at · deeds as possible, be they sunnah, nafl or mustahab. 10) totally abstain from all sinful and...

At - Taqwā January - March 2012

2


Editorial Every year during the winter break we witness the festive celebrations for the New Year. This necessitates that we as Muslims understand the concept of the New Year in Islam. The Islamic New Year starts from the blessed month of Muharram, one of the four sacred months of the Islamic Year. It is not from the Sunnah to celebrate it or to congratulate one another on its advent. For Muslims, the passage of years does not constitute a real cause of happiness; rather, it is a time for assessment, reflection and contemplation. The advent of every New Year is to be marked by Muslims with sincere resolutions and plans to improve

and become closer to Allāh S. The years passed will be considered successful if they were spent in obedience to

Allāh S and unsuccessful, if they were spent in the

disobedience of Allāh S. It is not the amount of years that count for a Muslim because the most evil person is he who has lived a long life and committed evil deeds throughout. Rather, what counts is the amount of time

spent in obedience to Allāh S during these years. We make sure that our spiritual condition is improving from year to year; for the more time runs away from us, the closer we are drawing to our graves. An Arabic poet says: “The passing of days and nights please a person, but he does not understand that the passing of days and nights are in reality the passing of his life.” Improvements in our worldly lives do us absolutely no good if our spiritual lives are not improving at the same time. None can attain honour and dignity without submitting to the Lord of the worlds. Thus, we must all

stand firm in the obedience of Allāh S in order to protect

ourselves from His punishment. Allāh S the Almighty says:

“…And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” (An-Noor: 31)

Perpetual Improvement in any sphere of life requires a determination to bring change which in return requires a regular assessment.

Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh says: “At the end of the financial year businessmen assess how much profit or loss they have undergone so they can iron out weaknesses and ensure an increase in the profit margin for the next year. Likewise, we have also been sent into this world as tradesmen. Life and wealth are our commodities through which we need to earn Jannah. Hence we should view the year that has just passed from this perspective and take stock of how we spent our lives during that year. Thereafter, we should plan to spend the coming year, rather our

entire life, in seeking the pleasure of Allah S.” Below is a suggested method of assessment:

Let us value each and every second of ours, as the angel

of death will come to us unannounced. Imām Bukhārī v highlights this poetically: “Appreciate the value of the reward of ṣalāh whilst you have the ability to do so, for it is possible that your death comes upon you suddenly. Indeed, how many healthy people have you seen who have died, all of a sudden, without any illness?”

Positives Reality

Check List The Assessment

Goals Met (E.g.

Increase in Sadaqah)

Goals not met (E.g.

Poor Salaah record)

Identify problems/key reasons for challenges

(e.g. poor time management)

Good actions

produced

Losses Made

What changes can be made for improvement

(e.g. make daily timetable

Thank

Allāh S

Ask forgiveness from Allāh

S

Seek help from Allāh

S for new year

g

3


In Shaykh’s CompanyIn Shaykh’s Company

One may also benefit from the lectures and teachings of Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat

hafizahullāh from the following websites:

www.idauk.org

www.liwajhillah.co.uk

www.shaykh.org

Shaykh.org is a blog maintained by the students of Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (may Allāh S

preserve him). It aspires to meticulously record the eminent Shaykh’s teachings, discourses, and advices in the

light of the Shari’ah.

“In the books of fiqh it is stated that if one drop of filth contaminates a small quantity of water e.g. a jug, then all the water is classed as unclean. However, if the water is in a great quantity e.g. a lake, then even if large quantities of impurity fall in the water, the water will not be classed as unclean as long as the impurity does not become apparent. This is the very example of us and the adoption of impious company. Until our hearts do not become so vast in spirituality that they be-come capable of absorbing the impurity of immorality, we should abstain from impious company. And whilst staying away one should not think that I am pious and others are sinful; rather, one should think that by staying away from others I am safeguarding them from the evil within myself.”

“A jewellery box is only valuable when there is jewellery in it; otherwise it is just a box. Similarly, the heart will only be valuable if love

for Allāh S is in it; otherwise it is just a piece of flesh.”

“The respected Shaykh Hakeem Akhtar hafizahullāh observes that:

‘If man is capable of making a watch which is waterproof, then most definitely Allāh S is able to make a heart grief- proof.’ Thus in the same way that a person can submerse a waterproof watch in the ocean without damaging it the hearts of the close servants of

Allāh S feel little grief upon experiencing calamity for their hearts are grief proof.”

