By Yasmin Mogahed

To have patience does not mean we should be passive about what’s going on in our lives.

I want to begin by speaking about a concept that is oftentimes misunderstood; Sabr (patience). In the context of abuse or oppression it is extremely important to understand the meaning of the word ‘Sabr’, when it applies and when it does not apply.

Sabr is a concept that we are taught, it is one of the greatest virtues believers were told to have, and when Allah, exalted is He, speaks about Sabr He encourages the believers to have it.

Stand Firm

In defining Sabr, like the case in many other Arabic words, we need a number, maybe ten English words to describe it. Sabr is a good example of that; it is translated as patience, perseverance, constancy, persistence. It’s also being able to withstand hardships, being able to be patient, and also being able to respond when needed and not respond when needed. So patience, and Sabr, does not actually mean the same thing as being passive.

When we are told by Allah (SWT) to have Sabr, to have patience, it does not mean that we are passive about what’s going on in our lives, but rather there are times when we need to stand firm. So we need to think about Sabr in this way.

One of the meanings of Sabr is standing firm. For example, in the very last ayah of Surah Al-Imran, where Allah (SWT) tells the believers to have Sabr:

“O you who believe! Endure, outdo all others in endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah, in order that ye may succeed.” [Al-Imran 3; 200]

So this ayah goes and explains many different derivations of the same concept of Sabr. Even when Allah uses it in this context, one of the meanings for example is standing firm when the enemy is about to approach. So here we see how Sabr fits in the context of oppression. For one, Sabr does not mean that you don’t take any action to end the oppression.

Take Action

In fact in order to take action and to be successful, in order to be firm in that action that you are taking, you need Sabr. You need to be able to stand firm and persevere if you are going to stand up against oppression. So in fact the concept of Sabr in the context of oppression or abuse is quite the opposite to that we usually think of the Sabr.

A lot of times women are told, or a woman believes that if they are being mistreated or being abused they just have to be patient. And this concept of being patient against oppression is something that is not in Islam in fact. In fact the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught us when we see something wrong that we should try to change it. He doesn’t say that when you see something wrong be patient and stay quiet about it, but rather

“If you see something wrong, try to change it with your hand. If you cannot, speak out against it. And if you cannot, then at the very least feel that in your heart and this is the weakest level of Iman (faith).”

In this Hadith we are taught how we should respond when we see something wrong, when we see oppression, when we see abuse or when it’s happening to us. We should try to change it. It should not be something that we just accept and that means we are being good Muslims. In fact the Prophet, peace be upon him, has advised the opposite with regards to something wrong, with injustice or oppression.

In another Hadith the Prophet, peace be upon him, told his companions:

“Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or whether he is being oppressed.”

So in this Hadith the companions, like us, basically understood this Hadith and said we can understand how we help our brother when he is being oppressed- that’s very clear; we try to save his from that oppression. But, they asked, how do we help our brother when he is the oppressor?  The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: by stopping him from oppressing.

So you see we learn from that Hadith that you are actually helping your brother, whether they are your husband, your wife, your father or your mother or anyone in your life who is being oppressive, who is being abusive by stopping that person. In this way you are actually helping them, and this is what the Prophet, peace be upon him, explains: by stopping your brother-stopping him or her, from oppressing. This should be seen as something that one does for the sake of Allah. Not that one allows oppression to continue, not that one allows another person to be oppressive upon them or upon their children or upon any one, and say that this is patience (Sabr).

Against Oppression

If you were to see for example while crossing the street someone beating up another person, and you walk right by and say my religion teaches me to be patient, and I’m just going to allow this to happen and do nothing about that. This is absolutely not the concept of patience or the meaning of patience as the Prophet told us concerning seeing something wrong. You are supposed to change it using different means. You are not supposed to justify the action; rather you are supposed to be aware that there’s something wrong with that action. It’s not an acceptable action. And you at least should hide it in your heart and that is the weakest of faith. But the stronger level of faith is the action where you are in fact trying to stop it, trying to change it.

Thus Sabr never means being passive against oppression, being passive against abuse. Allah has also said that He does not approve of injustice. In a Hadith Qudsi we are told that Allah is telling the believers to not oppress one another. Allah does not approve of oppression. This is so important because when we think that it is more holy or that Allah would be more pleased if we approve of oppression, that’s not true because Allah does not love or approve of oppression, and this is also something we should not love or approve of, and we should not allow it to happen by any means we can take to take action against it.  So, again it does not make you sinful if you take action against somebody doing something wrong. And for sure the abuse of a family member is something that is despised and is very wrong.

In fact it is a sin upon that person abusing another human being and you should do everything in your power to actually not only not to allow yourself to be oppressed but also, beyond that, actually helping the oppressor by stopping their oppression.

One other thing to keep in mind is this every single thing Allah gives us an amanah (a trust). That includes our bodies, our health, our eyes, our ears and everything that He gives us. So if someone is coming and basically harming any of that trust that Allah, exalted is He, gave us it is upon us to take care of that trust. It is upon us to take care of what Allah has blessed us with as an amanah.

Our body belongs to Allah. It does not belong to ourselves and most definitely does not belong to another person. So if someone is mistreating us or our body they are mistreating something that belongs to God. They are mistreating a trust that Allah has given us. And so it is upon us to take care of it...

( ... to be continued In-Shaa-Allah ...)

Watch Part 1 of Sister Yasmin’s Talk on Patience !!!

Source: OnIslam

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Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem

And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion. [Qur’an 98 :5]

Are we really sincere in worshipping Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla)?

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, are we worshipping Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) with sincerity (Ikhlas)? Do we even try? Do we struggle to attain this sincerity in our heart? Most of us would answer with, “Yes”.

But then again, why is it that we fail to practice patience and contentment with Allah’s decree when we are afflicted by a calamity? Why do we fail to be grateful to Allah (Azza wa Jal) when He takes away this calamity from us and grants us ease? Why do we forget Allah’s (Azza wa Jal) favours when He gives us wealth and status?

When we are afflicted with a calamity we despair of the Mercy of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) and we complain about His Decree. When Allah (Azza wa Jal) gives us ease after hardship; we then become ungrateful and return to our old evil habits. And when Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) gives us wealth, or when we gain status; we tend to even forget Allah (Azza wa Jal) by neglecting Him almost completely. I said “almost completely” because we still say La Illaha Illa Allah. But how is our La Illaha Illa Allah to be truthful when our deeds and intentions contradict our saying?

Allah (Azza wa Jal) says in the Glorious Qur’an:

By Time! Verily Man is in loss, Except such as have (true) Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and recommend one another to patience. [Qur’an 103:1-3]

My brothers and sisters, among our Ummah are only a few that really practice sincerity (Ikhlas) in worshipping Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla); this is a serious issue. In our time, people prefer their lust over what is right and just. Many of us pray, give charity, are fasting, going to Hajj, but really most of us lack of sincerity (Ikhlas).

