| Living \r\n the Quran |
Ibrahim \r\n (Abraham)
Some think that this verse means that the forces of nature have been \r\n placed under the control of man. Such an assumption leads people to develop \r\n a variety of odd ideas. Some even go so far as to say that to achieve \r\n mastery over the heavens and the earth is the true end of man's existence. \r\nAlmost all classical commentators agree that God's having made the natural \r\n phenomena 'subservient' to man is a metaphor for His having enabled man \r\n to derive lasting benefit from them. God has bound them to laws which \r\n are beneficial for mankind. Had sailing in the sea not been subject to \r\n any law, it would not have been possible for man to undertake sea voyages. \r\n Had the rivers not been subject to any laws, man could not have used them \r\n for irrigation. Likewise, had the sun, the moon, the day and the night \r\n not been regulated, there could have been no life on earth, let alone \r\n any flourishing human civilization. \r\n \r\n Source: |
| \r\n Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n Feelings \r\nOne should try not to hurt the feelings of others. There are \r\n many things which may hurt others' feelings. Temperamental differences \r\n in daily life may cause offence. As a matter of principle, every \r\n Muslim should try his best not to upset or hurt others. This is \r\n the basis of the grave sin of back-biting. For by back-biting \r\n one hurts others' feelings. The Prophet (peace and blessings be \r\n upon him) directed that in a gathering of three people, two should \r\n not whisper among themselves lest it hurt the feelings of the \r\n person who is left out. In a large gathering, however, whispering \r\n may not cause offence. The Prophet said: \"Do \r\n not whisper lest it grieve the third person.\" \r\n (Muslim) \r\nReflection on the Islamic moral code makes it clear that the \r\n avoidance of hurting the feelings of a Muslim is a fundamental \r\n principle. It is a serious offence, as is evident from the Prophet's \r\n following observation: \"Whoever \r\n hurts a Muslim is as guilty as if he hurt Allah.\" \r\n (Tabarani) By the same token, if one pleases a fellow Muslim, \r\n it is an act of immense blessing accruing from Allah and His Messenger. \r\n The Prophet said: \"Whoever \r\n fulfills the needs of a member of my community and pleases him \r\n indeed pleases me. And on doing so pleases Allah, as a result \r\n of which he will enter Paradise.\" (Bayhaqi) \r\n This observation by the Prophet is worth noting, for it details \r\n that a Muslim is one who embodies love. One who is not kind and \r\n affectionate towards others may hurt someone's feelings. One should \r\n therefore exercise caution in cracking jokes lest it offend someone. \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n Source: |
| Blindspot! |
\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n The Wisdom Behind Calamities \r\n1 – To attain true submission \r\n and servitude (uboodiyyah) to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. \r\n \r\nMany people are slaves to their whims and desires and are not \r\n true slaves of Allah. They say that they are slaves of Allah, \r\n but when they are tested they turn on their heels and lose out \r\n in this world and in the Hereafter, and that is an evident loss. \r\n \r\n2 – Trials prepare the \r\n believers to prevail on earth. \r\nIt was said to Imam al-Shafa’i (may Allah have mercy \r\n on him): Which is better, patience or tests or prevailing? He \r\n said: Prevailing is the level attained by the Prophets, and \r\n there can be no prevailing except after trials. If a person \r\n is tried he will become patient, and if he remains patient he \r\n will prevail. \r\n3 – Expiation of sins \r\nAl-Tirmidhi narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased \r\n with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be \r\n upon him) said: “Trials will continue to befall the believing \r\n man or woman in himself, his child and his wealth until he meets \r\n Allah with no sin on him.” \r\n4 – Attainment of reward \r\n and a rise in status \r\nMuslim narrated that Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) \r\n said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be \r\n upon him) said: “The believer is not harmed by a thorn \r\n or anything greater, but Allah will raise him in status thereby, \r\n or erase a sin thereby.” \r\n5 – Calamities provide \r\n an opportunity to think about one's faults and shortcomings \r\n and past mistakes. \r\n6 – Calamity is a lesson \r\n in Tawheed, faith and trust in Allah. \r\nIt shows us in a practical sense who we really are, so we will \r\n realize that we are a weak slave, and we have no strength and \r\n no power except with our Lord, then we will put our trust in \r\n Him in a true sense, and will turn to Him in a true sense, and \r\n put aside our position, pride, arrogance, self-admiration and \r\n heedlessness, and we will understand that we are poor and in \r\n need of our Lord, and we are weak and need to turn to the Most \r\n Strong, the Almighty, may He be glorified. \r\n7 – Calamities drive out \r\n self-admiration from our hearts and bring them closer to Allah. \r\n \r\nIbn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma’aad (3/477), \"In \r\n His wisdom, Allah decreed that the Muslims should first taste \r\n the bitterness of defeat, despite their great numbers and adequate \r\n equipment and strength, so as to humble some people who felt \r\n proud.\" \r\n8 – To demonstrate the \r\n true nature of people, for there are people whose virtue is \r\n unknown until calamity strikes \r\nAl-Fudayl ibn Iyad said, \"As long as people are doing \r\n fine, their true nature is concealed, but when calamity strikes, \r\n their true natures are revealed, so the believer resorts to \r\n his faith and the hypocrite resorts to his hypocrisy.\" \r\n9 – Calamities strengthen \r\n people’s resolve. \r\nAllah chose for His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be \r\n upon him) a hard life filled with all kinds of hardship from \r\n a young age, in order to prepare him for the great mission that \r\n awaited him, which none could bear but the strongest of men, \r\n who have gone through hardship and who are tested with calamities \r\n and bear them with patience. \r\n10 – Another reason behind \r\n calamities and hardship is that a person becomes able to distinguish \r\n between true friends and friends who only have their own interests \r\n at heart. \r\n11 – Calamities remind \r\n us of our sins so that we can repent from them. \r\nCalamities offer an opportunity to repent before the greater \r\n punishment comes on the Day of Resurrection. If life continues \r\n to be easy, a person may become conceited and arrogant, and \r\n think that he has no need of Allah, so by His mercy He tests \r\n people so that they may return to Him. \r\n12 – Calamities show you \r\n the true nature of this world and its transience, and that it \r\n is temporary conveniences, and shows us that true life is that \r\n which is beyond this world, in a life in which there is no sickness \r\n or exhaustion. \r\n13 – Calamities remind \r\n us of the great blessings of good health and ease. \r\nCalamity shows us in the clearest way the meaning of health \r\n and ease that we enjoyed for many years, but did not taste their \r\n sweetness or appreciate them fully. Calamities remind us of \r\n blessings and the One Who bestows them, and cause us to thank \r\n and praise Allah for His blessings. \r\n14 – Longing for Paradise \r\n \r\nWe will never long for Paradise until we taste the bitterness \r\n of this world. How can we long for Paradise when we are content \r\n with this world? \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n Source: |
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