Forty Hadith

On Hadiths

2006-02-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

The science of hadith is important. Because we can understand and apply the teachings of the Quran only if we internalize the life of Rasulullah (pbuh) and take him as an "example" - not trying to imitate him.

We owe to hadith scholars a lot, for transmitting the hadiths to us. Their hard and sincere work in the early periods served as a filter. After an extremely careful examination of hundreds of thousands sayings which passed down through 200 years, they selected only a few thousands of them. They evaluated the hadiths according to the chain of transmission and then sorted them into categories such as sahih, da'if, and more. The evaluation was not based only on the legitimacy of the isnads, but also on the consistency of the text of hadiths with the Quran and with the sunnah. The text of a hadith that is categorized as sahih may be wrong, whereas a da'if hadith may convey the truth. This is very improbable, but not impossible. So then, what we should do is to learn the hadiths only from the authentic and trusted sources and then to convey them.

The posts in this blog consist of writings on forty hadiths that have been transmitted with sahih isnads. Each hadith is like a light that enlightens our ways. Our hope is that this effort to understand the hadith sayings from our own perspective may help us to internalize the teachings of Rasulullah (pbuh) who has the "Morality of Quran". Our wishes and our duas are for the meanings not to stay only in the lines but to reach and to enter into our hearts.

The World is Not Enough?

2006-01-23T04:32:00.000-08:00

If anyone among you is confident about his nafs, is healthy in body, and has food for the day, it is as if the whole world has been brought into his possession.
Tirmizee, Zuhd 34

Three fundamental needs of nafs (ego, inner-self) are emphasized in this hadith: Safety, health, nourishment. Do we need anything else for happiness? Prestige? Status? Wealth? ...not necessary at all.

The pyramid of Maslow comes to my mind. Maslow had established the foundations of humanistic psychology subsequent to Freudian psychology. The pyramidal hierarchy of human needs that Maslow developed has been a benchmark for many different areas.

Physiological needs (food, water, etc.) at the first level, safety at the second level, belonging (family, love, social relationships) at the third, and self-esteem (prestige, status, reputation) at the fourth level. Only after all these lower level needs have been satisfied, one is in the quest of reaching the limits of his own potential.

Well, I think these kind of expectations - and their contemporary interpretations - just overwhelm us; they don't make us happy at all. Some movie frames pop into my mind suddenly: For example, one gets married and forms a family due to his needs at the third level, but after some time the members of this family start to overwhelm him just because he does not have a high ranked status at the fourth level. Another example can be given about some reach people who cannot get out of their sterilized living spaces just to satisfy the need of being in safety. How about that person who is in constant and deep sorrow just because he doesn't have a prestigious job...or that other person, just on the opposite side, the very definition of his life is just his prestigious job and nothing else. Alas! The life and its grinding mills! Do we all not fit in one of these pictures at some point in our life? Indeed, it is very difficult not to surrender to modern life.

I do wonder sometimes how Yunus managed to say so much, yet so lovely:

I found my love...my true love
Do I care about myself now?
I will lose or I will gain
Do I care about business now?

Know Your Self!

2006-01-18T00:03:00.000-08:00

Whoever goes forth to seek knowledge is in the way of Allah until he returns.
Tirmizee, Knowledge 2, (2649)

A couple of questions arise right away: What does it mean to be in the way of Allah? What should we understand from the word "knowledge"?

Let us start with the second question. Perhaps the most important solid sign that the Quran is sent by Allah and that it is not a human word is the emphasis on "knowledge" in it. Because in that time period and in that region, a mentality to appreciate knowledge was just unthinkable.

Really, at that time of ignorance, the number of the literate people in the society was very few. Actually, the most admired profession was poetry. One of the two things that existed in the name of knowledge was to preserve family trees for they had such a keen interest in their ancestry...and the other one was astronomy, by which they not only found their way while traveling in deserts but they also used in fortunetelling.

So then, what is the perception of knowledge in Islam? Why is Amr bin Hisham - who was one of the very few literate people and one of a couple of people who knew a foreign language at that time period - considered in Islam as "Father of Ignorance" (Abu Jahl)?

Anyway, my job here is just to ask questions...not to find answers to them.

Three cornerstones come to my mind when I think about knowledge:

The first and of course most important one is how much we appreciate the Islamic studies. Do we treasure and cherish them? Have we committed ourselves to being a lifetime student of Quran?

Second one is the understanding of Popper, who has drawn the boundaries of the worldly knowledge clearly and by doing so he has crushingly defeated those who have held the notion of sacred "science" against religion.

Finally, that lovely line which takes us all the way from al-Ghazali to Yunus: How should one conduct himself towards learning knowledge? How our increased knowledge should also protect us from arrogance? Let us listen to Yunus for the answer:

Knowledge...a total grasp of knowledge
Knowledge...to know your soul, your self
If you've not learned a thing about your self
Then what you've learned is only nonsense

There are some other questions to ask...but not now...some other time...

May our Lord let us to be among those who go forth to seek knowledge and who remain in the way of Allah.

The Real Fasting

2005-09-20T10:09:00.000-07:00

Whoever does not give up false talk and acting upon false talk, Allah is not in need of him leaving off his food and drink (his fasting).
Buhari 902

Is it possible that fasting is just staying hungry and thirsty for some time? So then, we should also correct our morals and make effort to develop the good manners that Allah likes. We should control our desires, leave off bad manners and ignorance. Just staying hungry and thirsty may be useful for some diet purposes, that's all...But fasting is not to be done only with stomach, but with all of our body parts...and with our soul...with our heart.

Where Does The Sun Go?

2005-07-20T02:40:00.000-07:00

I entered the mosque and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was sitting there. He asked me at sunset: "O Abu Dharr! Do you know where the sun goes?"

I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better."

He said, "It goes till it prostrates itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted. Then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the west. And that is the interpretation of the statement of Allah:

36:38.And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Muslim, Iman 250 (159)

What a lovely dialogue...what a lovely way of thinking...a way of thinking of the nature, the creation, and the divine revelation.