All we have to do is look at our heart, then look at our mind; and then look at our manners (Akhlaq). When we will look at our heart, we see that it is black; as a result of the sins we make. Envy and hate corrupted it, thus our heart is ill. When we will look at our mind, we see that it is Idle, suspicions and doubts corrupted it; thus we can’t distinguish right from wrong. And when we see at our manners (Akhlaq), we see hypocrisy; meaning we speak of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) and His Messenger (salla’llahu ‘alayhi wassallaam), we claim to follow Allah’s Book and the Sunnah, and we claim to practice it; but our manners (Akhlaq) contradict all what we say.

Why is this?

We have corrupted our heart and mind, and as a result of that our manners (Akhlaq) are corrupted too; indeed evil our deeds became. We think we do good deeds but they are all lost because of our lack of sincerity (Ikhlas) when performing them, Allah (Azza wa Jal) says: Say (O Muhammad SAW): “Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!” [Qur’an 18:103-104]

Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) said in his Tafseer about this Ayat (Verse): “‘Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life…’ meaning, they did deeds that do not count, deeds that are not in accordance with the prescribed way that is acceptable to Allah. ‘…while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!’Means, they thought that there was some basis for their deeds and that they were accepted and loved.”  [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 6/219, Darussalaam English]

In other words, they lack of sincerity (Ikhlas) while performing those good deeds; they think their deeds are accepted and they are proud believing it is so. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) gives the prescribed way of acceptable deeds when he explains how he guided Prophet Ibrahim (‘alayhi salaam) in this Ayat (Verse): When he came to his Lord with a pure (Salim) heart. [Qur’an 37:84]

Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) said in his Tafseer: “Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyAllahu ‘anhum) said: ‘This means that he (Ibrahim) bore witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah.’ Ibn Hatim recorded that ‘Awf said: ‘I said to Muhammad bin Sirin, ‘What is the Salim heart?’ He said: ‘One which knows that Allah is true and that the Hour will undoubtedly come to pass and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.’’ Al-Hasan said: ‘One that is free from Shirk.’ ‘Urwah said: ‘One that is not cursed.’” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/265, Darussalaam English)

All of this points to one thing, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) guides the one with a sincere heart, and only when our heart is sincere to Allah (Azza wa Jal), only then our deeds are acceptable. Bukhari collected in his Sahih a Hadith from the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wassallaam), narrated by ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (radiyAllahu ‘anhu): “The deeds are considered by the intentions, and a person will get the reward according to his intention…”  Meaning no deed is accepted from Allah (Azza wa Jal) except if it is done for His sake alone. And this is confirmed by the Messenger of Allah (salla’llahu ‘alayhi wassallaam), he said: “Verily, Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) accepts only the deeds which were performed with sincerity, seeking His (Allah’s) Pleasure.” [An-Nasa’i]

Iblis (satan the accursed) after refusing to prostrate to Adam (‘alayhi salaam) promised Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) to mislead the whole mankind, except the ones with sincere heart: (Iblis) said: “O my Lord! Because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong, “Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace).” [Qur’an 15:39-40]

Satan cannot mislead the sincere slaves of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla), because Allah (Azza wa Jal) is their Protector. They worship Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) with great sincerity and devotion, and they are steadfast in the Path of Allah (Azza wa Jal). Indeed no sincere believer can be misguided, Allah (Azza wa Jal) says: He [Satan] has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. [Qur’an 16: 99]

What is Sincerity (Ikhlas) and Who are the sincere believers?

Sincerity is Ihsan, and the sincere are those who worship Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) as if seeing Him. Once Jibreel (‘alayhi salaam) came to the Messenger (salla’llahu ‘alayhi wassallaam), dressed in white clothes; and he asked Allah’s Messenger: “Inform me about Ihsan.” He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, “It is that you should worship Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him (yet) He sees you.”  [Muslim]

They (the sincere) know Allah is the All-Seeing and All-Hearing; thus their deeds are sincere and pure (i.e. for the sake of Allah). They are constantly aware of Allah’s presence and as a result of that they constantly watch their actions. They are in a constant state of Dhikr (remembering Allah) because of their Taqwa.

Taqwa is their garment, knowledge is their weapon, and patience is their shield. If they fall to sin (by way of ignorance) they quickly repent to Allah (Azza wa Jal), seeking His Mercy, and once they repent they struggle with their best effort not to sin again. They seek the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) in everything they do, at all times. They speak the truth, they enjoy good and forbid bad; and they associate nothing with Allah (Azza wa Jal). Their goal is one: to please Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla)

“Al-Makfuf said: A sincere person is one who conceals his good deeds, the way he hides his bad ones.

Sahl said: The definition of Ikhlas is when both the stillness and movements of a man are for Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) Alone.

Ibrahim ibn Adham said: Ikhlas is to have true intention (behind one’s actions) with Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla). It was also said to be truly sincere, one should constantly watch one’s actions, with regard to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) who is watching all our actions, while ignoring all one’s good fortune.

Al-Junayd said: There are some servants of Allah who understood their faith, so they performed, and when they performed, they were sincere; therefore, sincerity draws them nearer to performing all aspects of piety and righteousness. Since Ikhlas is a strong shield that wards off all of Satan’s attempts to break into the heart of the faithful, Satan then strives, with all his might to drive man out from the shield of Ikhlas.

Satan tries to influence a Muslim in his Salat (Prayer), even if he (the Muslim) conducts himself with sincerity. If he is watched by one group or a group of individuals as he performs his Salat, Satan would whisper to him: ‘Do your prayer properly so the onlooker would show respect to you and would not defame you’. So his limbs would display a sign of submission, and his Salat would improve, and this is a clear display of riya’ (hypocritical acting).

In another case a Muslim may be aware of Satan’s influence, and is on his guard against him; he does not obey his whisperings and proceeds his prayer normally. So Satan would approach him in a good way telling him: ‘You are followed as an example, and everything you do will affect you and other people who look at you; therefore, if you act properly, you will be rewarded for their deeds as well, and if you do not, you will bear responsibility for their wrong doing. You have to improve your actions before them, so that they might emulate you in the submission and refinement of their worship.’ This is another example of pure riya’, which annuls any aspect of Ikhlas; for if he regards submission and proper worship as a good thing that he wishes others would not neglect, then why does he neglect it for himself when he is alone? Does he have a sense of honour for others more than for himself? This is pure deceit from Satan.

Therefore, a servant of Allah subhanahu wa ta’alla should check one’s state of mind, before undergoing a particular action and during its course, to see if one’s intention is to seek the Pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla), or else there could be something else in one’s lower self with its desires.

Likewise, someone who fasts to benefit from the enthusiasm generated from fasting (with the intention to bring himself closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta’alla), or performing the pilgrimage (Hajj or ‘Umrah) to enjoy an excursion, or performing Salat to fight of sleep, in order to guard his family and property, or acquiring knowledge in order to be dignified among the people of his family and tribe, or giving charity to a beggar to avoid his displeasure, or attending a funeral to please the family of the dead.

In General, any good fortune, in this world, which pleases the lower self –to which one’s heart tends to incline –when linked to a particular activity, can influence its purity and affect its sincerity. It is for this reason that Ikhlas remains the hardest of all deeds, but this should not be a reason for giving up an activity, because is the objective of Satan, being his main aim.  Instead, one should endevour to purity one’s work and never give it up for fear of riya’ (showing off).

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Ayyad said: ‘Giving up the activity for the sake of people is riya’, or doing work for the sake of people is shirk (an act of polytheism), but Ikhlas is when Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alla) safeguards you from both.’”  [“How to protect yourself from jinn and shaytan” by Waheed Abdussalaam Baly, pg. 401-404]

Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) said: “A man came and asked the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wassallaam): ‘One may fight for pride and haughtiness, another may fight for bravery, and another may fight to show off; which of these (cases) is in Allah’s Cause?’  The Messenger (salla’llahu ‘alayhi wassallaam) said: ‘The one who fights that Allah’s Word (Islam) should be superior, fights in Allah’s Cause.’” [Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasa’I, and ibn Majah]

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All what I have mentioned so far, should be enough to show you what I have learned after all these years of trials. And this is to be satisfied with what you got, be thankful, and move on in your life.

None of you shall have everything in life, but you will have what you need; so be satisfied with what you got. None of you shall have more in life than what Allah decreed for you, but you will have what you need; so be thankful for it. And none of you shall have a perfect life in this world, but you will have what you need; so move on in your life.

“O Abu Dharr! Do you think that an abundance in wealth is satisfaction? Verily, true satisfaction is the satisfaction of the heart, and whoever is one who’s satisfaction is in his heart, then nothing that he encounters from this World will harm him. And whoever is one who’s poverty is in his heart, then he will never become satisfied with an abundance of what is given to him in this World, and his covetnous is what will harm him.”[Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuh]

Struggle and have patience until the day comes for you to have everything, more than you want, and all that you wish. And this dream will become true only in Paradise, and that is the real life that (inshAllah) awaits you. The real life begins in the hereafter.

As for this life, it is a prison for until an appointed time. Until you get free, you have to struggle and be patient.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:  The world is a prison-house for a believer and Paradise for a non-believer. [Muslim]

Reflect upon the following Hadith:

“Allaah – the Exalted – says: ‘I am as My servant thinks Me to be, and I am with him if he calls upon Me.’” [Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuh]

A’isha reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to pray at night until his feet became cracked. “I said to him, ‘Why do you do this. Messenger of Allah, when Allah has forgiven you all your past and future wrong actions?’ He said, ‘Do I not want to be a grateful slave?’” [Bukhari]

“The mentioning of the blessings of Allaah is gratefulness, and not doing so is ungratefulness. And whoever is not thankful for the small things, will not be thankful for the big things. And whoever doesn’t thank the people, doesn’t thank Allaah. And the united community is a blessing, and division is punishment.” [Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuh]

“Whoever makes his worries about just one thing – the Appointed Day (of Resurrection) – then Allaah will suffice him from the rest of his worries. And whoever has his worries branching off from the affairs of this World, then Allaah will not care in which valley he dies.” [Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuh]

“One that is relieved and one that is relieved from: the believing servant is relieved of the stress and pain of this World onto the Mercy of Allaah – the Exalted. And the sinful servant relieves the (righteous) servants and lands and plants and animals of his presence.” [Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuh]

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Look at those who stand at a lower level than you but don’t look at those who stand at a higher level than you, for this would make the favours (conferred upon you by Allah) insignificant (in your eyes). [Muslim]

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Knowledge is like a tree, with fruits.

If the tree of knowledge is useful and sound then its fruits will be fresh and sweet in taste. If the tree of knowledge is useless and unsound then its fruits will be rotten with bitter taste.

The knowledge that is sound is the knowledge of the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah, and also whatever knowledge that benefits mankind is sound as long as it doesn’t go against the Qur’an and Sunnah (such as science, medicine, architecture, etc.).

The knowledge that is unsound is whatever opposes the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah. It is the misinformation, and the fabricated lies to hide truth. So beware of what kind of knowledge you’re getting.

The way to have sound knowledge is by purifying the intention in heart. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah(peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If anyone acquires knowledge of things by which Allah's good pleasure is sought, but acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience the arf, i.e. the odour, of Paradise.” [Abu Dawud :: Book 25 : Hadith 3656]

Therefore, purify your intention, search knowledge for the sake of Allah only; and Allah will guide you to His straight path. And the straight path is only the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah; let Allah (the Exalted) guide you through them. Avoid doubts, avoid ignorance, and avoid stubbornness; for these are poison that will destroy your heart, and they will put a blockage in your heart from receiving Allah’s guidance through knowledge.

Allah (the Exalted) says: Truth stands out clear from error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah (one God) has grasped the most trustworthy hand hold, that never breaks. And Allah hears, and knows all things.” (Qur’an 2:256)

Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me are like abundant rain which fell on a land. A fertile part of it absorbed the water and brought forth profuse herbage and pasture; and solid ground patches which retained the water by which Allah has benefited people, who drank from it, irrigated their crops and sowed their seeds; and another sandy plane which could neither retain the water nor produce herbage. Such is the similitude of the person who becomes well-versed in the religion of Allah and receives benefit from the Message entrusted to me by Allah, so he himself has learned and taught it to others; such is also the similitude of the person who has stubbornly and ignorantly rejected Allah’s Guidance with which I have been sent.”  [Bukhari: Book 1 Volume 3 Hadith 79; Muslim: Book 30  Hadith 5668]

A Muslim cannot truly submit to Allah (the Exalted) without having the proper knowledge and understanding of Islam. There is no Iman without knowledge; and there is no knowledge without implementing it into action. There must be understanding; because without it our knowledge is of no use to us. That is why I’m urging everyone to make the correct knowledge as their weapon in life, and correct understanding of Islam as their shield against misguidance.

Mu`awiyah reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of the Deen (religion/way of life/Islam).” [Bukhari: Book 1 Volume 3 Hadith 71; Muslim: Book 5 Hadith 2260 ]

What is meant here is that when Allah wishes to guide someone, He (the Exalted) bestows upon him/her the understanding of Islam.

