Khatei’ah Jariah or continuous sin.

Assalam Alikum wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuhu

We all know the meaning of sadaqa Jariah or continuous reward and how to achieve it, but do you know about what is called Khatei’ah Jariah or continuous sin!!!

I or you may be doing this terrible thing without thinking about the gravity of it.

My dear sister do not upload/share your pictures or pictures of other women on your social media, even if they are celebrities and their pictures are everywhere, make sure you do not become one of the publicist. Believe me you do not need a share of their work.

You and I do not know when we will die, most of the social media programs have passwords on them, you may die today and that picture of yourself with full makeup or with tight clothes will still be online until the Day of Judgment. The picture of that woman you uploaded with revealing clothes and full makeup is still being watched by all sorts of men online while you are lying in your grave!!! Instead of you receiving hasanaat (reward) for a good deed, you are receiving more sins every single day!! Can you picture the situation!!? When you are so desperate in that grave for any extra good deed you can get, your grave gets darker and tighter every day for an act you thought was so simple and harmless.

My dear brother you will also be accountable for those sexy pictures you upload on your profile to show your friends and have a laugh.

Sheikh: Mohammad Ratib Al Nabulsi said:

A person may choose to sing until they die and their songs will continue to be broadcasted on media until the Day of Judgment. Another person will choose the Quran, then they die and their tilawah will continue to be broadcasted on media until the Day of Judgment.

Allah Ta’alah says:
﴿ كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَؤُلاء وَهَؤُلاء مِنْ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ محظوراً ﴾)

What can be translated as: ( To each [category] We extend - to these and to those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted) 17:20

There is a person who built a masjid (mosque) and another person who built a night club. A person who goes online to spread the words of Allah and help their fellow humans and another one goes to post pictures and get attention. A human being is given a choice, so choose what you want and do what you want but remember everything has its account.

The capacity of our houses increases with the space of the land!!

But the capacity of out graves increases with the space of our good deeds!!

That is why Allah says what can be translated as: (And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah) 2:197

So I leave you my dear sister and brother with a question:

Why will you want to sin while you are alive and continue to sin even after our death!!?

Ponder and think, is it really worth it!!?

It’s not too late, go and delete all those pictures, repent and make sure your profile will do you proud on the Day of Judgment. And next time you intend to share something, think first……

IS MAWLID BIDA'A OR NOT?

Assalam Alikum wa rahmatu Allah wa barakatuhu

Every year at this time the issue of Mawlid rises on the surface and people start to argue whether the Mawlid is bida’ah or it is not. 

The Question, do you want to argue or do you really want to know the truth? 

If you want to know the truth, please keep reading, I know its long but I promise you, this will answer all your questions in regards to this matter once and for all in shaa Allah.

Allah SWT tells us in surat Al Nisa’a if we ever disagree over anything to refer it to Allah and his Messenger PBUH
{فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلاً} [سورة النساء: 59].
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.

The Quran and the sunnah are the only two sources of Islam. Having said that, full understanding of the Quran and sunnah is something that many Muslims don’t have and that is why Allah SWT granted this Ummah a number of Oulam’a (scholars) and fuqaha’a who spent their lives in reading and understanding the Quran and sunnah and conveying it to us.

With time and with the division between different tribes people started to deviate from the two main sources of Wahi (revelation) and started to follow the scholars and their opinions without going back to the main sources the Quran and sunnah. The Quran and Sunnah are the argument against any scholar as they have to bring proof to what they say. This does not degrade the level of the scholars; instead we assure that no imam from the respectable imams of this Ummah will deliberately say something against the Prophet PBUH or against the Book of Allah ,

No doubt that the scholars of Islam are all intending to explain the truth of what was revealed to our beloved Prophet PBUH and they all admit that they are all bound to making mistakes and none of them is perfect. That is why they never hesitated in going back to what they said and changing it if they found out that they are wrong. Ibn Taimia said that The Khalifa Omar ibnul Khattab used to go back on his words if he found out that the truth is different from what he said, he also used to ask the companion of the Prophet PBUH to learn from them. Oubai bin Ka’ab also went back on his words about not needing to do ghusul when the two genital parts of man and woman touch, Omar also went back on his words that Tayamoum is not allowed for the Junoub and Abu Hurairah went back on his words that the person who wakes up with janabah cannot fast on that day and many other examples. They always went back to the Quran and sunnah if they disagreed about anything and they used to debate and discuss to come up to the right opinion which benefits the Ummah.

Having said that, every year at this time of the year (the month of Rabe’e Al Awal) the issue of celebrating Mawlid rises to the surface which is an innovation made by the people in deen .They specify a ritual in deen and specify a time for it which resembles the act of the Kuffar.

The Prophet PBUH said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.". Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib 

The Prophet said, If anyone introduces an innovation in the religion, he will be responsible for it. (Good or bad). If anyone introduces an innovation or gives shelter to a man who introduces an innovation (in the religion) he is cursed by Allaah, by His angels and by all the people., Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib

What does introducing an innovation mean?

