Islamic Sayings - Part 4

And whenever you give your word, say the truth [al-An’aam 6:152]

And seek help in patience and prayer [al-Baqarah 2:45]

And speak good to people [al-Baqarah 2:83]

And fulfil the Covenant of Allaah when you have covenanted [al-Nahl 16:91]

Verily! Allaah commands that you should render back the trusts to those to whom they are due [al-Nisa’ 4:58]

And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift) [al-Isra’ 17:29]

Eat and drink, but waste not by extravagance [al-A’raaf 7:31]

And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is al-taqwa (piety, righteousness) [al-Baqarah 2:197]

And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) [al-Talaaq 65:2]

And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him [al-Talaaq 65:3]

He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allaah [al-Nisa’ 4:80]

By no means shall you attain al-birr (righteousness) until you spend (in Allaah’s cause) of that which you love [Aal ‘Imraan 3:92]

Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of Affairs (for us) [Aal ‘Imraan 3:171]

And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance [al-Isra’ 17:37]

And turn not your face away from men with pride [Luqmaan 31:18]

And be moderate (or show no arrogance) in your walking, and lower your voice [Luqmaan 31:19]

And give not a thing in order to have more (or consider not your deeds of obedience to Allaah as a favour to Allaah) [al-Muddaththir 74:6]

“Pay attention to Allaah and He will pay attention to you.”

“If you feel no shame, then do as you wish.”

“Make sure your food is good (halaal and bought with halaal earnings), and you will be one whose prayers are answered.”

“Fear Allaah wherever you may be.”

“Follow up a bad deed with a good deed, to cancel it out.”

“Mix with people with a good attitude.”

“Keep away from prohibited things and you will be the best of worshippers.”

“Be content with what Allaah has given you, and you will be the richest of people.”

“Love for other people what you love for yourself.”

“Do not laugh too much, for excessive laughter deadens the heart.”

“Wrongdoing will be multiple darkness on the Day of Resurrection.”

“Fear Allaah and treat all your children fairly.”

“Fear the Fire, even if by giving half a date (in charity).”

“Fear the prayer of the oppressed.”

“The thing that weighs most heavily in the balance (of good deeds) is a good attitude.”

“Deliberation is from Allaah, haste is from Shaytaan.”

“The less your wealth, the less you will be called to account for.”

“Do not become angry, and Paradise will be yours.”

“The most beloved of deeds to Allaah is the one that is continuous, even if it is little.”

“The most beloved of places to Allaah are the mosques.”

“The most hated of places to Allaah are the marketplaces.”

“The most beloved of food to Allaah is that which is touched by many hands (i.e., shared among many people).”

“The most beloved of speech to Allaah is that a person should say, ‘Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to Allaah)’.”

“The most beloved of people to Allaah is the one who is most helpful.”

“The most beloved deed to Allaah is making a Muslim happy.”

“Whoever restrains his anger, Allaah will conceal his faults.”

“A bad attitude spoils a good deed just as vinegar spoils honey.”

“The most beloved of people to Allaah are those who have the best attitudes.”

“Beware of this world, for it is sweet and tempting.”

“Control your tongue.”

“Trim your moustaches and let your beards grow.”

“Give back the things you have been entrusted with to the person who entrusted them to you.”

“Do not betray the one who betrays you.”

“Pray to Allaah and be confident of a response.”

“Cheer people up, do not put them off.”

“Make things easy for people, not difficult.”

“Eat with your right hand and eat from what is in front of you.”

“If Allaah gives you wealth, let the blessing of Allaah be seen on you.”

“If someone who is distinguished among his own people comes to you, then honour him.”

Islamic Sayings - Part 3

“If one with whose religion and character you are pleased comes to you (to seek your daughter’s hand in marriage), then marry (your daughter) to him.”

“If Allaah wills good to the people of a household, He guides them to be gentle.”

“If you do something bad, follow it by doing something good.”

“If you feel uncomfortable about something, then leave it alone.”

“If you judge (between people), then judge fairly.”

“If you enter a house, greet the inhabitants with salaam.”

“If you are reminded of Allaah, stop what you are doing (of sin).”

“If Allaah sends you some provision without you looking forward to it or asking others for it, then take it.”

“If you ask Allaah for anything, then ask Him for al-Firdaws (the highest level of Paradise).”

“If your good deeds please you and your bad deeds upset you, then you are a mu’min (believer).”

