loading

Cleansing Grudges, 100 Rewards, Purpose of Lectures

Issue 405 » December 15, 2006 - Dhul-Qida 24, 1427

General

Living the Quran

Al-Araf (The Heights)
Chapter 7: Verse 43 (Partial)

Cleansing Grudges
"And We shall remove from their hearts any hard feeling ... "

If there develops any bitterness or ill-will among good people during the course of their worldly lives, such resentment and ill-will will be removed in the Hereafter. Their hearts will be purged of all hostile feelings and they will enter Paradise as cordial friends. They will not feel envious towards those who had formerly been opposed or hostile to them that they share with them the bounties of Paradise. Significantly, Ali once recited this very verse and remarked: 'I wish I and Uthman and Talhah and al-Zubayr will be among those about whom God has said: "And We shall remove from their hearts any hard feeling"'

Reflection on the verse leads one to conclude that out of His mercy God will first purge the righteous of their blemishes. This will be done before admitting them to Paradise. Thus they will enter Paradise in a state of untainted purity.

Compiled From:
"Towards Understanding the Quran" - Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol 3, p. 28
Understanding the Prophet's Life

33+33+33+1= 100 Rewards in 2 minutes!

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "After every prayer, if anyone:

1-GLORIFIES Allah (by saying Subhan-Allah) Thirty Three times, and
2- PRAISES Allah (by saying Al-hamdu-lillah) Thirty Three times, and
3- DECLARES HIS GREATNESS (by saying Allahu-Akbar) Thirty Three times, and
4- Says (once), to complete a hundred, "No one has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner; to Him belongs all sovereignty, and to Him is due all praise; and He has power over all things", [In Arabic: "Laa Ilaaha Illallaahu, Wah-dahu Laa Shareeka Lahoo, Lahul Mulku, Wa Lahul Hamdu, Wa Huwa 'Alaa Kulli Shay-in Qadeer."],

his sins will be forgiven even if these are as abundant as the foam of the sea." [Collected by Muslim]

Prophet (peace be upon him) used to constantly advice the Muslims to remember Allah in every action or sphere of their lives. Dhikr or Tasbeeh (Remembrance of Allah) after every Salah (prayer), especially, was his regular practice. When we utter these words of remembrance, we should not be in the 'passive mental state', but we should be constantly thinking about the meanings of these words and their relevance to our lives.

These are just excuses that Allah uses, to forgive us!....and even then we fail to turn back to Him, the most Merciful! How much time does it take to say these Tasbeehs after every prayer? Not more than 2 minutes....try it yourself and take advantage of these seemingly 'small' opportunities!

Compiled From:
"To Be A Muslim" - Fathi Yakun
Blindspot

Purpose of attending Lectures & Sermons?

Satan has mislead the masses to believe that attending of religious discourses and raising a wail of woe are highly meritorious acts and the sole purpose of delivering these sermons. This is perhaps because the people have been told about the merits of listening to these discourses but they do not know that the end of these sermons is (supposed to be the) reformation of their own morals and rectitude of their behaviour. Nor do they appear to be aware that whatever they listen to in these lectures shall be cited as an evidence against them on the Doomsday.

I personally know a number of persons who have been attending such discourses for a number of years. They get excited on hearing these sermons and burst into tears but they still persist in accepting interest (ribaa), cheating others in their trade, remaining unmindful of the religious performances, and disobedience to their parents. Satan has led them to believe that their presence in these sermons, their lamentations and fits of crying will atone for their neglected duties and-the sins of omission and commission. There are also others who think that accompanying the pious and godly persons or paying visits to them shall be enough for expiation of their sins.

Compiled From:
"Talbis-o-Iblis" - Ibn al-Jawzi (Rahimahullah), pp. 393-394