'Attaar

In the Arabic culture of old, the spice seller called the 'Attaar, was seen as somewhat a player due to much interaction with women, who were the majority of his customers.

One such 'Attaar was riding into a marketplace on his mule, carrying his product with him, and true enough, he was swarmed by women even before he get to where he was going. They crowded him and his animal, asking him about prices and product.

Unfortunately none of them were attractive, in fact they were all far from it.

Without descending from his mule, he said

واذا الوحوش حشرات

And when the wild beasts were gathered (Takweer : 5)

A woman heard him, and without missing a beat said,

وضرب لنا مثلا نسىي خلقه

And he presents us an example and forgets his own creation (Yaseen :78)

-Al adkhiyah, ibn al Jawzi

The First Crack

Imagine this setting.


Sayidinna 'Umar before him becoming Muslim.


He was a fiery man and was known to be harsh with the Muslims. He beat up his slave upon knowing of her conversion. He was feared and respected in Makkah.


His matching rival was perhaps Abu Jahl himself, another staunch enemy of Islam.


So much so that prophet sallahu alaihi wasalam raised his hands and ask Allah,


"O Allah! Give strength to Islam through either of two men you lov more, "Umar al Khattab or Abu Jahl bin Hisham."


One night 'Umar al Khattab set out from his house and headed to the Kaabah. Lo and behold, he saw the Prophet Praying towards Kaabah. He thought this would be a great time to ambush the Prophet sallalhu alaihi salam. He sneaked behind the kiswah, the Kaaba's covering.


Kaabah at that time, would be generally dark. there are no lights like we see now in the area. It is not surprising, if one can sneaked behind the kiswah unnotied.


Umar came quite close to the Prophet such that he could hear the recitation of Prophet sallalahu alaihi wasalam. Prophet Muhammad sallalhu alihi wasalam was reciting Al Haqqah surah no 69. I have already put up the surah in my last two posts.


Umar thought the words are beautiful and the words were  poetic. He said to himself, this must be the words of a poet just like what the Quraysh has said. Then the Prophet sallalalhu alaihi wasalam said still reading surah Haqqah,

That this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger [i.e. Jibril (Gabriel) or Muhammad SAW which he has brought from Allâh]. (40) It is not the word of a poet, little is that you believe! (41) 

Shocked of this recitation which as if was responding to him, he said, "He must be a soothsayer/"


Then prophet sallahu alaihi wasalam continued his recitation in surah al Haqqah

Nor is it the word of a soothsayer (or a foreteller), little is that you remember! (42) This is the Revelation sent down from the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). (43)

And thus the kufr of darkness in his heart cracked.


Indeed Allah guides whom He wills.





I guess each one of us at one point of time in our life (except those who have remained steadfast since they are young) has a turning point or realigned point in our life. Allah gives plenty of opportunities for us to see this point, most of the time we ignored it and brush the whisper of our hearts.


Allah will continue to give His signs in various ways until we ourselves chose not to from our words, actions and most importantly our hearts. 

Allâh has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearings, (i.e. they are closed from accepting Allâh's Guidance), and on their eyes there is a covering. Al baqarah 2: 7

Indeed Allah will never lead anyone astray after he has shown them guidance.


At Tawbah 9: 115

and Allâh will never lead a people astray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them as to what they should avoid. Verily, Allâh is the All-Knower of everything. 

It's us who refuse to follow.


As Saf 61: 5

 So when they turned away (from the Path of Allâh), Allâh turned their hearts away (from the Right Path). And Allâh guides not the people who are Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, the disobedient to Allâh). (5) 

May Allah continuously give us His Tawfiq and Hidayah for us to be steadfast and make it easy for us to please Him the way He commands us to.

Ihsaan to the End

I was scrubbing the kitchen top the other day and I was thinking to myself, that since I am made to leave this place and they are going to demolish this, then why bother scrubbing it properly. Sufficient that I just wipe a bit so as not to live in grease of the little time I have left. Do i need to even bother water the plants when it will wither even before they demolish the place. Or bother about the ants nest which are beginning to take place. Or bother anything about maintenance of the house.


But then I remembered this story. It is quite famous. It came in a few different versions. The one that I know is the main character is a carpenter. But there are other version that he is a boat maker or something to that effect. The one that the late Yasmin Ahmad coined for a petronas ad took the latter version.

Anyway, there was a carpenter who worked for another man. After sometime he got tired working for him. Perhaps if he retires and become his own boss, he could do much better. Or perhaps he could just retire and enjoy his time with his family.
Of course quitting totally would mean loss of income. But what the heck, he is tired working for other people! It is time to be liberated. So he announced his intention of retiring to his boss.
The owner was sad because he was a good employee. He then pleaded that the carpenter to do just one more house for him. The carpenter, half heatedly agreed. Irked because his heart was full of wanting to quit and felt that his boss was just trying to make things difficult for him.
So, reluctantly he build the house. Not taking much care of the finishing, materials nor workmanship. The result was a shabby house. Not his usual work. Thus he ended his working life with his employer with shabby work unlike his previous usual produce.
Upon completing it, the employer inspected the place and handed the key to the man and said, "This is your house, from us."
Thus the carpenter stared at his own work and regretted on how he chose to end.

This is Yasmin Ahmad's work.








Anyway, back to my main lamenting. Even though it was not me who wanted to leave the house but rather I was told to evacuate, the lesson remains, that I should be treating things the way that it should be treated until the end and the best i can.


This is ihsaan. Doing things in perfection.


Before I was practising, I have always thought that Islam encourages only Zuhood and not perfection which probably explain why many "practising" Muslims are satisfied with mediocre results. Rather, Islam demands ihsaan mostly in worship and also in our daily work and relation with others. Allah has mercy on those who are ihsaan.

Indeed the Mercy of Allah is near to those who do utmost good. [Al Aaraf 7:156] 

This knowledge made me, how shall I say it, bersemangat! To strive my very best in what I do. the best I can. (can't say the same about my arabic lessons though. :( ) May Alah help me. For a bit more reading on how to obtain Allah's mercy on my other blog HERE.


And there is this hadith, Prophet Muhammad sallahu alaihi wasalam said, 

"If the Hour starts to happen and in the hand of one of you is a palm shoot or seedling; then if he is able to plant it before the Hour happens, then let him plant it." As-Silsilah as-Saheehah

A good read HERE insya Allah.


And me moving is not even the end of the world.


May Allah have mercy on me and all of us.

Reading the Hadith Cautiously

I am trying to make a habit to bring  a book when we go out together - me and the kids or when lover is around. So I could read a story to them while we wait for the food. We have not finished the sahabah book yet so I have been taking the book everywhere.

So we read about Abu Ayub al Ansari the other day.I didn't manage to finish the book when the appetizer came, but continued reading. While we were munching the Apple Bees delicious boneless buffalo wing in honey and barbeque sauce  and the celery dipped in the sour cream, I got to this part of the hadith.

Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Hurayrah reported,

Once while Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were sitting, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam came to them and said,

“What has  caused you two to sit here?”

They replied, “By He who has sent you with the truth, nothing has brought us out of our houses except hunger.” The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said,

“By He who has sent me with the truth, nothing has brought me out other than this.”

So they went until they came to the house of a man from the Ansar (Abu Ayub al ansari), and the woman of the house received them. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said to her,

“Where is so and so?”

She replied, “He went to fetch some drinking water for us.” So the man came carrying his bucket and he said, “Welcome. Nothing has visited the servants better than a prophet who has visited me today.” Then he hang his bucket near a palm tree, and climbed it and returned to them with a cluster of dates. So the Prophet sallallah alaihi wasalam said

“Why you didn’t pick (some of them)?”

The man replied, “I wanted you to choose with your own eyes.” Then he took a blade (to slaughter a sheep) and the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said,

“Do not slaughter the one that gives milk.”

So he slaughtered a sheep for them that day and they all ate. Then the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam said

“You will be asked about this on the day of Judgment. Hunger caused you to come out of your homes and you did not return until you had eaten this meal. So this is from the delights.”

We knew the hadith from our at Takathur lesson so I was feeling a bit jittery reading it. haziq was  also looking worried.I read the hadith real slow as I and we actually were worried for we were enjoying the ni'mah more than the Prophet and the sahabahs were in the hadith.

Let me share it with you. Here is the full at Takathur notes in my wordpress.

May Allah forgive our sins - the one we know and we don't know. May we feed ourselves with halal and attain it through halal means also.

___________

Anyway in case you are wondering who Abu Ayub al Ansari is, he is the sahabah from the ansar, that Prophet Muhammad stayed in his house in Madinah when he made hijrah before the masjid an nabawi was completed.

Here is a short story about this great sahabah.

Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb, known as Abu Ayyub Al Ansari, came from the Banu Najjar, and was a dear and close companion of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).

He enjoyed a great privilege many of the Ansar in Madinah dreamt of having.

When Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), reached Madinah after the Hijrah from Makkah, the Ansar of Madinah greeted him with great enthusiasm, love and longing. Their hearts betted for him and their eyes surrounded him with great admiration and love. They wanted to receive him with the most hospital reception they could give.

Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) entered Madinah on his camel. The chieftains of Madinah walked next to him, each and every one of them hoping to get the honor of Prophet Mohamed’s stay at his house. They stood in the way of the procession and addressed the Prophet saying " O Messenger of Allah, please do accept our hospitable accommodation, for we are influential people who are great in number and wealth. We can also guarantee your support and protection.”

Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) mildly urged them to get out of the way of the camel, for it was ordered by Allah to stop at a certain place.

The camel stopped at an open space in front of the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. But Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) did not get off the camel. After a few minutes, the camel started moving once again, however, it turned around, retraced its steps and kneeled in the same place where it stopped before. Abu Ayyub’s face shone with joy and satisfaction. He went out to Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and greeted him with great enthusiasm. He took the Prophet's baggage in his arms and carried them so close to his heart as if he was carrying the most precious treasure in the world.

It was not the first meeting between Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) and Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari. They had met before when the Madinah delegation journeyed to Makkah to take the oath of allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH).

Abu Ayyub's house had two floors. He prepared the upper floor for Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) to stay in. however Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) preferred to stay on the lower one.

Night came and Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) went to sleep. Abu Ayyub ascended to his room, but when he closed the door, he shook with regret and told his wife:

"Woe to us! What have we done? The messenger of God is below and we are higher than him! Can we walk on top of the messenger of God? Are we standing between him and the Revelation? If so, we are doomed."

They were extremely worried, and had no idea what to do. They got some peace of mind when they moved to the other side of the building where they were not above Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).

In the morning, Abu Ayyub said to the Prophet(PBUH):

"By God, we did not sleep all last night, neither myself nor Umm Ayyub."

"Why not, Abu Ayyub?" asked the Prophet.

Abu Ayyub told him how terrible they felt because he was staying below them.

"Don't worry, Abu Ayyub," said the Prophet. "We prefer the lower floor because we have a lot of visitors.”

"We submitted to the Prophet's wishes," Abu Ayyub related, "until one cold night, the roof was damaged and the water spilled on the upper floor. Umm Ayyub and I stared at the water. We only had one piece of velvet, which we used as a blanket. We used it to wipe the water fearing it would seep through to the Prophet. In the morning I went to him and said, 'I do not like to be above you,' and told him what had happened. He respected my wish and we exchanged floors."

The Prophet (PBUH) stayed in Abu Ayyub's house for about seven months until his mosque and his dwelling were built. Thus, he became the neighbor of Abu Ayyub.

Abu Ayyub loved Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) with all his heart and the Prophet also loved him dearly. There was no formality between them. The Prophet (PBUH) continued to regard Abu Ayyub's house as his own.

These are glimpses of Abu Ayyub's life during peacetime, but ever since the Quraish tribe began to fight against Islam, to raid Al-Madinah, the land of Hijrah, and to instigate tribes and organize armies to eliminate Islam, Abu Ayyub became a professional in warfare. He was in the front rows in Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq and the rest of the battles and wars. He devoted himself, his money, and property to Allah.

He did not stay away from any battle the Muslims fought from the time of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) till the time of Mu'awiyah unless he was engaged at the same time in another.

Even after Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) died, Abu Ayyub never turned his back on a battle that the Muslims were destined to fight in.

The slogan that he kept reciting to himself day and night, secretly and openly was that verse of the Qur’an “March forth, whether you are light or heavy”.

He never missed an expedition, except once. He refused to fight in an army, which was lead by a young Muslim assigned by the caliph. Abu Ayyub rejected this choice. This one and only mistake shook his innermost self, and he was always full of regrets as he repeated, “It is none of my concern whoever Ali appoints.” Ever since he made this mistake, he never missed a battle.

It sufficed him to live as a soldier in the Muslim army, fight under its slogan, and defend its sanctity.

The last battle Abu Ayyub took part in was the one prepared by Mu'awiyah and led by his son Yazid against Constantinople. Abu Ayyub at that time was a very old man, almost eighty years old. But that did not prevent him from joining the army and crossing the seas as a graze in the path of God. In this particular battle, he was wounded. The commander of the army went to check on him. He was breathing heavily as if his longing to meet Allah made him impatient with the few minutes left in his life. The commander, Yazid Ibn Mu’aawiyah, asked him, "Do you need anything, Abu Ayyub?"

I wonder if any of you can imagine what Abu Ayyub’s last wish was?

He asked Yazid to carry his body to the furthest point inside the enemy lands and bury him there, then to break through the enemy line until he reached his grave so that Abu Ayyub might hear the sound of the galloping Muslim horses clattering over it and realize that they have achieved victory. Do you think this is poetic verse? No, this not a poetic verse nor a whim of imagination. It really happened. It is a fact that the whole world witnessed one day, and stood there watching and listening, not believing that this could be true. Yazid carried out Abu Ayyub’s will to the fullest extent.

Finally, the body of this great warrior was buried in the heart of Constantinople — Istanbul nowadays.

taken from HERE.

Spoil Me

I was talking to Haziq about Mu'sab bin Umayr. The handsome young man of Quraysh.He was born in a rich family and was raised in a luxurious lifestyle. He wore only designer clothes, expensive perfumes and eat the finest of food. When he passed by, everyone will know that it was Mus'ab who just passed by just by the smell of the expensive perfume in the air.


Whenever prophet Muhammed (صلّی اللہ علیہ وآلہ واصحابہ وسلّم) talked of him, he said "There is nobody more handsome in Makkah than Mus‘ab. There is no person in the city better clothed and fed than Mus‘ab. There is no child brought up with more affection and love than him." 


But things turn to the opposite direction when he found the light of truth - Islam. His family discarded him and refused to do anything with him and left him a poor man. From riches to rags. But Mus'ab was steadfast. He held on to islam. He was a talented youngman with soft speech and charming personality. People get attracted to him when they speak to him. he was a also a fast learner. He was still in his young age, being send as a diplomat to Madinah to teach the people of Madinah about islam and to subsequently call people to islam.


I asked Haziq, how Haziq. How can a young man used to live in  luxury and raised a s a spoiled child,willing to throw all those and become poor and held on to this religion. This is what faith does to you. Steadfastness!


Because Mus'ab is a young man, I said to haziq also. This is what I want from young man liek you. Good speech. Diplomatic. And most importantly steadfast in religion! The bonus is he was handsome. His effort brought many people of Madinah into Islam. Masya Allah may Allah have mercy on Mus'ab and accept his shaheed.


Haziq was awed by this story. But then he said to me, "If you want me to be like Mus'ab, you must spoil me first."


hah! *Tarik telinga* You are spoil enough young man!


_________________________

This is a good article bringing in the perspective of the currrent youth nowadays.

Read

Big city, bright lights. Cars flash in fast lanes. Young Muslims are getting ready to hit the “night scene”. Branded shoes and designer clothes in place, clutching the latest mobile gizmos and sporting the trendiest watches, their perfume smells --- more than anything else – of money.


You can see them “hanging out” in groups, lolling in the bright lights of a megamall, lingering aimlessly in hypershops, buying a knick knack to drive away the boredom; even if it’s just for a second.


You can see them sipping cappucino at a Starbucks café …watching people go by, sharing a joke and laughing raucously; vacant eyes straying over to huge tv screens for the latest football score.


You can see them racing cars dangerously late into the night, music blasting from the stereos, startling passersby while they laugh in their faces. A standard sight.


Each time I see this all-too familiar scene, I find myself thinking of someone. Someone who lies buried in the blood-wet earth of ‘Uhud, feet covered by scented grass and his body covered only by a square woollen sheet that was not even sufficient to cover him completely. Someone who was his mother’s pampered son, he  wore the best clothes his rich mother’s money could buy, his perfume scented the streets he walked through. The talk of Makkan matrons and maidens in their plush salons, the toast of his peers in the city’s clubs, the most flamboyant young man of the Quraysh, who left a life of pleasuring the Self to gain the pleasure of Allaah: Mus’ab bin Umair bin Hashim bin Abd Munaf who was also known  as Mus’ab al Khair.


Mus’ab was only a youth when he heard of the new Prophet who had arisen among the Quraysh and his Message of monotheism; Makkah talked of very little else in those days. His curiosity piqued by all the talk, Mus’ab decided to approach the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam on his own to determine the truth of his Message.


One night, instead of joining his friends in their customary revelry, Mus’ab made his way to the house of Al-Arqaam Ibn Al-Arqaam which came to be known as Daar al Arqaam  among the Muslims. It was here that the Prophet met with the growing band of Muslims, away from the eyes of the Quraysh. It was here that the Companions talked over the future of their faith,  heard and recited newly revealed portions of the Qur’aan and prayed behind the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wassallam to Allaah.

That night, Mus'ab sat down among the gathering of the faithful and heard the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wassallam recite verses of the Qur’aan. From that moment on he forgot for ever his life of luxury and indolence, in the ecstasy of discovering the key to eternal life.

Mus’ab’s path to the faith was not easy – his mother, Khunnas bint Maalik, a strong willed woman infamous for her sharp temper and sharper tongue – was his chief opponent. In order to avoid an unpleasant confrontation with his mother, Mus’ab initially avoided telling her about his new faith. However, people found him frequenting Daar Al-Arqaam more than his usual haunts and saw him coming under the influence of the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. It wasn’t long before news of his conversion reached his mother.
Reacting with the imperiousness of her nature, her pride in her lineage and her age-old allegiance to the gods, she commanded Mus’ab to return and repent to the gods he had abandoned in his “foolishness”; and when he refused, she had him shackled and imprisoned in a corner of the house.

Somehow, news of the first emigration of some Muslims to Abyssinia reached Mus’ab in his incarceration and his heart longed to join his brothers in the faith. Using his ingenuity, he managed to delude his mother and his guards and escaped to Abyssinia with other emigrants. Later, he returned to Makkah with them for a short while and emigrated a second time, this  time as the Prophet [SAW]’s chosen envoy to the new centre of faith: Yathrib.

When Mus’ab returned from Abyssinia, his mother sought to imprison him yet again. But this time he vowed that if she attempted that, he would kill all those who came to her aid to lock him up. She knew the intensity of his determination better than anyone else and so she bade him a final farewell, crying bitterly: Go away, I am no longer your mother.
At this, Mus’ab went close to her and said: O Mother, I am advising you and my heart is with you, please bear witness that there is no God but Allaah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
Enraged, she swore: By the stars, I will never enter your religion, to degrade my
status and weaken my senses!

But Mus’ab entered Islaam in the spirit of the Qur’aan when it says: udkhuloo fi silme kaafah [enter into Islaam completely]. He forsook every semblance of satisfaction of the Self for the sake of Allaah – his dress was tattered, his food was simple, the bare earth was his bed.

One day he went out to meet some Muslims while they were sitting around the Prophet sall Allaahu alayhi wassallam, and when they saw him they lowered their heads and shed silent tears at the sight of the pampered youth of their memory , moving about in wornout patches held together by thorns, which barely covered him. After Mus’ab moved away from the gathering, the Prophet sall Allaahu alayhi wassallam recalled: I saw Mus’ab, and there was no youth in Makkah more petted by his parents than he. Then he
abandoned all that for the love of Allaah and His Prophet.

Recognizing Mus’ab’s noble manners and patience, the Prophet [SAW] commissioned him to instruct the people of Yathrib who had pledged their allegiance to the Prophet at ‘Aqabah, to call others to Islaam and to prepare the city for the eventual migration of the Prophet [SAW].

At that time, there were among the Companions men of sterling character and nerves of steel, men who were older and more experienced in the ways of the world; yet he [SAW] chose Mus’ab as his representative. And Mus’ab proved worthy of the Prophet’s choice many times over, dealing with detractors with patience and sagacity.

Mus’ab entered Yathrib as a guest of Sa’ad ibn Zurarah of the Khazraj tribe. Together they went approached the citizens of Yathrib, explaining the message of Monotheism and reciting the Qur’aan. Once Musa’ab and Sa’ad were sitting near a well in an orchard of Banee Zafar, when they were approached by Usayd ibn Khudayr brandishing a spear in obvious rage. Sa’ad whispered to Mus’ab: This is a chieftain of his people. May Allaah place the truth in his heart.
Mus’ab replied calmly: If he sits down, I will speak to him.

Usayd was angry at the success of Mus’ab’s  mission and shouted angrily: Why have you both come to us to corrupt the weak among us? Keep away from us if you want to stay alive. At this, Musa’ab smiled and said softly: Won't you sit down and listen? If you are pleased and satisfied with our mission, accept it; and if you dislike it we will stop telling you what you dislike and leave. Sticking his spear into the ground, Usayd sat down to hear them out. As Musa’ab began telling him about Islaam and
reciting portions of the Qur’aan to Usayd’s expression changed. The first words he uttered were : How beautiful are these words and how true! What does a person do if he wants to enter this religion?
Mus’ab explained:  Have a bath, purify yourself and your clothes. Then utter the testimony of Truth (shahadah), and perform prayers. Usayd testified that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is His Messenger,  prayed two rakaats of salaah and was followed by another influential man: Sa’ad ibn Muaadh.

By the time the Prophet [SAW] emigrated, there was not a single household in Yathrib in which Mus’ab had not endeared himself and the Message of Islaam. In the subsequent pilgrimage, he led a company of 70 people went from Yathrib to pledge allegiance to the Prophet.

In a famous incident after the victory at Badr, the Muslims captured some Makkans and sought to ransom them. Mus’ab was passing by the ranks of  prisoners and stopped when saw his brother, Abu Azeez ibn Umayr  among them. However, instead of interceding on his behalf, he instructed his brother’s captor to bind him securely and to extract a large ransom for the prisoner, because “his mother is a very rich woman” When the brother sought to remind Mus’ab of his relationship, Mus’ab replied: I only recognize brotherhood of the faith, this man is my brother, not you!
At ‘Uhud, the Prophet sall Allaahu alayhi wassallam chose Mus’ab to bear the battle standard. In the melee that followed the archers descent from the hill where they were stationed, in violation of the Prophet [SAW]’s orders, the Makkans fought back fiercely. Taken unawares by the cavalry of the Quraysh attacking from the rear, the Muslim ranks scattered. Intent on harming the Prophet [SAW], the Makkans  searched for him while he was being guarded only by a handful of companions. Suddenly, someone shouted that the Prophet [SAW] was no more.

It was at this juncture that Mus’ab’s glorious life reached a fitting culmination: Ibrahim ibn Muhammad related from his father, who said: Mus’ab ibn ‘Umair carried the standard on the Day of Uhud. When the Muslims were scattered, he stood fast until he met Ibn Qaami'ah who was a knight. He struck him on his right hand and cut it off, but Mus'ab said:And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him . He carried the standard with his left hand and leaned on it, when
his left hand was cut off, he leaned on the standard and held it with his upper arms to his chest, all the while saying: And Muhammad is but a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him. Then a third soldier
struck Mus’ab with his spear, and the spear went through him.

After the battle, the Prophet and his companions came to the plain of ‘Uhud to bury the martyrs, some of whose bodies had been mutilated by the marauding women of the Qur’aysh. Pausing when he saw Mus'ab, the Prophet [SAW] recited: Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Then he [SAW] looked at the remains of his companions in the battlefield and said: The Prophet of Allaah witnesses that you are martyrs to Allaah on the Day of Resurrection.

There wasn’t enough material to serve as a shroud for Mus’ab. Khabbaab ibn Al-Arat narrated: We emigrated with the Prophet for Allaah’s cause, so our reward became due with Allaah. Some of us passed away without enjoying anything in this life of his reward, and of them was Mus'ab ibn 'Umair, who was martyred on the Day of Uhud. He did not leave behind anything except a sheet of shredded woollen cloth. If we covered his feet with it, his head was uncovered, and if
we covered his feet with it, his head was uncovered. The Prophet [SAW] said to us: Cover his head with it and put lemon grass over his feet.

It was this memory of Mus’ab in his martyr’s grave, that caused companions like Abdur Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf to cry in fear of having no share in the Hereafter, because they had been granted a life of plenty and ease right here in this world. Once his servant brought him a meal to break his fast and ibn ‘Awf burst into tears, remembering Mus’ab who had passed away without tasting the good of this world, to the certainty of eternal pleasure in the Hereafter.
As night falls, I think of the shadows lengthening across ‘Uhud where the martyrs lie buried, when visitors drive off leaving the plain quiet,  dark and peaceful. I think of the graves of the shuhadaa, resplendent with the dazzling light of the truly fortunate: those who are pleasing to Allaah and are pleased with Him.
In the neon dazzle of malls, where countless young Muslims strive daily in the trivial pursuit of pleasure, we would do well to bear the memory of Mus’ab radiyy Allaahu anhu in mind. It may keep us from getting lost in the light.

Toss Me

I'd like to narrate you the story of a sahabah whose name is Al Baraa' ibn Malik. You can read the full version below. But what I like to highlight about him is oneof his acts of courage.

It was on a fierce battle at the place where they later called "The Garden of Death". It was called such because of the large number of deaths during the battle. It was a fierce battle. This occured at the time after Prophet Muhammad's salllahu alaihi salam death. At the time when apostasy emerged. The time when false prophets are beginning to gain followers.

There was Musaylimah the Kazab - Musaylimah the Liar, the false prophet. he had gathered himself enough followers to establish an army.

This is the time of the first Khalifah - Abu Bakr As Sidq. he sent an army to fight The False Prophet and it was a fierce fight whre the Muslims had to restrategise numerous times.

When sometime at the end of the fight, the enemies began to retreat and locked themselves out at the Garden. They locked themsleves inside the garden and the Muslim army counldnt get to them. The enemies started raining arrows on to the Muslim army from the other side of the wall...

Meanwhile there was Al Baraa'. Al Baraa' the brave hero. He said to the Muslims, "Toss me."

AlBaraa (radhi allahtala anhu) said, "Toss me over the wall, I will fight through the entire army and open the door, or die shaheed." They mounted him onto his shield and catapulted him with their spears over the wall into an army of thousands. AlBaraa (radhi allahtala anhu) fought through them and opened the door and the Muslim army defeated Musaylima and his army.

AlBaraa (radhi allahtala anhu) was injured so bad (more than 80 sword and arrow wounds) that they he had to be nursed back to health in Medina for many months.
____________________________________

I heard this story perhaps two years ago. But it reminded me of the scene in LOTR when Gimli asked to be tossed.



So now you know who did it first.

_____________________________________________

Read the full story of one of the greatest sahabahs ever lived. May Allah make this ummah courageous and have the yaqeen of meeting Allah.


His skin's color was pale and his hair was knotted. But it was his skinny frame that made those who did not know him turn away from him in disapproval. Yet it was he who had defeated one hundred of the knights in duels, to say nothing of those whom he had slain in battle.

He was the courageous, ferocious champion at arms of whom the second Caliph 'Umar Ibnul-Khattaab had written to his deputies in the provinces: "Do not put Al-Baraa' in charge of any army. He is so courageous and fierce in the battle field, he may jeopardize the safety of his men without knowing." Such was Al-Baraa' Ibn Maalik Al-Ansaari brother of Anas Ibn Maalik the servant of Prophet Muhammad . If we were to tell every story of his heroic deeds, it would take much time. One event, which we shall describe, will give an idea of similar actions of his.

This story begins in the hours after the death of the Prophet . The Arab tribes of the desert, when they heard the news, abandoned their faith in droves, until none remained within the fold of Islam, save the people of Makkah, Madeenah, Taa'if, and scattered bands of those whose hearts Allaah had made steadfast.

Abu Bakr the first caliph, stood firm in the face of this destructive upheaval. With the Muhajiroon (emigrants) and Ansaar (Supporters of the prophet ) he prepared eleven armed forces, and had each of them march behind a leader carrying the banner of Islam. They were sent to the distant corners of Arabia to turn the renegades back to the path of truth, and to use the threat of force with those who insisted upon corruption.

The fiercest of the apostates, and the greatest in number, were the tribe of Banu Haneefah. A false prophet named Musaylimah had arisen to lead them. He had gathered a force of forty thousand of his own tribe and their allies. Many of them were tough, seasoned warriors, most of them followed him not because they believed in him, but because of the old tradition of tribal affiliations followed by the pagan Arabs. Some of them said: "I bear witness that Musaylimah is a liar, and Muhammad is truthful. But a liar from Rabee’ah is more beloved to me than a truthful one form Mudhar (the Prophet's tribe)."

The first Muslim force which set out to deal with Musaylimah was led by Ikrimah . It was defeated and routed by the forces, of the renegades. Later, Abu Bakr sent another army, this time led by the hero, Khaalid Ibnul-Waleed . In the vanguard of this army were the most prominent companions of the Muhajiroon and the Ansaar, and among them were Al-Baraa' and other notable Muslim champions-at-arms.

The two armies clashed on the field of Al-Yamamah in Najd, and, it was not long before the forces of Musaylimah gained the upper hand, and the Muslim forces were shaken badly. They began to retreat from their positions, until the forces of Musaylimah entered the encampment of Khaalid Ibnul-Waleed . They would have killed Khaalid's wife, if one of them had not granted her his protection. At the point the Muslims realized the danger inherited in losing this crucial battle. They knew that if they were defeated by Musaylimah, Islam would lose its strength, and Allaah would no longer be worshiped in the Arabian Peninsula. People would turn back to idolatry and be lost. Khaalid rallied the Muslim forces and placed each group under a separate banner so that he could keep track of the gains or losses made in battle.

This battle was the bloodiest and most ferocious yet experienced by the Muslims. It dragged on and the forces of Musaylimah stood firm, unshaken by the amount of their losses. The heroic deeds of the Muslims in this battle were of the type about which epic poetry is written.

Thaabit Ibn Qays standard-bearer of the Ansaar, rubbed himself with embalming spices girded himself with a shroud, and dug a shallow trench. He stood there, defending the standard of his people until he fell as a martyr.

Zayd Ibnul-Khattaab, the brother of 'Umar charged forth, calling to the Muslims: "Grit your teeth, strike the enemy and move forward. I am taking a vow of silence and will not speak until Musaylimah is defeated or I meet my creator and tell Him that I died while doing my best." Then he charged forward, engaging in combat until he was slain.

These heroic acts were insignificant before the action of Al-Baraa'. As the battle reached the height of its furry, Khaalid Ibnul-Waleed turned to Al-Baraa' and said: "Lead the assault on them, knight of the Ansaar."

Al-Baraa' turned to his people and cried: "Onward, Ansaar! Let not any of you think that you may return to Al-Madeenah. You have no place to go home. There is only Allaah, and Paradise!”

In one body they charged the ranks of the renegades, with Al-Baraa' cutting through the enemy of Allaah that the tide of battle turned against Musaylimah and his forces. They took refuge in an orchard which became known to history as the Orchard of Death, because of the great number of fighters who were slain there on that day.

The orchard was vast, with high walls and Musaylimah and his thousands of forces locked the entrance. They were able to take shelter behind the walls as if they were in a fortress, and rained their arrows down upon the Muslims. Al-Baraa' came forth, and told his people: "Put me on a shield, raise it on your lances, and toss me over the wall near to the gate. I will open the gates to you, or die as a martyr."

Within moments he was sitting on a shield, with his slight body which weighed little, and dozens of lances lifted him, then tossed him into the Orchard of death. Like a thunderbolt from on high, he descended on the enemy, and killed ten of them before he was able to open the gate. The Muslims poured in through the gates and over the wall, felling with their sword the renegade forces by the thousands, until they reached Musaylimah and killed him.

As for Al-Baraa' he was carried off the field with more than eighty sword and arrow wounds. Khaalid Ibnul-Waleed stayed with him for a month, nursing him until Allaah restored his health, just as He had granted the Muslims victory because of him.

Al-Baraa' continued to long for death as a martyr, a fate, which had eluded him at the battle of Al-Yamamah. In his longing for his fate, and for reunion with his beloved Prophet he committed himself to one battle after another. At the battle of Tustar in Persia, the Muslims who had besieged the Persians became more desperate, they lowered over the wall chains with huge grappling hooks which had been heated until they were red hot. On them, they would impale the Muslims, and would raise the victims up. One of the hooks caught Anas, the brother or Al-Baraa' . When Al-Baraa' realized what was happening to his brother, he scaled the wall of the fortress until he was able to seize the chain and remove the hook form his brother's body. His hand started to burn and give off smoke, but he did not give up until he had saved his brother. Then he fell to the ground, with nothing left of his hand but bare bones.

During this battle, Al-Baraa' prayed to Allaah to grant him death as a martyr. Allaah granted him his request, and he finally fell, overjoyed that he was to meet his Lord.

The Dawn 89: 27-30

Among my favourite ayah is in Suratul Fajr- the last four ayah. This is in Juzz Amma, if you are memorising the quran from An Nas, you will find this surah the longest and probably harder than usual. But just be amazed with the reward of the last four ayahs.

(It will be said to the pious — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! (27)
"Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! (28) "Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

May I now repeat the last two ayahs

"Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

and again

"Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

By no means when I write this, that other ayat of Allah is not rewarding.

When I found these ayahs, I imagine and imagine what if one day, I will actually hear this actually said to me. Perhaps after the sirat. Ya Rabb allow me your jannah. Allahuma Ameen Ya Rabb.

Do try to memorise this portion in Arabic and feel the verses. feel the verses in Arabic. And feel the strive to be among the people with content nafs. Ya Rabb Guide us.

I was listening to a lecture sometime earlier taht there was an elderly - A local in this country. who was suffering with some form of sickness. She spent most of her time on bed doing dzikir and it was an easy thing for her because she was doing it since perhaps forever.

Narrated by Ibn Abbas, prophet Salllahu Alaihi wasalam said
When you remember Allah in good times, He will remember you when you are in hardship.

She was constantly making syukur to Allah - Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.

Indeed a believer is the one who praises Allah at all times in good times and trying times. Alhamdulillah ala kulii hal.

Next to her was the teacher of my Quran teacher. At one point she could hear that instead of her normal dzikir, the elderly was making syahadah. She ran next to her to repeat the syahadah with her for she felt, it might be the elederly lady's time. They repeated syahadah for sometime. Until the elderly lady stopped and recited this.

(It will be said to the pious — believers of Islamic Monothesim): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! (27)
"Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing (unto Him)! (28) "Enter you, then, among My (honoured) slaves, (29)
"And enter you My Paradise!" (30)

And she died after.

What a beautiful death. May Allah have mercy on her. And indeed Allah knows best.

Another beautiful story concerning the ayah here. Are you the sign of the last day?

__________________

I read the tafseer of this ayah (From Ibn Al Katheer)

This will be said to it at the time of death and on the Day of Judgement. This is like the angels giving glad tiding to the believer at his time of death and when he rises from his grave.

Likewise is this statement here. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn `Abbas concerning Allah's statement,

﴿يأَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ - ارْجِعِى إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً ﴾

(O tranquil soul! Come back to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing!) He said, "This Ayah was revealed while Abu Bakr was sitting (with the Prophet ). So he said, `O Messenger of Allah! There is nothing better than this!' The Prophet then replied,

«أَمَا إِنَّهُ سَيُقَالُ لَكَ هَذَا»

(This will indeed be said to you.)''


May we be among those that will hear this very verse too.

The Seeker of the Truth

Qadr Allah, I bumped into some hadith that I read to Sya today concerning a story of a man who seeks for the truth. Qadr Allah the timing of the story was most apt.

The story today, my friends, is about ZAYD bin 'AMR bin NUFAYL.

Zayd bin 'Amr bin Nufayl stood at a distance from the crowds watching the Qurays as they celebrated one of their festivals. He saw the men with their heads wrapped in turbans of teh finest silk, struting along in costly Yemeni cloaks. he could also see the women and children in gaily coloured robes and exquisite jewelry. he looked at the livestocks being driven by the wealthy people, who had even decorated their animals before bringing them to be slaughtered before the idols.

Zayd stood with his back against the wall of the Kaa'bah and said:
"People of Quraysh! the sheep are created by Allah. He brings down rain for them so that they can drink, He brings forth the grass in the pasture so that they can eat their fill, and then you slaughter them, but not in His name. What an ignorant people you are!"

His uncle, al Khattab, father of 'Umar b al Khattab, came forth, slapped him, and said, "May you perish! We have heard this foolish talk from you and tolerated it long enough. Our patience has come to an end."

Then al Khattab called upon some of the cruder members of his tribe, and incited them to assault Zayd. They attacked him, and were so determined in their attempts to harm him that he fled Makkah and took refuge in the mountain of Hira'

Zayd met up with Waraqah bin Nawfal, Abdullah in Jahsh, Uthman al harith and Umayyah bin Adul Muttalib. They discussed how teh arabs strayed into polytheism and Zayd said to his companions, "I swear by Allah, you know that your people are in error, and that they have deviated from the religion of Abaraham and gone against it. if you wish for salvation, you must find for yourselves a religion that you can believe in."

The four men went to scholars of the jewish and the hristian faiths, as well as others, seeking the pure religion of Abraham. Waraqah bin Nawfal became a Christian. Abdullah bin Jahsh and Uthman bin al Harith found nothing which satisfies them. Asfor Zayd bin Amr bin Nufayl, he had a story.

"I studied Judaism and Christianity, but turned away from them, because I found they did not satisfy me. I traveled far and wide, seeking the faith of Abraham, until I reached Syria. Then I heard of a monk who had knowledge of the scriptures, so I sought him out and told my story. he said to me,
"I see that you seek the religion of Abraham, O brother from Makkah."
"Yes," I answered.
He told me, "You are searching for a religion which does not exist today. return to your country, for Allah is going to send a prophet from your own people who will revive the religion of Abaraham. If you are still alive, then commit yourself to it."

Zayd hastily headed back towards makkah, in search of the promised prophet. While Zayd was still traveling, Allah began to send revelation of truth and guidance to His Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasalam. Zayd never reached him, for he was attacked by a band of highway on the road to Makkah. As he breathed his last, Zayd realised that he would never have the joy of seeing the Messenger of Allah, he prayed,

"O Allah! If you must deprive me of this blessing, do not deprive my son Sa'id."

It was the will of Allah to answer the supplication of Zayd, for as soon as the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasalam began to call people to Islam, Said bin Zayd was one of the first people to believe in Allah and the message of His Prophet. It came as no surprise to others, fo Sa'id had grown up in a family which rejected the deviation of teh Quraysh. Sa'id has been raised by a father who had spent his life searching for truth, and had died running after the truth.

Zayd b Nufayl was not alone among the Arabs. There were a few others like him who worshipped Allah alone, followed the way of the Messengers, and eschewed the ways of polytheism. Likewise, there were still some Jews and Christians who remained steadfast on their religion.

All of those people were strangers in their times, living in a world of confusion, contradiction, and division. Indeed, Zayd's own uncle, Khattab ibn Nufayl, was one of his main tormentors, despising him for not worshipping his tribes idols or eating the meat that they slaughtered.

He also never participated in killing girls during the time when it is most common practice among the quraysh.

This is one of my favourite stories of a seeker of the truth.

While we are at awe of their steadfastness of their natural disposition (fitrah), how do we handle ourselves when we are already handed the truth in a silver platter?

Portraits - from the Lives of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad - Adul rahman al basha
_____________________________

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:

The Prophet met Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl in the bottom of (the valley of) Baldah before any Divine Inspiration came to the Prophet. A meal was presented to the Prophet but he refused to eat from it. (Then it was presented to Zayd) who said, "I do not eat anything which you slaughter in the name of your stone idols. I eat none but those things on which Allah's Name has been mentioned at the time of slaughtering."

Zayd bin `Amr used to criticize the way Quraish used to slaughter their animals, and used to say, "Allah has created the sheep and He has sent the water for it from the sky, and He has grown the grass for it from the earth; yet you slaughter it in other than the Name of Allah." He used to say so, for he rejected that practice and considered it as something abominable.

Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl went to Sham, inquiring about a true religion to follow. He met a Jewish religious scholar and asked him about their religion. He said, "I intend to embrace your religion, so tell me some thing about it." The Jew said, "You will not embrace our religion unless you receive your share of Allah's Anger."

Zayd said, "'I do not run except from Allah's Anger, and I will never bear a bit of it if I have the power to avoid it. Can you tell me of some other religion?" He said, "I do not know any other religion except the Hanif."

Zayd enquired, "What is Hanif?" He said, "Hanif is the religion of (the prophet) Abraham who was neither a Jew nor a Christian, and he used to worship None but Allah (Alone)."

Then Zayd went out and met a Christian religious scholar and told him the same as before. The Christian said, "You will not embrace our religion unless you get a share of Allah's Curse."

Zayd replied, "I do not run except from Allah's Curse, and I will never bear any of Allah's Curse and His Anger if I have the power to avoid them. Will you tell me of some other religion?" He replied, "I do not know any other religion except Hanif."

Zayd enquired, "What is Hanif?" He replied, Hanif is the religion of (the prophet) Abraham who was neither a Jew nor a Christian and he used to worship None but Allah (Alone)."

When Zayd heard their Statement about (the religion of) Abraham, he left that place, and when he came out, he raised both his hands and said, "O Allah! I make You my Witness that I am on the religion of Abraham."

Narrated Asma bint Abi Bakr:

I saw Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl standing with his back against the Ka'ba and saying, "O people of Quraish! By Allah, none amongst you is on the religion of Abraham except me." He used to preserve the lives of little girls: If somebody wanted to kill his daughter he would say to him, "Do not kill her for I will feed her on your behalf." So he would take her, and when she grew up nicely, he would say to her father, "Now if you want her, I will give her to you, and if you wish, I will feed her on your behalf."

~ Sahih Bukhari

From 'Aa'ishah radhiallahu `anha that the Messenger of Allaah sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said, "I entered Paradise and I saw that Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl had two levels." [Saheeh al-Jaami as-Sagheer, 3/141, no.3362 . Ibn 'Asaakir]

--------------------------------

Listen to audio about Zayd bin Amr bin Nufayl. About the first 8 minutes is about him. The rest are other relevant seeker of truth Waraqah bin Nawfal and Salman al Farsi.

When Going Abroad

We are taking a winter break and will be travelling Insya Allah. I thought of putting down some reminders for them in their excitement. May we not bring back things that do not please Allah.

I thought of sharing this story with my children (taken from Ar Raheeq Al Makhtum; The Sealed Nectar).

The story is about Amr bin Luhai. He is the chief of the tribe Khuza'a. He was also known as one of the righteous person in Makkah in his time. Do read on.

-------------------------------------

Most of the Arabs had complied with the call of Prophet Ishmael alaihi salam, and professed the religion of his father Prophet Abraham alaihi salam. They had worshipped Allâh, professed His Oneness and followed His religion a long time until they forgot part of what they had been reminded of. However, they still maintained such fundamental beliefs such as monotheism as well as various other aspects of Abraham’s religion.

Until the time when a chief of Khuza‘a, namely ‘Amr bin Luhai, who was renowned for righteousness, charity, reverence and care for religion, and was granted unreserved love and obedience by his tribesmen.

One day, he came back from a trip to Syria where he saw people worship idols. This is a phenomenon he approved of and believed it to be righteous since Syria was the locus of Messengers and Scriptures.

And then he brought with him back an idol (Hubal) which he placed in the middle of Al-Ka‘bah and summoned people to worship it. Readily enough, paganism spread all over Makkah and, then, to Hijaz, people of Makkah being custodians of not only the Sacred House but the whole Haram as well. As a result of this, a great many idols, bearing different names, were introduced into the area. [Mukhtasar Seerat-ar-Rasool p.12]

An idol called ‘Manat’, for instance, was worshipped in a place known as Al-Mushallal near Qadid on the Red Sea. Another, ‘Al-Lat’ in Ta’if, a third, ‘Al-‘Uzza’ in the valley of Nakhlah, and so on and so forth. Polytheism prevailed and the number of idols increased everywhere in Hijaz.

It was even mentioned that ‘Amr bin Luhai, with the help of a jinn companion who told him that the idols of Noah’s folk – Wadd, Suwa‘, Yaguth, Ya‘uk and Nasr – were buried in Jeddah, dug them out and took them to Tihama. Upon pilgrimage time, the idols were distributed among the tribes to take back home. [Bukhari 1/222]

Every tribe, and house, had their own idols, and the Sacred House was also overcrowded with them. On the Prophet’s conquest of Makkah, 360 idols were found around Al-Ka‘bah. He broke them down and had them removed and burned up. [Mukhtasar Seerat-ar-Rasool p.13-54]

Polytheism and worship of idols became the most prominent feature of the religion of pre-Islam Arabs despite alleged profession of Abraham’s religion.

Listen to this: Traditions and ceremonies of the worship of their idols had been mostly created by ‘Amr bin Luhai, and were deemed as good innovations rather than deviations from Abraham’s religion.

I wrote down my lesons from this story in the other lollies' site. Read HERE.

Do share what are the lessons you derive from this story so we can help enrich one another.

We are having it easy

I would like to share with you today the story of one of my favourite soorahs - Suratul Burooj. It is in Juz Amma. Juz Amma is what the malays like to call muqaddam.Or perhaps surah lazim. Hah! I have a story about surah lazim, eh tapi nantilah story. Anyway it is Surah no 85 and it has 22 verses.

I strongly suggest that you memorise this surah. Actually I strongly suggest that you memorise the quran (I have not though :( ) at least aim to finish the whole of Juz Amma first. When one memorises the surah and know the meaning of it or at least the gist of the meaning, the level of concentration is different in solah, Insya Allah.

Anyway, I am putting a hadith that comes with this particular surah. It is a good story in it.

The Book Pertaining to Piety and Softening of Hearts (Kitab Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqa'iq)
Muslim :: Book 42 : Hadith 7148

Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) thus said:

There lived a king before you and he had a (court) magician. As he (the magician) grew old, he said to the king: I have grown old, send some young boy to me so that I should teach him magic. He (the king) sent to him a young man so that he should train him (in magic).

And on his way (to the magician) he (the young man) found a monk sitting there. He (the young man) listened to his (the monk's) talk and was impressed by it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician he met the monk and set there and he came to the magician (late).

He (the magician) beat him because of delay. He made a complaint of that to the monk and he said to him: When you feel afraid of the magician, say: Members of my family had detained me. And when you feel afraid of your family you should say: The magician had detained me.

It so happened that there came a huge beast (of prey) and it blocked the way of the people, and he (the young boy) said: I will come to know today whether the magician is superior or the monk is superior. He picked up a stone and said: O Allah, if the affair of the monk is dearer to Youe than the affair of the magician, cause death to this animal so that the people should be able to move about freely. He threw that stone towards it and killed it and the people began to move about (on the path freely).

He (the young man) then came to that monk and informed him and the monk said: Son, today you are superior to me. Your affair has come to a stage where I find that you would be soon put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial don't give my name.

That young man began to treat the blind and those suffering from leprosy and he in fact began to cure people from (all kinds) of illness. When a companion of the king who had gone blind heard about him, he came to him with numerous gifts and said: If you cure me all these things collected together here would be yours. Be said: I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah Who cures and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate Allah to cure you.

He affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him and he came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him: Who restored your eyesight? He said: My Lord. Thereupon he said: It means that your Lord is One besides me. He said: My Lord and your Lord is Allah, so he (the king) took hold of him and tormented him till he gave a clue of that boy.

The young man was thus summoned and the king said to him: O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so much proficient in your magic that you cure the blind and those suffering from leprosy and you do such and such things. Thereupon he said: I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Who cures, and he (the king) took hold of him and began to torment him. So he gave a clue of the monk.

The monk was thus summoned and it was said to him: You should turn back from your religion. He, however, refused to do so. He (ordered) for a saw to be brought (and when it was done) he (the king) placed it in the middle of his head and tore it into parts till a part fell down. Then the courtier of the king was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. And he refused to do so, and the saw was placed in the midst of his head and it was torn till a part fell down.

Then that young boy was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. He refused to do so and he was handed over to a group of his courtiers. And he 'said to them: Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb up that mountain and when you reach its top (ask him to renounce his faith) but if he refuses to do so, then throw him (down the mountain). So they took him and made him climb up the mountain and he said: O Allah, save me from them (in any way) You like and the mountain began to quake and they all fell down and that person came walking to the king.

The king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them. He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said: Take him and carry him in a small boat and when you reach the middle of the ocean (ask him to renounce) his religion, but if he does not renounce his religion throw him (into the water).

So they took him and he said: O Allah, save me from them and what they want to do. It was quite soon that the boat turned over and they were drowned and he came walking to the king, and the king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them, and he said to the king: You cannot kill me until you do what I ask you to do. And he said: What is that? He said: You should gather people in a plain and hang me by the trunk (of a tree). Then take hold of an arrow from the quiver and say: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the worlds; then shoot an arrow and if you do that then you would be able to kill me. So he (the king) called the people in an open plain and tied him (the boy) to the trunk of a tree, then he took hold of an arrow from his quiver and then placed the arrow in the bow and then said: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; he then shot an arrow and it bit his temple.

He (the boy) placed his hands upon the temple where the arrow had bit him and he died and the people said: We affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man.

The courtiers came to the king and it was said to him: Do you see that Allah has actually done what you aimed at averting. They (the people) have affirmed their faith in the Lord.

He (the king) commanded ditches to be dug at important points in the path. When these ditches were dug, and the fire was lit in them it was said (to the people): He who would not turn back from his (boy's) religion would be thrown in the fire or it would be said to them to jump in that. (The people courted death but did not renounce religion) till a woman came with her child and she felt hesitant in jumping into the fire and the child said to her: 0 mother, endure (this ordeal) for it is the Truth.

This hadith cum story affected me alot. I am born a Muslim. Living in a country where it is easy for me to be a Muslim. No one threatens to kill me if I say Lailahhailallah . No one rips off my hijab and put a saw on my head when I want to obey Allah's command. No one spies on me in case I am making solatul fajr and point a gun at me when I go out in the morning.

I do not have to throw my baby and my family in a trench of fire for obeying Allah!

Currently the one who is telling me to deny Allah's command is my own nafs who is easily defeated by the whispers of Shaytan and the beauty of the world.

If in easy times, we cannot do it for Allah, do we think we can do it when Allah test us with difficult times? Easy life does not stay forever. Look around the world and you can see how difficulties are encroaching us.

Indeed all the tests around us now is nothing compared to the biggest one that is sure to come - the Dajjal. And at that time, we will be as what we are. Our eeman will not increase but in fact will be tested to the core.

If we do not have the eeman now, be rest assured we cannot have the eeman of the People of the ditch during the harder time.

May Allah make our eeman firm!

Do listen to the story of the Companions of the Ditch (Ashabul Uhdood) by Anwar Awlaki for better excerpt of lessons, Insya Allah.

either on youtube



or download the audio from here

Lagi Kisah Ngeri

Somehow, off late I have been thinking about our end of life. Good? Alhamdulillah. Bad? . I seek protection with Allah from it.

I use to know one couple. They were my neighbours. I was in my teens then. They were young and had no child.

I used to lepak at their house because their place was nice. Despite we were living in low-cost houses, they decorated their house in style. In my eyes, at that time, their house was like thouse houses in deco magazine.

Anyway they were beautiful couples. The wife pretty, the husband err tak ingat. Maybe that's why I like to be at their place because I was a teen looking for an examplary figure to emulate (?).

After sometime, the wife found a new interest in modeling. So she was often not in Muar. In KL for photo shoots and what not. So I rarely saw her. I saw her husband now and then.

Then there were stories about the wife enjoying too much time living the new lifestyle. New man. Wild parties and such. The husband, in the meantime, resorted to drinking. He was also trying to get her back or something to that effect. I don't know much because this was cerita-cerita orang tua.

But the wife remained living in the capital city and the husband got scruffier each day in the small town of Muar.

Fate has it, the husband after a binge of drinking met with a fatal accident. he died on the spot. I didn't see the wife after that.

This event gave a big impact on me when I was in my hormone-raged teen. Being the wild teen girl at that time befriending people who drink and take drugs, I was very afraid of drinking for the fear of death in that state.

His death brings me two fear, one : death in the state of sinning, and two :him being the husband died also in the state of anger to the wife. Either way makes me very afraid.

I ask Allah to keep me and all of us in the straight path and to give all of us good ending in life.

May Allah forgive them.

My first Kisah Ngeri Series HERE.

Selesaikan Kisah Itu

When the season of hajj and umrah comes, the stories of one of the great prophets, Prophet Ibrahim a.s. will be retold. i think one will never get bored listening to the seerah, ever!

I remembered reading the seerah of Prophet Ibrahim a.s. left his wife Hajar and his young child, Prophet Ismail a.s. in the hot deserted desert of Makkah. I remembered reading the part that Hajar begged and begged and asked Prophet Ibrahim a.s. whether he is truly going to leave them there. In a place where are no trace of human. And they have no food with them. And story went on that she pleaded to him and pulled his shirt and cried that he does not go and asked him to reconsider.

As we all know, the story went on that Prophet Ibrahim a.s. left the two of them despite her pleadings. Then of course we know that they run out of food and Prophet Ismael was crying out of hunger, Hajar went running up Safa, went down, and went up Marwah and repeated the cycle seven times, until finally Allah sent an angel which scraped off the earth to allow spring of water, zamzam, to flow.

When I first read this version of the story, I felt uneasy. How can anyone just leave a weak woman and child like this? And of course other stories of Sarah's jealousy and all came in. I was torn in between, believing that all prophets are doing good and the message I understand from this story

Then Allah made me found this hadith,

Hajar asked Ibraheem calmly, "Has Allah commanded you to do this O Ibrahim?" Prophet Ibrahim a.s. said, "yes". And she responded, "Then Allah will not abandon us".
(Part of hadith Sahih Bukhari)

This was an extremely difficult situation: a man left his wife and infant son in a barren land, where there were no water and no people, and went back to the distant land of Palestine. he left nothing with her but a sack of dates and a skin filled with water.

If it were not due to the DEEP FAITH and TRUST in ALLAH that filled Hajar's heart, she would not have been able to cope with the difficult situation. Once she knew it was command from Allah, she had complete faith and obeyed. Can we have faith as strong as this?

Allah was preparing a reason to honour her like the ways she is honoured by million of muslims each year repeating the saei rite in umrah and hajj. Subhanallah. She became the woman who is remembered day and night (the holy city never sleeps) everytime one drinks the zam zam and going through saei, as Hajar did on one of her most tiring/ trying day. (partly quoted from the book Ideal Muslimah)

Really how can one have doubts on Prophet Ibrahim a.s.. One of the greatest Prophets who was given among the greatest tests. And we all know among his tests are his love to Allah and to his family. Prophet Ismael was his first and only son at the time and it was not an easy thing to do. He was tested to leave him at the desert and also later to sacrifice him.

After he left both Hajar and Ismail, he walked on without turning back until he reached Thanoya where they could not see him anymore. he faced the Kaabah and raise his hands, invoked Allah

"O our Lord! I have made some of my off spring to dwell in a valley with no cultivation by Your sacred House in order O our Lord, that they may offer prayers perfectly. Fill some hearts among men with love towards them and provide them with fruits so they may give thanks." Ibrahim 14:37

Which version makes you have more iman to the prophets, the Messengers sent by Allah who goes all the way to obey Allah's commands. Knowing that Allah's test are only for good. And a story to teach you to have tawakkul to Allah?

And which one keeps you wondering on the Prophet's maksum (they are protected from sins and are also reminded of them)?

My opinionlah kan, this part of the hadith must be told each time one narrates the story of Prophet Ibrahim a.s.. Insya Allah we can understand the strength of tawakkul. Understand Prophet Ibrahim's obedience to Allah and the sacrifices he made for His sake. Understand also that Allah does thing with His Wisdom and is preparing for greater goodness and honour.

Oh Allah make it easy for all of us to understand the deen.