Hadith 8: Calmness is from Allah and haste is from shaytaan

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ الله وَ بَرَكات

اَلأَنَاةُ مِنَ اللهِ وَ الْعُجْلَةُ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ

Calmness is from Allah and haste is from shaytaan

The meaning of this hadith is that when you do any type of work, then think before carrying ot out. Delibarate upon it from all angles then go on to it. As if the affair does not work out then the first thought that comes into the head is that it was from shaytaan, so firstly look at a prospective affair from all angels then carry it out or not.

But in regards to affairs concenrning Allah and His deen then you should hurry in to them, as Allah has mentioned one of the qualities of the pious as those who hurry towards good.
وَ يُسَارِعُوْنَ فِي الْخَيْرَات

Mulla Ali Qari (RahmiuAllah alayh) mentions:

When starting any form of worship or work for deen, one should hurry in starting it. When in the midst of the worship not to hurry is what is mentioned in this hadith, as rushing through ibadah is from shaytaan, for example rushing towards praying salah, one should hurry towards starting the worship but not during the salah.

In terms of affairs of this world, all a Muslim could ask for is that the affairs for this world are good for him in this world and the hereafter. For this our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has taught us the prayer of istikhara.

When someone is in a dilemma, or has to make a very important decision, one ought to pray two rak’ahs of nafl salah, and ask Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala for guidance by supplicating in the following manner.

Arabic (click image for larger version):

Transliteration:

Allāhumma innē astakhēruka bi’ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as`aluka min fadlikal ‘azēm. Fa`innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdiru wa ta’lamu wa lā a’lamu wa anta ‘allāmul ghuyūb. Allāhumma in kunta ta’lamu anna hādhal amra khairullē fē dēnē wa ma’āshē wa ‘āqibati amrē ao’ājili amrē wa`ājilihē faqdirhu lē wa yassirhu lē thumma bārik lē fēhi. Wa in kunta ta’lamu anna hādhal amra sharrullē fē dēnē wa ma’āshē wa’āqibati amrē ao’ājili amrē wa`ājilihē fasrifhu ‘annē wasrifnē ‘anhu waqdirlil khaira haithu kāna thummardinē bihē.

Meaning:

O Allaah, I ask You to show me what is best, through Your knowledge, and I ask You to empower me, through Your Power, and I beg You to grant me Your tremendous Favor, for You have Power, while I am without power, and You have Knowledge, while I am without knowledge, and You are the One who Knows the unseen. O Allaah, if you Know that this is good for my worldly life and for the Hereafter, then destine it for me and make it easy for me, and put Blessing in it. And if you Know it to be of bad consequences for me in my worldly life and for the Hereafter, then distance it from me, and distance me from it. And give me the ability to do that which is beneficial for me, and keep me pleased with that.

In place of "haadhal amra" (this/it), one should mention one’s necessity/decision.

Source: Al-Hisnul Haseen.

Duas Requested
وَ عَلَيْكُمْ السَّلامْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَ بَرَكات

Hadith 7 - Alcohol Constitutes Many Sin.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

A belated Eid Mubarak to everyone.

الخمر جمّاع الاثم

Alcohol Constitutes Many Sin

In explanation of this hadith the ulema say:

When under the influence of alcohol the mind does not stay in sense, it makes the person commits such sin that he is not even aware of it.

It is reported in Bayhaqi on the authroity of Abdullah bin Umar

Alcohol is the root of all shameless acts, and one of the biggest sins. He who drinks alcohol it is as though he has commited adultry with his mother, his paternal and maternal aunt.

In the Quran it states:
"O you who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, idolatry and arrows (for seeking help on decision) one an abomination of order that you may be successful.
Shaytan seeks only to cast amongst you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from his worship, will you then not refrain? ”
(Surah Ma’idah 90)


Once a pious man met a woman, who invited him towards committing a sin (adultery).
The man flatly refused. After her constant insisting, she still failed.
Thereafter, she gave him a choice of options,
1. Committing adultery with her or
2. To murder her newly born child, whom had she begot from her previous husband. Or
3. To consume some alcohol which she possessed.
If he were not willing to comply then she would scream and falsely inform the inhabitants of that place that he had raped her.
The man upon pondering decided to consume the alcohol, taking it to be least harmful of the three sins.
Upon the consumption of alcohol, he became intoxicated, and then consequently, he killed the child and also committed adultery with the woman.

The Harms of Alcohol:

1. Through alcohol, the stomach gradually loses its ability to function properly.
2. Causes loss of appetite.
3. It spoils ones facial features (Appearance)
4. Makes one age quicker.
5. Weakens and reduces the ability to think and speak properly.
6. Causes heart failure
7. The progeny of alcohol are weaker.
8. Creates fights and enmity between people
9. Leads towards grave sins, often adultery and murder are the direct results of drinking.
10. Thousands of pounds are wasted in this vice

Duas Requested

و عليكم اسلام و رحمة الله و بركاته

Hadith 6: Gatherings Are To Be Kept In Confidence

المجالس بالامانة
Gatherings must be kept in confidence.

This hadith portrays the etiquettes of gatherings, that whatever is discussed within a gathering should not be discussed otherwise (out of the gathering) without the permission of those who were within in it.

The ulema mention that this hadith must be upheld (not to discuss matters of a gathering out of it), except in three circumnstances where it is allowed:

1: Where murder is being discussed.

2: Where the rape of a woman is being discussed.

3: Where the theft of belongings or property is being discussed

In these circumstances, they people of the gathering must warn the people so they may save themselves.

Some other ulema have mentioned that any gathering where there is discussion of any type of harm coming upon a tribe or religion, this must also be made public.

Hadith 5: Modesty Is A Branch Of Faith

الحياء شعبة من الايمان
Modesty Is A Branch Of Faith

I could not put the explanation of this hadith more beautifuly than the following article:

Haya (Shyness)

What is Haya?

Haya itself is derived from the word hayat which means life. This term covers a wide number of concepts. In English, it may be translated as modesty, shyness, self-respect, bashfulness, shame, honour, humility, etc. The original meaning of Haya according to a believer's nature, refers to a bad and uneasy feeling accompanied by embarrassment, caused by one's fear of being exposed or censured for some unworthy or indecent conduct.
Islamically Haya is an attribute which pushes the believer to avoid anything distasteful or abominable. It keeps him/her from being neglectful in giving everyone what is due upon them, and if for any reason he/she is not able to keep up with his/her commitment then they will feel extremely uncomfortable and ashamed about this. The reason being that he/she will have displeased Allah by breaking a commitment.

Haya plays a huge role in the lives of Muslims because it is a very important part of our Iman (faith/belief). If we do not have any form of haya within us then it is most likely that our Iman is very weak. For as it states in the following hadith:

Narrated by Abu Huraira (ra): The Prophet said, "Faith (Belief) consists of more than sixty branches (i.e. parts). And Haya is a part of faith." (Bukhari)

We also learn from the Prophet (saws) the importance of having haya and how it is not something to be ashamed of, but instead, one should be concerned and ashamed if they do not possess it within their character.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar (ra): The Prophet (saws) passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Haya and was saying, "You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you." On that, Allah's Apostle said, "Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith." (Bukhari)

Now the above hadith is also a form of proof that "shyness" is not just something regarding women but also an attribute that believing men should have, for it is an indication if their fear of Allah and an indication of the value of their Deen.

When we think back to when we were young around eight or nine years old - we all remember this feeling of shyness and humility naturally occurring - for many it was when we felt we wanted to conceal our bodies from our mums or siblings. We were often told - "don't be silly" or "we have seen it all before" and the many other comments that people in the west or ignorant Muslim parents affected by the western values (or lack of them) say to their pure children. If these natural instincts of shyness and shame are taken by the smart parent and nurtured, it will develop and affect their entire character and also most importantly lead to a conscious responsible Muslim who prioritise their life towards submission to Allah (swt).

We often find that shyness, humility and bashfulness is frowned upon by our society as a weakness or a lack of confidence when, Infact these are quality of a dignified upright human being, who is conscious of their actions and their responsibilities in life.

Now to discuss the different types of haya. How many types of haya are there?
Haya' is of two kinds: good and bad:

The good Hayâ' is to be ashamed to commit a sin or a thing which Allah and His Messenger (saws) has forbidden, and bad Hayâ' is to feel ashamed to do a thing, which Allah and His Messenger (saws) ordered to do.
Firstly, to talk about the types of Good haya. For example, anyone who is a believer, he/she should build their personalities and their character with the good dimensions of haya. The most important is that he/she must be shy of doing ANYTHING displeasing to Allah (swt), with the belief that he/she will have to answer for all their deeds. If one develops a sense such as this one, it will help the believer to obey all of Allah's command and to stay away from sins. Once the believer realises that Allah (swt) is watching us all the time and we will have to answer to every move we make in this dunya (world), he/she would not neglect any order from Allah or His Messenger (saws). So the stronger this sense of haya becomes, the more it motivates one to make sure that Allah (swt) doesn't see him/her doing anything prohibited. The way to develop this haya is that one must keep learning and absorbing more knowledge and applying it to their lives.

Another type of haya is more of a social aspect concerning others besides Allah (swt). Normally these things often come in regard with ones relationship with family. For instance, a child not wanting to do something displeasing to his mother, or a wife not wanting to do something displeasing to her husband or even a student who is careful about saying something incorrect in front of his teacher.. Last but not least is the type of haya in which the believers become shy of themselves. This is when they have reached the peek of their Iman. What this means is that if they do, or say, or see, anything wrong or even commit the tiniest sin, they start to feel extremely bad and embarrassed or they feel extreme guilt in their heart. This builds a high degree of self-consciousness and that is what strengthens the believers commitment to Allah (swt)

. After discussing the various types of "beneficial" haya, it is time to discuss the type of haya which is not only against the teachings of our Prophet (saw) but it is also solid proof of the weakness of someone's Iman. This negative aspect revolves around a person's shamefulness or shyness of doing something that Allah (swt) has ordered us to do through the Qur'an or our Prophet's (saw) Sunnah. This constitutes the shamefulness or embarrassment of doing a lawful act or something that is ordered upon us from Allah (swt). Meaning for someone not to follow an obligation of Islam, due the fact of being shy in front of others about it. This is totally forbidden because then one is giving the people of this dunya more respect than the One who Created this whole universe. It also means if someone is shy or afraid to seek knowledge of Islam for worldly reasons, because they do not want others to see them or to know of their ignorance. This once again goes contrary to what Allah (swt) has told us in the Qur'an, which is to seek knowledge and preach it to others. In this society there are many examples. People will go out an get degrees in law schools, or science, or engineering and they will put four to six years of their lives studying for this stuff that will only benefit them in this world. Why? You ask? Well most likely, in this society people including Muslims, choose their careers according to how much money they will make and what status they will have in this society as to being a lawyer or a doctor etc. They do not realize that in Islam the BEST stature of a Muslim is that of a "dai'i" or a teacher of Islam.

These Islamic teachers and scholars are even higher in the eyes of Allah (swt) then one who only sits at home and does ibaadah (worship). If they want to study law, why not Islamic Shariah? If they want to study science, why not Islamic Science? So this explains how people consider the worldly careers to be of higher value and are embarrassed to even express an interest in Islamic Studies. It is usually because they will not be considered as high as the other "educated" people. This is having the bad haya or "shame" of something that is encouraged to us by Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw)

. Another proof of bad haya is that which is extremely popular amongst many sisters in this western society.
One of the most important aspects of haya, for women, is that of guarding their chastity and their modesty. To do this they must follow the order from Allah (swt) telling them to keep hidden themselves and their adornments from all men lawful to them in marriage. Now this order involves all the aspects of haya for those who do follow it. The believing and following women are ashamed of disobeying Allah (swt). They are shy of the opposite gender in this society because of what they might experience if strange men look at them and lastly they have haya because they are ashamed of going out in public and committing this grave sin of displaying their beauty is public. There are many women in this society who claim that they have haya but to follow the order of hijab is backwards and that women in this society shouldn't have to cover, is obviously disbelief. For if someone really had haya they would never contradict ANYTHING that Allah (swt) has ordained upon us even if they found it a test and a trial. A women's haya comes from her modesty and her shyness and her fear of Allah, so how can she have haya if she walks around in public un-veiled? Proof lies in the following hadith.

Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saw) said: "Indeed haya (modesty) and Iman are Companions. When one of them is lifted, the other leaves as well." (Baihaqi)

There are many verses in the Qur'an and many ahadith explaining the reasons behind observing Hijab. The Islamic Shariah has not stopped at giving the Commandments of Hijab, it has also clarified every such thing which directly relates to these commandments and, with the slightest carelessness, may result in vulgarity and immodesty. In other words such things have also been forbidden in order to close the doors to indecency and lewdness, in return providing a stronger pillar for haya.

Modesty (haya) and maintaining one's honour and dignity are of primary importance in preserving the moral fibre of any society. This is why modesty has been called the ornament of a woman, which protects her from many sins and which prevents ill-intentioned men from daring to have bad thoughts about her. This haya has been made a part of her nature to safeguard her from being abused by immoral men.

Narrated on the authority of Anas bin Malik, the Prophet (saw) said: When lewdness is a part of anything, it becomes defective; and when haya is a part of anything it becomes beautiful. (Tirmidhi)
So it is only obvious that Hijab plays an extremely important role in regards to Haya. For Hijab prevents lewdness and Haya backs this up and then person's Iman becomes even stronger. So both things work together in a partnership. At the time of our beloved Prophet (saw) as soon as the verses of Hijab were revealed, all the Quraish and Ansar ran home to their wives and daughters and close female relatives to tell them to cover themselves. The ones who had veils used them and the ones who did not have veils made some right away. For instance the following hadith tells us:

Narrated by Aisha (ra): May Allah have mercy on the early immigrant women. When the verse "That they should draw their veils over their bosoms" was revealed, they tore their thick outer garments and made veils from them. And when the verse "That they should cast their outer garments over themselves" was revealed, the women of Ansar came out as if they had crows over their heads by wearing outer garments. (Abu Dawood)
This indicates that all these women wanted to guard their modesty which is why they followed out the orders of Allah. Yet, another verse talk about the level of modesty in Aisha (ra):

Narrated Aisha (ra): "I used to enter my house where Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was and take off my garment, saying that only my husband and my father were there; but when Umar was buried along with them, I swear by Allah that I did not enter it without having my clothes wrapped round me owing to modesty regarding Umar." (at-Tirmidhi and Ahmed)

If women in today's society choose not to wear the veils, but some belief in their hearts, than they might be categorised as Muslim women but not Mumineen. The truth is that Haya is a special characteristic of a Mu'min ( believing, practicing Muslims). People who are ignorant of the teachings of the Prophet (saws) do not concern themselves with Haya and Honour. Haya and Iman are interdependent; therefore either they both exist together or they both perish. Thus, the Prophet (saws) has said in one hadith, "When there is no haya left, then do as you please."

Today vulgarity and all its ingredients have become a common place even among well-known Muslims in the zeal of imitating the disbelievers. It is these people who have been struggling to bring Muslim women out of Hijab into immodesty and indecency. They have adopted the lifestyles of the disbelievers more than the traditions of the Prophet (saws). Such people are in a dilemma. On the one hand, they desire to freely look at the half-clad bodies of their wives and daughters of other Muslims on the streets; and on the other hand, they do not have the courage to deny the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet (saws). Neither can they say they have given up Islam, nor can they bear to see Muslim women wear Hijab and showing some Haya. Actually the fact is, indulging in indecency for so long has killed the sense of modesty (haya) which Islam had commanded them to preserve. It is this natural desire of maintaining one's honour which compels men to protect the respect and honour of their women. What these men and women do not understand is that if the women do not observe Hijab and do not develop Haya inside of them, they will be entertaining those who have taken the path of Sheytan. Such as the following hadith:

Malik b Uhaimir reported that he heard the Prophet (saw) saying that, "Allah (swt) will not accept any good deeds or worship of an immodest and vulgar person." We asked "Who is a vulgar and immodest person?" He replied, "A man who's wife entertains Ghair-mehram men."

Now the word "entertains" implies that she is showing off her beauty instead of keeping herself covered up. If the Muslim brothers of today's society knew the benefits of haya and hijab hey would definitely not tolerate the opposite. At the time of our beloved Prophet (saws) the husbands could not even imagine their wives leaving the houses un-veiled let alone go out and beautify themselves for other men to get "free looks". The following hadith shows this fact clearly:

Narrated by Al-Mughira: Sa'd bin 'Ubada said, "I will not hesitate killing my wife with a sword if I see her with another man" This news reached Allah's Apostle who then said, "You people are astonished at Sa'd's Ghira (self-respect, honour). By Allah, I have more Ghira than he, and Allah has more Ghira than I, and because of Allah's Ghira, He has made unlawful shameful deeds and sins done in open and in secret. And there is none who likes that the people should repent to Him and beg His pardon than Allah, and for this reason He sent the warners and the givers of good news. And there is none who likes to be praised more than Allah does, and for this reason, Allah promised to grant Paradise (to the doers of good)." 'Abdul Malik said, "No person has more Ghira than Allah." (Sahih Bukhari)

So this should be enough to understand why Hijab is so important for women to establish Haya in themselves and live the lives of true mu'mineen. Sometimes the situation becomes a such that people will have done wrong/sins for such a long period of time that they will not be able to differentiate between right and wrong. Another way to put this is that, a person's exceeding indulgence in indecency results in the loss of wisdom and the ability to see good deeds from bad deeds. As the Prophet (saw) said:

"I have a sense of Honour ( a part of haya). Only a person with a darkened heart is deprived of Honour."
So one wonders…..what if this observing of Hijab and maintaining Haya is so important then why is it we have nothing to show us the merits? Well the answer to that question clearly lies in the Qur'an and ahadith. There are many merits of Haya if one wants to know. Here are some just to list a few.

Firstly Allah loves Haya. We know this by the following hadith: " Surely Allah (is One who) has haya and is the Protector. He loves haya and people who cover each others faults."(Bukhari)
Secondly, Haya itself is a Greatness of Islam as our Prophet indicated: "Every way of life has a innate character. The character of Islam is haya." Or "Every Deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty (haya)." (Abu Dawood)

Thirdly, Haya only brings good and nothing else. Our Prophet (saw) said: "Haya does not bring anything except good." (Bukhari)

Fourthly, Haya is a very clear indication of our Iman. As the Prophet (saw) had mentioned to the Ansar who was condemning is brother about being shy: "Leave him, for Haya is (a part) of Faith." (Bukhari)
Fifthly, last but not least, Haya leads us to PARADISE. As the Prophet saws) told us: "Haya comes from Iman; Iman leads to Paradise. Obscenity comes from antipathy; and antipathy leads to the fire." (Bukhari)
The actual word Haya is derived from Hayat. This means life. It is only obvious that when someone has Haya in them, they will LIVE a life of Islam. On the other hand if they do not have Haya they are living a life that is dead "Islamically" but alive according to this dunya.

The Prophet (saws) said: "Haya and Trustworthiness will be the first to go from this world; therefore keep asking Allah for them." (Baihaqi)

In conclusion we must understand that Haya is important for both men and women. Men are to control themselves by getting married as young as possible or if they cannot afford that, they should fast. Women are told to conceal themselves so that the men will not be over taken by the whispers of Sheytan and will not disrespect or take advantage of the women. There are many verses in the Qur'an that have clearly explained how we have to behave and Allah is All-Knowing therefore He knew that we would face these problems living in this society, and that is no excuse to change Islam and only practice what we feel is right. Allah (swt) has told men how to guide their modesty and has told women how to guide their modesty. If either one of them refuse to follow the commandment of their Lord, may Allah have mercy on them and may He guide them to the straight path.

"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty……." (Qur'an Nur, 30-31)

click title for orignal article

Duas Requested

Ma'assalam

Hadith 4: A Person Will Be WIth Whom He Loves

Assalamualaykm WaRahmatuAllah

المرء مع من احب

A person will be with whom he loves. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Mulla Ali Qari (RH) states that the most common understanding for this hadith is that when a man loves those who are good and pious he will be raised with them on the day of resurrection, and if he loves those who are evil and corrupt he will be raised with these people on the day of resurrection.

This can be further seen in the hadith:

المرء على دين خليله

A person is upon the religion of his friend. (Tirmidhi)

It is narrated in Bukhari, on the authority of a large number of sahaba’s that a man came up to the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) and asked

“What do you say of a man who loves a certain group of people but cannot be of them?”

To this Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) replied;

“A person will be with whom he loves”

By a certain group here the man meant those who were learned and pious that he loved these people but did not have the means to be amongst them.

Anas (RA) mentions in relation to this hadith;

“There was nothing which made us (sahaba’s) happier in this world than to hear this” (Muslim)

As they loved Muhammad (saw) greatly, this hadith indicated that they would be with him the hereafter.

Some scholars have stated that this is a glad tiding of a good death for those who love the pious as they will be raised amongst them on the day of resurrection.

May Allah make us from those who are resurrected with the pious on the day of reckoning. Ameen.

Continuing InshaAllah

Assalamulaykum WaArhamtuAllah

InshaAllah I will continue posting the rest of the hadiths when I can, they won't be greatly in depth, but its better to share a little knowledge than none at all.
InshaAllah maybe at a later time we will get the chance to enhance them.

InshaAllah what is posted is beneficial for all.

Continue with the next hadith 4:

Duas Requested

Ma'assalam
Radiant Light

Hadith 3 - Supplication Is a Part Of worship

اسلام عليكم و رحمة الله وبركات

الدعاء مخ العبادة
Dua (prayer/supplication) is the essence of worship.

الدعاء - Mubtada

مخ -Mudhaaf

العبادة - Mudhaaf ilayh

Mudhaaf + Mudhaaf ilayh = Khabar

Mubtada + Khabar = Jumla Ismiyyah (nominal sentence)

Dua is one of the greatest forms of worship because in it one becomes humbled before Allah.For this hadith a few explanatiosn could be given;

To make dua is to obey Allah’s command in the Ayah;

"Ask from Me and I will Answer"

When a servant of Allah, realises that there is success only from Allah and not from any human source, he turns fully to Allah in all humbleness and asks only Him.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم has also stated:

“Ask from Allah, whoever does not ask from Allah, Allah becomes angry at him”

Following is a very beneficial article on Dua .

Strengthening Our Du'a

Immersed as we are in this materialistic world, many of us forget that material causes do not produce the desired effects independently of the Will of Allah. We forget to achieve total reliance on Allah and we often neglect to implement the moral causes for achieving our goals. One such moral cause that has become forgotten today is Du’a, the humble supplication of a believer to Allah. Even when it is remembered, it is not performed in the correct way and comes out weak. We can strengthen our Du’a by fulfilling the conditions for its acceptance and observing the manners of its performance.

Many virtues of Du’a have been mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah:

"And when My servants ask you concerning Me, (tell them) I am indeed near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls” [Qur’an 21:187]

"And your Lord said, invoke Me and I will respond to your invocation” [Qur’an 40:60]

"Invoke your Lord with humility and in secrecy” [Qur’an 7:55]

"So invoke Allah making your worship pure for Him” [Qur’an 40:14]

Nu’man bin Bashir رضي الله عنه relates that Allah’s Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Du’a is Ibadah (worship)” [Tirmidhi].

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه’s narration of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم: “Anyone who does not invoke Allah, will cause Allah to be angry with him.” [Ahmad]

Acceptance of Du‘a

For one’s Du’a to be accepted, one must:

Direct it solely to Allah; “Invoke Him only, making your religion sincere to Him” [Qur’an 7:29]. Also, the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said in a hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه; “If you ask, ask Allah and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.” [Ahmad, Tirmithi]

Perform the Du’a in conformity with the Shari’ah: The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said: “Whoever innovates in this matter of ours, something which is not part of it, it will be rejected.” If a person is sincere but is not following the Sunnah, his worship is rejected. Similarly, if a person is following the Sunnah but his work is not sincerely done for the sake of Allah, his worship is still rejected.

Trust in Allah and certainty of reply: One must be certain that Allah does whatever He wishes, whenever He wishes. Allah tells us in the Qur’an: “And there is nothing, but with Us are the stores thereof. And We do not send it down except with a known measure” (Qur’an 15:21). In a Hadith Qudsi narrated by Abu Dharr, Allah revealed through the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم, “O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request from Me, and were I to give everyone what they requested, that would not decrease what I have anymore than a needle decreases the sea if put into it” [Muslim]

Presence of the heart: Always make sure that your heart is mindful when you are supplicating because Allah does not answer a Du’a from an inattentive heart. Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Invoke Allah while you are certain to be answered and know that Allah does not answer a Du’a from a heart which is inattentive and unmindful” (Tirmidhi).

Determination and perseverance: It is a requirement when supplicating, to appeal to Allah with determination. We must not make any exceptions by saying “O Allah forgive me if You wish”. Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم said: “None of you should say ‘O Allah forgive me if You wish,’ ‘O Allah Be Merciful to me if You Wish’; but he must appeal to Allah with determination, for nobody can force Allah to do something against His Will.” (Tirmidhi).

Rejection

Reasons that may cause our Du’a to be rejected include the following:

Haraam: Haraam eating, drinking and clothing are all strictly prohibited and are major reasons for the rejection of Du’a. The Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Allah the Almighty is good and accepts only that which is good. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which He commanded the Messengers. He صلي الله عليه وسلم then mentioned the case of a man who, having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying: “O Lord, O Lord” while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can he be answered? (Muslim). Abu Bakr said that he heard the Messenger of Allah صلي الله عليه وسلم saying ‘Every body which is nourished with that which is unlawful, will be first in the fire’

Hastiness and abandonment: One must be patient for ones Du’a to be accepted, as hastiness is one of the causes for its rejection or disapproval. Abu Hurairah narrated that Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “The invocation of any one of you is granted (by Allah) as long as he does not show impatience by saying ‘I have invoked Allah but my request has not been answered’” (Bukhari). In another narration by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “A servant is granted his request as long as he does not invoke Allah for a sin, or to break kinship ties, and he does not make haste.”

Committing sins: Allah said, “Verily, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (Qur’an 13:11). That is to say, if a people’s condition is good, Allah will maintain it as long as they are grateful and do not disobey Him. Similarly, if the condition of a people is bad, Allah will maintain it for them as long as they remain ungrateful and insist on disobeying him.

Abandonment of obligatory deeds: Just as doing good deeds is a reason for the acceptance of Du’a, similarly, abandoning good deeds is a reason for the rejection of Du’a. Hudaifah(RA), narrated that the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “By Him, in whose hand is my soul, you should enjoin good and forbid evil or else it is likely that Allah will send a punishment upon you and then you will invoke Him and you will not be answered” (Tirmidhi). So, for example, how could those who have constantly neglected and abandoned Fajr prayers in the Masjid expect that their Du’a will be answered?

Insha Allah: Some people, when supplicating, have a habit of saying “May Allah forgive you Insha Allah,” “May Allah help you Insha Allah.” The use of the word Insha Allah must be avoided in Du’a.

Asking for a sin, or to break the bondage of kinship: The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Any Muslim who supplicates to Allah in a Du’a which contains no sin or breaking of kinship, Allah will give him one of three things: either his Du’a will be immediately answered or, it will be saved for him in the hereafter, or it will turn away an equivalent amount of evil (from him)”. The companions said “...so we will ask for more.” He replied, “Allah is more (generous).” [Ahmad]

Etiquette of Du‘a

The correct manner of invoking Allah is:

Hamd and Salawat: To begin with exalting Allah and sending blessings upon the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم. Abdullah bin Mas’ood narrated, “I was praying while the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Omar were together. After I sat (in the last Tashahhud), I began with praising Allah then I said blessings upon the Prophet and then I prayed for myself. The Prophet, said, “Ask (and) you will be given. Ask (and) you will be given.” [Tirmidhi]

Du’a at times of trouble and of pleasure: One must not make it a habit to remember Allah only at the time of trouble but he must constantly remember Allah in all circumstances. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “(Anyone who is pleased) that Allah responds to him at the time of trouble and distress, (should) increase Du’a at the time of calmness.” [Tirmidhi]

Avoid Du’a against ones family, wealth and children: Jabir narrated a hadith about a man who cursed his animal. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Who is this who cursed his animal?” The man replied, “It is me O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said, “Get down from it for a cursed one must not escort us. Do not pray against yourselves, do not pray against your children and do not pray against your wealth. It might coincide with a time when Allah answers what you asked for.” [Muslim]

Lower ones voice: Invoke Allah in a low tone as it is closer to sincerity: “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He does not like the aggressors” (Qur’an 37:55). And He also tells us: “And remember your Lord by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and with fear without loudness in words, in the morning and in the afternoon and be not of those who are neglectful.” [Qur’an 37:205]

Perseverance: We must attend to our Du’a with perseverance, repetition and persistence. Ibn Rajab suggests that we invoke Allah with His names and attributes as this is among the greatest means of having our Du’a accepted.

Repetition: It is preferable to repeat you Du’a three times as it is more likely to be answered. Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم cursed a few members of the Quraish thrice when they placed the abdominal contents of a camel on his back whilst in sajdah.

Confession: Confess your sins with sincere regret for your mistakes although Allah is aware of all your actions. It is also worthwhile to acknowledge all of Allah’s mercy bestowed upon you. The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم taught his ummah the Sayyid-ul-Istighfar which acknowledges the favour of Allah upon oneself.

Face the Qiblah: One of the good manners when making Du’a is to face the Qiblah however, this is not compulsory. Abdullah bin Zaid رضي الله عنه narrated that Rasulullah صلي الله عليه وسلم came to this place of worship to pray Istisqaa for rain so he invoked Allah and prayed for rain. Then he faced the Qiblah and overturned his gown [Bukhari]

Raise ones hands: It is a recommended practice to raise one’s hands in making Du’a as it was done by the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم at different occasions. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari narrated, “The Prophet invoked and raised his hands and I saw the whiteness of his armpits.” [Bukhari]

Make wudhu: Although it is not compulsory, one is recommended to supplicate Allah while he is in a state of wudhu (ablution). When Rasulullah صلي الله عليه وسلم invoked Allah on behalf of Abi ’Amir he first performed wudhu. [Muslim]

Cry with the fear of Allah: Abdullah bin ’Umar narrated that Rasulullah صلي الله عليه وسلم recited the verse in which Ibrahim alayhis-salaam is invoking Allah: “O my Lord, they [the idols] have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoever follows me, he verily is of me. and whoever disobeys me, still you are indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful” [Ibrahim, 36]. In another verse, Isa alayhis-salaam is invoking Allah: “If you punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You-only You are the Almighty, the All-wise” [Al-Ma’idah, 118]. And Rasulullah (SAW)then raised his hands and said, “Allahumma Ummati, Ummati (O Allah, my nation, my nation)’ and then he cried.

Make Du’a for oneself before making Du’a for others: It is Sunnah in Du’a to start with yourself prior to mentioning others as was collected by Tirmidhi in the narration of Ubay bin Ka’ab that if someone was mentioned to the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم, he would invoke Allah for him but would begin with himself. However, it was also narrated of Allah’s Messenger that, on certain occasions, he would not begin with himself.

Do not trangress in Du’a: When appealing to Allah in Du’a, we should not get into much detail by asking for the different rewards of Jannah. ‘Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard his son saying: “O Allah, I ask you for the white palace on the right of the Paradise if I were to enter it”. So he said, “Dear son, ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge from the [Hell) fire for I have heard the Messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم of Allah saying, ‘there will come in this nation people who will transgress (or exceed) in ablution and Du’a.” [Abu Dawood]

Make Du’a for ones parents: It is good to mention one’s Muslim parents (dead or alive) in invocation for the great favour they owe us, a favour which can never be compensated. Allah said, “And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy and say, ‘My Rab, bestow on them Your mercy as they did raise me when I was young” [Qur’an 17:24]

Make Du’a for the believers: One is recommended to remember the Muslims and the Mu’mins around the globe in his invocation. Allah said “Ask forgiveness for your sin and also for the believing men and women” [Qur’an 47:19]

Ask Allah alone: Instead of complaining to people when struck by calamity, one must make it a habit to ask Allah alone for refuge. However, there is no harm to mention your problem to people and share their opinion. In the hadith narrated by Ibn ’Abbas, Rasulullah صلي الله عليه وسلم said to him while he was riding behind him on the same mount, “Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask only Allah and if you seek help, seek help only from Allah. And know that if all the nations were to gather together to benefit you, they would benefit you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you, and if they gather together to harm you, they would harm you only with something that Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages are dry.” [Tirmidhi]

Hadith 2 - The Religion (Islam) Is to act with sincerity.

اسلام عليكم و رحمة الله وبركات

Hadeeth 2:

الدين النصيحة

"The religion (Islam) is to act with sincerity" or " Religion is advice"

Tarkeeb:-
الدين – Mubtada
النصيحة – Khabar

Mubtada and khabar makes a Jumlah Ismiyyah Khabariyah (Nominal sentence)

The Arabic word Al-Nasihah is difficult to translate into English.

Allama Ibn Daqeeq al Eid رحمة الله عليه states that “In Arabic there is no similar for the word Al-Nasihah also”

Other meanings could be – giving good advice, directing towards good, acting with sincerity or honesty, or being compassionate and desiring good.

The hadith makes clear that one of the core aspects of true faith is to give good counsel, to wish well, and to act towards everything with honesty and sincerity.

[Provisions For The seekers - Abdur Rahman Ibn Yusuf Mangera]

Imam Nawawi رحمة الله عليه states that:

“This hadith is an explanation for the entire religion as nasihah means sincerity, and sincerity is the root of all actions. Without it (sincerity) all actions are rejected”

[Sharah Muslim – Fathul Bari]

In the rest of the hadith, the sahabah asked Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم, in regards to what must this naseehah (sincerity) be?

Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم answered;

In regards to Allah;

In regards to the Book of Allah (Quran);

In regards to the Imam’s of the Muslimeen; and

In regards to the Muslim’s as a whole.

To have sincerity in regards to Allah means to believe in Allah with all his sifaat (attributes), and believe firmly in His oneness.

Not to associate anything or anyone else with the attributes of Allah. To do all worship with utmost sincerity. To act upon all that Allah has commanded and be thankful for all the blessings Allah has blessed us with. To love all those who love Allah.

To have sincerity in regards to the Quran means to believe firmly that the Quran has been revealed from Allah. To act upon whatever it says in all states. To recite it with tajweed and to contemplate in what the ayah’s say. To respect it at all times.

Inclusive in regards to Allah and His book are the sincere belief we must have in regards to Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم, To believe firmly that Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم is the messenger of Allah, to bring Imaan in his Prophet hood, to believe in all the commands He صلي الله عليه وسلم has given and to follow what He صلي الله عليه وسلم has taught. To love Him صلي الله عليه وسلم more than one’s own family and children, and to have love for His صلي الله عليه وسلم sahabah (companions).

In regards to Muslim Imam’s, it constitutes to those who are running the country as well the ulema (people of knowledge). To be sincere in dealing with these people means to stay loyal to them, not to go against them in order to cause them difficulty in their rule.

To follow them in good matters and to refrain from following in bad.

If it is felt that they are doing some wrong then they must be advised in a good way and the people should not plot against them.

To respect the people of knowledge, to accept all they say about the deen and to follow them in all the good they say about the deen, and in their actions.

In terms of the general muslmeen it means to always want good for them in terms of both worlds, and to call them to good so that they may benefit in all walks of life. To never harm them, to reply to their salaam, to visit them if they are ill, not betray anybody’s trust, to respect the elders and have mercy on the young, not to backbite etc.

In this manner all things in regards to this world and the hereafter are included.

This hadith shows how Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم was blessed as being Jawaamiul Qalam, meaning He صلي الله عليه وسلم could say so less and it would have a very deep and profound meaning, this was indeed a miracle of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم that he could convey so much with such a short sentence.

Hadeeth 1- Deeds are Only by Intentions

اسلام عليكم و رحمة الله وبركاته

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Hadeeth 1

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَي اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلم

انما الاعمال بالنيات و انما لامرئ ما نوي فمن كانت هجرته الي الله و رسوله فهجرته الي الله و رسوله، ومن كانت هجرته الي دنيا يصيبها أو إمرأة يتزوجها فهجرته الي ما هاجر اليه

رواه بخاري و مسلم

Translation:

The Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم said:

"Deeds are only by intentions, for each man is only for which he has intended, and so whoevers hijrah is for Allah and his messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم, then indeed his hijrah is only to Allah and his messenger صلي الله عليه وسلم. But whoevers hijrah is to the world he wishes to acquire or a woman he seeks to marry, then his hijrah is only to that which he has actually immigrated."

[Bukhari and Muslim]

Before beginning to explain this hadeeth it is important that we actually understand what the words niyyah and hijrah actually mean. One can say that a niyyah means inclination of the heart. So our intention of any act that we do lies upon the inclination of our hearts. The word hijrah means to leave a land solely for the pleasure of Allah سبحانه وتعالي. The more correct and general meaning is that a person leaves all which Allah سبحانه وتعالي has fordibidden.

Explanation:

This hadeeth indicates towards a certain incident that took place. A man migrated to Madinah with the desire to marry a woman whose name was Umme Qays. For this reason the man was later well known as 'Muhajir Umme Qays'. What actually happened was a man sent a message to Umme Qays stating his desire to marry her. Umme Qays accepted with a condition that he migrate to Madinah for the marriage to take place. Therefore, the man migrated to Madinah and then married her. Hence he became famous with the title 'Muhajir Umme Qays'.

Within this beautiful hadeeth lies many virtues. Imam Shafiee رحمة الله عليه and Imam Ahmad رحمة الله عليه have given this hadeeth the status of being equivalent to a third of all knowledge.

Our actions are divided into three:

1-Those acts which are connected to the heart.

2-Those acts connected to our tongues.

3-Those acts connected to aur body parts.

This hadeeth relates to all three types. Than any act done within the three categories above is still determined by our intentions.

Ibn Daqeeq Al'eid رحمة الله عليه has said that the 'Ulama have titled this hadeeth 'ثلث الاسلام' (a third of Islam). Whereas Imam Abu Daud رحمة الله عليه has described this hadeeth to be a half of all Fiqh (Jurisprudence). It is a tradition amongst 'Ulema that they begin their books with this hadeeth so that from the very beginning the teacher and the student can rectify their intentions, as well as ensure whatever they are commencing is done with full sincerity.

Intentions play an important part in our lives, and we can class them into three categories according to why intentions are needed:

1-تمييز عبادت عن العادت To differentiate our habits from our acts of worship ('ibaadah). It is our intentions that truly determine why we are doing certain acts. A person can stand in the position of salah, but without a niyyah he is merely standing. It is only his niyyah that will determine whether or not he is really praying.

2-تمييز عبادت عن العبادت Our intentions differentiate one act of worship from another. A person can be praying Salah, however only through his niyyah will it be known whether he is praying for example fajr or dhuhr.

3-تمييز معبود عن المعبود Only our intentions will tell us to whom we are praying to. It differentiates us from others. Our niyyah will tell us we are praying to Allah. Whereas the intention of a fire worshipper would be that he is praying towards the fire.

The meaning of the hadeeth here is that Allah سبحانه وتعالي will only accept those acts of worship which are done with a correct intention. If the intention is not correct, then the act is not accepted rather it is rejected. However a person intends will be in accordance to what he will recieve. For any act, no matter how many intentions a person has for it they will all be dealt with accordingly. For example if a person has a relative who us very poor he intends to help him because he is poor, this results in one reward. However, if a person also intends to enjoin family ties as mentionned in the Qur'an and hadeeth he will get two rewards. A person can have many intentions for one act, and if they are all good intentions the Allah will reward us for all of them.

We will bear the fruit of our actions according to our intentions. So we must constantly be reviewing our intentions and making sure that sincerity is found within them.

About the Author *UPDATED & COMPLETED*

اسلام عليكم و رحمة الله وبركاته

Before commencing to translate and explain any hadeeth, a brief introdution about the author and the book (kitaab) itself is needed. This book is called:

زاد الطالبين

"Zaadut Talibeen" known as Provisions for the Seekers in English.

About the Kitaab (Book) -

This book is a collection of 327 sayings (ahadeeth) of the Prophet صلي الله عليه وسلم. This is one of the first books of ahadeeth to be taught in the 'ilmiyyah course. When this book is taught students are often required to memorise each hadeeth off by heart as well as learn their gramatical structures. Insha'Allah this blog can be a means of anyone and everyone accessing the ahadeeth to memorise them and understand them fully. The Ahadeeth from this book have been selected from the famous book of hadeeth Mishqaat Al Masabeeh. Insha'Allah I will post the references to each hadeeth for those wanting to study the hadeeth in more depth.

About the Author-

The full name of the author is Moulana 'Ashiq Ilaahi al-Bulandshehri ibn Muhammad Siddique ibn Asadullah رحمة الله عليه. This respected author had an uncle (whose name was Muhammad Isma'eel رحمة الله عليه who pledged allegiance to Hadhrat Gangohi رحمة الله عليه. I have mentioned this to let readers understand what sort of a pious background the author had. Moulana 'Ashiq ilaahi was blessed with the presence of his father for quite some time in his life. His father read many of his kitaabs that he had written as well as going to Darul 'Uloom Karachi with him where he passed away. His father was buried in darul 'uloom Karachi's graveyard.

His father was a very hardworking person who strived hard in the upbringing of his children. The fruit of his hard work can be seen in the excellent works of his children. It was his father that ensured he memorised the Qur'an, learnt Arabic, and even went to the extent of sending him to out of town Madaaris to further increase his 'ilm. Even though the family were not well off and lived in hard conditions his father still ensured he carried on trying to learn and broaden his knowledge.

Moulana 'Ashiq Ilaahi al-Bulandshehri (رحمة الله عليه)'s mother passed away when he was only five years of age. For this reason he was brought up by his grandmother and father. Moulana 'Ashiq Ilaahi al-Bulandshehri رحمة الله عليه was born in 1343 a.h and completed the memorisation of the entire Qur'an in 1355 a.h by the tender age of eleven. Due to the hard efforts of his father he was also later enrolled at various institutes to complete his studies in Islam where he later graduated as an 'Aalim.

When Moulana Ashiq رحمة الله عليه enrolled at Madrassah Imdaadiyah in Muraad-abaad his grandmother passed away [May Allah shower his mercy over her grave]. Moulana Ashiq Ilaahi رحمة الله عليه upon gaining his 'ilm taught at many Darul 'Ulooms as well as writing many kitabs. Later on in his life he also went on to writing fatawa.

Here is some more about the author written by whitethreadpress.com:

A prolific writer and eminent scholar of the Indian Subcontinent, Shaykh ‘Ashiq Ilahi al Bulandshehri (or al-Barni) رحمة الله عليه was born in 1343 ah in Bulandshehr of Uttar Pradesh. After attaining his primary education at Madrasa Imdadiyya Moradabad and Jami‘ Masjid Aligarh, he traveled to Mazahir ‘Ulum Saharanpur in pursuit of higher knowledge.

After completing his studies, he taught various subjects at Ferozpur Jhirka, Hayat al-Ulum Moradabad, and at different madrasas throughout Calcutta. He later taught at Dar al-‘Ulum Karachi for several years at the request of Mufti Muhammad Shafi’ رحمة الله عليه, where he assumed responsibility of the fatwa department and taught students hadith and tafsir. The Shaykh later migrated to Madina, wherehe spent the last 25 years of his life.

He was a disciple of the hadith scholar Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi رحمة الله عليه. ozens of his books have been well received in many countries. Tohfa-e khawatin (Gift for omen), Marne ke bad kya hōga? (What is going to happen after death?), Islami adab (Islamic conduct), Huquq al-walidayn (Rights of parents), and Anwar al-bayan (Illuminating discourses on the Holy Qur’an), a voluminous commentary of the Qur’an, are among the well-known books he authored. In the field of hadith, he authored Zad al-talibin (Provisions for the seekers) and Al-Fawa’id al-saniyya fi sharh al-Arba‘in al-Nawawiyya (The lofty beneficial points in the explanation of Nawawi’s Forty Hadiths).

As for jurisprudence, he is the author of Al-Tashil al-daruri fi masa’il al-Quduri (The necessary facilitation of the laws of Quduri), as well as dozens of reformative booklets and articles. He passed away in the illuminated city of Madina at the age of 80 and was buried there in the Baqi‘ graveyard, as had been his desire.

Moulana 'Ashiq Ilaahi رحمة الله عليه has done a great deed in writing this kitaab. Alhamdulillah it has become a well accepted kitaab in many Darul 'Ulooms. May Allah reward Moulana Ashiq 'Ilaahi for his efforts. Ameen

What Next?

Assalau Alaykum,

After graduating from Madrassah, a new journey had to be embarked. One that involved practising and spreading what had been passed onto us by our respected teachers. Not much thought had been put into what we would do next with the knowledge we had gained. After much thought we decided that a way in which we could spread some 'ilm, would be to go through one of the beautiful collections of ahadeeth:

زاد الطالبين

"ZAD al-TALIBEEN (Provisions for the Seekers)"

The first project of this blog is go through each and every hadeeth of this book and to elaborate on its meaning as best we can. We will clearly state all references and where we state our own analogies. I pray that Allah guides us and aids us in this small effort of ours to spread the knowledge we have gained. Ameen

I will not write any hadeeth on this blog until i have memorised it with the intention that Allah gives me the full understanding of every hadeeth. I seek forgiveness for any mistakes that may be found on this blog and I hope that readers will notify me of any mistakes that are found. I hope that the readers can too learn the ahadeeth off by heart.

I apologise in advance for the fact that it may take time for me to post. I pray that Allah grants every reader patience. Ameen

In the next post I will write a bit about the author of the book and what sorts of ahadeeth are found in this book insha'Allah.

Wassalam
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Where did the name of the blog orginate?

Assalamu Alaykum,

Behind the name of this blog lies a story which I wish to share....

Some of the posters on this blog are graduates of Madrasah Al Zahra. In our final year we wrote a book as a class as a small token of appreciation to our Principal who guided us throughout the seven years, with the tawfiq of Allah, whilst we were at the Madrassah. The name of the book was: Al 'ilm al-Nafi' which one member of the class came up with. After much help from many people here it is for everyone to read:

(Click on the book for the link)

After graduating many of us didn't know how to reach out to people with our knowledge. We really wanted to act upon the Hadith of the Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him):

بلغوا عني ولو اية

"Spread from me even if it be a single ayah".

After much help, support and ideas from the people we knew, a Sister came up with the idea that we start a blog. So, Alhamdulillah that is exactly what we have done. However, deciding on a name was quite hard! After much thought, we came to a decision that what name could be better than the name of the book we wrote:

"Al'ilmun Nafi-Beneficial Knowledge"

Having the blog the same name as the book is just a mark from us to that our work hasn't stopped with the booklet. Insha'Allah, we aim to get the message of the true Deen (religion) Islam far and wide to all corners of the world.

I urge all readers to constantly make du'aa (to supplicate) to Allah the Almighty, that He help us to deliver to others only that which is haqq (the truth).

Many of us will be posting on the blog. I urge all readers to notify us of any mistakes and to keep yourselves updates with the blog.

May Allah truly make this a means of attaining some beneficial knowledge. Ameen
Wassalam
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