عابرة سبيل

With each and every movement we make in our Salah, we should think about the significance behind it and try to make sure that we are present in mind body and soul, while doing this. I’m going to be sharing a few reflections made by me and others on Salah, as well as ways to enhance our salah through ad’iya (supplications) and adhkaar (words of rememberance) that can be said during the process.

Bismillah,

Qiyaam

Last summer, I went to court for my “Civic Duty” (i.e. I was called in for jury duty). Everything seemed pretty lax and chill until I heard a voice, booming over the intercom, “All rise”. Everyone around me, in unison, shot out of their seats and stood–so naturally, I followed their lead. I looked around to see what was going on, and noticed an elderly looking man walking in through the back door, wearing quite a fancy looking robe. He took his sweet time, walking towards his chair in the front of the room, and all the while–not a single person sat down. Not a single person spoke a word. It was then that I realized that this standing position was a sign of extreme humbleness. Because this man didn’t deserve our tired feet, I couldn’t help but drift off into thought about the One who IS deserving of this standing. This is the first sign of humbleness that we exhibit in our attempt to worship the almighty.

At least seventeen times a day we come before our lord in a position known as “القيام “. This literally means “Standing”. This is the position by which we begin our salah, standing in an upright position while we say the Takbeer (Allahu Akbar) and proceed to recite verses from the Holy Quraan.

In this time that we stand before our Lord, our back bones should be upright and straight, and we should be bowing our heads in humility, looking at the place of our sujud (prostration).

Although some times people translate “Allahu Akbar” as “Allah is Great” this is actually not the case. “Allahu Akbar” Literally means “Allah is GreatER.” What’s the difference?  When we raise or hands and say “Allahu Akbar” we are putting the world behind us. We are testifying that Allah is greater than any thing in this entire dunya. Allah is GreatER than the TV show we were watching–then that drama going on at school–than the fun that we were having. We are dropping it all and worshiping our lord.

After our testifying that Allah is more important than anything else, we proceed to make ad’iyah. These are not fard (obligatory) but they are beneficial to say. Making these ad’iyah gets our minds focused, and gets us in tune with what we are about to do (especially if we memorize the meaning!)

The first dua is know as the dua of “tawajuh”:

وجحت وجهي للذي فطر السموات والارض حنيفا مسلما وما أنا من المشركين إن صلاتي ونسكي ومحياي ومماتي لله رب العالمين لا شريك له وبذالك أمرت وأنا من المسلمين

“I turn my face to Him who created the heavens and earth, a pure monotheist, in submission, and am not of those who associate others with Him. My prayer, worship, life, and death are for Allah, Lord of all the Worlds, who has no partner. Thus I have been commanded, and I am of those who submit.”

After saying the dua of “tawajuh” we can then say the dua of “istiftaah”:

سبحانك اللهما وبحمدك وتبارك اسمك وجدك ولا إله غيرك

‘How perfect You are O Allaah, and I praise You. Blessed be Your name, and lofty is Your position and none has the right to be worshiped except You.’

When making these ad’iya, take the time to think about what you are saying–say them with your heart, not just your tongue.

Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

و الحمد لله رب العالمين

Up until today, I didnt realize that we could really have a second life. A life in which we can get some of those not so great things we did in life replaced with something better.

We muslims CAN have a second life—as long as you work for it in this one…wa lillahil hamd!!!!

Ibn Al-Qayyim, rahimahullah, wrote concerning a hadeeth “This Hadeeth us one of the strongest proofs of the lofty status of knowledge and of the greatness of its fruits. The reward of knowledge continues to accrue for a man even after he dies, so long as people continue to benefit from the knowledge he imparted. Therefore, even after such a man dies, it is as if he continues to be alive….In fact, considering that others’ deeds come to an end when they die, it is as if he is being given a second life.”

