The Dangers of Malicious Gossip & Urine‏

The Prophet once passed by two graves and said, They are being punished, but they are not being punished for anything that was difficult to avoid. One of them used to spread malicious gossip, and the other used not to take precaution to avoid urine getting on himself when he urinated.' Then he called for a green branch which he split in 2, and planted a piece on each grave, and said, 'May their torment be reduced so long as these do not dry out.'
(Bukhari)

Prophet's sayings - on mistakes & repents

ALLAH’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said:

"All children of Adam make mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent.”

(Ibn Majah, Al-Tirmidhi)

The Boy and the Baby (A Story of the Steadfast)

HE RACE OF life is difficult. At times you run, charging forward. Other times you slow to a walk. Sometimes the road is so steep and stony that you crawl, falling and crying, your goal a ever-distance mirage. Some never get up. Some even turn around. But there are those few who do rise up. They remind themselves that each step means success, each gasp a call of triumph. They believe in the unseen finish line. Against all odds they cross that seemingly elusive line. The joy of their victory wipes away the agonies of their journey.

RACE ON!

That is the story of the true believer. Perseverance flows in his blood. Allah says in the Quran: "O you who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah, so that you may prosper." (3:200).

We cannot be successful in attaining our ultimate goal-the pleasure of Allah-without this character trait. We will encounter hardship and heartache over and again in life. The only way to maintain strong faith is through our willingness to continue, to not give up-no matter the desperation of our situation.

To attain and maintain a persevering personality we ought to remember that the roadblocks and potholes will act in our favor in the long run. The Prophet (PBUH), said: "No fatigue, illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness afflict any Muslim, even to the extent of a thorn pricking him, without Allah wiping out his mistakes by it" (Agreed upon).

The pathway to perseverance is through prayer. We do so by simply turning to our Lord and asking Him to aid and strengthen us, to help us not give up. The All-Merciful says to His servants: "Seek help in steadfastness and salah. And Allah is with the steadfast" (2:152).

ONCE UPON A TIME

In a land faraway, there lived a king in a castle. This king, whose heart grew black over time with arrogance and disbelief, employed into his services a powerful and wicked sorcerer. For many years the king and his sorcerer worked together, ruling over the kingdom with harshness. Everyone lived in fear. No one dared stand up to the king or his sorcerer for they knew they would suffer greatly at their hands. But the sorcerer was getting old. He knew his end was nearing and could not despite all the dark magic he used-outwit death. He sent for a servant of his.

"I am old," he told him, "find for me a lad that I might teach him of what I know and that he may take my place as sorcerer."

The servant did as he was told. He found, among the townspeople, a young boy. The boy was bright and eager to learn and accepted the invitation of the sorcerer. However, as he walked through the city to the palace he chanced upon a monk's cell.

Curious and intrigued by the monk, he stopped and listened to his words. He liked very much what he heard. Making up his mind to return to the monk, he continued along to meet the sorcerer.

And so it happened that every morning the boy would stop at the monk's cell and listen to his beautiful and wise words. The boy would then go on to the sorcerer and listen to his words, which were not beautiful or wise, but powerful nonetheless. The boy did not know who was in the right and who was not. He waited for a chance to test from who's tongue came the truth.

His chance came soon, for one day he saw a great beast barring the roads, preventing the people from passing. The boy said to himself, "Today I will find out who is better, the sorcerer or the monk."

And with that he picked up a stone and prayed, "Oh God, if what the monk does is more preferable to You than what the sorcerer does, turn this beast aside so that the people can pass."

And he threw stone at the beast. The beast fell, dying by the single strike. The boy then ran to the monk and told him what happened. The monk then said, "Oh my boy, today you have surpassed me. I see what your purpose must be. You will be tested and when you are tested, do not give my name away."

So the boy continued to visit the sorcerer, but he only gained knowledge from the monk, his true teacher. Soon, he learned to heal the blind and cure people of any ailment. What a companion of the king, who was a blind man, heard of this he went to the boy, bringing with him many gifts. He said to him, "All that I have gathered for you here is yours if you heal me."

"I do not heal anyone," the boy replied. "It is Allah the Almighty who heals. If you believe in Allah the Almighty, I will pray to heal you."

So, the blind man believed. And Allah, the All Powerful, did indeed heal him. With his newfound sight he went eagerly to his friend, the king.

