Saturday, June 27, 2009

Dua for increasing provision (Rizq)

O Allah! Expand for me Your provision till my old age and till the end of my life.
 
Download the recitation of this Dua in Arabic
 
Download the explanation of this Dua in Urdu with word to word translation
 
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Branches of Imaan

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Iman has over seventy branches, the uppermost of which is the declaration: `None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'; and the least of which is the removal of harmful object from the road, and modesty is a branch of Iman.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1. This Hadith tells us that from the standpoint of practice, Faith has several stages. It also tells that Faith and practice are inseparable.
 
2. It also makes evident the importance and excellence of bashfulness because it induces a person to good deeds and deters him from evils.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Charity for yourself

 Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Which action is the best?'' He (PBUH) said, "Faith in Allah and Jihad in the way of Allah.'' I asked: "Which neck (slave) is best (for emancipation)?'' He said, "That which is dearest of them in price and most valuable of them to its masters". I asked: "If I cannot afford (it)?'' He said, "Then help a labourer or work for one who is disabled". I asked: "If I cannot do (it)?'' He said, "You should restrain yourself from doing wrong to people, because it (serves as) charity which you bestow upon yourself".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
 
This Hadith shows the excellence of Jihad and emancipation of slaves. It also highlights the importance of co-operation and sympathy with others. Similarly, one who refrains from putting others into trouble, his reward for it is no less than that of propitiatory offering and kindness. It also tells that faith in Allah is the basis for the acceptance of good deeds. In fact, conduct is the fruit of one's Faith. Without Faith nothing will be acceptable by Allah.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

O My Slaves -- Ya Ibaadi

Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Allah, the Exalted, and Glorious, said; 'O My slaves, I have prohibited Myself injustice; and have made oppression unlawful for you, so do not oppress one another. O My slaves, all of you are liable to err except the one whom I guide on the Right Path, so seek guidance from Me so that I will guide you to the Right Path. O My slaves, all of you are hungry except the one whom I feed, so ask food from Me, I will feed you. O My slaves, all of you are naked except those whom I clothe, so ask clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My slaves, you commit sins night and day and I forgive all sins, so seek My forgiveness and I shall forgive you. O My slaves, you can neither do Me any harm nor can you do Me any good. O My slaves, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any man of you, that would not increase My domain a thing. O My slaves, were the first of you, and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any man of you, that would not decrease My domain in a thing. O My slaves, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to stand in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decrease the sea if put into it. O My slaves, it is but your deeds that I reckon for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good (i.e., in the Hereafter) praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.'''.
[Muslim].
 
Commentary:  This Hadith mentions the Power and Majesty of Allah and stresses that one should supplicate Allah for everything that one needs. From guidance to sustenance, the treasures of everything are with Him - the treasures which are unlimited and any withdrawal from them does not make any reduction in them. Similar is the case of His Sovereignty; it is not affected even if the whole universe supports or opposes them. Thus, it is in the interest of man that he should dedicate himself entirely to Allah and beg all his needs from Him and Him Alone.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Perform salah more often

Thauban (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "Perform Salah more often. For every prostration that you perform before Allah will raise your position one degree and will remit one of your sins".
[Muslim].
 
Abundance of prostrations means strict observance of Salat and performance of obligatory and optional and voluntary prayers, it is a means for atonement of sins and the elevation of one's status in this life and the Hereafter.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Hasten to do good deeds

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. A man would be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief in the evening, or he would be a believer in the evening and turn disbeliever in the morning, and would sell his Faith for worldly goods.''
 
Commentary:  This Hadith tells that the Day of  Resurrection will be preceded by a long chain of calamities. Because of the rush of these calamities, religion and Faith will loose their value in people. There will be a race for wealth, so much so that people would not hesitate to compromise their religion and Faith to acquire wealth. People will rapidly change their faces. This is what actually happening. In this situation true believers are exhorted to adhere strictly to Faith and perform noble deeds without delay.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Be a strong believer

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good. Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it. If you are afflicted in any way, do not say: `If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,' but say only: `Allah so determined and did as He willed.' The word `if' opens the gates of satanic thoughts".
[Muslim].

1. In this Hadith, goodness is acknowledged in weak as well as strong because the real Faith is a common feature of both. The one who is stronger is, however, better with Allah for the reason that he is more active and energetic in the matter of noble deeds and performance of ritual prayers, obligatory as well as voluntary.
 
2.  This Hadith ordains that in case of trouble, one should exercise patience and show submission and obedience rather than saying `ifs' and `buts' about it, because it provides Satan with a chance to mislead the sufferer.

Dua for seeking forgiveness

O Allah! You are the One who pardons, The Most Generous; You love to pardon, so pardon me.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The benevolence of Allah

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Allah says: ' When a slave of Mine draws near to Me a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.'''.
[Al-Bukhari].
 
Commentary:  This Hadith mentions infinite benevolence, generosity, kindness and regard of Allah for His slaves, which is evident from the reward that He gives to His slaves even on their minor good deeds.

Friday, June 19, 2009

How to win Allah's love

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah the Exalted has said: 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (prayer or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. When I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks My Protection (refuge), I protect him".
[Al-Bukhari].
 
Commentary:
1. Those who make innovations in religion and associate partners with Allah (such as Hululi - who believe in the indwelling light in the soul of man, Wujudi - who believe in the physical form of Allah, and pagans who worship other than Allah) interpret this Hadith in support of their beliefs and thus seek support of one wrong from another although the meaning and interpretation of the Hadith is not at all what they describe. The Hadith means that when a person adds voluntary prayers to the obligatory ones, he becomes a favourite slave of Allah and on account of it, he receives special help from Allah. Then he is protected by Allah to the extent that He supervises every organ of his body. Thus, he is saved from disobedience of Allah. He bears what is liked by Allah, sees what is liked by Him, handles what pleases Him. When he attains that lofty position of love and obedience of Allah, then Allah in return also grants prayers of His obedient and loyal slaves.
 
2.  A saint is not one who has a peculiar attire and appearance, or who occupies the seat of a righteous as his successor, or a person who is lost in meditation, or a half-mad, or one who has invented his own style of remembrance and worship of Allah, but it is one who strictly fulfills the obligations imposed by Islam, is fond of voluntary prayers and adheres to Divine injunctions in every walk of life.
 
3.  The love of such righteous is a means to attain the Pleasure of Allah, and enmity (hatred and repulsion) with them is a cause of His serious displeasure and wrath.
 
4.  Voluntary prayer is certainly a means of attaining the Pleasure of Allah, but it must be preceded by the fulfillment of obligatory prayers. The former is of no value if the latter is neglected. The desire to attain nearness of Allah without strict observance of the obligatory prayers is fallacious and meaningless.