Astaghfirallah… Bismillahi Tawakkaltu al-Allah wala haula wa la quata illa billah.---And It is Only Allah Who grants success. May Allah Exalt the mention of His slave and Messenger Muhammad, and render him, his household and companion safe from Evil.
If a person for whom Jumu’ah is obligatory does not attend and does not have a valid excuse, this is a major sin. Whoever does not attend three Jumu’ahs (in a row) out of negligence has a seal placed over his heart and is regarded as one of the ghaafileen (negligent, heedless).
Muslim narrated in his Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah and Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), that they heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them) say from his minbar: “People should definitely stop neglecting Jumu’ah, or else Allaah will most certainly seal their hearts and they will most certainly be among the ghaafileen.”
Let each Muslim fear Allaah and not miss performing one of the obligatory duties enjoined by Him, lest he expose himself to the punishment of Allaah; let him adhere to that which Allaah has made obligatory so that he may earn the reward of Allaah. And Allaah bestows His Bounty upon whomsoever He wills.
Hurting one's parents immensely (^uquq) is among the major sins. Allah threatened the one who does it with severe torture in Hellfire. This means to harm either or both parents immensely (causing them a lot of pain). Hurting one's parents is unlawful whether it is severe or light.
Among the examples of harming one's parents is to: curse, or insult them both or either one.
Among what is also considered unlawful is if the son obeys his mother in doing injustice to his father or vice versa. It does not benefit him if he obeyed his mother and yet harmed his father, because there should be no obedience to a human by disobeying Allah, the Creator. In summary, helping either parent in doing injustice to the other is sinful.
Wa qada Rabbuka alla ta^budu illa iyyahu wa bil-walidayni ihsana. Imma yablughanna ^indakal-kibara ahaduhuma aw kilahuma fala taqul lahuma uffiw wala tanharhuma waqul lahuma qawlan karima.
Which means: {Allah orders not to worship except Him and to treat one's parents kindly. If one of them is alive and old or both are alive (and old), do not say "uff" to them and do not address them with harsh words. Be humble and compassionate and address them with nice and gentle words.}
Allah, ta^ala, made it unlawful to say to one's parents "uff ", which indicates one is bothered by them. Allah ordered one to say to one's parents a generous and gentle saying, more so when they are old. Also, Allah orders to speak to one's parents in a respectful manner.
The torture of one who hurts one's parents immensely: The torture of the one who hurts one's parents immensely is very great, to the extent that one will not be among the first people to enter Paradise. Rather, one will enter it after being tortured, if Allah did not forgive one; this is because it is among the major sins.
The Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:
لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ عَاقٌّ
La yadkhulul-Jannata ^aqq.
Which means: "The one who harms one's parents immensely will not enter Paradise," i.e., this means that one is not among the first batch of people to enter Paradise. It does not mean that one is a blasphemer and will not be admitted to Paradise. (Narrated by al-Bukhariyy.)
The following are two ayahs from the Qur'an that encourage treating one's parents well:
Allah, ta^ala, said in the Qur'an:
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا
Wa wassaynal-insana biwalidayhi hamalat-hu ummuhu wahnan ^ala wahn, wa fisaluhu fi ^amayni anishkur li wa liwalidayka ilayyal-masir.
Ayah 14 of Surat Luqman means: {Allah urges one to treat one's parents nicely, for one's mother carries one in her womb with all the weakness that she receives from that, and she nurses one up to two years. Hence, one needs to be thankful to God and thankful to one's parents.}
Wa^budullaha wala tushriku bihi shay'aw wa bil-walidayni ihsana.
Which means: {Worship God without associating any partner to Him, and treat your parents in a good way.}
Know that no matter how much one was keen to perform the five prayers, to fast, and to perform similar acts of obedience, if one inflicts immense harm to one's parents by words or deeds, one will not be among the pious Muslims. So be careful to treat your parents right and be keen to avoid harming them.
The shop keeper looked at the small cute child and showed him a bottle with sweets and said 'Dear Child...you can take some of these sweets...
but the child didnt take them. The shop keeper was surprised, such a small child he is and why is he not taking the sweets from the bottle. Again he said take the sweets...this time the mother also heard that and said... beta take the sweets.
Yet he still didnt take any...
The shopkeeper seeing the child not taking the sweets... he himself took the sweets and gave to them to the child... the child was happy to get two hands full of sweets.
When they returned back home, Mother asked the child... Why didnt you take the sweets... when shop keeper told you to take...
Can you guess the response:-
Child replies... Mom! my hands are very small and if i take the sweets I can only take a few.. but now you see when the kind shop keeper gave with his big hands...
how many more sweets i got!
Moral: When we take we may get little but when God gives... HE gives us more, beyond our expectations.... more than what we can hold..........
