History of Eid-ul- Adha

The history behind Eid-ul-Adha follows the story of the faithful Hazrat Ibraheem (radhi Allahu anhu). He was instructed in a dream by Allah to raise the foundations of the holy Kaaba, a black stone, the most sacred Muslim shrine in Mecca. Immediately responding to the Lord’s call Hazrat Ibraheem (radhi Allahu anhu) set off for Mecca along with his wife and son, Ishmael. hazrat Ibraheem (radhi Allahu anhu) had to face a lot of hardships in his way .However, he supplicated Allah’s commands uncomplaining. In a divine dream, he also saw himself sacrificing his son Ishmael for Allah’s sake.

When he told this to Ishmael, the latter immediately asked his father to carry out Lord’s commands without faltering and assured that he was completely ready to give up his life for Allah azza wa jalla.

Abraham could not bear to watch his son die so he covered his eyes by a blindfold. When he cut Ishmael’s throat and removed the blindfold, miraculously enough he was astonished to see that Ishmael was unharmed and instead, he found a dead lamb which was slaughtered, And this is what Abraham ultimately sacrificed.In remembrance of this outstanding act of sacrifice (qurbani) by Prophet Abraham(R.A), people sacrifice a lamb, goat, ram or any other animal on Eid-ul-Adha and give the meat to friends, neighbors, relatives and the needy. People who are away from the holy pilgrimage, Hajj, also carry out this traditional sacrifice.

This is mentioned in surah e AS-SAAFFAT .

“O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!” So We gave him the good news of a boy, possessing forbearance. And when (his son) was old enough to walk and work with him, (Abraham) said: O my dear son, I see in vision that I offer you in sacrifice: Now see what your view is!” (The son) said: “O my father! Do what you are commanded; if Allah wills, you will find me one practicing patience and steadfastness!” So when they both submitted and he threw him down upon his forehead, We called out to him saying: O Ibrahim! You have indeed fulfilled the vision; surely thus do We reward those who do good. Most surely this was a manifest trial. And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice. And We perpetuated (praise) to him among the later generations. “Peace and salutation to Abraham!” Thus indeed do We reward those who do right. Surely he was one of Our believing servants.(AS-SAAFFAT verse 100 – 111)As a reward for this sacrifice, God then granted Abraham the good news of the birth of his second son, Is-haaq (Isaac):“And We gave him the good news of Is-haaq, a prophet from among the righteous”(Surah e AS-SAAFFAT verse 112 )

Abraham had shown that his love for ALLAH subh aanu wa ta'ala superseded all others: that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dearest to him in submission to God’s command. Muslims commemorate this ultimate act of sacrifice every year during Eid al-Adha

Moral System of Islam

Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances. To achieve these rights, Islam provides not only legal safeguards, but also a very effective moral system. Thus, whatever leads to the welfare of the individual or the society is morally good in Islam and whatever is injurious is morally bad. Islam attaches so much importance to the love of God and love of man that it warns against too much formalism. We read in the Quran:

“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last Day and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the freeing of captives; to be steadfast in prayers, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which you made; and to be firm and patient in pain and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-conscious.” (Quran 2:177)

We are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-conscious man in these verses. He should obey salutary regulations, but he should fix his gaze on the love of God and the love of his fellow-men.

We are given four directions:

a) Our faith should be true and sincere,

b) We must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men,

c) We must be good citizens, supporting social organizations, and 

d) Our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances.

This is the standard by which a particular mode of conduct is judged and classified as good or bad. This standard of judgment provides the nucleus around which the whole moral conduct should revolve. Before laying down any moral injunctions, Islam seeks to firmly implant in man’s heart the conviction that his dealings are with God, who sees him at all times and in all places; that he may hide himself form the whole world, but not from Him; that he may deceive everyone but cannot deceive God; that he can flee from the clutches of anyone else, but not from God’s.

Thus, by setting God’s pleasure as the objective of man’s life, Islam has furnished the highest possible standard of morality. This is bound to provide limitless avenues for the moral evolution of humanity. By making Divine revelation as the primary source of knowledge, it gives permanence and stability to the moral standards which afford reasonable scope for genuine adjustments, adaptations and innovations though not for perversions, wild variation, atomistic relativism or moral fluidity. It provides a sanction to morality in the love and fear of God, which will impel man to obey the moral law even without any external pressure. Through belief in God and the Day of Judgment, it furnishes a force which enables a person to adopt the moral conduct with earnestness and sincerity, with all the devotion of heart and soul.

It does not, through a false sense of originality and innovation, provide any novel moral virtues, nor does it seek to minimize the importance of well-known moral norms, nor does it give exaggerated importance to some and neglect others without cause. It takes up all the commonly known moral virtues and with a sense of balance and proportion it assigns a suitable place and function to each one of them in the total scheme of life. It widens the scope of man’s individual and collective life – his domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his activities in the political, economic, legal, educational, and social realms. It covers his life from home to society, from the dining-table to the battlefield and peace conferences, literally from the cradle to the grave. In short, no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and comprehensive application of the moral principles of Islam. It makes morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of dominated by selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by norms of morality.