“If you hear the call to prayer, then respond to the one who is calling you to Allaah.”

“If you hear the call to prayer, then say something like the muezzin says.”

“If any one of you becomes angry, let him keep silent.”

“If a man becomes angry and says ‘A’oodhu Billaah (I seek refuge with Allaah),’ his anger will cease.”

“If a man says ‘Ya seedi (sir)’ to a munaafiq (hypocrite), he earns the wrath of his Lord.”

“When you stand up to pray, pray as if it is your last prayer.”

“When you get dressed and when you do wudoo’, start on the right.”

“When any one of you meets his brother, let him greet him with salaam.”

“Remember death when you are praying.”

“Show mercy towards those who are on earth so that the One Who is in heaven will show mercy to you.”

“Renounce pleasure in worldly things and Allaah will love you.”

“Show disinterest in what people have and people will love you.”

“Feel properly shy and modest before Allaah.”

Protect “the head and what does through it (thoughts and ideas).”

Protect “the stomach and what goes into it.”

“Seek help in whatever you do by being discreet.”

“Everyone who is given a blessing will be envied.”

“No one can keep their wudoo’ except a believer.”

“The worst thief among people is the one who steals from his prayer, by not doing rukoo’ and sujood properly.”

“Intercede and you will be rewarded.”

“The most grateful of people to Allaah are those who are most grateful to other people.”

The trouble with beauty is feelings of superiority.

The trouble with generosity is extravagance.

The trouble with noble descent is pride.

The trouble with knowledge is forgetfulness.

“Give to the one who denied you.”

“Uphold ties with the one who cuts you off.”

“Forgive the one who does you wrong.”

May Allaah have mercy on the person who said “Good” and was rewarded or who remained silent and was safe.

Wine is the key to all evil.

The one who is more daring in giving fatwas is more deserving of Hell.

Love the poor and mix with them.

It is better to err in forgiving than to err in punishment.

Do not judge between people when you are angry.

If you want to count the faults of anyone else, count your own faults instead.

If you commit a sin, say “Astaghfir-Allaah (I ask Allaah for forgiveness).”

If you are given a blessing, say, “Al-Hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah).”

Islamic Sayings - Part 2

If some disaster befalls you, say, “Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return).”

Seek rizq (provision) by giving charity

“Give food to others and speak good.”

“Seek a response to du’aa’s when the iqaamah for prayer is given and when rain is falling.”

The people with the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection will be the muezzins.

“Worship Allaah as if you see Him.”

“The most helpless of people are those who cannot make du’aa’.”

“The most miserly of people are those who are stingy with their salaams (i.e., do not greet others).”

“Pay the hired worker his wages before his sweat dries.”

“Tie up (your camel) [i.e., take the necessary precautions], and put your trust in Allaah.”

“Make the most of your life before your death.”

Make the most of “your health before your sickness.”

Make the most of “your free time before you become busy.”

Make the most of “your wealth before you become poor.”

Make the most of “your youth before you become old.”

“The best of dhikr is ‘La ilaaha ill-Allaah.’”

“The best of sadaqah (charity) is that given by one who has little.”

“The upper hand (the one that gives) is better than the lower hand (the one that takes).”

The best of earnings is a good sale.

“The best of the believers is one who is best in attitude.”

“The best of the muhaajireen is the one who forsakes (hajara) that which Allaah has prohibited.”

“The best type of jihaad is the jihaad of the one who strives against his own self (jihaad al-nafs) for the sake of Allaah.”

Islamic Sayings - Part 1

“Read the Qur’aan throughout every month.”

“Read the Qur’aan, for it will come and intercede for its readers on the Day of Resurrection.”

“Pray for Allaah to keep you safe and sound.”

“Most of the sins committed by the son of Adam are sins of the tongue.”

“Repeat often ‘Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah (there is no power or strength except with Allaah)’, for it is from the treasure of Paradise.”

“Always remember the destroyer of joy (physical pleasure): death.”

“Lower your gaze and guard your private parts.”

“There is no goodness in the one who is not friendly or likeable.”

“Stay with her (the mother), for Paradise is under her feet.”

“Keep saying ‘Yaa Dhaa’l-jalaali wa’l-ikraam (O Possessor of Glory and Honour)’” i.e., keep repeating it persistently.

“Islam cancels out what came before it (of sins).”

“Every bid’ah (innovation) is a going astray and every going astray will end in Hell.”

“Control your tongue, let your house be enough for you, and weep for your sins.”

“(Take care of) your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then other relatives in order of closeness.”

“Feed the poor and pat the head of the orphan (i.e., show compassion).”

“The one who points the way to good deeds is like the one who does them.”

How the living may help the dead

Praying for the dead, asking forgiveness for them, and giving charity on their behalf are some of the things God causes the dead in their graves to benefit from and be protected by. There are many hadiths about this, and many fine and virtuous people have witnessed it in their dreams. Sa'd ibn 'Ubada, may God be pleased with him, once said to the Messenger of God, may peace and blessings be upon him: 'My mother's soul departed suddenly, and had she been able to speak she would have given alms. Would it bring benefit to her if I did it on her behalf?' 'Yes!' he replied. So he dug a well (for people to take water from) and said: 'This is on behalf of Sa'd's mother.'

And another man said: 'O Messenger of God! My parents have died; is there anything left with which I may be good to them?' And he replied: 'There are four things: praying and asking forgiveness for them, carrying out their promises, being good to their friends, and giving proper attention to those kinship bonds which could have only be attended to by them.'

And the Prophet said, may peace and blessings be upon him: 'Were it not for the living the dead would have been doomed'; in other words, because of the prayers and requests for forgiveness and for mercy which they receive.

And he said, may blessings and peace be upon him: 'My Nation is a nation covered with mercy. Its members enter their graves with sins like unto the mountains, and leave their graves having been forgiven because the living have asked forgiveness for the dead.'

A dead man was once seen in a dream and, upon being questioned about his state, said that he had been greeted by an angel who attempted to burn his face with a flame held in his hand. But one of the living said: 'God have mercy on so-and-so!' -and the flame went out.

One of the greatest things which one may offer to the dead is to recite Qur'an and send on the reward for it. This is of great benefit and baraka. The Muslims have agreed on this everywhere throughout the ages, the majority of scholars and virtuous people have recommended it, and there are hadiths to confirm this. Although, these hadiths have weak chains of transmission, there is a principle, as the hadith scholar al-Suyuti (may God show him His mercy) has said, that: 'Weak hadiths may be acted upon when they indicate acts of goodness.' And these are indeed acts of goodness.

All the Qur'an is blessed and beneficial, but the most beneficial thing to offer to the dead is Surat al-Ikhlas eleven times, and this has been seen in many blessed dreams. Each person should recite this noble sura the said number of times, either each night, each day, or more, or less, or even only on Thursday night, and offer this reward to his parents, teachers and all those who had rights over him.

He must not forget his dead ones when he prays, asks forgiveness, or gives alms, lest he in turn be forgotten after his death, for the one who remembers is remembered, and the one who forgets is forgotten. Benevolence goes ahead of you, and God allows not the reward of those who have done good to be wasted. (18:30)

Visiting Graves

You should know that it is recommended to visit graves. The Messenger of God, may blessings and peace be upon him, permitted this after having at first forbidden it. It contains benefits both for the living visitor and the dead person who receives the visit. The Prophet said, may peace and blessings be upon him: 'Visit graves, for they remind you of death.' And: 'I used to forbid you to visit graves, but now you should visit them. They render one able to do without the things of the world, and remind one of the Hereafter.' He also said: 'No man visits the grave of his brother and sits by it but that he (the dead man) finds solace in this, having his spirit restored to him until the visitor departs.' And he said: 'A dead (person) in his grave is never more comforted than when those that he loved in the world pay him a visit.'

When a visitor enters the cemetery or passes it by he should say: 'Peace be on you, O place of believers. We are granted respite until tomorrow. That which you were promised has come to you, and we will, God willing, rejoin you. You are our predecessors and we are your followers. I ask God to give us and you well-being. O God, forgive us and them!

It is recommended to visit the cemetery on Thursday night, Friday, Friday night until sunrise, and on Monday, for it is said---and this is supported by various narrations---that the spirits of the dead return to their graves at those times.

The visitor must ask for forgiveness and mercy for them, read whatever Qur'an he can and make over the reward to them; he should remember that soon he will go to the same end, and learn the lessons to be drawn from their condition.

When he visits the graves of his parents, relatives, or anyone else who had rights over him, he must sit with unhurried serenity, pray for them, and ask abundantly for forgiveness, for they rejoice at this, and are glad. When he visits the graves of righteous people he should pray in abundance, for prayers are answered at many such places, as has often been experienced.

Source: Imam 'Abdallah ibn 'Alawi al-Haddad, Sabil al-iddikar wa'l i'tibar bima yamurru bi'l insan min al-a'mar,(The Lives of Man), translated by Dr. Mostafa al-Badawi, The Quilliam Press, London, England, 1411/1991, p. 45-48

Ten Sicknesses of the Heart

1. You believe in the existance of Allah (SWT) but you do not fulfil His Commands.

2. You say you love the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) but you do not follow his Sunnah.

3. You read the Holy Qur'an but you do not put it into practice.

4. You enjoy all the benefits from Allah (SWT) but you are not grateful to him.

5. You acknowledge Shaitan as your enemy but you do not go against him.

6. You want to enter Paradise but you do not work for it.

7. You do not want to be thrown into Hell-Fire but you do not try to run away from it.

8. You believe that every living-thing will face death but you do not prepare for it.

9. You gossip and find faults in others but you forget your own faults and habits.

10. You bury the Dead but you do not take a lesson from it.

Deeds that are like ashes

"The parable of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day, they shall not be able to get aught of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away (from the Right Path)." (Qur’an, 14:18)

Allah has resembled the deeds of the disbelievers to ashes on which a severe wind blows during a stormy day, showing the futility and lack of benefit of those deeds.

So He compared their nullified actions with scattered dust because the actions were not based on the foundation of Imaan (faith) and Ihsaan. They were neither for Allah’s sake nor upon His command.

So such a person will not be able to benefit from his deeds at a time when he would need it the most (i.e. on the Day of Judgement). For this reason, Allah said, “they shall not be able to get aught of what they have earned.”

Hence, they will not be able to earn any reward or benefit from their deeds on the Day of Judgment. This is because Allah does not accept any deed unless it is done sincerely for His sake and in accordance with what He has legislated.

Actions are of four types. Only one type is accepted and the rest three are rejected. Only when the action is Al-Khaalis As-Sawaab (pure and correct), is it accepted. Al-Khaalis is sincerity for Allah’s sake alone and for none other than Him. As-Sawaab means the deed must be done according to how Allah legislated it upon the tongue of His Messenger (i.e. upon the Sunnah).

(The other three types are:
1. Deeds that are neither for Allah’s sake nor upon the Sunnah;
2. Deeds that are for Allah’s sake, but not upon the Sunnah;
3. Deeds that are upon the Sunnah but not done sincerely for Allah’s sake.
These three types of deeds are rejected, while only the first type of deed – Al-Khaalis As-Sawaab – is accepted by Allah.)

There is a profound secret in (Allah’s) resembling of these (rejected types of deeds) with the ashes. Ashes come after the fueling and igniting of fire. Hence, such actions are the food of the fire (that will be destroyed). And it will also be the fuel of the Fire that will roast its inhabitants.

Allah will bring about (more) fire and punishment from their false actions, just as He brings about bliss and pleasure for the people whose deeds are purely for His sake alone and are in accordance with His command.

The Fire will affect the (rejected type of) actions until it turns them to ashes. Hence, such people, their actions, and what they worship besides Allah, are the fuel of the Fire.

By Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
Tafseer Al-Qayyim pg. 326-327

Natural Disasters

“If you see anything like that, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His forgiveness…” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Almighty says: "And We sent not the signs except to warn." (Al-Isra’ 17:59)

"We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’an) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?" (Fussilat 41:53)

"Say: He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another." (Al-An`am 6:65)

"And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much." (Ash-Shura 42: 30)

"Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself." (An-Nisaa’ 4:79)

"So We punished each (of them) for his sins, of them were some on whom We sent Hasib (a violent wind with showers of stones), and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah (torment — extremely loud noise ), and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow, and of them were some whom We drowned. It was not Allah, Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves." (Al-`Ankabut 29: 40)

"And if the people of the towns had believed and had piety, certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes)." (Al-A`raf 7:96)

A Warning For Those Studying Islam

The Prophet (saw) said: Do not acquire knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain mastery over the gatherings. Since whoever does that, then: The Fire! The Fire! - Ibn Majah

The reasons for Ibaadat

Hadhrat Zainul Aabideen (rahmatullahi alayh) said:

"Some people worship Allah because of fear. This is the ibaadat of slaves. Some worship Him because of their desire for thawaab. This is the ibaadat of traders. Some worship Him in gratitude for His bounties. This is the ibaadat of freed slaves."