Laysal Ghareeb (The Stranger is Not…)

A poem that serves as a reminder by Zaynul ‘Aabideen ‘Alee bin Husayn bin ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib (radhiyallaahu ‘anhum ajma’een):

The stranger is not the stranger to Yemen or Shaam
But the stranger is the stranger to the grave and the coffin

Verily the stranger has rights for his absence
Over the residents of the dwellings & homelands.

Don’t chase away the outlander in his state of unfamiliarity
For time is also chasing him with hardship & distress

My travels are far and my provisions will not suffice me
My strength has weakened and death is calling unto me.

I still have sins which I know not of
Allah knows of them; those made in secret & in manifest

How merciful has Allah been to me by giving me respite
And I have increased in sins but Allah has always shielded me

The hours of my days pass by without regret
No crying, no fear, no sadness

I am the one who closes the doors with fatigue
on disobedience, & The Eye of Allah watches over me..

O’ that which was written in a moment of heedlessness
O’ the sorrow which remains in my heart is burning me.

Leave me to bewail myself and weep
and pass the time in sadness and remembrance.

Leave off your Blaming of me O’ Ye who do so..
If you were but to know my situation you would have excused me..

Let me cry out tears that have no ending to them
for there will be no lesson that will set me free

It is As though I am with that family, laying..
Upon the mattress with their hands turning me over.

And they came to me with a doctor that he may cure me..
But of today I think not that medicine will benefit me..

My sufferings increased and death began to pull at me ..
From every vein, without ease or comfort..

My soul was then removed from me with a gurgle..
And my saliva became bitter at that point..

They then shut my eyes and left me…
after a long moment of despair,…. they hurried to the purchase of the shroud

And he who was dearest to me got up in a hurry..
To summon the person who was to wash me..

He said: O’ my people we have attained a Washer who is skillful, clever, bright & intelligent..

So then one of the men came and removed my clothing..
He undressed me and denuded me…

They then placed me on top of a board
And the sound of water above me began to clean me

He poured the water on top of me and washed me..
Three times, before calling out to the people for the Shroud..

They shrouded me in a sleeveless garment..
And my provisions became the embalmment in which they embalmed me

They Bore me towards my journey Out of this World, Oh How Sorrowful!!
Will be this journey for which I have no provisions to take along with me.

Upon their shoulders, they carried me, Four….
Men, and behind me are those who come to bid me farewell

They set me before the mihraab then turned away from me
Behind the Imaam they went and he prayed on me then bade me farewell

They prayed over me a prayer consisting of neither Rukoo’ nor Sujood
Asking that Allah may have Mercy upon me.

They lowered me into my grave slowly
And one of them came forward to place me in the Lahd

He raised the garment from my face to gaze upon me
And the tears spilt from his eyes awashing me

Then he stood, honoring me, firm and resolute
And lined the bricks on my body then left me

And he said “Throw the dirt upon him and reap
The great rewards from Ar-Rahmaan, The Most Gracious”

In the darkness of the grave, no mother is there nor,
Is there an affectionate father, or a brother to comfort me

Alone….The only inhabitant of the Grave Oh how Sorrowful!!
Am I on parting the world bearing no Deeds to provision me.

And a sight which beheld my eye struck terror into me.
From a place of terror it came and startled me..”

Munkar and Nakeer, what shall I say to them?
The thought of them strikes terror into me, it causes me fear

And they made me to sit and put forth their questions
I have none other Than You now O Lord to deliver me!!.

So bestow upon me from your Mercy O Lord, How I hope in You!!
For verily I am fettered in my sins, I am confined by them

The relatives have divided my wealth amongst them after leaving me.
And my sins are now upon my back, burdening me

My wife has taken another husband in my place
And she has appointed him as overseer over my wealth and my home

She has made my children into servants to bid unto her needs
And my wealth has become to them a worthless means of enjoyment

So let not this World and its adornments deceive you.
And look at its (evil) effects in your family and homeland

And look at the one who collects the wealth of this Dunya in abundance
Will he depart from this world bearing other than the death shroud and embalmment?

