Searching For The Meaning Of Success

When I was a little girl growing up, I used to sit under mango trees and dream about a glorious future. By now, according to my schedule, I should be well on my way to winning that Pulitzer, or should have at least completed that great American novel, the one that was supposed to garnish for me worldwide recognition and accolades for the prowess of my pen. But “umpteen” years later, I see that nothing has gone according to plan.

Ever since I hit the big THREE-O, I’ve been taking stock of my life, and trying to document my accomplishments. When I compare myself to my peers, who I attended university with, I often feel like I’ve sunk to the bottom of the pile. Most of them are now doctors, lawyers, and junior executives at Fortune 500 companies, while I have become a Muslim, a wife and a mother. Sometimes it’s hard to reconcile who I am now, with whom I strived to become for the better part of my life. After talking with a friend of mine, who is also a revert to Islam and hovering around that 30-year-benchmark, I found that I was not alone in my feelings of inadequacy and failure, and now I find myself searching for the true meaning of success.

Success according to popular consensus is having a lavish home, a luxury car, a diverse stock portfolio and the opportunity to vacation extensively, at least once a year. Well, alhamdalillah, Allah, SWT, also has a definition of success. He says, “And the measuring out on that day will be just; then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy, those are they who shall be successful.” [7:8] According to Allah, success is not measured in how many designer shoes you own, or the square footage of your home, success is measured in the accomplishing of good deeds. The beginning of this road to success starts with submitting your will to Allah, AWJ, as He says, “The response of the believers, when they are invited to Allah and His Apostle, that he may judge between them, is only to say: We hear and we obey; and these it is that are successful.” [24:51]

After I accepted Islam, and since then, I’ve tried to give dawa to my old friends, but most of them laugh at me, and feel that the only reason I need this religion, is because I don’t have all the things that they have. When I invite them to follow the Prophet, SAWS, they say that he was just a man, but Allah says, “Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the Ummi, whom they find written down with them in the Taurat and the Injeel, (who) enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so (as for) those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful ones.” [7:157]

When we think of success, it is only human nature to focus on this worldly life, and the possessions of it: our homes, our cars, our clothing, our food, our wives/husbands, our children and our wealth. As Muslims however, it is imperative that we learn to look at success, as Allah, SWT, has described it, and strive for that, and not to be deceived by Shaytaan and this Dunya, by putting all of our efforts into acquiring this illusionary success. For Allah says, “Say: The bad and the good are not equal, though the abundance of the bad may please you; so be careful of (your duty to) Allah, O men of understanding, that you may be successful.” [5:100]

Allah gives to whomsoever of His servants what He Wills of the good of this life, but that does not guarantee you the same in the next life. The best of Allah’s creation, our beloved Prophet, SAWS, used to sleep on a straw mat on the ground, and his worldly possessions were few, but Allah, granted him the supreme success, the promise of Paradise, and the highest station in it. And when we see others enjoying the good of this world, while being neglectful of the hereafter, we should not long for what they have, because it only hinders our own success. For Allah says, “And those who yearned for his place only the day before began to say: Ah, know that Allah amplifies and straitens the means of subsistence for whom He pleases of His servants; had not Allah been gracious to us, He would most surely have abased us; ah, know that the ungrateful are never successful.” [28:82]

Knowledge, The Key To Our Success

The adage that ignorance is bliss could not be farther from the truth when seriously put into practical application. Throughout the annals of time, what great accomplishments has ignorance made? What great empires and what marvels of science and technology now bear witness to ignorance's strength and power? That's right, none. Nothing of true worth is achieved without wisdom and knowledge.

It was with supreme knowledge that Allah, SWT, laid the foundations of the heavens and the earth. It was with wisdom, knowledge and understanding that Soleiman (AS) ruled the greatest empire the world has ever known. Our own Prophet, Mohammad (SAW) told us that acquiring knowledge was a duty placed on each and every Muslim. But the knowledge of what and who, remains the question.

Many of us have used the above saying of the Prophet (SAW), to justify dealing in riba (interest), in order to send our sons and daughters to the finest universities to become doctors, lawyers and engineers. We use it to justify sending our children to private schools, because they supposedly have higher academic standing and prestige than Muslim schools. We say we are doing it, because the Prophet (SAW) said to get knowledge, but is this the knowledge he was speaking about?

It is narrated by Abu Musa that the Prophet (SAW) said, "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain-water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain- water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then the land was of no benefit). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's Religion and gets benefit from the knowledge which Allah has revealed through me and learns and then teaches it to others. The (last example is that of a) person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's Guidance revealed through me (He is like the barren land.)" (Bukhari).

Through the above narration, the Prophet (SAW) is telling us of the superiority of religious knowledge. This is the knowledge that we should give priority to. All other knowledge will not be of benefit if we do not have this one. First and foremost, comes the knowledge of Allah. Knowing His names and His attributes. Knowing what is expected of us in regard to our servitude to Him, and what mutual rights exist between us.

Secondly, we should strive to know Allah's Book, the Qur'an. We should learn to read it in Arabic, if we don't already know how to do so. We should also be trying to memorize as much of it as possible, and stressing the importance of both of these things to our children. Reading the Qur'an should be something commonplace in every Muslim home, and is an activity that the whole family can, and should participate in.

Thirdly, we should know about the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, and his companions. It's by reading their stories that we learn of their bravery, love for the Deen and their complete devotion to Allah. It's by knowing them that we grow to love them, and through loving them, we strive to become more and more like them. This is especially true, when most children nowadays want to be like Mike (Michael Jordan) or Janet Jackson or some other celebrity. They want to emulate these people, because they know so much about them. It then becomes increasingly important for us Muslims to introduce our children to our heroes. Who were braver in battle than Umar and Hamza; who was more wise and gentle than Abu Bakr (RAA); and which women were more graceful and honourable than the wives of the Prophet?

Yes, in these times of increasing technology and information superhighways, it is important to obtain secular knowledge. Also, as a nation, we do need doctors, lawyers and engineers. But we need people who are knowledgeable of their religion first and foremost. What good will it do us to have a nation of professional people who do not know how to make the salah, or to calculate the zakat, or how to perform Hajj?

Ignorance is not bliss. Through it runs the deviant courses of innovation, shirk, disunity and hatred. Knowledge is the key to our success. It give us the power to govern ourselves, our households, and ultimately our communities. A nation, which forgets why it was founded, who it serves and what its responsibilities are, by embracing ignorance, is a nation destined to fail.

Hijab - Raiment of Righteousness

The word hijab comes from the Arabic word ‘hajabah’ meaning to hide from view or to conceal. Women, who conceal their beauty in society and do not give into its oppressive system, are looked upon as oppressed, without sexuality and backward. I'm often mistaken for a nun, an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist, who may be hiding God knows what up under all that stuff, or the poster child for oppressed womanhood everywhere. I feel the hijab for many women, is the truest test of being a Muslim. In instructing us to wear the hijab, Allah has given Muslim women what they can bear as far as injunctions and obligations. For Allah says, "And we do not lay on any soul a burden except to the extent of its ability, and with us is a book which speaks the truth and they shall not be dealt with unjustly." [23:62]

Unfortunately, Satan and his cohorts are calling the Muslim woman to enslave herself to the creation, and to forget about her servitude to her creator. Chastity, modesty and piety are deceptively marketed as shackles on personal freedom. Allah warns the believers that they should not let Satan deceive them, as he deceived their parents, Adam and Eve. Under the guises of fashion, culture and modernism, however, Satan is succeeding in calling the Muslim woman into immodesty.

From the dawn of civilizationon, flowing dresses and headscarves have always been associated with "godliness" or "god consciousness". Even the Christian pictorial representation of the earlier prophets and their women folks bear a familiar likeness to the dress ordained for Muslim men and women. This tradition of modesty is reflected in the Quran wherein Allah says, "O children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better." [7:26]

But since the hay-days of the feminist movement there has been an increasing amount of scrutiny placed on the dress and status of Muslim women. According to these liberated women, the hijab not only covers the head, but also covers the mind, will and intellect. They say that our dress code is outdated and oppressive, and that it stops us from being productive human beings. They speak out of ignorance when they say that our hijab does not belong in these modern times, when due to the constant decrease in moral values in the world today, circumstances make the hijab even more necessary. More than ever before sex crimes are rampant and liberated women in the larger society now face increasingly higher chances of being raped or sexually harassed. In America a rape crime is committed every six minutes.

The women who uncover their beauty and show off their bodies and made-up faces for all to enjoy, expose themselves to be harmed by these wolves in human clothing. Allah enjoined the hijab on the Muslim woman to protect her from harm. He knows his creation and that when women make dazzling displays of themselves with immodest clothes, perfumed bodies and makeup, that it serves to increase the sexual deviance of the overall society. Many of those who are misguided would have us think that the hijab is a portable prison that restricts our minds, lives and hearts. It is none of these things, and in order not to fall victim to their plots we must begin to understand what the hijab truly is.

Surrendering Ourselves to Allah

"But if they dispute with you, say: I have submitted myself entirely to Allah and (so has) everyone who follows me; and say to those who have been given the Book and (to) the unlearned people: Do you submit yourselves?" (3:20)

The word "slave" has very negative connotations in the West. But aspiring to be the most obedient slaves of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT), is the only way to be free in this world and in the next.

When I was trying to pick a name for my son, I considered the two names, Abdullah and Abdur Rahman, that are most recommended by Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam (saw). Both names capture the essence of what eacch of us should strive for: to be obedient slaves of Allah.

I chose AbdurRahman, and even though most people have a hard time pronouncing it, they tend to have a harder time in dealing with its meaning. When I explain that it means "Slave of the Most Merciful." all they hear is the word "slave."

I have to admit that when I first accepted Islam, and someone told me that I was now a slave of Allah, it did make the hair on the back of my neck stand on ends. Slavery in the West carries very bad connotations. The very word stirs up deep and volatile emoptions. The regime of slavery was one of injustice and barbarism, so most people's reaction is, "Slave? I am nobody's slave. I'm a free man/woman, with a will of my own."

What most of them don't realize is, contrary to their belief, they are slaves to one thing or another: drugs, alcohol, sex, work, false desires, or wealth. This kind of slavery is one of injustice to the soul, and it reaps no benefit for the individual in this life or in the hereafter. Allah says, "The Messiah does by no means disdain that he should be a servant of Allah, nor do the angels who are near to Him, and whoever disdains His service and is proud, He will gather them all together to Himself." (4:172)

Your children say that they want to be doctors, lawyers, or engineers when they grow up, but to grow to be good slaves of Allah is the highest and noblest position all of us can aspire for. Allah says about those who surrender themselves to Him in servitude, "And the servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace." (25:63)

Among those who counted themselves among the servants of Allah are all the prophets and messengers, the foremost being our Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. Allah addresses these words to him, “But if they dispute with you, say: I have submitted myself entirely to Allah and (so has everyone who follows me; and say to those who have been given the Book and (to) the unlearned people: Do you submit yourselves? So if they submit then indeed they follow the right way; and if they turn back, then upon you is (the responsibility of) only the delivery of the message and Allah sees the servants.” (3:20)

Just because these men were prophets and messengers of Allah, it doesn’t mean that their total submission was a forgone conclusion. They were human beings just like us, and they would often ask Allah to make them His good slaves. The Prophet Sulaiman, alayhe salam, was not only a mighty prophet, but also the greatest king the world has ever known. Yet Allah says about him, “So he smiled, wondering at her word, and said: My Lord, grant me that I should be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as You are pleased with, and make me enter, by Your mercy, among your righteous slaves.” (27:19)

By giving ourselves to Allah’s servitude, we are granted forgiveness for our sins: “Say, O my servants who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (39:53)

When we remove the shackles of our desires and become true servants of Allah, we acquire His protection from evil and indecency, as He protected His slave and Prophet Yusuf alayhe salam: “And certainly she made for him, and he would have made for her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord; thus (it was) that We might turn away from his evil and indecency, surely he was one of Our sincere servants.” (12:24)

We should also remember that by toiling sincerely in this endeavor, we will, by Allah’s leave, gain entry into Paradise and protection from Hell fire. The glorious Qur’an says, “This is the garden which We cause those of Our servants to inherit who guard (against evil).” (19:63)

The most important characteristic of a devoted slave is obedience. When his Master commands him, he obeys. If he says, come, he comes. If he says go, he goes. His aim is to do only that which will please His Lord. By striving to attain this lofty station, we secure for ourselves ease on a most grievous day. Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, promises, “O My servants, there is no fear for you this day, nor shall you grieve.” (43:68) Insha Allah, this is what we will gain by totally surrendering our souls and ourselves to Allah’s servitude.

Disobeying The Parent Is a Grave Matter

After polytheism, the gravest sin is disobedience to parents. This is an evil that a true Muslim cannot even imagine without even imagine without repulsion. Thankfulness, gentleness and gratitude are the three basic qualities that made one be a good person. One who does not cultivate these basic attitudes within him can neither fulfill his duties towards Allah nor the people: Hence Muslims who are obedient to Almighty Allah can never be disobedient or even careless to their parents.

Abu Bakr narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) asked that should he not warn them against the three major sins? All of them said, “Certainly, O Prophet!” He then said, “To ascribe partners with Allah, to disobey the parents.” Getting up. As he was reclining, he said, “To tell a lie or to give false evidence.” He went on repeating his words for such a long time that we wished him to be silent. (Bukhari and Muslim) In this hadeeth the word “aqooq” has been used, for the disobedience to parents. It is an Arabic words which means carelessness, cruelty, painful attitude and disobedience.

It is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Allah postpones the punishment for one’s sins till the Day of Judgment if He so desires. But He award the punishment for disobeying the parents during this life, before his death."(Authentic, Al-Hakim) This means that the disobedient children will be punished twice; once in this world and secondly in the Hereafter.
In the hadeeth narrated by Thauban, the Prophet (PBUH) indicated that the following three major sins can nullify all other virtues: Ascribing partners with Allah, disobedience to parents and fleeing from Jihad.

DISOBEDIENCE TO MOTHERS
Mughairah bin Shu’bah relates that the Prophet, (PBUH) once said, “Be sure that Allah has forbidden you to disobey your mothers, to be miserly and greedy, and infanticide (burying the new born daughters alive.) And He dislikes you to be talkative and too inquisitive and to waste your belongings.”

It also implies that we should take extreme care of the sentiments, habits, temperament and likes and dislikes of mothers. We should not even imagine being rude and disobedient to her. By serving and obeying our mothers we can be sure of earning the favor of Almighty Allah.
The extent of sufferings resulting from disobedience to mothers can be seen from the following hadeeth: Once, when the Prophet(PBUH) was talking to his companions a man came and addressed him, “O Messenger of Allah ! A young man is breathing his last. People are asking him to recite Shahadah but he is unable to do so.” The Prophet(PBUH) asked, “Did this man offer salah (during his life)?” The answer was yes. Then he accompanied the man to the house of the dying young man along with others present at the time. The man was at the end of his life’s journey. The Messenger of Allah advised him to offer the Shahadah. The man replied that he was unable to do so as the words would not come out of his mouth. He (PBUH) then called for the mother of the dying man whom he had disobeyed persistently. When his aged mother approached the scene, the Prophet (PBUH) asked, ‘Respected lady, is he your son?” She replied yes. He then asked her a question, “O respected lady, if we threaten to throw your son into a raging fire, would you recommend him to be forgiven?” The lady replied that she would definitely do so at that time. The Prophet(PBUH) then said to her, “If so, declare, making Allah and me your witnesses, that you are mow pleased with him.” The old woman readily declared, “O Allah, you and your Messenger be my witness that I am pleased with this beloved son of mine.” Just after that, the Prophet (PBUH) turned to the dying man and asked him to recite, “There is no god but Allah, He is the One and has no partners and I witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.” By the virtue of the forgiveness of his mother, he found the words flowing out of his mouth and he recited the Shahadah. Seeing this, the Prophet (PBUH) praised Almighty Allah and thanked Him saying, “Thanks to Almighty Allah that He saved this man from the fearful fire of Hell through me.” (Tabarani and Ahmad). Acknowledging the great favor of the parents is central to our success in being right with them, as they are the cause of our existence. It will enable us to see ihsan towards the parents as a sign of a healthy, natural disposition.

Unfortunately, sometimes this disposition gets distorted and people start viewing their own existence with resentment. Consequently, they blame their parents for bringing them into this world or that they may not be living at the ease and joy they think they deserve. Human beings existence is due to Allah and to Him alone, for He wills who will be one’s parents, where one will be born, the time of birth and what sustenance will he receive. Our parents have done us a great favor, our Creator has told us not to even show them signs of discontent if they did something we did not like or were wrong about anything. But to pay back their favor by being loving, kind and dutiful to them is the absolute minimum that all us have to do.

So let us Muslims not adapt the attitudes of the popular culture in which we find ourselves, where mothers are nothing more than serving girls and fathers nothing more than errand boys. We must combat what the television and society say about how parents should be treated, by sharing with our children what Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, and His Messenger, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, have said about the rights of parents. and most importantly, we must teach them by setting the best example; by treating our parents with the love, respect, honor and tenderness they deserve. Children imitate what they see, by us being good to our parents, we can hope that our children imitate what they see, by us being good to our parents, we can hope that our children will in turn be good to us.

Keeping Good Friends

For as far back as I can remember, my parents would always admonish my siblings and I to keep good company. My Dad especially had a favorite saying, "Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are."

Needless to say, I was always very conscious, and careful about choosing the right people to surround myself with. In Islam it is doubly true and essential to surround yourself with righteous companions, because they will help to keep your feet planted on the straight path, while doing otherwise may lead you astray.

It was Ahmad ibn Harb, rahimahullaah, who said, "There is nothing more beneficial to a Muslim's heart than to mix with the righteous and to watch their actions, while nothing is more harmful to the heart of the Muslim than mixing with sinners, and watching their actions." No matter who you are, or how strong or independent you may feel, no man, or woman, is an island, and you can't make it through this life alone. This is why Islam so stresses the Jama'ah, or the congregation. The sayings that there is strength in numbers and that it is the lone sheep that gets devoured by the wolf are true.

Therefore we need to adopt correct manners, in that we try ardently never to do an action or to befriend anyone without knowing whether the pleasure of Allah is in it or not, and never loving and hating for worldly reasons. For the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu alayhi wassalaam said, "Whoever loves for Allah, and hates for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah, has completed his faith." (Abu Dawud) So who should be our companions? First of all they should be good Muslims, who believe in Allah and His Messenger. For Allah says in the Qur'an, "And who so obeys Allah and the Messenger [Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wassalaam], then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the prophets, the Siddiqun (those followers of the prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are." [4:69]

Secondly, being around them should make you want to increase in good deeds. Allah ta'ala says, "And We have sent down to you [O Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wasallam], the Book [this Qur'an] in truth, confirming the Scriptures that came before it and Mohayminan [trustworthy in highness and a witness] over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you. To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that [He] may test you in what He has given you; so strive as in a race in good deeds. The return of you [all] is to Allah; then He will inform you about that in which you used to differ." [5:48] By aligning ourselves with people who do good deeds, we are then prompted to compete with them in this regard, and thus improving the character and the religion of everyone involved.

Lastly, but by no means the least, our companions should help us to remember Allah. For Allah ta'ala says, "O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does this, then they are the losers." [63:9] In this time of hustle and bustle, it is very easy for us to get caught up in the pursuit of worldly gains. This is why it is increasingly important to surround ourselves with people, who will encourage us to think of Allah, in every instance of our lives.

The superiority of the remembrance of Allah was explained by the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wasallam, who said, "The example of the one who remembers his Lord, in comparison to the one who does not remember his Lord, is that of a living creature compared to a dead one. (Bukhari)

So let us take stock of the people we spend our time with. Do they fall into the above categories? If our friends aren't doing these things, then what does being with them say about us? We should strive to love those who love Allah, and to hate those who hate Allah, and what He has sent down of guidance for humanity. For the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wasallam said, "Whoever possesses three things will find the sweetness of eman. For Allah and His Messenger to be more beloved to him than anything else; to love a person for Allah's sake alone; and to hate to return to disbelief the way he hates to be thrown into the fire." (Bukhari)

Seize Today, Tomorrow Is Not Ours

Upon hearing about the death of a fellow Muslim, it suddenly struck me how very fleeting life is, and that I was only a twinkling of an eye away from where he is now. Death is the reality from which none of us can escape. It draws nearer every day, every hour, every minute. So I had to ask myself, if I were to die today, would I have done all that I could to ensure Allah's Favor, and to evade His Wrath? Unfortunately for me, the answer was a resounding NOOO.

At the end of the day, I ask myself, what good have I sent ahead for the benefit of my soul? And again, the answers usually, very little. Time, it seems, is moving by so quickly. It seems just like yesterday that we started the "New Year," yet we're already almost a third of the way through it. A month seems like a week, a week seems like an hour and an hour feels like just minutes. This is why I've resolved to try my utmost, with the aid of Allah to take advantage of every opportunity to do good deeds, and not to put off until later, what I can do now. Death is coming, are you ready?

Allah says, "Every soul shall have a taste of death, and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense. Only those who are saved far from the Fire, and admitted to the Garden will have succeeded. For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception." [3:185]

It is so easy for us to get caught up in the comings and goings of our everyday lives, that we tend to forget that we don't have forever in this worldly life, and get distracted away from our true aim and purpose. We tend to forget that we are here to worship Allah and to avail ourselves of the various opportunities He gives us to store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven. For He, subhanahu wa taala, also says, "O you who believe! Revere Allah, and let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow; and revere Allah. Allah is well Aware of what you do. And be not like those who forgot (disobeyed) Allah, and He caused them to forget themselves. Those are the disobedient. Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of Jannah. It is the dwellers of Jannah who will be successful." [59:18-20]

He also tells us that we do not know the hour of our own deaths, or in what land we will die. But He through His unending Mercy toward us, has given us ways to prepare for the inevitable now, because once we've passed from this life to the next, there is no coming back to do the things we should have done. For Allah says, "Until death comes to one of them, he says, 'My Lord, send me back. Perhaps I may do good in that which I have left behind.' No, it is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is a barzakh until the day when they are raised up." [23:99-100]

Allah has given us ways to protect ourselves from the punishment of the grave. One of these ways is by fighting in the Cause of Allah. It is reported that a man asked the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, "O Messenger of Allah, why are all the believers tested in the graves except a martyr?" He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "The flashing of swords over his head was a sufficient test for him." (An-Nasai)

This may be difficult for most of us to do in this day and age, but Allah has provided us with many other ways to earn ease in the next life. These include reciting Surat ul-Mulk, because the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "Surat Tabarak is the protector from the torment of the grave." (Al-Hakim) He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "When a human being dies, all of his deeds are terminated except for three types: an ongoing sadaqh, a knowledge of Islam from which others benefit, and a righteous child who makes du'a for him." (Muslim)

Another way to earn a continuing reward is by reviving a lost Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. He, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "He who initiates in Islam a good way gets his reward for it, as well as rewards similar to those who follow him into it, without reducing any of their rewards." (Muslim) For those of us who know of fellow Muslims who have already begun their journey, or who are about to enter, into the next life, there are things we can do to make the transition easier, insha'Allah. These include performing the Janazah prayer for the deceased, fulfilling the deceased's vows, payment of the deceased's debts and the supplications of the Muslims. This life is fleeting. Death is coming. Let us get ready.