It is to specify a ritual or a form of worship at a certain time to get closer to Allah without any basis in the sharia. It is forbidden. Allah SWT says: Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented? 42:21

And it is known that the Prophet PBUH did not do, neither did his Khulafa’a or the companions may Allah be pleased with them and they are most knowledgeable of the sunnah and more loving and following of the Prophet PBUH than those who came after them. The Prophet PBUH made it clear when he said: "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected." 

Also read this very clear hadith from our beloved Prophet PBUH on his farewell sermon, he said PBUH:

‘I advise you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave were to rule over you. For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing, so it is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Bite on to it with your back molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”
Hadith - Bukhari and Muslim, Narrated Abu Sa'id, r.a. 

The first people who invented the Mawlid of the Prophet are the Obaidiyoun who call themselves Al Fatimyoun and that was in the year 400 of hijrah.
Al Maqrizi said: the Caliphs of the fatimyoun had many celebrations and seasons, a season for new year, and the day of Ashroua and the Mawlid.

They specify a day which is the 12th of Rabi and the shariah prohibited to specify a day for a religious ritual except the days that were specified in Shariah. Abu Hurairah may Allah be pleased with him said, the Prophet PBUH said: Do not single out the night (preceding) Friday among the nights for prayer and do not single out Friday among days for fasting but only when anyone among you is accustomed to fast (on dates) which coincide with this day (Friday).

So it is prohibited to specify what is not specified in the shariah and that is clear in the hadith.
So isn’t this enough for you!!? But there is more

Doing so also is a form of resemblance to the Kuffar. How?

The Prophet SAAWS said, "Surely, you will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, in everything as one arrow resembles another, (i.e. just like them), so much so that even if they entered a hole of a sand-lizard, you would enter it." 

They said, "O Allaah’s Messenger! Do you mean to say that we will follow the Jews and the Christians?" 

He SAAWS replied, "Whom else?" (By meaning the Jew and Christians)

Celebrating the brith of the Prophet Mohammad PBUH resembles the celebration of the birth of the prophet Essa PBUH and the innovators do it on the bases that the Prophet Mohammad PBUH is more worthy to be honored and celebrated than Prophet Essa PBUH. They read poems and qasa’aid in praising the Prophet PBUH which he prohibited PBUH when he said also in the hadith: «لاَ تُطْرُونِي، كَمَا أَطْرَتْ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُهُ، فَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، وَرَسُولُهُ»(21)، فجَمَعوا بين سيئتين: التشبه بالكفار والتشبه في الإطراء(22).

And the translation I found of this hadith in English says do not exaggerate in praising me which is not true translation. Because the Prophet PBUH said clearly: La Tatrouni which means do not praise me, not do not exaggerate in praising me. He said: Do not praise me the way the Christians praised the son of Mariam, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Messenger. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no: 3261)

Some will argue there is nothing wrong with praising the Prophet PBUH and telling stories about him. Well here is the answer to your argument with an ayah from the Quran, Allah SWT says: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
((إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا)

Allah and his angels Yusaloun and not yamdahoun (praise) or yasifoun, so if you really want to praise the Prophet PBUH then say Allahuma Sali Alam Muhammad wa ala Aalihi wa sahbihi wa Salem and he will answer to you in shaa Allah and you will have lots of ajr. None of your poems or qasidah will bring you any ajr and some of those qasidas have shirk in them, I read and heard them myself. And the food you are giving to people, go and give it to the poor who need it instead of wasting it on people who don’t need it. Wakeup my dear sister and brother!!

Also if you want to tell stories about the Prophet PBUH, do it every day or every week with your children and teach them about our Prophet, our deen is a deen of knowledge and knowledge is not given only once a year. It is throughout the year. 

Another thing, nothing in sharia permits reading dua or reciting phrases ayaat in congregation, we know the Prophet PBUH didn’t not do it even with dua which is a form of worship to Allah SWT. 

Now I ask you again what more proof do you need than all the ahadith from him Peace be upon him. You claim that you do this ritual because you love him!! Isn’t loving someone means to follow what they asked you to do and stay away from what they prohibited you to do!!? When you have clear ahadith like the ones I included above what more could you argue!!? Do you think all the ahadith are wrong and you are right!!? Based on what?

