Established to bring about a better understanding and awareness of the teachings of Islām

The Test of Patience

By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat dāmat barakātuhum

Every child born comes with a definite ending; death is an inevitable phenomenon for every birth, rather for every creation. Allāh ta’ālā mentions in the Qur’ān, “Everything is going to perish except His Face (His Being).” (28:88)

This phenomenon makes the world a temporary abode, a transitory station, one from where each one of us will depart some day or the other. ‘Every soul has to taste death…’ (3:185)

Whilst living through this transitory period, we need to come to realities with the characteristics of this place and our objectives.

Three Abodes

Allāh ta’ālā has created three abodes: the world, Jannah and Jahannam.

Jannah is a place where there is no sign of adversity, difficulty grief or sorrow; there is only happiness and joy. In contrast, Jahannam is the place where one will not experience an iota of peace, joy, happiness or comfort; the dweller will at every breath experience only grief, sorrow and pain. The world is a place where one faces both conditions of adversity and privilege. He experiences good and bad times, hardships and ease, happiness and grief. The world in fact, is the place for test, and the former two are the places of result.

Our Objective

Our ultimate objective in this world is acquiring the Happiness and Pleasure of Allāh which manifests with our submission and obedience to His every command, and abstinence from every prohibition. Allāh ta’ālā says:

I did not create the Jinn and the human beings except for the purpose that they should worship Me. (51:56)

O people! Worship your Lord who created you and those before you, so that you may become God-fearing. (2:21)

This obedience and submission is tested by the ever changing conditions we face whilst living in the world; happiness suddenly becomes sadness; joy turns into sorrow; peace becomes chaos and turmoil; laughter changes into crying. Allāh ta’ālā says:

So that He might test you as to who among you is better in deed. (11:7)

…The One who created death and life, so that He may test you as to which of you is better in his deeds. And He is the All-Mighty, the Most-Forgiving (67:2)

In every condition, our obedience and submission is tested with sabr and shukr (patience and gratitude). Naturally, happiness and sadness are the only two conditions one experiences in life and hence sabr and shukr are two tests. Consequently, it is inevitable that we will face, at some point, a test of sabr.

The Test of Patience

The coming of adverse conditions is definite; no one can claim that he has never faced a situation of adversity and he has only lived a life of ease and comfort. Allāh ta’ālā states, “Surely We will test you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient.” (2:155)

There will be tests of different kinds. Some may experience fear; fear of one’s life, fear upon one’s family, fear from enemies, fear of war etc. For others it maybe an experience of poverty in various shapes and forms; financial market crashes, unemployment, loss of wealth, bankruptcy etc. Some may face scenarios of family loss; death of close ones, children dying in tender age, still-born births or events where families are lost. For some, the test of patience is light; for some it is intense; everything evolves around the Wisdom of Allāh. Therefore, the one afflicted with a situation of adversity is being tested with sabr, and so should take on board the following points:

1. Sabr – A Speciality of a Mu’min
   A test is given upon a claim. When a person claims to have completed a course, he is tested. When a person claims to have completed the medicine course, he will be tested for competency. Likewise, we have claimed to be believers of Allāh, lovers of Allāh, worshippers of Allāh. Hence, our claim cannot go without a test. It should not be a matter of surprise that non-believers are not tested; they have no claim to be tested upon. Allāh ta’ālā says:

Do people think that they will be left (at ease) only on their saying, ‘We believe’, and will not be put to any test? (29:2)

Do you think that you will enter Paradise while you have not yet been visited by (difficult) circumstances like those that were faced by the people who passed away before you? They were afflicted by hardship and suffering, and were so shaken down that the prophet, and those who believed with him, started saying, ‘When (will come) the help of Allāh?’ (Then, they were comforted by the Prophet who said to them) ‘Behold, the help of Allāh is near.’ (2:214)

The believers are the claimers; hence they will be tested with sabr. Non-believers are given respite, and when their time will lapse they only have doom to face.

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam describes the believers with a plant that sways with the wind and the non-believers with a Cedar tree. The tree does not sway with the winds and withholds, however when an extremely strong wind blows, it is uprooted, never to get up again. (At-Tirmidhī)

The plant sways left to right; it may even flatten out to the ground, but will not uproot in the most adverse conditions. When conditions mellow out, it will once again become upright. Similar is the believer and a non-believer. The winds of difficulties will make the believer sway left and right, and afflictions and difficulties will frequent, but he/she will always come up again and succeed, whereas the non-believer will remain upright and enjoy life, but when Allāh’s Wrath descends, he/she will be uprooted and will never be able to stand up again. Hence, an adverse condition followed by steadfastness with patience is a positive sign of true Faith.

2. Become a Sābir (a patient person)
   The description of the patient has been described by Allāh ta’ālā as, “Who, when a suffering visits them, say, ‘We certainly belong to Allāh, and to Him we are bound to return.’” (2:156)

The essence of this is that they have no complaints in their hearts and minds; rather they turn solely to Allāh and regard every situation to be from Allāh.

Every person, at some point, comes to terms with their situation, be it after a few days, a week, or a month. Why not attain the title of Sābir by exercising patience from the very onset? Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam states, “The (real) patience is at the first instant of grief.” (Al-Bukhārī)

3. Glad tidings for a Sābir
   In adverse conditions, a believer will definitely succeed because of his Faith in Allāh, and therefore Allāh grants him the glad tidings:

Surely We will test you with a bit of fear and hunger, and loss in wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient: those are the ones upon whom there are blessings from their Lord, and mercy as well; and those are the ones who are on the right path for the Hereafter. (2:155-6)

In this verse, Allāh states that a Ṣābir gains three rewards: special mercies from Allāh, general mercies of Allāh and hidāyah. What great rewards for the patient! ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu used to say, “How great are the ‘idlān, and how great is the ‘ilāwah!” (Al-Bukhārī)

In those times, a traveller would carry his provisions in sacks tied to the sides of his conveyance and a bundle in his lap. ‘Idlān are the sacks which are tied on either side of the conveyance, and ‘ilāwah is the bundle one places in his lap. A traveller having all three sacks full would be regarded as one with a lot of provisions, and hence ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu is describing the three rewards as ‘idlān and ‘ilāwah, denoting a patient person to have acquired a vast provision.

Allāh states, “Certainly those who observe patience will be given their reward in full without measure.” (39:10)

4. Think positive
   Every grief and adversity has some form of positive aspect to it. It is only a person’s misfortune that he/she fails to perceive it. When afflicted with some form of predicament, one should think of the positive aspects instead of crying, wailing and moaning. Hereunder are some aspects one can think along:

a. Think of the Wisdom of Allāh. Allāh mentions in the Qur’ān, “It could be that you dislike something, when it is good for you; and it could be that you like something when it is bad for you. Allāh knows, and you do not know.” (2:216)

Only Allāh is the Knower of everything and He understands the wisdom behind our predicament. At times we regard an adversity to be a setback, a problem, and a loss. However, as time passes we begin to realise the great gain, opportunity, advantages and benefits we have actually attained as a result of the very adversity. To the extent that we find ourselves commenting, ‘The greatest event that happened for me was this… (the very adverse condition).’

b. Think of the spiritual benefits. One aspect of spiritual benefits is the rewards one will attain. The other is the spirituality one attains from being patient. A person gains proximity to Allāh by way of Mujāhadah (spiritual struggle). This mujāhadah is of two types: voluntary and involuntary. The proximity to Allāh one attains from involuntary mujāhadah, cannot be attained through voluntary mujāhadah. Furthermore, from the involuntary mujāhdah, the proximity a person attains from the affliction of grief, cannot be attained from any other involuntary struggle or difficulty one is faced with.

c. Think of the positive changes that have occurred in your Dīnī life, such as tawbah, the realisation of the temporary world, the heart becoming inclined towards Allāh, and the waking up from negligence with regards to Dīnī matters.

d. In many situations, people feel sorry and sympathise with us, and begin to make du’ā for us. This would not have been attained had a calamity not occurred.

At times of adversity, the test of sabr is not confined to the one afflicted, rather it becomes a means of test for those around them. In such situations, everyone has a role to play. Therefore, when seeing a person in a difficult condition, we should keep in mind certain points, which I will discuss in the next issue inshā’allāh.

Courtesy: Riyādul Jannah

The Qur’ān – A Clear Proof

By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh

Indeed, We have sent down the Dhikr [the Qur’ān], and indeed We are its guardians. (15:9)

In this verse Allāh ta’ālā proclaims that it is He, and He alone, who has revealed the Glorious Qur’ān to mankind, which means it is His Word. This claim is followed by a proof to validate it: that Allāh ta’ālā Himself is its guardian and protector. When Allāh ta’ālā protects something, nothing and no one can ever interfere with it, so the continual preservation of the Qur’ān is a proof that it is the Word of Allāh ta’ālā. There are many other proofs of the Divine origin of the Qur’ān, including its i’jāz (inimitability) – the challenge to mankind to invent even a single verse to match the Qur’ān in its perfection. However, the preservation of the Qur’ān is a proof that even a child can understand.

Over 1,400 years have passed and it is still plain for everyone to see that not a single change has occurred in the Qur’ān. To fulfil the promise of protecting the Qur’ān, Allāh ta’ālā has created a comprehensive system consisting of scribes who accurately copy the text; huffāz who accurately memorise its words; qurrā who preserve its mode of recitation; and mufassirūn, muhaddithūn, fuqahā and ‘ulamā who protect its meaning and message.

Non-Muslim experts, while arguing over the authorship of the Qur’ān, nevertheless acknowledge that despite the passage of over fourteen centuries it has not undergone even the slightest alteration – not of a single letter or diacritical mark.

It is obvious that a very powerful being must be safeguarding the Qur’ān for it to have been preserved over so many centuries.

The Protected Book

‘Allāmah Al-Qurtubī rahimahullāh narrates an interesting story about the preservation of the Qur’ān. Once a stranger attended one of the debates that the ‘Abbāsid Khalīfah Ma’mūn Ar-Rashīd used to hold at his court. The man spoke eloquently during the debate, and afterwards Ma’mūn summoned him. Sensing that he was not a Muslim he asked him whether he was a Jew. The man replied that he was. Ma’mūn then invited him to embrace Islām and, as a test, offered him incentives for doing so. However, the man preferred to keep his religion, the religion of his forefathers.

A year later the same man attended the court of Ma’mūn as a Muslim and spoke learnedly on Islamic jurisprudence. Afterwards, Ma’mūn called him and asked him if he was the same man who had come the year before. He replied in the affirmative, and upon being asked how he had come to become a Muslim he told his story.

After he had left the debate the previous year he had decided to examine the different religions. Being a good calligrapher he made three copies of the Tawrāt, making some additions and omissions in the process. He took the copies to the Jews and they bought them from him. He then made three copies of the Injīl, again making some additions and omissions, and took them to the Christians, who bought them. Then he did exactly the same with the Qur’ān and took the copies to the Muslims. They checked them and when they noticed the additions and omissions they discarded the copies and refused to buy them. “I realised then that this was a Protected Book, and that was how I came to embrace Islām,” concluded the man.

Enthusiasm for Memorising the Qur’ān

The preservation of the Qur’ān is a great miracle, and the means Allāh ta’ālā employs in its preservation are also amazing. Parents who encourage their children to memorise the entire Qur’ān are aware of the rewards they and their children will receive for doing so, but the children themselves are not. If you were to ask the students of a typical tahfīz-al-Qur’ān class what the rewards for memorising the Qur’ān are, majority would not be able to reply. Despite this, the desire Allāh ta’ālā places in their hearts to memorise the Qur’ān is such that very few if any would dream of giving it up.

Wherever you go you will see that there are never enough tahfīz-al-Qur’ān classes and that they are always oversubscribed! Just think, what power is there besides Allāh ta’ālā that is keeping our children committed to memorising the Qur’ān? There are countless other well-known good deeds that promise great rewards, yet people do not adhere to them with such commitment and dedication as to memorising the Qur’ān. Allāh ta’ālā Himself puts the love of memorising His Word into the hearts of young people!

Nowhere in the whole world will you see classes full of children memorising a book that they do not understand. It is a miracle of the Qur’ān that people are able to learn a whole foreign alphabet and how to read in the foreign language, without learning to understand the language; furthermore, then they memorise a whole book in that language, and then keep it memorised for the rest of their lives.

Remarkable Huffāz

Throughout history there are examples of people who memorised the Qur’ān at a very young age and also in a very short time. Ibn Labbān rahimahullāh memorised the entire Qur’ān in just one year, remarkable in itself, but even more amazing is that he completed his memorisation at the age of five! Hāfiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalānī rahimahullāh became a hāfiz by the age of nine, and at the age of eleven led the Tarāwīh Salāh in Al-Masjid Al-Harām. Imām Ash-Shāfi’ī rahimahullāh memorised the Qur’ān in just one month. When Imām Muhammad rahimahullāh went to study under Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh he was asked whether he had memorised the entire Qur’ān or not, for admission to his classes was conditional on being a hāfiz. He replied that he had not, but his desire to acquire knowledge was so great that he returned after just one week and told Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh that he was now a hāfiz!

Connect Yourself to the Qur’ān

After learning something of the miraculous nature of the Glorious Qur’ān, we need to take some practical steps to connect ourselves with it:

1. Reciting the Qur’ān regularly. Recite one juz daily, or if that is not possible then half a juz or a quarter, but recite daily. If the remembrance of Allāh ta’ālā in its various forms such as tasbīh, tahmīd, salāt ‘alan-Nabī, du’ā etc. are compared to individual ‘vitamins’ beneficial to a person’s spiritual health, the Qur’ān can be likened to a multivitamin, for it contains them all.
2. Attend tajwīd classes in your locality in order to learn how to recite the Qur’ān properly, which is one of the rights of the Qur’ān.
3. Attend the Durūs (lessons) of the Qur’ān delivered by the ‘ulamā in your locality in order to understand the message of the Qur’ān.
4. Practise upon the teachings of the Qur’ān.
5. Propagate the teachings of the Qur’ān.
6. Respect the people of the Qur’ān, i.e. the huffāz and ‘ulamā. Refrain from disrespecting them and talking ill of them at all costs. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd-al-‘Azīz rahimahullāh used to say, “Become an ‘ālim if you can. If you cannot then become a student of ‘ilm. And if you cannot then have love for them [the ‘ulamā and students]. And if you cannot then do not have hatred for them.”

May Allāh ta’ālā grant us love for and affinity with the Qur’ān, the ability to memorise it, recite it in the proper manner, understand it and act according to it. Āmīn.

Courtesy: Riyādul Jannah

Love for the Masājid

By Shaykh-ul-Hadīth Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat dāmat barakātuhum

The masājid are the Houses of Allāh ta‘ālā and they should therefore be so beloved to a believer that his utmost desire should be to spend all of his time in them. In fact, every believer should entertain this thought, that if he had no other commitments, he would have spent his entire time in the masājid which have been described as the most beloved places to Allāh ta‘ālā. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

The most beloved places to Allāh are the masājid. (Muslim)

For a believer, the heart should always yearn to be in the masjid and even when occupied with matters of the world, such as family, work, etc., it should always remain attached to the masjid. Mālik ibn Dīnār rahimahullāh has stated that a believer inside the masjid is like a fish in water and a munāfiq (hypocrite) in the masjid is like a bird in a cage. A fish naturally has no desire to be out of water and if it is taken out, it will long to return and remain restless for as long as it is out of water. Similar is the case of a believer and how he feels about being away from the masjid. On the other hand, a munāfiq will feel uncomfortable in the masjid and anxiously wait for the salāh to end, just as how a bird feels uncomfortable in a cage and desires to be released. The point to reflect upon is do we feel restless outside the masjid or in the masjid?

This statement encourages us to inculcate love for the masājid, thereby visiting them frequently and remaining within them for as long as possible. If for any particular reason, or due to worldly necessities, one cannot remain longer in the masjid, the desire for staying longer and the urge to return at the first opportunity should at least be present in the heart. It is indeed regrettable to witness that even at salāh times, many Muslims remain sitting at home or wandering the streets instead of attending the masājid and performing salāh. And many who attend, come as late as possible and leave as soon as possible after salāh, only to hang around outside with friends. Many have become so negligent that in their haste to leave, they discard the performance of sunnah mu’akkadah and witr salāh as well.

Frequenting the Masājid is a Sign of Īmān

Love for the masjid, which is indicated by the desire to be present therein, is a sign of a believer and very rewarding in the Hereafter

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

When you see a person frequenting the masjid then bear witness to his Īmān. (At-Tirmidhī)

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has also said,

There are seven people whom Allāh will give shade in the shade of His Throne on the Day when there will be no shade except the shade of His Throne: … (one of them is) a person whose heart remains attached to the masājid… (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

If the condition of the heart is not such, then one should rectify it by compelling himself to come to the masjid at least fifteen to twenty minutes before jamā‘ah (congregational prayer) time and engage in some form of ‘ibādah. If one finds it difficult to come any earlier than the jamā‘ah time, then one should try and remain in the masjid for some time after the salāh. Moreover, it would also be beneficial to participate regularly in the durūs (lessons of Qur’ān or Hadīth) or similar Dīnī programmes that take place in the masjid.

Reward for Performing Salāh Close to the Imām

Another virtue of the masjid relates to the closeness of one’s position to the Imām when in salāh. The closer one is, the more virtuous one’s salāh becomes. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

If people came to know of what (reward) there is in calling out (the adhān) and (performing salāh in) the first row and they could not attain this (reward) except if they drew lots, they would definitely draw lots. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

Due to our negligence in regard to Dīn and the Hereafter, we have become ignorant of even such rewarding virtuous acts. In order to understand this, it would help to cite an example in purely materialistic terms. If for instance, a masjid was to announce that all those performing salāh in the first row would be awarded a sum as little as ten pounds, for every salāh, one would witness that the first row is filled well before the adhān. Although not a big sum of money, but multiply it by five, for the five daily salāh, and then multiply that by seven, for the seven days of the week, it would add up to a week’s wages! Unfortunately, we haven’t accorded even the importance and value of ten pounds to the virtue mentioned by Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam.

Worldly Affairs Are Impermissible in the Masājid

It should also be remembered that to engage in anything related to worldly affairs whilst in the masjid is not allowed. The acts permissible in the masjid are those which relate to the remembrance of Allāh ta‘ālā, such as salāh, the recitation of the Qur’ān, dhikr, listening to lectures or durūs (lessons) of Qur’ān & Ahādīth, etc. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

They (the masājid) are only for the remembrance of Allāh, salāh and recitation of the Qur’ān. (Muslim)

Some Benefits of Visiting the Masājid

There are many benefits of visiting the masājid. Some of which are:

1. Expiation of Sins and Elevation of Status

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

He who purifies himself in his house (i.e. performs wudhu) and then walks to one of the Houses of Allāh for performing an obligatory salāh, one step of his will wipe out a sin and another step will raise him a level (in Paradise).’ (Muslim)

2. Hospitality in Jannah

Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

Whoever goes to the masjid in the morning or evening, Allāh will prepare his hospitality for him in Jannah every time he leaves in the morning or evening. (Al-Bukhārī, Muslim)

3. Honour from Allāh ta‘ālā

Allāh ta‘ālā honours those servants who come to the masājid as they are His visitors. Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam has said,

The one who performs wudū at home properly (with its sunan and ādāb) and comes to the masjid, is the visitor of Allāh. And it is the duty of the one being visited that he honours the visitor. (At-Tabarānī)

Similarly, Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu said,

The masājid are the Houses of Allāh ta‘ālā upon the earth and it is a right upon the one who is visited that he honours his visitor. (Ibn Abī Shaybah)

4. Protection from Shaytān

Sayyidunā ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Ma‘qil rahimahullāh has said,

We would say that the masjid is a strong fort for protection from Shaytān. (Ibn Abī Shaybah)

5. Opportunity for Practising Sunan

Furthermore, just by entering the masjid with the right foot, one would be gaining the immense reward of practising a Sunnah of Rasūlullāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam. By reciting the prescribed du‘ā for entering the masjid another Sunnah would be accomplished. Similarly, upon leaving the masjid whilst reciting the prescribed du‘ā, reward of practising another two sunan will be acquired.

6. Reward of I‘tikāf

By making the intention of i‘tikāf at the time of entering, the entire time spent within the masjid will bear the reward of i‘tikāf as well.

7. Safety from Impermissible Actions

Besides this, one’s presence in the masjid, provided one does not engage in talking about worldly matters, will save one from impermissible speech and actions, which may possibly have been carried out outside the masjid.

Let us endeavour to perform the five daily salāh with congregation and obtain a place in the first row. We have plenty of time to talk and meet people outside ṣalāh times. Leave all the mundane activities for another time and come and sit as close as possible to the Imām. Shaytān prevents us from actions that bring us closer to Allāh ta‘ālā. Let us fight Shaytān and endeavour to do everything that brings us closer to Allāh ta‘ālā.

Intentions for going to the Masjid

There are many intentions which can be made when going to the masjid. Remember, for each intention a separate reward will be attained. Listed below are some possible intentions that can be made:

1. To perform salāh.
2. To visit the House of Allāh ta‘ālā.
3. To hope for the Generosity of Allāh ta‘ālā as He is the Most-Generous, and a generous person is hospitable to his guest.
4. To obtain reward for the time spent while awaiting the congregation.
5. To be safeguarded from sins.
6. Nafl (optional) i‘tikāf.
7. To remember Allāh ta‘ālā in seclusion.
8. To obtain the reward of hajj and ‘umrah by performing wudū and going to the masjid for salāh.
9. To meet fellow Muslims (outside of the masjid).
10. The reward of salām.
11. To recite the du‘ā when entering and leaving the masjid.
12. To recite the Qur’ān.
13. Amr bil ma‘rūf and nahy ‘anil munkar (to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong).
14. To make muhāsabah of the nafs, murāqabah of the Hereafter and to seek forgiveness for one’s sins.

May Allāh ta‘ālā grant us true love for the masājid; forgive our sins and overlook our shortcomings; and may He grant us the correct understanding of Dīn and His Pleasure. Āmīn.