Pumping Up For Spiritual Strength

With the melting of the snow and the arrival of warm breezes ushering the glad tidings of spring, most people take this time to begin pumping up, slimming down and sweating off the excess pounds they may have accumulated over the winter months of inactivity. Although this is commendable, and highly recommended, it strikes me as odd how much time people invest in strengthening and toning their bodies, while their souls are left to become weak and out-of-shape.

As Muslims, we must understand that we are a complete package: mind, body and soul, and neither should be neglected. By pumping up our knowledge, stepping up pur aqeedah, stretching our trust in Allah and double-timing our patience, we give ourselves the workout we need to build spiritual strength and endurance.

One of the greatest ways to attain spiritual strength is through patience in the face of adversity. Allah says, "And we strengthened their hearts with patience, when they stood up and said, our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; we will by no means call upon any god besides Him, for then indeed we should have said an extravagant thing." [18:14]

When our burdens seem to way us down, and our loads seem too heavy to bear, it is with patience that we learn that Allah will help us through all things. It is only with patience in the face of adversity that our faith increases, and we find our what we are really made of. To make gold pure and strong, it is passed through a roaring fire. The same applies to the servants of Allah; it is by passing us through the flames of calamities and despair that Allah intends to purify and strengthen us. Difficulties and hardships are blessings to the slaves who are patient, for they serves as dumb-bells for the soul.

Another way to give strength to the soul is to cultivate a total and complete trust in Allah. He, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says, "Those believers unto the people (hypocrites) said, 'Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore fear them.' But it only increased them in faith, and they said, 'Allah (alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs." [3:173]

As Muslims, we must trust in Allah's Wisdom, not only in the running of the Universe, but also in the everyday circumstances of our lives. How many times do we say, 'Allah knows best,' but as soon as things don't go our way, and according to our well-laid plans, does it becomes we know best? Allah says, "The believers ore only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His verses are recited unto them, they (the verses) increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)." [8:2]

Servants of Allah, we have to trust that our Guardian Lord wants only what is best for our now and our hereafter; trust that He sees what we cannot see, and know that He never deals with His slaves unjustly. By acknowledging and understanding these things, it gives us the standing to be fearless to anyone or anything except Allah. Understanding of, aqeedah, of the Deen and of Allah, lends strength to the believers. "Allah strengthens with His aid who He pleases, most surely there is a lesson in this for those who have sight." [3:13]

Who are the people who have sight? They are those who know truth from falsehood, and follow the truth. By correctly understanding this deen: it's requirements, sanctions and prohibitions, we guard ourselves against the weakness of falsehood. Truth and understanding will always defeat untruth and misunderstanding. By having the correct aqeedah, we have the strength and the ability to convey and explain this religion with certainty and conviction.

Certainly, the best way to pump up a flabby, out-of-shape soul is to increase it in knowledge. Allah says, "And whenever a chapter is revealed, there are some of them who say, 'which of you has it increased in faith?' Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice." [9:124]

Striving for knowledge leads to growth and certainty. Jundub ibn Abdullah, Ibn Umar and others said, "We learned emaan, then we learned the Qur'an and we increased in emaan." [Sharh Qasidat Ibn ul-Qayyim] This knowledge refers to Allah. His names, attributes, actions and life. It also means knowledge of the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) his character, his manners, the legislation he enacted, his method of worship, jihad and treatment of the people. It also indicates knowledge of Allah's Book and the stories, example, admonitions, wisdom and truth it contains.

So as the days become longer and warmer, and as we sweat to get ourselves back into some semblance of physical fitness, let's not forget that our souls require workouts too, for Allah says,
"The possessor of strength, having an honorable place with the Lord of the Dominion." [81:20]
Let us sweat and toil then, for this honorable place with our Lord.

Promises Promises

No two words can invoke as much hope and confidence as, "I promise." As children we are taught that promises are unbreakable pledges which cannot be defaulted on under any circumstances. But, as we grow older, the old adage of, "promises were meant to be broken," more often justifies the lack of commitment and follow-through placed behind these two words. Sometimes we forget that a promise, is like a pledge or a vow, and that it should be given only if we are absolutely sure that we can fulfill it.

As Muslims, our word should be our bond, and if we make promises, then we should also make sure that we keep them, for Allah says, "...Surely every promise shall be questioned about." [17:39]

How many times have we heard brothers and sisters who have just gotten married talk of the promises they have made to each other? She promises that she will always look her best when he's at home, that the house will be immaculate at all times and that she will be the model of obedience. He promises that he will help her maintain their home, help her with the children and that he will practically be the poster boy for "Great Husbands Inc."

If we revisit these very couples six-to-eight months later, we find a much different picture than the one painted only a few short months ago. We often find neither of them living up to the promises that they made, and this is usually the cause of much conflict and tension in many new marriages. Brothers and sisters, we must be careful to guard the promises we make to each other for Allah says, "Whoever fulfills his promise and guards (against evil), Surely Allah loves those who guard (against evil)." [3:76]

Broken promises in a marital relationship can lead to many problems. When promises are broken, it breaks down the fragile walls of trust and confidence that must be maintained in order for the relationship to flourish. Sisters, if you promised that the dinner would be ready by the time he got home, then make sure that it is. Brothers, if you promised to cut the grass, then make sure you do that, before you go off to do something else. What may seem like a little thing to you, may be something quite big to someone else. By guarding our promises, we also guard the integrity of our relationships. This in turn fosters a more secure sense of reliability, trust and confidence, and serves to diffuse tensions and conflicts. Allah says, "They fulfill vows and fear a day the evil of which shall be spreading far and wide." [76:7]

Let us fulfill our vows with this fear in mind. Let us not forget that even though we are neglectful, our scribe angels are not. If a brother comes to you in the mosque and asks a favor of you, and you say yes, just because you said inshaAllah, that does not give you permission to break that verbal agreement. So many of us use inshaAllah, as a way to get out of implicit or explicit verbal agreements we have made with each other. Many of us use inshaAllah to say yes, when in our hearts we actually mean no. As Muslims, we are honour-bound to be truthful with each other, and we should always say what we mean, and mean what we say.

To no other group of individuals are broken promises more devastating, than to children. Children are like elephants, they almost never forget. If you promise a child something, they will remember that promise, even though they may not verbalize it to you. When a child knows that you are a person of your word, then it comes to trust and depend on you in a secure way. But, when a child finds out that you are not a person of your word, this can leave numerous hidden scars that can lead to a number of behavioral and disciplinary problems.

Abdullah said, "Lies are of no use in either seriousness or jest. Also, it is not right for someone to promise something to his/her child/children and then fail to fulfill that promise." Related by Abu Dawood.

By keeping our promises to our children, we are also teaching them the importance of honour and commitment. By keeping our word to them, they will in turn learn to keep promises made to us and to their peers. As parents, we must always remember that the old saying, "do as I say, not as I do," does not work. Children model themselves after behavior, and they will always do what they see their parents doing. By keeping our promises to our children, we also reinforce in them a sense of importance and belonging, and a knowledge that their feelings count too.
Allah says, "And whatever alms you give or (whatever) vow you vow, Surely Allah knows and the unjust shall have no helper." [2:270]

So, let us then not be among the unjust. Let us be always mindful of the vows and promises we make to each other, so that through them we can tighten the bonds that hold us together.

Being Thankful To Allah

The other day while watching a network news program, I saw a Muslim woman in Kosova with her six-month-old infant, who was covered in sores and suffered from a malady of illnesses, all because it had not had a bath since its birth.

The mother explained that because of the heavy fighting, she and her family had been on the move constantly, and that luxurious such as decent food and clean water were not available to them. As the mother of a six-month-old infant myself, this struck to the very heart of me. Bath time for my son and I, is a very special time filled with play and laughter. It's a ritual we share everyday, and the fact that I would have clean water with which to bathe him, was something, until then, every time I bath my son, I try to remember to thank Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, for His Mercy to me. It also reminds me to be thankful for all the other "little things," that I take for granted everyday.

From the very beginning of Man's creation, the issue of gratefulness and thankfulness to Allah has been debated. After refusing to bow to Adam, Satan said,
"Then I will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from the right-hand side and from the left-hand side, and You (Allah) shall not find most of them thankful."[7:17]

This statement from the worst of Iiars has proven to be true, not only among the disbelievers, but also among the Muslims. Unfortunately, we Muslims have fallen into the trap of Satan, and have gotten so caught up in our comings and goings, that we very rarely take the time to reflect on the Favors of Allah, and to thank Him with the thanks that is due Him. We are so busy conducting our daily lives that we forget who is really in-charge, and from where our sustenance comes. This is not the way, for Allah says,
"Therefore remember Me, I will remember you,And be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me." [The Noble Qur'aan [2:152]]

The problem that most of us face is what I call the, "if I only" Syndrome. If I only had a better wife, I would be grateful. If I only had sons instead of daughters, I would be grateful. If I only had a bigger house, a better car, more money, a better job, and the list goes on and on. We are constantly focused on the things we don't have, instead of being grateful to Allah for the things we do have.

