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Month: March 2019

Few Moral Lessons From The Encounter Between Prophet Sulaymaan [alayhi salaam] And The Ants

Written by Abdullah Jallow on . Posted in Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Pearls of Wisdom.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Allaah [The Most High] said:

وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ جُنُودُهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ

وَالْإِنْسِ وَالطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَىٰ وَادِ النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ

نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا

مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ

سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِنْ قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ

أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي

أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ

صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي

عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

And there were gathered before Sulaiman (Solomon) his hosts of jinns and men, and birds, and they all were set in battle order (marching forwards). Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: “O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaiman (Solomon) and his hosts crush you, while they perceive not.” So he [Sulaiman (Solomon)] smiled, amused at her speech and said: “My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.” [27: 17-19]

Few Reminders From The Above Aayaat:

The ant sought an excuse for the army if they would have harmed its colony due to being unaware of their presence and it blamed its colony if they failed to take precaution by not entering their dwelling place. And due to this, Sulaymaan [alayhis salaam] smiled because indeed it is something that should bring about amazement and make someone smile. [Ref 1]

The ant knew Sulaymaan’s [alayhis salaam] affair and that of his army, exalted Sulaymaan’s [alayhis salaam] authority and excused them if they crushed its colony because that would have occurred unintentionally.

Sulaymaan [alayhis-salaam] heard the ant’s speech and understood it, so he smiled due to being amazed by the ant’s eloquence, [good] advice and fine expression. This is how the Prophets were – perfect manners and expressing their amazement in the right circumstances. They do not laugh; rather they smile just as the Messenger  [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] mostly used to smile, for indeed a loud burst of laughter is an indication of feeble mindedness and bad manners.

On the other hand, the one who does not become amazed by what should amaze a person, then this is an indication of ill-humour and haughtiness, and the Messengers of Allaah are free from that. [Ref 2]

[Ref 1: An Excerpt from ‘Badaa’i At-Tafseer Al-Jaami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imaam Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah’ Vol 2′ pages 279-282). Slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from ‘Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan’. Slightly paraphrased]

Four Types of People: [The Scholar, The Student, The Forgetful One And The One Who Is Unaware That He Does Not Know]

Written by Salafi Dawah Manchester on . Posted in Pearls of Wisdom.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Ibnul Jawzee [rahimahullaah] said, ”Sulaymaan Ibn Moosaa [rahimahullaah] said, ‘The people are four types”’. Also it has been reported to us from Ahnaf Ibn Qais [rahimahullaah] that he said, ”Khaleel Ibn Ahmad [rahimahullaah] said, ‘The people are four types: A man who knows and knows that he knows-this one is a scholar, so take from him. A man who knows, but he does not know that he knows-this one is forgetful, so he is to be reminded. A man who does not know and knows that he does not know-this one is a student, so teach him. A man who does not know that he does not know-this one is an idiot”’. [Akhbaarul Hamqaa. page: 15]

 

Shuraih Al-Qaadhiy’s Thankfulness When Afflicted With a Calamity

Written by Salafi Dawah Manchester on . Posted in Pearls of Wisdom, Scholars of Islam, Worship - 'Ibaadah'.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Shuraih Al-Qaadhiy [rahimahullaah] said: Indeed [when] afflicted by a calamity, I praise Allaah four times: I praise Allaah for not making the calamity greater than what it is. I praise Allaah for granting me patience. I praise Allaah for the reward I hope for in that calamity and I praise Allaah for not placing that calamity in the affairs of my religion.

[Shu’ab Al-Eemaan 9507]

 

The Importance of Reading The Biographies of The Salafus Saaleh [The Pious Predecessors]

Written by Salafi Dawah Manchester on . Posted in Da'wah - Calling To Islam, Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Purification of The Soul, Scholars of Islam.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Imaam Ibnul Jawzi [rahimahullaah] said:

I saw that solely being preoccupied with studying Fiqh and listening to [transmission] of hadeeth is not enough to rectify the heart, except [when] combined with [the authentic narrations concerning the] softening of the hearts, and looking into the biographies of the pious predecessors.  As for having knowledge of Halaal and Haraam only, it does not have a great strength in softening the heart; rather the softening of the heart is [attained] by  mentioning the Ahaadeeth on the subject matter and the stories of the pious predecessors. That is because they [i.e. the pious predecessors] grasped the intent behind narrating [ahadeeth]–they demonstrated the tangible obligated actions by way of them, practical encounter with their meanings and the goals behind them. And there is nothing that will make you experience this, except after cultivation and experience.

That is because I find that the ambition of the majority of the Muhadditheen and the students of hadeeth is [focused on acquiring hadeeth that has the closest chain of transmission from the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) and gathering numerous authentic Ahaadeeth on a particular subject matter in the religion etc]. And the majority of the jurists [focus on] the science of debate and that which gives one the upper hand [i.e. what he observed during his era]; so how can the heart be softened through these affairs?

Indeed, a group of the pious predecessors aspired to see that a righteous slave should look to his character and upright guidance and not [merely] the knowledge he has acquired. That is [because] his character and upright guidance are the fruits of his knowledge. So understand this!  The student of Hadeeth and Fiqh should combine [seeking after hadeeth and fiqh] with studying the lives of the pious predecessors and the Zuhhaad, so that it can be a means to softening the heart. Indeed, books have been compiled regarding the affairs and manners of each one of those well-known outstanding men [of piety]. A book has been compiled regarding the affairs of Al-Hasan [Al-Basri], Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, Ibraaheem Bin Ad-ham, Bishr Al-Haafiy, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Ma’roof and other than them amongst the scholars and the Zuhhaad.

[An Excerpt from ‘Saydul khaatir’ Page 171. Daar Ibn Rajab. 1st edition 2003. Slightly paraphrased]

The Love Or Hatred One Has For Others Should Never Interfere With The Truth

Written by Salafi Dawah Manchester on . Posted in Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Purification of The Soul.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

A man came to Ibn Mas’ood [radiyallaahu-anhu] and said, ‘’Teach me [some] comprehensive and beneficial statements’’. So he said, ‘’Worship Allaah and do not associate anything with Him [in worship]; be with the Qur’aan wherever it is [i.e. be in agreement with it in all circumstances]. Whoever comes to you with truth – whether he is young or old, and even if he is not close to you and is hated to you, then accept it from him. And whoever comes to you whilst lying, then reject it, even if he is beloved and close to [you]’’.

[Source: مساوئ الأخلاق ومذمومها – page 72. By Abubakr Muhammad Bin Jafar Bin Sahl Ash-Shaamiriy (rahimahullaah); Born 240AH and died 327AH]

A Means to Protecting One’s Heart – [An Admonition By Imaam Sufyaan Ath-Thawri]

Written by Salafi Dawah Manchester on . Posted in Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Pearls of Wisdom, Purification of The Soul.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Mercififul, The Bestower of Mercy

Abdul-Azeez Al-Qurashee [rahimahullaah] said:

I heard Sufyaan [rahimahullaah] saying: It is incumbent upon you that you do not attach your heart to the worldly life [i.e. a blameworthy attachment as opposed to seeking one’s needs] and you are not eager for its attainment [i.e. the eagerness that leads to sin, transgression, greed etc], and Allaah will make you see the concealed affairs of the worldly life [i.e. its corruption, true reality, worries etc when we are attached to it in a blameworthy manner]. It is incumbent upon you to fear Allaah in a manner that will keep you away from those affairs that are doubtful and thus may affect you in the afterlife and Allaah will make your giving account on [the day of judgement] less burdensome. Leave what makes you doubt for that which is not doubtful; leave those affairs that resemble the truth but are falsehood in reality and your religion will be safeguarded. [Hilyatul Awliyaa 7/20]

Grateful For Being Guided to The Authentic Sunnah – [Ibnul Qayyim Narrates An Incident About a Companion of His]

Written by Salafi Dawah Manchester on . Posted in Articles, Morals and Manners - 'Akhlaaq', Pearls of Wisdom, Purification of The Soul, Worship - 'Ibaadah'.

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Ibn al-Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: One day I entered upon one of our companions and indeed something did happen to him that made him cry, so I asked him about it; he said: I remembered what Allaah has bestowed on me from the Sunnah and acquaintance with it; freed [me] from the Shub’hah [i.e. doubts that are made to resemble the truth] of the people and their false principles; conformity with clear intellectual discernment and sound natural disposition based on that which the Messenger [sallal laahu alay wasallam] came with, so it made me happy until it made me cry. [Madaarij As-Saalikeen 3/127] [paraphrased] [Quoted By Shaikh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Badr (hafidhahullaah)] http://al-badr.net/muqolat/5481