It stipulates for man a system of life that is based on all good and is free from all evil. It encourages people not only to practice virtue, but also to establish virtue and eradicate vice, to bid good and to forbid wrong. It wants that their verdict of conscience should prevail, and virtue must be subdued to play second fiddle to evil. Those who respond to this call are gathered together into a community and given the name Muslim. And the singular object underlying the formation of this community (Ummah) is that it should make an organized effort to establish and enforce goodness and suppress and eradicate evil.

Here we furnish some basic moral teachings of Islam for various aspects of a Muslim’s life. They cover the broad spectrum of personal moral conduct of a Muslim as well as his social responsibilities.

God-Consciousness

The Quran mentions this as the highest quality of a Muslim:

“The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is most God-conscious.” (Quran 49:13)

Humility, modesty, control of passions and desires, truthfulness, integrity, patience, steadfastness, and fulfilling one’s promises are moral values that are emphasized again and again in the Quran:

“And God loves those who are firm and steadfast.” (3:146)

“And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer’s forgiveness and to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which awaits the God-conscious, who spend for charity in time of plenty and in times of hardship, and restrain their anger, and pardon their fellow men, for God loves those who do good.” (Quran 3:133-134)

“Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong; and bear patiently whatever may befall you; for this is true constancy. And do not swell your cheek (with pride) at men, nor walk in insolence on the earth, for God does not love any man proud and boastful. And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; for the harshest of sounds, indeed, is the braying of the ass.” (31:18-19)

In a way which summarizes the moral behavior of a Muslim, the Prophet, may God’s mercy and blessings be upon him, said:

“My Sustainer has given me nine commands: to remain conscious of God, whether in private or public; to speak justly, whether angry or pleased; to show moderation both when poor and when rich; to reunite friendship with those who have broken off with me; to give to him who refuses me; that my silence should be occupied with thought; that my looking should be an admonition; and that I should command what is right.”

Social Responsibility

The teachings of Islam concerning social responsibilities are based on kindness and consideration of others. Since a broad injunction to be kind is likely to be ignored in specific situations, Islam lays emphasis on specific acts of kindness and defines the responsibilities and rights within various relationships. In a widening circle of relationships, then, our first obligation is to our immediate family – parents, spouse, and children – and then to other relatives, neighbors, friends and acquaintances, orphans and widows, the needy of the community, our fellow Muslims, all fellow human beings, and animals.

Parents

Respect and care for parents is very much stressed in the Islamic teaching and is a very important part of a Muslim’s expression of faith.

“Your Sustainer has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life time, do not say to them a word of contempt nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility and say: My Sustainer! Bestow on them Your mercy, even as they cherished me in childhood.” (Quran 17:23-24)

Other Relatives

“And render to the relatives their due rights, as (also) to those in need, and to the traveler; and do not squander your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift.” (Quran 17:26)

Neighbors

The Prophet has said:

“He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbor beside him is hungry.” (Al-Mundhiri)

“He does not believe whose neighbors are not safe from his injurious conduct.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari)

Actually, according to the Quran and Sunnah, a Muslim has to discharge his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and neighbors, but to the entire mankind, animals and trees and plants. For example, hunting of birds and animals for the sake of game is not permitted. Similarly, cutting down trees and plants which yield fruit is forbidden unless there is a pressing need for it.

Thus, on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a higher system of morality by virtue of which mankind can realize its greatest potential. Islam purifies the soul from self-seeking egotism, tyranny, wantonness and indiscipline. It creates God-conscious men, devoted to their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence, discipline and uncompromising with falsehood. It induces feelings of moral responsibility and fosters the capacity for self-control. Islam generates kindness, generosity, mercy, sympathy, peace, disinterested goodwill, scrupulous fairness and truthfulness towards all creation in all situations. It nourishes noble qualities from which only good may be expected.

A Qur'anic Pilgrimage

Hajj, also known as the greater pilgrimage, is an amazing phenomenon which engulfs the hearts and minds of Muslims from all across the globe. It is an event which is indeed spectacular; a mass sea of human will and flesh surging along the path once traversed by Abraham (upon him be peace), the caller to Islamic monotheism. It is a pilgrimage that is centred around the prime maxim of monotheism, every action and ritual maintaining a direct relationship with it.

Inasmuch as Hajj being the single most important and spiritual journey that man will undertake, it is pertinent to note that most are unaware of the Qur'anic verses relating to it. It is in this vein that we shall be taking a brief look at a few verses in Surah Hajj where Allah the Most High speaks of this most blessed journey.