"Who has returned to you your sight?" the king asked.

"My Lord," the friend replied.

"Have you a Lord other than I?" asked the king, growing angry.

"Yes," said the old friend, bravely, for he knew the consequences of his words. "Rather my Lord and your Lord is Allah."

With that, the king seized him and tortured him, asking him who taught him such blasphemous words. Unable to endure any more pain, the friend confessed that it was the boy.

The boy was immediately brought before the king.

"Oh boy," the kind said grandly, "your sorcery has reached the point where you heal the blind."

"No, indeed," the boy softly replied, "I do not heal anyone. It is Allah the Almighty who heals."

Enraged, the king seized the boy and tortured him as well, demanding to know the name of the one who taught him such blasphemous words. Finally, when the boy's agony passed his limit, he have away the name of the monk.

The monk was thereby brought before the king.

"Renounce your religion! The king commanded.

The monk refused. The king, irate, called for a saw to be brought forth.

Placing the saw in the center of the monk's head, the king sawed him into twohalves. The former friend of the king was then brought forward again and told to renounce his religion. But he too refused. And he too was sawed in half.

The king called then for the boy. He too refused to renounce his religion. The king handed the boy over to some servants.

"Take gun to a mountain," he ordered. "When you reach its summit, if he still refuses to obey me, through him off!"

So they brought him to the mountaintop. The boy prayed, "Oh Allah, save me from them in whatever way You will.."

Just as they were about to throw him over, a great tremor shook the mountain with such force that all the servants fell over the cliff. All except the boy. He then returned to the king alone.

"What happened to the others? He demanded.

"The Almighty saved me from them," the boy said.

Undeterred, the king gave him over to another group of servants and ordered that he be taken out to the middle of the sea and thrown in. So they took him. And again the boy prayed, "Oh Allah, save me from them in whatever way You will."

At that point the waves grew fierce and the ship capsized, drowning all the servants. Once again the boy walked back to the king alone. Again the king demanded the whereabouts of his men. And again the boy replied that the Almighty saved him from them. The king grew angrier and angrier at his inability to kill the boy.

"You will not kill me," the boy told him, "unless you do as I command." "What would that be?" demanded the king.

"Gather the people together on the plain and crucify me on a palm trunk," instructed the boy. "Then take an arrow from your quiver, put it in the center of your bow and say, 'In the name of Allah, the Lord of the boy, so that the people may hear, and then shoot. If you do as I say, you will kill me."

The king, so eager to rid himself of this troublesome boy, did as he was told. He gathered the people in the plain and had the boy crucified to a palm tree. He then strung his bow saying out loud, "In the name of Allah, the Lord of the boy," and shot the arrow.

It struck the boy. The boy placed his hand on his temple and died. Before the king could feel the triumph of his kill, the people raised their voices in unison, "We believe in the Lord of the boy!". For they knew that the boy who never died when he asked his Lord for protection, only died by the will of his Lord. The enraged king was then told, "Do you not see that, by Allah, your fear has brought about the very thing you were afraid of! The people have believed!".

The king then commanded that a great trench be dug and filled with fire. He then ordered that all the believers who did not renounce their faith be thrown into the pit. Knowing that they would return to their Lord and knowing that He would reward them for their striving, they chose the more difficult road of the king's punishment over the easier road of renouncing their beliefs. So, one by one, the believers were thrown into the fire. Only one person hesitated.

She was a mother and in her hands was her newborn baby. She did not fear for herself, but rather for her child. So she stood, uncertain as to what the better choice would be. At that moment a small voice came from arms.

"Mother," the newborn baby said, inspired by his Creator and hers, "be steadfast! You have the truth" (Muslim). With that, she leapt in.

Thus ends the story of the boy and the baby. And, dear readers, they all really do live happily ever after.

So be steadfast. You too have the truth.

Khansa Padri

Courtesy: Al Jumuah Magazine)

Save Yourself & Your Family From the FIRE

O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allâh, but do that which they are commanded. (66:6)

Keys to Happiness

received by an email :

Happiness is the only goal on earth that all people without exception are seeking to attain. Believers and unbelievers alike seek to be happy, but each party is using different methods.

However, only believers can achieve genuine happiness. All forms of happiness attained without a firm belief in God, the Almighty, are mere illusions.

The following are tips for the attainment of happiness:

1. Know that if you do not live within the scope of today, your thoughts will be scattered, your affairs will become confused, and your anxiety will increase. These realities are explained in the following hadith:

“When you are in the evening, do not expect to see themorning, and when you are in the morning, do not expect to see the evening.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

2. Forget the past and all that it contained. Being absorbed in things that are past and gone is sheer lunacy.

3. Do not be preoccupied with the future because the future is in the world of the unseen; do not let it bother you until it comes.

4. Do not be shaken by criticism; instead, be firm. Be sure that in proportion to your worth, the level of people's criticism rises. Also, make good use of criticism in discovering your shortcomings and faults, and let it drive you toward self-improvement.

5. Have certain faith in God and perform good deeds; these are the ingredients that makeup a good and happy life.

6. If you desire peace, tranquility, and comfort, you can find it all in the remembrance of Almighty.

7. You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with the divine decree.

8. Do not expect gratitude from anyone.

9. Train yourself to be prepared for the worst eventuality.

10. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest, even though you may not comprehend how that can be so.

11. Everything that is decreed for the believer is the best for him.

12. Enumerate the blessings of God and be thankful for them.

13. Remember that you are better off than many others.

14. Relief comes from one hour to the next. Indeed, with each difficulty there is relief.

15. In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer, either patiently contented or thankful.

16. Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive way.

17. Do not let trivialities be the cause of your destruction.

18. Always remember that your Lord is Oft-Forgiving.

19. Assume an easy-going attitude and avoid anger.

20. Life is bread, water, and shade; so do not be perturbed by a lack of any other material thing.

“And in the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised.” (Quran 51:22)

21. Most evil that is supposed to happen never occurs.

22. Look at those who have more afflictions and be grateful that you have less.

23. Bear in mind the fact that God loves those who endure trials with steadfastness, so seek to be one of them.

24. Constantly repeat those supplications that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to say during times of hardship.

25. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.

26. Do not spread rumors and do not listen to them. If you hear a rumor inadvertently, do not believe it.

27. Know that your malice and your striving to seek revenge are much more harmful to your health than they are to your antagonist.

28. The hardships that befall you atone for your sins, if you endure with patience.

One reason we have so much trouble attaining happiness is that we have no idea about what it is. Consequently, we make poor judgments in life. An Islamic tale illustrates the relationship of judgment with happiness.

“Oh, great sage, Nasrudin,” said the eager student, “I must ask you a very important question, the answer to which we all seek: What is the secret to attaining happiness?” Nasrudin thought for a time, then responded. “The secret of happiness is good judgment.” “Ah,” said the student. “But how do we attain good judgment? “From experience,” answered Nasrudin. “Yes,” said the student. “But how do we attain experience?’ “Bad judgment.”

An example of our good judgment is knowing that materialistic comforts by themselves do not lead to lasting happiness. Having reached that conclusion by our good judgment, we do not retreat into our comforts. We continue to crave a happiness that seems out of reach. We make more money thinking that is the way to become happy, and in the process neglect our family. Most big events we dream of yield less sustained happiness than we hoped for. In addition to getting less happiness than we expected or hoped for, we frequently do not know exactly what we want, what will make us happy or how to get it. We misjudge.

Enduring happiness does not come from ‘making it.’ Imagine someone could snap their fingers and give you fame, fortune, and leisure. Would you be happy? You would be euphoric, but in the short run. Gradually you would adapt to your new circumstance and life would return to its normal mix of emotions. Studies show that big lottery winners after a few months are no happier than the average person! To recover the joy, you would now need an even higher high.

Consider, too, how we have “made it.” In 1957, our per-person income, expressed in today’s dollars, was less than $8,000. Today it is $16,000. With doubled incomes, we now have double the material goods that money can buy - including twice as many cars per person. We also have microwave ovens, color TVs, VCRs, answering machines, and $12 billion a year worth of brand-name athletic shoes.

So are we happier? No. In 1957, 35 percent of Americans told the National Opinion Research Center they were “very happy.” In 1991, only 31 percent said the same.[6] Meanwhile, depression rates have soared.

God’s Prophet of Mercy said:

“True enrichment does not come through possessing a lot of wealth, but true enrichment is the enrichment of the soul.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Who is intelligent person

SUFYAN Bin ‘Uyainah said, “The intelligent person is not one who merely knows what is good and what is bad. The intelligent person is one who, when he sees what is good, follows it, and when he sees evil, shuns it.”

