Month: March 2012

Commentary ~ Love of Allah

by

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said that there are ten things that bring about the love of Allah:

1) Recitation of the Quran with reflection and with understanding of its meanings.

2) Seeking closeness to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after having performed obligatory ones, for that leads one to the highest levels of love.

3) Remembering Allah during every situation – with one’s time, heart and deeds… one’s share of that love is to the degree of one’s share in that remembrance.

4) Preferring what He loves to what you love when your desires are strong.

5) Allowing your heart to reflect on His Names and Attributes.

6) Reflecting on His many favors and blessings, both the apparent ones and hidden ones, for that leads to His love.

7) Having your heart softened as it is worshipping Allah.

8) Being alone with Him in worship when He descends during the last third of the night. And this means to invoke Him, to recite His Speech, to stand with all sincerity and with good manners and with good submission, and to end that with repentance and with seeking His forgiveness.

9) Sitting with those who are truthful in their love of Allah.

10) Staying away from all that creates barriers between the heart and Allah.

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 22

Hadith ~ He intended to repay his debt

by

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The following story is related in Sahih Al-Bukhari from Abu Hurairah (May Allah be satisfied with him) from Allah’s Messenger (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection): A man from the Children of Israel asked another man from the Children of Israel to lend him 1000 dinars, and he answered, “Bring witnesses who will bear witness (to this transaction).” The first man said, “Allah is enough as a Witness.” He said, “Then bring me a guarantor.” He said, “Allah is enough as a Guarantor.” The man said, “You have spoken the truth.”

He gave him the money for a fixed term. The debtor traveled by sea and when he fulfilled the purpose of his journey, he was looking for a ship that he could board and return on to pay the debt at the appointed time. However, he was not able to find a ship, so he took a piece of wood, pierced it, and thrust into it 1000 dinars along with a letter to the creditor. Then he took it to the ocean.

He said, “O Allah, You know that I borrowed 1000 dinars from such and such person, and he asked me for a guarantor. I said: Allah is enough as a Guarantor. He was pleased with You, and he also asked for a witness. I said: Allah is enough as a Witness, and he was pleased with You (as a Witness). And I have not been able to find a ship on which I could send him that which is due to him, so indeed I trust it to you.”

He threw the piece of wood into the ocean until it was swallowed by it, and then he went away. He then continued to search for a boat on which he could return to his country. The creditor went out looking – perhaps a boat would come with his wealth. He found a piece of wood – in which was the money – and he took it to his family as firewood. When he broke the wood open, he found the money and the letter.

Then the debtor returned, bringing with him 1000 dinars. He said, “By Allah, I continued to search for a boat in order to return your wealth to you, but I did not find one until I found the one that I came on now.” The other man asked, “And did you send anything to me?”… “For indeed, Allah paid for you through the wood that you sent.”

Note:
An excellent audio lecture on this hadith as well as other hadiths can be found here:
Part 1 |
Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 175

Hadith ~ A Muslim is the brother

by

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Omar (May Allah be satisfied with him): ‘Allah’s Messenger (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection) said: “A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfills the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brings his (Muslim) brother out of discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Ressurrection, and whoever veils the defects of a Muslim, Allah will screen his defects on the Day of Resurrection.'” (Bukhari)

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous) (Abridged)
By Imam An Nawawi Vol. (1)
Publisher: Dar Al-Manarah
ISBN: 977.6005.23.3
Chapter 27, Page 285, No 147

Hadith ~ For men who believed in Allah

by

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Narrated Abu-Sa’eed Al-Khudri (May Allah be satisfied with him); ‘The Prophet (SAWS) said: “The people of Paradise will look at the dwellers of the lofty mansions (a superior place in Paradise) in the same way as one looks at a brilliant star far away in the East or in the West on the horizon; all that is because of their superiority over one another (in rewards).” At that, the people said; ‘O Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) Are these lofty mansions for the Prophets which nobody else can reach?’ The Prophet (SAWS) replied: “No! By Allah in Whose Hands my life is, these are for men who believed in Allah and also believed in the Messengers.” (Bukhari).

SAWS: May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection

Riyaadiss-Saliheen (The Meadows of the Righteous) (Abridged)
By Imam An Nawawi Vol. (2)
Publisher: Dar Al-Manarah
ISBN: 977.6005.23.3
Chapter , Page 1240, No 1101