Some of the people who support this innovation use this hadith to justify their act. The Prophet (SAW) said: "He who inaugurates a good practice (sunnatun hasana) in Islam earns the reward of it, and of all who perform it after him, without diminishing their own rewards in the least." This hadith clearly says Man San’a sunnah hasanah not man Ibtada'a bida'ah hasanah (who innovated a good innovation) and there is a big difference here. The translation of this hadith as translated by the scholars of Islam, It means who ever revives a sunnah which was forgotten, example if you live in a village where they don't do Aqiqa and you start to do Aqiqa and inform the people that it is sunnah and they start doing it then you will have the reward of everyone following what you did. Unfortunately, those who support the bida’a of Mawlid ignore all the ahadith which goes against it and use this hadith out of context. 
They say well there is a good bida'a and a bad bida'a. I will tell you there is nothing called a good bida'a it is either not a bida'a and you think it is or it is a bad bida'a and you think it is good but nothing is called good bida’ah. The Prophet PBUH said: .( every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”) Notice that he used every and all which means nothing else is left so simply all and every innovation

Think about it, the Prophet PBUH will not be telling us Ma'n sannah sunnah hasana and then contradict it by saying whoever introduces an innovation in this deen is rejected if the two are the same!!? Allah SWT says in surat Al Najim: {وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَى} (3) {إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى} (Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.) It is not but a revelation revealed,). They are not the same so don't get mixed up in this please.

May Allah guide the ummah Ameen. I put this together not to argue but because I love you for the sake of Allah.

ARAFAH DAY.

Asalaam Aleikum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuhu.

Tomorrow is Arafah day...... the day the hujjaj are standing on the mountain of Arafah........if you could not fast the other days of thul hijjah don't miss this day. Fasting Arafah is an expiation for two years so make sure you fast and urge your loved ones to fast. And here more virtues of the day of Arafah:

1. It is the day on which the religion was perfected and Allaah’s Favour was completed.

In Al-Saheehayn it was reported from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) that a Jewish man said to him, “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, there is an aayah in your Book which you recite; if it had come to us Jews, we would have taken that day as an ‘Eid (festival).” ‘Umar said, “Which aayah?” He said: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [al-Maa’idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]. ‘Umar said, “We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was when he was standing in ‘Arafaah on a Friday.”

2. It is a day of Eid for the people who are in that place.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Yawm ‘Arafaah (the day of ‘Arafaah), Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice) and Ayyaam al-Tashreeq (the 3 days following Yawm al-Nahr) are Eid (festival) for us, the people of Islam. These are days of eating and drinking.” This was narrated by the authors of al-Sunan. It was reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: “It – i.e., the aayah ‘This day I have perfected…’ was revealed on a Friday, the Day of ‘Arafaah, both of which – praise be to Allaah – are Eids for us.”

3. It is a day by which Allaah swore an oath.

The Almighty cannot swear by anything except that which is mighty. Yawm ‘Arafaah is the “witnessed day” mentioned in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“By the witnessing day [Friday] and by the witnessed day [the Day of ‘Arafaah].” [al-Burooj 85:3].

It was reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The promised day is the Day of Resurrection, the witnessed day is the Day of ‘Arafaah, and the witnessing day is Friday.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.

It is the “odd” [i.e., odd-numbered, Witr] by which Allaah swore in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“And by the even and the odd” [al-Fajr 89:3]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “The even is the Day of al-Adhaa [i.e., 10th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] and the odd is the Day of ‘Arafaah [i.e., 9th Dhoo’l-Hijjah] This is also the view of ‘Ikrimah and al-Dahhaak.

4. Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years.

It was reported from Abu Qutaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah. He said, “It expiates for the sins of the previous year and of the coming year.” Narrated by Muslim.

This (fasting) is mustahabb for those who are not on Hajj. In the case of the one who is on Hajj, it is not Sunnah for him to fast on the Day of ‘Arafaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not fast on this day in ‘Arafaah. It was narrated that he forbade fasting on the Day of ‘Arafaah in ‘Arafaah.

5. It is the day on which Allaah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam.

It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’maan, i.e., ‘Arafaah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said, ‘Yes, we testify,’ let you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allaah, and we were (merely their) descendents after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allaah)?’ [al-A’raaf 7:172-173 – interpretation of the meaning].” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. And there is no greater day than this and no greater covenant than this.

6. It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and pride in the people who are there:

In Saheeh Muslim it was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no day on which Allaah frees more people from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafaah. He comes close and expresses His pride to the angels, saying, ‘What do these people want?’”

It was reported from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah expresses His pride to His angels at the time of ‘Ishaa’ on the Day of ‘Arafaah, about the people of ‘Arafaah. He says, ‘Look at My slaves who have come unkempt and dusty.’” Narrated by Ahmad and classed saheeh by Al-Albaani

HOW TO GET REWARDS OF HAJJ WHILE AT HOME.(part 2)

Assalam Alikum Wa Rahmatu Allah Wa Barakatouh

Imagine you entered a masjid on Friday and there was 1500 people praying. Suddenly you hear an angel calling from the sky saying: only three from the 1500 will be forgiven from their sins and the angel starts to mention their names….my dear sister and brother won’t you want to be one of those three??!

I am sure you would love to be the chosen one.

The Muslims population now is about 1.5 billion which is 1500 million people and the ones who will go to Hajj this year are 3 million, so that is 3 million out of 1500 million. So if Allah chose you this year to be from the people who will go to hajj then you are from the winners ( the 3%).....so don’t you wish to be among them?

We spoke last time about the great reward of Hajj which we all cannot afford to miss.

I know we all wish to go to Hajj and we can’t wait for the chance to come. Allah SWT knows how his servants are in need of the reward of hajj that is why he granted a chance to those who are not able to go to hajj. He gave us deeds which if we do; we get the same reward as the Hajj….Subhana Allah Al Kareem

Last time we covered three deeds if you do you can get the reward of hajj while you are at your home country….so let’s continue

Hajj no. four:

The Prophet PBUH said: “Whoever goes to the Masjid for the purpose of learning or teaching Knowledge, receives the reward of a Haji whose Haj was perfect.

(Tabarani, hadith:7473 with a sound chain. See Targheeb vol.1 pg.104 & Takhreejul Ihyaa, hadith:4253)

Imagine Allah grants you the reward of Hajj just because you went to listen to a lecture and acquired knowledge. This shows you how Allah SWT loves Eilm and knowledge so we should always strive to acquire as much knowledge as we can and never have enough of it.

Hajj no. five:

Is the most beautiful hajj because you won’t be alone doing this hajj…it is a hajj filled with love and great feelings. Read this hadith

Hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas (R), Umm Sulaim (R) came to Prophet (S) and said, ‘Abu Talha and his son have both went for Hajj and they left me.’ The Prophet(S) said, ‘O Umm Sulaim, Umrah done in Ramadan equals Hajj done with me.’ (Ibne Hibbaan).

Ya Allah, can you imagine, going to Hajj with the Prophet (Sallah Allah alaihi wa Sallam)??
This would be the most beautiful hajj ever.

I know most of you would think, I still have to wait for next Ramadan to come, I really want the reward now. !!!
You can get the reward now. Have the intention and plan to go to Umrah next Ramadan and you will get the reward from now with your neyya even if you die before next Ramadan …..Allah SWT Kareem and he knows what is in your heart and will reward you for the intention Subhana Allah.

Hajj no. six:

I call this Hajj as the hajj of the intelligent and smart ones. How?
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala rewards us for our intentions. So if you can’t go to hajj for some reason but have money, pay for someone to go instead and you will have the same reward in shaa Allah.

The Prophet PBUH said: "Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended.

Another smart Hajj, if you can’t go and you don’t have the money to send someone to do Hajj, encourage someone who can to go and tell them the great reward of Hajj and in shaa Allah you will get the same reward.

The Prophet PBUH said: Whoever directs someone to a good, then he will have the reward equal to the doer of the action. [Muslim (1893)]

Also pray in secret for people to go to Hajj, (Oh Allah send so and so to go to hajj this year) and you will get the same reward and an angel will answer Ameen and pray for you too.

Pray to Allah to accept the Hajj of the hujaaj and you will get the same reward in Shaa Allah.

The Prophet PBUH said: “He who supplicates for his brother behind his back (in his absence), the angel commissioned (for carrying dua to his Lord) says: 'Ameen, and it is for you also.'” [Sahih Muslim]

Hajj is the happiest moment of life…only the Hujaj feel it….

Remember if you have the ability to go to Hajj and you don’t go, you are sinning and you need to repent and plan your hajj as soon as possible. It is one of the pillars of Islam and without it your Islam is incomplete. Allah knows your ability so you are only fooling yourself if you can go and you don’t go….none of us know when we will die….and we will be questioned by Allah if we had the ability and didn’t go.

HOW TO GET REWARDS OF HAJJ WHILE AT HOME.

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

I know many of us wish to go to Hajj but still haven’t got the chance.
Some of us don’t even know the major reward of Hajj

There is a hadith if you read, you will wish to go to Hajj right now and you will wish to do it every year if you could.

One day Ibn Umar (RA) was sitting with the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) in the masjid in Mina when a man from the Ansaar and a man from the Thaqeef came. They gave Salaam and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, we came to ask you questions."

So the Messenger (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "If you want I can inform you why you came and what you want to ask, and I will do so, and if you want I will hold back and you can ask me and I will answer you."

They said: "Tell us O Messenger of Allaah!"

The man from Thaqeef said to the Ansaari: "Ask." So the Ansaari man said: "Inform me O Messenger of Allaah!"

The Messenger of Allaah (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "You came to me, to ask about leaving your house and aiming for the Bait-ul-Haraam and the reward for it; about praying two Rakah after Tawaaf and the reward for it; going between as-Safa and Marwa and the reward for it; your staying the evening in Mina, and the reward for it; stoning the Jamarah and the reward for it; slaughtering an animal and the reward for it; and the Tawaaf of al-Ifaadh."

The man said: "I swear by the One who sent you with the truth! This is what I came to ask you about."

The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) said: "As for you leaving your homes aiming for the Bait-ul-Haraam: then your she-camel does not place its foot nor does it raise it except that Allaah writes for you a reward due to it, and wipes off one of your sins.

