The Scholar and the Ferryman

A scholar of language and grammar undertook a journey. A river had to be crossed. As was the custom in those days, the scholar hired the boat of a waiting ferryman who took people across the river.

During the journey, the scholar asked the ferryman, with obvious pride and mockery, if he knew anything about grammar and the rules of language.

The ferryman simply replied, “I don’t.”

“Alas!” retorted the rude scholar of grammar, “You have wasted half of your life.”

At this, the sailor was terribly hurt and aggrieved. But he kept quiet. Suddenly the boat was extremely nervous in the high waves and gushing water. “Do you know how to swim, learned Sir?” asked the sailor.

“No!” said the scholar.

The ferryman remarked, “Alas! You have wasted your whole life for the boat is sure to capsize in a few minutes.”

Moral: Knowledge in one branch is not enough to be proud about. 

Condolence

9.1 BREAKING UNPLEASANT NEWS

If you have to break the undesired news of a tragic accident, or the death of a dear or close relative or friend, break the news in such a way as to lessen its impact and to make it as mild and gentle as possible. For example, in the case of a death, you may say: ‘Recently, I learned that Mrs. X has been terribly sick, and her condition worsened. Today, I heard she has passed away. May the mercy of Allah be with her.’

Start by giving the name of the person in question. Do not break the news of a death by saying, ‘Do you know who died today?’  This unduly manner frightens the listeners and prompts them to expect the worst, namely that the death involves someone who is very close to them. Instead, mention the name of the dead person before breaking the tragic news of the death. This will soften the impact of the news, reducing the listener’s apprehension, and making the news more bearable.

Convey the news of fire, drowning, or car accident, etc. in a similar fashion. Prepare the listener for the news in a way that minimizes its impact. Mention the name(s) of the affected person(s) in a kind way, not a shocking way. Some people have weak hearts and such bad news may cause them to faint and collapse.

If it is necessary to convey such news, choose the appropriate time. It should not take place at a meal, before going to sleep, or during an illness. Compassion and tactfulness are the best qualities you will need to handle such a situation.

9.2 EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES IS A COURTESY AND A DUTY

Parting among loved ones is one rule of Allah in his creations. Al-Hafiz Al-Munziri reported a Hadith, ‘Love whoever you will and you will part.’ Along this same rule, poets said:

We are but guests with our families,
Staying for a while, and leaving them.
Wealth and families are but trusts.
Inevitably, one day trusts will be recalled.
The sons of this life will all part
To meet together again in the hereafter.

One wise poet listed eight stages we must all pass through. No one will be spared of these:

Happiness and sorrow; gathering and parting;
Difficulties and easiness; and illness and good health.

Another poet said

Make perseverance your friend, and leave painful sorrow
You are not alone
Everyone lost, or will lose a loved one.

If a relative or a close friend of one of your relatives or friends dies, hasten to offer your condolences. You owe your relatives, friends and Muslim brothers the moral obligation of alleviating their plight. If you can, you should attend the funeral and the burial at the cemetery. Aside from being a highly rewarding gesture of sympathy, it could be an effective and stern admonition, and a lesson reminding you of the inevitability of death.

While alive, your life had lessons, reminders and admonition
Today, your death gives me the most important lesson

Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘A Muslim owes his Muslim brethren five gestures: returning a greeting, visiting the ill, and attending their funeral…’ Imam Ahmad
reported that the Prophet said: ‘Visit the sick and follow the procession of funerals; you will remember the Hereafter.’

Condolences is to alleviate the sense of grieving that confront the family of the deceased. This is achieved by encouraging them to be composed while trusting in Allah’s promise of great reward. Allah said in Surat Al-Baqarah ‘And give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere; who say, when afflicted with a disaster, ‘Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him is our return.’ They are those on whom descend blessings and receive the mercy of their Lord, and it they who are the guided ones.’ Condolence is done by praying for the deceased to be helped and pardoned, since they will receive the benefit of such prayers. Condolence is a sincere expression of sympathy and to share the sorrow of these stressful moments. Ibn Maja and Baihaki reported, with a fair authority, a Hadith: ‘A Muslim who consoles other Muslims suffering from a calamity will be awarded a dress of dignity by Allah on the day of Judgment.’

from the book ISLAMIC MANNERS
By Shaykh Abdul-Fattaah Abu Ghuddah (RA)

Pearls from the Sea

Zun-Noon Misri relates, we once embarked on a ship and a handsome young man, whose face was gleaming with light also set out with us. During the voyage the owner of the ship lost a bag which contained his money. This led to a search of all the passengers on board. When the young man was approached, he leaped out of the ship into the water. Whilst we looked on he supplicated, “Oh Allah they have accused me. I take oath that you order every creature in the sea to raise their head with a pearl resting in their mouths.”

