What Is Your Objective in Life?

 

When the lifestyle of one who is working solely for the material gains of this world is compared with that of a person who is striving for the everlasting rewards of the Hereafter, there is seemingly very little difference. In both cases, each person seems to be striving to maintain a quality life.

The Qur’an , however, states that the two parties are far from equal:

{Is then the one who believes equal to the man who is a transgressor and wicked? Not equal are they.} (As-Sajdah 32: 18)

What Is the Difference?

It is clear that the non-believer, limited to himself and feeding upon his own desires, cannot compare with the true believer.

The non-believer may fulfil all his worldly desires, but his accomplishments will only bring temporary satisfaction;

{To him who desires only this fleeting life, We grant him only here and only as much as We please, only to whomever We will: but in the end We consign him to Hell.} (Al-Israa’  17: 18.)

The true believer on the other hand, may achieve worldly gains but he realizes that true contentment will only come when the ultimate reward of Paradise and the pleasure of his Lord is achieved.

{Verily, that which is with Allah is best for you, if you but knew. All that which is with you is bound to end, whereas all that which is with Allah is everlasting.} (An-Nahl 16:95-96.)

This understanding of life and its true objective is the secret of the believer’s strength and support. This makes him the most powerful and resourceful person to walk upon the earth.

The Qur’an continues in Al-Israa’:

{But, as for those who desire the life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are true Believers- they are the ones whose strivings find acceptance and reward.} (Al-Israa’  17: 19)

Start, then, to prepare for the Aakhirah today!

Why waste your time and energy on what will perish when you can use the same to earn the delights and pleasures of the life to come?

Everything you have must be put forward as an investment for that life, but you must keep in mind that the investment is not the objective.

All that Allah has bestowed on you -body, mind, faculties, and property -are valuables for investment, but the real objective is to earn the pleasure of Allah and the rewards of Jannah.

Remember that your personal destiny and, therefore, the end of all your life’s pursuits, lie in the Hereafter, but the road to that destiny lies in Dunya, in this world. Indeed the achievements made during the time of the Prophet were the results of full participation in this world – neither withdrawing nor retiring from it – for the sake of the life to come.

The Prophet and his Companions planned for this world as though they were going to stay here forever but equally they sought the rewards of the Hereafter as though death was close at hand. It is this delicate balance that you must strive to achieve in your approach to life.

The reality of the hereafter

For those who sat and listened to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Hereafter became almost a living reality to the extent that they could almost visualize it with their own eyes.

On some occasions, during the Prophet’s descriptions of the Aakhirah, they observed him going forward as if to grasp something while on other occasions he would withdraw as if to save himself.

When questioned about those unusual movements the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explained that as he spoke, he saw the fruits of Jannah in front of him.

He reached out wanting to seize some so that he could show them. He said that, had he done so, it would have provided enough food for the entire world in all times to come.

Similarly, when he withdrew, he saw the Hell-fire in front of him and wanted to save himself from it.

It was this and other similar experiences witnessed by the companions which were responsible for reforming their lives so completely that all their morals, manners, activities, goals in life – indeed, their entire purpose of existence – was determined by their awareness of their meeting with Allah.

It is this reality and conviction in our ultimate fate – repeatedly emphasized in the Qur’an  and in the life example of the Prophet – that we must continuously refer to for inspiration in conducting life’s activities.

References

Taken with slight modifications from the author’s book: In the Early Hours

- aboutislam.net

Look After Your Parents In Old Age

Mufti Abdur-Rahman in this video emphasises the importance of taking care of ones parents when they reach old age. Old age is going to happen to the vast majority of us. We have to repay our parents for bringing us up. - aboutislam.net

When Should I Start Teaching Qur’an to My Kids?

As parents, most of us, if not all of us, want our kids to memorize the Quran.

It is a dream that each and every Muslim parent has.

What is the right time to start teaching Quran to them? At what age?

Is there any specific technique to it?

Source: Faith IQ

Marital Home: Who’s the Boss Here?

 

There has been an argument on the issue of marital home leadership, who is in charge ? Sheikh Yahya Ibrahim makes it clear that it’s important to understand the balance of responsibilities in the family circle, at home, between husbands and wives. So this shouldn’t lead to a leadership crisis at home; it’s a division of labor.

-aboutislam.net

The beauty of Islam as seen by others

American poet, critic and author Colonel Donald S. Rockwell writes: "The simplicity of Islam, the powerful appeal and the compelling atmosphere of its mosques, the earnestness of its faithful followers, the confidence inspiring realization of millions throughout the world who answer the five daily calls to prayer, these factors attracted me from the first.

But after I had determined to become a follower of Islam, I found many deeper reasons for confirming my decision. The mellow concept of life -- fruit of the combined course of action and contemplation, the wise counsel, the admonitions to charity and mercy of the Prophet, , (may Allah exalt his mention).

The broad humanitarianism, the pioneer declaration of women's rights, these and other factors of the teachings of the man of Makkah, were to me among the first obvious evidence of a practical religion so tersely and so aptly epitomized in the cryptic words of Prophet Muhammad, : 'Trust in God and tie your camel.' He gave us a religious system of normal action, not blind faith in the protection of an unseen force in spite of our own neglect, but confidence that if we do all things rightly and to the best of our ability, we may trust in what comes as the Will of God...

When I stood in the inspiring mosques of Istanbul, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, Algiers, Tangier, Fez and other cities, I was conscious of a powerful reaction -- the potent uplift of Islam's simple appeal to the sense of higher things, unaided by elaborate trappings, ornamentation, figures, pictures, music and ceremonial ritual. The mosque is a place of quiet contemplation and self-effacement in the greater reality of the true God.

The democracy of Islam has always appealed to me. Potentate and pauper have the same rights on the floor of the mosque, on their knees in humble worship. There are no rented pews or special reserved seats.

The Muslim accepts no man as mediator between himself and his God. He goes direct to the invisible source of creation and life -- God -- without reliance on a saving formula of repentance of sins and belief in the power of a teacher to afford him salvation. The universal brotherhood of Islam, regardless of race, politics, color or country, has been brought home to me most keenly many times in my life, and this is another feature which drew me towards the Faith."

The baseless claim that Islam converted the peoples it had 'conquered by force' has also been refuted by prominent non-Muslims.

Mahatma Gandhi, for instance, writes in Young Indian, 1924:

"I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, , the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble."

James A. Michener writes in the Reader's Digest, under the title Islam: The Misunderstood Religion: "No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam. The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Quran is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience."

Laurence E. Browne writes in The Prospects of Islam: "Incidentally, these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings about the Muslims, that wherever they went, they forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword."

De Lay O'Leany also writes in Islam at Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fanatically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."

It is worth mentioning here that it is absolutely wrong to judge Islam by the deteriorating condition of Muslims and the blatant corruption that pervades the Muslim world. What Islam preaches is one thing, and what so many Muslims nowadays practice is something else.

The only way whereby we do justice to Islam is to find out about its noble teachings, which are clearly set out at length in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic traditions. The famous popular singer, Cat Stevens, who later embraced Islam once observed: "It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media.

It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver is drunk and he bangs it into a wall. Islam guides all human beings in daily life -- in its spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. Nevertheless, we must find the sources of these instructions -- the Quran and the example of the Prophet, . Then we can see the idea of Islam."

What is generally said about Islam in the media and in many academic circles can also give a wrong idea about it. As Maurice Bucaille put it: "The totally erroneous statements made about Islam in the West are sometimes the result of ignorance, and sometimes of systematic denigration.

The most serious of all the untruths told about it are, however, those dealing with facts, for while mistaken opinions are excusable, the presentation of facts running contrary to reality is not. It is disturbing to read blatant untruths in eminently respectable works written by authors who a priori are highly qualified."

[From: A Glimpse at the Beauty of Islam]

- islamweb.net

Is It Haram to Tell Your Parents about Your Sins?

If you have committed a sin in secret, your repentance is also to be done secretly. You are not to disclose what Allah has concealed or covered for you, as the rule is that a sin that is committed secretly is also repented from secretly, while a sin that is committed publicly must be repented from publicly.

You are, therefore, urged to hasten to return to the Lord, crying and begging for His forgiveness.

Remember that in order for your repentance to be acceptable, you must remove yourself from the circumstances that led you to sin in the first place.

In addition to cutting off your relations with the person immediately, you must show true contrition and remorse for the sin you have committed and resolve never to return to it again.

Also, it is important that you surround yourself with pious people and occupy yourself with good works.

Telling your parents about your sin is not a prerequisite for Allah to grant you forgiveness as Allah says,

{Say: O My servants who have wronged against their own souls! Do not despair of Allah’s mercy! For Allah forgives all sins; for He is indeed Forgiving, Compassionate. Turn to Your Lord repentantly, and submit to Him, before the torment overtakes you when you shall not be helped.} (Az-Zummar 39:53-54)

In the above verse, we are told to repent by sincerely returning to Allah and submitting to His will, which means to obey His laws. It is, therefore, sufficient for you to do this. So never think about repeating your sin, and remain steadfast while keeping yourself occupied with good works. May Allah accept your repentance and help us all to remain steadfast, Ameen.

Almighty Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Sheikh Ahmad Kutty

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is a Senior Lecturer and an Islamic Scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Is Islam a Harsh Religion?

 

 Greeting of Islam, the greeting of “peace”, as taught by The Most Merciful Lord who said:

“[…] greet one another with the greeting of peace prescribed by Allah blessed and pure. Thus Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may grow in understanding.” (Quran 24: 61)

Is Islam a Harsh Religion?

You’re asking whether Islam is “a harsh religion”. Islam is the religion where the Lord & Creator, Allah Almighty says:

“When the believers in Our revelations come to you, say, “Peace be upon you! Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy. Whoever among you commits evil ignorantly ˹or recklessly˺ then repents afterward and mends their ways, then Allah is truly All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”(Quran 6:54)

Islam is the religion where the Creator Allah Almighty starts His Book by introducing Himself saying:

“In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. All praise is for Allah—Lord of all the worlds, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,” (Quran 1: 1-3)

So the Truth is: Allah is the Source & Creator of Mercy who sent His Final Prophet, Muhammad, as a mercy to the worlds with a revelation that teaches people purification and mercy.

And here is a brief analysis of that.

Allah: The Lord & Creator of Mercy 

Allah Almighty created the universe out of nothing. He is the Creator of the physical world and the Creator of the souls and noble meanings in the universe. The meanings of Mercy, Compassion, Gentleness, Affection did not exist before or beyond Allah.

These are His Names & Attributes, and He instilled them into the world in the hearts of His creations and instructed people to grow in those meanings.

See the below hadiths (Prophetic sayings) for example:

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said:

“Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness, and He grants reward for it that He does not grant for harshness.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,

“Shall I not tell you whom the Hellfire is forbidden to touch? It is forbidden to touch a man who is always accessible, having polite and tender nature.” [At- Tirmidhii].

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As: The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“The Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who are on the earth, He Who is in heaven will show mercy to you.” [Sunan Abi Dawud]

What types of hearts does Allah love? The most compassionate and tender ones.

Abu ‘Inabah reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), said,

“Verily, Allah has vessels among the people of the earth, and the vessels of your Lord are the hearts of his righteous servants. The most beloved of them to him are the softest and most tender of them.” [Al Albani. Strong chain of narration]

The Mercy of the Final Messenger of Allah: Muhammad

So, Allah is The Incomparably Merciful, and He sent His Messenger out of mercy. Allah Almighty who created Prophet Muhammad said about Him:

“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Quran 21: 107)

We have sound narrations that Prophet Muhammad was most gentle and most merciful towards all those around him. His wives reported that in his life and after his death, his servants reported that, his companions reported that and even his honest enemies reported that he was gentle, merciful, and noble.

He taught men in detail to take care of the women in their lives, taught parents to take care of their children, taught leaders to take care of their people, and taught every member of the community their full rights and obligations as revealed by the Creator.

Anyone who studies adequately, comprehensively, and objectively the biography of the Prophet from credible non-orientalist and non-Islamophobic sources will see this clearer than daylight.

The Ease & Mercy of Islam

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“Make things easy and do not make them difficult, cheer the people up by conveying glad tidings to them and do not repulse (them).” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

And Allah Almighty says:

“[…] Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship” (Quran: 2: 185)

And He said:

“Allah wants to make clear to you [the lawful from the unlawful] and guide you to the [good] practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.

Allah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation.

And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties], and mankind was created weak.” (Quran 4: 26-28)

The Essence of Teaching, Law & Order

Allah sent His Messenger to teach and purify people and societies. The standpoint of this is mercy and gentleness, but what if there are criminals, wrongdoers, and unjust people, how do we deal with that?

Mercy is still there, but there must be disciplinary actions, and the purpose of that is to protect the societies and deter people from further indulging in self and societal destruction. In any country or community, leaders enact laws to deter criminals from indulging in corruption and injustice.

Bear that in mind as you think of Islam as the last and final revelation sent to all mankind until the end of time. It is sent to people, not sent to angels. So, Allah Almighty revealed to His Messenger the teachings that help spread mercy and halt corruption and injustice by the right measures to each case.

If one has insufficient knowledge, he/she might look at a specific law, order, saying, or incident, glue them together while taking them out of their holistic context, and then come to a hasty flawed conclusion about Islam being “harsh”. This is a flaw in people’s process of learning, not a flaw in Islam. Islam is perfect and impeccable.

If Islam is not a Harsh Religion – Where Does The Claim of Harshness Come From?

It comes from people’s ignorance; whether those who question with ignorance or those who practice with ignorance. Lack of deep, comprehensive knowledge is what drives hastiness in judgment or harshness in practice.

But Islam is not a religion of ignorance, it is a religion of knowledge and sound judgment and reason. Only those who are objective, patient, and sincere will study adequately and find the truth and practice it as revealed and intended.

But those who don’t want to put the effort into finding the truth or those who want to practice the revelation according to their desires and inadequacies will end up falling into multiple forms of ugliness, not just harshness.

And Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Dina Mohamed Basiony

Dina Mohamed Basiony is a writer based in Cairo, Egypt. She specializes in Islam and spirituality. Dina holds an MA and BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the American University in Cairo.