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ
“Our Lord, indeed You know what we conceal and what we declare, and nothing is hidden from Allah on the earth or in the heaven.” [Surah 14 Ibraheem:38]

“My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication.” [Surah 14 Ibraheem:40]

“Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.” [Surah 14 Ibraheem:41]

“Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.”
[Surah 18 Al Kahf:10]

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَا نَخَافُ أَن يَفْرُطَ عَلَيْنَآ أَوْ أَن يَطْغَى
“Our Lord, indeed we are afraid that he will hasten [punishment] against us or that he will transgress.” [Surah 20. Ta-ha:45]

“Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of the merciful.” [Surah 23 Al Muminun:109]

“Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence.” [Surah 25. Al Furqan:65-66]

“Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us a leader [i.e., example] for the righteous.” [Surah 25. Al Furqan:74]

رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ
“Our Lord is Forgiving and Appreciative” [Surah 35. Fatir:34]

“Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.” [Surah 40 Al Mumin:7]

رَبَّنَا وَأَدۡخِلۡهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتِ عَدۡنٍ ٱلَّتِي وَعَدتَّهُمۡ وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنۡ ءَابَآئِهِمۡ وَأَزۡوَٰجِهِمۡ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِهِمۡۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ وَقِهِمُ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِۚ وَمَن تَقِ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ يَوۡمَئِذٖ فَقَدۡ رَحِمۡتَهُۥۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ
“Our Lord, and admit them to gardens of perpetual residence which You have promised them and whoever was righteous among their forefathers, their spouses and their offspring. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. And protect them from the evil consequences [of their deeds]. And he whom You protect from evil consequences that Day – You will have given him mercy. And that is the great attainment.” [Surah 40 Al Mumin:8-9]

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ اٰمَنُوا
“Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed.” [Surah 59. Al-Hashr:10]

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٌ
“Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” [Surah 59. Al-Hashr:10]

“Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.” [Surah 60. Al-Mumtahana:4]

“Our Lord, make us not [objects of] torment for the disbelievers and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” [Surah 60. Al-Mumtahana:5]

“Our Lord, perfect for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent.” [Surah 66. At-Tahrim:8]

You may like to watch an awe-inspiring video encompassing all above said Rabbana supplications:
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 Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
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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.

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

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.

Sunday, 25 June 2023

The reward of intending good or bad (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

There is a famous Hadith attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which says that reward of deeds depends upon the intention and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. With the same theme in the back of our mind, we share yet another Hadith in which Allah has promised to reward those intending good and bad. For the actions coming out of such intentions may benefit or harm others, or even the man of so intentions.

This Hadith is mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī  (Book 81 - To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq) كتاب الرقاق / Chapter 31: Whoever intended to do a good deed or a bad deed /باب مَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ أَوْ بِسَيِّئَةٍ) as Hadith 6491, given herein under:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْدٌ أَبُو عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو رَجَاءٍ الْعُطَارِدِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيمَا يَرْوِي عَنْ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ، ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَمَنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ سَيِّئَةً وَاحِدَةً ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn `Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) narrating about his Lord I'm and said, "Allah ordered (the appointed angels over you) that the good and the bad deeds be written, and He then showed (the way) how (to write). If somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him); and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times: and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write a full good deed (in his account) with Him, and if he intended to do it (a bad deed) and actually did it, then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account) ."

Just imagine how much intentions can do good to us, even the bad intentions unless physically materialized. One may have many evil thoughts wandering in his thoughts but these remain unharmful so long these are not put into actions. And if one intends to do an evil thing and then decides not to, one is rewarded for suppressing such evil intentions. We must, my brothers and sisters in Islam, keep our thought process clean and healthy and always plan things that are beneficial not only for us but others as well. And if bad thoughts do plague our minds, try your best not to materialize these for actions based on evil intentions bring along severe Divine reaction.
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.

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

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.

Fasting on Day of Arafah: Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

The Day of Arafah " يوم عرفة " is the day that falls on the 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic Calendar. It is the day when all pilgrims present in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, gather together around Mount Arafat in the Plain of Arafat. It was from this site that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave his famous last sermon. It was the day when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentioned the verse of Qur'an in which Allah proclaimed that the religion of Islam had finally been completed.