Zun- Noon further states that before the young man could complete his supplication we witnessed the creatures doing just as he had requested. The young man continued, “Oh Allah it is Ye we worship alone and Ye we seek help from.” He then disappeared.

After witnessing such a remarkable incident the narrator exclaimed, “The Hadith of Prophet (SAW) came to mind. There will always remain thirty people from among my Ummah whose hearts will be like the heart of Ibraheem. Every time one dies Allah will replace him.” Perhaps the narrator believed this young man was one of them.

Allah the Provider

It is related that a man would come every night to all ardent worshipper from amongst the worshippers of Al-Haram, with two pieces of bread with which he would break his fast. This devotee of Allah would not concern himself with anything but the remembrance of Allah. One day his nafs whispered to him, “You rely on this man for food and have forgotten the One who provides for the creation. What is this inattentiveness.”

When the man approached him with pieces of bread again, he did not accept them. The worshipper remained without food for three days and complained to Allah. That night in a dream he saw himself standing in front of Allah, and Allah asked “Why did you return what I sent for you with my servant?” He replied, “Oh Allah I felt I was -relying on somebody else besides you.” Allah asked “Who sent him to you?” “You my Lord”, he answered. “Who did you then take it from?” Allah asked. “From you Oh Allah” he replied. “Take it and do not repeat this again”, Allah ordered him. He then saw the man who gave him bread standing in front of Allah. Allah asked, “Oh my servant why did you stop giving him his food?” He answered “Oh my Lord you know better than I.” Allah enquired, “For whose sake did you not give it?” “For your sake”, he replied. Allah proclaimed, “Keep giving and your reward will be Jannah.

A story from the life of Prophet Yusuf (A.S)

By Mufti Ismail Menk

Help from Khadir

Ibraheem al-Khawwas relates, in my travels there was once an occasion when I felt so thirsty that I passed out. Some water was sprinkled to bring me round again. My eyes opened. I saw a man of outstanding beauty riding a grey horse. He offered me some water and requested that I accompany him on his horse. After a short while he enquired, “What do you see?” I suprisingly replied, “Madinah!” He then said, “Proceed to the Mosque and send Salam upon the Prophet (SAW) and tell him that your brother Khadir also sends you Salam.”

A pious man relates, once I remained in the desert of Hijaz for a few days without any food. I desired to eat bread and lentils but thought, “I am in the middle of the desert the distance between it and the nearest country namely, Iraq seems too vast”. I was still contemplating this when a Bedouln called from far, “lentils and bread”. I turned immediately and advanced towards him and asked. “Do you have lentils?” “Yes.” he replied. Consequently he laid his cloth and utensils on the ground and took out some bread and served lentils. He said, “Eat” and so I began to eat. Once I had completed my portion he insisted I ate some more, I therefore continued. Again when I had finished he maintained, “Eat” and so I continued. He persistently continued until the fourth time I stopped and said “I swear by the one who has sent you to me, who are you?” He replied “Khadir” and then disappeared.

Goodbye Facebook

Goodbye Facebook

My high school friends told me about Facebook. Since all of them had an account, I decided to create one myself although I was very nonchalant about my account. I had never displayed my pictures on social sites and told myself that I would not display my pictures on Facebook. But then everybody I knew had their pictures on. So, I started uploading pictures, and before I knew it, I had a million pictures of mine there.

What happened next was that brothers I knew started adding me. I was reluctant in the beginning, but a voice inside me told me to grow up and that it was no big deal. The first comment I got was from a brother I studied with – “Nice picture, Maryam.”  What did he mean by that? I asked myself. Was he being chummy? Honestly speaking, I felt so bad when he wrote that comment on my wall, but then a voice inside my heart told me not to overreact and to show some manners so I thanked him.