The Prophet Muhammad (upon him be blessings and peace) said, "The hearts are in the fingers of the Merciful One, He turns them as He wishes." (Muslim and Ahmad)
It is essential for us, an Islamic studies teacher of mine once told me, as Muslims, to know and understand the workings and composition of our hearts. In that, if our hearts are corrupt; if our intentions are corrupt, such deceit will follow in our actions. Similarly, if our hearts and intentions are pure, our actions are sure to be of purity. For how will a fruit tree bare fragrant and delicious fruit if it's roots, underground, have decayed?
The thought of taking a break from my egotism, forgetting about any Year worries, or any plans for the next week or chores that were waiting for me once I returned home, and focusing only on purifying and elucidating my intentions regarding every single act I was to carry out from that moment on, was simultaneously frightening and refreshing. It felt as if I had taken a deep breath and made a promise to strive to ensure every one of my intentions were not shadowed by a worldly desire or gain; to make sure all I do is for my Creator, irrevocably. For He controls my heart and my heart belongs only to Him.
Although, since growing up Alhumdulilah as a Muslim, in a household which set in stone the practice of prayer and fasting and the like, I had always known all I do must be for Allah subhana Wa ta'ala, yet I had never before seen it in such a light, a light of unmitigated submission. The removal of a burden I did not previously know was on my shoulders; the realization and appreciation of the concept of "Tawakkul" (reliance and trust in Allah subhana Wa ta'ala).
The Messenger of Allah, (upon him be blessings and peace) said, "How wonderful it is for a believer that he always ends up with goodness: If he suffers and remains steadfast, it is rewarding; if good things happen and he thanks Allah, that is also rewarding." (Muslim)
The concept of tawakkul hand in hand with the concept of sabr and shukr, patience and thankfulness, leaves to the soul contentment. What worry is there to further consume oneself with, if the comprehension of reliance upon Allah subhana Wa ta'ala is constantly invigorated in one's mind? Knowing that the feeling of grief, of frustration, of anxiousness, of pain is not an unbearable burden, knowing that it Allah's subhana Wa ta'ala Will for us to feel such emotions because He has created us in such a way. We must not forget our significance in this world.
Al-Mustaurad bin Shaddad (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (upon him be blessings and peace) saying, 'By Allah, (the luxuries of) this world in comparison to the hereafter is nothing but as though one of you dipped his finger in the sea. So ponder how much (of sea water), the finger returns with'. (Muslim)
This is ultimately a reminder to first and foremost myself, in that it is elemental to continuously remind ourselves of our purpose and our duty of reliance and thankfulness to Allah subhana Wa ta'ala, so that in doing so, our intentions are authentic. Let the hearts be pure.
Say: "It is the grace and mercy of Allah (that He has sent this Qur'an), so let the people rejoice over it, for it is better than (the worldly riches) they are collecting." Sura Al-Younus-58
A society built upon the parameters of Quran is a virtuous one... In surah Al-Araf
30. Some He hath guided: Others have (by their choice) deserved the loss of their way; in that they took the evil ones, in preference to Allah, for their friends and protectors, and think that they receive guidance.
31. O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters.
32. Say: Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He hath produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He hath provided) for sustenance? Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment. Thus do We explain the signs in detail for those who understand.
Friday Prayer is very important in Islam. It has got its own moral, social and political benefits. It is obligatory for every Muslim except women, children, seriously ill people and travelers. They can pray Jumah but it is not obligatory on them.
Allah says in Quran: O you who believe! when the call is made for prayer on Friday, then hasten to the remembrance of God and leave off business; that is better for you, if you know. (Qur'an 62:9)
And when the prayer is ended, then disperse in the land and seek of Allah's bounty, and remember Allah much, that ye may be successful. (Qur'an 62:10)
Prophet Muhammad (saww) said: "A person who leaves 3 Friday prayers consecutively, Allah puts a seal on his heart." (Ahmad, Tirmizi, abu Dawud).
1. Abu Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, " One who memorized the first ten verses of Suratul Kahf will be secure against the Dajjal. Another version says: "One who commits to his memory the last 10 verses of this surah will remain immune from the Dajjal. [Sahih Muslim; Chapter134, Book 4, Number 1766,1767]
2. Whoever recites the Surah al Kahf on a Friday, a light will be created for him until the next Friday [Al Hakim and Al Bayhaqi - Sahih]
3. Al Baraa' said a man was reading Suratul Kahf in his home and there was an animal in it (it did not specify if it was a cat or dog or goat -- it just used the general term for animal) that started to become uneasy or nervous. He looked up and saw a mist or a cloud and it deceived him. He mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he said, "Read (he said the person's name) for verily sakinah descends for (the recitation of) Qur'an". [Al Bukhari, Muslim]