The verse known as ikmal al-din (إِکْمَال الدِّيْن) is the 3rd verse of Surah 5 Al Maida of the Quran, the central religious text in Islam. 
حُرِّمَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ الۡمَيۡتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحۡمُ الۡخِنۡزِيۡرِ وَمَاۤ اُهِلَّ لِغَيۡرِ اللّٰهِ بِهٖ وَالۡمُنۡخَنِقَةُ وَالۡمَوۡقُوۡذَةُ وَالۡمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيۡحَةُ وَمَاۤ اَكَلَ السَّبُعُ اِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيۡتُمۡ وَمَا ذُ بِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَاَنۡ تَسۡتَقۡسِمُوۡا بِالۡاَزۡلَامِ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكُمۡ فِسۡقٌ​ ؕ اَلۡيَوۡمَ يَـئِسَ الَّذِيۡنَ كَفَرُوۡا مِنۡ دِيۡـنِكُمۡ فَلَا تَخۡشَوۡهُمۡ وَاخۡشَوۡنِ​ ؕ اَ لۡيَوۡمَ اَكۡمَلۡتُ لَـكُمۡ دِيۡنَكُمۡ وَاَ تۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِىۡ وَرَضِيۡتُ لَـكُمُ الۡاِسۡلَامَ دِيۡنًا​ ؕ فَمَنِ اضۡطُرَّ فِىۡ مَخۡمَصَةٍ غَيۡرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّاِثۡمٍ​ۙ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏‏ 
(5:3) Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, the animal slaughtered in any name other than Allah's, the animal which has either been strangled, killed by blows, has died of a fall, by goring or that devoured by a beast of prey - unless it be that which you yourselves might have slaughtered while it was still alive - and that which was slaughtered at the altars. You are also forbidden to seek knowledge of your fate by divining arrows. All these are sinful acts. This day the unbelievers have fully despaired of your religion. Do not fear them; but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have bestowed upon you My bounty in full measure, and have been pleased to assign for you Islam as your religion. (Follow, then, the lawful and unlawful bounds enjoined upon you.)16 As for he who is driven by hunger, without being willfully inclined to sin, surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.
Owing to the sanctity and importance of this day, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ kept fast on this day and recommended to his companions and believers to do the same. The importance of the day assumes added importance for as said by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: “There is no day in which Allah sets free more souls from the fire of hell than on the day of Arafah.” (Muslim) In fact, fasting on the Day of Arafah for non-pilgrims is a highly recommended Sunnah which entails a great reward; Allah forgives the sins of two years.

This hadith is mentioned in Sahi Muslim Hadith number 1162b, part of which is shared herein under: 

عَنْ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ اَلْأَنْصَارِيِّ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- { أَنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-سُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ.‏ قَالَ: " يُكَفِّرُ اَلسَّنَةَ اَلْمَاضِيَةَ وَالْبَاقِيَةَ ", وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صِيَامِ يَوْمِ عَاشُورَاءَ.‏ قَالَ: " يُكَفِّرُ اَلسَّنَةَ اَلْمَاضِيَةَ " وَسُئِلَ عَنْ صَوْمِ يَوْمِ اَلِاثْنَيْنِ, قَالَ: " ذَاكَ يَوْمٌ وُلِدْتُ فِيهِ, وَبُعِثْتُ فِيهِ, أَوْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيَّ فِيهِ "} رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ 1‏ 

Abu Qatadah Al-Ansari (RAA) narrated, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah (the 9th of the month of Dhul Hijjah). He replied, "Fasting on the day of Arafah is an expiation for the preceding year and the following year.” He was also asked about fasting on the Day of Ashura (the 10th of the month of Muharram). He replied, “Fasting on the Day of Ashura is an expiation for the preceding year.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was also asked about fasting on Monday, and he replied, "This is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was sent (with the Message of Islam) and the day on which I received revelation." Related by Muslim.

Those not performing Hajj may follow the prophetic sunnah and fast on 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah and have their sins washed away for the preceding and the following year.
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. Also refer to our reference page: Dhu al-Hijja (ذُو ٱلْحِجَّة): The month of Pilgrimage - The Hajj for more information on Hajj.

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 | Sources of Hadith: | 1 | 2 | 3 | Wikipedia: Day of Arafah

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

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.

Saturday, 24 June 2023

Our Lord, wipe out our evil deeds and make us die with the truly pious (Selected Invocations / Dua “ دُعا “from Qur'an)

If we look back into the history of Divine religions, we would note that majority outrightly rejected the prophets and messengers when they tried to convey to them the Divine revelations. Rather, thye ridiculed and even tortured the chosen men out of them so that they do not 'pollute' the minds of their people who could give away the faith of their forefathers.

But, there always were men of understanding, their Characteristics, Speech, and Supplications who listened to the prophets and always stood by them and spelt out the humility that resided in their hearts. Even today, when the world is mostly engrossed in evil thoughts, there are still men who are always on the lookout for any evil permeating in their thoughts and instantly supplicate to their Lord to forgive them and save them from any action that evil thoughts may compel them into. This is the very characteristic of a true believer.