As for the two Rakah after the Tawaaf, then it is equivalent to freeing a slave from the Children of Ismaeel.

As for your circuiting of as-Safa and al-Marwa, then it is the same as freeing 70 slaves.

As for you staying till the evening in Arafah, then Allaah descends to the sky of the Duniya and He boasts about you to the Angels, and says: 'My slaves have come to Me, looking rough, from every deep valley hoping for My mercy, so if their sins were equivalent to the amount of sand or the drops of rain or like the foam on the sea I will forgive them. So go forth My slaves! Having forgiveness and for what or who you have interceded for.'

As for stoning the Jamaar (the pillars), then for every stone that you throw, it removes a big sin from the deadly sins.

As for your slaughtering, then it is saved for you with your Lord.

As for shaving your head, then there is a reward for every strand of hair that you shaved, and a sin is wiped off by it.

As for you performing Tawaaf of the House after all this, then by this time you are performing Tawaaf with no sin upon you and an Angel comes and places his hand between your shoulders saying: "Perform good deeds in what you face of the future, for verily your past sins have been forgiven." (at-Tabarani and al-Bazaar--graded hasan by Al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa Tarheeb')

What a beautiful hadith

Today I want to talk to you about how you can get the reward of Hajj while you are at home….

I am sure you are thinking: is that really possible?

Yes it is possible …..how?

Our beloved Prophet PBUH told us and taught us that.

I will mention things you can do while you are at your country and you will be able to gain the reward of Hajj. However, this does not mean you don’t have to go to Hajj!!….No….You will still must fulfill the fard of Hajj one time in your life when you can in shaa Allah.
This is similar to the prayer in Al Masjid Al Haraam in Makkah…….We all know that praying one prayer in the haram in Makkah is worth one hundred thousand prayers in any other place but this doesn’t mean if someone prays in the haram they can stop praying for a hundred thousand years!!!...... There is a difference between the reward of the prayer and the prayer itself, same thing with Hajj.

So are you ready to collect the reward of many many Hajj in your account on the day of Judgment?

I am sure the answer is YES…..ok let’s start

Hajj number one:

The Prophet PBUH said: 'Whoever prays the morning prayer in congregation then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, then prays two units of prayer has the reward like that of Hajj and `Umrah.'" Al Tirmithi.

So if someone prays in a Jama3ah and sits after that doing thikr (Thikr could be tasbeeh or dua or reading Quran or listening to a lecture or meditation which is the worship of the heart and Allah loves it) even if you move around the masjid but you don’t go out, until the time of Shurouq (Sunrise) then pray two raka’as
But make sure you check the time of sunrise from the masjid timetable and give yourself another extra 15 min after sunrise then pray….Why?

Because the Prophet PBUH prohibited to pray at the time of sunrise, instead we wait another 15 min from the time of sunrise until the sun goes up a little and then we pray two raka’as and this is called Salatul Duha…..some people say it is salatul Eshraaq but that is wrong because there is no salah called Al Eishraaq.

What about the woman who prays at home, does this mean she loses this great reward? (I am sure all of you ladies are wondering)

Well, there are many views of scholars on this but the predominate view is that if she does the same in her house; she will get the same reward in shaa Allah because she did what is in her ability. The Prophet PBUH said: If I order you to do something do it to your ability.

Allahu Akbar…Imagine!! every morning you get a reward of Hajj…how amazing is that?

Hajj number two

Here is another hajj which you can do while you are at your home country and this time you will not just get the reward of one hajj per day but five hajj per day!!!....How?

Abi Umamah may Allah be pleased with him narrated that The Prophet PBUH said: Whoever walks to an obligatory prayer in congregation has the reward of Hajj and whoever walks to a Sunnah prayer has the reward of Umrah. Ahmad and Abu Dawood. Hadith sahih in Sahih Al Jame3

So when you walk to the Masjid you don’t just get forgiveness for every step you step but you also get the reward of Hajj. Try to walk to the masjid for the five prayers or at least walk for one prayer per day

Someone may ask, what if the Masjid I like to pray in and I concentrate well is far and I can’t get there walking, shall I go to a nearer masjid so I don’t miss this reward?

The answer: No go to the further masjid which helps you in Khushou3 because that is the aim of the salah and in shaa Allah you will get both rewards (Hajj and Khoushou3) because Allah SWT knows your neyya and he knows that you wanted to walk but you chose the further masjid so you can concentrate and Allah loves Al Khushou3 in Salah. The Prophet PBUH said: "Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended.

I know by now so many of you my dear sisters are sad thinking that you are missing this great reward because you have to pray at home. Don’t be sad and listen to this great news: you could get more reward in shaa Allah than the men in your household…..how?

With your neyya, If Allah sees in your heart that you really want this reward and you would walk to the masjid just to get it, he will grant you the reward in shaa Allah.