Allah (the exalted) says: And whomsoever Allâh wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islâm, and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. Thus Allâh puts the wrath on those who believe not. (Qur’an 6:125)

And Allah (the Exalted) says: He grants al-Hikmah (Wisdom) to whom He pleases, and he, to whom al-Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember (will receive admonition) except men of understanding. (Qur’an 2:269)

 And this is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Envy is permitted only in two cases: A man whom Allah gives wealth, and he disposes of it rightfully, and a man to whom Allah gives knowledge which he applies and teaches it.” [Bukhari: Book 2 Volume 24 Hadith 490; Muslim: Book 4 Hadith 1777 ]

As for the one that is well learned in the Deen of Islam, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The superiority of the learned over the devout worshipper is like my superiority over the most inferior amongst you (in good deeds).” He went on to say, “Allah, His angels, the dwellers of the heaven and the earth, and even the ant in its hole and the fish (in water) supplicate in favour of those who teach people knowledge.” [Tirmidhi: Hadith No. 1387 - Riyad-us-Saliheen]

And in another Hadith reported by Abud-Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make the path of Jannah easy to him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the oceans seek forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the devout worshipper is like that of the full moon to the rest of the stars (i.e., in brightness). The learned are the heirs of the Prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it, has in fact acquired an abundant portion.” [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi: Hadith Number 1388 - Riyad-us-Saliheen]

In his book “Al-Ilm”, Ibn Abdul Barr said: “Ibn Wahb said: ‘I first engaged myself in devotional worship before I sought knowledge, but Satan, may Allah curse him, tempted me into thinking about Jesus (peace be upon him) and how Allah had created him. So, I raised the matter with a scholar and he said to me: ‘Ibn Wahab.’ I said: ‘Yes’, and he (then) said: ‘Seek knowledge.’ So, that is how I became a scholar.’” (Adh-Dhahabi “Siyar a’laam an-Nubalaa”: 9/224)

Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book “The three Fundamental Principles of Islam”: “Know, may Allah have mercy with you, that it is obligatory upon us to learn four issues:

The first is, Knowledge, and it is knowing Allah, His Prophet, and knowing the religion of Islam-with evidences;
The second is, Acting according to that;
The third is, Calling to it; and
The fourth is, Patience with the harm that comes with that.”

In the commentary of this book by Muhammad bin Salih Al-Uthaimin (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

 “His saying: ‘With evidences’ (means); Evidence (Dalil) is that which leads to what is sought. And the evidences to know that can, can be revelatory or intellectual. The revelatory refers to what is affirmed by revelation, and that is the Book and the Sunnah. The intellectual is what is affirmed by reflection and consideration. This form has been often mentioned by Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, in His Book. For in many Ayat Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, would say that among his Ayat is such-and-such. The intellectual evidences for knowing Allah, Exalted is He, generally come in this context…”

Dear Muslims, upon this we can clearly see that knowing Allah, his Messenger, and His religion based on (authentic and strong) evidences; gaining understanding of the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah; and acting upon it, is what will protect a Muslim from misguidance and committing errors. This is how real Iman is gained, and it leaves no place for doubts afterwards.

Allah (the Exalted) says: The believers are only those who, when Allâh is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur’ân) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) find their Faith strengthened; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone). (Qur’an 8:2)

Hence, make knowledge your weapon in life, and remember this Hadith which is reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Three things cause destruction and three things lead to salvation. The three things causing destruction are: miserliness which is obeyed, desires which are followed, and a person’s self-admiration. The three things which lead to salvation are: fear of Allah in secret and open, moderation when rich or when poor, and being just when angry or when pleased.’” [Al-Bazzar, al-‘Uqaylee, Abu Nu’aim, and al-Quda’ee, Hasan]

And say: “My Rabb (Lord)! Increase me in knowledge.” [Qur’an 20:114]

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Question:  I converted recently and I have a problem with reading the Quran, what should I do?

Answer

Salaam and welcome to Islam.

You didn’t explain what is your particular problem with reading the Quran? Is it that you can’t find a good translation in Dutch or English, or that you don’t understand what you read? Or maybe you can’t find the time to read on regular basis?

I agree with you that it is very important for Muslims to read The Quran and get a better understanding of its message. This is how we can learn and practice the basic concepts of Islam as a balanced way of life. Reading the Quran also shows us the universe in a new light: we learn many amazing facts about ourselves and the different creatures of God, the environmental balance and our role in it, human behavior and relations, financial and economic concepts, and much, much more.

In other words, when we read the Quran we must free our minds and open up our souls to get a much deeper understanding of our world and ourselves. It’s not just a book of worship and religious rules; it’s a book of wisdom that will change our lives.

Here are some general guidelines, and please feel free to write again and give us your impressions and feedback:

1- Find a good translation in a language you understand well.

Always bear in mind that reading the Quran in any other language than its original Arabic is only an approximation of the meaning and not the exact text, simply because it is impossible to reproduce the same literary experience in any other language.

Dr. Mostafa Mahmoud, a philosopher and scientist, describes the Quranic style: “There is no end rhyme, nor is the Quran written in verse. The prose, however, is so unique that one can detect a law of verbal architecture that governs its internal music pattern. It remains impossible to imitate the structural and rhetorical brilliance of the Quran”.

2- Listen to a recitation of the Quran from an experienced reader, even if you don’t understand.

It’s important to get the feeling of the original text, and it’s mesmerizing to hear it.

3- If this is your first encounter with the Quran, plan two consecutive readings:

A first quick and general reading to get the big ideas, then a second more through reading to delve deeper and get a much closer look at the details.

4- Start your first reading with a neutral frame of mind.

Approaching the Quran with a pre-conceived perception will only slow your progress and color your understanding of its true message, resulting in a confused impression. Consult your own open heart and mind in the first reading, and not other people’s opinions, whether from classical books or from the mainstream media.  The Quran reaches straight into your soul if you let it, so please allow yourself the experience.

Dr. Mohamed Enani writes: “The Quran speaks the language of the human heart wherever humans are found and whatever the age they live in; it is a universal language rooted deep in a human’s natural constitution”.

5- Do not be afraid to challenge what you read.

 The Quran actually invites the reader to do just that, as long as you diligently and earnestly try to find the answers, because in the process, you end up re-discovering your true self.

This rewarding journey of mental and spiritual growth is described in the works of many prominent western Muslims such as American Professor of mathematics Jeffrey Lang, who was challenging the Quran as a fierce atheist, yet couldn’t help but surrender to it eventually (Struggling to Surrender, Amana Publications), he writes of his first reading: “You cannot simply read the Quran, not if you take it seriously. You either have surrendered to it already or you fight it. It attacks tenaciously, directly, personally; it debates, criticizes, shames, and challenges. From the outset it draws the line of battle, and I was on the other side. I was at a severe disadvantage, for it became clear that the Author knew me better than I knew myself. The Quran was always way ahead of my thinking; it was erasing barriers I had built years ago and was addressing my queries”.