Take from the dunya that which suffices you and be contented with that
Even if you were to have naught but good health

O ye who sow good, you will reap the fruit of your efforts.
O ye who sow evil you will find yourselves overcome with grief

O soul of mine, abstain from sinning and attain instead
Deeds which are Beautiful, for which Allah may be merciful towards me

O soul of mine, Woe upon you! Turn towards your lord in Repentance, and do that which is good
So that you will be recompensed after your death with that which is delightful

Lastly sending prayers upon the Chosen one, Our Sayyid (leader)

All praise is unto Allah, May he fill our days and nights with that which is Good, with forgiveness
With Ihsaan and Grace.

لَيْسَ الغَريبُ غَريبَ الشَّأمِ واليَمَنِ *إِنَّ الغَريبَ غَريبُ اللَّحدِ والكَفَنِ

إِنَّ الغَريِبَ لَهُ حَقٌّ لِغُرْبَتـِهِ * على الْمُقيمينَ في الأَوطــانِ والسَّكَنِ

سَفَري بَعيدٌ وَزادي لَنْ يُبَلِّغَنـي * وَقُوَّتي ضَعُفَتْ والمـوتُ يَطلُبُنـي

وَلي بَقايــا ذُنوبٍ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُها * الله يَعْلَمُهــا في السِّرِ والعَلَنِ

مـَا أَحْلَمَ اللهَ عَني حَيْثُ أَمْهَلَني * وقَدْ تَمـادَيْتُ في ذَنْبي ويَسْتُرُنِي

تَمُرُّ سـاعـاتُ أَيّـَامي بِلا نَدَمٍ * ولا بُكاءٍ وَلاخَـوْفٍ ولا حـَزَنِ

أَنَـا الَّذِي أُغْلِقُ الأَبْوابَ مُجْتَهِداً * عَلى المعاصِي وَعَيْنُ اللهِ تَنْظُرُنـي

يَـا زَلَّةً كُتِبَتْ في غَفْلَةٍ ذَهَبَتْ * يَـا حَسْرَةً بَقِيَتْ في القَلبِ تُحْرِقُني

دَعْني أَنُوحُ عَلى نَفْسي وَأَنْدِبُـهـا * وَأَقْطَعُ الدَّهْرَ بِالتَّذْكِيـرِ وَالحَزَنِ

كَأَنَّني بَينَ تلك الأَهلِ مُنطَرِحــَاً * عَلى الفِراشِ وَأَيْديهِمْ تُقَلِّبُنــي

وَقد أَتَوْا بِطَبيبٍ كَـيْ يُعالِجَنـي * وَلَمْ أَرَ الطِّبَّ هـذا اليـومَ يَنْفَعُني

واشَتد نَزْعِي وَصَار المَوتُ يَجْذِبُـها * مِن كُلِّ عِرْقٍ بِلا رِفقٍ ولا هَوَنِ

واستَخْرَجَ الرُّوحَ مِني في تَغَرْغُرِها * وصـَارَ رِيقي مَريراً حِينَ غَرْغَرَني

وَغَمَّضُوني وَراحَ الكُلُّ وانْصَرَفوا * بَعْدَ الإِياسِ وَجَدُّوا في شِرَا الكَفَنِ

وَقـامَ مَنْ كانَ حِبَّ لنّاسِ في عَجَلٍ * نَحْوَ المُغَسِّلِ يَأْتينـي يُغَسِّلُنــي

وَقــالَ يـا قَوْمِ نَبْغِي غاسِلاً حَذِقاً * حُراً أَرِيباً لَبِيبـاً عَارِفـاً فَطِنِ

فَجــاءَني رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَجَرَّدَني * مِنَ الثِّيــابِ وَأَعْرَاني وأَفْرَدَني

وَأَوْدَعوني عَلى الأَلْواحِ مُنْطَرِحـاً * وَصـَارَ فَوْقي خَرِيرُ الماءِ يَنْظِفُني

وَأَسْكَبَ الماءَ مِنْ فَوقي وَغَسَّلَني * غُسْلاً ثَلاثاً وَنَادَى القَوْمَ بِالكَفَنِ

وَأَلْبَسُوني ثِيابـاً لا كِمامَ لهـا * وَصارَ زَادي حَنُوطِي حيـنَ حَنَّطَني

وأَخْرَجوني مِنَ الدُّنيـا فَوا أَسَفاً * عَلى رَحِيـلٍ بِلا زادٍ يُبَلِّغُنـي

وَحَمَّلوني على الأْكتـافِ أَربَعَةٌ * مِنَ الرِّجـالِ وَخَلْفِي مَنْ يُشَيِّعُني