This is a very serious illness, for which the Prophet (Pbuh) has given the cure. He, peace be upon him, admonished us, in terms of worldly things to always look to those beneath us, for this will keep us thankful. Allah says about the Prophet (Pbuh) that in him we have the best of examples. In terms of showing us how to be thankful to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, he is as Allah says. It is narrated by al-Mughira that the Prophet,(Pbuh) used to stand (in the salah) or performs salah until both his feet or legs swelled. He was asked why (he offered such an unbearable salah) he said, "Should I not be a thankful slave." [Bukhari]

As the Prophet (Pbuh) advised us, the best way to stay thankful to Allah is to count His Favours in our lives everyday. For Allah says, "And He gives you all that you ask for. But if you count the favors of Allah, never will you be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude."[The Noble Qur'aan [14:34]

This statement of Allah is so true, yet we put so little value on it, and do not take heed.
The very fact that we got up this morning, that we can offer the salah that we had breakfast, that we have clothes to wear, water to bathe ourselves, that we have homes to shelter us from the elements, that we have our health, our families, etc., etc., etc., are all favors from Allah, subhanahu wa ta'aala. We should take non of it for granted, or become arrogant enough to believe that we attained any of it because of our own efforts alone.

Thankfulness frees the heart from greed, jealousy and envy. When we are thankful to Allah, we remain mindful of Him and His continuos Mercy toward us, and this in return humbles us and improves our characters. The very fact that Allah has guided us to Islam and the sunnah of His Prophet (Pbuh) in itself should be a source of continual praise. Allah says, "Surely We have shown him the way: he may be thankful or unthankful."[The Noble Qur'aan (76:3)]

Allah also says that only few of His servants thank Him. Let us then strive to be among these few by keeping our tongues wet with His remembrance and our hearts soft with His praise.

Cleanliness is a Part of Our Faith

Not that long ago, when Europe was in its Golden Age, civilization, it seemed was at its peak and perfection. It was also during this time of pomp and pageantry, that it was not uncommon for men and women of the aristocracy to wear lice and mouse traps on their bodies, because to immerse oneself bodily into water, (i.e., to take a bath), was deemed unhealthy. Powdered wigs covered shaved heads due to lice infestations, and heavy perfumes barely covered the pungent smells of unwashed bodies.

Cleanliness had very little to do with that civilization, but it has everything to do with ours. Unfortunately, the Muslims are backtracking to a darker period, when to be clean, in our bodies, our homes, and our communities, was looked upon as a small thing. But as the old saying goes, cleanliness is godliness, and as we profess to be the true worshippers of the One, true God, Allah, then our nation should be the cleanest. Cleanliness, however, does not stop at the physical level; we must also strive to keep our minds, our hearts and our intentions free from the filth of sin.

It was narrated by Abu Malik al-Ash'ari that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, said, "Cleanliness is half of faith and Alhamdulillah fills the scale, and SubhanaAllah and Alhamdulillah fill up what is between the heavens and the earth. Salah is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves." (Muslim).

Here the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, is telling us that cleanliness is half of faith, therefore it should not be taken lightly. Yet, how many Muslim brothers go to the masjids to offer their salahs, and annoy their brothers, their Lord, and His Angels, by not making the proper wudu or ghusl? It is narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, said, "If I had not found it hard for my followers or the people, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with siwak for every salah." (Bukhari and Muslim).

Keeping our persons clean is very important in this deen, but our level of cleanliness should not be skin deep. Our level of cleanliness needs to go beyond the outer self to touch our minds, our hearts and our souls.

Because there is a lot of filth in societies we line, it is easy to get dirty. Before we know it, all sorts of crazy things are running through our minds and our hearts are occupied with concerns and desires of this worldly life. But Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says, "Lo! We purified them with a pure thought, remembrance of the Home (of the Hereafter)." [38:46] The way to keep our minds and our hearts clean is through the constant remembrance of Allah and the Home of the Hereafter. When our minds are full of thikr, there is no room for unclean thoughts. When our hearts are full of dhikr, there is no room for lust, envy and jealousy.

Once we begin to re-emphasize this Sunnah in our lives, we will also see it manifesting itself in our homes and in our communities. So many so-called Muslim communities and homes are kept in such a way that not even the disbelievers would want to live there. The masjids are filthy, and the areas outside the masajid are littered with paper and garbage, yet this is where we stand and pray. How can we pray in filth? This is not the way of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam. It was narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin, that the Apostle of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, commanded us to build mosques in different localities (i.e. in the locality of each tribe separately) and that they should be kept clean and be perfumed. (Abu Dawoud).

Sisters, our homes serve as our Masjids, they should be clean. Brothers, if you see paper, pick it up, and know that your reward is with Allah. For Abu Hurairah narrated that a black person, a male or a female used to clean the Mosque and then died. The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wasallam, did not know about it. One day the Prophet remembered him and asked, "What happened to that person?" The people replied, "O Allah's Apostle, he died." He said, "Why did you not inform me?" They said, "His story was so and so (i.e., regarded him as insignificant)." He said, "Show me his grave." He then went to his grave and offered the funeral salah. (Bukhari).

Cleanliness is godliness, for Allah says, "O you who believe! When you rise up for salah, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if you are unclean, purify yourselves ... Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that you may give thanks." [5:6]