Today, we in our series of posts on Selected Invocations / Dua “ دُعا “from Qur'an, we share a strong supplication as mentioned in the 193rd verse of Surah 3. Al-i'Imran wherein the men with a fear of Allah in their heart make so that they are forgiven and die as the forgiven:

رَبَّنَاۤ اِنَّنَا سَمِعۡنَا مُنَادِيًا يُّنَادِىۡ لِلۡاِيۡمَانِ اَنۡ اٰمِنُوۡا بِرَبِّكُمۡ فَاٰمَنَّا  ۖ رَبَّنَا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوۡبَنَا وَكَفِّرۡ عَنَّا سَيِّاٰتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الۡاَبۡرَارِ​ۚ‏ 
(3:193) Our Lord! Indeed, we heard a crier calling to the faith saying: "Believe in your Lord"; so, we did believe. Our Lord, forgive us our sins, and wipe out our evil deeds and make us die with the truly pious.'

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:
 Instead of showing vanity on their faith, these men of vision here are seen submitting before their Lord in utter humility. They are imploring Him to forgive their sins and ease out for them the way they tread for His cause just as He has granted them the urge to accept the truth.

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:
These hearts are open. They only need to receive the message in order to respond to it. Their sensitivity is enhanced. The first thing that impressed their minds is the fact that they commit sins and may be guilty of disobedience. Hence, they turn to their Lord, praying for His forgiveness and for their bad deeds to be effaced. They also pray to be grouped with the righteous when they die.
 
The message of these verses fits in with the message of the rest of the sūrah. The believers pray to God to forgive them their sins so that they can win their continuous battle against desire and temptation. Achieving victory in this battle is akin to victory in a military battle against the enemies of God and the enemies of faith. Thus, the sūrah is a whole unit, each part complementing the other, and delivering a complete and harmonious message.

Summarizing the explanation of the verse as mentioned above, we must always remember that Allah has power over everything; the creation of the universe and its precision is a sign for those who understand.  Those who remember Allah are the ones who understand, they believe in Allah and His promise of Paradise and ask for forgiveness.  When they call out to Allah, He answers promising that their good deeds will never be lost and those who had to flee their homes or were expelled or endured suffering for the sake of Allah will be rewarded with Paradise.
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 Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'anYou may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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.

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

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.

What is Talbiyah " ٱلتَّلبِيَة " (in relation to Hajj)

Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam which must be performed by all adult believers, both men and women, who have the adequate means to embark upon the journey to Makkah and sustaining them during the period of their stay. This ritual is purely performed to please Allah and performing it once is sufficient in one's life time. 

When one gets in to the state of Ihram (the two plain sheets of white cloth), one is advised to recite Talbiyah " ٱلتَّلبِيَة " so long one remains in the state of Ihram. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is reported to recite Talbiyah and advised others to do so. Today we share the Hadith in which the actual wordings of Talbiyah have been mentioned by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Note: Talbiyah is also recited while performing Umrah and after getting into the state of Ihram. Read more about Umrah in our earlier post: How to perform Umrah 

This Hadith is quoted in Jami` at-Tirmidhi: The Book (#9) on Hajj - كتاب الحج عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم   / Chapter # 13 What Was Been Related About the Talbiyah / باب مَا جَاءَ فِي التَّلْبِيَةِ‏) as Hadith number 825 as under:

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ تَلْبِيَةَ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَتْ ‏ "‏ لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ وَالنِّعْمَةَ لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ وَجَابِرٍ وَعَائِشَةَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ ابْنِ عُمَرَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَغَيْرِهِمْ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ ‏.‏ قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَإِنْ زَادَ فِي التَّلْبِيَةِ شَيْئًا مِنْ تَعْظِيمِ اللَّهِ فَلاَ بَأْسَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ أَنْ يَقْتَصِرَ عَلَى تَلْبِيَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَإِنَّمَا قُلْنَا لاَ بَأْسَ بِزِيَادَةِ تَعْظِيمِ اللَّهِ فِيهَا لِمَا جَاءَ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَهُوَ حَفِظَ التَّلْبِيَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ زَادَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ فِي تَلْبِيَتِهِ مِنْ قِبَلِهِ لَبَّيْكَ وَالرَّغْبَاءُ إِلَيْكَ وَالْعَمَلُ ‏.‏

Ibn Umar narrated:
"The Prophet would say the following for the Talbiyah: "Labbaik Allahumma labbaik. Labbaik la sharika laka labbaik. Innal-hamda wan-ni;mata laka wal-mulk, la sharika laka." ('I respond to Your call O Allah! I respond to Your call. You have no partner. I respond to Your call. All praise, thanks and blessings are for You. All sovereignty is for You. And You have no partners with You).'"

