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Issue: "107"
Section:
ID: "4"
SName: "General"
url: "general"
SOrder: "1"
Content: "\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n
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\r\n Observe fasting on all or some of \r\n these days, particularly on the Day of Arafah. \r\n The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever Observes \r\n fast on the Day of Arafah, I expect Allah to forgive his \r\n (her) sins that were committed during the preceding year, \r\n and the sins that will be committed in the year after. (Muslim) \r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n Offering the \r\n sacrificial animal during the day of sacrifice and the Days \r\n of Tashreeq. It is the practice of our father \r\n Ibrahim, may Allah exalt him, in commemoration of the occasion \r\n when Allah ransomed Ibrahim's son, Ismael, with a large \r\n ram. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "He \r\n who has the capacity but chooses not to sacrifice may \r\n not approach our prayer place (on Eid)." \r\n (Ibn Maajah, Ahmad)\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n
| \r\n QURAN \r\n \r\n |
Translation:
\r\n"O \r\n you who believe! Remember Allah's Favour upon you; when \r\n there came against you armies, and We sent against them \r\n a wind and forces that you saw not. And Allah is Ever All-Seer \r\n of what you do.
\r\nWhen \r\n they came upon you from above you and from below you, and \r\n when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, \r\n and you were harbouring doubts about Allah. There, the believers \r\n were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking."
\r\n[Al-Quran- \r\n Sura Al-Ahzab 33:9]
\r\nTafseer:
\r\nHISTORICAL BACKGROUND- \r\n BATTLE OF THE DITCH (KHANDAQ)
\r\n- \r\n
- These moving verses were \r\n revealed after the Battle of Khandaq (Trench) \r\n when the enemies of Islam broke their peace treaties and \r\n joined forces to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him) \r\n and his followers once and for all. \r\n
- The superpowers of the \r\n time, the Quraysh, gathered over 12000 troops from among \r\n the disbelieving tribes and the Prophet (pbuh) only managed \r\n to gather 3000 from among the Muslims to fight these Ahzab \r\n (Confederates). \r\n
- In addition, there were \r\n many hypocrites among the Muslims who did not want to \r\n go out to fight, claiming they only feared for the safety \r\n of their families. \r\n
- The Prophet (peace be \r\n upon him) and his companions themselves had to dig a trench \r\n around the city to prevent the huge armies from overtaking \r\n them suddenly and the Muslims were in a state of fear \r\n and confusion. \r\n
- The Quraysh had even \r\n sent spies into the Muslim ranks to further confuse them \r\n and boast about the strength of the Kafir armies. \r\n
- It is this state of utter \r\n weakness that Allah describes: when the eyes grew wild \r\n at the sight of the enemy descending upon them from every \r\n direction around them, and the hearts were as if reaching \r\n to the throats in cold fear, so much so that some even \r\n began to doubt Allah! \r\n
- The hypocrites when faced \r\n with this test said: “Allah and His Messenger promised \r\n us nothing but delusions!” but the true believers said: \r\n “This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us! \r\n They had spoken the truth” and it only increased them \r\n in Iman. \r\n
- The decision rested solely \r\n with Allah and Allah never abandons His true servants, \r\n those who even in the most hopeless of situations put \r\n their trust in Him, even while their souls are “shaken \r\n with a mighty shaking.” \r\n
- It was then that Allah \r\n sent down His Command: bitter winds shook the camps and \r\n spirits of the enemies of Islam uprooting their very bases \r\n and armies of angels descended into the Muslim ranks, \r\n strengthening and supporting them, until the Believers \r\n were again victorious! \r\n
LESSON & OUR CONDITION \r\n TODAY:
\r\n - \r\n
- How often we forget these \r\n Sunan (ways) of Allah! It is not the size of \r\n the armies, or the power of weapons, or technology, or \r\n material wealth or social status that gives victory. It \r\n is what is in the hearts of believing men and women that \r\n is the final criterion. \r\n
- When we see the state \r\n of Muslims around us today, we are faced with the same \r\n options the Muslims around the Prophet (pbuh) were faced \r\n with: \r\n
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- either we abandon \r\n our duties to Allah and His Deen for fear of appearing \r\n weak or some material loss or temporary hardship, \r\n
- or we realize that \r\n these are trials from Allah, the Most-Merciful, to \r\n make manifest in this world who are the true Mo’mins \r\n (believers) so that in the Hereafter the hypocrites \r\n have no excuses that Allah did not give them a chance \r\n to prove themselves! \r\n
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[Written by Br. \r\n Taha Ghaznavi, McMaster University, Hamilton. Based \r\n on a lecture by Dr. Ahmad Sakr, http://islamicity.com/audio/ra201/) \r\n ] \r\n
\r\n | \r\n What \r\n can YOU do in these Ten Days? \r\n |
Do \r\n Dhikr in the First Ten Days of the Month of Dhul \r\n Hijjah
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\r\n Reciting \r\n Takbeer (saying Allahu \r\n Akbar), and Dhikr \r\n (remembrance) in these days is significant, as Allah \r\n said: "And mention the name of Allah in certain days" \r\n [Al-Baqarah 2:203]. These certain days are said \r\n to be the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. \r\n
\r\n The Prophet \r\n (peace be upon him) said: "The best day is the Day \r\n of Arafah. There are no days during which good \r\n deeds are greater or more beloved to Allah than these ten \r\n days. So recite more often the Tahleel \r\n (Laa Ilaaha Illallah) , Takbeer (Allahu \r\n Akbar), Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah)." \r\n It is said that Ibn Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be \r\n pleased with them) used to go out to the marketplaces \r\n during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah and recited \r\n out loud the Takbeer and people would repeat it \r\n after them.