Our wishes and our duas are for that we take our minds away from never-ending daily hassles and we catch moments and feelings like this...

His Precious Love

2005-07-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reports: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) asked me to recite the Qur'an.

I said: "Should I recite to you whereas it has been sent down to you?"

He said: "I desire to hear it from someone else."

So I recited Surat an-Nisa till I reached the ayat: "How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these?"

He told me "Stop!" I stopped and lifted my head and saw his tears falling (from the eyes of Rasulullah).

Muslim, Musaafirin 247, (700)

What an influential hadith.

Now let us look at the above-mentioned ayat, together with the preceding and following ayats:

4:40. Surely Allah does not do injustice even to the weight of an atom. If there is any good (done), He multiplies it, and gives from Himself a great reward.

4:41. fakayfa izaa ji-naa min kulli ummatin bishaheedin waji-naa bika 'alaa haaulaai shaheedaa
How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these?

4:42. On that day those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will wish that they were buried in the earth, but they will never be able to hide a single fact from Allah.

Is it possible not to be amazed at the greatness of the mercy of Rasulullah (pbuh)? It is really so difficult to grasp his precious love for humanity.

Once Upon a Time

2005-06-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Whoever misses the asr prayer, it is as if he lost his family and property.
Buhari, 14

Ahh, how many things have we lost already! And now, even our feelings are lost...

Once upon a time, when adhan was being called out by the muezzin, blacksmiths would not hammer the heated iron anymore...not even one more hit. For it was time to go to salat.

When adhan was called out...a store owner would ask permission from his customers to continue with shopping after the salat...out of the deep respect for the holy place he is called to.

When adhan was called out...those who go to salat would quicken their steps and those who perform wudu would complete it with deepest reverence. And indeed, while performing wudu, all small sins would be annihilated.

Adhan was listened to as if it was being called by Bilal al-Habashi. People were waiting for adhan and salat with longing and love.

If somebody had forgotten to perform one salat, this would hurt him so much. "Ahh, is this me?"

Once upon a time...missing one salat would burn the hearts. If they had missed salat al-asr, they would feel so sad as if they lost all of their family and property.

Yes...once upon a time, people were far away from forgetting their Creator. And closeness was their very essence. Closeness to the Beloved One...closeness to Allah...

Once upon a time...there were fountains with birds twittering around...there were men and women with faces so clean and so pure...and there were cities with continuous remembrance and awareness of Allah.

It sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it? But, it's true: "Whoever misses the asr prayer, it is as if he lost his family and property."

I Seek Refuge in Allah

2005-05-21T01:58:00.000-07:00

Rasulullah (pbuh) used to recite the following dua:

"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the heart that does not have the fear (of Allah), from the dua that is not responded, from the nafs that is never satisfied, and from the knowledge that does not bring benefit."
Tirmizee, Daawat 69, (3478)

Four things to seek refuge from...

The main reason for our hearts not having the fear of Allah is that we let all our time and attention to be occupied by all kinds of worldly activities, thoughts, and dreams. Even during the daily salats, we sometimes find ourselves thinking about our jobs, family or friends.

I guess duas that are not responded are the ones which are made contrary to the Will and Conduct of Allah. For if a person makes dua in a proper way, this dua will surely be responded...if not in this world, definitely in the hereafter. If somebody makes dua all day long and asks, for instance, for an immortal life in this world, then this dua will, of course, not have any meaning whatsoever.

While nafs (ego, inner-self) ensures and carries the vitality of man, it is also the enemy of man...an enemy that gets more and more hungry when fed...an enemy that never gets satisfied.

Knowledge that does not bring any benefit...knowledge that actually makes no difference whether you know it or not...or knowledge which brings nothing but evil and harm...just a pollution...information pollution.

Yes...there are indeed lots of things to seek refuge from.

Nothing Except Dust

2005-05-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

If a man had two valleys of money, he would wish for a third. Nothing can fill the stomach of man except dust. Allah forgives those who repent to Him.
Buhari, Riqaq 10; Muslim, Riqaq 116, 1048

But is this the case only for money? Is it not true that the more we satisfy our desires, the stronger and the deeper they become? So then, we better be pleased and contented with whatever we have been given. Otherwise, there will be nothing except dust to satisfy the endless desires of our egos.

How lovely did Yunus put this into words:

Richness of many people is even worse than poverty
They are rich...but always unsatisfied and greedy

Two Desires...Two Traps

2005-05-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

Man grows old, but two desires in him remain young: Desire for wealth and desire for life.
Muslim, Zakat 115, 1047

So then as one gets older, he tends to fall into two traps: Desire for wealth and desire for life.

People do not get satisfied with all the money they have accumulated to guarantee their future...they want to accumulate for their children and for their grandchildren, too. They just think that death is so far away from them and that talking about death may actually kill them!

Well, what can we say? Let them have the whole world...

May Allah not make us among those whose hearts are attached to this world. May He let us live just like a traveler who halts a while under the shade of a tree and then leaves it again to continue his journey to his homeland...

Wasteful and Arrogant

2005-05-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

Eat, drink and clothe yourselves. But by doing so, do not be wasteful and arrogant.
Nasai, Zakat 66

So then, one will not be wasteful and arrogant while eating-drinking, giving charity, and wearing clothes.

Let me start from the last item.

One can observe that kind of arrogance very often actually. Most of the people give too much emphasis on what other people wear. If you put some simple clothes on, they just don't respect you. Who are they? Those who are inclined to materialistic behaviors and thoughts. How beautifully has the poet stated: "Have seen so many clothes, no man inside them. Have seen so many men, no cloth on them."

May Allah give us wisdom to evaluate the characters of people justly, without being deceived by the shadows.

Let's have a look at the second item now: giving charity. But how is it possible that while giving charity to needy people, one gets wasteful and arrogant? Actually, it is very possible because giving charity is one of the riskiest good deeds. For it does not concern only one person. Surely, there is a receiving hand for every giving hand.

May Allah make us from those people who give in secrecy.

Now, the next item: eating-drinking...being wasteful is very common, but arrogance? Why does it matter what we eat? A piece of dry bread or a piece of cheesecake? Do we not feel hungry again after a few hours? So, what is the big deal? Interesting, isn't it? Alas, human! We are kind of interesting. Today, I was looking at the notes that I had taken while reading a book some time ago. The reasons of fabricating false hadiths are stated in the book. Several reasons are mentioned: "Community, sect, tribe fanatism" is the first reason stated and the last one is: "To want to be famous by telling unheard hadiths"!

Alas, human!

Whatever we eat, we didn't create them...so then, why arrogance?

May Allah make us from the humble ones!

Ameen.

Who is Happy?

2005-04-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

The happy man is he who avoids dissensions. How fine is the man who shows endurance when afflicted.
Abu Dawud, 4263

I have always thought that, in order to be "happy" one should have graces...and that having a peaceful mind alone would not be sufficient.

Now we have a new definition for happiness...a new perspective.

Indeed, this saying is very appropriate and realistic in this world of tests and trials...

Like Humans Do

2005-04-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

We said: "O Messenger of Allah, when we are in your company you talk to us of the Paradise and the Fire and we feel as if we are looking at them. But whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children, and business, much of these things go out of our minds."

The Messenger of Allah said: "If your state of mind were to remain the same as it is in my presence and if you were always busy in remembrance of Allah, the angels would visit you in your houses and shake hands with you in your paths. If you had not committed any sins, Allah would have replaced you by other people who would have committed sins and who would then have sought forgiveness from Allah, so that Allah would have forgiven them."

Tirmizee, Jannah 2, 2528

Human! For a moment he forgets, but then he remembers again!

From Way Back

2005-03-28T03:10:00.000-08:00

Souls are troops collected together. Those who familiarised with each other would have affinity with one another (in the world) and those who opposed each other would be divergent (in the world).
Muslim, Book of Virtue, 6376

Very long time ago we were living a life in the world of souls...a life that we have now totally forgotten; a monotonous life far away from darkness, evil, deception, and death. There, some of us were acquainted and were getting along well with each other.

33:72 We did indeed offer the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof. But man undertook it; he was indeed unjust and ignorant.

alastu birabbikum, qaaluu balaa shahidnaa
7:172 "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify."

Then came the offer: To bear the trust. It was indeed a very heavy burden; many of those stronger ones couldn't accept to bear the trust. And yes, we undertook the heavy burden. There were so many dangers on the road, we could slip and fall down. But we didn't mind all those risks, because the road was so beautiful and at the end of the road much more beautiful things were waiting for us.

rabbanaa amattanasnatayni waahyaytanasnatayn
40:11 "Our Lord! You have made us die twice and You have given us life twice"

2:28 How can you disbelieve in Allah? Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life and then unto Him you will return.

Allah created death. He created darkness, coldness, troubles and evil. Life, light, mercy, and beneficence have already been within His Esssence; and at our first life we had tasted them a bit. He appointed officers who invite to evil and who remind goodness. He appointed angels for the second death, for the second resurrection.

We don't remember anything about that first life of ours, as we don't know anything about the next one. But sometimes, we meet somebody for the very first time, and we have the feeling that we know this person for a very long time...as if he is one of our old friends. This is the kind of acquaintance mentioned in the hadith above and it is called acquaintance "since qaaluu balaa".

Being Grateful

2005-03-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

If anyone says in the morning: "O Allah! Whatever favor has come to me, it comes from You alone Who has no partner; to You all praise is due and thanksgiving", he will have expressed full thankfulness for the day; and if anyone says the same in the evening, he will have expressed full thankfulness for the night.
Abu Dawud, General Behavior 110, 5073

Man is forgetful, and thus he is deficient...yes, we human beings forget...but perhaps, one needs to forget, in order to remember again.

The very first thing that one needs to remember is to be thankful to Allah. All the bounties that Allah has bestowed upon us require gratitude. Even for each breath that we take, we should be grateful to Him. For our consciousness, for our senses, we should be grateful to Him.

One of the phrases that I love the most is: Alhamdu lillaahi 'alaa kulli haal (All praise is to Allah in all circumstances).

Sometimes we deeply suffer from feelings of deprivation. We really like some things so much, but yet we just cannot reach them. But then again, how about this very feeling of liking and love? That we are able to have these feelings...is this, per se, not sufficient for being grateful? What if we were not aware of those beautiful things? What if we couldn't even have a wish for them? There is a story told in Gulistan (The Rose Garden), one of the best known works of Saadi Shirazi. The story is about a man who got very sick and was lying in his sickbed. He was asked: "What do you wish for the most at this moment?" His answer was quite meaningful: "The thing that I wish the most is the ability to wish something!"

Actually, everything depends on our standpoint. Things which seem to be a matter of patience from a point of view, may seem to be a matter of gratitude from another point of view. While one thing may be the most devastating separation for somebody, somebody else may consider the very same thing as the most beautiful reunion...reunion with The Beloved One.

The important thing is...to correct our viewpoints, our way of thinking.

Because of Our Love

2005-03-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

Love Allah because He nourishes and sustains you. Love me because of the love of Allah.
Tirmizee, 3792.

Love increases and widens in circles...and the source of everything is Allah. In fact, we love everything else because of our love for Allah.

laa mahbuuba illaa huu
laa razzaaqa illaa huu

There is no beloved but Him
There is no provider but Him

And His Messenger...who accomplished his mission thoroughly and with so much self sacrifice...who calls us to the path of Allah...who loves us...

All praise is to Allah.

Warnings & Glad Tidings

2005-03-18T02:50:00.000-08:00

The similitude of mine and of that with which Allah sent me is like that of a man who came to some people and said: "I have seen with my own eyes the enemy forces, and I am a plain warner (to you) so save yourself, save yourself!" A group of them obeyed him and went out at night, slowly and stealthily and were safe, while another group did not believe him and thus the army took them in the morning and destroyed them. And that is the similitude of the one who obeyed me, followed with which I had been sent and the similitude of the other is of one who disobeyed and belied me and the Truth with which I have been sent.
Buhari, Riqaq 26; Muslim, Fadail 15, 2283

In general, we are more inclined to think short term. And perhaps this is just another mystery in this world of tests and trials. Ah, if we only knew that our death is so close, we would have never fought with each other, never acted selfishly and never followed the paths of evil.

The hadith above reminded me the following ayat:

18:6. Perhaps, you would torment your soul with grief over their footsteps if they do not believe in this message (Quran)!

Indeed, Rasulullah (pbuh) accomplished his mission thoroughly...his mission of giving warnings and glad tidings to us.

May Allah make us among those who follow the path of Rasulullah (pbuh).

No Cure For Old Age

2005-02-21T02:47:00.000-08:00

Allah has not created a disease except that He has created a cure for it; except for a single disease: old age.
Tirmizee, 2039

There is no cure for old age. How lovely did Niyazi-i Misri, one of the sufi scholars, put into words:

Every day another stone has broken off from my life
My life is getting ruined! But why am I so heedless?

I wish to you all a peaceful life full of blessings.

A Truthful Heart

2005-02-16T01:31:00.000-08:00

Leave what you have doubt about for that you have no doubt about; for it is the truth that brings peace of mind and it is falsehood that brings doubt.
Tirmizee, Book of Resurrection 61, (2520)

"It is the truth that brings peace of mind."

This is a very important statement. Indeed, if someone has still a conscience, if his heart did not get darkened and hardened by many sins, stubbornness and disbelief, then the only thing that will bring him a peace of mind is truthfulness. For a pure and clean heart detests lie and hypocrisy.

How can we achieve truthfullness? Abu Bakr can be shown as a perfect example of truthfulness. When the disbelievers regarded the Isra and Mi'raj event of Rasulullah as absurd, Abu Bakr affirmed Rasulullah and told the disbelievers: "If Muhammad (pbuh) said that, then he is truthful." At the treaty at Hudaybiya, when Umar approached Abu Bakr and complained about the treaty, Abu Bakr told him: "Indeed, Muhammad is Allah's Messenger and he does not disobey his Lord, and Allah will make him victorious. Adhere to him, as by Allah, he is on the right path". And after the death of Rasulullah, Abu Bakr addressed the muslims, saying, "O people, whoever among you worships Allah, indeed Allah is The Ever Living and does not die". Being truthful is not an easy task, indeed.

There is one other point here: Among all the companions of Rasulullah, Abu Bakr was the one whose morals resembled Rasulullah the most...so, they became closest friends. It is for a reason indeed, that the truthful ones are mentioned in Quran next to prophets and martyrs. When Rasulullah and Abu Bakr were emigrating together from Mecca to Madina, they had hidden in a small cave on their way. How nicely this is stated in our Protected Book:

9:40. ...for Allah did indeed help him, when the unbelievers drove him out. He had no more than one companion; they were both in the cave, and he said to his companion "Be not sad, surely Allah is with us"...

Abu Bakr, this true friend of Rasulullah had such a pure character that he had not stopped his financial support to those needy ones, although some of them had tried to maliciously injure the good name of Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr and the wife of Rasulullah:

24:22 Let those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth not resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want, and those who have left their homes in Allah's cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Those who are alike do love each other, don't they?

My Friend!

2005-02-13T03:17:00.000-08:00

Man follows his friend's religion; you should be careful who you take for friends.
Abu Dawud, 4833

Perhaps "friendship" has changed, too - like everything else - due to modern life styles. People are spending all their time running after the world, so that there is no time or energy left for friendships. Most of the people have turned their faces only to their jobs and families. Only during the lonely times in his life, one looks around for a friend. He doesn't feel such a need (!) at times when he thinks that he is quite "self-sufficient". As a matter of fact, so few people have a concern like: "My life in this world is just temporary...so then, what can I do in this short time for other people?" Only when one gets old and he loses his job, strength, ability, children, and family one by one; then he finds himself in a search. But then, it is too late.

Allah gave us an ability for conversation - and indeed this is a very important ability - so then we need friends all the time. Let us not fool ourselves...we need friends...friends who will understand us...friends who are like a mirror to us...friends who will help us become aware of our souls...friends who will improve us spiritually, who will enrich us, whose spirits we will improve, and whom we will enrich.

I wish we all have nice friendships. Let us become friends and not burden for each other.

Come, let us be friends for once,
Let us make life easy for us,
Let us love and be loved ones,
This world shall be left to no one.

I wish we can reflect this stanza of Yunus to our lives. For indeed, this world shall be left to no one.

Just Like a Stranger

2005-02-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

Abdullah Ibn Umar reports: Rasulullah (pbuh) took hold of my shoulders and said: "Live in this world as if you were a stranger or passer-by."

Abdullah Ibn Umar used to say: "At evening do not expect (to live till) morning, and at morning do not expect (to live till) evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death."
Buhari, Riqaq 2

Yes, man should live just like somebody traveling all alone. Because in this world, everybody has his own tests, independently from others...and yes, time is limited.

Neither nobility, nor any status...neither beauty, nor intelligence. Nothing! Nothing will be of any use on the Day of Judgement. So then let us do something about this...let us do some good deeds, even if only a few.

Peace Be Upon You

2005-02-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

Those who are nearest to Allah are they who are first to give the salam.
Abu Dawud, 5197

It was years ago. I am not even sure whether at that time I had already read anything about the importance of giving salam to people. But yet, I wanted so much to greet those few nice people around, whenever I came across them. It didn't matter for me whether I knew them or not. I was just looking for a way to greet them. In fact, I remember it so well, I had a professor in the university who did not know me; but I knew that he was a very nice person. I had always wanted to greet him, and one day when we came across each other I just couldn't do it. We just passed by...Now I see, I shouldn't have just passed by, without greeting. Besides, what is the worst thing that can happen? Our salam will not be returned, that's all. So what? It's all right. We can always return our salam ourselves.

Giving salam to people, greeting them is really a very nice feeling. A sincere salam shows the love that we carry in our hearts...the love that spreads out of our hearts...whether we are aware of this or not...

May the Peace of Allah be upon you.

The Distinctive Question

2005-02-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) led the morning prayer for us at Hudaybiyah following rainfall during the night. When Rasulullah finished, he faced the people and said to them: "Do you know what your Lord has said?" They said: "Allah and his Messenger know best." Rasulullah said that Allah has said: "This morning some of my servants remained as believers in Me and some became disbelievers. Whoever said that the rain was due to the blessings and the mercy of Allah is the one who believes in Me and he disbelieves in the stars, and whoever said that it rained because of a particular star, is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the star." Thereupon the following verses were revealed:

"So I swear by the places of the stars. And verily, that is indeed a great oath, if you only knew. This is indeed an honorable Quran, in a book that is protected. None shall touch it but the purified ones. It is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds. Do you then hold this statement in contempt? And instead (of thanking Allah) for the provision He gives you, on the contrary, do you deny Him?" (Surat al-Waqia, 75-82)
Buhari, Book 17, Number 148

On that night, while the believers were invoking Allah for rain, the hypocrites had said: "We looked at the stars...and according to the stars, tonight it will rain anyhow". And in fact, it rained on that night. So then, here is the distinctive question: Is the rain sent down from the sky by a Divine Power Who is able to do what He wills as He wills, or does it rain just "by itself"?

Is this question valid and distinctive only for rain?

Is it the drug that cures me?
...or is it He, the Shaafi (The Healer)?

Is it your diploma that gets a job for you?
...or is it He, the Razzaaq (The Provider)?

Is it my intelligence that makes me rich?
...or is it He, the Ghanee (The Ultimate Rich)?

Is it your actions that bring contentment to your heart?
...or is it He, the Kaafee (The Most Sufficient)?

Is it different causes of death that kill us all?
...or is it He, the Mumeet (The Life-Taker)?

Let us look at the revealed verses once again:

falaa uqsimu bimawaaqi'in-nujuum
so I swear by the places of the stars

wainnahuu laqasamun law ta'lamuuna 'azeem
and verily, that is indeed a great oath, if you only knew.

innahuu laquraanun kareem
this is indeed an honorable Quran

fee kitaabin maknuun
in a book that is protected

laa yamassuhuu illal mutahharuun
none shall touch it but the purified ones

tanzeelun min rabbil'aalameen
it is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds

afabihaazal-hadeesi antum mudhinuun
do you then hold this statement in contempt?

wataj'aluuna rizqakum annakum tukazzibuun
and instead (of thanking Allah) for the provision He gives you, on the contrary, do you deny Him?

"Like a Green Tree"

2005-02-07T02:32:00.000-08:00

The example of a believer is like a green tree, the leaves of which do not fall. It is the date-palm tree.
Muslim, 2811

What a lovely saying. What a delicate analogy.

The date fruit is so sweet, isn't it? It never turns sour...moreover, the date-palm tree is also very green.

So then, the believer is like a green tree, the leaves of which do not fall. He always stands upright, no matter how hard and difficult his tests are in this world...no matter how strong the winds blow. Those who look at him, see only peace and calmness. He stays consistently on the straight path. Because at all times, he says: "My Lord is Allah".

Self-contentment

2005-02-02T02:44:00.000-08:00

Richness does not mean having a great amount of property, but richness is self-contentment.
Buhari, Riqaq 15

What a lovely saying...How right...

Richness does not mean having a great amount of property, but richness is self-contentment.

Indeed, it is so.

A few poetry verses from Imam Shafi'i came to my mind:

Contentment is the greatest richness for me
This is why I hold on to it real tightly
I never wait in front of any door, miserably
I am so rich and yet I have nothing
I walk among the people, just like a king

The Beauty of Islam

2005-02-01T03:51:00.000-08:00

It is due to the beauty of a man's Islam to leave those things which do not benefit his life here and hereafter.
Tirmizee, Book of Asceticism 11, 2318-2319

This statement just amazes me whenever I read it. It is so deep in meaning that it could enlighten our entire life if we just lived according to it.

It is already obligatory to leave those things which are "harmful" to one's life here and hereafter. May Allah protect all of us from all kinds of harmful things which may drag us to a total frustration and loss.

Leaving those things which have "no benefit", on the other hand, is just due to the beauty of Islam. How nice! How lovely!

I question myself: What have I done so far to bring the beauty of Islam into my life? Or have I just spent my life in vain, with so many useless things? How many times did I torture my soul by sleeping, talking and eating excessively? How many nights of my life were full of grief and sorrow, just because I could not put my trust in Allah? How many times...how many nights...how many?

So then, it is not sufficient to choose Islam as our religion. It shouldn't be sufficient. Our Islam should beautify and perfect our submission to the Will of Allah. Our Islam should illuminate our lifes with the pearls of Quran, with the love of the believers.

May Allah beautify and enlighten our lifes with the beauty and light of Islam.

Praying in Congregation

2005-01-27T15:05:00.000-08:00

The prayer in congregation is twentyfive times superior to the prayer offered by person alone.
Muslim, 3, 665

Let us first consider the social aspect of salat: The daily salats bring a small neighborhood together; while salat al-Jumu'ah and salat al-Eid congregate an even larger community...just like hajj, bringing all the world muslims together once a year. These are surely very important means of increasing and improving the communication and brotherhood among muslims.

Now let us consider the individual aspect of salat. We are all affected by the society in which we are living...in one way or the other. If two persons spend some time together in a room, and even if they don't talk to each other at all, they will still be in communication through their hearts. Some people bring joy and happiness wherever they go, yet some people bring a gloomy atmosphere with them. So then, of course, those who come to mosques to perform salat will remind us of Allah and they will enlighten our day.

There is one more aspect of this subject which is about the acceptance of the salat by Allah. We are servants...and none of us are immune to mistakes. In his book Ihya, Ghazali points out that it is difficult to have complete solemnity and full submissiveness during salat, since while praying, the devil disturbs our minds continuously. So then, if we want to achieve solemnity and submissiveness during our prayers, maybe we should begin by making effort to feel close to Allah even for a moment during our salats...just for a short moment.

Oh it is so sad, so sad, isn't it: While performing our daily salats, our hearts are still attached to this world. Perhaps, not even once we turn our hearts to our Lord...not even once! While our Lord is nearer to us than our jugular vein, we are so far from Him! How sad!

Right at this point comes the importance of prayer in congregation: Yes, perhaps that congregation will be a blessing and a means for our salat to be accepted. Who knows, perhaps Allah will accept the salat of only one person in the congregation and will accept everybody else's salat just because of that one person. Who knows?

Finally, what is special about the number "twentyfive" mentioned in this hadith? I interpret this as "the prayer in congregation is superior to the prayer offered by person alone in manifold". Besides, rewards are given in manifold for the salats prayed in the Masjid al-Nabawi or in the Masjid al-Haram. I guess that number "twentyfive" is mentioned just to give us a sense of comparison...so that we can compare this very short life with the eternal life and thus in this life we can do the things which are most valuable.

Let us not spend our whole life dealing with small things. Let us keep our horizon broad. Our life is our most valuable wealth; so then let us spend it correctly. Indeed, life is very short.

Love Will Purify Us

2005-01-25T03:37:00.000-08:00

Avoid jealousy, for it destroys good deeds as fire destroys wood.
Abu Dawud, Good Manners 52, 4903

Is it only jealousy which destroys good deeds? All bad habits will probably have the same consequence. Human being is the most honorable of the creation. So then, everything that darkens his heart, that causes him to fall, that makes him ugly and worthless...in short, everything that reduces him to the lowest of the low will have the same consequence as jealousy.

Well then, how can we remove all the bad habits and negative emotions from our hearts?

Yes, how can we purify our hearts?

It has been told that there are two ways to remove the bad habits...the thorns from the heart.

One way is to try to remove the thorns one by one...which requires ultimate self-discipline and self-control...training with patience. This is one way, but surely it is a long and difficult way.

The second way is to direct our hearts into the Love for Allah; so that our hearts will burn out of this divine love and so that this divine love will just burn away all the thorns in our hearts.

Do you think that selfishness could stay in a heart that is in love? No! For a person who is in love would give up everything he has...for his Beloved One.

Can jealousy and envy stay in such a heart? Oh no! Not at all! For he would wish for all the people in the world to fall in love with his Beloved One.

Arrogance? No way!!! For the one who is in love is in a continuous prostration in front of his Beloved One.

No more negligence! No more disregard! For love is pure attention, pure alertness.

Nothing else remains in the heart...only love...love for Allah. And indeed, when He is present, nothing else can exist.

The ways that lead to Allah are endless. Perhaps as many as the number of the breaths in the world...perhaps as many as the numbers of the atoms in the universe.

And perhaps the second way described above is more difficult. But would somebody in love be concerned about the difficulty of the way which will take him to his Beloved One? Not at all !!!

Indeed, he who has found Allah has lost nothing, and he who has lost Allah has found nothing.

All Praise is to Him.

Kindness

2005-01-16T00:09:00.000-08:00

He who is deprived of kindness and gentleness is, in fact, deprived of all good.
Muslim, 2592

If everybody around us behaved exactly the way we want them to behave, it would be very easy for us to be nice and friendly, wouldn't it? But in this world, this is just not how things work.

Actually, in most cases in our daily life, it is not the event that occurs which determines the extent of our responses, but it is the state of our mood when that event occurs. Think of a mother, for example; early in the morning she is not tired yet, not stressed out due to her daily work. So she will easily tolerate if her child broke one of the glasses on the table. But if the same thing happens at the end of a tough day, when she already lost her patience, she gets angry and overreacts. Can you imagine how confused and puzzled the child would be! He would ask himself: "What did I do? Something bad or not?"

Here is what I understand from this hadith: To be kind and gentle does never mean to be fickle, to bend constantly one's own truth in order to concord with his opponents, neither does it mean to give up his principles when faced with coercion. Kindness is to keep his calmness and his goodwill, under all circumstances...kindness is to stay away from excessive suppositions and prejudgements, to have empathy for others...kindness is to react without being enslaved by his own self, by his own desires. Of course, one may face some very undesirable events in his life. He may get involved with situations where he feels so desperate - especially when the subject matter is related to people around him. In that case he should avoid showing negative attitudes, for doing so will not only hurt others but also himself. I guess, what he should do is turn to Allah and keep his righteousness, honesty and integrity...continue to praying, with tears in the eyes.

A favor in return for a favor
That is what any man will do
A favor in return for an evil
That is what a manly man will do

All in all, whoever chooses the mood of kindness in his life, will most probably get many blessings. The discretion and wisdom in his behaviors will keep him closer to being just and fair. Sooner or later, everybody who is just and reasonable will confirm his wise opinions. He will be more successful in his relationships with people around him. And he will feel less regret.

We'll Turn to Him

2005-01-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

Allah will accept the repentance of His servant until his last breath.
Tirmizee, Daawaat, 99, 3531

Life is like a river...flowing swiftly and taking us to our deaths. And through this journey of life, nobody is immune to obeying his nafs (ego, inner-self) or the devil until his last breath. Yet, sometimes we forget the purpose of this life and make mistakes...and then we remember again and repent.

Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance. The Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah is endless. He does not turn those from His Door...those who repent sincerely, who supplicate in tears, and who prostrate during the nights until the day dawns. All Praise is to Allah.

We often become intolerant of others' mistakes. But perhaps, the best response to mistakes of others is to think in following lines: Since the life is not always pink, not always full of sunshine but it also has dark and hard sides, so then all those mistakes, fall-downs, break-downs, and collapses are not in vain...they are indeed for some purpose. Maybe if one just continues to stay as he is without falling down, he will not improve himself at all. On the other hand if he makes a mistake, if he falls down...but then if he gets up and if he repents sincerely, then he may progress and mature, who knows? Who can know and evaluate it but Allah? So then, let us not contemn anybody, let us not regard anybody as worthless.

We seek refuge in Allah...we seek refuge in Allah's Mercy from Allah's Torment.

Indeed, do we have any other Door to knock at?

There is only His Door...the Door of Repentance...the Door of Mercy.

Who is Strong?

2005-01-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

The strong man is not the one who wrestles well; but the strong man is the one who controls himself when he is in a fit of rage.
Muslim, Birr 30, 2608

Nafs (ego, inner-self) is the potential that Allah planted in man. Nafs carries man to the highest possible degree of humanity if used properly. Yet one even loses his human nature if he becomes a slave to his nafs.

Anger and rage are so sweet to nafs. Look at the people who get angry and who show their anger to others immediately. Sorrow and sadness is so far away from them. They never criticize and judge themselves. They don't come even close to repentance.

Of course, everyone may get angry; but one should keep his calmness at the time of anger. It is mentioned in hadiths that, if one gets angry, he should sit down if he was standing and he should lie down if he was sitting. Staying calm...not letting the anger short-circuit your reasoning powers. How strange it is what we do when we get angry at someone: We sit up if we were lying down...and how many times did we stand up - and even jump - while we were sitting, didn't we? Just the opposite of what we are recommended to do!

We should never spoil our nafs. We should seek refuge in Allah and reject the devil which incites the anger. Otherwise, we will surely be sorry.

For That Love

2005-01-05T07:22:00.000-08:00

Shall I not inform you of something more excellent in degree than fasting, prayer and almsgiving? It is mending discord between people. Beware of hatred - it strips you (of your religion).
Abu Dawud, 4919

Allah created human being in the best shape and gave him the ability to socialize. Man is not created just to survive, all alone.

And now, this hadith is teaching us that mending discord between people is better than fasting, the reward of which is given only by Allah...better than salat, which is the main pillar of the religion...and better than almsgiving, which makes one a real human being. We also learn that the greatest damage to religion is caused by the hatred among the muslims.

The mission that Yunus has taken upon himself is indeed very important:

I am not here to claim something,
I've come here only to love.
My beloved One is in the hearts,
I've come here for that love.

Righteousness

2004-12-28T13:15:00.000-08:00

Say "I affirm my faith in Allah" and then remain steadfast to it.
Muslim, 38

What a short and powerful sentence! Short and straightforward. When heard once, it is hard to forget. But is it also easy to put it into practice?

In life, so many times we find ourselves at the crossroads where tough decisions are to be made. Should I do this or that? Should I take this way or that way? Of course, things are not always black or white, but in most of the cases, one of the alternatives is closer to being correct...that's for sure. So then, to be among the winners, we should always keep the following principle in mind:

Say "I affirm my faith in Allah" and then remain steadfast to it.

And perhaps right here lies the mystery of our test in this life: Making the correct decision is mostly very difficult, for sometimes so many people oppose and attack our correct decisions. On the other hand, the principle above contains a feeling of confidence: "Put your trust in Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Those people who have been opposing you, may one day, by the Will of Allah, appreciate you and they may accept that they have been wrong. Or perhaps they will continue with their opposition and they will never admit that they are wrong. But never mind! Just trust in Allah and remain upright...Allah will take care of everything".

In our lifes, we should not even come close to any kind of lie, deception and insincerity...we should not choose wrong ways deliberately. I am sure that if we try to stay on the right path, Allah will protect our dignity. And those things that seem to be taken away from us in this world due to our righteousness; Allah will return them back to us and increase them in manifold... if not in this world, definitely in the hereafter.

Allah is sufficient for us and He is the best Protector.

He Has Been Protected

2004-12-03T04:29:00.000-08:00

Do not exaggerate in praising me as the christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a servant. So, call me "the servant and the Messenger of Allah".
Buhari, Prophets 44

This hadith draws our attention to a miracle which is not known widely enough: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has been protected from being worshipped, just like the Quran has been protected from being altered.

None of the the different sects and groups among muslims have ever ascribed a god-like attribute to the Messenger of Allah...even those false sects which associate different partners in worship with Allah. 1400 years of the history bear witness to this fact. Many people have hoped for help from shrines or entombed saints; but, to the best of my knowledge, nobody has ever directed his duas directly to the Rasulullah by saying "O The Messenger of Allah, give me this...help me with this". Such a dua would surely mean associating a partner with Allah. Those christians who have gone astray have regarded Prophet Jesus or his mother Mary as god and they have asked for their needs and demands from them. Muslims, on the other hand, have asked everything from Allah. The best example of this is the dua that we keep repeating five times a day after every adhan: While reciting this dua, we do not ask anything from the Messenger of Allah, but we make dua to Allah so that Allah raise the Messenger to the promised honorable and distinctive rank in the hereafter. We do not make dua to Rasulullah; but we make dua to Allah for Rasulullah.

The protection of Rasulullah from being worshipped is a historical fact, the wisdom behind which we can only guess...and my guess is that the reason of this protection is to exempt the Messenger of Allah from the following question on the Day of Judgment:

25:17. On the day when Allah will gather them together as well as those whom they worship besides Allah, He will ask:"Was it you who let these My servants astray, or did they themselves go astray from the Path?"

This frightful question will be addressed to so many and so many persons. Among all prophets, only Prophet Jesus will be addressed with a similar question...but that question will be a bit different.

The Seen and The Truth

2004-11-30T13:59:00.000-08:00

The wealth of a man will not diminish by giving charity. Allah augments the honour of a man (in this world and in the hereafter) who endures an oppression patiently.
Tirmizee, 2326

Nothing in this world is bounded by what we just see. What is seen at the first glance may not be the truth...the truth may be beyond the seen. Actually, there are many wisdoms and mysteries behind the things we see around, which we just cannot comprehend by reason and analysis.

For otherwise, our wealth would diminish by giving charity and we would just be miserable if somebody oppressed us.

30:39 Whatever you give in usury, so that it may increase in the property of men, shall not increase with Allah; but that which you give in charity, desiring Allah's pleasure, it is these that shall get manifold.

2:276 Allah will destroy usury and will give increase for deeds of charity. Allah does not love any ungrateful sinner.

A contradiction seems to exist: unjust acquisition of wealth in fact decreases the wealth and giving charity desiring Allah's pleasure increases the wealth indeed. Moreover, this decrease or increase is not only in the reward of these deeds in the hereafter, but it in this very world, too.

All Praise is to Allah.

May our Lord increase our understanding and perception.
May He let us know about the truth of the things around us.
Aameen.

The Real Prosperity

2004-11-29T05:36:00.000-08:00

Abu Hurayra reports: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told that Allah said: "Son of Adam! Fill your time with My worship and I will fill your heart with richness, and end your poverty. But if you do not, I would make your hands completely busy (in worldly affairs) and I would not end your poverty."
Tirmizee, 2467

We should trust only in Allah. We should turn our faces only to Him. We should ask for help only from Him. Some time ago, I had asked myself: "What could be the greatest deprivation imaginable?" I thought that any materialistic poverty could be overcome by sharing. So then, I came up with the answer that the greatest deprivation imaginable for somebody could perhaps be that he is all alone, that he is totally neglected; that he cannot express himself to anybody, that nobody around him even notices his existence let alone his lonely situation. Well...it seems to be I was wrong! Now I see that no such thing like deprivation can even exist if one binds his heart tightly to God.

I'd like to tell you about a nice note which is realated to this hadith. Yesterday, in the evening, I was searching for the words that are often used to describe the Quran. It was the guide, the protected book, words of Allah, full of wisdom, the cure, the firm rope of Allah, the illuminating light, the greatest bounty...and so many other names. In this context, I came across the following statement [1]:

Al-qur-aanu geenan
laa fakra ba'dahuu
walaa geenan duunahuu

"Quran is prosperity.
Having found Quran, there is no more poverty.
And without Quran, there is no prosperity.

Peace be upon you all.

[1] Transmitted from Anas bin Malik by Hatib al-Bagdaadi, Tabaraani, and some other sources like Ibn-i Abdil-Bar.

A Lovely Cycle

2004-11-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

For whoever the door of dua is opened, for him the doors of Mercy are opened.
Tirmizee, Daawaat 112, (3542)

Dua...what a lovely meeting between our Lord and us. Sometimes we get what we ask for; and sometimes we don't. But in any case, we never question the wisdom behind this. Dua is all the wealth we have in our hands, with which we seek refuge in Allah from Allah.

The following quatrain of Mawlana is always in my mind:

The fire of love is lit first in the beloved,
Only then in the heart of the one who is in love.
Look at the candle; it should be lit first,
Only then it burns the moths flying around it.

Let us all pray that our Lord makes us among those whom He loves and whom He treats with His Mercy. Aameen.

Right at this point, let us have a look at the following ayat:

3:31. Say (O Muhammad): "If you love Allah then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Can you feel that lovely cycle: We begin with a hadith. The dua that we make means the Mercy of Allah. We keep making dua in order for our Lord to love us, to have Mercy on us. And then we hear the Word of our Lord: We have to follow Rasulullah (pbuh), so that Allah will love us. But then again, what had Rasulullah (pbuh) said already? Yes, here we are at our initial point, having passed through the entire virtuous cycle.

Sincerity and Devotion

2004-11-20T00:35:00.000-08:00

If anyone of you improves (follows strictly) his Islamic religion, then his good deeds will be rewarded ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed and a bad deed will be recorded as it is.
Muslim, Book of Belief 205

"...improves (follows strictly) his Islamic religion..."

Actually, even when we declare our shahadah, we begin by saying "I witness that..." It is so easy to just say it.

This reminds me the 14. ayat of the Surat al-Hujuraat:

The dwellers of the desert say: "We believe." Say: "You believe not but rather say, "We submit", for faith has not yet entered into your hearts. But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

May Allah guide us...May He not keep us apart from sincerity, devotion, self-control, and self-questioning.

Let us also notice the main emphasis of the hadith: That the good deeds will be rewarded manifold and a bad deed will be recorded as it is...How great and wide is the Mercy and Grace of Allah...All Praise is to Him.

Words Beloved by Allah

2004-11-18T02:42:00.000-08:00

Two words are light on the tongue, weigh heavily in the balance, they are beloved by the Most Merciful One:
Subhaanallaahi wabihamdihee, Subhaanallaahil-'azeem
Muslim, 2694

In the morning of Eid, I was in the Sulaymaniya Mosque in Istanbul. Right in front of me, on one of the pillars this hadith was written. This very well-known and meaningful hadith is also famous for it is the very last hadith in Buhari. To say it in Arabic is just gorgeous and very easy to memorize:

kalimataan
habeebataan ilar-Rahmaan
khafeefataan 'alal-leesaan
saqeelataan fil-meezaan
subhaanallaahi wabihamdihee
subhaanallaahil-'azeem

two words:
beloved by The Most Merciful One
light on the tongue
weigh heavily in the balance
all Glory and all Praise is to Allah
all Glory is to Allah the Almighty

Since, in general, it is not a habit to make dhikr in our daily routine, we should at least memorize these words and recite them (sometimes) at ruk'u during the salats.

subhaanallaahi wabihamdihee, subhaanallahil-'azeem

A Balanced Life

2004-11-16T00:49:00.000-08:00

Religion is very easy; whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the nights.
Buhari, Book of Belief, 37; Nasai 8/121,122

Not only our deeds but also our characteristic features may contain potentially contradictory consequences. While some of our inclinations may lead to very pleasant outcomes, the very same inclinations - when exaggerated - almost always cause some "side effects". The first sentence of this hadith is telling me that one should pay attention to keep a balanced life and should live in moderation.

I am grateful for the second sentence. I don't see an approach here that focuses only on the outcome. How the task is performed is important, too. I wish that our deeds would come near to perfection.

Let me finish this article with a dua which is well-known especially in the sufi tradition:

Allaahumma anta maqsuudee waridaaka matluubee
"O Allah, I want You and Your Well-pleasedness only"

May the Peace of Allah be upon you all.