The Quran and Exposure of the Enemies

Islam has paid due attention to the independence of the Muslim Ummah, and for this very reason it has suggested certain measures to prevent any kind, of alien interference in the internal affairs of an Islamic State on the part of the non‑Muslims. The Quranic imperatives are categorical in this regard. In some of the Quranic verses the evil designs and targets of the plotting unbelievers are fully exposed, so that Muslims should not he deceived by their hypocritical attitude. They also suggest how this challenge should be met. A few relevant verses are quoted here:

The unbelievers of the People of the Book (the Jews and the Christians) and the idolaters do not like that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord, and God chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy, and God is of bounty abounding. (2:105)

If you are visited with good fortune it vexes them, and if an evil afflicts you, they rejoice at it. Yet if you are patient and God‑fearing, their evil designs will not harm you in any way; God encompasses the things they do. (3:120)

Many of the People of the Book wish that they might restore you as unbelievers, after you have believed, in the jealousy of their souls after the truth has become manifest to them; yet do you pardon and forgive, till God brings His command; truly God is powerful over everything. (2:109)

O believers, if you obey a sect of those who have been given the Book, they will turn you after you have believed, into unbelievers. (3:100)

O believers, if you obey the unbelievers they will turn you upon your heels, so that you turn back losers. No; but God is your Protector and He is the best of helpers. (3:149‑150)

So for their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard; they pervert words from their meanings; and they have forgotten a portion of what they were reminded of; and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them. Yet pardon them, and forgive; surely Allah loves the good‑doers. (5:13)

Never will the Jews be pleased with you, neither the Christians, not till you follow their religion. Say: "Surely God's guidance is the [only] true guidance." And if you follow their caprices after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have against God neither protector nor helper. (2:120)

How can it be? If they get the better of you, they will not observe towards you any bond or treaty, giving you satisfaction with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors. They have sold the signs o f God for a small price, and have barred from His way; surely evil is that they have been doing, observing neither bond nor treaty towards a believer; they are the transgressors. (9:8‑10)

Ha, there you are; you love them while they love you not; you believe in the Book, all of it, and when they meet you they say, `We believe,' and when they go privily, they bite at you their fingers. Say: Die in your rage;' surely God knows what is in the hearts. (3:119)

As for the unbelievers, they are friends one of another. Unless you do this, there will be persecution an the earth and great corruption. (8:73)

These verses disclose the evil motives, secret designs, and the essential characteristics of the unbelievers, some of which are given below:

1. If any good fortune comes to you, the unbelievers and polytheists are unhappy, for they do not like to see you benefited from anything. They are happy if some misfortune befalls you.

2. The unbelievers nurture jealousy for you and wish to turn you back from your faith.

3. If you obey the unbelievers they would make you give up your faith.

4. The unbelievers are dishonest in dealings with you, and you ought to be always aware of their evil intentions.

5. The Jews and the Christians shall never accept you unless you embrace their faith.

6. Their pacts and covenants are unreliable. If they find means of subordinating you, they will violate all the treaties and compacts that they earlier signed with you.

7. The unbelievers shall never be friendly with you, even though you treat them as friends.

8. The unbelievers are united in friendship against you and shall cooperate with one another to inflict losses on you.

God, the Almighty, has warned Muslims of the malice, enmity, dishonesty, and subversive nature of the unbelievers so that Muslims may be conscious of the fact that they can never be trusted as friends and well‑wishers. It is imperative to keep them at a distance and to strengthen your defences.

God places great emphasis on the defence of the freedom and independence of Islam against the dangers posed by the evil plots of its enemies. After enumerating some of the characteristics of the unbelievers and their evil objectives, God warns Muslims of the dangers of being friendly with them, placing reliance on them, and against surrendering their resources and powers to them. He warns them against following the unbelievers and thus directly or indirectly helping them in realizing their objectives. The Islamic State should not form friendly alliances with the unbelievers, nor are their covenants to be fully trusted. Some Quranic verses in this context may be referred to:

O believers, take not for your intimates outside yourselves; such men spare nothing to ruin you; they yearn for you to suffer. Hatred has already shown itself of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is yet greater. Indeed, We have made Our signs clear to you, if you understand them. (3:118)

O believers, do not take the Jews and Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, he is one of them. Surely God does notguide the evildoers. (5:51)

O believers, do not take for guardians those who take your religion for a mockery and a joke, from among those who were given the Book before you and the unbelievers; and fear God, if you are believers. (5:57)

O believers, do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends; would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the Truth, expelling the Apostle and yourselves because you believe in God, your Lord? If you go forth to struggle in My path and seek My good pleasure, would you show love for them in secret? And I know what you conceal and what you manifest, and whoever of you does this, he indeed has gone astray from the straight path. (60:1)

O believers, do not take the unbelievers for friends rather than the believers, do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? (4:144)

O believers, do not make friends with a people with whom God is wroth; indeed they despair of the Hereafter as the unbelievers despair of those in graves. (60:13)

Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; for whoso does that belongs not to God in anything, unless you have a fear of them. God warns you that you beware of Him, and unto God is the eventual coming. (3:28)

In addition to the traits of the unbelievers enumerated earlier the following can also be inferred from the verses quoted above:

1. The unbelievers nurture malice towards the believers and do not spare anything for harming them in any possible way.

2. Their enmity of Muslims finds expression in what they say, but the intensity of their unexpressed enmity, hidden in their hearts, is far greater.

3. They can never accept your religion and they make fun of it.

4. They are enemies of Muslims and of God, and do not accept the Quranic teachings.

God, after warning us of the characteristics of the unbelievers, makes it explicit that they are not well‑wishing friends of the believers and the believers should not consider them as their friends, guardians, and defenders, and should not reveal their secrets to them. They are un­trustworthy and so are their pacts and promises. The Muslims should not allow them to plan on their behalf and to decide for them. They should not let the unbelievers take charge of their institutions and decide their policies and execute their programmes, and they should not let themselves be deceived by their apparently well‑wishing but inwardly injurious suggestions. This point is repeatedly stressed, and finally it is declared that a Muslim who males any pact of friendship and alliance with the unbelievers ceases to be one of the Islamic Ummah and the Party of God.

Friendship with unbelievers is considered even as a sign of disbelief

And had they believed in God and the Prophet (S) and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them (the unbelievers) for friends, but most of them are transgressors. (5:81)

You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day be­friending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, even though they were their [own] fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk. (58:22)

In these Quranic verses the basic guide‑lines of an Islamic govern­ment's external policy in relation to the countries having no faith in God is clearly and explicitly laid down. Muslims are categorically commanded to guard and defend their independence and freedom, and not let the unbelievers to infiltrate and interfere in their internal affairs. Muslims are asked to be on guard against them. All relations and pacts which would ultimately lead to the increasing influence and domination of unbelievers over the affairs of Muslims are illegitimate and must be abstained from. The Quranic injunction in this regard is not only clear but also categorical:

... And Allah will by no means give the unbelievers a way against the believer‑s [to dominate them]. (4:141)

“…Which group should I join?”

“…You ask about which group you should join.

I advise you to aid the truth and Tawhid (pure monotheism) and its adherents, and to search for those who best fulfill this description and be patient alongside them, as Allah Said to His Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم): {“And be patient alongside those who call upon their Lord in the morning and afternoon, seeking His Face…”} [al-Kahf; 28]

You have to first know and learn the truth and Tawhid in order to know its adherents, because people are recognized in light of the truth. So, if you come to know the closest people to the call to Tawhid, hold tightly to their friendship and help them as much as you can.

Beware of blind allegiance to personalities, as this will block you off from much good.

The people of the truth that I advise you to stick with must combine these important characteristics:

• they adhere to the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah
• they follow the Prophetic method in calling to Tawhid and disassociating themselves from shirk
• they do this openly, just as Prophet Ibrahim and his followers did
• they do not have blind allegiance except to textual evidence
• they do their part in aiding and giving victory to the Religion
• they are not hurt by those who oppose them or betray them, as in the description of the Ta’ifah al-Mansurah (the Victorious Group – may Allah make us from it)…”

Advice from a martyred shaheed(Part-2)

continued......
 
“Hasbunallaahu Wa ni’mal Wakeel” these are words which made the kings with immense power, like pharaoh and namrood, tremble and shake. Words which, brought fear to the armies of Kuffār. Words which if uttered in its true sense while believing in each letter, fires are made cold, armies of tughāt are struck with fear and forced to flee, swords which are raised over heads would fall in fear, seas would be cut into halves. What harm can be brought over a man whose reliance is upon the Controller of all the mankind? Whose army is not known except to Him alone? Who if wishes anything says “be” and it happens? Yes my brethren, it is the reliance upon Allāh Almighty alone. It is to know in every circumstance, that Allāh is enough as a helper, as the One who provides provision, as a Savior; to know that He is enough against all the creation.


When this is really understood by the slave, then in the most difficult time, it would be said with full belief “what do you think O Abu Bakr about two whose third is Allāh?”, it would be said when swords are raised over your skull without the slightest doubt “Allāh will save me”, it would be said when great armies get together against you, or when the whole nation is out to kill you, even worse, when they have tied you, when they have jailed you, when they have put you in the catapult, and at the moment being thrown into a fire, a destruction, which your eyes see, and surely your eyes aren’t deceiving you! In this difficult time, when the heart of the believer shines, when the light of Eeman eliminates all doubts about The Qadīr, and when it is firmly believed that the all the Power is His alone, the fire is His, all the creation belong to Him, and when it is said in this moment with all certainty “Hasbunallāhu Wani’mal Wakēl” (enough for me is Allāh, and how good is the One who is relied upon), the fire becomes cold, and the tughāt trembles and the plots of Kuffār fails in front of the plot of Al Qahhār.


So this is what you must carry with you in your actions and beliefs, in this hard difficult trip. So learn O slave of Saboor and ponder on the meanings of the Qur’an and the stories in which incidents of such are explained. But now make a difference in the way you read. While you read, read as if you are the one who is experiencing it, or a person who might experience those events, for who knows? If you are loved by Allāh, He will surely send trails on you. Read! Knowing, it is the path of the people on whom Allāh has bestowed upon. This is the prayer you recite in al-fātiha at least 17 times in your prayer, to show their path. So now that you have asked Allāh their path! Know this is their path.


Ponder while you are alone on the words like “lā hawla walā quwwata illā billāh” (there is no movement or Power except with the help of Allāh) If you really comprehend the meaning of these words so short as a sentence, yet so strong in meaning, you will then really fear none. Then when this is learnt by your action and not by theory, you will really understand the meanings of the words “know that even if the Ummah got together to harm you with anything, they can never harm you except with what Allāh has already decreed over you…”


And know that these can only be learnt in its true meaning after you start running to the fields of Jihād, and give the true Dawah in which absolute no compromise is made, which the satans who attribute knowledge to themselves, do. And when blood is in your throat for Allāh’s sake, and when you are struck with pain due to the hatred received from the ones you loved –due to no reason except for standing firm in the Millat of Ibrāhim without hesitation, fearing none and not fearing the results which will occur by telling what is Haqq for Allāh’s sake, and when the whole world is against you due to them being in the trench of Shaitan while you are in the trench of Rahman, so when you are faced with trials like this, you will truly know the meaning of the reliance and turning to Allāh. So learn it with action.


“Now only O Umar! (Your Emān is complete)” Words said to Umar RA. Words if thought about, it would bring fear into hearts empty from this sifat. But has any pondered why these words by the prophet of mercy were said? The reason behind this is the reason which in reality took you out your house, your wealth, your family to strive to make Allāh’s word supreme. That is to ‘Love Allāh and His messenger and making Jihād in His Path more than anything else in this world’. This is what, if not found in our hearts, we are warned to wait for Allāh’s order to fall on us! This is one the first and most important sifat mentioned by Allāh about those who will be brought after making us astray if we turn our backs to this religion “O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islâm), Allâh will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allâh, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allâh which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allâh is All*Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All*Knower.”.

Advice from a martyred shaheed(Part-1)

Ammā Ba’du,

Know, may Allāh bless you and make you firm on the most trust worthy handhold, and on this religion, and may Allāh make knowledge easy for you, that if this path has been chosen by you as your way of life, if you have made the decision to walk this noble path, that is the path of Hijrah and Jihād, know that you have embraced a life of hardship and trials, a life of tears and sweat, a life of fear and sadness, a life also if thought about in depth, or if thought about its reality and what you are gaining by embracing this life, which Allāh opens on his truthful slave, it contains the inner happiness and peace, you will never loose, you will get the honor in this world and what Allāh has saved for you in the next is not known except to the Rabb who has bought from you, your wealth and soul.

I do not wish in this little letter to address the bounties of Allāh which he has promised the mujāhid, from the Hūr ul Eīn, or the 100 levels, or the green birds. But rather I wish to let you know a little of what is needed as a provision for survival and the paths for salvation in this unwelcoming, harsh but honorable life you have embraced.
In this path, my dear brother in Islam who has given priority over the next for Allāh, there are matters which saves you and which you must hold fast with your molar teeth, and matters which destroys and that which you must avoid and run from, even if you see those characteristics from all around you. For in the end, this fight is not but between the slaves of Rahmān and the slaves of Shaitān. So keep yourself away from All which brings you near the shaitān and makes you distant from Rahmān “and the shaitan does not promise you but what is false”, and strive and fight to gain all which brings you near Rahmān and makes you distant from shaitān “and who does fulfill His promises more than Allāh?”.
First over all matters, hold fast to the reason, for it you were created, for it you must die, with it the messengers were sent, on its name the flags of jihād are raised, all our strives are for its sake, and it is what is said in each of our breath, that is Lā ilāha Illā Allāh, worshiping Allāh and avoiding shirk, fighting for Zil Jabarūt against the Tāghūt “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allāh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tāghūt”. So this is the Asl of this deen and its pillar, and the most trust worthy handhold, so leave it not! So may all your actions be on its course.
The points I wanted you to be aware of are:
Sincerity of intention, strive to purify it, for from this point it is either acceptance from Allāh or rejection. If you are sincere, then you have gained all of the victory. But if you are not, may Allāh save us from such, you have lost everything, and you will be thrown in hell on your face. So fear all types of riyaa, in your words and actions. For even the mujāhid who died fighting will not be spared if his intention was other than seeking Allāh’s pleasure. As nobody would desire to be said on such a day where nothing but his sincere actions would benefit him, “go to those for whom you acted and see if they can reward you”.
Repentance, may this be your way in each and every step, remember your mistakes so you might avoid it in future, and be prepared for a day when you will face the knower of the seen and unseen without a translator, be prepared for the death which is seeking you day and night, prepare for the certainty which we as mortal creation will certainly cannot avoid. This really will clean your heart, purify your soul, and will open the eye which is in your heart, which if opened; you will see what many are blind of. Repent dear slave of Allāh knowing an eternal fire ambushes for sinners, for we have been warned of the fire. So if you have time, don’t waste it on useless matters, but rather spend it with Allāh, repenting and remembering, for how many is seen in these paths wasting their time, after they sold it to Allāh.
Patience, in ease and hardship, when you face hardship from the enemy, or observing it while a path to disobedience is made easy by refraining from doing it. For patience is being patient in Allāh’s obedience from acting on what he has commanded and leaving what he has forbidden, and being patient to the trails which you face in this path. Remember that from the greatest reason from which wars are won are due to patience and piety. It is the characteristic of all the pious salaf who walked this difficult path, so if reaching their destination is your goal, make this amongst your closest friends in this path.
Also in this matter one must remember, one must also be patient on the difficulties he face from his own brothers from Mujāhidīn, for among the Mujāhidīn you will find those who are not bestowed with good character or true guidance, or people who sin. You might find your belongings have been stolen, or you have been abused at, or even you might observe discrimination, but you have to be patient to all these and not return back from the fields saying I returned because I experienced such and such. Then if that is your case, you have not known the reason you went there in the first place. You went there to make Allāh’s word most high, not to “observe” how Allāh’s Word is made supreme. Yes, I warn you my brothers, even matters graver might be observed in the ranks of the Mujāhidīn, for they are merely humans, who might be ignorant even from the basics of Islam (and the only reason why they came might be their concern for the Ummah) or even worse you might even meet hypocrites, in these circumstances you must do what is obligatory over you, from ordering good, forbidding the evil, helping your brother whether he is the oppressed or the oppressor, giving advice for Allāh’s sake. But be patient and don’t come back due that, making that your excuse, for it is not a valid excuse infront of Allāh, until you see kufr bawāh from your leaders, even in that case the obligation of jihād has not yet fallen from you, rather search then another group, for there will never pass a time where the true group will not be found, if not fight even if you are alone “you have not been given responsibility but over yourself only”.
So remember Islam is not at fault, but rather those who are from the Muslimīn makes mistakes and becomes sinners while Islam and its cause are pure from all that.
Know that jihād is pure and what ever evil from those who takes its responsibility, does not resemble Jihād, but rather are mistakes from their nafs, so you must see by yourself that you will do what is binding upon you, and this will make the image pure.
Remember O brothers who are going to places where cultures differ, you might find amongst them, in those cultures similar evil matters, and also matters which are different from your own, so in all cases you must weigh the matters upon Qur’an and Sunnah, hold to both those principles, act on it and call to it.
So be patient! And by Allāh, by Allāh, you will find your life in difficulty if you are not aware of these realities which you will face in the fields. So know from the first day the reason you are going to the fields so you might not run back.
Piety, this quality and the one above are the ones if both of these are united in a person, karāmat can be seen from him, the leadership in religion would be given for him and wars are won due to these people. No matter how much we increase in our number, these people are what really counted. For the matter is not of quantity but of quality. Do you not see how 313 shook the world? And naming the incidents in testifying to what we said would lengthen the topic.
So remember and remember again O the one who marches on this path, that verily it’s not your muscles, nor your material which is strengthening you or winning these battles, but it is the Taqwā and Sabr and ēman. It has been observed that strong men failed in this path who lacked these characteristics. Nevertheless when these characteristics gets mixed in his blood and bone we see a physically weak mu’min doing that of twenty strong men…
So if you are to increase in anything in order to get prepared for this journey, then increase your Taqwā, Sabr and Eeman. How successful is such a person, and verily all the success had been attained by him who had been bestowed with these characteristics, for they are like light in the darkness and they are the source of life amongst dead.

Be in this Life as if you are a Stranger or Traveller

Be in this Life as if you are a Stranger or Traveller
Ibn Rajab

Taken from Jâmi’ al-U’lûm wal-Hikam [1]
Hadîth #40:
Ibn Umar (Radhiallahu ‘Anhum) said: Allâh’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) took me by my shoulder and said:
“Be in this life as if you were a stranger or a traveller on a path.”

Ibn Umar used to say,
“If you reach the evening then do not expect to reach the morning, and if you reach the morning then do not expect to reach the evening. Take from your health before your sickness, and from your life before your death.” – [Reported by al-Bukhârî]

This hadîth is the foundation for limiting one’s hope in this life. So a believer must not take this life as a homeland or permanent residence, his heart being tranquil and resting assured within it. Rather, he must be in it as if he were on a journey, preparing himself to depart. The advice of the Prophets and their followers confirmed this.


Allâh said, narrating upon a believer at the time of Fir’awn that he said:
“O my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the hereafter that is the home that will remain forever.” [Ghafir : 39]

Alî ibn Abi Tâlib used to say,
“Certainly this life has begun travelling away, and the hereafter has begun travelling forward, and each has its children. So be from the children of the hereafter, and don’t be from the children of this life. For indeed today there is action with no account, and tomorrow there will be account with no action.”

Umar ibn Abdul Azîz said in his khutbah,
“This life is not your permanent abode. Allâh has prescribed for it to come to an end and He has prescribed for its people to depart from it. How often has a thriving population been ruined for something insignificant, and how often has a joyful resident been made to depart for something insignificant. So prepare well, may Allâh have mercy on you, for the journey with the best of what you have of preparations, and take provisions, for the best of provisions is Taqwâ.”

So if this life is not a permanent residence nor homeland for the believer, then the situation of the believer in it must be either one of two conditions: Either as if he were a stranger residing in a strange land with his main concern being to take provisions for his return to his real homeland; or as if he were a traveller, in no way residing in it, rather his every night and day is spent going to his land of residence.

For this, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) advised Ibn Umar to be in this life in one of these two conditions:
The first condition: That the believer abandons himself as if he were a stranger in this life, appearing to be a resident, yet really in a strange land. So his heart is not attached to this strange land. Rather, his heart is attached to his homeland that he is returning to. He is only staying in this life to fulfill his objective – preparing for the return to his homeland.

Al-Fudhayl ibn Iyyâdh said,
“A believer in this life is worried and sad. His worry is the objective of preparing himself. So whoever’s condition in this life is such, then he has no concern other than taking provisions from what will benefit him during the return to his homeland. So he does not compete with the people of the land, among whom he is merely a stranger, in what they consider honorable. And he does not become worried if he seems insignificant among them.”

Al-Hasan (al-Basrî) said,
“The believer is like a stranger. He does not become worried due to being insignificant in it (this life), and he does not compete for honor in it. His condition is one and the people are in another condition. When Allâh created آdam (’Alayhis Salâm), He made him and his wife reside in Paradise. Then he was put out of it, yet was promised to return to it, he and the righteous ones among his offspring. So the believer is always longing for his first homeland…” [2]


The second condition: That the believer lowers himself in this life as if he were a traveller, in no way residing in it. He is only moving along in one of the points of his journey until he finishes his journey to its end, which is death. Whoever’s condition in this life is such, then his main concern is obtaining the provision for the journey. He is not concerned with an Abundance of the enjoyment of this life. For this reason, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam) advised a group of his Companions for their main concern in this life to be like the provision of a traveller.

One of the Salaf wrote to one of his brothers:
“Oh my brother, it appears to you as if you are a resident. However, you are really only persistently travelling, and you are moving rapidly. Death is heading towards you, and this life is passing behind you. What has passed of your life will not return to you (to rectify it) on the Day of Taghâbun (The Day of Resurrection).”

Al-Fudhayl ibn Iyyâdh said to a man, “How many (years) have come upon you?”He replied, “Sixty years.” He said, “Therefore, for sixty years you have been going to your Lord and you are about to reach (Him).”So the man said, “To Allâh we belong and to Him we are returning!” So al-Fudhayl asked, “Do you know the meaning of that (statement)? You are saying, ‘I belong to Allâh as a servant and I am going to return to Him.’ So whoever knows that he belongs to Allâh as a servant and that he will return to him, then he should know that he will be stopped. And whoever knows that he will be stopped, then he should know that he will be questioned. And whoever knows that he will be questioned, then let him prepare an answer for the question.” The man asked, “So what should I do?” He said, “It is easy.” The man again asked, “What is it?” al-Fudhayl said, “Do good in what remains, then what has passed shall be forgiven. Yet, if you do evil in what remains, then you will be taken to account for what has passed as well as for what remains.”

Some of the wise people said,
“Whoever made the days and nights his riding animal, then they will take him (to his destination) even if he doesn’t move.”

Muslim Prisoners

This is a reminder again to attract your attention towards some people who are more beloved to ALLAH than us and are being tested by him.

It has been narrated by Saeed through his chain from Hibban bin Jabalah, that the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “Indeed it is obligatory upon the Muslims to free their captives or to pay their ransoms.”

Ibn Qudamah Al-Hanbali said (Al-Mughni 9/228):
It is obligatory to pay the ransom money for the Muslim prisoners, if it is possible.
This was also said by Umar bin Abdul-Aziz, Imam Malik and Ishaq. It has been narrated from Ibn Zubair that he asked Al-Hassan bin Ali about freeing the prisoners. Al-Hassan replied: “It is obligatory upon the entire Earth on which he was fighting.”

Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said (Al-Fatawa 28/635):
Freeing the prisoners is one of the greatest compulsory deeds and spending ransom money and other means towards that, is one of the greatest ways to come close to Allah.

Abu Dawud mentions the hadith narrated by Abu Talha Al-Ansari and Jabir Bin Abdullah, that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honour is being belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his honour is being belittled or his rights violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His help”.

By the blessing of ALLAH azzawajal we all are living in the comforts of our home we can go where we want and do what we like but there are people who are our dear brothers and sisters that are imprisoned and are alone sitting in between 4 closed walls and they have no one to talk to they are seperated from their families and kids and at times abused and tortured or killed.

Abu Musa reported the Messenger of ALLAH(S.A.S.) saying “A believer is like a brick for another believer, the one supporting the other. The Prophet then clasped his hands with the fingers interlaced (while saying that).” (Bukhâri 3 /626 and Muslim 4/6257)

Be Like the Bee

As people are content with the world, so you should be content with Allaah. As they are delighted by the world, so you should be delighted with Allaah. As they are intimate with their loved ones, so you should seek intimacy with Allaah. As they desire to know their kings and their leaders, and to draw near to them in order for honor and status to be conferred on them, so you should come to know Allaah and seek His love, this will lead to the utmost honor and distinction.

Said one of the zuhhad: "I can never imagine that someone could hear about Paradise and Hellfire and can still waste an hour without performing any act of obedience to Allaah; neither remembrance, prayer, reciting Quraan nor an act of charity or kindness.”

Someone said to him: "I weep profusely."

He replied: “That you laugh while confessing your sin is better than weeping yet being puffed-up with pride because of your deeds. For the deeds of a conceited person will never rise above his head.”

The person then requested: "Please counsel me."

So he replied: “Leave the world to those who hanker after it, as they leave the Afterlife to its seekers. And be in this world as the bee: it eats only good, produces only good, and when it rests upon anything it neither ruins it nor deflowers it.”

{Al Fawaa-id, Ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah (rahimahullah), Pg.187}

I am Not Crying Because...

A man reached 70 years of age and he faced a disease; he could not urinate. The doctors informed him that he was in need of an operation to cure this disease. He agreed to have the operation done as the problem was giving him much pain for days.

When the operation was completed, his doctor gave him the bill which covered all the costs. The old man looked at the bill and started to cry. Upon seeing this the doctor told him that if the cost was too high then they could make some other arrangements. The old man said "I am not crying because of the money but I am crying because Allah let me urinate for 70 years and He never sent me a bill."

...and if you try to count the blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them... {Surah Ibrahim}

Allah states that the servants are never able to count His blessings, let alone thank Him duly for them.

In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah( Peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate;

«اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ غَيْرَ مَكْفِيَ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا»
O Allah ! All praise is due to You, without being able to sufficiently thank You, nor ever wish to be cutoff from You, nor ever feeling rich from relying on You; our Lord!

It was reported that Prophet Dawud peace be upon him, used to say in his supplication, 
"O Lord! How can I ever truly thank You, when my thanking You is also a favor from You to me''

Allah the Exalted answered him, "Now, you have thanked Me sufficiently, O Dawud,''
meaning, `when you admitted that you will never be able to duly thank Me.'

“Take Your Portion of Seclusion”

Verily all praise belongs to Allâh, we praise Him, seek His Aid and His Forgiveness. Whomsoever Allâh guides there is none to misguide and whomsoever Allâh misguides there is none to guide. I testify that there is none deserving of worship except Allâh alone without any partners and I testify that Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam is His servant and His Messenger.
May Allah send his peace and blessings upon our final Prophet, his family, companions and all who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement, ameen!
To proceed:

Recently, I was reading over some statements from the Salaf and I came upon narrations about a very beneficial, but neglected, action: seclusion/isolation for the sake of Allah.
Below are some of the narrations and poems I found about seclusion:

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (radhiallahu `anhu) said, ‘It was said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is the most virtuous deed?‘ He said, ‘Jihad in the way of Allah.’ He said, ‘Then what?’ He said, ‘That a man secludes himself in the mountains fearing Allah and freeing the people from his evil.’ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radhiallahu `anhu) said, ‘Take your portion of seclusion.’

Sheikh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:
"At times, it is necessary for the worshiper to be isolated from others in order to pray, remember Allah, recite the Qur'an, and evaluate himself and his deeds. Also, isolation allows one to supplicate, seek forgiveness, stay away from evil, and so on."

A Special Book (beautiful true story)

Walking down the streets of my neighborhood in the early morning and making my way towards the ’taxi stop’ (Muslim-majority country), I expected to routinely make it to my class. I soon found out that there was an enlightening twist awaiting me today.
I entered the taxi, which would usually be filled with passengers later on in the day, and it was just me and the driver. Taking a look at the driver, he just seemed like a ‘regular’ old man, cigarette in hand, and the effects of poverty were quite apparent in his attire and his facial expressions. I tried to block those digressive thoughts out of my mind and tried to focus on the Qur’an I was preparing for my class. To my surprise, the man somberly told me: “Read Qur’an for me ya Shaikh”. To me, this was a bit awkward. I was never accustomed to having conversations with taxi drivers, let alone recite Qur’an for them. But Allah blessed me to accept his request, and I only asked him if he could please put out the cigarette.

After litteraly a minute of recitation, I look at the poor, old man, and I see him crying!! I was baffled by the situation!! It didn’t make any sense! I said to myself: How could this be?! Wasn’t this guy just smoking a minute ago?! How could the tears flow down his cheeks so instantaneously just by hearing a few verses?! Isn’t this man one of the taxi drivers who are known for their poor character, lack of education and belligerent attitudes?! But I just continued to recite, and after a few minutes we both went our separate ways, and I will most likely never see him again. He continued his very low-paying job, and I went on to tend to my responsibilities. Little did that old man know the heavy impact he had on my day.


What is it about this grand book, the Qur’an, that enables it to breach the conscience of seemingly heartless individuals and make them weep like babies? It happened to the mighty Umar ibn Al-Khattaab when he read the first few verses of Surah Ta-Ha. It shook the heart  of Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheera, a noble of Quraish, when Prophet Muhammad recited to him the opening verses of Surah Fussilat. When he returned to the ruthless leaders of Quraish they saw the impact that the verses of the All-Mighty and All-Wise on his face. Sadly, they could not recognize the divine experience that had occured in the presence of Al-Waleed. ”Had We sent down this Qur’ân on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allâh. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect”.

Allah, the All-Capable, has revealed His verses in a way befitting the needs of every human being. That is one of the reasons why the Qur’an is so powerful! It contains clear concepts conveyed in a way perfectly geared towards human nature! Since it is the words of our Creator, it is no wonder that the Qur’an contains the power of changing the most wicked people into happy, productive individuals. “Should not He Who has created know?! And He is the Most Kind and the All-Aware.“

It addresses the most sensitive aspects of our existence, and it arrouses our emotions along with directing us to the best course of action in all affairs. To those who open their hearts and mind to its guidance, it will not fail to revive the spirit and grant the believer the comfort and confidence of knowing his/her true purpose in life. ”A guidance for those who are pious”.

May Allah grant us the pleasure of living and understanding His revelation, the pleasure of this life and the hereafter. May He grant us a clear vision as a movement and in our personal lives.

And [it is] a Qur’an which We have separated [by intervals] that you might recite it to the people over a prolonged period. And We have sent it down progressively. Say, “Believe in it or do not believe. Indeed, those who were given knowledge before it – when it is recited to them, they fall upon their faces in prostration, And they say, “Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.” And they fall upon their faces weeping, and the Qur’an increases them in humble submission.” (Al- Israa)
story by: Osamah Salhia

a profitable trade

“Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success .”

—	[Surah At-Taubah: 111]