The discussion begins with the verse,

"And (remember) when We appointed for Abraham the place of the House (saying) 'Do not ascribe anything as a partner to Me and purify My House for those who circumbulate, stand, bow, and prostrate.'" [1]

The verse commences the discussion about Hajj through introducing it as an affair which stems from Abraham. We find that the appointment of the house (Ka'bah) coupled with pure monotheism as Allah established for Abraham (upon him be peace) His House along with His house rules. In keeping with His guidelines, He articulates acceptable and pleasing behaviour: circumbulating, standing, bowing, and prostration – all forms of physical worship. Thus, the verse in question affirms tawheed (monotheism), the action of tawheed (al uluhiyah), the direction (qiblah) of tawheed, and the Prophet of tawheed. It is through such points that man may achieve eternal bliss; by believing in the monotheistic nature of Allah without ascribing any form of partnership to him, by worshipping Him in line with His monotheistic nature through the prescribed actions of circumbulating, standing, bowing, and prostrating; facing the Ka'bah while committing these acts; and following the millah (religion) of Abraham who was a monotheist himself.

Abraham (upon him be peace), the Friend of Allah, is given sole importance in relation to the Ka'bah, and was honoured through being commanded to build the Ka'bah where Allah decreed. It was built out of taqwa and founded upon obedience, he and his son built this great edifice and a part of his offspring remained in Makkah living alongside it. As for Allah's command to purify His House, it was to purify it from polytheism and disobedience, and from impurities and dirt. Allah the Most High ascribes the House to himself through His usage of the pronoun 'my', and in doing so sanctified and honoured this blessed structure. It is to this end that Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said when kissing the black stone, "Verily I know that you are merely a stone, you neither harm nor benefit. Were it not for the fact that the Prophet kissed you, I never would have," [2] since his kiss was merely because of its sanctified nature which God afforded it, and not because it is special in and of itself.

Allah then says,

"And proclaim unto mankind the Pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every deep ravine, so that they may witness things that are of benefit to them, and mention the name of Allah on appointed days over the beast of cattle that He has bestowed upon them. Then eat thereof and feed therewith the poor unfortunate." [3]

After being commanding to build the sanctified structure, Abraham (upon him be peace) was told to call mankind to undertake the pilgrimage. It is mentioned the Abraham said, "My Lord, how can I call mankind when my voice cannot reach them?" So it was said, "Call, and its conveyance is upon us." Similarly, the famous exegete Ibn Al Arabi states that Allah commanded him to climb Abi Qubais [4] and call out, "O mankind, Allah has ordained upon you the Hajj, so undertake the Pilgrimage." So none were left except that Allah conveyed the call of Abraham to them..." [5]

The verse then states the means by which the pilgrims shall respond to the call, and their coming from "every deep ravine" is from every far and desolate place, so much so that the believers will flock from all corners of the earth – this miraculous statement is evident today where people of all nationalities and races arrive at the sacred House. Interestingly Allah states that they "they will come to you" as in to Abraham instead of the House itself. This passage emphasises the link between the Hajj and Abraham, and that the Hajj is to respond to the call of monotheism – it is in effect an act of monotheism. Furthermore, in responding to Abraham we become of him, as Allah states "Verily, among mankind who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him." [6] Thus, the Hajj establishes the connection between the Muslims and Abraham since we are the only people to follow in his way, in both deed and intent.

As for "the things that are of benefit", they are of two types: religious and worldly. As for the religious benefit, it is to engage in worship and fulfil one's duty to Allah the Majestic. As for the worldly gain, it is to gain an income and some profit. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said the verse pertained to benefit in this life and the hereafter. "As for benefit in the hereafter, it is to reside in eternal bliss; and as for this life, it is benefit in regards to profit and business undertakings." [7] In this regards, the majority of exegetes state that the meaning of the verse "There is no sin on you if you seek the Bounty of your Lord..." [8] is that there is no harm nor sin in undertaking profitable ventures during the Hajj as long as it does not interfere with carrying out the prescribed rituals.

In regards to mentioning the name of Allah on the appointed days, then this is to slaughter the sacrifice in His Glorious name as well as to praise and thank Allah for His many bounties. Ibn Abbas stated the 'appointed days' are the first ten days of the month of Dhul Hijjah. [9] The 'beast of cattle' is recorded in the Qur'an as the bahimatul an'aam which are camels, cows, and sheep. This is reiterated by the hadith of Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) as narrated by Abu Jamrah Nasr ibn Imran Al Duba'i when he asked Ibn Abbas about the tamattu' Hajj and sacrifice. [10] In reference to the discussion pertaining to the benefits of Hajj, the bahimatul an'aam are also a benefit in this life and the next since the one selling them benefits financially, and the one who slaughters them benefits in the hereafter. It is then from the divine mercy and wisdom of Allah the Most High that he allows the slaughterer (who now benefits from his sacrifice in this life) and the poor to eat from the sacrificial meat.

In ending the Hajj Allah says,

"Then let them make an end of their unkemptness and pay their vows and go around the ancient House." [11]

Their 'unkemptness' is the hair on their heads that they have let grow and been unable to fully comb or cut during their time in the state of ihram, and 'to make and end' is to either shave or trim one's hair. As for paying their vows, it is the promises they have made to the Almighty concerning their Hajj, Umrah or sacrifice. They are then ordered to complete their Hajj by means of the tawaf al ifadah, the principle circumbulation of the ancient House. The House is stated as being ancient since Allah says that "first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and guidance for the universe." [12]

Allah then states,

"That; and whoso extols the sacred things of Allah, it will be well for him in the sight of his Lord."