وَقَدَّموني إِلى المحرابِ وانصَرَفوا * خَلْفَ الإِمـَامِ فَصَلَّى ثـمّ وَدَّعَني

صَلَّوْا عَلَيَّ صَلاةً لا رُكوعَ لهـا * ولا سُجـودَ لَعَلَّ اللـهَ يَرْحَمُني

وَأَنْزَلوني إلـى قَبري على مَهَلٍ * وَقَدَّمُوا واحِداً مِنهـم يُلَحِّدُنـي

وَكَشَّفَ الثّوْبَ عَن وَجْهي لِيَنْظُرَني * وَأَسْكَبَ الدَّمْعَ مِنْ عَيْنيهِ أَغْرَقَني

فَقامَ مُحتَرِمــاً بِالعَزمِ مُشْتَمِلاً * وَصَفَّفَ اللَّبِنَ مِنْ فَوْقِي وفـارَقَني

وقَالَ هُلُّوا عليه التُّرْبَ واغْتَنِموا * حُسْنَ الثَّوابِ مِنَ الرَّحمنِ ذِي المِنَنِ

في ظُلْمَةِ القبرِ لا أُمٌّ هنــاك ولا * أَبٌ شَفـيقٌ ولا أَخٌ يُؤَنِّسُنــي

فَرِيدٌ وَحِيدُ القبرِ، يــا أَسَفـاً * عَلى الفِراقِ بِلا عَمَلٍ يُزَوِّدُنـي

وَهالَني صُورَةً في العينِ إِذْ نَظَرَتْ * مِنْ هَوْلِ مَطْلَعِ ما قَدْ كان أَدهَشَني

مِنْ مُنكَرٍ ونكيرٍ مـا أَقولُ لهم * قَدْ هــَالَني أَمْرُهُمْ جِداً فَأَفْزَعَني

وَأَقْعَدوني وَجَدُّوا في سُؤالِهـِمُ * مَـالِي سِوَاكَ إِلهـي مَنْ يُخَلِّصُنِي

فَامْنُنْ عَلَيَّ بِعَفْوٍ مِنك يــا أَمَلي * فَإِنَّني مُوثَقٌ بِالذَّنْبِ مُرْتَهــَنِ

تَقاسمَ الأهْلُ مالي بعدما انْصَرَفُوا * وَصَارَ وِزْرِي عَلى ظَهْرِي فَأَثْقَلَني

واستَبْدَلَتْ زَوجَتي بَعْلاً لهـا بَدَلي * وَحَكَّمَتْهُ فِي الأَمْوَالِ والسَّكَـنِ

وَصَيَّرَتْ وَلَدي عَبْداً لِيَخْدُمَهــا * وَصَارَ مَـالي لهم حـِلاً بِلا ثَمَنِ

فَلا تَغُرَّنَّكَ الدُّنْيــا وَزِينَتُها * وانْظُرْ إلى فِعْلِهــا في الأَهْلِ والوَطَنِ

وانْظُرْ إِلى مَنْ حَوَى الدُّنْيا بِأَجْمَعِها * هَلْ رَاحَ مِنْها بِغَيْرِ الحَنْطِ والكَفَنِ

خُذِ القَنـَاعَةَ مِنْ دُنْيَاك وارْضَ بِها * لَوْ لم يَكُنْ لَكَ إِلا رَاحَةُ البَدَنِ

يَـا زَارِعَ الخَيْرِ تحصُدْ بَعْدَهُ ثَمَراً * يَا زَارِعَ الشَّرِّ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى الوَهَنِ

يـَا نَفْسُ كُفِّي عَنِ العِصْيانِ واكْتَسِبِي * فِعْلاً جميلاً لَعَلَّ اللهَ يَرحَمُني

يَا نَفْسُ وَيْحَكِ تُوبي واعمَلِي حَسَناً * عَسى تُجازَيْنَ بَعْدَ الموتِ بِالحَسَنِ

ثمَّ الصلاةُ على الْمُختـارِ سَيِّدِنـا * مَا وَصَّـا البَرْقَ في شَّامٍ وفي يَمَنِ

والحمدُ لله مُمْسِينَـا وَمُصْبِحِنَا * بِالخَيْرِ والعَفْوْ والإِحْســانِ وَالمِنَنِ

Translated by Sister Amirah & Sister Mawadah

Download Audio from Kalamullah.com - right click, save as….

