In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Merciful

On behalf of VirtualMosque.com, we wish you all a blessed Ramadan.

“When Ramadan comes, the doors of Paradise are opened and the doors of Hell are closed.” 

We ask Allah to grant us tawfiq (success) to make the most of this special time.

By Anum Zamir

The path to paradise is outlined most brilliantly in the following verse of Surah Ahzaab (The Confederates):

إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِ‌ينَ وَالصَّابِرَ‌اتِ وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ وَالصَّائِمَاتِ وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُ‌وجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِ‌ينَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرً‌ا وَالذَّاكِرَ‌اتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّـهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةً وَأَجْرً‌ا عَظِيمًا

Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.

(Qur’an, 33:35)

This verse works like a blueprint. By so powerfully mentioning both men and women together yet separately, Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), highlights the equality and justice with which He views His servants. It is this justice that also affords women a distinct status in general society.

Surah Ahzaab empowers the Muslim woman in ways previously not seen in Arabia, specifically with regard to inheritance and marriage. Interestingly, it is reported that this verse was revealed after Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet ﷺ (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), had requested greater mention of women in the Qur’an¹.

The Framework

1. Belief. The believing Muslim submits entirely to Islam. Surrendering one’s own will and desires to that of Allah (swt), the Muslim prefers the Divine Commands and Decree over all else.
2. Faith. A greater degree than belief, faith requires accepting the six pillars (Allah, the Angels, the Books, the Prophets, the Last Day and the Divine Decree). It is to worship Allah (swt) with ihsaan (excellence)—knowing that Allah can see us—and implementing knowledge into action.
3. Obedience. True obedience is omnipresent—on one’s heart and tongue and limbs, in every place and at every point in time. Whether at the grocery store or at a relative’s house, at the workplace or at the mosque, the obedient Muslim is compliant to Allah (swt) with every action and every statement. No deed is too small. “And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and earth. All are to Him devoutly obedient,” (Qur’an, 30:26).
4. Truthfulness. The siddeeqeen (truthful ones) have a rank alongside the prophets of Allah (swt). A believer might be many things across the vicissitudes of life, but can never be liar². Avoiding the hypocrisy in lying³, the Muslim always speaks the truth, solely to please Allah (swt).
5. Patience. Prophet Ya’qub `alayhi as salaam (peace upon him) said it best: “Patience is most fitting,” (Qur’an, 12:18). And Allah (swt) says, “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, God is with the patient,” (Qur’an, 2:153). The patient Muslim trusts that Allah (swt)’s decisions are the best possible, and knows that with it, ease and reward are most certainly ahead.
6. Humility. Across the spectrum of life, humility refines and beautifies a person. The Muslim is aware that all blessings are from Allah (swt), and humility is in return an essential form of gratitude. Equally necessary is humility before people. Good character is the essence of Islam, and without it, a person’s faith is incomplete.
7. Generosity. Spending on one’s parents, relatives and the poor and needy purifies wealth and intentions. Financial assistance is encouraged, but spending one’s time and efforts in these causes is just as laudable.
8. Fasting. A deed that in turn increases one’s obedience, patience and humility is also a pillar of Islam. The Muslim prioritizes fasting days both involuntary (during Ramadan) and voluntary (three days of each lunar month, for example).
9. Modesty. Physically adorning one’s self with the dress code mandated by Allah (swt) coupled with the appropriate characteristics in thought and speech illustrates modesty. Spiritually, the Muslim is modest in character. Modesty is a “branch of faith”⁴, and a hallmark of Islam.
10. Remembrance of Allah (swt). On the tongue, in the heart and in actions, the remembrance of Allah (swt) is habitual for the Muslim. Never forgetting Allah (swt) is a responsibility, whether by uttering “subhan Allah” (glory to God) upon seeing a beautiful sunset, or guarding one’s prayers with due diligence on a daily basis.

For those who solidify these ten qualities in their daily routines, Allah (swt) promises forgiveness and a great reward. Principally, it means entry into Paradise, along with a clean slate in the Hereafter, freedom from worries and concerns, limitless enjoyment and eternal peace. More simply, an abode better than any human being could ever imagine.

May we learn to embody these qualities and become worthy of the Almighty’s forgiveness and reward. Ameen.

Author’s biography:

Anum obtained a Bachelor of Science in Global Business and later a Master of Public Affairs (MPA). After graduating, Anum turned her focus and attention toward the study of the Qur’an, and has recently  completed a comprehensive Qur’anic tafseer certificate course. She plans on teaching, insha’Allah after completing her teacher certification. Her interests include teaching, blogging, reading and cooking, as well as Islamic studies and history.

