\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n| \r\n QURAN \r\n |
\r\n\r\nTranslation:\r\n
Surah \r\n al-Baqarah (The \r\n Cow)
\r\n Chapter 2: Verses 262, 263
\r\n\r\n\"Those who \r\n spend their wealth in the way of Allah and do not follow up their \r\n gifts with the reminders of their generosity and with harm, will \r\n find their reward secure in their Lord. They have no cause for \r\n fear and grief. To speak a kind word (qawlan ma'rufah) \r\n and to forgive people's faults (maghfirah) is better than \r\n charity followed by hurt. (And know that) Allah is All-Sufficient, \r\n All-Forbearing.\"
\r\nCommentary:
\r\nIn these verses, Allah outlines the \r\n basic etiquettes and purpose of charity. A very high standard \r\n is set for charity in Islam:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n- \r\n
It \r\n must be for gaining Allah's Pleasure, before anything else \r\n\r\n- \r\n
The \r\n giver him- or herself must expect no reward in this world, \r\n as the ultimate reward lies in the hereafter \r\n\r\n- \r\n
It must \r\n not be followed by references to or reminders of this favor \r\n\r\n- \r\n
\r\nStill \r\n more care should be taken by others to avoid any annoyance \r\n or injury to the recipient, for instance, by boasting that \r\n the giver relieved the person in the hour of need. \r\n\r\nIndeed, as Allah reminds us in \r\n these verses, the kindness and spirit with which one turns a blind \r\n eye to the faults and shortcomings of others is the essence of \r\n charity. In fact, these things are better than charity itself, \r\n if charity is spoilt by the taunts and tricks to harm people later. \r\n In Islam, unlike contemporary practices, we don't do people a \r\n favour to win their votes, or to publicize our business or name. \r\n
\r\nUnfortunately, many friends and relatives \r\n lend money or present gifts to each other only to trample upon \r\n the recipient's dignity and to harass the recipient later. No \r\n wonder, it has been stated in Hadiths that God will have nothing \r\n to do with those who continually remind those who they had been \r\n kind and generous to. [Related by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasaa'i \r\n and others]
\r\nChairty is spent to help others \r\n and to win their hearts, keeping in mind that every single blessing \r\n we have in this life is a trust from Allah, Who tests us in it. \r\n Charity is also the best expression of mercy towards humanity, \r\n on the part of Muslims.
\r\nAt the same time, while no reward \r\n is to be expected in this life, there is abundant reward from \r\n Allah in the next life and peace of mind in this life!
\r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\n[compiled from \r\n \"Holy Quran: Text, Translation and Commentary\"
\r\n
\r\n by Allamah Abdullah Yusuf Ali]
| \r\n THOSE \r\n WHO WERE PROMISED PARADISE ... \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen Abu Bakr as-Siddique \r\n (radhi Allahu 'anh) was elected by the early Muslim \r\n community in Madinah as their leader and Khalifah (Islamic \r\n head of state) who would represent \r\n the authority of the Prophet to them, he rose and delivered \r\n the following historic address that would lay the foundation \r\n of leadership and statesmanship for all future generations:
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\"I have been chosen \r\n as your leader although I am not the best of you. Therefore, \r\n if I do act rightly, then it is incumbent on you to extend \r\n your help and support to me; and if I go wrong, it is your \r\n duty to put me on the right path. Truth and righteousness \r\n are a trust and untruth and dishonesty is a breach of this \r\n trust. The weak among you are strong in my sight until I give \r\n them their just dues, and the strong among you are weak in \r\n my sight unless I receive what is justly due from them. Abandon \r\n not Jihad (struggle), as when the people hold back \r\n from Jihad, they are put to disgrace. Obey me as long \r\n as I obey Allah and His Messenger; renounce me when I disobey \r\n Allah and His Messenger; for obedience to me is not incumbent \r\n on you then!\"
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nThat was the day when 33,000 \r\n of the Prophet's closest Companions (radhi Allahu 'anhum) \r\n pledged their allegiance to Abu Bakr (radhi Allahu 'anh). \r\n All disputes between the Muhajirin (migrants from Makkah) \r\n and the Ansar (indigenous of Madinah) were solved leaving \r\n no hard feelings. It was only because the Companions of the \r\n Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them all) had thoroughly \r\n learned to prefer Faith to temporal affairs, and due to this \r\n quality, no other segment of humanity ever attained the level \r\n of excellence and refined spiritual, intellectual and moral \r\n development that they had gracefully reached!\r\n
[from \r\n \"The History of Islam\" Vol. 1 by Akbar Shah Najeebabadi, \r\n page 276]
\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n| \r\n 22 \r\n SYMPTOMS OF WEAK FAITH \r\n |
Series continued from YMFN Issue #144
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFollowing are some of the signs and symptoms \r\n of weak faith that one can use to assess whether he or \r\n she suffers from spiritual death or disease:
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n13) Stinginess and \r\n miserliness: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon \r\n him) explained that the successful are those who avoid miserliness, \r\n and that weakness of faith generates stinginess: \r\n \"Stinginess and faith can never exist together in the heart \r\n of the believer.\"[Reported by al-Nisaa’i]
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Prophet (peace be upon him) also described \r\n the serious nature of stinginess and its consequences: \"Beware \r\n of stinginess, for those who came before you were destroyed \r\n because of stinginess. It commanded them to be miserly, so \r\n they were miserly; it commanded them to cut family ties, so \r\n they cut them; and it commanded them to be immoral, so they \r\n were immoral.\"[Reported by Abu Dawood]
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhen it comes to miserliness, the person whose \r\n faith is weak can hardly give anything to the poor and oppressed \r\n for the sake of Allah, even when there is an honest appeal \r\n and it is quite obvious that his brothers and sisters are \r\n suffering the impact of poverty and are stricken by disaster. \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nThere is no more eloquent statement \r\n on the matter of miserliness than the words of Allah: \"Behold! You are those who are called to spend in the Cause \r\n of Allah, yet among you are some who are miserly. And whoever \r\n is miserly, it is only at the expense of his own self. But Allah \r\n is al-Ghaniyy (The Rich free of all wants), and you (mankind) \r\n are fuqaraa (poor). And if you turn away, He will replace \r\n you with some other people, and they will not be your likes.\"[Muhammad \r\n 47:38]\r\n
\r\n
...to be \r\n continued...
\r\n[from \r\n \"Weakness \r\n of Faith: Causes and Cures\" by Shaykh \r\n M. Salih al-Munajjid]
\r\n| \r\n RAMADAN \r\n SPECIAL \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n[A Moment of Pain]
\r\nWhen we fast, we feel \r\n the pain of deprivation and hunger and learn to \r\n endure it patiently. This experience should \r\n make us realize the severe effects of such hardships \r\n on others, who might be deprived of essential commodities \r\n such as food, shelter, and security for months or \r\n probably years altogether! It should make us much \r\n quicker than anybody else in sympathizing with the \r\n oppressed and needy around the world, and responding \r\n to their needs.
\r\n\"It \r\n is the month to visit the poor, the sick, and the \r\n needy to share their sorrows. It is the month where \r\n the food, sustenance and the earnings of a believing \r\n Muslim increases and they are blessed,\" \r\n proclaimed the Messenger of God (peace be upon \r\n him).
\r\n[A \r\n Time for Hearts to Melt]
\r\n
\r\nIt is said when you \r\n love someone, you would want to learn about him \r\n or her and would remember every little thing he \r\n or she says. How can we claim to love Allah, yet \r\n know very little about His message and gift to us? \r\n Ramadan perhaps offers the rare opportunity \r\n for an intense reflection on the message of the \r\n Quran. It is the source of a constant revolution \r\n in the lives of millions of those who possess a \r\n living heart, as Allah says, \"Indeed in this (Quran) there is remembrance for those who \r\n have a living heart, listen attentively and are \r\n awake to taking heed.\"[Surah \r\n Qaf : 37]
\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nTHE \r\n SPIRITUAL MEANING OF FASTING IN RAMADAN
\r\nFasting is yet another \r\n unique moral and spiritual characteristic of Islam. \r\n Literally defined, fasting means to abstain \"completely\" \r\n from foods, drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, \r\n before the break of the dawn till sunset, during \r\n the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of \r\n the Islamic year. But if we restrict the meaning \r\n of the Islamic Fasting to this literal sense, we \r\n would be sadly mistaken. \r\n\r\nWhen Islam introduced this \r\n matchless institution, it planted an ever-growing \r\n tree of infinite virtue and invaluable products. \r\n Here is an explanation of the spiritual meaning \r\n of the Islamic Fasting:
\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n teaches man the principle of sincere Love: because \r\n when he observes Fasting he does it out of deep \r\n love for God. And the man who loves God truly \r\n is a man who really knows what love is.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n equips man with a creative sense of hope and \r\n an optimistic outlook on life; because when \r\n he fasts he is hoping to please God and is seeking \r\n His Grace.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n imbues in man the genuine virtue of effective \r\n devotion, honest dedication and closeness to \r\n God; because when he fasts he does so for God \r\n and for His sake alone.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt cultivates in man a vigilant and sound conscience; \r\n because the fasting person keeps his fast in \r\n secret as well as in public. In fasting, especially, \r\n there is no mundane authority to check man's \r\n behavior or compel him to observe fasting. He \r\n keeps it to please God and satisfy his own conscience \r\n by being faithful in secret and in public. There \r\n is no better way to cultivate a sound conscience \r\n in man.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n indoctrinates man in patience and selflessness, \r\n as through fasting, he feels the pains of deprivation \r\n but he endures them patiently.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n is an effective lesson in applied moderation \r\n and willpower.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nFasting \r\n also provides man with a transparent soul, a \r\n clear mind and a light body.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n shows man a new way of wise savings and sound \r\n budgeting.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n enables man to master the art of mature adaptability. \r\n We can easily understand the point once we realize \r\n that fasting makes man change the entire course \r\n of his daily life.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt grounds man in discipline and healthy survival.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\nIt \r\n originates in man the real spirit of social \r\n belonging, unity and brotherhood, of equality \r\n before God as well as before the law.\r\n- \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\nIt \r\n is a Godly prescription for self-reassurance \r\n and self-control.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n[from \r\n \"Ramadan: Time \r\n for Revival or Survival?\" by Young Muslims Publications
\r\n
\r\n and excerpts of an article \"Fasting \r\n in Islam\" by Islamzine.com]
\r\n\r\n\r\n