The Qur’an Is To Be Acted Upon!

Q: How can one be patient upon trial?

A: “In the same way we fast, we’re absolutely and completely sure that the adhān of Maghrib will eventually come…”

دوامُ الحالِ من المُحال

“The permanence of one condition is impossible”

Never think highly of yourself when people praise you. The only reason they are praising you is because Allah has veiled your sins. Without that veil I swear by Allah many people would look at one another with pure disgust

Ka’b ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said :

عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَعْلُقُ مِنْ ثَمَرِ الْجَنَّةِ أَوْ شَجَرِ الْجَنَّةِ

Verily, the souls of martyrs are in green birds, hanging from the fruits of Paradise, or the trees of Paradise.

(1641) سنن الترمذي كتاب فضائل الجهاد باب ما جاء في ثواب الشهداء

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“(By fasting) one narrows the passageways of Shayṭān within the servant (of Allāh), by narrowing the passageways of food and drink. As well, it restrains the force of the limbs from giving way to its dominating nature of that which is harmful to it in this world and the hereafter.

And, (fasting) subdues every limb and might of the soul from (following its) whims, and harnesses it by its bridle.

For, surely (the fast) is the bridle of the muttaqūn [the righteous, those having taqwá] and the shield of the warriors [a shield between them and the Hell-fire].”

[Zaad al-Maʿad | 2/28-29]

I am weary of life.

If death were sold, I would buy it,

longing for Allah, yearning to meet him.

They asked, are you sure of your deeds?

No, not at all.

But I love Him, and I think well of Him.

Would He punish me while I love Him?

Life is a constant struggle, and a feeling of weariness never departs your side, sometimes that of your body and at times of things that reside in your heart and refuse to go away. You have to strive either way, whether it’s for dunya or Akhirah, so why not direct all of your endeavours for the sake of Allaah?

Qiyām reminder from an Asīr

I heard someone last night crying, but it wasn’t a normal type of cry. This person was crying in the tashahhud, weeping at “كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم”

This is not to assume someone’s inner state, but a cry like this is from the tightness of the dunyā…

It brought back memories سبحان الله, when I used to cry like this too… my eyes were constantly extremely swollen and I’d cry everywhere, and make no exception of my salāh.

In a way, I wish I cried out of fear for Allāh, the way the righteous do, and their genuine longing to Allāh, not out of the pressure of some dunyā matter. I did long for Allāh in those days, a lot, but did I long for Him during my times of ease in the same way? At the same time, these type of tears taught me that I really had none but Allāh, among many other lessons, and forced me back to Allāh to rectify my affairs between me and Him.

Though, there’s a difference between ورجل ذكر الله خاليًا ففاضت عيناه (or as Rasūlullāh said) and someone who tears up due to a dunyā matter and then redirects that pain to Allāh.

It’s not wrong at all, and actually the servant finds immense sweetness in constantly returning to Allāh, and in times of hardship it has a special sweetness to it. But I say this to remind myself and to keep it in check, my nafs needs to distinguish between the fine line of sincerity and true inābah (in times of ease and other than it) and simply feeling dunyawi pain.

It’s the same thing for wishing for shaهـādah, when do we long for it most? When we’ve got all we want out of this dunyā and have every want and need of ours? Or is it when we’ve been afflicted and want a way out of this dunyā completely? Again, I’m not saying wrong or right or shaming anyone (but myself), but remember that the only condition to be granted the level of shaهـādah even if one dies upon their bed (as in the Hadīth) is: sincerity. Do you think asking for it in the latter situation is more sincere than the former?

May Allāh grant us sincerity and make us among the truthful. May Allāh make us among those who truly enjoy His company in all times.

While discussing the merits of the second half of Ramadan, ibn Rajab al-Hanbali mentioned the following more general point:

[كل زمان فاضل من ليل أو نهار فإن آخره أفضل من أوله كيوم عرفة ويوم الجمعة وكذلك الليل والنهار عموما آخره أفضل من أوله ولذلك كانت الصلاة الوسطى صلاة العصر كما دلت الأحاديث الصحيحة عليه وآثار السلف الكثيرة تدل عليه ]

"For every virtuous time – whether it be in the day or the night – its latter part is more virtuous than its earlier part. Take for example the day of ‘Arafah and the day of Jumu’ah. Likewise, this applies to the night and day generally speaking, that the latter part is more virtuous than the earlier part. That is why “the middle prayer” is the ‘Asr prayer, as is indicated by authentic hadith narrations, and a great number of statements from the salaf also support this."

[Lataa'if al-Maraa'if pg. 176]

Pitter and patter

In the last third of the night

Pouring torrents,

A breathtaking sight

Lightning and thunder,

Signs of His Might

The bedrooms are dark,

But the hearts are alight

Tearful supplications,

To be guided aright

Cheeks are soaked,

Like the earth outside

Iman swelling,

As if the high tide

If the skies weep in His fear,

My eyes shall do the same

May the sins be washed away,

In the late night rains