Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Wealth and Poverty
Al-Baqara (The Cow) Sura 2: Verse 268 (Partial)

"Satan promises you poverty and commands you to indecency, and God promises you forgiveness from Him, and bounty."

Satan promises you poverty because of his poverty, and God promises you forgiveness because of His generosity. Satan himself is poor toward the Real, so he promises poverty, for that is what he has and that is what his hands reach. His harvest was burned, so he wants the harvest of others to burn as well. The Lord of the Worlds, who is forgiving and servant-caressing, promises forgiveness and generosity. Yes, everyone does what is worthy of him, and the pot pours what it has inside. Satan invites to avarice and eagerness for this world, and that, in reality, is poverty. God invites to contentment and seeking the afterworld, and that is nothing but wealth.

The respect due to wealth in the religion is greater, for in this world, the person is content and has no need for the creatures, whispering secretly with the Real in his heart. In the next world he will dwell in the scented garden of bounty and generosity and the ocean of face-to-face vision, drowned in the Greatest Light.

Shaykh al-Islam Ansari said, "Wealth is three things: wealth of property, wealth of disposition, and wealth of heart. Wealth of property is three things: The lawful is a tribulation, the unlawful a curse, and the excessive punishment. Wealth of disposition is three things: contentment, satisfaction, and chivalry. Wealth of heart is three things: an aspiration greater than this world, an object of desire better than the next world, and a yearning for the vision of the Patron."

Compiled From:
"Kashf al-Asrar wa Uddat al-Abrar" - Rashid al-Din Maybudi, p. 92

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Superior Days

It is narrated from Ibn Umar that the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings of Allah and Peace be upon him) said: "There aren't any days greater, nor any days in which deeds done in them are more beloved to Allah, the Most High, than these ten days (of Dhul-Hijja). So, increase in them the saying of Tahleel (La Ilaaha illa Allah), and Takbeer (Allahu Akbar) and Tahmeed (al-Hamdu lillah)" [Musnad Imaam Ahmad]

The Types of Deeds in These Ten Days:

1. The performance of Hajj and Umrah, and these are the best of deeds that may be done.

2. Fasting during these days - as many of them as may be easy (for one to fast); especially the Day of Arafah.

3. At-Takbeer (Allah Akbar) and adh-Dhikr (the remembrance of Allah through different words of praise and glorification) in these (ten) days.

4. At-Tawbah (repentance) and abstaining from disobedience and all types of sins. Disobedience is the cause of being far away (from Allah, the Most High) and repulsion, while obedience is the cause of being near (to Allah, Most High) and His love.

5. Doing plenty of voluntary (nafl) righteous deeds of worship like Prayer, Charity, Jihad, reading the Quran, Commanding what is Good and Forbidding what is Evil, and other such deeds.

Compiled From:
"Superior Days for Righteous Deeds" - Abdullah Ibn Abdur-Rahman al-Jibreen

Blindspot!

Anguish of Hearts

The anguish of hearts is a gift that reflects the compassion which Allah has placed within you. The tenderness of the heart and the tears that roll from your eyes are also a manifestation of Allah's compassion [which He has endowed you with]. Consider the twinge of your hearts and your moistened eyes as Allah's bounty. The hearts that remain unmoved by the suffering around us and the eyes that fail to well with tears are a sign of one's being removed from Allah's favour, of being impoverished. Remember well that this tenderness of emotions will act not just as the healing balm but will also be your support and a means of reward in the Hereafter.

Do bear in mind that even in sorrow you must have the intent to emulate the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him. This will bestow proximity with the Prophet and provide you support. What's more, you will also be rewarded for enduring this grief and affliction, and you will also be blessed with Allah's love for having followed in the footsteps of the Prophet.

Your hearts and eyes are not in your power. Nor is it required to exercise total control over your hearts and eyes. Rather, the compassion which your eyes and hearts give vent to is a gift from Allah Himself. But keeping the tongue in check is important and lies within your power. Do not say anything which is against the spirit of rida-bil-qada (total acceptance of what Allah has decreed). Do not resort to lamentation and bemoaning, nor give vent to complaint and grievance, nor be seized with feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Compiled From:
"Dying and Living for Allah" - Khurram Murad