6- Allow yourself time to contemplate.

Don’t read the Quran like you read the newspaper, rather, read it as a direct message from Allah Himself to you in particular!

When you read verses where Allah talks to the reader, stop and let the message sink in, then allow yourself time to think of yourself and your life in relation to this divine communication, think of how you could put it to good use to adjust your convictions and behavior.

When you read stories about previous nations, find contemporary parallels and try to learn the lessons.

When you read about Allah’s magnificent creations, think of educating yourself about nature and showing gratitude to Him through respecting life and natural resources.

Think of the Quran as a dialogue or a conversation rather than a one-way communication of do’s and don’ts. Be brave enough to provide the honest answers to the questions your heart and mind will throw at you while you read.

7- Get additional insights from trusted sources about the Quran’s message from different perspectives:

Such as scientific, sociological, behavioral, regulatory… etc. in addition to reading about the historic context in which it was revealed, including the biography of the man who transmitted it to us: Prophet Muhammad peace by upon him and his companions.

I advise you to read original writings from fellow Muslims of your native culture, rather than translated works from Arabic, with the exception of a few outstanding works (for example, Dr. Mostafa Mahmoud’s book Understanding the Quran, a Contemporary Approach, translated by Dr. M Enani- Amana Publications).

Read also about the brilliant achievements of Muslim scientists across history, when they understood and applied the Qur’anic rules of acquiring and applying knowledge to serve humanity as Allah’s vicegerents on Earth. A good source is “Lost History, the Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists” by Michael Hamilton Morgan, National Geographic.

8- Plan to read the Quran in its original language one day

Do it by learning Arabic, and the science of the correct recitation of the Quran called ‘tajweed’.

There are lessons in all the mosques in the world, and there are transliterated Qurans especially for this purpose, to help you pronounce correctly, and many new Muslims have excelled at this and teach others, you can easily find their sites through a simple online search.

Click Here to Read the Quran Online with Translation

The experience is unparalleled if you allow yourself to absorb it in full. In his book “The Amazing Quran”, Dr. Garry Miller writes:  “Calling the Quran amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book, and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. In fact, even people who hate Islam very much have still called it amazing.”

Dr. Miller then explains his surprise as a scientist during his first reading: “Within the last century the scientific community has demanded a test of falsification for any new scientific theory. This is exactly what the Quran has. Basically it states, "If this book is not what it claims to be, then all you have to do is this or this or this to prove that it is false." Honestly, I was very surprised when I first discovered this challenge. In 4:82 the book openly invites the non-Muslim to find a mistake. In 1400 years no one has been able to do that, and thus it is considered true and authentic”

I hope this answers your question, please stay in touch.

Source: OnIslam 

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By Yasmin Mogahed

Watch Part 2 of sister Yasmin’s Talk !!!

Source: OnIslam

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By Yasmin Mogahed

Allah, exalted is He, is the Merciful and yet He does send us hardships

The topic today is about Hardship and the Path to the Most Merciful.

And the reason why I like that topic title is because a lot of times we connect hardship to punishment, we connect hardship to a wrathful or punishing type person or thing.

We think of hardship always as a negative thing. We are programmed to think that way. We are programmed to think that ease is a good thing, and hardship is by definition a bad thing.

But the reason why I like the statement ‘Hardship and the Path to the Most Merciful’, because in fact Allah, exalted is He, is the Most Merciful, and yet He does send us hardship. Right?

Every single human being on earth will go through hardship. So the question we have to ask ourselves is why do we go through hardship? And what is the mercy behind hardship?

Allah (SWT) tells us in the Quran:

“Or do you think that you shall enter the Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!” [Al-Baqarah 2; 214]

This ayah (verse) is so powerful... Allah ends this ayah giving us hope saying that “Indeed, verily, the help of Allah, exalted is He, is near”.  So the beginning of this ayah is making us realize that we are not the first people to ever be tested, we are not the first people to ever suffer.

No One Escapes Hardship

Sometimes when you are going through something difficult you feel like you are the only person in the world who feels that way; you feel that you are the only one in the world who is going through what you are going through. And although everyone experiences things differently, but are we the only ones in the world who suffer?

What happens sometimes by feeling that way is we become isolated because we feel that I’m alone in my pain, or I'm alone in my hardship. But this is not true.

First of all, we are not the first to be tested, to suffer, and we are not the last. And while we are going through our hardship, others are also going through hardships. And this is something Allah (SWT) talks about also in Surat Al-‘Imran. ... It’s not unique what we are going through, but even before us there were people who were so tested, and they were so shaken, that even the messengers and those who believed with the messengers cried out in the same way we sometimes cry out when things are really hard asking when is the help of Allah coming. And then Allah here is answering that question: “Indeed, verily, the help of Allah is near”

So this not only comforts us because it tells us that we are not alone, we are not the first and we are not the last to go through hardship, but it also comforts us because it assures us that Allah’s help is near.

There’s something amazing about this life- and it's actually this truth, this reality of this life that causes us pain sometimes, but it is also the same that gives us comfort. It is the reality that nothing lasts. Nothing in this life lasts. Everything passes away.

So sometimes this reality causes us pain. We have something we love and then it goes away. It passes away and ends. So we get sad. But that same reality is also a comfort because when you are going through hardship that also doesn’t last forever, that nothing lasts forever, neither pleasure nor pain.

Similarly, Allah (SWT) tells us: “Verily, with every difficulty there is ease.” (Al-Sharh 94; 6)

Concerning this ayah, since we were kids- I don’t know why, we used to translate and understand it incorrectly. Usually if I ask someone to translate this ayah for me most of the time they would say ‘after hardship comes ease’. But this is incorrect. That’s not what the ayah says nor is that the reality. It says with, not after, hardship is ease. It is at the same time.

So never think that when you are going through your hardship, no matter how hard it is, you still have ease. You still have something that Allah, exalted is He, has given you from His mercy to help you.

Keep the Right Focus

Just think for a moment of a time in your life when you were going through a hardship. And when you think about that time, probably when you were in it or maybe even looking back, you think of it as all bad. But the truth is, if you really examine it, it was not really all bad.

There was some ease even within that hardship. For example, you may have had some trouble in one aspect of your life, but there was another aspect in your life that was good, i.e. you were healthy, maybe your family was healthy, you had a roof over your head. You still had some ease to give you help in that hardship, you still had your belief in Allah, you still had Iman (faith) perhaps.  And if you still have the belief ‘there’s no God but Allah’, you actually have everything.

Our problem is that when we are going through a hardship, it is very difficult for us to see that. And what we do is we focus on the problem itself. And this is one of the main mistakes that we make when we go through a hardship. When we encounter something that’s difficult, the first thing that usually happens is now we have to brace ourselves, and think oh man, how am I going to do this? Or sometimes we think oh boy, I’m going to have to take this on ...

All of a sudden we start to feel anxiety, start to feel worry; how am I going to deal with that? Then we start to preoccupy ourselves with figuring out how to solve the problem, how I am going to get through it. Should I do this? Should I do that? And at the end what is happening is that we start to focus on the problem itself becoming preoccupied and obsessed with the problem itself. Soon enough we are even thinking about the problem in every Salah (prayer).

So now instead of looking to the One who can solve our problem and seeking Him to help us, we are trying to solve the problem ourselves. So what we have done here is we have shifted our focus from the One Who solves all problems, from the One that can mend anything that is broken to that which is broken itself. We start to shift.

So this is the problem. We have a problem, we have a difficulty. Now instead of my heart focus on Allah; seeking His help, putting my trust in Him, I instead shift the focus of my heart on the issue itself, and soon enough it actually takes over my mind and my heart. And this is what causes anxiety, causes us to feel overwhelmed.

And I have a secret for you. You know when a professor gives you an exam? We have to learn from the way we think about tests. Allah tells us in the Qur’an He will test us. We know that. So as soon as something hits us, even if we are good believers, we say Ok, I’m being tested. I’ve got to be strong now.

Right?

(... to be continued In-Shaa-Allah ...)

Watch Part 1 of sister Yasmin’s Talk !!!

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QUOTE

Random, but ever wonder why it's not common for muslims to have Alzheimers? Performing the sujood causes blood circulation to the brain, multiply that by the number of times the sujood is done, taking into account the years... Hence, a good memory and lesser chance of mental deterioration.

Although I've never heard about Muslims having less Alzheimers, it's very much possible that doing sajda in prayer is one of the reasons for this, because doctors believe that increased blood flow to the brain can have beneficial effects on the brain and nervous system, including memory.

Besides increasing blood flow to the brain, sajda also has beneficial effects on the neck muscles, as the following article explains.

_______________________________________

The Medical Benefits of Sajdah

Dr. Muhammad Karim Beebani

Sajdah is a unique position or stance in the regular prayers, which a Muslim is supposed to offer at least five times a day. Although the basic purpose of obligatory prayers is not to provide an exercise for people yet it is being increasingly recognized that it has plenty of medical advantages for the human body. Here it is worth mentioning that Holy Prophet Muhammad has mentioned in a hadith in Ibn Majah that prayer is a cure for many diseases. The fact is that a person who offers his prayers regularly that too in the mosque is protected from many diseases which he many not even know.

The position of Sajdah in which the forehead touches the earth is exclusively associated with the Muslim form of prayer. It is the climax of a Muslim's prayer and as mentioned in a Hadith a Muslim is nearest to Allah in this position.

Abu Huraira (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the messenger of Allah (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:

"The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)"  [Sahih al-Bukhari]

A'ishah Siddiqa (radiAllahu anha) narrates that The Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Qur'an) before he would lift his head  [Sahih al-Bukhari]

In another Hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik (radiAllahu anhu) the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) advised Muslims to perform Ruku (bowing) and Sajdah properly.

In another Hadith he (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) advised to perform Sajdah and Bowing calmly and to get up only when the body has come to ease.

In supplication for the victory, He (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) also performed long bowing (Ruku) and Sajdah in the special prayers at the time of eclipse. Hence the first positive effect upon a person who prostrates or does Sajdah is that he comes nearest to Allah and hence in that condition he can supplicate. This is a great psychological advantage and it gives relief to the person concerned as life is full of worries and in this position he gets at least a transient refuge from the agonizing problems. When a person goes to the position of prostration Sajdah his whole body is in active motion. This position can be considered as a mini dive as the musalli (one who offers prayer) goes to rest his forehead on the ground while his hands are placed at the sides. This brings most of the body muscles if not all in active motion and serves to give them some exercise.

The hands are then specifically stretched out and thence the forearm as well as arm muscles are supposed to bear the weight in the Sajdah position. It gives good exercise to the muscles of the upper limb. The Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in a hadith advised not to put the forearms flatly on the ground but to keep them elevated above ground and this is better for the forearm and arm muscles.

Sajdah is a unique position as this is the only position in which brain (or head) becomes lower than the heart and hence for the first time the blood gushes towards the brain with full force whereas in all other positions (even when lying) brain is above the heart when it has to work against gravity to send blood to the brain.

In the position of Sajdah due to the increased blood supply the brain receive more nourishment and it has good effect upon memory, vision, hearing, concentration, psyche and all other cognitive abilities. People who offer their prayers regularly have more will power and can cope with the difficulties of life in a much better manner. They have less incidence of headaches, psychological problems and other defects of cognitive function.

In the unique position of Sajdah the neck muscles get best exercise. They have to bear the load when the forehead lies at the ground hence the neck muscles become stronger. One can note the tense pressure at the neck muscles in the position of Sajdah specially the active motion of the neck and the facial muscles when the head is being lifted. (e.g. one inch above the ground) and it will be noticed that they are in a very active motion.

More strong cervical muscles mean the cervical vertebra will be better protected. Strength of cervical muscles is important as the head rests upon cervical vertebra supported by cervical musculature.

Infact head performs rotator movements over the cervical vertebra. In any accident cervical neck examination is especially important to the physicians because of its extraordinary importance.

It is uncommon that a person who offers his prayers regularly will get the usual neck myalgias or cervical spondylosis as the neck muscles particularly become very strong due to the 34 sajdahs offered daily in five prayers.

Position of Sajdah is also said to be a good treatment for the retroversion of uterus, a disease of women.

Most of us do not know that the position of Sajdah is an excellent exercise for men (for manpower). It may be a good information to the Viagra dependents. While getting up from Sajdah the perinneal muscles are one of those muscles which have to pull the trunk back to sitting position and they contract actively. Similarly while standing up from Sajdah the perennial muscles are again actively mobilised and this gives much strength to the muscles important for manpower.

The unique position of Sajdah also has positive effects upon the back muscles as while going into Sajdah and getting up from it the back muscle contract actively and they become stronger. Probably it is because of this reason that a person who is regular in prayers will uncommonly get backache.

After performing Sajdah either the musalli stands up or he sits to pray Attahiyyat. In this position the person sits calmly while his hands rest at his thighs which are folded backwards. This is much similar to the relaxation position of Yoga and has soothing effect upon one's health and mentation.

The Prophet Muhammad (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) used to elongate the position of Ruku (bending) and Sajdah positions and he advised to do so. In the light of the above facts it is appropriate to say that from medical point of view as well this advice is a golden rule for health.

Finally it must be reminded that prayer is not meant to be an exercise. However there are a lot of medical advantages associated with it.

