The Rights of Parents

A Friday Khutbah from Makkah beautifully captures the rights of parents! A very important reminder for us!

Makkah Friday Khutbah on Parents

Heavy in Balance

" And the weighing on that day (Day of Resurrection) will be the true (weighing). So as for those whose scale (of good deeds) will be heavy, they will be the successful (by entering Paradise). " (Quran 7:8)

Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "(There are) two words (expressions or sayings) which are dear to the Most Gracious (Allah) and very easy for the tongue to say, but very heavy in the balance. They are:

' Subhaanal-laahi wa bihamdihi, Subhaanal-laahil -'Azeem. ' "

('Glorified is Allah and praised is He, Glorified is Allah the Most Great')

(Al-Bukhari)

So we should remember to say these two powerful expressions as much as possible when we are engaged in our daily activities. 

Supplication

The last ten nights of Ramadan are coming! Let's maximize this opportunity by asking Allah to bestow his Forgiveness and Mercy on all of us. We should strive our best to seek Laylat al-Qadr, a night better than a thousand months.

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "I asked Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): 'O Messenger of Allah! If I realize the Night of Decree, what should I supplicate in it?' He replied, 'You should supplicate:

Allahumma Innaka 'Afuwwun, Tuhibbul-'Afwa, Fa 'fu 'Anni 
"O Allah! You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me."
 (At-Tirmidhi)

Ramadan: Beneficial Reminders

"The month of Ramadân in which was revealed the Qur'ân, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)." (Quran 2: 185)

The blessed month of Ramadan is here, providing us a great opportunity to increase the weight of our good deeds and to ask forgiveness from Allah. It is a month when the gates of Paradise are opened and gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained up. It is a month with a night better than a thousand months. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever observes fasting in Ramadan with firm belief and hope of reward, his past sins will be forgiven" (Al-Bukhari)

It is time for us to think about how we are going to pass this month of Barakah (blessings). Let's try to take full advantage of this month's blessings by increasing our good deeds insh'Allah. And let's try to continue our good deeds after Ramadan as well insh'Allah. This month is a time to train ourselves, develop good habits and to continue them for the rest of our lives.

Here are some beneficial reminders to keep in mind:

1)  When we are in the state of fasting, we need to safeguard ourselves from our sins and shortcomings.  It is very important to avoid all evil deeds such as false speech, backbiting, lies, obscene behavior, slandering and absurd acts. Narrated Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever does not give up lying speech - false statements (i.e. telling lies) and acting on those (lies), and evil actions, etc., then Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (Al-Bukhari).

 He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: "Fasting is shield; so on a day that one is fasting, he should not indulge in offensive behavior or arguing; if anyone verbally abuses him or provokes him, he should say: 'I am fasting.'" (Al Bukhari and Muslim)

2) We should also strive to perform the Night Prayer. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays Night Prayer in Ramadan, with firm belief and expecting a reward for it, his previous sins are forgiven" (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

The benefits of praying at night are abundant. Narrated Abu Huraira, Allah's Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Every night when it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Superior, the Blessed, descends to the nearest heaven and says: Is there anyone to invoke Me that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone asking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?. " (Al-Bukhari )

3) We should strive to be generous and pursue charitable deeds. Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: Allah's Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him the Qur'an. Allah's Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)  was the most generous person, even more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind (in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds). (Al - Bukhari)

In another version of the hadith,  narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous person, and he used to become more so (generous) particularly in the month of Ramadan because Gabriel used to meet him every night of the month of Ramadan till it elapsed. Allah's Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite the Qur'an for him. When Gabriel met him, he used to become more generous than the fast wind in doing good. (Al-Bukhari)

This hadith teaches us that doing charitable deeds and acts of kindness is particularly virtuous during Ramadan. Hence we should hasten to be generous and spend our wealth on those who are poor and needy during this blessed month!

4) From the above hadith we also learn that it will be very beneficial for us to increase the recitation of the Quran.  In addition to reciting the Quran in Arabic, we should try to read the Noble Quran in a language we understand best to comprehend the meaning, reflect on its verses and to try to implement its teachings in our daily lives.

