Salaat Time

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

In 1408, the newspaper al-Muslimun (issue number 181, dated Dhul-Hijjah 8, 1408 (July 21st, 1988)) related the following story: It is a real life story whose hero a Syrian doctor who was afflicted with cancer and who remedied it with charity. Dr. ‘Isa Marzuqi relates that he was afflicted with cancer, a fact that is attested by the most eminent of doctors in Damascus; the amazing thing is that he was cured through charity. After many of his colleagues lost hope of his cure, the said Doctor returned to the hospital to assume his duties. The doctor’s fiancée had refused to break off their marriage because of the sickness, and instead decided to wait patiently until he died. but instead of that happening he was saved. He later provided authenticated certificates from many eminent doctors that he had cancer in his left armpit; they also attested to the fact that later on, no traces of that cancer remained. In fact, the first doctor who diagnosed him said that at first, he had expected him to die after only a few days. Dr. ‘Isa Marzuqi later said that he applied the words of Allah’s Messenger (May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from imperfection):

“Remedy your sick ones with charity.”

With that statement he still had hope, and so when he found out about a house whose breadwinner had died many years before, he decided to give them all the wealth he had, even though it was only a small amount. He sent the money to the poor family through a friend of his, asking him to tell them that the money was from a man afflicted with a death threatening sickness and that he was seeking a cure by giving charity, hoping from help from Allah. The story ended with his cure, which perplexed many of the most skilled doctors in Syria. He later said that he chose that cure because he wanted to follow the way of Allah’s Messenger (PBUH). He also said however, that he did not leave off treatment through normal medical methods; he believed in the Divine Preordainment, but that belief does not mean that one should turn away from doctors, nor does it mean that one should not take the appropriate tangible steps that are needed to achieve a desired goal.

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 155

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

Allah separated you from what you love, to teach you about the nature of this life.

Then Allah returned to you what you love, to teach you about the nature of the next.

Source: Internet Site

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

Many people, and not just non-Muslims, become resentful when they or someone they love is afflicted with a calamity. To be sure, many people around the world are afflicted with difficult hardships and trials. Upon contemplating the situation of many among them, I asked myself, “How perfect Allah is! Indeed, He is the most generous of all, and generosity necessitates forgiveness. Then why is it that so many people are being punished?” It did not take long for me to find the answer to that question, for I came to the realization that most people lead worthless lives: they do not contemplate the numerous signs that point to the oneness of Allah; they care not about Allah’ commands and prohibitions; instead, they live as beasts do, caring for nothing except for food, drink, pleasure, and sleep. And here I am not referring only to non-Muslims, for there are many Muslims who apply the teachings of Islam only when doing so is easy or in agreement with their desires; otherwise, they blindly follow their lusts, caring not about how they earned their wealth – whether it is from lawful or unlawful sources. If it is easy for them to pray, they will pray; otherwise, they will forsake compulsory prayers. Others among them perpetrate grave sins, without afterwards feeling any remorse or guilt. Thus I came to know that, for many people, the punishments, trials, and afflictions that befall them – however great they may be – are less severe than the severity of their sins. Upon suffering a calamity, one might call out, “Why did this happen to me?” Yet he forgets the many sins he perpetrated throughout his life. And in his old age, a man might suffer a great deal of humiliation, to the degree that, by just looking at him, people pity him; yet perhaps they do not know that he is just being punished for not having fulfilled Allah’s rights during his youth. So whenever you see one who is being punished, know that it is because of his sins.

“(What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: “From where does this come us?” Say (to them), “It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds).” And Allah has power over all things.” (Quran 3:165)

And this brings us to the point:

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 313

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

When you were born, you were crying and the people around you were smiling.

Live your life so that when you are dying, you are smiling and the people around you are crying.

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

Here is a saying of Hassan al-Basri, one of the Tabi’en (second generation after the Companions RA), born in the year 21 (641-642), died in the year 110 (728-729).

Hassan Basri said: “He is a wise man who takes care of his interests of the other life without worrying that his temporal prosperity is not damaged. Whoever knows the Lord Most High sees his love for Him increasing day by day; anyone who knows this fleeting world considers it an enemy. The intelligent man is one who puts a firm brake on his passions and holds the bridle with a firm hand. Take a good look at what happens to the affairs of this world for someone who dies, because they will be exactly the same for you after you die. It was out of love for the earthly world that the infidels worshiped idols.” And he added: “Whoever highly values gold and silver, the Most High Lord will cause him to fall into debasement at the end. Only order others what you yourself can do.” He also said: “Anyone who reports the words of others to you is able to relate your own words to others. Do not give access to such a character near your person. On the Day of Resurrection it will be necessary to give an account not only of all that one will have eaten oneself, but of all that one will have made to eat to his father, his mother or his grandchildren (…) For each prayer that you will make without meditation, the punishment will follow closely behind.”

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

By brooding over the past and its tragedies, one exhibits a form of insanity – a kind of sickness that destroys resolve to live for the present moment. Those who have a firm purpose have filed away and forgotten occurrences of the past, which will never again see light, since they occupy such a dark place in the recesses of the mind. Episodes of the past are finished with; sadness cannot retrieve them, melancholy cannot make things right, and depression will never bring the past back to life. This is because the past is non-existent.