The first word of the verse ("that") is to establish the verses which have preceded as being the decisive commands of Hajj and thus means, 'that is the command'. As for extolling the sacred things of Allah, it is extremely important since it is amongst the actions which Allah loves and allows the slave to draw close to his Lord. The 'sacred things' are everything that Allah has made sacred and ordered to be exalted, such as salah (ritual worship), the manasik (rituals of Hajj), the haram (sacred vicinity), the ihram (the state of a pilgrim), the sacrifice, and all other matters that require exaltation and love since all these forms of worship stem from an obedient heart and subservient limbs. It is to this effect that Allah says,"That (is the command). And whoso extols the offerings consecrated to Allah, it surely is from the piety of the hearts." [13]

The Hajj, just like the other pillars of Islam combines spirituality with physical action and reminds us that monotheism is not only a belief we maintain within our hearts and utter with our lips, but a principle we live out through our actions, regardless as to whether we be pilgrims or in a normal state going about our daily lives.

Notes:

[1] 22:26[2] Its authenticity is agreed upon by the two Imams, Al Bukhari and Muslim.[3] 22:27-28[4] It is also said that he stood on Mount Safaa[5] Ibn Al Arabi, Ahkam Al Qur'an (exegesis of 22:27)[6] 3:68[7] Tafsir Ibn Kathir (exegesis of 22:28)[8] 2:198[9] Al Bukhari reported it in mu'allaq form[10] Its authenticity is agreed upon by the two Imams, Al Bukhari and Muslim[11] 22:29[12] 3:96[13] 22:32 

By : Muhammad Nizami

Allah Never Accepts My Dua!

Why is it that I should ask Allah for something right now and Allah has to do it for me right now? Who in the world are you?! Oh you think you’re God or something? You want something to happen, you want it to happen, it doesn’t happen. Allah Azza Wa Jal he will choose his time. He is doing this for a reason, you making dua every day, some brothers what they do, they make dua, they make dua, they make dua and Allah’s Messenger SAW said, ‘Allah (He loves it or) He accepts the dua of his servant, as long…as long as that servant hasn’t become hasty.’ So they sahaba said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, how is a person hasty?’ So here the RasulAllah SAW he said what? He said, ‘As long as the person carries on doing dua and he doesn’t say this, he doesn’t say ‘I make dua to Allah and Allah never accepted it.’’ That’s being hasty! You start saying, ‘I made dua to Allah so many times and this dua never got accepted.’ Who are you? Who are you? Because Allah Azza Wa Jal does three things for you in return of the dua that you’ve just made, one of 3 things, one of three things he will do for you…

Number 1, either Allah will give to you what you just asked for. 

Number 2, you didn’t get what you asked for but Allah will give you something else in return or He will save you from an affliction. He’ll save you from an affliction, you didn’t even know. You made dua that, ‘O Allah, O Allah, please, please, O Allah I want this thing or I want this job, O Allah I want this job, O Allah I want this job.’ You’re making that dua. Allah never gave you that job, for whatever other reasons as well but what he did is he saved you another musibah somewhere else because of this dua or he gave you some other thing, it might not even be a job, it might be something else that Allah gave you.

And the 3rd thing, the best of all things is, you never got anything at all in this dunya, and you say, ‘what!? I made dua all my life and never got anything in this dunya? What!?’ On the day of judgement some brothers will come and they will see right next to them, this is in hadith, hadith of Imam Ahmad, a person will see right next to him, he will see mountains! Mountains full of reward, and this guy sees mountain full of reward and he thinks, ‘Nah man! I didn’t even live long enough to have these mountains, they can’t not be mine’ and he’s looking at these little piles next to him, so then a long time passes by, no one comes to claim the mountains full of reward, and then the person says, ‘O Allah, just a question.’ (Allah will say) ‘What my servant?’ He says, ‘these mountains full of reward who are they for?’ Allah says, ‘For you my servant.’ He says, ‘for me? Allah, for me? For me?.’You know the guys thinking how is it possible that I could get so much reward, Allah says, ‘My servant, my servant, you were in the dunya and while you were in the dunya you used to make dua to me, I never accepted your dua, that dua you used to make to me every single day, every day you used to make dua to me I never accepted it, but what I did in return is I gave you reward, and I kept on giving you reward for the dua that you used to make and today those duas are mountain full of reward.’ If only we understand what Allah is doing for us and what is beyond our fate.

- by Shaykh Hasan Ali 

The Superiority of the First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May peace and blessings be upon the Chief of the Messengers, Muhammad. 

Indeed it is a great favour and blessing from Allah that He has made for His righteous servants periods of time within which they can increase in good deeds to attain great rewards and one of these opportunistic periods is the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah (the final month of the Islamic Calendar, in which the hajj is performed). 

Superiority of the First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah 

The excellence of these ten days have been mentioned in the Qur'ân and the Sunnah. 

