Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Saba (Sheba)
Chapter 34: Verse 8 (partial)

Window of Hope
"It is those who do not believe in the life to come who are suffering torment as they have gone far in error."

The torment may refer to their punishment in the life to come. Since it will inevitably overtake them, then it is as if they are already in it, just like they have gone irremediably into error.

But the statement may be understood in a different way, which suggests that those who do not believe in the life to come live in torment just as they live in error. This is a profound statement. A person who spends his life without belief in a second life suffers mental torment, as he lives without hope of justice, fair reward or compensation for what happens in his life.

Indeed human life is full of situations and trials which man cannot face properly unless he looks up with hope for justice and reward for good action and punishment for those who do evil. There are things that one cannot do or bear without looking up to God, hoping to earn His pleasure in the life to come, when nothing large or small is overlooked. Whoever is deprived of this window of hope, which brings comfort and satisfaction, undoubtedly lives in torment as well as in error. Such a person suffers all this in the present life, before suffering punishment in the hereafter for his misdeeds which brought about his present life's suffering.

Compiled From:
"In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 14, p. 139

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Ten Days of Righteous Deeds

Even for those not performing the pilgrimage, Hajj, the first ten days of this month are considered very sacred and a time for increased reflection, seeking Allah's forgiveness, doing good and various other forms of worship.

Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) has said about the first ten days of Dhul Hijja: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?" He said, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing (Bukhari).

While any good deed done for the sake of Allah according to the way He approves will be rewarded immensely during the first ten days, Insha Allah, some of the more specific actions mentioned in the Traditions of the Prophet are as follows:

1. Fasting

In terms of fasting, it is particularly encouraged to fast on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijja, known in Arabic as Yawm Arafa. The Prophet used to fast on this day (al Nisai and Abu Dawud). Fasting on this day will expiate a Muslim's sins for two years.

2. Dhikr

The verbal remembrance of Allah is another meritorious act during these first ten days of Zul Hijjah. The Prophet upon him) encouraged Muslims to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah") and Takbeer ("Allahu akbar") during this time.

The Takbeer may include the words "Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha ill-Allah; wa Allahu akbar wa Lillahi’l-hamd (Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, there is no god but Allah; Allah is Most Great and to Allah be praise)," as well as other phrases.

Men are encouraged to recite these phrases out loud and women quietly.

3. Sacrifice

One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allah.

4. Sincere repentance

One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin. This means more than just a verbal expression of sorrow for past misdeeds. It also requires a firm resolution to avoid making the same mistakes in the future by giving up bad habits and behavior while sincerely turning to Allah.

Generally, all good deeds are rewarded highly at this blessed time. These actions include praying, reading Quran, making Dua (supplication), giving in charity and being good to our families.

Compiled From:
"The first 10 days of Zul Hijjah: why they matter" - SoundVision.com
"Virtues of the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah" - Salih Al Munajjid

Blindspot!

Faith

Faith means believing in something you can't see. It comes in all varieties. you can have faith in yourself, faith in others, or faith that through hard work good things will happen. For example, you have faith that by cutting out junk food and exercising you will lose weight. Faith causes you to act. Without it, there's nothing to hope for.

There's yet another kind of faith that's increasingly important to many teens - faith in spiritual things.

Did you know that your brain is hard-wired to connect spiritually? Babies yearn to be held and teenagers hunger for meaning and spirituality. At least that was the conclusion of 33 experts from the nonpartisan Commision on Children at Risk, which researched why kids today are in crisis. In their report, "Hard-wired to Connect," they concluded that our brains are yearning for spiritual meaning, and listed spiritual and religious development as one of the ten marks of an ideal community. Interesting, huh?

Of course, everyone believes differently and that's okay. But study after study has shown that faith or religious involvement of some sort can build self-worth in teens. Why's that? Faith can:

• help you connect to something bigger than yourself
• provide you with standards to live by
• help you overcome negative peer pressure
• give you a sense of identity and belonging

Compiled From:
"The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make" - Sean Covey, p. 280