September 18, 2011

Three levels of taqwaa (piety)


Taqwaa has three levels:

The first: Protecting the heart and limbs from sins and all forbidden matters.

The second: Protecting the heart and limbs form disliked matters [Makrooh].

The third: Protecting oneself from the fudool and what does not concern him.


The first gives the servant his life, the second gives him health and strength and the third enables him to gain happiness, contentment and light.

! Verily ALLAH Does Not Look To Your Bodies Or To Your Faces !



To other organs, the heart is like a king in charge of his soldiers; they are subservient to him and his desires, and are guided or misled by him, as they follow him in all that he resolves to do or avoids. That is why the Prophet, Sallalahu aleihi wa , said: “Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is sound, the whole body is reformed, but if it is corrupt, the whole body is spoilt. Verily, it is the heart.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Hence, the heart is the king of the body, which executes all that it commands and takes its lead. The limbs are unable to do anything unless this particular organ wants and intends to. Since the heart reigns supreme, and is responsible for its wards, as is every guardian, it is essential that the righteous person prioritizes paying close attention to it and making it sound and upright. Further, investigating the diseases of the heart and their cures is the first thing sincere worshippers should undertake.

When Satan, the enemy of Allaah, realized that everything revolved around, and depended on, the heart, he began to whisper into it, expose it to temptations and adorn to it every condition and deed that strays us from the way of Allaah The Almighty. He also accompanied that with incentives to follow what prevents the heart from the causes of success.

Furthermore, Satan set various snares such that if they do not entrap the heart, it will at least be hindered by them. Therefore, a person cannot escape his plots and traps, except by continuously seeking help from Allaah The Almighty against him, acting in a manner that necessitates His Pleasure and by sincerely turning to Him at times of stillness and activity. Also essential is humiliating one’s self to Him in worship, so as to guarantee being included among those Allaah The Almighty mentions, when He Says (what means): {Indeed, My servants - no authority will you have over them} [Suratul-Hijr, 42].

Love of Allah is the Greatest Delight in this Life


 Post  Ibn al-Qayyim [d.751H] - rahimahullaah - said

“Rushing towards Allah and depending on Him, being pleased with Him, filling the heart with love of Him, constantly remembering Him, feeling happiness and joy with knowing Him – all of these are instantaneous rewards, a paradise of this world, and a life that the lives of kings cannot even compare to. I heard Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H - may Allah have Mercy on him) say:

“Indeed, there is a paradise in this world. Whoever doesn’t enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.”

And he once said to me:

“What can my enemies do to me? My paradise and garden are in my chest, and they are with me wherever I go. My imprisonment is my privacy with Allah, my killing is martyrdom, and my expulsion from my homeland is tourism."

And Allah Knows that I never saw anyone with a purer life than him despite what he was experiencing of hardship and lack of relaxation and rest, and despite his imprisonment and fear of being killed. With all of this, he lived the purest life, had the strongest and most open heart, was happiest in spirit, and had a face that emanated the brightness of delight.

When we were frightened, had desperate thoughts, and felt as if the world was choking us, we would rush to him. Simply by seeing him and hearing his words, this would all turn into relaxation, certainty, and assurance. So, glory to the One who allowed His slaves to witness His Paradise before meeting Him and opened for them its doors in this life, giving them from its taste and sweet breeze that they have been dedicating their strength to seeking and competing for.

And some of the People of Knowledge would say:

“If the kings and their sons knew what we were experiencing, they would have fought us with swords over it.”

Another said:

“The people of this world are deprived. They left this world without tasting the sweetest thing in it!”

It was asked of him: “And what is that?”

He said:

“Love of Allah, knowing Him, and remembering Him.”

So, love, knowledge, and constant remembrance of Allah, leaning to Him, feeling tranquil with Him, singling Him out for love, fear, hope, dependence, and attention – such that He alone is the main concern and preoccupation of the slave and his goals – is the paradise and delight of this world that no other delight can compare to, and it is the coolness of the eyes of those who love Allah, and true life for those who know Him

About"Eid-Ul-Adha"


Eid al-Adha (عيد الأضحى) or Feast of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of the willingness of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to sacrifice his son Ismael (AS) for Allah. It is one of two Eid festivals that Muslims Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha also begins with a short prayer followed by a khutba (sermon).
Eid al-Adha is 3 days long and starts on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. This is the day after the pilgrims in Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.
 Traditions and Practices 
Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing and perform the Eid prayer in mosques and open areas. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice the best animal (usually sheep, but also camels, cows, and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, have to meet certain age and quality standards. At the time of sacrifice, Allah's name is recited along with the offering statement. According to the Quran a large portion of the meat has to be given towards the poor and hungry people so they can all join in the feast which is held on Eid-ul-Adha. Eid ul-Adha is a concrete affirmation of what the Muslim community ethic means in practice. People in these days are expected to visit their relations, starting with their parents, then their families and friends.
While Eid ul-Adha is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year since the Islamic calendar is a lunar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. The Lunar calendar is approximately 10 days shorter than the Solar calendar. Each year, Eid ul-Adha (like other Islamic holidays) falls on one of two different Gregorian dates in different parts of the world, due to the fact that the boundary of crescent visibility is different from the International date line.


  To every Muslim, everywhere in the world 

May Allah SWT accept our Sacrifice (Qurbani) and our good deeds, grant us forgiveness and have mercy upon us. Ameen!
Enjoy your festivities with great enthusiasm but don't forget
the poor and needy persons around you.
Allah-o-Akbar,  Allah-o-Akbar,
Laa Ilaaha Illallaho Wallah-o-Akbar
Allah-o-Akbar, Allah-o-Akbar, Walillahil Hamd

History-Of -Eid Ul- Adha-



Eid is a festival of Muslims that is celebrated all over the world. Eid-ul-Adha is also known as the festival of sacrifice and sacrifice feast. Eid- ul- Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of Dhuj Hijja, the Islamic month according to the lunar Islamic calendar. Eid- ul- Adha accurs approximately seventy days after the end of Ramadan month. The festival of Eid- ul- Adha is celebrated in the remembrance of prophet Abraham’s readiness to forfeit Ishmael, his son for god. The story about this festival tells, how Abraham was ready to kill his son and remained true to God. The story tells, how Allah told Abraham, to lift up the foundation of Kaaba that was a holy place in Mecca.God also asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, in a dream. Abraham along with his son started moving towards Mina for the sacrifice

Some of the daemons tried to direct Abraham away from his way but Abraham was true to god and as he was just set to kill his son, God stopped him and gave him a sheep to sacrifice instead of sacrificing his son. This festival is thereby said to be a festival of sacrifice. Some people celebrate Eid- ul- Adha because it ends the pilgrimage or Hajj for those Muslims who make a trip to Mecca each year.

 
Just like Eid- ul- Fitr, Eid- ul - Adha also commences with a small prayer followed by Khutba. The delivery of this Khutba is done from Mount Arafat in Mecca. It is assumed that Eid- ul- Adha should last for three days but some of the Islamic traditions think that Eid- ul- Fitr last for three days and Eid- ul- Adha last for four days.

Eid Ul Adha Routine

The first day of Eid- ul- Adha is a holiday and all the members of the family dress up in new and beautiful clothes to carry out the Eid- ul- Adha prayers (Salah) in large groups. On this day all the Muslims forfeit their domestic animals like sheep and goat representing Abraham’s forfeit. This forfeit made by Muslims is known as “Qurban”. Once the animal is sacrificed then the meat of the animal is distributed among the friends, relatives, neighbors and poor people. Muslims communities on this day take care that no poor and needy Muslim is missed out to provide the sacrificial food.


Eid Ul Adha is known through several names all over the world like, "Kurban Bayrami" or "Sacrifice Feast". In Singapore and Malaysia it is known as Hari Raya Haji. In West Africa it is known as Tabaski. In South East Asia it is known as Hari Raya Aidiladha Among Indians it is known as Id al-Adha or Idu’z Zuha. In Bangladesh it is known as either Eid-ul-Azha or Id al-Adha. One can see that this festival of Eid-Ul-Adha is known through so many names in different parts of the country but the spirit to celebrate this festival among all the Muslims remain the same irrespective of the location.