"How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He brought you to life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you [back] to life, and then to Him you will be returned."
— Quran [2:28]
The Weeping of ‘Umar (radiyallaahu ‘anhu)
The Weeping of ‘Umar (radiyallaahu ‘anhu) could be heard from the last rows, as it has been reported to us by ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad, who said: ‘I heard the sobbing of ‘Umar from the last rows, while he was reciting the verse from the Qur’aan:
I Only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah. (Surah Yoosuf: 86)
Reported Al-Mukhtasar (1/182), Al-Bayhaqee (2/251) & mentioned in Weeping from the fear of Allah, by Husayn Al-Awaayisah, Page 25
We never complain to people that are not close to us. If we see someone we have not seen for a while and he/she asks us how we are doing, we respond with “fine, alhumdullillah” or “good”. We will never go deep into our troubles nor complain. But when we are near our loved ones, we tend to complain. Even a grown man will end up complaining to his mother.
Just like this, we should complain to Allah. And this does not mean we should say “why did you put this on me? come on..”. That is being ungrateful. We should complain to Him as we complain to a doctor. We complain to a doctor of all our pains and sufferings so that he/she can help us get better. We rely on his help. And this is the same we should expect from God, His help.
(via callingtopeace)
Surah Imran [3:7-9]
7. It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah . But those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord.” And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.
8. [Who say], “Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.
9. Our Lord, surely You will gather the people for a Day about which there is no doubt. Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise.”
I am posting these ayahs because I feel that many people these days try to take the wrong meaning from Quran. Islam is meant to be easy for us which God tells us (correct me if I’m wrong). Using that excuse, some people belittle necessary acts of worship…which is in a way, taking the wrong meaning. God knows best. Good reminder though.
"I really admire the Muslim practice of praying five times a day, at designated times. That devotion to prayer is the equivalent of saying, ‘I don’t find time for God in the midst of my life. I find time for life in the midst of my God.’"
— Christopher Yamas (via skycloudsky)
(via cheesyme95)
This is what I don’t understand. When I talk about how important praying is.. and try to write articles reflecting the crucial importance of salat *refer to self entries* I get told that “hey, if they are not praying they may be doing something else equally important and you never know…” or when…
If getting “closer” to deen makes you more intimidating, less gentle, less compassionate, and more judgmental, then there is definitely something majorly wrong.
Need for Speed: The Fast and the Righteous!
by Khawlah Bint Yahya
Today I am sharing a very familiar ayah with you, but from an angle beyond this life. Let’s start.
Did you know everything which is familiar to you now will change one day? Your house, your car, your city. You will look around and witness a breath-taking scene. The laws of physics will not work anymore. Welcome to… The Day of Judgement. The universe is now not relevant anymore. Everything you once had, it’s gone. All focus now is on 3 things: Paradise, the Hellfire, the Bridge.
Allah [swt] will wrap the universe in His Hands. Stop for a moment. Can you imagine this?
All that matters now is that Paradise is there and Hellfire is there and a bridge will be brought over the Hellfire. It is called: as-Siraat. Today we learn about this bridge and how it effects you.
The Ayah: this is for real
Imagine you are standing at this Siraat. Underneath is the Hellfire, across it is Paradise. Where you want to go so badly. No matter how rich, poor, good or bad you are, you will first have to cross this bridge.
How do you know how to cross it?
This is where the Mercy of Allah [swt] comes into play. He [swt] gives us the chance every day to practise how to walk over this bridge and go to Jannah. How?
Look at what you daily say in Surah al Fatihah: ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem.
We say ‘guide us to the siraat, the path which is straight.’ This is a spiritual path in this dunya, the path of Islam, the Quran and the Sunnah. And it is your training to walk that bridge.
However, one day, this straight path will become REAL. And how you walk on the Siraatul Mustaqeem in this life will be how you will cross the bridge. Believe me, fast cars, being beautiful and having lots of money won’t get you to the other side. This is for real.
Thinner than hair, sharper than a sword…
Abu Saeed al Khudri said, “The Siraat (bridge) is thinner than hair, sharper than a sword.”
A voice calls out. It’s your turn now to go. You look in front of you. There are hooks and clamps everywhere, doing what? They grab people and injure them and they throw people in the Hellfire. Some people’s arms will be connected to their legs and then thrown off the bridge. You hear screaming, you see people slipping. They will fall for 70 years until they hit the bottom of the Hellfire. Other people will pass like the wind or with the speed of lightening and make it to the other side. Now the question is; who will you be? Will you fall or will you walk?
