Easy Actions for which Rewards are Multiplied !!!

How great will be the regret of those who waste the opportunity!
"There are two blessings which many people lose: good health and free time." [al-Bukhari]

1. Preserving the ties of kinship: " Whoever wishes that his provision be increased and his age lengthened, let him maintain the ties of kinship." [al-Bukhari and Muslim]

2. Performing many prayers in the two noble Harams (in Makkah and Madinah): "Prayer in this masjid of mine is superior to a thousand prayers elsewhere, except for Masjid al-Haram, and prayer in Masjid al-Haram is superior to one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere." [Ahmad and ibn Majah]

3. Performing prayers in congregation. "Prayer in congregation is superior to praying individually twenty-seven times." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

4. Praying `Isha and Fajr in congregation: "He who prays Isha' in Jama'ah [congregation] is as if he has prayed for half the night. As to him who (also) prays Fajr in congregation, it is as if he has prayed all night." [narrated by Malik and the wording is that of Muslim who also reported it]

5. Performing voluntary prayers at home. "Superiority of a man's prayer in his home over his prayer when people see him is like the superiority of an obligatory prayer over a voluntary one." [al-Bayhaqi, classed as Saheeh by al-Albani] "The most superior prayer of a person is in his home, except for obligatory prayers." [al-Bukhari and Muslim]

6. Observing some manners of the day of Jumu`ah. "Whoever ghassala (washes his head, and it is said: has intercourse with his wife so that it be a means to lower the gaze from the haram that day) on the day of Jumuah, then comes in the earliest time and before the first khutbah, walks and doesn't ride, stays near the Imam, listens and does not speak - for each step [he makes] he has actions of one year, the reward of fasting and standing in prayer in it." [Ahl as-Sunan]


Why Fast Voluntary Fasts?

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What is the point of fasting beyond Ramadan? Of course we have to make up the days missed and perhaps we hear the Friday Khutbah that reminds us to fast the days of Ashura or Arafat so we participate in that, but why go further than this?

Voluntary fasting has so many benefits that many are unaware of. There are benefits in all aspects of our lives, physical, spiritual and emotional. Lets now take a look at the virtues of fasting voluntarily.

Importance of Fasting in Islam
"O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious)." [Noble Quran 2:183]

"For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise - for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward." [Noble Quran 33:35]

"In this current world war..."


FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY !

The Islamic Ummah has witnessed a long period of humiliation, in which blood has been split, the torn-off limbs have multiplied, the injuries have increased, and the cries of the Muslimeen have risen in many lands, such as Palestine, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Turkmenistan, ‘Iraq, the Philippines, Indonesia, the Arabian Peninsula and other Muslim lands. And after this humiliation and horrifying disgrace, the lions of Islam, and the lights in the darkness, stood up when they realized that the cause for this humiliation is the distance of the Muslimeen distance from Islam and from Jihad for the sake of Allah, in accordance with the words of the truthful and believed one, Prophet (saws): “When you conduct transactions by al-‘Inah (a type of usury), take hold of the tails of cows, content yourself with agriculture and abandon Jihad; Allah will cover you with a humiliation and will not remove it from you, until you return to your Dīn (to Jihad).”

So they returned to Jihad, placed their fingers on the triggers, and they began fighting the people of disbelief, stubbornness, tyranny and corruption. And so Allah opened up for them a great victory, and their campaigns became a part of history that will never be forgotten, and their battles against the enemy became a blazing flame. Therefore, they are the lions of (important) happenings and the heroes of the milestones. Allah guided them to the most-righteous path and the only solution to this shameful situation, and that is Jihad for the Sake of the Lord of the ‘ālamīn, for iron can only be dented by iron. And the one who said the following was truthful:

The era of subjugation taught us lessons *** With them the way becomes clear to the seeker of guidance!

That if the shelter of guidance is divested of *** the horses and warriors of victory, it becomes a graveyard!

And the Deen does not have a place *** If the guards and soldiers betray it!

And the people are all similar, except *** when they are distinguished by sacrifice and effort!

Victory only comes after Succeeding in the Trials !

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Allah says:
"Or do you think that you will enter Paradise, before you are tested and tried just like the nations that came before you?"

This is why Allah says:
"…without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments…"

Meaning: illnesses, pain, disasters and hardships. Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn ‘Abbas, Abul-Aliyah, Mujahid, Sa’id Ibn Jubayr, Murrah al-Hamdani, al-Hasan, Qatadah, ad-Dahhak, ar-Rabi’, as-Suddi and Muqatil Ibn Hayyan said that, “al-Ba’sa” means poverty. Ibn Abbas said that, “ad-Darra” means ailments.

"and were so shaken, for fear of the enemy, and were tested, and put to a tremendous trial."
It was reported on the authority of Khabbab (ra) who said, “We complained to the Messenger of Allah (saws) while he was reclining on a cloak of his in the shade of the Ka’bah. We said, “Will you not seek help for us? Will you not supplicate for us?” He said, “Indeed, from those who came before you, a man would be taken and a hole would be dug for him in the ground and he would be placed inside. Then a saw would be brought and placed on his head and he would be sawed in half. And he would be raked with iron combs beneath his flesh and bones, but that would not turn him back from his Deen. By Allah, this matter will be completed, to the point that a rider will travel from Sana’a to Hadramawt not fearing anyone other than Allah and a wolf after his sheep, but you are being hasty.” [al-Bukhari]

Allah also says:
"Alif-Laam-Meem. Do the people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested? And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars." [29:1-3]

A MANIFEST VICTORY - Reflections on the Hudaibiyah Treaty

References: Ar-Raheeq ar-Makhtoom by Safi-ur-Rahmaan Mubarakpuri,
The History of Islam by Akbar Shah Najeebabadi, Tafseer Ibn Katheer, and others


It was about the sixth year after Hijrah, in the month of Shawwal, Allah's Messenger (saws) was shown in a dream that while the Muslims were still living in al-Medina, they had entered the Holy city of Makkah and were performing the rites of Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). Their heads were being shaved and hairs were cut. Allah's Messenger (saws) immediately informed his Companions about the dream. The Sahabah were overwhelmed with happiness because they had been away from the House of Allah for six year and greatly wished to make pilgrimage. Dreams of the Prophets are true visions and revelation from Allah. The Sahabah knew that Allah, the Exalted, had fulfilled their desire to perform Hajj.

The Prophet (saws) along with his 1,400 - 1,500 Sahabah left for Makkah in Dhul-Qidah, wearing ihram and taking with them seventy camels for sacrifice. They carried no weapons, except a sheathed sword for protection.

Even though, the Arab Pagans did not possess any Divine Book, neither did they follow any Messenger and were surrounded by polytheist practices; they had immense respect for the House of Allah (Ka'bah). It was part of their culture and tradition to regularly perform Hajj and for the same purpose, people from distant places visited Makkah in the month of Dhul-Hijjah and were greatly welcomed by the Quraysh. However, when the Quraysh heard about the Prophet's approaching to Makkah, they gathered a large number of people to stop the Muslims, even though they had no right to do, especially since the Muslims showed no desire to harm them.

When the Muslims arrived at a place called, Dhi Hulaifa, the Prophet (saws) sent a man towards Makkah to inquire about the situation. The man reported that the road to Makkah was blocked by the slaves of Quraysh and a huge army gathered to stop their way. The Prophet (saws) consulted with his Companion and they all decided not to fight except if they were prevented from performing their rites of Umrah. Abu Bakr (ra) said: "Allah and His Messenger know that we only came to perform Umrah, not to fight anyone. However, anyone who tries to prevent us from reaching the House, we will fight them." The Prophet (saws) said: "Go forth, in the Name of Allah, the Exalted."
 

“Fifty of us or fifty of them?”

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From the lecture Allah is Preparing us for Victory
By Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki (rahimahUllah)
“Fifty of us or fifty of them?


A Reminder:
“So our time that we are complaining about, among all the other generations after the Sahabah, although our time is not exactly the same it is the most similar to the time of the Sahabah. Why? Because when the Sahabah came there was no Islamic authority and there is no Islamic authority today and this was not the case for fourteen hundred years. When the Sahabah came, they fought entire surroundings including the two super powers – the Persian Empire and the Roman Empire – and all the ‘Arabs around them that were against them. And this is similar to our situation today and this wasn’t the case in our history before. In our history before you would find Islamic authority, you would find people to assist you in Al-Haqq, and there was a place to make Hijrah to. Now we find that the whole world is waging a war against us and this is similar to time of the Sahabah, which means the ajr of the people today could be very great. We are not saying it is equal to the ajr of the Sahabah but it is going to be very great. This is why Rasoolullah (pbuh) has mentioned in a hadith that even though the best generation is of the Sahabah, then the Tabi’een, then the Taba Tabi’een, there will be a generation of people at the end of time and the ajr of one of them will be equal to the ajr of fifty! So the Sahabah asked, “Fifty of us or fifty of them?” Rasoolullah (pbuh) said, “Fifty of you.”

So the Salah will be like the Salah of fifty Sahabah. You fast one day and it will be like the fasting of fifty Sahabah. The ajr is multiplied by fifty, why? Because of the difficulty of that time.