Allah says in the Qur'ân: "By the dawn and by the ten nights … " [Al-Qur'ân 89:1-2] 

Ibn Kathîr said that "the ten nights" referred to here are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and this opinion was also held by Ibn Abbâs, Ibn az-Zubair, Mujâhid and others. 

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "There are no deeds as excellent as those done in these ten days." They (the companions listening) said, "Not even Jihâd?" He, peace be upon him, said, "No, not even Jihâd except a man who goes forth endangering his life and wealth and does not return with anything." [Recorded by al-Imâm al-Bukhârî] 

Allah says: " … and remember the name of Allah in the appointed days." [Al-Qur'ân 2:203] 

Ibn Abbâs and Ibn Kathîr said this means in the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. 

The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: "There are no other days that are as great as these in the sight of Allah, the Most Sublime. Nor are there any deeds more beloved to Allah then those that are done in these ten days. So increase in tahlîl (to say lâ illaha illallah), takbîr (to say allahu akbar) and tahmîd (to say alhumdulillâh)."[Reported by at-Tabarânî in al-Mu'jum al-Kabîr] 

With regards to the noble companion Saîd bin Jubair, when the days of Dhul-Hijjah began he would strive to increase in good actions with great intensity until he was unable to increase anymore. [Reported by ad-Dârimî] 

Ibn Hajar says in Fath al-Bârî: "The most apparent reason for the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah being distinguished in excellence is due to the assembly of the greatest acts of worship in this period, i.e. salawât (prayers), siyâm (fasting), sadaqah (charity) and the hajj (pilgrimage). In no other periods do these great deeds combine." 

What are the Recommended Acts in These Days? 

The Prayer 

It is highly recommended to perform the obligatory acts at their prescribed times (as early as possible) and to increase oneself in the superogatory acts, for indeed, this is what brings a person closer to their Lord. 

The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said: "Upon you is to increase in your prostration to Allah, for verily you do not prostrate to Allah with even one prostration, except that He raises you in degrees and decreases your sins because of it." [Reported by Muslim] 

Fasting 

This has been mentioned as one of the acts of righteousness where Hanbada ibn Khâlid reports on the authority of his wife who reports that some of the wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 

"The Prophet, upon whom be peace, would fast on the ninth of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Âshûra and three days in every month." [Recorded by Ahmad, Abu Dâwûd, an-Nisâî and others] 

Al-Imâm an-Nawawî said that fasting in these ten days is extremely recommended. 

Saying allahu akbar; lâ illaha illallah and alhamdulillâh 

It is found in the aforementioned narration of Ibn 'Umar: "So increase yourselves in saying lâ illaha illallah, allahu akbar and alhamdulillâh." 

Al-Imâm Bukhârî, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Ibn 'Umar and Abû Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to go out to the markets in the ten days saying the takbîr causing the people to follow them in this action." 

He also said: "Umar ibn al-Khattâb used to say the takbîr in his minaret in Mina, whereupon the people of the mosque hearing 'Umar, would start to say the takbîr as would the people in the markets until the whole of Mina was locked in glorifying Allah." 

Ibn 'Umar used to say the takbîr in Mina during these ten days and after prayers, whilst on his bed, in his tent, in his gathering and whilst walking. What is recommended is to say the takbîr aloud due to the fact that 'Umar ibn al-Khattâb, his son and Abû Hurayrah used to do likewise, may Allah be pleased with them all. 

Strive with us O Muslims in reviving this sunnah that has become lost in these times and it was almost forgotten, even amongst the people of righteousness and goodness all of which is unfortunately in opposition to what the best of generations were upon (preserving and maintaining the superogatory acts). 

There are a number of ways of making takbîr that have been narrated by the companions and their followers and from these ways is the following: 

· Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar kabîrun. 

· Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, lâ ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, wallahu akbar, wa lillahil hamd. 

· Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar, lâ ilaha illallah, wallahu akbar, allahu akbar wa lillâhil hamd. 

Fasting on the day of 'Arafah 

Fasting has been affirmed on the day of 'Arafah, where it has been confirmed from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said regarding fasting on the day of 'Arafah: "Be content with the fact that Allah will expiate for you your sins for the year before (the day of 'Arafah) and the year after (the day of 'Arafah)." [Reported by Muslim] 

However, whoever is at 'Arafah as a pilgrim then fasting is not expected of him, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, stopped at 'Arafah to eat. 

May the peace of Allah be upon his Prophet, the family of the Prophet and all of his companions 

By: Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen 

  

Farewell Advice

Prophet Muhammad (SâllAllâhu ‘Alâihi Wâsâllâm) said: "O people, your wives have certain rights over you and you have certain rights over them. Treat them well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers." [Tirmidhi]

Fair dealings and good behaviour is necessary towards everyone, but the Prophet (SâllAllâhu ‘Alâihi Wâsâllâm), mercy for all mankind, emphasized it especially towards women. A man is rewarded for every morsel of food that he puts into his wife's mouth. The best sadaqah is that which is spent on one's family and kindness to the wife is an aspect of faith. Aisha ( RâdhiAllâhu 'Anhâ) reported ALLAH's Messenger as saying, "Among the believers who show most perfect faith are those who have the best disposition, and are kindest to their families." [Tirmidhi]

Aisha (RâdhiAllâhu 'Anhâ),the Prophet's wife, is one of the most famous women in Islamic history. She was gifted with outstanding intelligence and memory, and is considered to be one of the most reliable narrators of ahadith of the Prophet (SâllAllâhu ‘Alâihi Wâsâllâm).

