Islamic Hub

In the name of Allaah, Most Beneficent and Most Merciful

Everyone of us wants to be successful. None of us wants to be a failure. We all have set certain goals/targets to achieve and we are all striving for it. We believe that by achieving the set goals/targets we will attain success.

Definition of Success (From Dictionary):

The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted. Desired or Favorable outcome.Success is relative in this world and it is not absolute. Also it is subjective to the goals that are set.Examples of Goals set by people in this world:

Small Goals:

One of the causes of the decrease and weakness of iman is to be engrossed with the transient things of this temporary worldly life; to occupy one’s time with it; be devoted to seeking it and to race after its pleasures, temptations and seductions.

Whenever the servants longing for this world intensifies and his heart becomes attached to it, his obedience will weaken and his iman will decrease accordingly. Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, says:

Muslim ibn Bashir (ra) says that during his last illness Abu Hurayrah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) began weeping bitterly. He was asked the reason of his weeping. At this he said:

“I am weeping because I have a long journey to cover and have the least provisions with me. In the morning I have found myself at a hillock which leads to both paradise and to hell, and I know not wither I would be made to go.”

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RadiyAllahu Anhu) says that the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) asked him to recite the Qur’an for him. He said to the Prophet (SAWS),

Allah – Most Perfect, Most High – said:

“O you who Believe! Have taqwa(fear) of Allah and believe in His Messenger; and He will bestow upon you a double portion of His Mercy and He will provide you with a light by which you will walk.”
(Al-Qur’an 57:28)

Allah – the Most High – also said:

“O you who Believe! If you have oftaqwa of Allah, He will give to you aFurqan (criterion to judge between right and wrong).”
(Al-Qur’an 8:29)

Al­Hafidh Ibn Kathir (d. 777H) – rahimahullah – said:

It is not possible to encompass one of Iblis’ evils, let alone all of them. Since Iblis’ evil is of six types, Iblis remains behind the son of Adam until he gets him to do one or more of these six evils.

THE FIRST EVIL IS THE EVIL OF KUFR AND SHIRK

The Most High said:

” … and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good … ”
[Al-Qur’an 21:35]

And:

“Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We have faith’, and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known, those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars.”
[Al-Qur’an 29:1-3]

And:

” … and We tried them with good and evil in order that they might turn (to Allah’s obedience).”
[Al-Qur’an 7:168]

Just as the heart may be described in terms of being alive or dead, it may also be regarded as belonging to one of three types; these are the healthy heart, the dead heart, and the sick heart.

THE HEALTHY HEART

On the Day of Resurrection, only those who come to Allah with a healthy heart will be saved. Allah says:

“The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart.”
(Al-Qur’an 26:88-89)

In defining the healthy heart, the following has been said:

Truthfulness is very closely related to trustworthiness and can perhaps be regarded as its twin quality. Like trustworthiness, it was also the second distinguishing feature of our Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as he was called ‘As-Sadiq’ (the truthful) for his immaculate truthfulness. Similar to trustworthiness, it is intertwined with Islamic faith (‘iman). It is inconceivable that a believer (Muslim) will not be truthful, or that a liar can be a believer.

In terms of graveness and abomination, the Holy Qur’an equates telling lies to worshiping idols. In Surah Hajj, it says:

A person may complain: “I get very angry very quickly. If there is the slightest provocation, I quickly explode and start to break things, swear, curse and issue threats of divorce. This problem has caused me so much embarrassment, and has made most people hate me, even my wife and children and closest friends. What can I do to rid myself of this awful disease and extinguish this devilish fire?”

From the morals and manners of the Companions was their hard labour in countering hypocrisy so that their good nature remained the same whether in public or private. This way they would have no actions left for their realities to be exposed tomorrow in the Afterlife.

Once ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz (rahimahullaah) was advised, “O ‘Umar, beware of being the ally of Allah in open, while being his enemy in secret. If one’s nature in open and secret do not equate, then he is a hypocrite, and the hypocrites occupy the lowest level in Hellfire.”

SUPPLICATION IS A CURE

Supplication is from the most beneficial types of healing, it is the enemy of illness and affliction – repressing it and treating it, preventing its occurrence, removing it or at least alleviating it. It is the weapon of the believer as is reported by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak from the hadith of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, radhiallahu ‘anhu, from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam that he said:

“Supplication is the weapon of the believer, the pillar of the religion, and the light of the heaven and earth.”

Hadith, narrated by al-Harith al-Ash’ari (RadiyAllahu Anhu), in which the Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:

“I command you to make Dhikr of Allah (SWT) (remembrance), because this is like a man who is followed by his enemies but seeks protection in a fortress; therefore, a servant cannot protect himself from Satan, except by making Dhikr of Allah.”

A servant of Allah (SWT) must always busy his tongue with the remembrance of Allah, because Satan could gain control over him if he were to become inattentive or absent-minded. Ibn Abbas (RadiyAllahu Anhu) said:

TYPES OF COMPANIONS:

There are two types of companions that are assigned to man: those from amongst the jinn and those who are angels. The first type of companion is evil and mischievous; it is Satan or the demon accompanying human beings. The second type of companion is good; these are the angels who accompany Muslims.

PROOF THAT ANGELS ARE ASSIGNED TO HUMAN BEINGS:

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:

“For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession before and behind him: they guard him by command of Allah.”
(Surat ar-Ra’d: Verse 11)

And,

Allah, the Almighty, revealed the story of Shu’ayb, Alayhis Salaam:

You cannot escape it. The discussion about habits is all around you: Mom and Dad are constantly telling you to break your bad habits; your teachers are telling you to develop good habits; your friends are pressuring you to adopt their habits; and the television and media are influencing you to explore new and supposedly cool habits. “You will never be successful,” the constant refrain goes, “unless you drop your bad habits and develop some good habits.” In the end, it’s all up to you. You have to decide what your habits are going to be. Have you given this matter some thought?

Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim

Alhamdulillahi rabb al-‘alamin was salatu was-salamu ‘ala nabiyyina muhammad wa ‘ala alihi wa ashabihi wa man tabi’ahum bi ihsanin ila yawm ad-din,
amma b’ad:

WHAT DOES AZ-ZUHD MEAN?

Az-Zuhd is, ”The opposite of being eager and concerned about the dunya (the life of this world).”

Further, Ibn al-Qayyim (ra) said:

“Az-Zuhd, in the Arabic language, the language of Islam, entails abandoning a matter while despising it and while belittling its significance, so that one will exchange it for what is more significant.”

The Muslim ancestors who set good examples in the application of Islam have various opinions with regards to the meaning of az-Zuhd. Ibn al-Qayyim (ra) for example said:

Alhamdulillahi rabbil-’alamin was salatu was salamu ‘ala ashrifil anbiya wal-mursalin nabiyina Muhammad wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma’in.

Amma ba’ad

Truly, we were granted this life to be tested which of us would remain steadfast in the dhikr (remembrance) and shukr (gratitude) of Allah, the Sublime. Living in a landmine where every step you take can lead to your possible destruction, and not destruction of the body but rather of the soul, we see people being annihilated every single day.

“After I die, you will see these Muslims fall apart in disunity, and you will see the Europeans grow strong. The best thing to do for now is to continue the fight until we drive them from the Coast (of Palestine) or die.”

Ibn al-Qayyim – rahimahullah – said:

“There are six stages to knowledge:

Asking questions in a good manner;

Remaining quiet and listening attentively;

Understanding well;

Memorising;

Teaching;

And its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits.”

FRUITS OF HUMILITY

Ibn al-Qayyim – rahimahullah – said:

“One of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) said: ‘Indeed a servant commits a sin by which he enters Paradise; and another does a good deed by which he enters the Fire.’

It was asked: ‘How is that?’

Among the greatest cures to nervous and mental disorders, and even other illnesses of the body, is the firmness of the heart and its strength and lack of its being troubled and pertubed by illusions and imaginations brought about by evil thoughts.

Among the greatest means to achieve the expansion of the heart and its tranquility and satisfaction is abundant remembrance of Allah. Remembrance of Allah has a wonderful effect of bringing expansion and tranquility to the heart, and removing worry and grief from it. Allah, the Most High, said:

“Without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do heart finds satisfaction.”
(Al-Qur’an 13:28)

This is because of the special effect that the remembrance of Allah over the hearts, and the fact that the slave, when remembering Allah has the hope of receiving a good reward and recompense from Him.

Among the means of warding off anxieties arising out of nervousness and the preoccupation of the heart with some sorrowful things: occupying oneself with one activity or another, or with some useful knowledge. This is because doing that will distract the heart away from being immersed in its anxieties. It might even make him forget the things that caused him grief and worry, and he may even experience some happiness and become cheerful. This is also something that is common between both the believer and the non-believer.

The greatest and fundamental means of achieving a good life is iman (certain belief) and good deeds. Allah, the Most High, said:

“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and is a true believer, verily to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.”
(Al-Qur’an 16:97)

So Allah, the Most High, informs and promises whoever joins true belief with good and righteous deeds, that He will give him a good and pure life in this world, and a good reward in this world and in the Herafter.

There are two important lessons to learn from the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him:

“A believing man (husband) should not hate a believing woman (wife): if he dislikes one character in her, he will like another one.”
[Muslim]