Out of gas?
Some people will get stuck on the bridge and cannot move. Like what happens to your car when it’s out of fuel. Now, what is your fuel on that bridge? Your fuel is your DEEDS. When you are out of deeds you will be stuck there with all those hooks trying to grab you. It’s time to think now, what do you need this day when you have to cross the Siraat?
Allah [swt]says:
“Whoever turns away from my dhikr (“ I don’t have time to read the Quran, I’m too busy to supplicate..”), verily for him is a difficult (narrowed down) living, and We raisehim on the day of resurrection, as blind. [Surah Taha 20:124]
Imagine if you can’t see and you have to cross the bridge. But that’s not it. The sun and the moon will be joined and they will lose their light. So it will be pitch dark. You need two things to cross:
Light so you can see and speed so you can cross. And guess what? Both of them are related to your deeds.
You need light and speed!
The more good deeds, the more noor (light) you will have. Some people will have a mountain of light in front of them; other’s light will go on and off, because their deeds in this life were weak. Remember the bridge is a challenge in itself and not being able to see won’t make it easier. So let’s collect as much light and speed now we can!
Here are 5 deeds to help you cross the Siraat.
The Prophet [saws] said:
- “Whoever recites Suraht’l-Kahf every Jumu’ah, it will be for him a light from his distance to Makkah.”
So put this in your weekly schedule. - “Don’t pluck your grey hairs because it’ll be noor, light for you on the Day of Judgment.”
A wisdom behind this is when you see your grey hair, you remember time is running out. You remember death. - “Salah is light, sadaqah is light, and sabr is light.”
The light of Salah cools you down, the light of sadaqah extends to others and to sabr is heat, there’s a struggle to it. And all of them will bring you light. - 4. “Whoever supports his Muslim brother for a need that he has, until that need becomes established for him, Allah will make his feet established on the bridge on a day when the feet will slip.”
- 5. “There are 360 joints in the body. Every day, on each joint, there is sadaqah (charity) due.” Whoever prays 2 rakat of the Duha prayer [forenoon], it will fulfil all the 360 joins of charity that’s due!
The Prophet on the bridge: true love
Who is the first to cross the Siraat? It is the Prophet [saws]. Then he turns around and looks out for you and me, his Ummah. And he will stand there and make dua for us: ‘Allahumma sallim’ (O Allah! Protect them!). After all his hardships in life, he can now just leave it all behind and walk straight through the Gates of Jannah. And be happy forever. But he doesn’t. He thinks about you. SubhanAllah.
And what do we do in this life? All he [saws] asked was: ‘lower your gaze’, ‘pray your prayers on time’, ‘cover yourself’, ‘speak good or remain silent..’ But what do we do? We say ‘yes, but I just want to have some fun,’ or ‘ when I’m older I will start practising.’
Let’s ask ourselves after seeing the love of the Prophet at the moment we need it most: How do we show our love for the Prophet [saws]?
Now this is how this one ayah can make you more productive; each time you recite ‘ihdinas siraatal mustaqeem’, visualize the bridge you have to cross!
So focus and amass as much light as possible in this world.
And remember, good deeds = light + speed.
Honouring the Quran with Tears
By Mahmood Sanglay
Crying as an expression of emotion has a deep connection with love for the Quran and love for the Prophet Muhammad (saw).
Love for the Kalam of Allah
The Quran is a fulcrum of love and tears between the Prophet (saw) and his companions. The Words of Allah were revealed to the Prophet (saw), and his companions realized the significance of this phenomenon in their time. Their faith inspired in them awe of the recipient heart of divine revelation. The fact that the Prophet (saw) had received the revealed Word of Allah was no small matter to the companions. Neither is it a small irony that the Prophet (saw) should request any of them to recite this Word to him.
Such a momentous request befell the companion ’Abdullah ibn Masud who is widely regarded as among the highest authorities on the Quran chiefly because he was referred to as such by the Prophet (saw) himself. This companion, in earnest modesty, almost hesitated: “Shall I recite (the Quran) to you while it has been revealed to you?” The Prophet (saw) replied that he loved to hear the Quran recited by someone other than himself.