I don’t know what happened next, but I started following the dunya. The values I stood up for and walked with became obsolete to me. My compromises turned into huge sacrifices. I became so desensitized and immune to the haram that was happening. I forgot that there was a God out there watching me, and I forgot that I was supposed to emulate the best of mankind- RasulAllah salla Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam. Random people would message me asking me for friend requests; they said I was “pretty” and they wanted to be friends with me. I even got some proposals on Facebook- can you believe it! And there were lists of stalkers who kept sending me stupid messages and songs on YouTube through fake accounts in my inbox.

Later, when I had pulled back a bit from Facebook, I stopped interacting with a lot of brothers there because a verse from the Quran kept spinning in my head:

I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. [51:56]

When I woke up from my stupor, I realized that I had become some other Maryam I never wanted to be. I had so many friends, but I was never happy because none of them reminded me of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. None of them ever told me that displaying my pictures like that or chatting with random people was wrong and against the sunnah. Shaytan loves spreading promiscuity and hates modesty, and somehow I had chosen to follow him instead of following Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

Prophet Muhammed salla Allahu alayhi wasallam said:

Modesty is part of faith and faith is in paradise, but obscenity is part of hardness of heart and hardness of heart is in hell. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

I had faith, and I was a monotheist. But where was my hayaa, and where were my priorities? I had become a slave of my desires. Islam came to guide man, and here I was in the shackles of my own desires, other people, and the media. Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, has said:

“Have you seen him who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god)?” [45:23]

In light of this verse, Imam Al-Ghazali said:

“Those who follow their own passions do not conform to monotheism, because anyone who follows his own passions makes them the object of his worship. The monotheist is he who sees nothing but the One God and only turns his face to Him.”

I removed all my pictures and changed the privacy settings of my account, but I still felt that my soul was filthy. My heart was hard. Even the Quran failed to penetrate my heart and didn’t make me cry anymore. I had everything I wanted, but something inside me was dying. It was my Iman. My Iman was suffocating.

I realized that the only way to purify my nafs was to leave things that distracted me. True, Facebook had its advantages, but for me, it was like alcohol; its detriment was greater than its benefit. So I decided to give it up for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. For months I struggled with my decision. It was hard saying goodbye to everyone, but I told them that I would be available by email if they needed me, and I requested them to remove, crop, or blur my pictures from Facebook because a voice inside me said, Maryam your face is precious and only for your hubby to see. Yes, I struggled, and it was hard: I gave up so many things which I feared would not benefit me in the Hereafter. I am still in the process of purifying my heart and always will be inshaAllah because it’s a lifelong struggle. Sometimes, things we do seem good to us, but they slowly poison our Iman.

Sheikh Reda Bedier said: “Watch the little things; a small leak will sink a great ship.”

You see, sometimes, we have our feet in two separate boats, one which has the flag of our desires on it and the other which says, “I love you, Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala.” It’s sad how we juggle between what’s necessary and what’s not and prefer what our heart desires over what our Khaliq wants us to do. Ustaad Khurram Murad said:

“Your Qalb (heart) cannot be compartmentalized. You cannot dedicate one piece of it to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and another to some other god, like wealth, status, career, spouse and so on. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is One, Indivisible and wants the human being to be undivided in service to Him. So long as our heart lies in a hundred places, so long as our eyes are set in a hundred directions, so long as we have many loyalties, we shall never be able to achieve that condition of ‘holding onto Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala’.”

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has said:

“O you who believe! Enter into Islam whole heartedly without any reservation.” [2: 208]

I want you to know, that if I can do it, then you can too. If you have anything in your heart that perturbs you greatly and it gives you sleepless nights, ask yourself one question: “Am I prepared for my death, my akhirah?” Truth is, nothing in life is guaranteed but death. After deleting my Facebook account and saying goodbye to it for good inshaAllah, I have so much faith in Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala that He will give me a better platform to do dawah, one that will not distract me inshaAllah.

I pray that each and every one of us succeeds in becoming a believing, steadfast servant for Allah’s sake. May Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, enable us to be amongst those who purify themselves and help us differentiate between right and wrong, Ameen.