“One should stay mentally prepared by thinking that everything that I have and everyone that I love belongs to Allāh S. Hence Allāh S may take away anything at any time. Those people who do not wish to accept this fact or are not willing to think in this way find it very difficult to cope when they suffer a loss. Thus they are not able to control themselves. Impatience and frustration become their lot, they begin to think negatively and ultimately

begin to question the decisions of Allāh S.”

Lectures of Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh to listen out for at:

www.at-tazkiyah.com

1) Urdu: Ishq e Ilaahi - bahut bari dawlat (November 2011, Masjid e Umar, Zambia)

2) English: Reap what you sow (December 2011, Islamic Dawah Academy, Leicester, UK)

4


10 guidelines for the day of Jumu’ah

By Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Of the many blessings and gifts of Allāh S is the bounty of special seasons and places, during which and where the rewards of good deeds are multiplied to such extents

known only to Allāh S. One such moment is the day of Friday, a day greater in virtue than the ‘Īdayn (two days of ‘Īd). It has been narrated that this day is the leader of all days. Similarly, it is common knowledge that the Noble

Prophet s is the leader of all mankind, hence these two leaders have a great bond, thus on the day of Friday we should pay much attention to the sunnah of the Noble

Prophet s. Keeping this in mind, highlighted below are 10 guidelines that this humble one desires all of his associates to practice, in order to gain maximum benefit from this day:

1) Send salāt and salām upon the Noble Prophet s in abundance. On the day of Friday, aim to do so at least 500 times. Thereafter slowly increase this number as you gain steadfastness. Initially, one may recite a short formula of salāt and salām, e.g.

صلى هللا عليه و سلم

and after becoming steadfast on this, one should gradually begin reciting longer narrations which can be found in the books of salāt and salām. 2) On the night preceding the day of Friday (Thursday night), recite Sūrah ad-Dhukhān (Sūrah 44, Juz 25). The virtue of its recitation is that a palace is built in Jannah for the reciter. 3) On the day of Friday, recite Sūrah al-Kahf (Sūrah 18, Juz 15). The virtue being that such a person will be saved from the trials of Dajjāl. The trial of Dajjāl is the greatest of trials, and if by reciting this Sūrah one is saved from it, then it is hoped that he will most definitely be saved from all other trials which are relatively smaller in comparison to the trial of Dajjāl. 4) Proceed to the masjid early for the Jumu‘ah salāh. The earlier one reaches the masjid, the more reward has been promised in the ahādīth. 5) Offer Salah-at-Tasbīh. Its method can be learnt from books such as Fadā’il-e-A‘māl. 6) Before getting up from your place after the ‘Asr salāh, recite 80 times:

7) Spend the time between ‘Asr and Maghrib salāhs in the masjid, with the intention of Nafl I‘tikāf. It is preferable to spend this time reciting salāt and salām, however there is no harm in engaging in other good deeds, such as reciting the Qur’ān and Dhikr

(remembrance of Allāh S). 8) 10-15 minutes before the Maghrib Adhān, engage yourself in du‘ā. It has been narrated that there is a moment every Friday, during which the du‘ā of a believer is certainly accepted. Of the many opinions with regards the specification of this moment, the weightiest opinions are: a. It is the period between the Imām sitting on the pulpit and the completion of salāh. b. It is the last few moments before sunset. It has also been the experience of many ‘Ulamā and Mashā’ikh that this moment comes shortly before Maghrib. 9) On the day of Friday, try to carry out as many good deeds as possible, be they sunnah, nafl or mustahab. 10) Totally abstain from all sinful and futile acts. Anything which is neither beneficial in this world nor in the hereafter should be totally abstained from, not only on the day of Friday but rather every day. Acting upon these ten guidelines, together with acting upon every sunnah, nafl and mustahabb act

related to this special day will inshā Allāh S help in making our Jumu‘ah a means of great blessings and

gaining the love and pleasure of Allāh S. May Allāh

S grant us the ability to act upon all the sunnah acts

of the Noble Prophet s. © At-Tazkiyah

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT Alhamdulillāh, At Taqwā Academy has purchased a property on Ley Street, Ilford at a cost of £520,000. The funds for the purchase were raised over four weeks and a substantial amount was from Qardh e Hasanah. (Interest free loans) We aim to clear this Qardh as soon as possible. We humbly request all brothers and sisters to donate towards this noble cause.

Account Details: Bank: Islamic Bank of Britain

Account Name: At Taqwa Academy Sort Code: 30 00 83

Account Number: 01225802 (this account is specific for the purchase of the premises)

5


A supplication for when the weather is cold taught to us by the Prophet s:

م آل اله اال هللا ما أشد برد هذا اليوم اللهم أجرنى من زمهرير جهن )عمل اليوم و الليلة البن السنى(

There is no deity except Allāh. How cold is this day! O Allāh, protect me from the bitter cold section of Jahannam.

Allah S says to Jahannam, “Indeed, one of my servants has asked Me for protection from your bitterly cold section.

I make you witness that I have protected him.” (‘Amal al-yawm wal-laylah)

MuÃ’sharah - Social Conduct By Mawlānā Muhammad Erak Miah

There is a great misconception amongst the people today that a person is considered to be pious when he acts upon

a few commandments of Allāh S. However, this is not the case. Islām is not a religion which consists of mere rituals, but it is a way of life. Just as it is important to fulfill the rights of the creator we must also observe the rights of the creation.

“You who believe enter into Islam in its totality.” (2:208)

In this verse, Allāh S is commanding the believers to enter into Islam completely and to adhere to its teachings fully. We should not just practice those commandments which we find easy and leave the rest aside, nor should we just pick and choose only those things in which we see an apparent benefit. Whatever we are ordered to do we should carry it out with the best of our capabilities, just by merely praying Ṣalāh and giving Zakāh a person does not become a pious and successful Muslim. Islam consists of five branches: 1) Beliefs 2) Worship 3) Transactions 4) Social conduct 5) Good character In order to acquire salvation in this world and in the hereafter, it is essential for a Muslim to adopt and act upon all these five branches. Today, we have abbreviated Islām. Some people have just held on to a few teachings of Islām and disregarded the rest. One thing which we all are lacking in is our social conduct. Through our actions we disturb many people. For example to throw household rubbish on the street without taking in to consideration that this will not only harm the local community but also ourselves. Also, to

park cars whilst causing inconvenience to other road users. These are facts that are self-evident and will

continue if we ignore the teachings of Prophet s.

“To remove a harmful object from the pathway is ṣadaqah.” (Bukhārī/Muslim)

The human values of morality have disappeared, the entire human society is suffering from self- destruction and the morals of humanity are deteriorating day by day. What is the way out? By adhering to the teachings of

Prophet s.

“A complete believer is he from whose tongue and hands other muslims are saved from.” (Bukhārī)

This hadith maybe short and concise but it encompasses the whole Sharī‘ah. A person cannot become a complete believer until his fellow Muslims are protected from his tongue and hands. In a narration in Sunan al-Nasaī the word ‘nās’ has been mentioned i.e. the entire people. If we ponder over this hadith, then we will realise that majority of the harms are caused through the tongue and hands. We don’t think before we speak that is why later we regret over what we have said. Through this tongue we hurt the feelings of others and we violate their honour and respect, slander, backbite and swear at one another. We use this blessing as though there are no boundaries

set by Allāh S. Likewise, we are very careless in regards to our actions. In order to make this world a better place to live in, it is

incumbent to implement the teachings of Prophet s in our lives and give muā’sharat it’s due importance, so that we don’t just become good Muslims only but also good citizens.

g g g

6


The Story of Umm SalamahThe Story of Umm Salamah By Bint Muhammad Idrees

We’ve entered a new Islamic year; 1433. It has been 1433 years since a momentous event; the Hijrah [migration] of

our Prophet s from Makkah to Madinah. This event was chosen to be the beginning of our calendar count amongst hundreds and thousands of momentous events

in our Prophet s’s lifetime because it motivates us to make our own Hijrah towards self-improvement. As we recall the Hijrah of our predecessors, we gain strength and zeal from their personal struggles. One such struggle is of a woman called Umm Salamah, the most beautiful of