Weeping for Love of His Ummah
’Abdullah ibn Masud proceeded to recite, but the Prophet (saw) halted him at the following verse of sura An-Nisa: “How, then, [will the sinners fare on Judgment Day,] when We shall bring forward witnesses from within every community, and bring thee [O Prophet] as witness against them?” (4:41)
Tears streamed down the cheeks of the Prophet (saw). Again, the source of his sadness is his deep concern for his ummah. Allah will call on the Prophet (saw) as the witness among witnesses, as the one whose testimony will ultimately be upheld in the final judgment of all. And ultimately, many among his ummah shall fall. Thus wept Muhammad (saw) for love of his ummah. How weep we for love of Muhammad (saw)?
The Quran— the Greatest Stimulus
The greatest stimulus for our tears today remains the Quran. And the reason for this is not only that the Quran is an eminently available and accessible scripture; it is also a popular text recited by the most gifted reciters in the world and familiar to over a billion faithful.
The sound and meaning of the recitation is supported by the emotional state of the reciter. Shaikh Saud al-Shuraim, who seemingly always displays extraordinary control and stoicism in his recitation, breaks down at verses 9 and 10 of sura Naml and does not recover his composure until a minute later. In these verses Musa (as) is assured by Allah to have no fear after he throws down his staff and sees it move like a serpent. Similarly, in a taraweeh prayer in 2009 the shaikh is overcome in his entire recitation of the first 22 verses of sura Qasas, which also deals with the story of Musa (as).
A Bearer of Glad Tidings
The role of Muhammad (saw) is of the most eminent stimuli for tears in Quranic recitation. An example of such a recitation is the one of the Syrian Shaikh, Murtada Bakour, in April 2007 at the Zaytuna Institute, California, USA. The video of the recitation is on YouTube and it captures the sound of a youthful reciter whose exuberance is tempered with the sacred message of Allah’s love for His Prophet (saw).
And the message is that of sura Ahzab, verses 40-48 which addresses the momentous role of Muhammad (saw) as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. The intensity of the emotion elevates the listeners to tears in their deepening love of the Beloved of Allah.
Hearts Softened by the Tears of the Faithful
Every Muslim can claim to love Muhammad (saw), and many are moved to tears by this love. The poignant episodes in his life, many of them referred to in the Quran, should stand out as the foremost sources of inspiration for emulating his model. They should lead to a deeper understanding of the love Allah has for His Beloved. Hearts softened by the tears of the faithful appreciate love of the Prophet (saw) more truly than hearts hardened by the drought of the doubtful.
A Fascinating Dynamic of Love
Love for the Prophet (saw) by the faithful cannot be isolated from the love of the Prophet (saw) for his ummah and the love of Allah for the Prophet (saw). This fascinating dynamic of love is illustrated in a dramatic grand narrative in a particularly poignant hadith reported by ’Amr ibn al ’As. It is recorded in Muslim that the Prophet (saw) wept when he recited the pleas of Prophets ’Isa and Ibrahim (as) as recorded in the Quran in 5:118 and 14:36 respectively.
Both Ibrahim and ’Isa (as) submitted to the authority of Allah Whose decree shall determine the fate of those among their people who refused to heed their warning. However, Muhammad (saw), upon contemplating the fate of his ummah, ventured further and made an earnest appeal to Allah when 5:118 and 14:36 were recited, weeping for the salvation of his ummah and appealing to Allah to forgive us all.
The drama in the hadith unfolds as Allah sends the Archangel Jibreel to enquire from the Prophet (saw) why he weeps. Why does Allah dispatch an angel to pose what seems a rhetorical question to His Most Beloved? The answer lies in the response of Allah to the report of Jibreel: “Verily, We will please you with regard to your ummah and will never displease you.”
What Tears Have We For His Love?
None of Allah’s messengers had been privileged and empowered to petition Allah with the state of the ummah as Muhammad (saw) was. The Most Beloved of Allah implored His mercy out of concern for the fate of his ummah. The tears of the Prophet (saw) was for love of his ummah. What love have we for him? What tears have we for his love? What tears have we for the kalam of Allah?
~Brother Mahmood Sanglay is a professional writer living in Capetown, South Africa.
"Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?"
— Surah Maryam (19:67)
(Source: saytuun, via skewedhearts)
Tell me why reading this initself brought tears to my eyes. SubhanAllah
“It’s those moments when your forehead touches the ground when you’re praying, or when you walk outside all covered up in blazing weather or when you’re reading the Quran and there’s tears in your eyes. Those moments when you know that you don’t need anything or anyone but Allah. Those are the moments I live for”