References

1 Musnad Ahmad 6: 305; An-Nasai in Al-Kubra 6:431; At-Tabari 20:270

2 Imam Malik, Mishkaat Book 56, Hadith 19

3 Sahih al Bukhari 2749, Book 55, Hadith 12

4 Sunan an-Nasa’i 5005, Book 47, Hadith 21

Complete References

1. Umm Salamah radi Allahu `anha (may Allah be pleased with her) the wife of the Prophet said, “I said to the Prophet, ‘Why is it that we we are not mentioned in the Qur’an as men are?’ Then one day without my realizing it, he was calling from the Minbar and I was combing my hair, so I tied my hair back then I went out to my chamber in my house, and I started listening out, and he was saying from the Minbar: O you who believe, indeed Allah says in His Book: (Verily, the Muslims: men and women, the believers: men and women…) to the end of the Ayah.”

[Musnad Ahmad 6:305; al-Sunan al-Kubra al-Nasa’i 6:431; At-Tabari 20: 270]

2. Malik related to me that Safwan ibn Sulaym said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, ‘Can the Believer be a coward?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He was asked, ‘Can the Believer be a miser?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He was asked, ‘Can the Believer be a liar?’ He said, ‘No.’ “

[Imam Malik, Mishkaat Book 56, Hadith 19]

3. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The signs of a hypocrite are three: 1. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. 2. Whenever he promises, he always breaks it (his promise). 3. If you trust him, he proves to be dishonest. (If you keep something as a trust with him, he will not return it).”

[Sahih al Bukhari 2749, Book 55, Hadith 12]

4. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Faith has seventy-odd branches, the most virtuous of which is La ilaha illallah (there is none worthy of worship except Allah) and the least of which is removing something harmful from the road. And modesty (Al-Haya’) is a branch of faith.'”

[Sunan an-Nasa’i 5005, Book 47, Hadith 21]

Originally published at Safa Center here.

The suburban Muslim community in America has a problem. Our masajid (mosques) are in shambles because we think money alone can save them. We believe the wealthy and powerful can change our condition. We believe Islamophobia can be fought by impressing the important, the elite and that personal safety comes from fleeing poor neighborhoods and dissociating ourselves socially from their ranks. We could not be further from the truth and the example of our Noble Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him).

Even benevolent donors may fall into this delusional mind set. Donations may keep walls standing, air conditioning running, and the windows polished but they do not fill the room with Prophetic love, divine guidance, and a people who will carry the message of Islam with integrity and grace. Only the blessings of Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) can do all this. When we change what is inside ourselves, when we put seeking Allah’s blessings and our Prophet’s example first, only then will He change our condition.

In Surah ‘Abasa, the Prophet ﷺ was redirected by Allah from appealing to an important member of Meccan society while turning away from a humble blind man. In this famous incident recorded in the Qur’an, we are reminded as an ummah (community) that we should not neglect the poor and downtrodden, nor prefer the influential to them. At a time in America where we hear about tragic hate crimes every few weeks, there is increased temptation to seek safety from the wrong sources. There is nothing wrong with practicing caution or building relationships with decision makers, but there is something very deeply wrong when suburban Muslims choose to dissociate themselves socially from poor Muslims and poor Americans in general, while rubbing elbows with police officials and politicians, in an effort to preserve their safety.

First of all, it is elitist, and secondly, it contradicts the Prophetic formula for success. Consider the following statements from the Prophet ﷺ:

Mus’ab ibn Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas said, “Sa’d thought that he had preference over those below him and the Prophet (saw) said, ‘Are you given victory and provision except on account of the weak among you?’” [al-Bukhari]

Abu al-Darda said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say, ‘Seek me among the poor and weak. Truly, you are given victory and provided for on account of the poor and weak among you.” [Abu Dawud]

How incredible that an entire ummah seeks the prayer and support of the marginalized among them in order to collectively enjoy success, victory, and even wealth. On a psychological level, the wealthy believer must recognize their blessing in wealth literally comes from the poor. Contrast this with the delusion of Qaarun, an incredibly wealthy tyrant who said, “I was only given it (wealth) because of knowledge I have.” (Qur’an 28:78) Unfortunately, many Muslims, even big donors, may live with the myth of Qaarun: that their accumulated wealth is because they were smart, and played the game of money-making correctly and poor people are poor because they are either lazy, unintelligent, or predisposed to crime.

The Prophet ﷺ flipped the script on so many social pathologies: sexism, racism, tribalism, and also elitism and classism. The Prophet’s guidance is a shining light in a time of darkness, but will we have the courage to carry his lamp? America today has criminalized poverty. The structural and institutional discrimination that exists against poor people reflect nothing short of a new age of ignorance. If we do not confront this ignorance at least on a spiritual level, we too will become from its people and proponents.