My Brother

The Free Fahad Campaign needs your assistance. Funds are used strictly for the campaign - including events, flyers, legal expenses, etc.

12 miles away in a cell is my brother
24 hour confined hell for my brother
They try to separate me with fear from my brother
But things aren’t as they appear with my brother
They call him a terrorist, I call him my brother
Tell me why they had to go take my brother
Because he says his Lord is Allah and no other?
Was it because he cared enough to teach did my brother
Or was it the hearts he used to reach did my brother
Was it that he was different from the crowd is my brother
Was it that he is a Muslim that is proud is my brother
They say that he’s heartless, my brother?
When they have him sitting in the darkness, my brother
I ask Allah to pour out on him patience, my brother
2 years without trial he’s waited, my brother
12 miles away in a cell is my brother
Sensory deprived hell for my brother
But I won’t allow them to defeat my brother
As long as I can stand on my feet for my brother
As long as I can stand up and speak for my brother
I will not be afraid nor weak for my brother
I will not stand on the fence for my brother
I will stand up in defense for my brother
No effort too small or immense for my brother
I have no doubt they will clear my brother
And Allah will dry a mothers tears for my brother
But what I want to say here for my brother
If you’re not willing to stand for your brother
Then this will only expand to your brothers
If you choose to forget or ignore my brother
I will not stand here beg and implore for my brother
It doesn’t matter what they have in store for my brother
And Allah is my lord and He’s the lord of my brother

Such is the Bounty of your Lord, Most High

In Syria, in one week 40 000 people were killed in Hama, that was in 1982, or the early ’80’s. Alot of people were arrested. Amongst them was a family by the name Az -Za`tar, who were from a village close to Damascus.

Now that son, he was a very righteous Muslim alhamdulillah. He was one of the brothers who would memorize Qur’an and would go to the masjid often. He was known to never miss any lecture and any good deed that could be done. One day, the Intelligence came to the village and they arrested lots of these brothers and he was amongst them. But that brother, from Az-Za`tar, he was in the masjid at the time he was arrested. He was in the masjid reading the Qur’an.

Allah subhana wa ta`ala had blessed him with a wife, a very righteous wife. When he was arrested, it was only six months after his first baby boy was born. He had named him, `Abdullah.

Now when that brother got arrested, nobody knew he had been arrested . So people started to say that maybe he had died or ‘Allahu`alam’ what happened to him.

But then, after twelve years, they released him, and they put him in a place in Syria, in Damascus called, Sahatal Marjah. They dropped him in that place, and his eyes were so bloody that he couldn’t even see his surroundings. They left him like a dog or even worse. So what happened, SubhanAllah, one taxi driver was passing by and he saw that man and he felt a lot of mercy and sympathy towards him and he said, “Let me give you a ride, where do you live?”
He said, “I want to go to such a village, it’s called At-Til.”
So he took him to At-Til and he refused to take any money.
Even if he were to ask for any money, he didn’t have anything.

Now that brother, wallah you will be amazed, he remembered the sunnah. He did not go immediately to his home, he started by going to the masjid of that village. He went to the masjid where he was arrested and he prayed two rak`ah.

After he prayed two rak`ah, he was just looking around him when he saw a couple of children reading the Qur`an as they were having a halaqah. He was just watching them and seeing how nice they were. After the halaqah was over, he saw one of them that (he) really liked in particular. He saw that he looked very bright and very intelligent and so on.

So he (said), “O boy come here, what is your name?”

He said, “My name is `Abdullah Az-Za`tar.”

He didn’t’ believe him.

He said, “Who is your father?”

He said: “I don’t know my father. My mum told me that my father went away in struggle and that he is coming back. But he never appeared after that.”

This really took place, a few years ago and he found him in the same masjid he was arrested in and he found him doing the same thing he was doing when he was arrested - reading the Qur`an, trying to memorize the Qur`an.

