A Small prayer yet Paradise the reward (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Every word of Qur'an and Hadith / Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is full of blessings for the believers. If we start remembering small verses or prayers from Qur'an and Hadith, our blessing level will increase manifold. We share today a very small prayer attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ which if made in total sincerity, Paradise will be our due, as said by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

This Hadith is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 43 General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) / كتاب الأدب / Chapter # 88 Stern warning regarding lying / باب فِي التَّشْدِيدِ فِي الْكَذِبِ ) as Hadith number # 4989, quoted herein under:

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying:

If anyone says "I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion and with Muhammad (ﷺ) as Apostle" Paradise will be his due.

Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ، زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ شُرَيْحٍ الإِسْكَنْدَرَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هَانِئٍ الْخَوْلاَنِيُّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا عَلِيٍّ الْجَنْبِيَّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَالَ رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولاً وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

This small yet very powerful supplication is easy to remember and should be recited at least once a day. It would be better to recite it after every prayer to accrue its fathomless benefits and blessings. This is how Islam shows the believers ways to remember Allah and His revered Messenger ﷺ to rewards them not only in this world, but in the hereafter too when everyone will be looking for even the smallest amount of good, he had done in his worldly life to be blessed and forgiven.

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: Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more prophetic Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and 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 Supplication

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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Supplication for protection against Evil (Attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Good and evil are the realities of life. The potential for good and evil occurs in every individual. Our biology determines the contradictory aspects of our personalities, and society modifies both tendencies. Our goodness can be intensified or corrupted, just as our selfishness can be exaggerated or reduced.

While good always prevails, evil always serves as a spoiler and a misleader for those who seek good in everything.  Evil always involves harm with deceit that seriously damages the functioning of good, and thus leads to suffering and injuries. The ed effect of evil on a person or society is moral, physical and even metaphysical. It is the presence of evil that germinates hatred, revenge, expediency, selfishness, destruction and psychological trauma.

It is for these very reasons of existence and its negative effects that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ supplicated specially for protection from evil in all its forms. While there are many Hadiths that carry cautions and warnings to safeguard oneself against evil, we share a supplication specifically for protection against all forms of evil.

This supplication is mentioned Jami` at-Tirmidhi  (48 -   / كتاب الدعوات عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / Chapter # 126 The Supplication of Umm Salamah / باب دُعَاءِ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ ) as Hadith number # 3591:

Ziyad bin `Ilaqah narrated from his uncle, that he said:

“[The Prophet (ﷺ)] used to say: ‘O Allah, I seek refuge in You from evil character, evil actions, and evil desires (Allāhumma innī a`ūdhu bika min munkarātil-akhlāqi wal-a`māli wal-ahwā’).’”

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ وَكِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ مِسْعَرٍ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِلاَقَةَ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ مُنْكَرَاتِ الأَخْلاَقِ وَالأَعْمَالِ وَالأَهْوَاءِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ ‏.‏ وَعَمُّ زِيَادِ بْنِ عِلاَقَةَ هُوَ قُطْبَةُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ صَاحِبُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

It is evil desires that first trigger into the mind of a person and slowly and gradually these become so intense that these transform into physical actions that start to spread their evil effect on others. A stage then comes that the evil overtakes man's personality and man assumes an evil character overall, and become nuisance for the society. Therefore, we must never let evil desires to germinate in our minds and if these seem to be overwhelming, one must recite the above mentioned supplication to ward off evil.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

You may refer to our reference page:  Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ 

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

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

Photo | Source of Hadith

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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Stern warning regarding Falsehood (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Lying or saying something which is untrue or hides the truth or actual facts is one of the greatest sins that is committed by man. We often lie to save our own skin by misleading others about what actually has taken place. This is something that often takes place in courts around the world where the witnesses, despite taking oath on their holy books, blatantly lie to mislead the court. And more often than not, due to falsehood, innocent people are penalized and punished and sinners roam free.  

A falsehood is, thus, a statement that distorts or suppresses the truth, in order to deceive: to tell a falsehood about one's ancestry in order to gain acceptance. A fib denotes a trivial falsehood, and is often used to characterize that which is not strictly true: a polite fib. Falsehood has many faces like fabrication, prevarication, falsification, canard, invention, besides untruthfulness, inveracity, mendacity.

Due to the gravity that follows a false statement, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made a stern warning to his companions regarding lying and forbade them never to suppress the truth no matter what the outcome could be.

One of many Hadiths about falsehood and its consequences vis a vis the truth is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 43 General Behavior (Kitab Al-Adab) / كتاب الأدب / Chapter # 88 Stern warning regarding lying / باب فِي التَّشْدِيدِ فِي الْكَذِبِ ) as Hadith number # 4989, quoted herein under:

‘Abd Allah (b. Mas’ud) reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying:

Avoid falsehood, for falsehood leads to wickedness, and wickedness to hell; and if a man continues to speak falsehood and makes falsehood his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as a great liar. And adhere to truth, for truth leads to good deeds, and good deeds lead to paradise. If a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as eminently truthful.

Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ أَبِي وَائِلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْكَذِبَ فَإِنَّ الْكَذِبَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْفُجُورِ وَإِنَّ الْفُجُورَ يَهْدِي إِلَى النَّارِ وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكْذِبُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الْكَذِبَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَذَّابًا وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالصِّدْقِ فَإِنَّ الصِّدْقَ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْبِرِّ وَإِنَّ الْبِرَّ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَصْدُقُ وَيَتَحَرَّى الصِّدْقَ حَتَّى يُكْتَبَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ صِدِّيقًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Punishment is the basic 'primary motivating factor' to falsehood, which generally begins at a very early age in one's life. Children start to lie to avoid punishment from parents who are rude and unreasonable. Those parents who know the child pyschology and who are worried about the grooming of their child generally do not punish their children for petty mistakes, for suppression of children's behaviour would lead them to often hide the truth which may annoy their parents. Therefore, the grooming of the children to speak the truth and stand by it would lead them to live a life away from falsehood and falling into the hands of the wicked and evil.

 Sometimes even adults lie to avoid embarrassment. So let us live a life that is straight forward and not indulge in any activity like misuse of authority or money. If we make a solemn pledge not to lie, we would be living a very contented and peaceful life and a knock at the door at night will not scare pf a police raid. And as mentioned in the above quoted Hadith, let us all adhere to truth, for truth leads to good deeds, and good deeds lead to paradise. If a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as eminently truthful.

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo | Source of Hadith

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

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

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

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

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

Narrated by 'Ubada bin As-Samit:

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

Arabic Text:

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

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

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

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

Please refer to our exclusive reference page: Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

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

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

Photo | Source of Hadith

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

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

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

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

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

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

وَمَا يُؤۡمِنُ اَكۡثَرُهُمۡ بِاللّٰهِ اِلَّا وَهُمۡ مُّشۡرِكُوۡنَ‏ 

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

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

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

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

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

Tafsir Qur'an Wiki:

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

 

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

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

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

Let us conclude that there are two categories of men: 

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

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

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

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

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

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

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

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

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

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

Follow @IslamUltimate

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

Read More