Abu Hisham ibn Urwah reported: A man asked Aisha, “Did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, work in his house?” She said, “Yes, the Messenger of Allah would repair his shoes and his clothes, and he would work in his house just as any of you would work in his house.”

Source: Musnad Ahmad 24813

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Iraqi

وَعَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَ...بِيهِ قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ عَائِشَةَ هَلْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعْمَلُ فِي بَيْتِهِ شَيْئًا قَالَتْ نَعَمْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَخْصِفُ نَعْلَهُ وَيَخِيطُ ثَوْبَهُ وَيَعْمَلُ فِي بَيْتِهِ كَمَا يَعْمَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي بَيْتِهِ

24813 مسند أحمد بَاقِي مُسْنَدِ الْأَنْصَارِ يخصف نعله ويخيط ثوبه ويعمل في بيته كما يعمل أحدكم في بيته

المحدث العراقي خلاصة حكم المحدث رجاله رجال الصحيح‎

Post By : A.I.R

Ten Blessed Days

By His wisdom, God gave preference to some places and times over others.

For Muslims, Friday is the best day of the week, Ramadan is the best month of the year, “Laylat al-Qadr” is the best night in Ramadan, the day of “Arafah” is the best day of the year.

Likewise the first ten days of the month of “Dhul-Hijjah” are the blessed days for Muslims.

God says in the Quran what means:  

{By the daybreak, by the ten nights, by the even and the odd, by the passing night – is this oath strong enough for a rational person?} (89:1-5)

Early Muslim scholars differed on what is meant by the “ten nights”. But most of them agreed that the ten nights refer to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

In another verse God says: {… to attain benefits and mention God’s name, on specified days.} (22:28)

Most of the Quran commentators view that the specific days are the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. What a great virtue attached to those days which pass unnoticed by many people nowadays. On the merits of the first ten days, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these ten days." The people asked: "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah?" He said: "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight, giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Al-Bukhari, 259)

In what follows are suggested ideas on how to make the best use of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah:

Repent to Allah

Make a sincere repentance to God and promise Him that you will not do bad deeds again. This may be your last chance. You are not sure if you will live till next year.

Pray at the Mosque

Try to perform the five daily prayers in the mosque. If you have time after Fajr prayer, try to sit in the mosque, read a juz' (part) of the Quran, make duaa, or recite some Adhkar (remembrance of Allah). Then offer two rakahs before you go home. If you do so, you are reviving a tradition that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to do, a tradition which these days has been neglected by many Muslims.

Observe Fasting in the First Nine Days

Abu Sa`id al-Khudri said: I heard the Prophet saying: "Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years." (Al-Bukhari, 2840)

Do not observe fasting on the tenth day because it is an `Eid day and it is prohibited to fast that day. Good deeds are rewarded abundantly in these first ten days; and as fasting is a good deed, it is recommended to fast these nine days.

Do not Miss Fasting the Day of Arafah

On the day of Arafah, non-pilgrims are highly recommended to maintain fasting. It is reported that the Prophet was asked about fasting on the day of Arafah, whereupon he said:

"It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year." (Muslim, 260)

He also said: "There is no day in which Allah frees a greater number of His slaves from the Hellfire than the Day of Arafah." (Muslim, 107)

Make a Lot of Supplications (du'a) on the Day of Arafah

The Prophet said: "The best supplication is that of the Day of `Arafah, and the best thing that I and other Prophets before me said, is: La ilaha illa allahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shai'in qadeer (There is no god but Allah alone. He has no partners. To Him belong the sovereignty and all praise. He has power over all things.)" (Al-Tirmidhi, 3585)

                                                                                                 

Try to Do Something New this Year

If you used to recite a part of the Quran last year, try to finish reading the whole Quran this year. Try to pick some verses everyday and check the books of Tafsir(exegesis of the Quran) to reflect on their meaning in order to derive lessons from them in your daily life.

If you do not read Arabic, I recommend Muhammad Asad's translation of the Quran. If you are well-versed in the Quran recitation, try to teach a group of new Muslims how to read the Quran correctly.

Maintain Your Family Relations

Visit your relatives even for a few minutes. If they live far away, give them a call. Do not forget your parents. Be kind to them, visit them, and attend to their needs. Some new Muslims think that after their conversion, they should cut off their family members. God orders Muslims to be kind to their parents even if they are non-Muslims. This occasion might be a good opportunity to talk about Islam to your non-Muslim parents.