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

Repeatedly reciting Talbiyah takes the attention of the pilgrims to Allah alone to please Him. The recitation also purifies and rids them of worldly concerns. Talbiyah is to be repeated time and again. Those who have performed Hajj would truly understand the importance of the divine dimensions of Talbiyah and its ability to strengthen your connection with Allah (SWT).

It is advised that when reciting the Talbiyah, women are directed to recite the Talbiyah softly or in a subdued voice. At the same time, men should raise their voices and chant together the verses of Talbiyah. If you don’t remember the exact words of Talbiyah, you can also say the translation in English or any other language. However, it is recommended to recite the Arabic verses of Talbiyah as much as possible while performing Hajj or Umrah. 

Talbiyah can be divided into six parts as follow:
 لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَبَّيْكَ Labbayka Allahumma labbayk (Here I am, O Allah! Here I am)
The term “Labbayk” here means “I am persisting in obeying You, O Allah! I will stick to Your obedience and submission.” The repetition of “Here I am” is to keep the call to Allah (SWT) active and lasting. This response was given by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to call onto Allah (SWT), as said in the Quran:

“And proclaim the pilgrimage among men: they will come to thee on foot and (mounted) on every kind of camel, lean on account of journeys through deep and distant mountain highways.” [Al-Hajj 22:27]

In short, the purpose of reciting the aforementioned verse altogether is to express your respect and affection for Allah (SWT).

لَبَّيْكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ لَبَّيْكَ Labbayka la shareeka laka labbayk (Here I am, You have no partner, here I am)
Shirk- associating partners with Allah (SWT) is the biggest sin in Islam. Therefore, this part of the Talbiyah portrays your willingness to please Allah (SWT) and to abstain from the act of Shirk. In simpler words, while reciting the verse, you call out to Allah (SWT) and tell Him that He is the one and only creator of the worlds and you have no intention to please anyone except Allah (SWT) as He has no partner, nor a son nor a father.

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ Innal-hamda (Verily, all praise and thanks belong to You)
The word “Hamd” means to thank and praise. Therefore, the list can be endless with regard to showing gratitude, thanking Allah (SWT) and praising Him for all the blessings. Allah (SWT) has ninety-nine names in His praise, and so you can call out the ninety-nine names when you praise the Al-Mighty.

For example, while supplication (Dua), you can say, O Allah! You are Ar-Raheem- the best in showing continuous mercy. You are Ar-Rehman- the most merciful, and You are Al-Khaliq- the best creator.

وَالنِّعْمَةَ Wan-ni`mata (Verily, all blessings belong to You)
The purpose of this specific part of Talbiyah is to thank Allah (SWT) for all the amazing opportunities and blessings that He has showered upon you. You should start by thanking Allah (SWT) for gifting you the sacred chance to perform Umrah or Hajj despite all your deficiencies and sins. Furthermore, you should thank Allah (SWT) for everything in your life. For example, keeping you healthy, keeping all your senses active and working, helping you with your life plan, and most importantly, making you a Muslim.

After every prayer (Salah), you should recite Alhamdulillah thirty-three times and then thank and praise Allah (SWT) for all the blessings of your life.

لَكَ وَالْمُلْكَ Laka wal-Mulk (Verily, all sovereignty belongs to You)
The aforementioned part of Talbiyah refers to the fact that everything in this world only belongs to Allah (SWT). All belong to Allah (SWT) alone, from the sovereignty to the dominion to power to the kingdom, all belong to Allah (SWT) alone as He is eternal and absolute. This includes the richness and powers of the earth, the country you live in, the air you breathe, the sun, moon, stars, rain, light, and dark; in short, everyone and everything from humans to animals to jinns to angels belongs to Allah (SWT).

لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ La shareeka lak (You have no partner)
The last part of Talbiyah tells us that Allah (SWT) is alone and has no partner in sovereignty, praise, and thankfulness. Hence, we should only Love Allah (SWT) and pray to Him. You can pray by saying something similar to, “Everything that You have in Your life is because of Allah (SWT); You will always be His slave and will never be scared of anyone other than Him or Love anyone more than Him.”

You may listen to recitation of Talbiyah from the video shared herein under:

May Allah accept the presence of all pilgrims gathering in Makkah and accept their Hajj and prayers/supplications. May Allah also bless means and opportunity to those who have yet to embark upon Hajj. Ameen
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

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

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

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

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

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

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