[The hadeeth he was referring to is: "When a person dies his deeds are cut off from him except from three: perpetual charity; knowledge that continues to benefit; and a righteous son who supplicates for him" (Muslim #1631)]

و الحمد لله رب العالمين

Originally posted by me @ www.suhaibwebb.com

I remember when our restroom mirror was being replaced, my family decided to snatch mine, until a new one was bought. I didn’t really mind it at the time, I didn’t really use it that much…or so I thought. After they took it away, my life became a little…lopsided. Each morning I would wake up, get dressed, then stand before my dresser looking forward, prepared to tackle the task of wrapping my hijab, and to my dismay, every day, I found myself staring at a rosey pink wall. I was tricked into it each morning, for that week. Every day I would be a little startled when I couldn’t see myself when I wanted to. It doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, since all I had to do was open my bedroom door, head down the hall and into the restroom, to see myself…but surprisingly, it was. It was then, last February, that I realized the true blessing of having a mirror. Wa Alhamdulilah.

This realization has recently expanded to more than just the physical world, about one month ago when I listened to a lecture by sheikh Kamal El-mekki, hafidhahullah. His talk, named Got Manners?, was enough to slap me awake, turn me around, and spark a love in my heart for mirrors all over the world. Sounds materialistic aye? Hardly.

Before I tell you the points that really did it for me, I want you to take a moment and think. Think about a day when you were deprived of any mirror being anywhere near you. Think about what would happen. Think about how you would look when you left the house. Think about how self conscious you would be.

Now reflect. The Prophet, sal Allahu Alayhi wa salam , said “”A believer is a mirror to another believer” (narrated by Abu Huraira—transmitted in  Abu Dawud). Now WHY did He say this? Why choose mirror specifically and not just say “they give naseeha (advice) to one another?

1. When a mirror shows you something you appreciate it
   • Let’s say you are getting ready to go out to an important event and you are wearing black on black. You stand in front of the mirror and you find a big white feather in your hair (in your hijab for sisters ). Do you get angry at the mirror for showing you the flaw? No you appreciate it showing you the flaw because that is what you expect.
2. The mirror shows you your true self immediately
   • It doesn’t stop and not show you your flaw because you are feeling good at the moment and decides to tell you when you get home so your feelings are not hurt
3. The mirror shows you the truth
   • No exaggerations. It doesn’t show you that you are worse than you actually are NOR better than you actually are.
4. You wholeheartedly believe the mirror
   • You don’t think “that’s not me” or “the mirror doesn’t know what its talking about”
5. The mirror shows you the good and the bad
   • It doesn’t just show you the bad. That’s why when you give advice to someone you start with something nice.
6. The mirror shows you what you look like in the context of what you are around
   • It doesn’t just show you yourself and ignore everything around you.
7. The mirror doesn’t wait for you to ask it’s advice
   • Some people you have to pull the advice out of them
   • This doesn’t, however, mean you call out a brother whenever you feel like it..rather you pull them aside and give them the advice or do it publicly without mentioning names. Ubay ibn fayyadh said “the believer conceals and gives advice while the hypocrite exposes and humiliates”.
8. The mirror is always there for you
   • Without exception. The mirror never says “sorry, im not in the mood come look at me later.”
9. You like coming back to the mirror
   • You should like to return to the people who give advice to you
10. The mirror will show you what is good. It won’t hit you or beat you. It won’t force you to change rather leave the choice to you.

Allahu Akbar!

Now I pose the question, Brother and Sisters: What kind of mirrors do you surround yourself with? What type of mirror are you?

If your mirror is broken, get a new one.

 

…..Some Words of Widom by Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullah)…..

 

Every Punishment from Him is pure justice and every blessing from Him is pure grace        

Whoever desires everlasting bliss, let him adhere firmly to the threshold of servitude.

Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience. 

In this world there is a Paradise, whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.

The one who is (truly) imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allaah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him. 

This whole religion revolves around knowing the truth and acting by it, and action must be accompanied by patience. 

Worship is founded upon the Legal Law and following it, not upon ones base desires and innovation. 

The more the servant loves his Master, the less he will love other objects and they will decrease in number. The less the servant loves his Master, the more he will love other objects and they will increase in number. 

Perpetually is the servant either the recipient of a blessing from Allaah, in which case he is need of gratitude; or he is the perpetrator of sin, in which case he is in need of repentance; he is always moving from one blessing to another and is always is in need of repentance.        

Sins cause harm and repentance removes the cause. 

Bearing witness to Tawheed opens the door of good and repentance from sins closes the door to evil. 

Sins are like chains and locks preventing their perpetrator from roaming the vast garden of Tawheed and reaping the fruits of righteous actions. 

What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey. 

“There was a man who was given many of the luxuries of this world, and then they were taken away from him. But he continued to praise and thank Allâh until everything had been taken from him, even his bed. And then he still praised and thanked Allâh. Another man, who had also been given many of the luxuries of this world asked him, ‘What are you praising and thanking Allâh for?’ The man said, ‘I am praising and thanking Him for blessings which, if others asked me to give them to them in return for all that they have, I would never give them up.’ ‘What can they be?’ asked the second man. ‘Can’t you see?’ asked the first man. ‘I have my eyesight, my tongue, my hands, my feet…’”

Layth ibn Abî Burdah said:

‘When Allâh gathers people on the Day of Judgement, He will remind them of His blessings. One of His slaves will say: “Remind me of something,” and Allâh will say: “Remember when you faced such-and-such adversity, and you prayed to Me, so I relieved you of it. Remember when you were travelling in such and-such a place, and you asked Me to give you a travelling companion, and I did so… Remember when you asked for the hand of so-and-so the daughter of so-and-so, and others also asked for her hand, so I gave her to you to marry; and kept the others away.” His slave will be standing before his Lord, Who will remind him of His many blessings.’” Then the narrator of this story (Layth) wept and said, “I hope that no one will stand before his Lord in this way, because the one who does so will be punished.“ (i.e. if Allâh has to point out that which should be obvious, this is a sign of a person’s ingratitude, and he will be punished.)

A man of knowledge said:

“The blessing of Allâh to us in keeping the luxuries of this world away from us is greater than the blessing of that which he has given us, because Allah did not like His Prophet to have the luxuries of this world. So I prefer to live in the manner which Allâh preferred for His Prophet than to live a life which He disliked for him.”

Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ said:

“It was narrated to me that some scholars said: ‘The scholar should praise Allâh for having deprived him of the luxuries of this life, in the same way that he should praise Him for what He has bestowed upon him. How can you compare the blessings and luxuries for which he will be accountable to the deprivation of luxuries which is a relief from being tested, and which keeps his mind free to worship and remember Allâh? So he should give thanks to Allâh for all of that.’”

A man said to Abû Hâzim:

“What is the gratitude of the eyes?” He said, “If you see good things, you speak about them, and if you see bad things, you keep quiet about it.” He asked, “What is the gratitude of the ears?” He said, “If you hear something good, you accept it, and if you hear something bad, you reject it.” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of the hands?” He said, “Do not take what which does not belong to you, and do not hold back from paying the dues of Allâh (zakât).” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of the head?” He said: “To have knowledge in it.” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of one’s private parts?”

He quoted:

“‘Who guard their private parts, except from those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess – for (in their case) they are free from blame, but those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors’” (al-Mu’minûn 23:5-7).

Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ mentioned that Dâwûd (peace be upon Him) asked Allâh: “What is the least of Your blessings?” Allâh revealed to him: “O Dâwûd, take a breath.” Dâwûd did so, and Allâh told him: “This is the least of My blessings on you.”

1- The slave of Allaah cannot actualize ‘You are the One that we worship’ except with two principles: one of them is following the Messenger and the second is having sincerity (Ikhlaas) for the one worshipped.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘Tahdeeb al-Madrij’ 68

2- Sincerity for Allaah is that a person’s intent is for Allaah and intends everything for Him, causing fountains of wisdom to spring up from his heart on to his tongue.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘an-Naboowaat’ 147

3- Whenever the sincerity of the slave of Allaah strengthens, his worship becomes more complete.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 10/198

4- In relation to the amount of Tawheed a slave has for his Lord, and his sincerity for the religion for Allaah is the amount he is deserving of the generosity of Allaah upon him, from intercession and other things.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘As-Sarim al-Monkey’ 390

5- A person does not show his actions to the creation, except due to his ignorance of the Greatness of the Creator.

Ibn Rajab – ‘Kalimat ul-Ikhlaas’ 31

6- Ikhlaas cannot be achieved except after having Zuhud, and there is no Zuhud except after having Taqwa, and Taqwa is following the commands (of Allaah and His Messenger) and keeping away from prohibitions.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 1/94

7- Strive today in implementing Tawheed, since there is nothing that will deliver you to Allaah except Tawheed. Also, be eager in fulfilling its rights, since there is nothing that can save you from the fire except Tawheed.

Ibn Rajab – ‘Kalimat ul-Ikhlaas’ 54

8- Whoever is sincere in regards to the actions of the Deen , which he does for Allaah, then he is from the pious Awliyah of Allaah.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 1/8

9- If you correct your hidden deeds subsequently Allaah will correct your outward deeds.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 3/277

10- Having the correct understanding of the Deen is light which Allaah throws into the heart of the slave of Allaah, which is increased by having the Taqwa of Allaah and having good intent.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘Ilaam al-Muaq’een’ 1/69

11- Ikhlaas is the way to salvation, Islaam is the ship to safety and Emaan is the seal of security.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘Dar miftah as-Sa’ada’ 1/74

12- Certainly the strength of Yusuf’s sincerity - alayhi sallam - was stronger than the beauty of Azeez’s wife, stronger than her allure, and his want for her.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 10/602

13 – The heart of the truthful person is filled with the light of truth and he has the light of Emaan.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘Madarij as-Salikeen’ 2/282

14- The sincere person is fortified by Allaah due to his worship of Him Alone, intending his Face Alone. He has humility for Him Alone, and hope in Him Alone, requesting from Him Alone, submissiveness for Him Alone and has a dire need of Him Alone.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘Madarij as-Salikeen’ 2/202

15- There is nothing that drives away the a
fflictions of this world except Tawheed. That is why the supplication of the distressed person is with Tawheed. Such as, the supplication of Yunus. The distressed person does not supplicate by what Yunus supplicated with except that Allaah releases him from his hardship with Tawheed.

There is nothing more gruesome for the distressed person except shirk, and there is nothing that can rescue you from it except Tawheed, it is the refuge for the creation, its shelter, its fortress and its aid.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Fawaid’ 96

16-The reward is doubled in accordance with one perfecting his Islaam and with his perfecting the strength of Ikhlaas, in that action.

Ibn Rajab – ‘Jama’ al-Aloom’ 2/316

17- If a benefit could be achieved from an action performed without Ikhlaas, then Allaah would not have criticised the hypocrites.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Fawaid’ 65

18- Without doubt al-Ikhlaas negates the reason for entering into the Fire, therefore, who ever enters the fire, from those who said: ‘ ‘la illah ila Allaah’ (there is none worthy of worship except Allaah) ‘ then this is proof that he never implemented the sincerity of ‘‘la illah ila Allaah’ ‘ which would have prohibited him from the fire.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 10/261

19 – If the slave of Allaah perfects his Tawheed and his sincerity for Allaah and he establishes / fulfills all its conditions with his heart, and his tongue and his limbs then forgiveness for his past sins becomes obligatory.

Ibn Rajab – ‘Jama’ al-Aloom’ 2/417

20 – Fitnah continues upon the heart, except if the Deen of the slave is completely for Allaah.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 10/545

21- Without doubt, the sincere person has tasted the sweetness of his worship for Allaah, this is what stops him from performing worship for other than Allaah, since there is nothing more sweet or more blessed for the heart than the sweetness of Emaan in Allaah the Lord of the worlds.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 10/215

22- The different grades of doing actions for Allaah are in relation to what is in the heart from Emaan, sincerity, love and that what follows them.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Waabil as-Sayib’ 22

23- Sincerity is not combined in the heart along with the love of being praised by the people, and being commended by them, and also having greed for what the people have, except like water being combined with fire.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Fawaid’ 267

24- Ikhlaas and Tawheed are a tree in the heart. Its branches are good actions. Its fruits are a good life in this world, and eternal comfort in the Hereafter, and just like in Paradise the fruits whose supply is not cut off, nor are they out of reach, likewise are the fruits of Tawheed and Ikhlaas in this world.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Fawaid’ 292

25- An action done without Ikhlaas and without following the Messenger is like a traveler whose sock becomes filled with sand, which weighs him down, and has no benefit.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Fawaid’ 89

26- Allaah loves from His slave that he beautifies his tongue with the truth, and his heart with Ikhlaas and love, turning repentantly and reliance upon Allaah.

Ibn al-Qayyim – ‘al-Fawaid’ 327

27- Having sincerity for the Deen of Allaah is the foundation of justice, likewise committing Shirk
with Allaah is a great injustice.

Ibn Taymeeyah – ‘al-Fatawa’ 1/87

11 – On the authority of Abu Huraira –RadhiAllaahu anhu-, the Prophet - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- had placed Abu Huraira to look after the charity, some one came to him to take from the charity – and this person came night after night, so on the third night Abu Huraira said to him: I will take you to the Messenger of Allaah. So he said Why don’t you leave me and I will teach you some words that Allaah will benefit you by - and Abu Huraira was of those who were very attentive regarding good deeds – so the person said to him: When you go to bed, read Ayaat ul-Kursi:

(الله لا إلهَ إلا هُوَ الحيُ القَيُومَ )

Allaah, none has the right to be worshipped except Him The Ever living, The One Who sustains and protects all that exists

[verse 255 from Soorah Baqarah]

Until the end of the Ayaah, then this will continue to be a protection for you from Allaah, and Shaytan will not be able to come near you until the morning arrives. The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said: He spoke the truth even though he is a liar, [that was Shaytan].

12 - The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

Who ever recites the last two Ayaat from Soorah al-Baqarah at night, then those two verses will be sufficient for him.

13 - The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

Shall I not show you what will be better for you than a servant? When you lie down on your bed, say SubhanAllaah 33 times, say al-hamdulillaah 33 times and say Allaahu akbar 34 times.

14 - The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

Who ever wakes up at night, and says: -

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَه،ُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْد،ُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ،الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ،وَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ،وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ العليِ الْعَظِيمِ.

‘There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah Alone, He has no partners, He has the Dominion and for Him is all praise, and He is capable of all things, praise is for Him, and Far is Allaah from imperfection, and There is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah, and Allaah is the Greatest, there is no capability nor is there any power except with Allaah the Most High the ‘Atheem.’ (Supreme)

La ilaha ‘illa Allaahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadeer Subhana allaahi, wal hamdu lillaahi, wa la illaah ila Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar

La hawla wa la quwwata illa billaa

Then he says : اللهمَ اغْفِرْلي O Allaah forgive me (Allaahumma aghfirlee), or he supplicates and his supplication is answered, and if he makes Wudu and prays then his prayer is accepted.

15- The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said:

Who ever goes to bed with purification….there is not an hour of the night that he asks Allaah for something of good from this world and the hereafter, except that Allaah grants him that which he asked for.

16 – Abu Salma said that he heard Abu Qatada say that he heard the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam em>- say:

A good dream is from Allaah –Tabaraka wa Ta’ala- and a bad dream is from Shaytaan, so if anyone sees something in his dream which he dislikes, then he should spit on his left side 3 times when he awakens, and he should seek refuge with Allaah from its evil, then it will not harm him if Allaah so wills.

17 - The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said:

A good dream is from Allaah, so if any one of you sees something in his dream that he likes, then he should not relate it to anyone except the one whom he loves, and if he sees that which he dislikes, then he should not relate it to anyone, rather he should spit on his left side 3 times, and he should seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of the accursed shaytaan, and the evil of what he saw, then it will not harm him.

18- The Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

Our Lord –Tabarak wa Ta’ala- descends every night to the lowest heavens, when there remains the last third part of the night, and He says who is there that supplicates to me so that I may answer his supplication, who is there that asks of me so that I may grant him what he asks for, who is there that seeks my forgiveness so that I may forgive him.

19 - The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said:

Indeed, there is an hour from the night, which if a Muslim asks Allaah in that time from the good of the affairs of this world and the hereafter, then Allaah gives him of it, and that is in every night.

20 – On the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

Whoever says, as he leaves from his house:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ ،ولَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ تعالى

In the name of Allaah, I have placed my trust in Allaah, and there is no capability nor is there any power except with Allaah Ta’ala

Bismillaahi tawwakaltu alalaahi wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahi taa’la

then it is said to him: indeed you have been saved, and you have been protected, and you have been guided, and shaytaan has been kept away from him, so another shaytaan says: how can you affect a man who has indeed been guided and saved and been protected.