our Prophet s’s wives. She, along with her husband of the time, Abu Salamah, were amongst the first Muslims and first Migrators. In her own beautiful words, she narrates… “When Abu Salamah [my husband] decided to leave for Madinah, he prepared a camel for me, hoisted me on it and placed our son Salamah on my lap. My husband then took the lead and went on without stopping or waiting for anything. Before we were out of Makkah, some men from my clan stopped us and said to my husband, “Though you are free to do what you like with yourself, you have no power over your wife. She is our daughter. Do you expect us to allow you to take her away from us?” They then pounced on him and snatched me away from him. My husband’s clan, Banu Abdul-Asad, saw them taking both me and my child. They became hot with rage. “No! By Allah,” they shouted, “we shall not abandon the boy. He is our son and we have a first claim over him.” They took him by the hand and pulled him away from me. Suddenly, in the space of a few moments, I found myself alone and lonely. My husband headed for Madinah by himself, and his clan had snatched my son away from me. My own clan, Banu Makhzum, overpowered me and forced me to stay with them. From the day when my husband and my son were separated from me, I went out at noon every day to that valley and sat at the spot where this tragedy occurred. I would recall those terrible moments and weep until night fell on me. I continued like this for a year or so until one day a man from the Banu Umayyah passed by and saw my condition. He went back to my clan and said, “Why don’t you free this poor woman? You have caused her husband and her son to be taken away from her.” He went on trying to soften their hearts and play on their emotions. At last they said to me, “Go and join your husband if you wish.”

But how could I join my husband in Madinah and leave behind my son, my own flesh and blood, in the hands of others? How could I be free from anguish and my eyes be free from tears, not knowing anything of my little son? Some realized what I was going through and their hearts went out to me. They petitioned the Banu Abdul-Asad on my behalf and moved them to return my son. I did not now even want to linger in Makkah until I found someone to travel with me, and I was afraid that something might happen that would delay or prevent me from reaching my husband. So I promptly got my camel ready, placed my son on my lap and left in the direction of Madinah. I had just about reached Tan’im [about three miles from Makkah] when I met Uthmān ibn Talhah. [He was a keeper of the Ka’bah in pre-Islamic times and was not yet a Muslim.] “Where are you going?” he asked. “I am going to my husband in Madinah.” “And there isn’t anyone with you?” “No, by Allah! Except Allah and my little boy here.” “By Allah, I shall never abandon you until you reach Madinah,” he vowed. He then took the reins of my camel and led us on. I have, by Allah, never met an Arab more generous and noble than he. When we reached a resting place, he would make my camel kneel down, wait until I dismounted, lead the camel to a tree and tether it. He would then go to the shade of another tree. When we had rested he would get the camel ready and lead us on. This he did every day until we reached Madinah. When we got to a village near Quba [about two miles from Madinah] he said, “Your husband is in this village. Enter it with the blessings of Allah.” He turned back and headed for Makkah.” Finally Umm Salamah was re-united with her family after the long separation. And so, as we begin a new year and a new challenge, we should recall the Hijrah of women like Umm Salamah. Devotion, perseverance, motivation, patience and gratitude; through these did she achieve a successful Hijrah. Through these can we also achieve a successful new year.

g g g

7


FEEDBACK We welcome and appreciate any queries and comments regarding this publication. Please send any queries or

comments by post or by e-mail:

At-Taqwã Magazine

P.O Box 53012

London, E12 6ZR

[email protected]

For transport arrangements from

London contact:

07825 731 007

07880 707 031

07542 775 651

The King and a Fly

Allāh S has created everything for a purpose.

Sometimes we are unable to understand why Allāh S

created something but every creation serves a very

important purpose.

There was once a king who was sitting in his court

with all splendour and pride. A fly then came and sat

on his nose. Immediately the king tried to wave the

fly away. However, the fly was very stubborn and as

many times the king tried to chase it away, it came

back each time. Finally, the king said, “I don’t know

why Allāh S has created this fly because it only gives

trouble!”

A pious man, who happened to be around the king to

witness this incident, remarked, “But it does have a

purpose. Allāh S has created this fly to correct the

incorrect thinking of tyrants like you. It is there to

teach you that despite what you think, you do not

even have the ability to stop a fly from troubling

you.”

Moral: We should never underestimate the value of

something because everything is important. Also we

must never complain about the creation of anything

because this is actually objecting to what Allāh S has

created.

8


at · deeds as possible, be they sunnah, nafl or mustahab. 10) totally abstain from all sinful and...

Documents