Allah is sufficient for us, and He is Al-Wakeel

‏حدثنا ‏ ‏سويد ‏ ‏أخبرنا ‏ ‏عبد الله ‏ ‏أخبرنا ‏ ‏أبو العلاء ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏عطية ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏أبي سعيد ‏ ‏قال ‏
‏قال رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏كيف أنعم وصاحب القرن قد ‏ ‏التقم ‏ ‏القرن واستمع الإذن متى يؤمر بالنفخ فينفخ فكأن ذلك ثقل على ‏ ‏أصحاب النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏فقال لهم قولوا حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل على الله توكلنا

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “How can I feel comfort while the angel responsible for The Trumpet has placed The Trumpet to his mouth and lowered his forehead, awaiting when he will be commanded (by Allah to blow in it)?”

They said, “O Allah’s Messenger, what should we say?”

He said, “Say: Allah is sufficient for us, and He is Al-Wakeel (the best disposer of affairs); We have placed our trust in Allah.” (hasbunAllaha wa ni’mal Wakeel, ‘ala Allahi tawakalnaa)

The Companions repeated this invocation, saying, “Allah is sufficient for us, and He is Al-Wakeel (the best disposer of affairs); We have placed our trust in Allah.” [Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Saheeh according to Shaykh Albani]

Another example of this du’aa is the last ayah of Surah Tawbah:

حَسْبِيَ اللّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِي

Transliteration: HasbiyAllahu, la ilaha il Huwa, ‘alayhi tawakaltu, wa Huwa Rabb al-’arsh al-’atheem.

Translation: Allah is sufficient for me. I have placed my trust in Him, He is the Lord of the Majestic Throne. [Surah Tawbah, verse 129]

What is the significance of saying this du’a from surah Tawbah?

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم: من قالها حين يصبح و حين يمسي سبع مرات كفاه الله ما اهمه من امر الدنيا و الآخرة

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said, “Allah will grant whoever recites this seven times in the morning and evening whatever he desires from this world or the next.” [Saheeh, Sunan Abee Dawood]

[courtesy of IlmFruits]

Living the Single Life

by Fatima Asmal

During my first trip to Makkah, as a 24-year-old, I met a mother of one who, eleven years after giving birth to her first child, desperately wanted another baby.

Three years after going through a divorce, I too was desperate – to get married again.

When I told this sister about the feelings of disillusionment and loneliness I was experiencing, she told me how she was addressing her need during her time in this blessed city, and advised me to do the same. She told me that in every step she took during her pilgrimage, she would fervently make du’aa to Allah, asking Him to bless her with another child. She said she did this during tawaaf, between Safaa and Marwa, everywhere she went, she reminded herself to make this du’aa, and she suggested that I implore Allah in a similar manner.

I left the sister’s hotel room, with a spring in my step, on a similar mission.

Everywhere I went, I begged Allah to bless me with a husband.

‘Oh Allah Grant me a husband who is a haafidh,’

‘Oh Allah, Bless me with a husband who loves knowledge and is actively seeking it,’ ‘Oh Allah, Bless me with a husband who is willing to give up his life in Your Path.’

I didn’t want to return home, to live the unfulfilling and empty life I felt I had been living, and poured these feelings out in my prayers, crying my heart out every step of the way.

When I returned to South Africa, I received a call from a relative, who told me she wanted to introduce me to a brother who had memorized the Qur’aan and who was actively studying the Deen. Excited that Allah had answered my prayers, I immediately agreed to the introduction.

Well, I met the brother, I prayed Salaatul Istikhaarah, and you know what? I didn’t end up marrying him.

After three years of not having being introduced to marital prospects, after Hajj I suddenly found myself inundated with calls from friends and family eager for me to meet brothers they felt I would be compatible with.

I met them all. And I did not end up married to any of them.

You see, our Merciful Rabb was showing me that the time wasn’t quite right for me to marry, that though there were hundreds of brothers in the world who possessed the criteria I was looking for, they were not necessarily the marriage partners He had destined for me, nor was the time right for me to marry. When the time was appropriate for me to marry, in His Divine Estimate, not in my limited understanding thereof, He would bring the right person into my life.

Uplifted by this realization, I re-motivated myself, and re-channeled my energy. I continued making du’aa for marriage yes, and I didn’t stop making an effort towards meeting prospective husbands, but it was no longer the obsession it had become, the yardstick by which I had measured fulfillment. I sought fulfillment in other ways, immersing myself in teaching Islam to women and teenage girls, publishing Islamic reading material, and engaging in other forms of da’wah.

You’re probably waiting for the part where I tell you about my happy ending – that, a few years later I met the man who had everything I wanted and more, and we got married and lived happily ever after.

But dear sister, life is not a fairy tale. Happiness doesn’t start and end with getting the guy you want and living a life of bliss with him. Happiness is about passing the tests we are faced with in this world, remaining firm on our faith in spite of these tests and presenting ourselves to Allah on the Day of Qiyamah, rich in good deeds.

I did get married, yes. But again, it didn’t work out.

So I’m living the ’single life’ again. And dear sister, it isn’t half as bad as people sometimes make it out to be.

Of course I want to get married again. And if anyone out there is unmarried, of course, you too, should want to marry and make an effort in this respect. For did not the Messenger of Allah (saw) tell us, ‘Marriage is a sunnah (way) of mine, and whoever does not follow my Sunnah is not of my followers…’? (Ibn Majah, authenticated by Al-Albani)

But having said that, we have to remember that just like marriage is an integral part of faith, so too is exercising trust and patience in the decree of Allah.

We have to realize that, ultimately, we are not married because Allah (swt) has willed for us to be single at this point in time.

Now we have a choice. Either we can lose sleep over it, beat ourselves up every day, and feel really sorry for ourselves.

Or we can recognize that the time we have on our hands is a gift from Allah, an amanah, not to be wasted in counter-productive thoughts and futile tears and fears.

And we can start spending this time beneficially, by engaging in activities which our married sisters might not always be able to enjoy: seeking knowledge, being active in da’wah, volunteering our time to organizations which serve the poor and aged, spending quality time with our parents, babysitting for our married friends so they can spend some time engaging in these activities, the list goes on and on.

And this,my dear sister, is how the single life should be lived. If Allah (swt) wills, somewhere in the midst of living and reveling in the joy and fulfillment such a life brings, Mr. Right will come along. And if he doesn’t, so what? Perhaps he will be waiting for you in Jannah, a reward for the patience you exercised in this transient world!

Being unmarried undeniably comes with its challenges, just like marriage does. But it isn’t the end of the world. So get up, take a deep breath, hand this affair over to Allah, and start truly living the life He has given you!

This article was published in the second issue of SISTERS.

Writers Needed for “Muslim-Women-Magazine”

Assalam alaikum

If you are interested to write posts related to Muslim women, I’d like to add you to this blog.
http://muslim-women-magazine.blogspot.com/

Any posts related to Muslim women.

LivingHalal.org team

¿Why do we Speak?

From Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubaarak who said:

“It was said to Hamdoon bin Ahmad: ‘Why is it that the speech of the Salaf was more beneficial than ours?’

He said:

‘Because they spoke for the honor of Islaam, and for the deliverance of their own souls, and for the pleasure of ar-Rahman, and we speak for the honor of our souls, for seeking the world, and for the pleasure of the creation.”

Source: “Imaan Builder 4: The Observance of Sincerity In One’s Speech and Action”

Effects of sins :: Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah

Impact & Effect of Sin

When Allah commands us to give up sins and to avoid them it is not because our sins will harm Him. It is only us who will benefit by avoiding sins. Likewise, we alone will be affected by the sins we commit. It was the habit of the righteous ancestors to think about their sins whenever they were faced with hardship in anything. In fact, sins have many bad effects on the lives of the sinners.

How can sins change our lives? What are the effects of sins on our well-being? Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyah explains to us these effects in his well-known book Al-Jawab Al-Kafi:

• Prevention of knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allah throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light.

Imam Ash-Shafi`i said: “I complained to Wakee` about the weakness of my memory, so he ordered me to abandon disobedience and informed me that knowledge is light. He said that the light of Allah is not given to the disobedient.”

• Prevention of sustenance: Just as righteousness brings about sustenance, the abandonment of righteousness causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of sins.

• Prevention of obedience (to Allah): If there was no other punishment for sin except that it prevents one from obeying Allah then this would be sufficient.

• Disobedience weakens the heart and the body: The fact that it weakens the heart is clear. Disobedience continues to weaken the heart until its life ceases completely.

• Disobedience reduces one’s lifespan and destroys any blessings: Just as righteousness increases one’s lifespan, sinning reduces it.

• Legacy of the cursed: Every type of disobedience is the legacy of a nation from among those which Allah destroyed. Sodomy is a legacy of the people of Lot, taking more than one’s due right and giving what is less is a legacy of the people of Shu`aib, spreading mischief and corruption is a legacy of the people of Pharaoh and pride, including arrogance and tyranny, is a legacy of the people of Hud. So the disobedient one is somehow a part of those nations who were the enemies of Allah.

• Disobedience is a cause of the servant being held in contempt by his Lord: Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: “They became contemptible in (His sight) so they disobeyed Him. If they were honorable (in His sight) He would have protected them.”

• Effect of sins on others: The ill-effects of the sinner fall upon those around him as well as the animals as a result of which they are touched by harm.

• Living in sin: The servant continues to commit sins until they become very easy for him and seem insignificant in his heart and this is a sure sign of destruction. Every time a sin becomes insignificant in the sight of the servant it becomes great in the sight of Allah.

• Disobedience brings humiliation and lowliness: Every aspect of honor lies in the obedience of Allah. Ibn Al-Mubarak said: “I have seen sins kill the hearts. And humiliation is inherited by their continuity. The abandonment of sins gives life to the hearts. And the prevention of your soul is better for it.”

• Disobedience corrupts the intellect: The intellect has light and disobedience extinguishes this light. When the light of the intellect is extinguished it becomes weak and deficient.

• Sealing of the heart: When disobedience increases, the servant’s heart becomes sealed so that he becomes of those who are heedless. The Exalted said: [But no! A stain has been left on their hearts on account of what they used to earn (that is, their actions)] (Al-Mutaffifin 83: 14).

• Sins cause various types of corruption to occur in the land: Corruption of the water, the air, the plants, the fruit, and the dwelling places. The Exalted said: [Mischief has appeared on the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have earned; that He may give them a taste of some of (the actions) they have done, in order that they may return] (Ar-Rum 30: 41).

• Disappearance of modesty: Modesty is the essence of the life of the heart and is the basis of every good. Its disappearance is the disappearance of all that is good. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Modesty is goodness, all of it.”

• Sins weaken and reduce the magnification of Allah the Almighty in the heart of the servants.

• Sins are the cause of Allah forgetting His servant: Sinning also causes Allah to abandon him and leave him to fend for himself with his soul and his Satan and in this is destruction from which no deliverance can be hoped for.

• Being removed from the realm of benevolence: When a persons sins, benevolence is removed from his heart. When benevolence fills the heart it prevents it from disobedience.

• Disobedience causes the favors (of Allah) to cease and makes His revenge lawful: No blessing ceases to reach a servant except because of a sin, and no retribution is made lawful upon him except because of a sin. Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “No trial has descended except due to a sin and it (the trial) is not repelled except by repentance.”

[Based on Al-Jawab Al-Kafi by Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyah (Rahimahullah)]

Deprived and Shackled

Al-Fudayl (1) said:

If you are unable to perform Qiyaam al-Layl (pray during the night), and fast during the day, then know that you are deprived, shackled by your sin(s). (2)

:قال الفضيل

إذا لم تقدر على قيام الليل، وصيام النهار، فاعلم أنك محروم، كبلتك خطيئتك

(1) He is al-Fudayl ‘ibn ‘Iyaad at-Tameemee - passed away in Makkah 187 A.H.

(2) Mawaa’ith lil-Imaam al-Fudayl ‘ibn ‘Iyaad. Compiled by Saalih Ahmad ash-Shaamee. al-Maktab al-Islaamee; First Edition 1998/1419 A.H. Reference of quote: Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa’ (8/435)

I Sit with the Salaf…

It is reported from Nu’aym b. Hammâd:

‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak used to often stay at home, so he was asked, “Don’t you get lonely?” He replied, “How could I get lonely when I am with the Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him (i.e. I read his hadîth)?”

Also on the authority of Nu’aym b. Hammâd:

It was once said to ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak, “O Abû ‘Abd Al-Rahmân, you often sit alone at home.” He said, “I am alone? I am with the Prophet - Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – and his Companions.” Meaning: reading hadîth.

Ibn ‘Asâkir, Târîkh Dimishq Vol. 32 p458.

Shaqîq b. Ibrâhîm reports:

It was once said to ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak, “After you have prayed with us you don’t sit with us?” He replied, “I go and sit with the Sahâbah and the Tâbi’în.” We said, “And how can you sit with the Sahâbah and Tâbi’în (when they have all passed away)?” He replied, “I go and read the knowledge I have collected, I find their narrations and deeds. What would I do with you? You sit around backbiting people.”

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak.