azra

These verses from Surah Yousuf show us about steadfastness of faith, how to keep one’s trust in Allah and to exercise patience. These verses also illustrate how envy can blind men and lead them to commit sins against their own next of kin.

So, when they took him away and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well, (they did so) and We revealed to him: “Indeed, you shall (one day) inform them of this their affair, when they know (you) not.”

And they came to their father in the early part of the night weeping.

Hadith:

“The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah orders the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly) then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.”

Quran (Surah Al-Fusillat, Verse 34)

Reflections from this verse:

First, Allah says that goodness and evil are not equal.

The mischief and evil practiced by the opponents of good might apparently make goodness seem absolutely helpless and powerless.

Hadith:
Ibn Mas`ud (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: The Prophet (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Aalihi Wa Sallam) said to me: “Recite the Qur’an to me”.

I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Shall I recite the Qur’an to you, when it has been revealed to you?’

He (S.A.W.S.) replied: “I love to hear it recited by others”.

So I recited to him a portion from Surat An-Nisa’. When I reached the Ayah:
“How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad (S.A.W.S.)) as a witness against these people?”.
(4:41)

He (S.A.W.S.) said, “Enough for now”.

The story of Saba’ is mentioned in the Sura Saba’ (34:15-19)

This story illustrates how people can lose all the blessings given to them by Allah when they turn away from Him and take others (the Creator’s creations), for worship.

My brothers and sisters everywhere! Islamic law [Shari’ah] – that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent down to His Messenger Muhammad (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) – came to announce that women (exactly like men) are full human beings. Women (like men) are therefore required to follow the way appointed by Allah.

A woman (like a man) is therefore obligated with all three degrees of this religion: Islam (outward submission to Allah), Iman (inward faith in Allah), and Ihsan (perfection of worship of Allah).

ISLAM: (outward submission to Allah)

Acceptance of dua is a great favor from the Almighty Allah. So, it’s only logical for us to thank Him for his blessings and bounties. Unfortunately it is common for many of us to forget the time, when we were desperately calling on Allah for His help, and get so carried away with enjoying the results, that we forget remembering Allah and thanking Him for His grace.

Allah says in the Quran:

To stay the course on the path of truth and Islam, we tend to focus more on learning about what is regarded as ‘right’ and ‘good’. That’s the way it should be because Islam is all about practicing righteousness.

Both Quran and the prophet (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)’s teachings emphasize quite clearly that faith in Tawheed has to be backed up by doing good deeds, which is only possible when we know more about the good and righteousness.

Some grabbed eyeballs for the controversies they kicked up, some for their politics, and others for making people smile and applaud. A look at the top newsmakers of 2012 in different sectors:

Anas bin Malik (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “Allah is pleased with His slave who eats a meal and praises Him for it; and takes a drink and praises Him for it”.
[Muslim]

Commentary:

How does hypocrisy develop? How does it take root in the heart? And what will be its consequences? Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) tells us clearly in the following Ayahs from Surah Tawbah:

“And of them are some who made a covenant with Allah (saying): “If He bestowed on us of His bounty, we will verily, give Sadaqah and will be certainly among the righteous.”

Then when He gave them of His bounty, they became stingy, and turned away, averse.

Ibn Salmaan says that he heard one of the sahabah of our nabee sallal-laahu alayhi wa sallam narrating:

In the following ayaat of Quran,Allah highlights five characteristics of true believers:

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Quran) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone);

Who perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and spend out of that We have provided them.

It is they who are the believers in truth. For them are grades of dignity with their Lord, and Forgiveness and a generous provision (Paradise).”

Hadith:

Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, were you not to commit sins, Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and then seek forgiveness from Allah; and Allah would forgive them”.
[Muslim]

In another narration; Abu Ayyub Khalid bin Zaid (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “Were you not to commit sins, Allah would create people who would commit sins and ask for forgiveness and He would forgive them”.
[Muslim]

Commentary:

Hadith:
Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: The Prophet (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious said:

According to the Qur’an, the revelation communicated through the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ(peace be upon him), God created the heavens (multiple universes) and the earth with a purpose and allocated the earth as the place for human habitation. Humanity was not the first creation of intelligent life; angels, created from pure light, and jinn, spirits created from the element of fire, preceded man. In fact, the Creator announces his plan to them prior to creating the prototype of man, Adam (peace be upon him):

Hadith:
Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “Allah has divided mercy into one hundred parts; and He retained with Him ninety-nine parts, and sent down to earth one part. Through this one part creatures deal with one another with compassion, so much so that an animal lifts its hoof over its young lest it should hurt it”.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Allah has asserted in no uncertain language about Him listening to our dua. Consider the following verses from the Quran and prophet’s (s.a.w.s.) Hadith:
Allah says:
(Interpretation of the meaning):
“And your Lord said: Invoke Me (i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!”
[Surah Ghaafir, 40:60]

Allah also says in the Quran:

‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: Some prisoners were brought to Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) amongst whom there was a woman who was running (searching for her child). When she saw a child among the captives, she took hold of it, pressed it against her belly and gave it a suck. Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S.) said:
“Do you think this woman would ever throw her child in fire?”
We said: ‘By Allah, she would never throw the child in fire.’
Thereupon Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.S.) said:
“Allah is MORE kind to his slave than this woman is to her child”.

Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu anhu) or may be Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (RadiyAllahu anhu) reported: On the day of the battle of Tabuk, the Muslims were hard pressed by hunger and they asked Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam): “O Messenger of Allah, grant us permission to slaughter our camels to eat and use their fat”. He (s.a.w.s.) accorded permission. On this `Umar (RadiyAllahu anhu) came and said: “O Messenger of Allah, if it is done, we shall suffer from lack of transportation. I suggest you pool together whatever has been left and supplicate Allah to bless it.

In our journey through this dunya (world), as human beings we are all susceptible to sinning. However, we cannot guiltlessly justify the transgressions against our souls through shameful disobedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala (exalted is He) by blaming it all on our state of forgetfulness. We need to realize that there needs to be a balance between our understanding of Allah’s Mercy and our fear of Allah (swt), and that there needs to be increasing awareness of Allah (swt) in order to be of the successful believers.

Hadith:
Abu Hurairah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: I heard Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) saying, “He who is afraid of the pillage of the enemy, sets out in the early part of the night; and he who sets out early, reaches his destination. Be on your guard that the commodity of Allah is precious. Verily the commodity of Allah is Jannah”.
[At-Tirmidhi]

COMMENTARY:

Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (RadiyAllahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sallellahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:
“How can I feel at ease when the Angel of the Trumpet, (Israfil) has put his lips to the Trumpet and is waiting for the order to blow it”.
He (S.A.W.S.) perceived as if this had shocked his Companions, so he (S.A.W.S.) told them to seek comfort through reciting: ‘Hasbunallah wa ni’mal-Wakil’ [Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)]”.
[At-Tirmidhi]

COMMENTARY:

The Tafseer of Imaam As-Sa’dee:
“Do they wait until the angels come to them…..” [An’aam:158]
Translation: Abu Shu’ayb Omar As-Soomaalee.

Allah the most high says,
“Do they wait until the Angels come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come. That day, in which some of the signs of your Lord will come, no good will it do a person to believe then, if he wasn’t one who believed before, or gained good with their belief Say: “Wait, we too are waiting”. [An’aam:158]

Imaam As-Sa’dee said: