Hadith #26- Charitable acts II

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith26.htm

Background

The content of this hadith is the same as the previous one, Hadith 25. One possibility why this is so is that Al-Imam An-Nawawi wanted to emphasize the importance of sadaqah (charitable acts) so he decided to repeat the meaning of the previous hadith. Another possibility is that this hadith may contain more examples of sadaqah than what was mentioned in the previous one. A third possibility is the influence of Al-Imam Muslim on Imam Nawawi, who has written commentaries on Sahih Muslim. Imam Muslim recorded many hadiths which address the issue of sadaqah. It can be concluded that what has happened is due to the influence of Imam Nawawi's involvement in this great scholarly research on explaining and interpreting Sahih Muslim.

Ibn Rajab quotes other hadiths with similar meanings. Two were recorded by Imam Muslim. From this a possibility of influence can be derived. A third hadith is recorded by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim where the hadith mentions the number of bones as 360. In this hadith the number is not mentioned. It only mentions every small joint (bone).

In one of these hadiths, the performance of the Duha prayer is mentioned as a substitution of some charitable acts. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said that the praying of al-Duha has the same reward of doing these charitable acts. In the hadith that is related by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim, it mentions something that is not mentioned in the previous hadith. One more charitable act that is mentioned by Ibn Rajab is helping the one who is in need. Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, emphasized this idea: if a Muslim cannot help the one who is in need, he should abstain from evil and not harm others.

Lessons

The hadith shows the great creation of man which has been emphasized in many surahs in the Qur'an. Ibn Rajab says when the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, mentions these small bones or joints, he is emphasizing their structure and creation which are great bounties of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, calls upon us to be thankful to Allah by doing charitable acts for each one of these bones.

Al-Ustaz Jamaludin Zarabozo highlights the significance of the word 'salameh', the small bone, when he refers to the small bones in the hands and feet and how they are put together. Once again, we notice how scholars may be influenced by each other. It is not strange to notice that Ustaz Jamaludin is influenced by Ibn Rajab since he translated most of his work. He asks the Muslims to see how these bones are magnificently put together. It is their interaction that allows the dexterity and speed that the creatures possess in their hands. It also gives proper balance to the feet.

Al-Shaikh Al-Bitar, one of the commentators on An-Nawawi's Forty Hadith, states that these bones are some of the keys to the progress and civilization of man. These bones enable human beings to move, grasp, construct and build things. Most of what people perform and what has been manufactured is due to these small and minute bones that have been created by Allah in this impressive and marvelous way. Therefore, he continues to say, these are great blessings for which a Muslim must be thankful to Allah. We can be thankful by doing the above mentioned charitable acts: to do good deeds, to help others, and to benefit the community.

Ibn Rajab mentions that doing these charitable acts mentioned in the hadith is an obligation upon each Muslim. Moreover, he classifies thankfulness to Allah into two categories:

1. Obligatory (wajib) thankfulness. Muslims are required to fulfill the obligations (wajibat) and refrain from the prohibitions (muharramat). This is the minimum level of being thankful to Allah. To be thankful to Allah requires one to refrain from disobedience (ma'siah) to Allah, to strongly disapprove sin, and not to misuse or abuse any of our limbs (jawareh) or whatever Allah has bestowed upon us. Man has been given one of the most important bounties from Allah and that is sight. Man must not use it in disobedience. Allah bestowed us with the bounty of hearing and we should use it in a beneficial way.
2. Preferable (mustahab) thankfulness. This is for Muslims who seek to be among the righteous and competing believers. This type can be classified into subcategories:

a. What is beneficial to the community such as what is mentioned in this hadith.
b. Limited to the person who performs it, as mentioned in Hadith 25.

Though the above mentioned classifications may be perceived positively or negatively, it should not take us away from the great meaning of the charitable acts where we can look at them from a different angle. Not from the angle of whether they are preferable (mandoub: if we do it, we will be rewarded and if we do not do it, we will not be blamed) or obligatory (wajib). Sometimes preferable things become obligatory. For instance, if a blind man wants to cross the road and you are the only one to help him, helping him becomes obligatory. If every one of us is expecting someone else to help the blind man, he will end up with nobody willing to help him. This sort of attitude will weaken the bonding within the community. There are many negative examples that can be seen today. The recklessness of some Muslims who do not help needy people is often noticed in the Muslim community these days. As a result, the Muslim is blamed when he is the only one who is capable of doing that action but does not do it.

This hadith aims to emphasize the charitable acts that benefit the society since they are great deeds and the people who do them are rewarded. Most Muslims forget these charitable acts. Another hadith emphasizes that Muslims are like one body where they care for each other. We should set ourselves as models in our morality, behavior, values and qualities in order for others to follow our steps and listen to us. Only by this will the level of confidence be increased in the community. People will listen to each other when they see good examples and this is what is meant by the verse that the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, is a good model for Muslims

As Muslims, we have to observe the charitable acts. We should do as much as we can without making any commitment to any of them. These charitable acts are not done regularly as the 5 prayers. We do them on our convenience and according to our ability. By performing these acts regularly, we will be closer to Allah. When every Muslim exercises these charitable acts, we will end up with a harmonious and cooperative society. By doing this, we contribute to the increasing of goodness and the minimizing of evil - this is the main purpose of da'wah.

This hadith emphasizes the significance of certain deeds: bringing about justice between two people and reconciling them. Getting people who deviated in their thoughts back to the community is part of islah (reconciliation). When the Khawarej started thinking of fighting their own community, Abdullah bin Abbas, radiyallahu 'anhu, went to them and had a dialogue with them. He tried to remove any misconceptions. He was successful in getting two-thirds of them into the Muslim community. This is one meaning of charitable acts. Another meaning is to give help to those who are in need for help. We should not wait until we are asked. We have to offer help when we see people in need. This is what is meant by wala' (loyalty) to the community.

Saying a good word is a charitable act, as mentioned in Hadith 25. There are many ways that we can do this. For example, when we notice that someone is unhappy, we can bring pleasure to him by saying a good word to him and relieving his sadness or worry.

Another deed is the step to prayer. We know that prayer is obligatory, but by walking to prayer we perform a charitable act in every step. When Muslims keep this in their minds, they will be encouraged to do such deeds.

The last charitable act that is mentioned in this hadith is removing a harmful thing from the road or from someone's pathway. Some people may look at this as insignificant or unimportant. But this does not mean that the act is degrading. In the sight of Allah it is a great act and we will be rewarded for doing it. Doing such an act may prevent a terrible accident from happening. For example, omitting a nail from the street may prevent car accidents and consequently keep the safety of our community. We should not care about the comments of others because we are doing it for the sake of Allah. The more we have the intention that we are doing these charitable acts for the sake of Allah, the more will be the reward from Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

Conclusion

Islam calls for and encourages its followers to build a caring society, where members of the society care for one another, support one another and help one another. Social charitable acts discussed above are considered obligatory daily activities which form ways and means of being thankful to Allah. This concept needs to be promoted in the classroom, masjid and the media in every possible way.

Unfortunately, contemporary media plays a negative role in this sense. Movies promote negative values which lead to an uncaring society, resulting in, for example, selfishness, greediness and ego-centric personalities.

One way of changing this negative role to a positive one is to change the existing concept of entertainment. Another alternative is to initiate new branches of communication such as educational communication and psychology of the media.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=216&category=24

Smile!

(author unknown)

She smiled at a sorrowful stranger
The smile seemed to make him feel better
He remembered past kindness of a friend
And wrote him a thank you letter

The friend was so pleased with the thank you
That he left a large tip after lunch

The waitress, surprised by the size of the tip
Gave part to a man on the street
The man on the street was grateful;
For two days he'd had nothing to eat

After he finished his dinner
He left for his small dingy room
He didn't know at that moment
That he might be facing his doom

On the way he picked up a shivering puppy
And took him home to get warm
The puppy was very grateful
To be in out of the storm

That night the house caught on fire
The puppy barked the alarm
He barked till he woke the whole household
And saved everybody from harm

One of the boys that he rescued
Grew up to be President
All this because of a simple smile
That hadn't cost a cent.

....and THAT is the power of a smile! So smile away.

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The Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said:
"Every good deed is sadaqah (charity). To meet your brother with a smiling face and to pour out from your bucket into his container are sadaqah."

Hadith #25- Charitable acts I

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith25.htm

Background

In another hadith recorded by both Muslim and Al-Bukhari, it is mentioned that the questioners were the poor of the Muhajruun or immigrants from Makkah. Ibn Rajab says that this hadith shows that those poor people thought that giving sadaqah (charity) can only be done through money, something which they could not afford. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, told them that all good deeds are considered as charitable acts.

There are other versions this hadith of Abu Dharr as well as some other hadiths which show similar meanings. One of them is in Sahih Muslim which says that: "Every good act is an act of charity". In another version the hadith, it says: "Your smile to your brother is a charitable act. Ordering good is a charitable act. Forbidding evil is a charitable act. Helping a man who has bad eyesight to see things is a charitable act. Removing a stone, rubbish or bones is a charitable act. Emptying your cup in the cup of your brother is a charitable act."

Also in the Sahihain (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) it is mentioned that "A man spending money upon his wife is charity". In another hadith in the Sahihain it is mentioned that "No Muslim plants a plant or soils a seed and has it eaten by a bird, animal or human except that it will be a charitable act for him".

Lessons

According to Ibn Rajab, the hadith proves that the Companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, were so eager to do good acts and charitable deeds. They had very strong desires to do al-khayr and charity in order to please Allah subhana wa ta'ala. They were sad when they could not afford to donate their money to charity especially as it was being done by some other people. They had a strong desire to spend they wealth and to do good deeds when they saw some members among the Companions doing it. They wanted to be like them in terms of rewards and tawab. They were able to do salah, fasting and other ibadah but one thing they could not do was giving money or sadaqah because they did not have any. But they were told to do more dhikr which is equal to giving money or charity in terms of rewards.

We can see here how the Companions were so keen to do all forms and acts of ibadah in order to please Allah subhana wa ta'ala. This should be the case with every Muslim. We should be eager to do every good deed which pleases Allah. At least we should have the will and desire to do it even if we cannot do it.

Ibn Rajab states that the Islamic concept of charity in its broad sense can be divided into two types:
1. The acts of goodness and kindness one can have towards other humans. Ibn Rajab gave some examples such as education and teaching people, teaching the Qur'an, removing anything that harms people in their paths, and also doing whatever that contributes to the well-being of the Muslim community. This also includes making du'a (prayer) and istighfar (forgiveness) for the other Muslims.
2. Keeping any harmful action away from others. This means that we must not perform a harmful act towards other people if it does not benefit them. It is the minimum thing that one can afford to do to benefit others.

Charitable acts are rewarded even without niyah or intentions. This can be understood from the first impression or the general observable meaning of the text of the hadith. But it seems that Ibn Rajab is not happy with this interpretation. He says that a charitable act, according to many scholars, is conditional to a good intention. That is we must do it for the sake of Allah only and to seek His Pleasure. According to Ibn Rajab, this view is supported by two evidences:

1. In another version of the hadith good intention was mentioned and hence it applies to the other places where good intention was not mentioned.
2. In Surah al-Nisa Ayah 114, Allah says: "There is no good in most of their secret talks except one who exhorts to a good deed of charity or goodness or conciliation between people. To him who does this seeking the pleasure of Allah, We shall soon give him a reward of high value." Ibn Rajab says that in this verse it is mentioned that the reward is conditional to a good intention only.

Each of the phrases of dhikr Allah such as al-tahmid, al-tahlil, and al-tasbih is a charitable act. This shows us the importance of dhikr Allah. There are general types of dhikr and there are specific types of dhikr. Muslims should remember Allah all the time. The recommended time to do dhikr is during the morning and the evening and after the salawat. Every Muslim should maintain and observe the dhikr in order to become among those who are described as al-dhakirun.

The acts of pleasing Allah are very wide and affordable to everyone. People differ in their ability, preference, potential, etc. There is room for all where every one has the ability to perform some act of charity. Therefore a Muslim should take this advantage and do good deeds which are more convenient and suitable for him or her. However, we are encouraged to do as much of good deeds and charitable acts as we can.

There is story that Imam al-Dhahabi related about a dialogue between Ibn al-Juwairiyah and Imam Malik. He said that Ibn al-Juwairiyah wrote a letter to Imam Malik about ibadah and advised him to do more acts of worship. Imam Malik was well known for his lectures in the Masjid al-Nabawi where he used to disseminate ilm (knowledge) and the sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, that he learned. Ibn Juwairiyah was known of his piety and devotions to worship. Imam Malik replied Ibn al-Juwairiyah's letter saying that Allah has divided the acts of deeds among people as He divided rizq or wealth among them. Some are given talents in knowledge and how to spread it while others are given talents in jihad, fasting and so on. So what he (Imam Malik) was given is not less than what Ibn al-Juwairiyah have been given and he hoped that both of them are on the right track and do the things that please Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

Also in the stories of the Sahabah we can find that everyone was good at doing some specific acts. This means talents are divided among people. Ibn Masud said that fasting the sunnah prevented him from reciting the Qur'an. It made him weak. So he chose the recitation of the Qur'an over the non-obligatory fasting. This is mentioned by al-Shatibi in his al-I'tisam.

So people have choices and preferences in doing acts of ibadah according to their ability and this is acceptable in Islam. Only a few people may have the ability to do many things together. One of them was Abu Bakar al-Siqdiq, radiyallahu 'anhu. He was given the talents to perform all forms of ibadah and was good at doing them.

Ibn al-Qayyim mentions that it is recommended to compete towards good deeds as mentioned in the Qur'an. People are allowed to compete for goodness and for the acts of charity in accordance with their talents and ability. There is a story of a man who was in Madinah who usually goes to salah with some money in his pocket. After the salah and on his way back, he would give the money to any needy person that he met. He was well known for doing this kind of charity. Then there is the story of an old man who was over 80 years old who used to do many good activities for the people of the village. He used to walk around the streets of the village and cleaned the roads and streets. Every morning after the Fajar prayers he would go to the school and clean the muddy and dusty road to that school. He was an illiterate man but yet he did a lot of good jobs for the villagers which other people did not bother to do. This is indeed a great deed in the sight of Allah. It is a good opportunity to get the pleasure of Allah. Therefore every Muslim should be doing this kind of action which is actually easy and simple but has great rewards. We cannot do all charitable acts at one time but we have to do whatever we can do. We have to have the intention to do any charitable act. The hadith that says: "Your smile to your brother is a charitable act" is a good example of this type of ibadah. It is common now to see many people who have the habit of smiling at other people. They are in fact good at this kind of charitable act. They are blessed with this behavior. It has a positive influence on other's behavior. When you smile to your brother and say "Assalamu Alaikum" to him, you are in fact making him happy and this act will create a good environment among the Muslim community.

Scholars have emphasized the distinction between "Ghibtah" and "Hasad". Al-Ghibtah means to have the desire to achieve the good qualities that others have. Al-Ghibtah is a positive behavior which motivates you to do good, as good as other people do. For example, when you see a knowledgeable person, you admire and wish to be knowledgeable like him; when you see someone who do a lot of ibadah, you wish to do the same; when you see a rich person who pays charity, you admire him and wish to be like him. So you admire these people for their good actions and hence you wish to be like them. Al-Ghibtah, then, is actually good and desirable. It influences our attitude and behavior in a positive way.

Al-Hasad, on the other hand, means 'envy'. It is a negative behavior which is prohibited and condemned in Islam. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, said that al-Hasad demolishes the rewards. It is envy and jealousy that occurs when you see someone who is given some privileges that you do not have. It is Allah who gives His Bounty to anyone He chooses. So we should not feel any objection to Allah's plan. That is why al-Hasad is considered a very bad behavior and a major sin.

We are encouraged to perform the acts of ordering good things and prohibiting evils because when we do it we contribute to the well-being of the society. We do not do it to offend or put down someone. We do it in order to help them. Carrying out this concept will always contribute to the betterment of the whole society. We have to do it with tolerance and patience so that the other party may accept it. When we do this act with good intentions, the other person sees it positively. He sees it as caring and concern from our side. So most likely, he will accept it. We should not do it in a harsh or aggressive way that it may offend others.

Conclusion

Scholars state that permissible acts can be turned into ibadah. These acts can be rewarded with the condition of having good intentions. So every normal activity that we do in our everyday life can be turned into ibadah and we will be rewarded for doing it with good intentions. For example, when you are driving or putting petrol into your car with the intention of benefiting your family or relatives, you will be rewarded and this act will be considered as ibadah. Also, when you make a telephone call to your family or relatives with good intentions, you will be rewarded for that. Hence, these simple acts of our everyday life can be turned into ibadah and be rewarded. We need to train ourselves with this habit and inshaAllah we will get a great reward from Allah.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=217&category=24

Hadith #24- Prohibition of injustice and oppression; seeking Allah's Guidance

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith24.htm

Background

This hadith stresses on the prohibition of all forms of injustice and oppression in Islam. It commands its followers to practice justice which is one of the main objectives of the Shariah. It also encourages Muslims to seek guidance from Allah by means of supplication (du'a) and relying on Allah alone (Tawakul).

Even though we are commanded to do our best efforts in carrying out our daily activities, one should not be materialistic and rely on his efforts alone. It is only with Allah's permission and support and His tawfiq that our efforts becomes successful. Hence, this hadith confirms certain aspects of al-qadar which have been pointed out before and the choice is Allah's Glory, the all-Gracious and Powerful.

Lessons

As also mentioned in many verses of the Qur'an, Allah subhana wa ta'ala affirms His absolute justice and negates that He has never committed any kind of injustice towards anyone. Some verses of the holy Qur'an in this regards are:

1. In Surah Fussilat (41), Ayah 46: "Your Lord is not at all unjust to His slaves"
2. In Surah al-Zukhruf (43), Ayah 76: "No wise shall We be unjust to them but it is they who have been unjust to themselves"
3. In Surah Ghafir (40), Ayah 31: "And Allah wills no injustice for His slaves"
4. In Surah al-Imran (3), Ayah 108: "...and Allah wills no injustice to the world"
5. In Surah al-Nisa (4), Ayah 40: "Surely Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom"
6. In Surah al-Kahf (18), Ayah 49: "...and your Lord treats no one with injustice"

The forbidden injustices include all forms. The first, the highest level and the most extreme form of injustice is al-shirk or associating partners with Allah. Allah says in the Qur'an: "Verily joining others in worship with Allah is a great form of injustice indeed"
[Surah Luqman (31): Ayah 13]

The second form is unjust towards oneself such as committing sins. The third form is dhulm or unjust towards others whether human beings or other creatures.

It is a must that a Muslim should avoid injustice as it displease Allah subhana wa ta'ala and leads to His severe punishment.

Ibn Taymiyyah points out that good and bad may be related to one's worldly life or one's religion. The guidance and forgiveness that are mentioned in the hadith are related to one's religion. Food and clothing are related to one's worldly needs. These are examples of what every one of us needs.

The hadith shows us that humans are always in great need for Allah. We need Allah for everything because we are poor and needy. Allah is the only One Who does not need anybody. He does not need anything from us. He is the Almighty and the Most Powerful. So a Muslim should show his or her need to Allah all the time and should seek Allah's support and Tawfiq in whatever he or she does. That is why we are ordered to do a lot of dhikr all the time because it expresses our needs to Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

It is by the help of Allah that we are able to do things. We are able to move and walk. We are able to sleep and wake up and do all our activities. All our internal bodily systems such as breathing, blood circulation and digestion and so on depend and work on Allah's Will. If any of these functions stop working, no one can bring it back to normal except Allah. So we should always be grateful to Allah subhana wa ta'ala.

Most people remember Allah only when there is a problem. For example, when one of our bodily functions does not work properly (e.g. an injured muscle, a broken finger, etc.), it is only then that we remember the bounties of Allah and what He provided us. But we should not wait until a problem occurs to be grateful to Allah. We have to be grateful to Him all the time and thank Him for all His Ni'mah on us. This will increase our iman because the more we show our needs to Allah, the more we feel the bounty of Allah. People who are not grateful to Allah are considered arrogant because they do not recognize the bounties of Allah given to them.

Guidance is a great mercy and ni'mah from Allah the Almighty. It is very important for every Muslim to know that the most valuable thing that we have in our life is this guidance. Allah has guided us to the right path or iman and we have to be grateful to Him. This guidance in the form of the Qur'an was revealed to us by Allah through His Messenger, Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So we should stick to its guidance and follow its teachings as a guide for us in everything we do in our lives. Our efforts alone cannot guide us. Even though we have our own will and choice, they are not independent. They are under Allah's will and choice and belong to Him. We have aql (mind) but again it is created by Allah. We also have fitrah or the natural deposition but it is also created by Allah and belongs to Him. All these things are created by Allah. Allah showed us the right way to follow and be guided and warn us against Shaitan who is our greatest enemy and cause of our wrongdoings and misguidance. Allah also showed us how to deal with our own desires which He created in us. He told us that we should not be misled by these desires. We have to use them in the right ways.

When it comes to the issue of misguidance, we must know that it is not from the choice of Allah because He does not want us to be misguided. It is from our own will and choice. When someone is misguided it is his or her own attitude and behavior and it is he or she who chooses it to be like that. For example, takabur (arrogance) is one source of misguidance but it is a person's character and attitude which affect the heart and cause misguidance. So when a person chooses to be misguided he or she will be so by his or her own will and not by Allah's misguidance. Allah's misguidance comes later as punishment for the person who chooses to be misguided. But if the person is misguided because of external factors which is out of his hands, he will be excused. For example, if the person did not receive the message of Islam at all or he received it but not in a clear way, then he will be excused for that misguidance. People who live in periods between two prophets (Ahlul Fatrah) are considered as being in excusable situations because they could not receive the messages of Allah at that period of time.

At the end of the hadith it is mentioned and stressed that whoever finds good record he should be thankful to Allah and praise Him for that, and anyone who finds other than that, which means bad record, he should not blame anyone except himself. This is a clear statement that shows the personal responsibility of one's actions. It is the person's own will and choice and not Allah's. Allah is al-A'dil or Just. He never does injustice to His servants. In the Qur'an, we can find many verses that explain how people blame themselves during the Day of Judgment for not following the right path. It is the people themselves who chose to be misguided and hence they cannot blame any one else but themselves. This is also an important aspect of al-qadar that should be understood.

According to the scholars there are four types of guidance:

1. Guidance needed for the welfare of the worldly life. This type is general guidance for all living beings. They include Muslims and non-Muslims, animals and also other creatures. All are guided by Allah for their worldly well-being.
2. Guidance which benefits mankind in the religious sense. This type is beneficial for life in the Hereafter.
3. Guidance in terms of placing faith and guidance into the heart of a person. This can be done only by Allah, as mentioned in Surah al-Kahf, Ayah 117.
4. Guidance in the Hereafter as stated in Surah Yunus, Ayah 9. This fourth guidance is a result of the second guidance. Those who follow the message of Allah are guided to the right path and will be guided in the Hereafter.

The door of Taubah or repentance is open for all. The acceptance of our repentance is always available. Islam is a practical religion. It acknowledges our weaknesses. People are always subject to wrongdoings. They may neglect or delay performing obligations (wajib) or they may even indulge in sins (ma'asi') but Allah subhana wa ta'ala is Oft-Forgiving and His door is open to all wrongdoers.

We are given the chance to repent and come back to Allah. This is a mercy from Allah. If we truly repent to Allah, our sins will be forgiven and even the bad records will be changed into good ones. Allah is telling us that He is Forgiving, Merciful and Compassionate. He requires us to come to Him and seek His forgiveness. We should know that the door of Allah is open to us all the time. If we do something wrong at night, we should come back to Him in the morning and if we do something wrong in the morning, we should come to seek His forgiveness during the night. We are always encouraged to do istighfar, which means to remember Allah and praise Him by reciting His Dhikr. We should maintain this istighfar regularly, for example, during the morning and evening times. It is also recommended to recite these adhkar after the salah and in some other specific times. We are encouraged to read these dhikr in our hearts.

The hadith shows the generosity of Almighty Allah. Allah gives His servants a lot of bounties and favors. The more they ask Him, the more He gives them His Ni'mah and countless Bounties. He wants us to ask Him more and seek His help and support. This is different from human beings because humans do not like to be asked frequently. The more you ask a human, the more they hate you and eventually will turn away from you. But the more we ask Allah the more He gives us. He wants us to come closer to Him and show Him our needs and humbleness. He will be pleased by our frequent taubah and repentance. This is also a kind of ibadah which is required to be practiced.

The early scholars (al-Salaf) used to ask Allah a lot and always seek His help in everything, even when a part of their shoe is cut they ask Allah to repair it for them. This shows that they were totally relying on Allah subhana wa ta'ala in their lives. We should also depend on Allah alone. We should not depend on our material aspects such as money and wealth as they cannot do anything for us. It is Allah alone Who deserves to be relied on. So every Muslim should be closer to Allah and seek His help and support. This will give us strength in our faith and iman. It will also give us more barakah (blessings) in our deeds and actions as explained in many verses of the Qur'an.

Istighfar is also one way to acquire good rizq or wealth because when we do istighfar we will get barakah in our rizq. It is this barakah or blessing of Allah which makes our wealth more beneficial regardless of how much money we earn. Some people earn a lot of money but there in no barakah in their wealth because they do not do istighfar nor are they grateful to Allah. People should show their need and humbleness to Allah who is the Master and Sustainer of the world.

Conclusion

The hadith shows us the proper relationship between mankind and Allah. It shows us the many attributes of Allah such as being Merciful, Forgiving, Powerful and Compassionate. In contrast, we as human beings are poor, needy and weak. We are in continuous need for Allah, our creator and sustainer. We need His Guidance, Help and Support. That is why in every raka'ah of our salah we are required to recite Umu al-Kitab or Surah al-Fatihah. We recite it at least 17 times everyday. It reminds us of our extreme need for our Lord and His Guidance and Support. Also this will strengthen our faith and iman.

In many verses of the Qur'an and in the hadiths of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it is explained the importance of showing our need and humbleness to Allah and the worthiness of frequent taubah or repentance to Him. He will listen to us and will accept our supplication and repentance. He will be pleased by our du'a and prayers. He will shower on us His Mercy and Blessings and that is what we continuously need. We want to be guided, supported and forgiven. We seek the pleasure of Allah and it is the most important thing that a Muslim may achieve in life. Those who achieve it are described as Fa'izun or the most successful people.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=227&category=24

Hadith #23- How to free oneself

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith23.htm

Background

The hadith shows the importance of these great deeds in Islam through which every Muslim can free him or herself from the punishment of Allah subhana wa ta'ala in the Hereafter or in the Day of Judgment. One has to free oneself from any kind of enslavement except to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. One has to be a servant and slave of only Allah and not anyone or anything else.

Lessons

Al-Imam Ibn Rajab mentions that there are different views and interpretations of the term 'al-tuhur' or purification. He says that some scholars have interpreted al-tuhur as to mean 'avoiding sins'. But Ibn Rajab disagrees with this and points out that there is another version of the hadith which says that wudu' or ablution is a 'half of iman'. So he is in favor of this meaning. That is, the term al-tuhur refers to the ritual purification by water (wudu'). He also says that this is the view of the majority of the scholars and only a few scholars have interpreted al-tuhur as to mean 'avoiding sins'.

Ibn Rajab actually mentions two reasons why the term al-tuhur is interpreted as wudu':

1. As mentioned earlier that it has been stated in another version of the hadith to mean wudu' or purification.
2. Imam Muslim and some other scholars have recorded this hadith in chapters related to ablution or wudu'.

The term shatr or "half" (as mentioned in the sentence: "Purification is half of iman") also had different interpretations among the scholars. Ibn Rajab says that there are several views that explain the meaning of the term shatr.

1. Some scholars said that shatr means "part" and not "half". Ibn Rajab says this is a weak interpretation because linguistically al-shatr means "half" and not just "part". Secondly, the hadith itself has clearly stated wudu' (ablution) as being half of iman (faith) and not part of iman.
2. A second view from other scholars states that al-tuhur means the reward of ablution will be multiplied to the half of the reward of iman. But Ibn Rajab says this view is also not of a sound interpretation.
3. The third view takes the meaning as being: iman nullifies all major sins while wudu' nullifies minor sins. So in this regard, wudu' is equal to half of iman.
4. The forth view is that al-tuhur means iman along with wudu' eliminate and nullify sins. So according to this view wudu' is half of iman - but again Ibn Rajab also considers this as a weak interpretation.
5. The fifth view is that the meaning of iman in the hadith is salah (prayer) as mentioned in the Qur'an, in Surah al-Baqarah, Ayah 143. In this ayah Allah called salah 'iman' and the salah will not be accepted unless there is a wudu'. So that is why ablution can be considered as half of salah. Ibn Rajab did not comment on this view but he disagrees with all the other views mentioned above.
6. In a sixth view, Imam Ibn Rajab implicitly mentions his own opinion. He favors it from all other views because in the earlier interpretations he merely quoted views of other scholars and commented on them. He says: "Indeed the parts that constitute iman such as words and actions are all to purify and clean the heart or the inner parts of the body. And there is also a purification of the external body by using water and ablution and this is specific to the body only. Hence, there are two divisions of iman; the first division purifies the heart and the internal body and the second division purifies and cleans the external body. So in this regard, both divisions are two equal parts of iman."

This is the explanation of the first statement of the hadith which is "Purification (al-Tahur) is a half of iman".

The hadith mentions that the phrase al-Hamdulillah fills the mizan (scales) and Subhanallah and al-Hamdulillah each fills (or both together fill) the space between the heavens and earth. The hadith shows the importance, greatness and significance of dhikr Allah or remembrance of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. For example, merely reciting one phrase such as Subhanallah gives rewards that fill the heavens! It shows just how important these phrases are for every Muslim.

Al-Haithamy, one of the great Muslim scholars, stated that the full reward of reciting dhikr will be given to the person who recites them while thinking of their meaning and submitting to their implication.

The hadith actually indicates the greatness of these phrases: al-Hamdulillah, Subhanallah wa al-Hamdulillah. The phrase Subhanallah can be recited alone or together with al-Hamdulillah as stated in the text of this hadith. This shows the worthiness of what is called al-Tasbih, glorifying Allah and al-Tahmid, praising and thanking Allah.

Ibn Rajab stated that al-Tahmid is greater than al-Tasbih. It means that to be grateful and thankful to Allah is better than being in a state of Tasbih or glorifying Him and denying imperfection towards Him. The phrase 'al-Hamdulillah' shows gratitude and thankfulness to Allah. It is a positive concept while al-Tasbih is to deny any negative traits towards Almighty Allah and so al-Tahmid is better than al-Tasbih. Also, al-Hamdulillah is not just thankfulness to Allah. It involves more general aspects because it can be expressed both in words and actions. For example, when you do good deeds, it means al-Hamdulillah, just as when you say good words.

Ibn Rajab says that in the hadith al-Tasbih actually came with the al-Tahmid - it is usually mentioned with al-Tahmid. But al-Tahmid can be stated alone without al-Tasbih as found in the hadith and other hadiths, as well as in many verses of the Qur'an. So although each term has its own significance, al-Hamdulillah is better and more important than Subhanallah.

The hadith shows us the worthiness and importance of dhikr Allah in general. It is very important and useful and every Muslim should remember Allah all the time. In the Qur'an, dhikr Allah is the only thing that Allah has commanded us to do frequently.

There are different types of dhikr. Among them are:-

1. Adhkar u-al-Salawat. According to some scholars, the minimum dhikr that a Muslim is required to do is to maintain the adhkar after each salah or prayer. This kind of dhikr requires very little of our time. It needs just few minutes and its reward is great. These days, people rush out after the salah without reciting the recommended dhikr. We should remember that if we are in hurry and we have to leave immediately, we can still recite them while we are walking.

Today many Imams of mosques rush to the du'a after the salah. They do not wait for people to recite the recommended dhikr after the salah. Adhkar u-al-Salawat is basically part of our ritual obligations that we have been ordered to do and so we should to fulfill this obligation.

2. Adhkar u-al-Sabahi wa al-Masa. According to some scholars, this type of adhkar is to be recited after the Fajar prayer in the morning and after the Maghrib prayer in the evening. Some other scholars say it is recommended before sunrise and before sunset. Whatever the case, this adhakr consists of very important du'as that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, guided us to read during these two specific times. There are many forms of this type of du'a but we do not have to read or memorize all of them. We just need to choose some of them. Some scholars say that we can choose only some of Adhkar u-al-Sabahi wa al-Masa but we have to maintain them regularly everyday. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, used to read some of these adi'yah regularly in the morning and evening and so we are also allowed do so on an everyday basis.

Al-Imam al-Nawawi himself has compiled a book called "Kitab Adhkar u Alyoum Wa-Laiylah" and discusses in detail about this type of adhkar. It is recommended to read and maintain these adhkar everyday. It is easy and takes only five to ten minutes of our time.

3. Adhkar u-al-Ahwal. This adhkar is to be recited during specific occasions. For example, when you want to eat you are supposed to recite "Bismillah" and when you finish eating there is a du'a to be recited. Similarly, when entering the mosque there is a du'a, when going out of the mosque there is also a du'a, when you enter your house there is a du'a and so on. A Muslim has to read these adi'yah and memorize some of them. They are very simple to memorize and easy to recite. We have to make them part of our lives. Most of us are, al-Hamdulillah, already practicing this. This type of du'a is very much recommended during traveling, coming back from travel, during storms and also on many other occasions.

According to Sheikh al-Sa'di, one of the contemporary Mufasir, a person who maintains these three types of adhkar regularly is considered among those who remember Allah a lot, as mentioned in many verses of the holy Qur'an. So one has to read and preserve this kind of dhikr Allah but al-dhikr, in general, can be freely recited and there is no limit to the amount of dhikr that one can recite. Sheikh al-Sa'di, while commenting on the Ayah in Surah al-Ahzab further said that dhikr Allah is an obligation and we must fulfill this obligation.

Another important thing about dhikr is that one has to understand the meaning of the dhikr that he or she recites. Ibn al-Haitham stated that al-dhikr should be recited with full awareness of its meaning and not just read by the tongue without understanding it. If a person reads the adhkar with full comprehension, he or she will get more rewards. And he/she will feel the pleasure of iman and also the iman itself will increase.

So from these statements we can understand that there are three conditions for getting more rewards in our dhikr. The first one is to read the three types of dhikr in their specific occasions. Secondly, to recite the dhikr with full awareness and understanding of its meaning. And finally, to continue and maintain the recitation of these dhikr regularly everyday.

The third part of the hadith is about the prayer (salah) and it's position in Islam. The hadith says: "Al-Salah (the prayer) is a light". According to Ibn Rajab, prayer is indeed a light for the believers in their lives. It is also a light in their hearts and delights the inner parts of their body. They will be guided by the salah and will be given enlightenment and satisfaction in their hearts. That is why the salah is a delight of the eyes of the righteous people. Al-Imam Ahmed recorded a hadith saying that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, used to say: "The delight and pleasure of my eyes is in the salah".

In another hadith the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "When a servant of Allah preserves and safeguards the salah and performs it perfectly in terms of its ablution, its sujud, and ruku' then the salah will say to him: 'May Allah preserve and safeguard you as you preserved and safeguarded me', and then the salah will be taken by the angels up to the heavens while it has lights until it reaches Allah subhana wa ta'ala and it will do shafa'ah or intercession for the servant of Allah." In another similar hadith that is recorded by Imam Ahmed in his al-Musnad, the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said: "Whoever preserves the salah, it will be a light, proof and safe place for him during the Day of Judgment." The hadith also states the importance and significance of the salah for the believers who always perform it in its right time and right way.

The hadith further explains the role of sadaqah (charity) in our lives. It says charity is a burhan (proof) for the Muslim. Burhan literally means 'sunlight' in Arabic. This emphasizes that charity is a bright and clear proof like the sunlight. It is a proof that reflects the iman of the believer. People who pay charity regularly for the sake of Allah express a strong iman. They feel the pleasure of iman in their hearts. Imam Ibn Rajab says that the reason why charity is an evidence of iman is that people usually love wealth and money and if they challenge this love and overpower their greed for the sake of Allah, they indeed have strong iman.

The hadith says "Patience is a dhiya' or brightness". According to Ibn Rajab, linguistically al-dhiya' (brightness) is different from al-nur (light). Al-dhiya' is more powerful than al-nur, because it not only gives out light but also heat, while al-nur gives out only a shining light. That is why in the Qur'an the term dhiya' is used for sunlight which, beside its light, has heat or high temperature, but the term al-nur is used for the moonlight which gives out only light and does not emit heat.

Being patient is a very difficult and painful experience. It requires a lot of effort and struggle within. So when people control themselves and overcome impatience, they develop a good habit of self-control and become masters of their own selves. This is the real meaning of al-sabr or patience. Al-sabr literally means to 'withhold' or control something. It means to control the nafs and prevent it from being in a state of panic or impatience. It also means to prevent the tongue from complaining or saying negative things. People do not practice this value. They become impatient for minor reasons. They seem to be against the qadar and plans of Allah in their lives.

Imam Ibn Rajab says that there are three kinds of al-sabr or patience in Islam:

1. Al-Sabru ala da'ati allahi - to be patient in performing the acts of worship or ibadah of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.
2. Al-Sabru an ma'asi allahi - to be patient in the acts of avoiding sins (ma'asi) or disobedience of Allah subhana wa ta'ala.
3. Al-Sabru ala aqdari allahi - to be patient with the Qadar of Allah or His plans which are predestined by Him and happens to us in our lives.

Some scholars add a fourth kind of al-sabr to these three classifications: Al-Sabru ala al-bida' - to be patient on matters related to religious innovations (but this can be included under the ma'asi (sins) or disobedience).

On the question of which of these three kinds of al-sabr is more important, Imam Ibn Rajab said that to be patient in ibadah and to be patient in avoiding ma'asi or sins are more virtues than being patient with the qadar. One act of ibadah that contains all these three forms of al-sabr is fasting. For example, when fasting you obey Allah by performing the act of fasting, you avoid sins of eating during the day, and you believe that this is the plan of Allah and hence a test for you.

The hadith also explains the role of the holy Qur'an in our lives. It states that "The Qur'an is either an argument and proof for or against you". In Surah al-Isra Ayah 82 Allah says: "We send down the Qur'an that which is a healing and mercy for those who believe and for the unjust people it causes nothing but loss after loss."

So people who recite the Qur'an, learn it and practice its rulings are people who become the people of the Qur'an and it (the Qur'an) will be a proof for them. But those who ignore the Qur'an and never read or practice it in their lives, then the Qur'an will stand against them during the Day of Judgment. One of contemporary scholars observed that people do not read the Qur'an except when someone dies. They recite the Qur'an on a dead body but this is not the aim of the Qur'an. The Qur'an is revealed for the living and not for those who have passed away.

Finally, the hadith states one very important issue, that is how to free ourselves from the punishment of Allah. The hadith states that everyone goes out in the morning and sells him or herself either for good or for bad. Every morning we sell ourselves either by freeing ourselves from the punishment or leading ourselves into punishment and hence destroying ourselves. Iman Ahmed has recorded another similar hadith in his al-Musnad. In Surah al-Shams Ayah 9-10, Allah subhana wa ta'ala mentions the same meaning. He says: "Truly he succeeds that perfects it (the soul) and fails that corrupts it".

Imam Ibn Rajab, while commenting on this meaning, said the person who struggles to worship Allah and obeys Him is the one who frees himself and the person who indulges in sins is the one who destroys himself. According to the hadith, every morning when people go out of their houses they are either gaining rewards and profit or getting losses. If they work for Allah and obey Him they are winners, but if they violate the rules of Allah and disobey Him then they gain nothing but loss after loss. This was also clearly explained in the Qur'an, in Surah al-Zumar Ayah 15.

Conclusion

This hadith guides us in how to gain great rewards in our lives and also how to save ourselves from Allah's punishment. For example, practicing the acts of purification, dhikr Allah, prayer, charity and also many other deeds are very important ways to free oneself from the punishment of Allah.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:

1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=228&category=24

Paradise

(author unknown)

Whatever we do, we’ll pay the price
In the depths of hell or in paradise

For the believer, this life is just like a cage
For the unbeliever, it’s the ultimate stage

Little does he know about the awaiting reward
Which is full of luxuries, where no one gets bored

You’ll enter the gate of paradise, if it’s in your fate
Your deeds and actions will determine by which gate

No worldly things will you ever miss
On entering the gate, you’ll be surrounded by bliss

Four rivers will be granted by the Divine
Containing water and milk, honey and wine

People will live in mansions built high
Where they’ll live forever, no one will die

It’s bricks will be made of silver and gold
The climate will be perfect, not hot and not cold

A hundred years it will take to circle a tree
Surrounded by loved ones for all eternity

There will be no calls of nature, no one will sleep
There will be no worries, no one will weep

When people sweat, it will smell of musk
Allah (SWT) will be praised from dawn till dusk

Everyone will be aged 30 or 33
And they’ll stay at that age for eternity

The inhabitants will be wearing a beautiful green gown
Sitting on thrones, wearing a crown

People will be happy, there’ll be no remorse
To visit others, they’ll have a flying horse

Men will have 2 houris as their wives
Who will remain with them for the rest of their lives

On Friday there will be a dinner for people of all races
And a bazaar where people can exchange their faces!

When walking along there’ll be many meetings
With prophets and angels, exchanging greetings

Such is the ecstasy that will then prevail
When Allah (SWT) removes His veil

There will be no kings, there will be no peasants
And everyone will see the Divine Allah’s presence

There are 100 levels to paradise and we should pray
That Al Firdaus, the highest, will be where we stay

Allah (SWT) has showered us with His grace
And we have to be worthy to show our face

Whatever we do, we’ll pay the price
In the depths of hell or in paradise.

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Abbreviations:
SWT - Subhanahu Wa Tala

Hadith #22- Deeds that lead to Paradise I

http://fortyhadith.iiu.edu.my/hadith22.htm

Background

Imam Nawawi said that the meaning of “treat the forbidden as prohibited” is to avoid the forbidden, and the meaning of to “treat the lawful as permissible” is to perform them believing that they are permissible.

Ibn Rajab gave two other interpretations:

1. "To treat the lawful as permissible" - to believe that it is permissible; "To treat the forbidden as prohibited" - to believe that it is prohibited and to avoid it.
2. "To treat the lawful as permissible" - to perform it. "Lawful" here means what is not prohibited, which includes wajib (obligatory deeds), mustahab (preferable deeds) and mubah (allowed).

One thing that we notice about the hadith is that Hajj and Zakah are not mentioned even though they make up the five Pillars of Islam. According to some scholars, the person who asked the question passed away (in the Battle of Uhud) before hajj was made an obligation. As for zakah, it is possible that it also was not yet made an obligation; alternatively, the person questioning was not a person of wealth and therefore was not required to pay zakah.

Lessons

This hadith indicates that the one who fulfils the obligations and avoids the prohibitions will enter Paradise. This meaning has been emphasized in a number of other hadiths.

This hadith emphasizes surrendering to the Will of Allah subhana wa ta'ala - to accept as permissible what Allah has permitted and to accept as forbidden what Allah has prohibited. This also emphasizes Islam itself because Islam means to ‘fully surrender to the Will of Allah and to accept everything that has been commanded by Allah'.

In our contemporary times, there arise the issue of Muslims not fully adhering to the shariah, i.e. Allah's commandments. If this is because they are new Muslims or that they live in areas where there is a lack of knowledge or poor dissemination of information (e.g. there are no scholars to advise them), then this lack of adherence is excusable. However, if a Muslim chooses to intentionally ignore or reject the obligations and prohibitions set by Allah without good reasons, then he may be in danger of losing his Islamic entity or identity.

These obligatory acts mentioned in the hadith that will lead a person to Paradise require strong belief in Allah, commitment and continuous efforts. Only then will it be an easy task to achieve.

This hadith implies that the mustahab (or sunnah or preferable deeds) are not necessary for one to be able to enter Paradise. What counts or what matters is fulfilling the obligatory acts. However, we are encouraged to perform preferable deeds according to our capacity and whenever possible.

The significance of performing preferable acts is that it will lead us in getting closer to Allah subhana wa ta’ala. In addition, preferable deeds compensate for our shortcomings in performing the obligatory acts.

Some scholars have made the assumption that the person asking the question in the hadith was new to Islam. This gives insights to educators (murabbi) and preachers (du’at) to observe the following lessons when dealing with new converts to Islam:

1. The murabbi or scholar should take into account the background or status of the questioner before attending to and answering his or her questions. Different people with different backgrounds may require different answers or different approaches in conveying the answers. This is because a person who comes from a different culture or lives in a different environment from the murabbis or scholars may not fully understand the scholar’s explanations if it cannot be related to his/her situation.

If the murabbi or scholar doesn’t know the background of the questioner (e.g. if questions are being asked through mail, through the telephone, on the radio, etc.), then he needs to find out as much as possible about the questioner before answering. Some scholars try to speculate what could be the status of the person asking the question by, for example, trying to read between the lines of the text of the question. The end-result is that the scholars do not provide one fixed answer - there will be a few answers, each applicable to a different situation.

2. The murabbi or scholar should not overburden new Muslims by asking them or encouraging them to perform preferable acts. The murabbi should just get them to start with the obligatory acts. If they are given too much to do, it may become too much for them to cope and they may lose interest in Islam altogether. The murabbi or scholar should start slowly and when the new Muslims are settled and are performing the obligatory deeds, only then should they be introduced to the preferable acts.

Similarly, new Muslims should not be subjected to conflicting issues or views in Islam. For example, they should not be told about the four different schools of thought (madhab) and be asked to choose which madhab to follow. This will only confuse the new Muslims. The murabbi or du’at should make it easy and simple for converts to start their new lives in Islam. Only later on can such issues be discussed.

The same thing can be said about the awam (general public). Scholars should not overburden them or bombard them with too many obligations or concepts. This is also a lesson we can learn from this hadith: the murabbi or scholar should observe the background of the questioner as well as the audience in general if there is no questioner.

An area related to this issue is the question of Islamic websites on the Internet. A website can be accessed by people from all over the whole world - people from different backgrounds and cultures. We have to be careful about the information that we put on these websites. Unfortunately there are Islamic websites that contain controversial issues and conflicting views, where different Muslim groups or sects promote only their school of thoughts and criticize other groups. Not only will this confuse those interested in Islam, new Muslims or existing Muslims from other parts of the world, it will also give a negative impression to the non-Muslims. It will provide information to the opponents of Islam to use as a means of discouraging people from embracing Islam. Islamic websites should be neutral and fair and should not be one-sided or controversial because the purpose of these websites should be to promote Islam and not to condemn it.

Conclusion

This hadith shows a significant characteristic of Islam that it is a religion based on ease. There is a minimum requirement to be fulfilled by every one, which is practicing obligations and avoiding prohibitions. By fulfilling this minimum requirement a person deserves to enter Paradise. Preferable acts are encouraged, based on one's capacity and ability.

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More on this Hadith can be found at:
1. http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=229&category=24