Give to Charity

Make it a daily habit to help the needy. Look for humanitarian organizations in your neighborhood and help them in any way you can.

Don't Miss Offering at Least Two Rakahs of “Tahajjud” at Night

Offer many extra prayers, as much as you can. God promised a great reward for offering extra acts of worship. The Prophet said:

"Allah said, "I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him." (Al-Bukhari, 95)

Reciting the Takbir

It is an act of Sunnah to say “Takbir” (Allah is the Greatest) in the first ten days.

The “Takbir” should be pronounced everywhere; in the mosque, at home, in the streets, etc. It is reported that Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, reciting Takbir, and the people would recite Takbir when they heard them.

There are many forms of Takbir, but the most common one is: Allahu akbaru, Allahu akbaru, Allahu akbaru, la illaha illa Allah, Allahu akbaru, Allahu akbar, wa lillahi al-Hamd.

In another version of the Hadith mentioned above on the merits of the ten days, there is this addition: "… so increase saying Tahlil (saying la-illah illa Allah), Takbir(saying Allahu akbar), and Tahmid (saying Al-hamdullilah)" (Ahmad) Therefore, these kinds of “dhikr” should be recited day and night.

The Best Good Deed in These Days is to Offer Hajj

Go to Hajj, if you are physically and financially able to perform it. If not, try to offer a sacrifice if you have the means. By doing this you are commemorating the story of sacrifice of both prophet Ibrahim and his son Ismail (peace be upon them). The poor and the needy have a share in the sacrifice and feeding them is one of best deeds that can be done on the day of `Eid.

I pray to Allah to accept our good deeds in these days of Dhul-Hijjah and throughout the year. When our good deeds are accepted by God, we will be admitted toParadise, by His Mercy.

 By Mohsen Haredy

All Praises are for ALLAH

All Praises are for Allah, the One and Only, the First and the Last, the One to Whom we owe everything.

There is too much that I should be grateful for, more than I can ever imagine. Everything good that happens to me is by the Will and Grace of Allah, Who Has Power over all things and Has Mercy over His creation. I should be more thankful, more appreciative and less arrogant than I am. Humility and Patience is something I could do with more of.

All Praises are for ALLAH Who PROTECTS ME – in ways I do not see

All Praises are for ALLAH Who LOOKS AFTER ME – even though I act like a spoilt kid

All Praises are for ALLAH Who SUSTAINS ME – and allows me to live day by day

All Praises are for ALLAH Who GUIDES ME – in things that are way over my head and in everyday things and small things – in all things

All Praises are for ALLAH Who PROVIDES FOR ME – and does not leave me struggling for food, shelter, clothing and other needs

All Praises are for ALLAH Who HELPS ME – even when I don’t ask (but I should)

All Praises are for ALLAH Who FORGIVES ME – despite the mistakes and sins I commit

All Praises are for ALLAH Who LIFTS ME UP -when I am feeling down and stressed

All Praises are for ALLAH Who LIGHTENS MY BURDENS – when I have not done enough to help myself

All Praises are for ALLAH Who KNOWS ME – better than I know myself, and so I should submit more willingly rather than complain

All Praises are for ALLAH Who CREATED ME – I have no life without Him

All Praises are for ALLAH Who I want to PARDON MEI don’t want my sins to overtake me, so Please Allah, Pardon me

All Praises are for ALLAH Who RESPONDS TO ME – I ask and He Gives and Gives and Gives

All Praises are for ALLAH Who IS FULL OF KINDNESS TO ME – and I so rely upon this

All Praises are for ALLAH Who is THE DISPOSER OF MY AFFAIRS – who knows what is better for me than Allah?

All Praises are for ALLAH Whom I NEED – more than I realise

All Praises are for ALLAH Who HAS MERCY ON ME – and Gives me all of the above, even when I can never do enough to appreciate this

All Praises are for ALLAH Who HAS CONTROL OVER ALL THINGS – and I have control over nothing and must come to this realisation

Keep Your Word!

There are things that Allah loves and we always talk about them but what are the things that Allah hates? We have to know what these things are as well so that we don’t fall into them. One thing is, not keeping your word, or not keeping your promise. You say to your friend, ‘I’m going to meet you today at 2 p.m.’ and 2 p.m. comes and you don’t meet your friend. Why? Because you got busy with something else and you forgot. Or, you didn’t really care; you just said it with no meaning. You didn’t mean what you were saying. 

Is this an issue? This is an issue. Is this what Allah loves? No, it isn’t. Allah hates this the most. “Oh you who believe, why do you say that which you do not do? It is the most hated to Allah that you say that which you do not do.” You tell your friend you’re gonna meet him at 2 o’clock; you meet the man at 2 o’clock. If you cannot meet him for any reason, then you can call him and tell him, ‘listen, I’m busy, I can’t meet you; I have something to do. Please forgive me.’ If he says, ‘I forgive you,’ then you ask Allah, ‘O Allah please forgive me; I promised this man something but I am unable to fulfil it. Please forgive me’ and Allah will forgive you as well. 

It is a sign of hypocrisy when you make a promise and you do not fulfil it. And when you do not keep your word, it is a sign of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is when you show belief, but inside, you are a disbeliever and a sign of a hypocrite is that he doesn’t keep his word. Make sure that next time somebody asks you for something and you tell them okay and you agree, then you make sure that you do that thing. whatever it is, you make sure that you do it and if for any reason you are unable to do it, then you call the person and you say, ‘I’m sorry, I am unable to do it, it is beyond my scope of capacity; please pardon me’ and the person will pardon you and Allah will pardon you as well. 

Keep your word. Keep your promises. Allah will help you. He will open Gates of Goodness for you. He will increase your faith and He will give you more of His Bounties.

 - by Ustadh Rayan Arab 

Aim For The 1st Place!

Muhammad Sallellahu Alihe wa sallam! He had everything that a Prophet can ask for! He was the seal of the Prophets. But then look, he tells us, ‘I am the first servant of the earth who will released from their graves.’ He is the first person that will come out of his grave. He is the first person and the only person that Allah would allow to intercede for others. He is the only person, the only person, that gates of Jannah would open, no one before him. Then look what he said, Rasullullah Sallellahu Alihe wa sallam…

Look what he said, Sallellahu Alihy wa sallam said, ‘there is only one spot!’ Imagine! From the day Allah created Adam and the Jinns to the last day, there is only one spot that everyone, that Allah created can aim and dream about. One spot! Not for two, not for 2nd ,third or fourth—one spot! Did he say Sallellahu alaihi wa sallam, ‘I love my father Ibrahim Alaihe wa sallam. Let him have that spot.?’ Did he say, ‘I want my brother Musa to have that spot?’ He said, ‘No!’ After every Adhan, ask Allah to give me the waseelah, to give me that place, to allow me to be in that place that is only for one person. And that is why every time, and not only that, he said, ‘if you do this for me, I will intercede for you on the day of yawmul qiyamah. After you heard the Adhan if you say... that status’ He said, ‘the, my sheaf‘a is yours!’

See your messenger of Allah did not want to be the 2nd person, because 2nd is always forgotten. They only, when they are talking about the history of energy and electricity, they will only mention the man who came up with, not the man who developed. When they are talking about, telephones, they only mention the man who came up with. When we are talking about fuqaha, we always start with Abu Hanifa because he is the first place! There is always no place for 2nd person! So as a Muslim, if you say, ‘I am content, I am happy, I am satisfied with the 2nd place’ then I will tell you that is the status and mentality of a loser. Because your messenger Sallellahu Alihi wa Sallam said only one person and he aimed that. He said the nations, the prophets will present their followers, I wanna be the one who has the most followers, therefore, marry women and have children. He wants to be first. He wants you and I, because we are his followers to be first of the nations. But look at the status of the Muslims now a days. We are at the back burner! We are on the wagon! We are on the way behind all other nations, you know why? Do you know why we became followers, not leaders?

It’s because we no longer aim high!

 - by Sheikh Said Rageah 

The Light #Noor

Imagine, you are sitting in a large gathering and your mother calls your name. Do you think you'll be able to hear her voice? Well, it depends. If the place is calm and quiet, you will hear her voice. But if it is loud and noisy, you won't hear your mother even though her voice is the most familiar to you. Similarly, by born, we have the closest relationship with Allah (swt). In our soul, we have His words, the fitra. But today, because of so many distractions of this world we are away from His word, the Quran. Therefore we have to recite and memorize the Quran to rebuild our relationship with Allah (swt). To tell you more about Allah (swt), I am going to recite one of the most beautiful verses from the Quran, Surah An-Noo,r Verse: 35. 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

۞ اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ ۖ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ ۖ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ ۚ نُورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ ۗ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ 

Allah is the noor (light) of the heavens and earth. He is a special type of noor. The Speech of Allah (swt), the Quran is also a Noor. Allah’s noor is guidance to the mankind. Can we see Allah (swt)? Let us listen to this beautiful Hadith. After the event of Al-Israa wa Al-Miraaj, Abu Dharr (ra) asked, ‘Ya Rasulallah, did you see your Lord?’Prophet Muhammad (saw) replied, ‘there was Noor, how could I see Him?’ Allah (swt) has a Hijab of Noor around Him and because of that, the Messenger of Allah (saw) could not see Him. Although we cannot see Allah (swt), He gives us Noor in our heart and He gives us the Noor of the Quran. O’ my brothers and sisters, we need to connect these two Noor’s to enlighten our heart and become truly guided. Let us all pray to Allah (swt) to increase our Noor. 

‘O Allah ! Place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing and light in my sight, light above me and light below me, light to my right and light to my left, light before me and light behind me, light in my soul and intensify the light for me, light on my each side and bestow me with light. O Allah! Let there be light for me, light in my muscles, light in my flesh, light in my blood, light in my hair, light in my skin. O Allah! Place light in my grave, light in my bones, and make light abundant for me and grant me light upon light.’

- by Little Sister Laam