Also you could get the reward by reminding the men in your household to walk to the masjid, so if each one of them does you will get the reward just like them. The Prophet PBUH said: Whoever directs someone to a good, then he will have the reward equal to the doer of the action. [Muslim (1893)]

What if they didn’t do it? Then you still have the reward for your neyya and for calling them for it.

Another way to get this reward is to promote this hadith to as many people as you can and in shaa Allah every man who follows this, you will have the same reward as them without reducing any of their reward.
So can you see how a man could walk to the masjid and get a reward of one hajj but you have the chance to get much more in shaa Allah by doing da’awa for it (calling for it). So can you see greatness of doing da’awa?
Allah SWT says in surat Fussilat (And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, "Indeed, I am of the Muslims.") 33

Our lord is generous Subhanahu wa ta’ala

Hajj No. three:

You can get the reward for doing hajj after each prayer…..how?

There are certain thikr if you do after each prayer you will get the reward of Hajj.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Some poor people came to the Prophet and said, "The wealthy people will get higher grades and will have permanent enjoyment and they pray like us and fast as we do. They have more money by which they perform the Hajj, and 'Umra; fight and struggle in Allah's Cause and give in charity." The Prophet said, "Shall I not tell you a thing upon which if you acted you would catch up with those who have surpassed you? Nobody would overtake you and you would be better than the people amongst whom you live except those who would do the same. Say "Sub-han-al-lah", "Alhamdu-lillah" and "Allahu Akbar" thirty three times each after every (compulsory) prayer." We differed and some of us said that we should say, "Subhan-al-lah" thirty three times and "Alhamdu lillah" thirty three times and "Allahu Akbar" thirty four times. I went to the Prophet who said, "Say, "Subhan-al-lah" and "Alhamdu lillah" and "Allahu Akbar" all together for thirty three times." (Book #12, Hadith #804)

We still have more rewards for hajj which we can get but I let you comprehend and start implementing this and I will cover the rest next time in shaa Allah.

Translated from my favorite Sheikh Mushari Al Kharraz

AL REYA'A (Showing Off)

Assalam Aleikum wa Rahmatu Allah wa barakatuhu.

Today I am going to cover a very important subject which bothers many of us.

And that is Al Reya’a (Showing Off)

What is Al Reya’a:

It is doing good for the people to praise you or increasing your good deeds so you can become famous among the people and they say so and so memoried the Quran, or prays a lot, or have a high knowledge in the matters of the religion.
Some people show certain characteristics in front of certain people, example: Showing that they are pious in front of their manager so they would trust them or show that they are religious in front of their clients so that they would buy more from them….etc.

The person who does this is not doing his good deeds for the sake of Allah but seeking the praise from the people, this is what we call Reya’a (Show off)

What will I lose if I fall into Reya’a?

The first thing, I would lose is the good deeds which I did….they will be simply gone like I did not do any!!….On the Day of Judgment when Allah SWT rewards the people who did good he will tell the people who fell into Reya’a: Go to those you were showing off to in dunia and see if they will reward you!!

That is why Ibn Al Jawzi said; if you are not sincere then don’t bother yourself and work hard without any reward!!

Why bother yourself and read the Qura’an or pray at night or fast to show off and in the end you get nothing, you are better off relaxing because in both cases you are earning zero reward.

The big misfortune about Reya’a is that the person who does it works so hard and in the end they will be punished! While if this person was sincere to Allah in their deed, Allah will accept their deed, they will enjoy the feeling of a good deed in this dunia, will be rewarded for it on the Day of Judgment and will enter Jannah in shaa Allah. Can you see the difference?

What is even more ironic that this person who is showing off will lose even the people he was showing off for!!

How?

The Prophet PBUH said:
Whoever sought the pleasure of Allah though it was displeasing to the people then Allah becomes pleased with him, and will make the people please with him, and whoever sought the pleasure of the people though it was displeasing to Allah then Allah becomes displeased with him and will make the people displeased with him
(Ibn Hibban/ Tirmidhi)

Losing the people is not the worst thing this person will go through but it is losing Allah SWT which will cost him a lot…..Allah SWT is Rich and he is in no need for any of us.
Allah says in the hadith Al Qudsi: “I am The Wealthiest, and in no need of associates at all, thus whoever perform deeds by which he associated anything to Me, I will certainly abandon him with his shirk.” (Narrated Muslim in hadith no. 46)

Imagine if the angels came down and said so and so is a Mura’ai (showing off) and he was doing all those deeds not for the sake of Allah but to show off in front of you!!!....What will happen?

We will all look down on that person and despise them……………There is a question which shook me when I heard it and I would like you to address it to every Mura’ai…..

Why would you work so hard for someone if they knew that you did what you did for them, they would look down on you and despise you?? And you leave the Ikhlaas (sincerity) to the creator whom if he knew you are working hard for the sake of him, he would love you and reward you?

My dear sister and brother Al Reya’a is a severe disease that needs to be cured very fast before it kills the heart.

How can the patient of Reya’a be cured?