Do not live in the nightmares of former times or under the shade of what you have missed. Save yourself from the ghostly apparition of the past. Do you think that you can return the sun to its place of rising, the baby to its mother’s womb, milk to the udder, or tears to the eye? By constantly dwelling on the past and its happenings, you place yourself in a very frightful and tragic state of mind.

Reading too much into the past is a waste of the present. When Allah mentioned the affairs of the previous nations, Allah, the Exalted said:

That was a nation who has passed away. (Quran 2:134)

Former days are gone and done with, and you benefit nothing by carrying out an autopsy over them, by turning back the wheels of history.

The person who lives in the past is like someone who tries to saw sawdust. Of old, they used to say: “Do not remove the dead from their graves.”

Our tragedy is that we are incapable of dealing with the present: neglecting our beautiful castles, we wail over dilapidated buildings. If every man and every jinn were to try jointly to bring back the past, they would most certainly fail. Everything on earth marches forward, preparing for a new season – and so should you.

La Tahzan (Don’t be sad)
By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni
Translated by: Faisal ibn Muhammad Shafeeq, 2nd ed. Riyadh 2005
Publisher: International Islamic Publishing House
ISBN Hard Cover: 9960-850-36-6
ISBN Soft Cover: 9960-850-44-7
P30

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

Here is an anecdote of Sheikh Chaqiq Balkhi:

“On he who falls a decree of destiny must show resignation. Whoever, during trials, despairs and weeps is like a person who has seized a spear to fight against the Lord Most High.” He also said: “The root of piety is the fear of the Lord Most High and refraining from all that is forbidden. The failure of men is due to three reasons: One is that they commit sins and that they lull themselves in the hope of doing penance later, the other is that they are in no hurry to do penance, because they feel that they will live a long life, and the third is that many people on the pretext that Allah’s Mercy is great, die without doing penance after spending their days in heedlessness. The Lord Most High, at the moment of death, doubles the intensity of life for those of his servants who served faithfully, while Allah makes them similar to the dead, even during their lives, the bad servants who are addicted to sinning.” “What I like above all, he said, is to receive a guest in my home, because while the guest only eats what has been destined to him by Allah, I participate in the reward promised to those who give from their wealth.”

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

Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Beware of gluttony, it harms the body, brings disease and blocks the accomplishment of prayers. Look for moderation which is beneficial to the body, away from any excess because Allah the Exalted does not like the portly glutton. Man destroys himself if he prefers his passions over his Iman (faith). (Abu Naim)

The Compagnons of the Prophet (SAWS) (Hayat-Assahaba)
By Mouhammad Youssef Al-Kandahlawi – Volume II

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

A man went to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, “O Ibn Abbas, I want to enjoin people to do good and forbid them from doing evil.” Ibn Abbas said, “And have you reached that level?” He said, “I hope that is so.” He said, “If you do not fear to be exposed by three Verses of Allah’s Book, then do so.” The man asked, “And what are they?” He mentioned this Verse:

“Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and every act of obedience to Allâh) on the people and you forget (to practise it) yourselves…” (Quran 2:44)

And then asked, “Have you applied the implications of this Verse?” He said, “No.” Ibn Abbas then mentioned the second Verse:

“O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allâh that you say that which you do not do.” (Quran 61:2-3)

After that he asked, “Have you applied the implications of this Verse?” He said, “No.” He then mentioned the third Verse regarding Shuaib (Peace be upon him):

“…I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you…” (Quran 11:88)

And then he asked, “Have you applied the implications of this Verse?” He said, “No.” Ibn Abbas said, “Then begin with yourself.”

Gems and Jewels
Compiled by: Abdul-Malik Mujahid
Publisher: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam
ISBN: 9960-897-59-1
Page 205

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

Somebody asked a scholar once about how their parents were encouraging them to buy a house on interest otherwise they’d be poor.

So the scholar answered:

“Allah will never put the secret of success in something that Allah forbade or has made haram.”

So if anybody ever tells you that you’ll only become wealthy if you deal in interest (riba), then they have lied to you. They have lied to you out of ignorance or for whatever reason because Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala will never put success in something that Allah has made haram. If you do see some people being successful with it, they’re being set up and you’re being set up. Their success will be in the short-term with failure, sadness and loss in the long-term. It’s a test from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

This applies to everything in life, money, relationships, health etc…

“Allah will never put the secret of success in something that Allah forbade or has made haram.”

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

The divine decree related to the believer is always a bounty, even if it is in the form of withholding (something that is desired), and it is a blessing, even if it appears to be a trial, and an affliction that has befallen him is in reality a cure, even though it appears to be a disease!

Unfortunately, due to the ignorance of the worshipper, and his transgressions, he does not consider anything to be a gift or a blessing or a cure unless he can enjoy it immediately, and it is in accordance with his nature. If he were only given a little bit of understanding, then he would have counted being withheld from as a blessing, and the sickness as a mercy, and he would relish the trouble that befalls him more than he relishes his ease, and he would enjoy poverty more than he enjoys richness, and he would be more thankful when he is blessed with little than when he is blessed with a lot.

Imam ibn al Qayyim rahimahullah
Madarij al-Salikin 2/215-216