For the sake of Almighty

“Shaikh Ibraaheem Al-Hilaalee Al-Halabee – a pious and noble scholar – traveled to Al-Azhar University in search of knowledge. While seeking knowledge, he became very poor and used to rely on charity. One time, several days passed by and he did not find anything to eat, so he became extremely hungry.

So he came out of his room in Al-Azhar to ask for some scraps of food. He found an open door from which a pleasant smell of food was coming out of. So he entered the door and found himself in a kitchen with no one around. There he found some tempting food, so he grabbed a spoon and dipped it in, but when he lifted it to his mouth, he held himself back from eating it, since he realized that he had not been given permission to eat from it. So he left it and returned to his room in the dormitory of Al-Azhar, still hungry and starving.

But no less than an hour passed by, when one of his teachers, accompanied by another man, came into his room. And his teacher said to him: ‘This noble man came to me seeking a righteous student of knowledge to choose for marrying his daughter, and I have chosen you for him. So rise and come with us to his home where we can complete the marriage contract between you and his daughter and you can become part of his household.’ So Shaikh Ibraaheem struggled to get to his feet, obeying the command of his teacher and went with them. And behold they took him to the very same house he had been to, and which he had entered and dipped the spoon into the food!

So when he sat down, the girl’s father married her to him and the food was brought out. It was the same food he had put the spoon into before and which he abandoned. But now he ate from it and said to himself: ‘I withheld from eating it when I had no permission, but now Allaah has given me this food with permission.’

Afterward, this righteous wife went back with him to Halab, after he had finished his studies. And she bore righteous children for him.”

So this is the fruit of patience and this is the result of having taqwaa, as Allaah says: “And whoever has Taqwaa of Allaah, He will make a way out for him (from hardship), and He will provide for Him from places He never imagined.” [Surah At-Talaaq: 2-3]

But as for those who are hasty – those who do not distinguish between the truth and falsehood, seeking after the transitory vanities of this worldly life – they will never experience anything but grief and sorrow in their hearts, for they will never attain the worldly life nor will they ever achieve Religion.... This is because they forget – or perhaps neglect – the saying of Allaah: “Is not Allaah sufficient for His servant?” [Surah Az-Zumar: 36]

As for those who are patient and firm and who have Taqwaa, they will gain ascendancy in this life and glory and honor with their Lord on the Day of Judgement. And Allaah says: “So give the glad tidings to the patient ones.” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 155] And He says: “Verily, the patient ones will be given their reward without any reckoning.” [Surah Az-Zumar: 10]

Footnotes:

[1] Translator’s Note: He is referring to Imaam Al-Albaanee, who was a student of Shaikh Muhammad Raaghib At-Tabbaakh.

Published: June 11, 2004 | Modified: June 11, 2004

Source: AUTHOR:
'Alee Hasan al-Halabee,
Al-Asaalah Magazine (Issue 31, pg. 60-61),

Personal Perception

Different people have different perception. One man’s meat could be another man’s poison.

A couple bought a donkey from the market.. On the way home, a boy commented, “Very stupid. Why neither of them rides on the donkey? “Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them.

Later, an old man saw it and commented, “The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?” Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.

Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, “How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman.”The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, “Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you.” Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.

It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future.

Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear. Do what you think is right, not what others think.

a good moral story, received by an email but in the perspective of islam as a muslim we have to ask DUA as always from Almighty to make khair of the thing that we intend to do. Apart from it we have to make istikara before doing any wordly affairs.

Ten useless things

• Knowledge that is not acted on.
• The deed that has neither sincerity nor is based on following the righteous examples.
• Money that is hoarded, as the owner neither enjoys it during this life nor obtains any reward for it in the Hereafter.
• The heart that is empty of love and longing for Allah, and of seeking closeness to Him.
• A body that does not obey and serve Allah.
• Loving Allah without following His orders or seeking His pleasure.
• Time that is not spent in expiating sins or seizing opportunities to do good.
• A mind that thinks about useless matters.
• Serving those who do not bring you close to Allah, nor benefit you in your life.
• Hoping and fearing those who themselves are under the authority of Allah; while they cannot bring any benefit or harm. – Al-Fawa’id

A great scholar, Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (d. 751H) was also known as the ‘doctor of hearts’. He was a prominent student of Sheikh-Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah.