Good Character And Manners In Islam

” …honour in the eyes of Allah lies in forgiveness…..”

Good Character And Manners In Islam

“THINK DEEPLY, SPEAK GENTLY, LOVE MUCH, WORK HARD, GIVE FREELY, PAY PROMPTLY, PRAY EARNESTLY…AND BE KIND!”

The Prophet said:

“The best believer according to his practice of Islam is one from whose tongue and hand Muslims are safe.” (Al-Bukhari)

Are our brothers and sisters safe from the nastiness of our tongues and the evil of our hands? Are our tongues and hands a danger to them and a cause of pain to them? Are we, through our actions, purifying our souls or destroying them? Are we truly racing towards Jannah or advancing towards Hell?

Let us look to our tongues first of all. We know full well that backbiting is a major sin. Yet how minor is our resolve to guard against it! A gossip-filled comment here of there may seem harmless, but it is a dangerous path to tread. We are belittling that person in another’s eyes. We may have raised our egos high only to plunge our hearts into darkness.

Allah says: “And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hat backbiting)…” (Al-Quraan 49:12)

Let us realize the consequences for our ‘Aakhirah also. The Prophet (SAW) has warned us: “When I was taken up into heaven, I passed by people who had copper claws tearing at their faces and chests. I asked: “Who are these O Jibraeel?’ He replied: ‘They those who ate the flesh of people and insulted their honor.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud)

Let us hasten to correct our everyday speech. When we speak, have we ever scrutinized how little sincerity there is in our voices? How mechanical our speech has become! Our words emanate from our throats and not from our hearts. How easily do our tongues hurt others? We feign care and concern for our fellow Muslims, but our hearts may be empty. Yet these are our very brothers and sisters! We should love them and desire the best for them. Tongues are sharp and hearts are cold, because the love of self has left no room for others…

Let us examine our words more carefully. Do they bring comfort and relief to those around us or do they fall sharply and heavily on their hearts? On harsh word from us sends those gentle servants of Allah plummeting into sadness and grief. But know that Allah Hears everything. And the angels are recording every utterance: “Not a word is said except there is a watcher by him ready to record it.” (Al-Quraan Surah Khaf 18)

How will we fare when all our unkind words appear in front of our eyes the moment we are given our scroll of deeds? What terror-stricken state shall we experience on that Day, when it dawns on us that we too could be sent plummeting, into far greater grief…? We seek Allah’s refuge! Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that he heard the Messenger (SAW)  say: “Indeed a servant may say a word which he doesn’t realize and it will make him fall into the fire further than the East and West.” (Al-Bukhari)

Would we ever dream of cutting our Muslim sisters and brothers with a blade? Yet with our tongues we cut deeply into their hearts. Know that we cannot be the best in our Islam if we fail to guard our tongues. Indeed our Imaan is in peril if we remain heedless. And if our Imaan is lost, we have lost everything. The Prophet (SAW) said: “The Imaan of Allah’s servant will not be upright until his heart is upright and his heart will not be upright until his tongue is upright.” (Ahmad)

“O’you! Who wants to be the best believer! Run and rush towards gentle speech and good words. Call to Tawheed, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and teach others with your tongue. Allah has shown us the way, if we would only try…Who is better in speech than he who invites (people) to Allah, does righteous deeds and says ‘Indeed I am a Muslim.” Al-Quraan 41:33)

So heed this advice, before your opportunity is gone and your tongue falls silent in the grave…

FORGIVNESS TO ACHIVE IN TODAYS TIME…BUT WE ARE PROUD TO DO!!

What makes us focus onto brothers’ and sisters’ errors while we remain unconscious of our own? Not to forgive is like to live in arrogance, and ignorance of our own shortcomings.

Forgiveness is linked with piety and Allah-consciousness, is there anybody who is not without sin? Is there anybody who can be arrogant enough to say that he does not need to forgive? Do we not know that Allah forgives those who forgive others? Therefore, we should realize the difficulties of others and forgive them. Allah says in the Quraan:

“Be quick in the forgiveness from your Lord, and pardon (all) men – for Allah loves those who do good.” (Al-Quraan 3:133-134)

And we know that Allah Himself is Ar-Rahman (the Most Compassionate) and Ar-Raheem (the Most Merciful) and that His Mercy is infinite, and that no matter the sin (except shirk) Allah is always willing to answer the person’s call for forgiveness. In fact Allah loves the tear drop that falls from the eye of one who sincerely seeks the forgiveness of his Lord.

And Allah loves us to have hearts that are ready to forgive.

The Prophet (SAW) once asked his companions; “Do you know what will cause you to have high walled palaces in Paradise (as a symbol of great reward) and will cause you to be raised by Allah?” When they replied in the negative, the Prophet (SAW) said: “To be forgiving and to control yourself in the face of provocation, to give justice to the person who was unfair and unjust to you, to give to someone even though he did not give to you when you were in need and to keep connection with someone who may not have reciprocated your concern.”

Similarly the Prophet (SAW) said that the best of people are those who are slow to get angry and quick to forgive. On the other hand the worst of people are those, he said who get angry quickly but are slow to forgive.

The characteristic that makes a person most likely to forgive is the purity of his or her heart. Apologies must be accepted; the Prophet (SAW) said that: “Whoever apologizes to his brother and that apology is not accepted, then the person who refuses to accept the apology bears the sin of one who takes the property of another unjustly.”

Prophet (SAW) also said that:  ”The doors of the Jannah are open on Monday and Thursday. Every Muslim slave who does not associate anything with Allah is forgiven except for the man who has enmity between him and his brother. It is said, ‘Leave those two until they have made reconciliation. Leave those two until they have made reconciliation.’”

If we look at the example and the character of the Prophet (SAW) we can see that he was always forgiving and never showed enmity to anyone except those who waged war against him. .

Thumamah, as the chief of his tribe had killed many Muslims. On his travels, he was caught by the Muslim soldiers and was taken to the Prophet’s (SAW) Masjid and tied to one of the pillars. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) commanded his companions to untie him and give him the best food. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) was indeed a mercy for the worlds.

We should similarly be merciful with each other. First of all, we ourselves should not do anything to upset our brothers and sisters (because this is in itself a part of mercy) and then we should forgive those who have upset us or made us angry. We will never be a strong Ummah if we are not able to forgive.

Some might say that to forgive is a sign of weakness and humiliation, and for them it is better to be strong and preserve their honor. But honor in the eyes of Allah lies in forgiveness.

 

“But indeed if any shows patience and forgives that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs.”

(Al-Quraan 42:43)

If we are to be really strong then we have to be strong against Shaytaan and forgive our brothers and sisters, and in this way maybe Allah will decide Insha-Allah to forgive ourselves for our many mistakes.

The Day Of Jumuah

The Day Of Jumuah

 Friday is a good day; there are many Ahadith which speak of its virtues.

There are many acts of worship which are prescribed for the Muslim to do on this day. These include:

1) Salaat al-Jumuah (Friday prayer)

Allah says:  “O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salaah (prayer) on Friday (Jumuah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah (Jumuah religious talk (Khutba) and Salaah (prayer)] and leave off business (and every other thing). That is better for you if you did but know!” (Al-Quraan Surah -Jumuah 62:9)

Ibn al-Qayyim said in Zaad al-Ma’aad (1/376):

“Friday prayer is one of the most important obligations in Islam and one of the greatest gatherings of the Muslims. Gathering on Friday is more important and more obligatory than any other gathering apart from ‘Arafah. Whoever neglects it, Allah will place a seal on his heart.”

It was narrated from Abu’l-Ja’d al-Damari (RA) who was a companion of the Prophet (SAW) that the Prophet (SAW) said:

“Whoever neglects three Jumuah, Allah will place a seal on his heart.”

Narrated by Abu Dawud, 1052; classed as sahih by al-Albaani in Sahih Abi Dawud, 928

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurairah that they heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) say on the minbar:

“Let people stop neglecting Jumuah, or Allah will place a seal on their hearts, then they will be among those who are neglectful.” (Narrated by Muslim, 865)

2) Making a lot of Dua.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) mentioned Friday and said:  “On this day there is a time when no Muslim stands and prays, asking Allah for something, but Allah will grant him it” – and he gestured with his hands to indicate how short that time is.” (Al-Bukhari, 893; Muslim, 852)

3) Reading Surah al-Kahf.

It was narrated from Abu Saeed al-Khudri that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever reads Surah at al-Kahf on Friday, he will be illuminated with light between the two Fridays.”

(Al-Haakim; sahih by al-Albaani in Sahih al-Targheeb, 836)

4) Sending a lot of blessings upon the Prophet (SAW)

It was narrated from Aws ibn Aws (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said:

“The best of your days is Friday. On that day Adam (AS) was created; on that day he died; on that day the Trumpet will be blown; and on that day all of creation will swoon. So send a great deal of blessings upon me, for your blessings will be shown to me.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, how will our blessings upon you be shown to you when you have turned to dust?” He said,

“Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the Prophets, peace be upon them.” (Abu Dawud, 1047)

He said in ‘Awn al-Ma’bood:

Friday is singled out because it is the best of days and the chosen day. So there is an advantage to sending blessings upon him on that day that is not present on any other day.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said:

“Do not single out the night of Friday for qiyaam al-layl, and do not single out the day of Friday for fasting, unless that is part of the habitual fasting of any one of you.”(Muslim, 1144) .

“May Allah answer our duas. Aameen.”

Dua…

Dua

1) “O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self confidence, contentment and boldness). And ease my task for me, and loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue. That they may understand my speech.” (Al-Quraan 20:25-28)

2) “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!” (Al-Quraan 2:201)

3) “Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily its torment is ever (an inseparable) a permanent punishment. Evil indeed it (hell) is an abode and as a place to rest in.” (Al-Quraan 25:65-66)

4) “My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” (Al-Quraan 20:114)

5) “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If you forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we will certainly be one of the losers.” (Al-Quraan 7:23)

6) “Our Lord! Pour forth on us patience, and set firm our feet and make us victorious over the disbelieving people.” (Al-Quraan 2:250)

7) “Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affairs in the right way.” (Al-Quraan 18:10)

8) ‘Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are wrongdoers and save us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving folk…” (Al-Quraan 10:85-86)

9) “Our Lord! In You (alone) we put our trust and to You (alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (alone) is our final return.” (Al-Quraan 60:4)

10) “Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after you have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower.” (Al-Quraan 3:8)

11) “Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.” (Al-Quraan 59:10)

12) “Our Lord! Forgive us, our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in a state of righteousness) along with (the pious and righteous).

Our Lord! Grant us what you promised unto us through Your Messengers disgrace us not on the day of Resurrection, for you never go against (your) promise.” (Al-Quraan 3:193-194)

13) “O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), and You are the Best of inheritors.” (Al-Quraan 21:89)

14) “My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You on me.” (Al-Quraan 28:24)

15) “My Lord! Bestow religious knowledge, right judgment of affairs and wisdom on me, and join me with the righteous. And grant me an honorable mention in the later generations. And make me one of the inheritors of the Paradise of Delight. And disgrace me not on the day when all will be resurrected.” (Al-Quraan 26:83-85, 87)

16) “My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed landing place, for You are Best of those who bring to land.”

17) “My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favour which You bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, which may please You, and make my offspring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of those submitting to Your Will.” (Al-Quraan 46:15)

18) “Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow The Messenger, so write us down among those who bear witness.” (Al-Quraan 3:53)

19) “Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties), and establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.”

(Al-Quraan 3:147)

20) “Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which you did lay on those before us Our Lord! Put not on us a burden grater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Patron, Supporter and Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (Al-Quraan 2:286)

21) My Lord! Bestow on them (my parents) Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.” (Al-Quraan 17:24)

22) “My Lord! Let my entry be good, and my exit be good. And grant me from You an authority to help me.” (Al-Quraan 17:80)

23) “My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings of the devils. And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! Lest they should come near me.” (Al-Quraan 23: 97-98)

24) “(Only) Creator of the Heavens and the earth! You are my (Protector, Friend, and Supporter) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as one submitting to Your Will, and join me with the righteous.”(Al-Quraan 12:101)

25) “Our Lord! Complete our Light for us and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are able to do all things.” (Al-Quraan 66:8)

26) “Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily! You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. And accept our reentrance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, The Most Merciful.”

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“And We sent down of the Quraan that which is a Healing and a Mercy to those who believe (Al-Quraan 17:82)

The Prophet (SAW) said, “Allah says: ‘I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers

Me……… and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.’ “

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“O Allah! Grant me the ability to reflect and ponder on, and to understand whatever my tongue reads from Your Book (Quraan); and to go into depth of its meanings and to recognize its wonders; and to act according to as I live. Indeed You have power over everything. Oh Allah !I ask for mercy, from You by which You will guide my heart settle my affairs, remove my worries, protect me from what is unseen to me, make my face radiant, purify my deeds,  inspire me with wisdom, avert calamities from me and protect me from every evil in this world and the hereafter .Aameen.”