\r\n Can't \r\n Miss the Fast on the Day of Arafah! \r\n
\r\n \r\n Observe fasting on all or some of \r\n these days, particularly on the Day of Arafah. \r\n The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever Observes \r\n fast on the Day of Arafah, I expect Allah to forgive his \r\n (her) sins that were committed during the preceding year, \r\n and the sins that will be committed in the year after. (Muslim) \r\n
Sacrifice \r\n on the Day of Eid
\r\n \r\n Offering the \r\n sacrificial animal during the day of sacrifice and the Days \r\n of Tashreeq. It is the practice of our father \r\n Ibrahim, may Allah exalt him, in commemoration of the occasion \r\n when Allah ransomed Ibrahim's son, Ismael, with a large \r\n ram. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "He \r\n who has the capacity but chooses not to sacrifice may \r\n not approach our prayer place (on Eid)." \r\n (Ibn Maajah, Ahmad)
Arrange \r\n a gift exchange with friends!
\r\n Eid \r\n is a great occasion to do this. A gift exchange can be with \r\n just a couple of friends or even acquaintances. Giving and \r\n getting gifts is a great way to increase in brotherhood \r\n or sisterhood, and love on this occasion. The Prophet (pbuh) \r\n said: "Exchange \r\n presents with one another, for they remove ill feelings \r\n from the heart." (Collected \r\n by at-Tirmidhi) Remember though, that gifts should \r\n not burn a hole in your wallet. They should be affordable \r\n and well thought out, and of course Halal!
\r\n [Compiled from an article \r\n on the email list of "Islamic Information & \r\n Support Centre of Australia" and other sources] \r\n
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\r\n | \r\n \r\n \r\n Thought-provoking \r\n Bits from Islamic Literature \r\n |
"Every \r\n thing and Every one is a 'Muslim' by its nature" \r\n
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\r\n "The \r\n word 'Muslim' refers to the one who 'submits'. Everything \r\n in the universe is 'Muslim' for it obeys God by submission \r\n to his laws. Even a man who refuses to believe in \r\n God or offers his worship to someone other than Allah has \r\n perforce to be a 'Muslim' as far as his bodily existence \r\n is concerned. For his entire life, from the embryonic \r\n stage to the body's dissolution into dust after death, and \r\n every tissue of his muscles and every limb of his body follows \r\n prescribed by God's law. His very tongue, on account \r\n of his ignorance, advocates the denial of God or professes \r\n multiple deities, is in its very nature a 'Muslim'. \r\n His head which only bows to others besides Allah is \r\n a born Muslim. His heart wherein, through his lack \r\n of true knowledge, he cherishes love and reverence for others, \r\n is 'Muslim' by intuition. These are all obedient to \r\n the Devine Law, and their function and movement are governed \r\n by the injunction of the law alone." Therefore, it \r\n is usually the ignorance and pride that makes \r\n people unwilling to truly 'submit' to God or Islam- which \r\n involves submission of the intellect and the heart. \r\n
\r\n [Taken from "Towards \r\n Understanding Islam" by Abul Ala Maududi] \r\n
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\r\n | \r\n Reflections \r\n on Tazkiya and Self-Development \r\n \r\n |
Time \r\n is Life, and it is limited! \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n
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ID: "17"
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Following \r\n is one the prerequisites of Tazkiya (Self-development): \r\n
\r\n 6- The Best \r\n use of Time:
\r\n Time \r\n is not money or gold; it is life and it is limited. You \r\n must begin to appreciate every moment of your life and \r\n always strive to make the best use of it. With all the \r\n demands of worldly life on your time, you will yet need \r\n to find time for self-development and maximise its potential. \r\n The better route towards self-development is, of course, \r\n to integrate all your efforts into a structured daily \r\n life. Imam al-Ghazali, may God have mercy on him, in his \r\n great work, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, gives the following \r\n advice:
\r\n "You \r\n should structure your time, arrange your regular devotions \r\n and assign to each function a set period of time during \r\n which it is given first priority but which it does not \r\n overstep. For if you abandon yourself to neglect and purposelessness, \r\n as cattle do, and just do anything that may occur to you \r\n at any time it happens to occur to you, most of your time \r\n will be wasted. Your time is your life, and your life \r\n is your capital; it is the basis of your transactions \r\n [with God], and the means to attain to everlasting felicity, \r\n in the proximity of God, the Exalted. Each of your breaths \r\n is a priceless jewel, and when it passes away it never \r\n returns."
\r\n Remember \r\n also that 'the deeds most beloved by Allah [are those] \r\n done regularly, even if they are few.' (Bukhari and \r\n Muslim.) While you must always strive to make \r\n the best use of your time, you must always aim for excellence \r\n in everything you undertake, whether at school, at home, \r\n at work or at play. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon \r\n him) has said, "Verily Allah has prescribed Ihsan \r\n (proficiency and excellence) in all things." \r\n (Muslim.)
\r\n To be continued \r\n in the next issue....
\r\n [Taken from "In \r\n the Early Hours" by Ustadh Khurram \r\n Murad (Rahimahullah), edited by Riza Mohammed. \r\n Now also available at http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/default.asp] \r\n
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