5) Another deed we should strive to do is to provide food/drink to another person to break their fast. As Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "He who provides a fasting person something with which to break his fasting, will earn the same reward as the one who was observing the fast, without diminishing the reward of the latter at all" (At-Tirmidhi)

6) Try to perform Umrah in Ramadan. Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned after performing his Hajj, he asked Um Sinan Al-Ansari, "What did forbid you to perform Hajj?" She replied, "Father of so-and-so (i.e. her husband) had two camels and he performed Hajj on one of them, and the second is used for the irrigation of our land." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said (to her), "Perform 'Umra in the month of Ramadan, (as it is equivalent to Hajj or Hajj with me (in reward)." (Bukhari)

7) Finally we should spend the last ten days of Ramadan searching for the Night of Decree, a night which is better than one thousand months. Allah says:

"The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allâh in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months)" (Quran 97: 3)

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not to show off) then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Al-Bukhari)

Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us to search for the Night of Decree in the odd nights of the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Narrated 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): Allah's Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan." (Al-Bukhari)

              

It was the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to spend the last ten nights of Ramadan in worship. Narrated 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "When the last ten nights (of Ramadan) began, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would keep awake at night (for prayer and devotion), awaken his family and prepare himself to be more diligent in worship" (Muslim)

In another version of the Hadith, 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to strive more (in worship) during the last ten nights of Ramadan than he did during any other time". (Muslim)

Hence we should struggle to spend the last ten nights of Ramadan worshipping Allah in the most diligent manner. Let's spend the last nights standing in prayer, remembering Allah and making supplications. Whoever is deprived of the goodness of the Night of Decree is indeed deprived.

8)  Another important reminder is that we should pursue all righteous deeds purely for the sake of Allah and seeking His Pleasure alone!

Sources:
-'Ramadan Excellent Merits and Virtuous Deeds' written by Hafiz Salah-ud-Din Yusuf
-'Treatises Zakat and Fasting' by Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz

What is Islam?

Islam is a monotheistic religion with over one billion followers all over the world. Islam means 'submission to the will of Allah'. Muslims believe that the Quran is the word of God (Allah) and the Truth revealed to the final prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Islam governs every aspect of life and teaches man to adhere to righteous deeds while restraining from all evil.  Allah says in the Quran:

"Alif Lam Ra. A Book which We have revealed unto thee in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light― by the leave of their Lord― to the Way of (Him) Exalted in Power, Worthy of all Praise!" (Quran 14:1)

There is a misconception that Islam is a new religion which came into existence nearly 1400 years ago and that Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the founder of this religion. This is not the case as Islam has existed since man set foot on earth and Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is not the founder of Islam, rather he is the last and final Messenger of God. Throughout ages, Allah has sent many Prophets and Messengers to His devotees in order to invite them to the worship of Allah and Allah alone, to order them not to ascribe partners unto Him and bring them out of the darkness of polytheism into the light of Monotheism. Allah says in the Quran:

"For We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger, (with the Command) "Serve Allah, and eschew Evil": of the people were some whom Allah guided, and some on whom Error became inevitably (established). So travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth)." (Quran 16:36)

All the previous revelations were sent for a particular group of people and was supposed to be followed till a particular time period. However the last and final revelation is the Quran, revealed to the last messenger Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for the whole of mankind. Allah says:

" Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He that giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believed in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided." "(Quran 7:158)

So the aim of sending these Prophets and Messengers to men and jinn was only that they should worship Allah Alone, as Allah says:

"I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve Me."  (Quran 51:56)

And to worship Allah means to obey Him and to do all He has ordained and to fear Him by abstaining from all that He has forbidden. This present realm of existence contains trials and tests for each individual. However after death, the final destination  for all is either Paradise or Hell.  As Allah says:

"But those who have faith and work righteousness, they are Companions of the Garden therein shall they abide (for ever)" (Quran 2:82)

"And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true. But if ye cannot and of a surety ye cannot then fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, which is prepared for those who reject Faith." (Quran 2: 23-24)

A full copy of the Quran can be found online here:

http://quranexplorer.com/Quran/Default.aspx

Sources:
- Some material extracted from a public lecture by Dr. Zakir Naik

- Islam QA

-Appendix II in Translation of the meanings of the Noble Quran in the English Language, By Dr. M. Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan (Islamic University, Al-Madinah Al- Munawwara).