It’s disturbing to see suburban masajid and their congregants having no meaningful fraternal relationship with the poor and marginalized, and even more so as the poor and marginalized also exist in suburbs and within these congregations. The programming alone usually reflect ticket costs that only the wealthy can afford. If you don’t see them at the event, maybe it’s because they’d rather not have to explain that they can’t afford being there. Donations are not a fraternal relationship. When we recognize that the poor and marginalized are not simply to be tolerated, but honored because they endure what has been lifted from the rest of us, so we can enjoy what we enjoy, we owe them a debt of gratitude, service, and love. They are the truly important people among us as this incident in the Prophet’s life indicates:

Abu’l-‘Abbas Sahl ibn Sa’d as-Sa’idi said, “A man passed by the Prophet (saw) who said to the man who was sitting with him, ‘What do you think of this one?’ He replied, ‘A man who is one of our nobles. This man, by Allah, if he proposes marriage, his proposal is accepted, and if he intercedes his intercession would be granted.’ The Messenger of Allah (saw) was silent. Then another man passed by and the Messenger of Allah asked him, ‘What do you think of this one?’ He answered, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this is just one of the poor Muslims. If he were to propose marriage, his proposal would not be worth accepting, and if he were to intercede, his intercession would not be granted, and if he were to speak, his words would not be listened to.’ The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, ‘This one is better than the whole earth full of the first one.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet ﷺ didn’t just honor the poor and marginalized, he loved them and he prayed for their love. He used to supplicate: “O Allah! I ask You for the means to do good, to avoid evil, and to love the poor, and I beseech You to forgive me and have mercy on me.” (Tirmidhi) Our beloved Prophet ﷺ lived his values. Given the choice to be a Kingly Prophet or a Servant Messenger, he chose very easily to be a Servant Messenger. His wife, Lady Aisha radi allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her) reported after he made this choice, the Prophet ﷺ never ate while reclining, saying: “I eat like a servant eats and I sit like a servant sits.” We know that he could have lived the life of a millionaire, but rather he was more generous than the free blowing wind. He despised the remodeling of homes for the sole purpose of symbolizing wealth and shunned excessiveness in spending and in the hoarding of worldly possessions. He taught us to see the power hidden within the poor, and their ultimate success:

Haritha ibn Wahb said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say, “Shall I inform you about the people of the Garden? All who are weak and thought to be weak. If they were to take an oath by Allah, Allah would carry it out. Shall I tell you about the people of the Fire? All those who are coarse, domineering, and arrogant.’” [Bukhari and Muslim]

We can say we believe Allah (swt) and His Prophet ﷺ but much of the suburban American Muslim community has behaved like something else. We have behaved like we believe our success, protection, and wealth come from the elite. We have behaved like the ones worthy of our fraternity are the powerful. We live socially disconnected from the poor no matter how much we donate, and consider ourselves morally and intellectually superior because we can donate. We live lifestyles that reflect the very waste, excess, and hoarding that the Prophet ﷺ despised. Worse yet, we consider ourselves the ansaar ((the helpers of Medina who shared their wealth and homes with the immigrants of Mecca who fled persecution)) , and the poor and marginalized are the muhajiroon ((the immigrants of Mecca who fled persecution)) . The truth is they are the Ansaar, and we are the ones impoverished spiritually, socially, materially, and even politically until we recognize it.

ابغوني في الضعفاء فإنما تنصرون و ترزقون بضعفائكم

By Marwa Abdalla

I was praying dhuhr (the noon prayer) not so long ago when my four-year old daughter came and stood by my side. Our usually noisy house was strangely quiet. Our oldest daughter was at school and our baby was napping. There we were, praying together, bowing to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), standing again and then going into sujood (prostration). All was quiet, until, while in sujood, I heard a tiny voice whispering:

“Please Allah, give me a castle in jannah (paradise). Please Allah, give me a castle in jannah. Please Allah, give me a castle in jannah.”

My daughter kept repeating her request over and over, and upon hearing this, my eyes welled up with tears.

When we finished our prayer, I could not help but hug her. I sat, holding her, and thinking to myself, how did my habit of making du`a’ (supplication) to Allah (swt) compare to hers? Had I remembered, as she had, that the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) had told us that we were closest to Allah (swt) when we were prostrating to Him and that we should use this opportunity to ask of Him? ((Abu Hurairah radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s (swt) Messenger ﷺ , said: “The nearest a slave can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so invoke (supplicate) Allah (swt) much in it.” (Muslim))) Had I remembered to request from Allah (swt), the Provider and Sustainer of the universe, my castle in jannah?

Sadly, I realized that in my prayer, not only had I not asked Allah (swt) for my castle in jannah, I had actually failed to ask for anything. I had prayed perfunctorily, distracted from the reality of how close Allah (swt) was to me as I stood before Him.

The Prophet ﷺ tells us, “There is nothing dearer to Allah (swt) than a servant making du`a’ to Him,” (Tirmidhi). Nothing dearer! And yet how often had I neglected to do this?

The Prophet ﷺ also tells us that du`a’ is the worship. It encompasses so much of what the Islamic creed stands for: belief in the unique power of Allah (swt) as the Lord of everything; belief that only Allah (swt) can aide us when we are in need; reliance upon Him for all our affairs; hope in His mercy and forgiveness for our shortcomings; humility in knowing we are nothing without Him.

Allah (swt) is the All-Knowing, the All-Hearing and the All-Seeing. He already knows what we conceal in our chests:

“He causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night, and He is Knowing of that within the breasts.” (Qur’an, 57:6)

So whether we think of something at night or during the day, Allah (swt) already knows it. He already knows what we want or need. Nonetheless, He tells us we must do our part and ask of Him. So what prevents us from doing so?

It may be that, sadly, many of us fail to understand just how important du`a’ is. We think it is somehow secondary to other acts of worship, like praying and fasting, and that it is an optional act that we may or may not take part in. Furthermore, many Muslims actually worry that they are not capable of making du`a’—thinking that they have to have some sort of extensive knowledge of Islam or of the specific du`a’ made by the Prophet ﷺ in order to carry out this act of worship properly.

The truth is that du`a’ is simply a conversation we are having with our Lord (Rabb).

A very special kind of conversation.

Special not because of what we say, but because of why we say it. When we make du`a’ we are affirming Allah’s (swt) position in our lives and His control over everything: our successes, our failures, our inclinations, our emotions—indeed, even our ability to follow His guidance.

What makes this conversation even more special is that when we hand over this control to Allah (swt) and submit to His will admitting our utter need for Him, the result is not a feeling of helplessness or despair, rather it is a feeling of peace and serenity in our hearts that can only be experienced in order for it to be understood.

And we need not make du`a’ in Arabic or in any other specific language. We need not even memorize or recite the exact words used in the du`a’ of the Prophet ﷺ.

However, as in our daily conversations, we should realize that there are certain etiquettes that need to be observed when making du`a’. Although scholars may list numerous recommendations on how to best to make du`a’, I would like to highlight just three ((“When one of you prays, let him start with praise of Allah (swt), then let him send blessings upon the Prophetﷺ then let him ask whatever he likes after that.” (Tirmidhi, 2765, 2767).)) .

Firstly, the Prophet ﷺ instructed us to begin our du`a’ by praising Allah (swt), calling upon Him by His most beautiful names. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an, “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them,” (Qur’an, 7:180).

Secondly, he told us we should send peace and blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ.

After that, he says, we should ask of Allah (swt) whatever we need or desire.

. Once we have made du`a’, we should sincerely believe that it will be answered. We should remember that to Allah (swt) belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth and that He is fully capable of granting all of us everything we have ever wanted. Allah (swt) tells us in a hadith qudsi (sacred narration),

“…O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it…”(Muslim) ((Hadith 24 from An-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith))

We should also be consistent in making du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ cautioned us against being hasty and giving up on du`a’ when the response from Allah (swt) is not immediate ((The Prophet ﷺ said: “The slave will receive a response so long as his du`a’ does not involve sin or severing of family ties, and so long as he is not hasty.” It was said, “What does being hasty mean?” He said: “When he says, ‘I made du`a’ and I made du`a’ , and I have not seen any response,’ and he gets frustrated and stops making du`a’ .” (Bukahari, 6340; Muslim, 2735))) .

And if everything just mentioned above were not enough to remind us to not let our worldly affairs and obligations distract us from simply calling upon Allah (swt), and to be persistent when doing so, the Prophet ﷺ further reminds us that no du`a’ will be made in vain:

“Any Muslim who supplicates to Allah (swt) in a du`a’ which contains no sin or breaking of kinship, Allah (swt) will give him one of three things: either his du`a’ will be immediately answered or, it will be saved for him in the hereafter, or it will turn away an equivalent amount of evil (from him).” The companions said, “So we will ask for more.” He replied, “Allah (swt) is more [generous].” (at-Tirmidhi, Ahmad)

Life can be distracting, but we should not let those distractions prevent us from the great benefit and reward of making du`a’.

Our prayers provide us with the perfect opportunity to ask Allah (swt). To ask that He may facilitate for us our affairs in this life and guide us on the path that pleases Him, that He forgive us for our mistakes and shortcomings, and that He, out of His endless Mercy and Bounty, grant us all our castles in jannah.

That day, praying with my daughter, I realized I could not bring back the opportunities I had missed, but I could do my best not to miss any more.

Syrian Chronicles:  Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI

In this series, Syrian refugees share their stories of being displaced as a result of the current atrocities occurring in that region. All accounts are factual, but may be written by a family member or a friend.

By Issra

Fridays were holy days and “weekends” in Syria, but that was long before our revolution began.

I lost three very dear people to me – Salem, Kenan, and Dawud—on a Friday.

That day was the worst day of my life.

It did not begin in any peculiar way.  Just another attempt to live our lives normally in an environment that was anything but normal.

Salem, his son Kenan, and his nephew Dawud were headed to my aunt’s home for breakfast that Friday morning. The town in which she lived in was targeted by local regime forces, and many of the main roads leading to it were closed off with makeshift barricades and military checkpoints. In an effort to find a way through and evade a confrontation with soldiers, Salem lead Kenan and Dawud down a different route that was seemingly safe.

Little did they know that there were snipers positioned right ahead. As the three walked along early that morning, they came across a man on the side of the road who began to call to them for help. As they moved towards him, a sniper began to shoot them down. Salem died instantly, and as his wounded son began to crawl towards him, Kenan’s soul left him before he reached his father. Dawud, injured in the neck, slowly crawled towards the man they had been walking to and hid behind his truck.