The patient must contemplate and think daily about the following:

1. You must know, when people praise you, they did not actually praise you as a person but they praised the Sitr (covering) of Allah upon you. If this sitr or cover was removed from us, it would be impossible for anyone one to praise us. Imagine if those who are praising me now could see a small screen behind me with all my sins scrolling down a sin after the other…..do you think they will continue to praise me?

The answer: of course not….so this means that all this time they have been praising the cover which Allah SWT put on me…..so in reality they are praising the sitr of Allah SWT.

2. The second dose which the patient must take is to know when the people praise them, they are actually praising Allah SWT….I know they said you are pious and you are very generous but despite all that, they did not really praise you, they praised Allah SWT…..How?!!

Ask yourself: Who gave you all these blessings?

The answer in Surat Al Nahl aya 53 (And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah .)

So how can you show off with something which doesn’t belong to you??!

Let’s imagine you had guests in your house and your neighbor brought you a nice dish and you served it to your guests…….Your guests loved it and started praising you….if you are honest you will simply say: I didn’t make it, it is a gift from my neighbor but if you accept the praise and act like it is you who made the dish then that would be terrible.

A very important question: What is the reason that makes us love to be praised by people?

It is because our hearts are so concerned and attached to the people and we give them so much importance and attention which should be given to Allah SWT instead.

If a sincere person stopped expecting and looking for the praising of others, nothing will affect them whether those people praised or dispraised them.

Let’s say you go to work and you hear that the cleaner dispraised you or said something bad about you, you wouldn’t bother but if you heard you manager dispraised you, that is when you start worrying….why?

Because your desire to please the manager is greater than your desire to please the cleaner and it is incomparable

Fight the Reya’a and don’t let it control you….you are a slave of Allah SWT…..you are not worshiping people and you are not working for them….this is a type of Shirk!!

So many people don’t think they could fall into shirk while they are actually falling into it every day…….and that is Reya’a

The Prophet PBUH named it Al Shirk Al Khafi (The hidden shirk) because it is hidden from so many people and this was the most thing that our Beloved Prophet PBUH was fearing for us. Shirk is the most sin which Allah SWT hates.

Watch out!!

If you stay away from Reya’a the Shaytaan will change his plans against you and will follow a different route. He knows if he tells you to do Reya’a you won’t follow him, instead he would start to make you suspect that you are doing Reya’a by telling you: You are not sincere…..you are doing Reya’a…..etc.

How can I deal with him?

You can deal with him by answering these three questions?

1. When you decide to do any form of worship or good deed, who is the one who decides whether to be sincere or to show off, you or the shaytaan?

The answer will be: Of course Me.

Correct answer

2. The one who comes and whispers in your ears and tells you, you are doing Reya’a and is spoiling your concentration during your worship, is it an angel or shaytaan?

The answer: For sure it is a shaytaan

Good

3. Will Allah SWT hold you accountable for the decision of the Ibadah (worship) or for the whispering of the Shaytaan?

The answer: Of course he will hold me accountable for the decision of the ibadah

If this is the case, why do you fear something which Allah will not hold you accountable for?
let him whisper until he burns…why should you bother?

There is no Reya’a by force……if you want to do Reya’a you will do and if you don’t you won’t, as simple as that.

You know what is the proof that you are not a Mura’ai (showing off)?
That it is bothering you and you are worried to fall into it. That is enough proof that you are not a Mura’ai. So don’t bother about the Shaytaan because if you do, he will grow so big in your heart…let him say whatever he wants to say and you continue doing what you are doing for the sake of Allah.

May Allah accept our deeds sincerely for his sake

Translated from one of my favorites Sheikhs Mushari Al Kharraz

AL IKHLAAS ( SINCERITY)

Assalam Aleykum!!!

Today I want to speak to you about a form of worship (Ibadah) if you master it, you will enjoy all your ibadaat which you do everyday

Let me start with this short story

There was once a very expert carpenter who used to build perfect houses. The carpenter was getting old, so he decided to retire and informed the owner of the establishment which he was working for.
The owner refused his resignation and tried to persuade him to stay but the carpenter refused saying: I can’t I am too old now and I need to rest and spend the rest of my days with my children. The owner of the establishment accepted the wish of the carpenter under one condition….!! And that is to build one last house for the establishment to benefit from.

The carpenter accepted and started building. He knew this was his last job so he wanted to finish it fast and leave, he did not do a good job this time and he finished so fast and gave the key to the owner.

The owner surprised the carpenter by telling him: Take the key this house is a gift from the establishment to you for all the hard work you have done in the past years.
He told him: Now you have a new house to enjoy with your children instead of your old house……the carpenter almost fainted, when he heard the news. He wished he knew this house was going to be his; he would have built it properly.

Now that you read the story let me tell you about the ibadah I am talking about: It is (Al Ikhlaas) or in other words Sincerity, if you master this ibadah well, you will enjoy all your ibadaat and not just that but you will enjoy all your actions in this life.

What is Ikhlaas?

Ikhlaas means, all your deeds are for the sake of Allah, not for the sake of anyone else.
You are good to your parents whether they are good to you or they are favoring your sister more than you. You are helping the poor whether people knew about it or did not know. What is important to you is that the Angels registered your work and you don’t care about anyone else.

Don’t be good to your friends or in-laws because you want them to be good to you….No….. instead be good to them whether they are good to you or not. The most important thing, Is Allah satisfied with you or not?!
If you pleased Allah, then anything or anyone else doesn’t matter.

The most important thing is for you to enter paradise….. you don’t need anyone to praise you…..it is not important that your manager notices you or praises you when you do your job well….Aren’t you sure that Allah SWT sees you and knows what you are doing??!……so you don’t need any human to notice….believe me, humans won’t be able to reward you and won’t know your value….only Allah SWT is the one who can reward you and he is the one who knows what you deserve and will give you more than you deserve.

Allah SWT says: مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا

Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgment] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit]…) 6:160

If you think like this, nothing will ever upset you and you will never bother about anyone who did not appreciate you because from the beginning you did not do what you did for them….very few people live like this….

So many people do good in their job and treat their families well but if they do not receive the appreciation, they stop being good and they stop the ihsaan and Ikhlaas…Why?.... You should not stop because you did not work for them and you did not do good for them….the most important thing is you get your reward from Allah SWT and that is it….this is what we call Ikhlaas (Sincerity) All your deeds are for the sake of Allah only.

Have you ever asked yourself ….. What will happen to me if I have Ikhlaas in everything I do?

First let me tell you this, Ikhlaas or sincerity is not one level….it comes in different levels

If Ikhlaas increased in your heart, you will be treated differently and specially by Allah SWT…not like any other person!!......and this special treatment is in these three matters:

1. You will be getting more reward for the deeds you do than anyone else, even if the other person did the same deeds as you did.

The companions of the Prophet PBUH used to do many deeds which many of us do now but their reward was much higher because the level of Ikhlaas in their heart which was way greater than us.

Bukhari, Muslim relate from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that Allah’s Messenger warned:

Do not curse my Companions! Do not curse my Companions! I swear by Him in Whose hand my life is that, even if one among you had as much gold as Mount Uhud and spent it in the way of God, this would not be equal in reward to a few handfuls of them or even to half of that.

2. The second special treatment: If you fall in some sins…Allah SWT will overrides them for you.

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Verily, a prostitute saw a dog lolling around a well on a hot day and hanging his tongue from thirst, so she drew some water for it in her shoe and Allah forgave her.”

Subhana Allah, not every prostitute will give water to a dog will be forgiven!! But Allah SWT saw the level of sincerity (Ikhlass) in the heart of that prostitute and rewarded her for it.

Justice is not to treat all people the same, but it is to treat everyone according to their heart and neyya

Look at the example of Prophet Musa PBUH, he threw the boards which had the words of Allah SWT and broke them, he pulled the beard of another Prophet (Haroon) PBUH and reproached Allah SWT on the night of Isra’a about Prophet Mohammad PBUH….despite all that Allah SWT forgave him, and treated him with very special treatment….why?.....because he did a lot for the sake of Allah, He stood up to Feroun and he spent years trying to guide Bani Israeel.

Now look at Prophet Yunus PBUH, he did not have the status and deeds of Prophet Musa PBUH, so when he wronged Allah SWT once, Allah SWT locked him inside the whale as a punishment.

So there is a big difference between the one who commits a sin and has a big account full of good deeds and the one who commits a sin and his account is not as full or empty.

3. The third special treatment is: the happiness which you will feel in the dunia before the Akhera

The Prophet PBUH said: “Whoever makes the Hereafter his preoccupation, then Allah places freedom from want in his heart, gathers his affairs, and Dunya (worldly life) comes to him despite being reluctant to do so. And whoever makes Dunya his preoccupation, then Allah places his poverty in front of his eyes, make his affairs scattered, and nothing of the Dunya comes to him except that which has been decreed for him.” [At-Tirmidhi]

The companions of the Prophet PBUH used to work so hard to hide their deeds so that it is purely for the sake of Allah. They will be praying in a Jama3ah and cry out of the fear of Allah and the one next to them does not feel them or notice them. Nowadays we see people screaming and weeping so loudly in the masajid. Allah SWT loves Al 3abd Al Khafi (the one who hides his deeds)

Now that we learnt all this, what could stop us from Ikhlaas?
Ikhlaas does not need a physical effort from us. It is a work of the heart and the neyya so let’s not waste it.

But there is a slight problem with some of us. Some of us always feel that they are doing Reya’a (showing off) no matter what they do, the shaytaan always comes to them and convinces them that they are doing Reya’a…… I will talk more about this issue and how to solve it next time in shaa Allah.

Translated from lecture of one of my favorite Sheikhs Mushari Al Kharraaz