Still the best blessing is the peace of mind, which a person derives by the accomplishment of his duty to Allah by fulfilling an obligation.

Source: geocities...its_sajdah

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Thinking well of ALLAH !!!

Bismillah-ir Rahman-ir Raheem

I begin in the name of Allah, praising Him with His most beautiful Names and Attributes. I ask Allah (the Exalted) to forgive me for every mistake I have done in my life. I pray to Allah to accept every deed I do in His Name, and I seek refuge in Allah from His punishment and from the whisperings of shaytan. And I also ask Allah to bless the Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), his Family (may Allah be pleased with them), and Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

You are here because of a reason; and I know that you are in need of help, just as I am in need of help. However, our way of seeking this help is maybe different. But I hope that by the end of this article, you will be able to understand what my message to you is.

You have been in deep grief and depression; you are going through many trials, you say that you are losing hope, and you admit that you’re close to losing your Iman also. What you believe is that your trials are the most severe from all, and none is suffering like you. But is this true?

Oh dear brother, and sister in Islam; I will tell you the following because I love you for the sake of Allah only. I will reveal to you three secrets which not many have discovered; and those who do know these secrets are the ones that truly suffered in life, but they gained Wisdom from Allah (the Exalted) in return for their patience; and now you see them practicing the knowledge they gained with true and sincere Iman/Faith in Allah. I pray to Allah, that he bless us with the best of Wisdom and Iman, and may Allah make us one of those who are most patient.

Now let me tell you the three secrets, that can change your life to better; but this is only if you practice the knowledge correctly (insha’Allah):

First secret: is that, there is always someone suffering much more than you, going through much bigger trials than you; and that person’s pain is much more severe than yours. You might not want to believe this, but you should; and I will therefore advise you with the Messenger’s (peace and blessing be upon him) advice, he said:

“Look at those who stand at a lower level than you but don’t look at those who stand at a higher level than you, for this would make the favours (bestowed upon you by Allah) insignificant (in your eyes).  [Sahih Muslim, Book 42, Number 7070]

What is meant with this is that whenever you are sad because of someone having better looks than you, being wealthier, or healthier, you should rather look at those who are given less such favours than you, because this is the way that will grant you a better understanding of your situation and you will appreciate Allah’s favours more. Greed comes out of envy, and they are both very dangerous selfish desires that will destroy you completely if you give up into them; therefore do not wish to be better than someone except in two cases:

” First: A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously.

And second: A man whom Allah has given wisdom/knowledge (of the Qur’an and Sunnah), and he acts according to it and teaches it to others.” [Bukhari: Volume 9 Book 89 #255]

This does not mean to envy, but to wish to be great as these two types of people.

Now let me explain a few things more before I reveal the second secret.

Never wish to have more than what Allah wills to give you; never be unsatisfied with what Allah gave you; and never be ungrateful, because Allah might take away even the little that you have, and then it will be a time of depression and anxiety for you. You will wish at that time to have what you have now, but Allah (the Exalted) will act according to His Perfect Wisdom, He may return that to you, or He may leave you as you are.

But remember, this: If you are content with the favours Allah gave you (such as: wealth, looks, health, etc.), and if you are grateful for them; then Allah (the Exalted) will bless you with much more favours than those. You will then see the true Mercy of Allah (the Exalted) and only then you will know that grieving and worrying about the things you don’t have is a big waste of time. Your situation and mood will change and you will be much happier, and peace will follow you wherever you will go.On the authority of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reported that his Lord said: “O man! Although you have enough for your living, you demand that which makes you insolent. In fact; you are neither content with little, nor satisfied with much. Certainly, if you get sound in your body, safe in your life, and living having sufficient food for one day, (then) anything else is unimportant.” [Ibn ‘Adiyy and El-Bayhaqi]

 Keep in mind also the following two Ahadeeth of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):

He Is successful who has accepted Islam, who has been provided with sufficient for his want and been made contented by Allah with what He has given him. [Reported by Muslim in his “Sahîh” chapter of “alms” (hadith 2426), At-Tirmidi in his “Sunan” chapter of “asceticism” (hadith 2348), Ibn Mâjah in his “Sunan” chapter of “asceticism” (hadith 4138) and Ahmad in his “Musnad” (hadith 6572) from the hadith of `Abd Allâh Ibn `Amr Ibn Al-`Âs]

And, “The one among you who wakes up secure in his property, healthy in his body and has his food for the day, it is as if the whole world were brought to him”. [Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad (no. 300) and by al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan (2346). He said: It is hasan ghareeb]

Second secret: is that, whatever is meant for you will come to occur, but whatever is not then it will never occur. You must accept Allah’s decree, whatever it is; but if you don’t, then prepare yourself for depression, anxiety, and sickness. You will never have peace in mind unless you accept whatever Allah has destined for you that happened in the past and whatever to happen in the future. Know that the more you accept Allah’s Will, the more peace He will send in your heart.

If you accept the trial that Allah sent you, while knowing that it is a test for your patience; then you should struggle to be one of the best of those who are patient. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The best of faith is patience and magnanimity.” [Ahmad, Sahih]

The way to attain this patience is to know and believe that the trial which afflicted you is for a good purpose. But what should calm you the most is to know that you are afflicted with this trial because Allah loves you. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The greatest reward goes together with the greatest affliction. When Allah Almighty loves people, He tests them. All who are content (with Allah’s decree) receive His good pleasure. Those who are angry receive His anger.” [Tirmidhi]

Allah (the Exalted) is testing you to bring you closer to Himself, to protect you from misguidance; and with that to secure a place for you near Him in the Hereafter (i.e. to grant you Paradise). Therefore you should not grieve, nor be anxious; because you know that Allah, the King of the Heavens and Earth loves you. This will grant tranquility to your soul. Your mind will be in peace and your heart likewise. So practice patience, struggle to be one of the best of those who are patient; because patience is the best sign of Iman.

Third secret: is that, Allah (the Exalted) is testing you with this trial to prove what you really deserve. This life is a big test; everything was planned before we even came to existence. Therefore your trial is also a part of  Allah’s Master Plan, so you should not oppose it.

Allah (the Exalted) clearly says to us in the Glorious Qur’an why we are tested. He (the Exalted) says: And Allah has created the heavens and the earth with truth, in order that every soul may be rewarded for what it has earned; and they shall not be wronged. [The Glorious Qur’an, 45:22]

Only Allah knows all the reasons why the trials which afflicted you had to be part of His Plan, but what you must know is that this trial will be a great evidence for you against shaytan in the Hereafter, however you must show patience. That’s the only way to pass this test.

Shaytan will have nothing to speak against you on the Day of Judgment if you pass this test. You should know also that shaytan’s target is the righteous Muslim, not the hypocrite or the disbeliever. They are already misguided, but you are on the straight path; therefore, his main target is you.

This is your enemy that wants to see you misguided, so during your test he tries to misguide you in all kinds of ways. He whispers and whispers with the hope to make you lose your Faith. He never stops, until you defeat him. And when you will defeat him, this is the time when he will lose hope; and he will not bother you anymore. You can win against him, but this will be only when you’ll show true patience and sincere Iman. You will never achieve this unless you gain correct Knowledge of Islam, and Taqwa.

Taqwa is not just fear of Allah; it means also to love Allah, and to do sincere deeds. You will never have sincere deeds, unless you purify your intention. And the pure intention is to do every deed only for the sake of Allah. What you should know also is that you must struggle not to sin. Sins will not only decrease your Iman, but they will also destroy you. Know that you can’t be sinless, no human was and will ever be; but what counts is the struggle you make not to sin, and the repentance you make in case you give up to sin. Remember the following Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):

“When a slave (a person) commits a sin (an evil deed) a black dot is dotted on his heart. Then if that person gives up that evil deed (sin), begs Allah to forgive him, and repents, then his heart is cleared (from that heart covering dot); but if he repeats the evil deed (sin), then that covering is increased till his heart is completely covered with it. And this is Ar-Ranthat Allah mentioned (in the Quran),“Nay! but on their hearts is the Ar-Ran (covering of evil deeds and sins) which they used to earn” (Qur’an 83:14)” [Tirmidhi]

You are not alone; if you give up to Allah, Allah will guide you. If you oppose His Plan and become angry, then you will earn the Anger of Allah; and therefore you’ll end up misguided. But remember, if you repent, and submit to Allah’s will; then peace and happiness will follow you wherever you will go. It’s not easy to achieve this, but with correct knowledge and Iman, you will attain the patience you need to pass the test.

And finally, I will advise you with the following:

Remember to always seek authentic knowledge. Dive deep in the ocean of knowledge, and collect every pearl that you come across. Strive to not be a hypocrite, by acting upon the knowledge you gain. Let the Qur’an be in your right hand, and the Sunnah in your left; let Allah fill your heart with His Love and Light; let Allah bless you with the Hikmah/Wisdom; and let Allah guide you on this path of Islam. Know your purpose in life, and do not rush in judging something. Only Allah can judge, you can only assume. If you have to judge then make sure it’s based upon firm and authentic evidences. Be truthful when you speak, and do not speak ignorantly about something or someone without knowledge. Know that whoever judges you, Allah will judge him; whoever speaks without knowing you is assuring his place in hell. You should forgive those who hurt you in the past, but if you can’t forgive; then do not bother yourself with them, and let Allah (the Exalted) judge them. Put your complete trust in Allah (the Exalted), and depend upon Allah and rely upon Him only, not upon people. Do your best, and Allah will guide you; worship Allah alone, and He will forgive you; stay away from sins, and Allah will raise your rank; and fear and remember Allah wherever you go, because if you forget that Allah is watching you constantly, then you will end up being ignorant and sinning. Learn from mistakes, and don’t hate people; but hate their actions. If you are sick, know that after every hardship there is ease; Allah (the Exalted) says:  So verily, with the hardship, there is relief, Verily, with the hardship, there is relief. [Qur’an, 94:5]

To end this article, remember the following Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):

The happiness of the son of Adam depends on his being content with what Allah has decreed for him, and the misery of the son of Adam results from his failure to pray Istikhara, and the misery of the son of Adam results from in his discontent with what Allah has decreed for him. [Tirmidhi; classed as Saheeh by al-Haakim, 1/699, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. It was classed as Hasan by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari, 11/184]]

Salaam Aleykum!

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Anti-Muslim banners protesting against the establishment of a Muslim prayer room, in Catalonia, Spain © Jordi Moreras

European governments must do more to challenge the negative stereotypes and prejudices against Muslims fuelling discrimination especially in education and employment, a new report by Amnesty International reveals today.

“Muslim women are being denied jobs and girls prevented from attending regular classes just because they wear traditional forms of dress, such as the headscarf. Men can be dismissed for wearing beards associated with Islam,” said Marco Perolini, Amnesty International’s expert on discrimination.

“Rather than countering these prejudices, political parties and public officials are all too often pandering to them in their quest for votes.”

The report Choice and prejudice: discrimination against Muslims in Europe, exposes the impact of discrimination on the ground of religion or belief on Muslims in several aspects of their lives, including employment and education.

It focuses on Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland where Amnesty International has already raised issues such as restrictions on the establishment of places of worship and prohibitions on full-face veils. The report documents numerous individual cases of discrimination across the countries covered.

“Wearing religious and cultural symbols and dress is part of the right of freedom of expression. It is part of the right to freedom of religion or belief – and these rights must be enjoyed by all faiths equally.” said Marco Perolini.

“While everyone has the right to express their cultural, traditional or religious background by wearing a specific form of dress no one should be pressurized or coerced to do so.  General bans on particular forms of dress that violate the rights of those freely choosing to dress in a particular way are not the way to do this.”

The report highlights that legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment has not been appropriately implemented in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Employers have been allowed to discriminate on the grounds that religious or cultural symbols will jar with clients or colleagues or that a clash exists with a company’s corporate image or its ‘neutrality’.

This is in direct conflict with European Union (EU) anti-discrimination legislation which allows variations of treatment in employment only if specifically required by the nature of the occupation.

“EU legislation prohibiting discrimination on the ground of religion or belief in the area of employment seems to be toothless across Europe, as we observe a higher rate of unemployment among Muslims, and especially Muslim women of foreign origin,” said Marco Perolini.

In the last decade, pupils have been forbidden to wear the headscarf or other religious and traditional dress at school in many countries including Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

“Any restriction on the wearing of religious and cultural symbols and dress in schools must be based on assessment of the needs in each individual case. General bans risk adversely Muslims girls’ access to education and violating their rights to freedom of expression and to manifest their beliefs.” Marco Perolini said.

The right to establish places of worship is a key component of the right to freedom of religion or belief which is being restricted in some European countries, despite state obligations to protect, respect and fulfil this right.

Since 2010, the Swiss Constitution has specifically targeted Muslims with the prohibition of the construction of minarets, embedding anti-Islam stereotypes and violating international obligations that Switzerland is bound to respect.

In Catalonia (Spain), Muslims have to pray in outdoor spaces because existing prayer rooms are too small to accommodate all the worshippers and requests to build mosques are being disputed as incompatible with the respect of Catalan traditions and culture. This goes against freedom of religion which includes the right to worship collectively in adequate places.

“There is a groundswell of opinion in many European countries that Islam is alright and Muslims are ok so long as they are not too visible. This attitude is generating human rights violations and needs to be challenged,” said Marco Perolini.

Source: amnesty.org

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