Salem and Kenan’s bodies remained sprawled in the middle of the road until the news reached my family. Two of our neighbors set out to try and drag the bodies away from harm, fully aware that they could easily end up in the same position as Kenan and his father. As they began to drag Salem’s body, one of the men bumped into a dumpster used to block off a side road and alerted the attention of regime soldiers nearby. They ran towards the two men and caught one of them, detaining him as if he were a criminal. The other man ran for his life, and later on fled the country after being identified and wanted by the police, leaving behind his wife and three-month old son.

When it was decided that dragging the bodies was too risky, my family began to plead with the soldiers, bribing them with money and asking them to simply allow for someone to bring the bodies home. One of the officers eventually agreed, after proper compensation for his “favor,” of course. But even bringing in the bodies to our apartment was a dangerous thing to do. Across from our building lived regime thugs, paid by the government to terrorize and kill as they pleased. If they spotted people taking bodies of the dead, it was unimaginable what they would do. So Salem and Kenan’s bodies were snuck in to the basement of our apartment building, and thank God the ordeal went unnoticed.

Salem’s mother and wife awaited him and his son, and upon seeing their bodies soaked in blood, the two women began to weep in deep anguish and despair. It broke my heart to watch Salem’s wife speak to his stiff, bloodied corpse. “Your martyrdom earned us a home in paradise, Salem. I hope you died quickly and didn’t suffer too much.” That night, our whole building was inhabited by fear and grief, and those painful images haunted us all.

The burial process was not any easier. At dawn of the next day, Salem and Kenan’s bodies were placed in a relative’s pick-up truck. Our family bid them a final farewell as the driver prepared for the huge risk he was about to take. The first attempt to drive across town under open fire earned him a gunshot in one of his arms. The second attempt involved heaving the truck up a stairway with a group of men in order to avoid a checkpoint. After many extremely risky maneuvers, the driver finally arrived to a grove near Salem’s childhood home. Salem and his fifteen-year-old son were buried there, as were many of the martyrs of our hometown

By the next day, our whole apartment building had fled their homes, as the terror of last night’s experience reined far too unbearable. My family and relatives all moved into one home in another area of Syria. We lived like sardines in a can, forty-five of us dwelling in one house for a period of three months. The pressure, fear, sadness, and overwhelming risks kept us all from leading ordinary lives; I had to leave school, and no one in my family had work. When the three months had passed, I fled the country to Egypt with many of my relatives. We yearned for a sanctuary there, and had one for a bit, until we were made scapegoats for politics that we played no role in.

As we later learned, Salem’s wife and son who remained in Syria were victims of a chemical weapons attack. Dawud, who was taken by the man on the side of the road the day he was shot, was hospitalized at a military hospital. Visits to his room were extremely limited, and eventually prohibited completely. The bullet remained in his neck, and he was later detained and moved from the hospital to a prison, with no consideration for his health.

Until today, no one knows anything about him. His mother is living a nightmare, facing complete uncertainty about the fate of her son.

All of us Syrians share her misery, as we mourn the obscure future of our country. We know the truth to be very clear, but continue to face the most absurd atrocities and injustices.

And so we continue to pray, and so should you.

By

Often, when we hear or read things about hell, about its punishments and torture, even the thought of being close to such a place gives us goosebumps. It troubles our very soul to imagine a place where such punishments exist. But no matter how much we wish such a place did not exist, it exists and none of us knows whether he/she will be of the companions of hellfire or of those that dwell in peace in jannah (heaven). This state of not knowing, feels ever so frightening because of the implications of failing. What if we didn’t make it? What if our intentions were flawed? Were we really working for Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exhalted is He) when we thought we were? We all know how much we sin, how many mistakes we have made and how many people we have wronged. Or at least we are aware of the fact that our misdeeds far outweigh our good ones. Even then, it feels terrible even imagining how it would be like if we were among those dragged to hell. It hurts to think of ourselves as being companions of the most wretched place that exists. It burns imagining its heat and perpetual nature.

Its punishments feel so very severe. The fire causes physical pain and continued torture so the thought of an eternity in hell causes mental pain and anguish. But what of the spiritual pain that is caused by being away and outcast from the mercy of the Lord who is Most-Merciful (swt)?

Imagine for a moment not being able to ‘see’ the Creator of all Beauty. Imagine being from among those that have lost the right to speak to Him (swt). If you were ever scared of being alone in this world, jahannum (hell) is as lonely as it gets. In this dunya (worldly life), despite the worst of your loneliness, you could call on Allah (swt), you could cry out to Him and make du`a’ (supplications), you could ask Him to forgive and mend your hardened heart. If the tears of repentance did not come, you could ask Him (swt) for eyes that were always moist with His love and fear and He would respond. Mistake after mistake, sin after sin and a single heartfelt du`a’ and He would forgive you. Imagine not having made that du`a’. In this dunya, you could call Him and He would respond. Imagine calling out in jahannum but getting no response.

Imagine being eternally away from Allah (swt).

What greater misfortune could there be than earning the displeasure of the Rabb (Lord) that was so easy to please?

Allah (swt) says:

“I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.” (Buhkari,  Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah)

May Allah (swt) enshroud us and shade us in His mercy, compassion and love, for we are weak, prone to error and oblivious to our duty to Him. May Allah (swt) guide us to forgive those who have wronged us and put forgiveness in the hearts of those who we have wronged. May Allah (swt) forgive us, for He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy, the only One who can forgive. May Allah (swt) grant us protection from the place in which people are eternally despised by Him and grant us the eternal life in the Garden that is closest to Him. May Allah (swt) bring out the best in us and guide us to be humble, sincere and full of love and hope, for none of us can make it there on the basis of our deeds alone. Ameen.

Any good herein is due to Allah (swt) alone, only the shortcomings are my own and for them I seek refuge in Allah. Peace, respect and love.

“This is our chance!”

What we hoped for was to reach the blessed Rawḍah, an especially sacred area of the Mosque. As we got closer, we heard the din and hum of voices like bees getting louder. The Mosque wasn’t empty. Everyone was trying to get to the Rawḍah just as we were. Nonetheless, we hadn’t reached this far yet, so we were hopeful. We politely zigzagged our way through the crowd and neared the blessed pulpit of the Prophet ﷺ to our right. I explained to my sons the saying of the Prophet ﷺ,

“.مَا بَيْنَ بَيْتِي وَمِنْبَرِي رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ وَمِنْبَرِي عَلَى حَوْضِي”

“Between my house and my pulpit is a Garden from the Gardens of Paradise, and my pulpit rests upon my wellspring.” ((Jami` al-Saḥiḥ li-l Bukhari, Imam al-Bukhari’s Authenticated Collection))

Imams al-Nawawi and Ibn Ḥajar give two possible interpretations to the statement “Garden from the Gardens of Paradise.” The first being that it is literally a Garden of Paradise in a quantum trans-dimensional sense and the very area itself will be seen, as it is, in Paradise. The second interpretation being that worship therein leads to Paradise. ((Sharḥ al-Nawawi `ala Muslim, Imam al-Nawawi’s Commentary on Imam Muslim’s Authenticated Collection.)) Ibn Ḥajar adds a third to these two, saying that the Divine Love and Mercy one feels in there is as if one were in Paradise. ((Fatḥ al-Bari, Imam Ibn Ḥajar’s commentary on Imam Bukhari’s Authenticated Collection.))

In regards to the closing statement of the narration, “my pulpit rests upon my wellspring,” the renowned Maliki Jurisprudent and martyr, al-Qaḍi `Iyyad, said, “Most of the scholars have said this refers to his pulpit itself, as it was in the world.” ((Sharḥ al-Nawawi `ala Muslim, Imam al-Nawawi’s Commentary on Imam Muslim’s Authenticated Collection.)) It will rise upon the Wellspring of al-Kawthar where we will meet our beloved Prophet ﷺ. He will not be a King seated upon a throne but a humble friend feeding us water, quenching our thirst from the toils of Judgment Day, water he will feed us from his very own hands.

The Prophet ﷺ often told his Companions, “Be patient until you meet me at the Wellspring.” ((Jami` al-Saḥiḥ li-l Bukhari, Imam al-Bukhari’s Authenticated Collection)) Anas bin Malik radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) once asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Will you intercede for me with God?” He replied, “I am the one to do that.” Then Anas (ra) asked, “Where should I look for you?” The Prophet replied, “Seek me at the Ṣirat.” ((Ṣirat: The bridge all mankind will have to cross on the Day of Judgment.)) Anas then asked, “And what if I don’t find you there?” The Prophet replied, “Seek me at the scale.” ((The scale, called al-Mizan in Arabic, upon which the good and evil of everyone will be weighed.)) Anas asked again, “And what if I don’t find you there?” Finally, the Prophet replied, “You will find me at the Wellspring.” ((Musnad al-Imam Aḥmad, Imam Aḥmad’s Collection; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Imam al-Tirmidhi’s Collection))

Telling my sons about this made them even more eager to reach the Rawḍah, but how would we get there beyond such a large crowd? We didn’t push. We didn’t shove. We stepped aside so that others could pass. We trusted in God.

Finally, after so much difficulty, my sons and I found ourselves within the enclosure of the Rawḍah. Yet everyone was shoulder to shoulder and we couldn’t find any room to pray. The people who were praying had others waiting behind them for their turn to pray. All the while, police were maintaining order by ushering people out who had finished praying so new people could pray, or asking people who were taking too long to hurry up. I had already resolved that I would focus upon making space for my boys to pray before I worried about myself. An Indonesian man, who apparently didn’t speak English well, gestured to Ibrahim saying, “Baby boy! Baby boy!” and motioning that Ibrahim should take his spot in line. I hugged him and thanked him in earnest. I will always pray for him. Just then, as Ibrahim took his spot, two spots opened in front of us so that all three of us could pray together. As I fell down and pressed my face to the ground I began to hyperventilate as tears poured from my eyes. It was as if I was no longer in control. Everything came rushing to me at once as if God was extracting all my pain out of me like poison from a wound. As I rose from prostration and completed my prayer, I raised my hands to the sky and cried,

“اللهم رب الناس أذهب الباس إشف إبني عبد الله وأنت الشافي ولا شافي إلّا أنت ولا شفاء إلّا شفاؤك شفاء لا يغادر سقما!”

“O God! Lord of humankind! Remove this ill and please heal my son Abdullah! For you are the Healer and there is no Healer other than You! Neither is there any healing other than Your healing. Let it be a healing that leaves no ailment behind!”

My boys and I were able to pray to our heart’s content. It was spiritually liberating in a way that made me realize how enslaving pain and sadness can be. For the past few months, as I watched my Abdullah lose every golden hair from his head and then eventually his entire body, I had wished that his affliction would leave him and afflict me instead. How helpless I’ve felt as a father unable to rescue my son. So I laid it all out before God.

There was, and is, nowhere else to go.

As we left the Rawḍah, a police officer grabbed my hand and asked me, “Were you able to pray as much as you needed?” I replied in the affirmative. Seeing my tear scarred face he asked, “What troubles you?” I put my hand on Abdullah’s shoulder and told him, my voice cracking, “My son has an auto-immune condition and we came here all the way from America specifically to pray for his healing.” The officer then began to pray for Abdullah and told me to have faith and trust in God who is One. The One who afflicts is the very One who cures. In every hardship is a lesson to be learned and, thereafter, is relief. But you must trust in God alone and no one else. Along with this advice, he repeatedly looked me straight in the eye and exhorted me, “Do not despair! Do not get weak!” He asked me to translate for Abdullah, so I did.

Then, immediately after the Rawḍah, we approached the resting place of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ is buried in the house he shared with his wife `Aisha, in the very spot of their resting quarters. On each side of him rests his two companions and successors, Abu Bakr and `Umar (ra).

One of the religious administrators put his arm around my shoulder and told me, “Here is where Abu Bakr rests, and there is where `Umar rests, and in the middle is the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him.” My sons and I greeted them, “Peace be upon you, O beloved Messenger of God! Peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr! Peace be upon you, O `Umar!” Then, in the same way we entered the Rawḍah, we followed the waves of people, as comforting as the waves of the ocean, towards the exit gates of the Mosque. As we walked out I turned back and gazed upon the Prophet’s resting place one last time.

“You have, indeed, conveyed the greatest message, O Messenger of God! I will see you at the Wellspring.”

I placed my arms around my sons and squeezed them as we walked out, telling them that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ felt helpless and lost as he desperately hid in a cold cave for days asking God to reveal Himself. Then God answered him, guided him, and raised him up to the point that, today, “Muhammad” is recorded as the most given male name on the planet. I gestured to the magnificent forest of pillars and minarets spiraling out from the smooth marble floors.

“This all started in a dark cave, on a cold night, in a mountain of light.”

I eased my grip on my sons. As they get older, I notice that at times I’m smothering them. They’re not babies anymore as much as I wish that they were. They are now men. Yet, as I eased my grip I noticed theirs tightening. All praise and thanks are due to God. My purpose for visiting Medina was fulfilled.

I came home and recorded all my experiences and thoughts into what you are reading now. I figured my son wouldn’t want the world knowing what he’s going through so I left out all our names and made it anonymous. We haven’t told anyone other than immediate family and very few close friends. Even though I wrote this anonymously, I felt that Abdullah still had to read it first. If he objected even in the slightest, I would have discarded it and never spoken of it again. He had an emotionless expression on his face as he read it. He handed it back to me and smiled.

“So what did you think?”

“I loved it, Daddy. But I want you to change one thing.”

“What’s that, Abdullah?”

“Put our names in it.”

Our mother, Khadijah, radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her), was an amazing role model for all the women who came after her. She was loved by the Prophet ﷺ and was loved by the Almighty. Khadijah was a business woman, taking care of the financial matters during the time in which the Prophet was spreading the message of Islam. She was a mother, and the only woman to whom the Prophet was married who bore him children. She gave birth to and raised another perfect woman, the Prophet’s daughter, Fatima. She was a business woman, a mother, and a giant part of our history.

Her daughter Fatima, may God be pleased with her, had a special place in the heart of the Messenger ﷺ. Not only was she the daughter of our beloved, but she was also the wife of Ali (ra) and the mother of Al-Hassan and Al-Hussein. She was known to be extremely forbearing and caring with people in need. Hussein (ra), said that he would find his mother absorbed in her prayer from dusk until dawn. He said that her generosity and compassion for the poor was so immense that no poor person or beggar ever walked away from her door without being attended to.  She was a mother and a wife, and one of the most inspirational women in our past.

The next woman that was mentioned was Maryam `alayha as-salam (peace be upon her). Maryam’s story is as unique as they get. She attained perfection and was granted many miracles by God including being provided for in ways that were strange to others, such as receiving fruits out of season. But of course the great miracle in her life is universally known, her being the virgin mother of Jesus alayhi as-salam (peace be upon him). It is at this time that we should take a moment and put this into perspective. Maryam was unmarried and a single mother. Her story is one of the most well-known stories of history despite the fact that she wasn’t married. She attained perfection because of who she was not because of who she was married to or a lofty status in the community. Her perfection came from within.

Aasiyah  (as) was also an inspirational figure that can never be forgotten. She was the wife of the Pharaoh, one of the most oppressive men of history. In essence, she was a victim of domestic abuse. But her situation didn’t stop her from becoming the best she could be. She continued to push her relationship with God and called out to Him in her despair asking for a house in Jannah (Paradise). She attained perfection and was granted one of the greatest honors, being spoken about in the Qur’an for all of humanity to read about for the rest of time.

Lastly, but definitely not least, our Mother Aisha, may God be pleased with her. Aisha was not a mother, nor was she a business woman. Aisha was a wife, and a scholar. She was one of the greatest scholars of all time, hands down. Her focus was not to be an amazing housewife; rather her main focus was being a woman of knowledge and standing up for the rights of women. She was not a weak, timid woman. She spoke up whenever she felt the need and was not afraid to fight for her rights. She wasn’t a mother, yet she was one of the women who was known to have been held to high esteem by Allah and the Messenger himself.

These five women were nothing short of amazing based on the most important criteria, the criteria set forth by Allah and spoken to us by his Messenger ﷺ. They were amazing because of who they are. There was no set cookie cutter for them to fit into. They were amazing despite any hardships in their lives or pressures they may have faced. Whether she was a mother, a wife, single, a business woman or a victim of domestic abuse, it didn’t limit her ability to rise in the site of Allah. So whoever you are, whatever position you may be, do your best and be amazing. Because you, despite your circumstances, can rise high in the sight of Allah, if only you focus on that which is most important—Him.

By Farhia Yahya

I was once walking along a narrow but busy street in Cairo when ahead of me was a donkey-cart laden with handmade pottery and clay utensils. It belonged to an old man who had been walking slowly beside it, and trying to sell whatever he could to make an income. He walked with hunched-shoulders, a turban tied round his head like a Sa’idi from Upper Egypt, his face wrinkled by age and the harsh Egyptian sun. It wasn’t hard to see that many difficult years had passed over him and he had probably been doing this for a long while.

As I continued to walk, I heard a cry and some commotion. The donkey had staggered back (probably startled by something) and as a result, the harnessing pushed the cart upwards, sending the pottery and clay shattering out into the street. It was heartbreaking to see the poor man’s face turn dark and sorrowful. With a heavy heart, he began to pick up the broken and chipped pieces of clay and pottery; his livelihood and merchandise that no one was going to buy now.

But as he did so, I began to see random people come out of shops and apartments, hurrying towards him and picking up his pottery from the street. There was no more hustle and bustle; just a quiet silence as people stopped to help him. Cars stopped out of respect, or slowly diverted around the broken and chipped clay. What was truly moving was to see many people pull out money and give it to the man as if they were purchasing the broken clay, except they weren’t buying anything (other than Paradise I guess). Drivers stuck out money from their window for the poor aged man, and almost every person who helped pick up the pieces also chipped in with sadaqah (charity). They realized that today, he wasn’t going to be making much money… in fact for that whole month to come, he probably wasn’t going to be making much at all.

It was incredible to see the hearts of people move like this. Humanity may disappear and people may be cruel towards the poor in certain places and at certain times, but in other places and at other times, the humanity is truly beautiful.

Keep your heart close to the poor and needy; they help to keep it alive.

In Surah Taha, in an address to Prophet Adam `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may Allah send His peace and blessings on him), Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) describes Jannah (Paradise) in the following words:

“Indeed, it is [promised] for you neither to hunger therein, nor to go naked;

 And that you neither thirst therein, nor suffer the heat (of the sun).” (Qur’an, 20:118-119)

Some of the exegetical scholars ((For example, see Ruh al-Ma’ani by al-Aloosee.)) of the past remarked on the poignancy of this description of Paradise, and the link between hunger and nakedness made in the first verse, and thirst and exposure to the sun in the second.  Hunger, they explained, is an inner need, while clothing one’s nakedness is an outer one; and by coupling them together, the verse implies that both one’s inner and outward needs will be completely and fully taken care of in Paradise.

In the same way, thirst is an inner burning, while exposure to the sun leads to a burning of the outer form.  By mentioning them together, Allah’s words emphasize that He will protect and shield the one in Paradise from any type of suffering, be it internal or external.

In this succinct and beautiful way, Allah (swt) describes Paradise as the place where all of one’s needs are fulfilled, perfectly and completely, and where one will never feel the sting of any suffering.

May Allah make us of its people, Ameen!

From a class with Imam Suhaib Webb