Source: I got it covered

The Final Return

Car Accident
A police officer in a Muslim country wrote the following letter to a Shaykh describing the events that led to his return to Allah.  He recalls: Seeing accidents and crash victims was a normal part of my day, but one incident was different.

My partner and I had parked on the shoulder of the highway and began to chat. In a random second, the scene shattered to the hideous sound of metal bodies becoming one. We threw our heads back to see what had happened: a head-on collision, the result of a vehicle slipping into the lane of the oncoming traffic.You couldn’t describe the carnage. Two young men sprawled in the first car, both in critical condition. We carried them gently away from the car and rested them on the ground.

Quickly we returned to assist the owner of the second car. He was dead. Back we went to the two young men lying side by side on the pavement.

My partner began dictating the Shahadah to them. “Say: La iIaha illAllah (there is no god but Allah), La iIaha illAllah…”

… their tongues wouldn’t acknowledge. They started humming the hypnotic lyrics of some song. I was terrified. My partner had experience however and he kept repeating his instruction.

I stood watching, no movement, eyes locked. Never in my life had I seen anything similar to what was going on before me. In fact, I’ve never actually seen someone die, and never in such a satanic way.

My partner continued to instruct them to say the Shahadah but there was no use. The hum of their song came to a slow silence, slowly. The first one stopped and then the other. Not a stir. Dead.

We carried them to our patrol car, my partner made no effort to speak. Not a whisper between us two as we carried the corpses to the nearest hospital…

The police officer fell back into routine, as he narrates, and started to drift from Allah. But another event happened to him that sealed the return. He continues: … What an odd world. After some time, about six months, a strange accident took place. A young man was moving along the highway normally, but within one of the tunnels leading to the city, he was maimed by a flat tire.

To the side of the tunnel he parked and stepped to the back to remove the spare tire. The whistle of a speeding car from behind. In a second, it collided with the crippled car, the young man in-between. He fell to the ground with critical injuries. I rushed to the scene, myself and another partner other than the first. Together we carried the young man’s body into our patrol car and phoned the hospital to prepare for his arrival.

He was a young adult in his blossom years. Religious, you could tell from his appearance. He was mumbling when we carried him, but in our rush, we had not paid attention to what he was saying. However, when we placed him on his back in the patrol car we could make it out. Through the pain his heart was reciting Qur’an! He was so immersed in the recitation … Subhan Allah, you would have never said that this person was in intense pain.

Blood had soaked his clothes crimson red, his bones had clearly snapped in several places. To tell the truth, he looked like he was staring into the eyes of death. He continued to read in his unique, tender voice. Reciting each verse in proper rhythm. In my entire life, I had never heard any recitation like it. I said to myself, I’m … I’m going to instruct him to say the Shahadah just like I saw my friend doing; especially since I had previous experience. My partner and I listened intently to that soft voice. I felt a shiver shock my back and up my arm, the hair stood.

Suddenly, the hymn ceased. I watched silently as his hand rose softly. He had his index finger pointed upward to the heavens, saying the Shahadah (La ilaha illa Allah/There is no god but Allah). Then … his head slumpt. Nothing. I jumped to the back seat, felt his hand, his heart, his breathing. He was dead!

I couldn’t stop staring at him. A tear fell but I hid it in shame. I turned back to my partner and told him that the boy’s life had ceased – he burst out loud crying. Seeing a man cry like that, I could not control myself and my partner faded away behind the fall of my own tears. The patrol car fogged from the emotions.

We arrived at the hospital. As we rushed through the corridors, we told all the doctors, nurses, and onlookers what had happened. So many people were affected by what we said, some stood there speechless and tearful. No one wanted to lose sight of the boy until they had been assured of the time and place he would be buried. One of the hospital staff phoned the boys home. His brother picked it up and was told of the accident.

His brother told us about him: He used to go out every Monday to visit his only grandmother outside of town. Whenever he visited her, he made sure to spend time with the poor children idling the streets and the orphans.

The town knew him – he was the one that would bring them the Islamic books and tapes. His dusty Mazda would be filled with rice and sugar and even candies – couldn’t forget the candies – for those families who were in need.

He would not stand for anyone to discourage him from the long journey to that town. He would always politely reply that the long drive gave him time to review his Quran and listen to Islamic lectures on his cassette deck. And … and that with every step to the town he hoped for the reward he would find with Allah…

It is true, brothers and sisters, that Allah is Merciful and forgives and forgives. [Yet I am quite Forgiving … ] But to whom? [ … towards anyone who turns (in repentance) and believes and acts honorable; then he will be guided.] – Surah Taha 20/82

[O our people! Respond to Allah’s Caller (Muhammad – sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) and believe in him, Allah will forgive you of your sins and will save your from a painful torment.]- Surah al-Ahqaf 46/31

Just like we reply someone’s call when they phone us – this is Allah and His Messenger calling us! Let us answer. There is a verse in the Qur’an that when Shaytaan read it he cried and felt regret. Read this verse, it is the door to our happiness in this life and the next:

[And those who, if they commit an immorality or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah? – and who do not persist in what they have done while they know.]

Allah then continues: [For those – their reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow (in Jannah), wherein they shall abide eternally. Excellent is the reward of the (righteous) workers.] – Surah Al-Imraan 3/135,136

Allah sent the Prophets and the books; He sent the warners and glad tiders; and He sent the reminders. And atop all that, Allah comes down to Samaa’ ad-Dunya – in a way befitting of His Majesty – in the third portion of the night – every night – calling to every one of His servants: “Is there anyone who shall make Dua’ so that I shall accept His Du’a? Is there anyone who shall ask for pardon so that I may pardon him?”

Dear brothers and sisters, let us make a pledge tonight to set our alarm clocks at 2 am in the morning. We all know that if there was some special sports event or someone had to catch a plane at that time they would be capable of waking up. Let’s set the alarm to pray only 2 raka’at to Allah. And in Sajdah, recall just one sin – just one – between us and Allah and ask Allah Ta’ala to forgive us for that sin, pledging that we shall never return to it.

Source: Everymuslim

Failure

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Many students succumb to such drastic measures. Some students work and study extremely hard but fail. Due to failure, they sink into such depression that they feel they have to take or inject themselves with drugs, tranquilizers, etc. for sleep. Why ?…Because they failed.

If a person did not make Tadbeer, i.e. did not make a serious and concerted effort and thereafter fails, then he must blame himself. However, generally, we do make a reasonable effort but sometimes still meet with failure. For example : A person is fit and healthy when he started something but later becomes sick and is unable to complete what he undertook.

Tafweez is placing our matters before Allah Ta’ala, handing them over to Him, and trusting completely in Him, believing that there is goodness in whatever Allah Ta’ala has decided. Outwardly, it may appear as if there is some problem that we are faced with, but great wisdom lies in the decisions of Allah.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) has said : “Strive to acquire what is beneficial for you; seek the aid of Allah; do not lose courage and if a setback overtakes you, do not say : ‘If I had done this then it would have happened like this (i.e. not what had happened).’ Instead say : ‘Allah has ordained this. Whatever He has willed, has happened.’”
by Maulana Yunus Patel

Allah

When things are down
And you are out of your mind
Remember just remember
Allah is The Kind.

When your life is in darkness
And nothing is right
Remember just remember
Through the darkness,
Allah is The Light.

When nothing makes sense
And your heading for demise
Remember just remember
It doesn’t make sense, but Allah is The Wise.

When times are troubled
And no one seems to care
Remember just remember
Allah won’t hurt you, He is The Fair.

When your heart is breaking
And your pain makes you fall
Remember just remember Allah Sees it all.

When you are weak
And the road seems long
Remember just remember
Seek strength from The Strong.

When life is a burden
And everything is unstable
Remember just remember
Allah is The Able.

When the way is cloudy
And there is no one by your side
Remember just remember
Allah is The Only Guide.

When no one wants to listen
Or is willing to lend an ear
Remember just remember
Allah is always ready to hear.

When you are poor and penniless
And you are stuck in a niche
Remember just remember
Allah is The Rich.

When you are down in your misery
And there is nowhere to run
Remember just remember
You can always run to The One.

And when your scars are hurting
And your heart is in fear
Remember just remember
Allah is really here.

Author unknown

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