inkandmusk

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Life is a constant struggle, and a feeling of weariness never departs your side, sometimes that of your body and at times of things that reside in your heart and refuse to go away. You have to strive either way, whether it’s for dunya or Akhirah, so why not direct all of your endeavours for the sake of Allaah?

I heard someone last night crying, but it wasn’t a normal type of cry. This person was crying in the tashahhud, weeping at “كما صليت على إبراهيم وعلى آل إبراهيم”

This is not to assume someone’s inner state, but a cry like this is from the tightness of the dunyā…

It brought back memories سبحان الله, when I used to cry like this too… my eyes were constantly extremely swollen and I’d cry everywhere, and make no exception of my salāh.

In a way, I wish I cried out of fear for Allāh, the way the righteous do, and their genuine longing to Allāh, not out of the pressure of some dunyā matter. I did long for Allāh in those days, a lot, but did I long for Him during my times of ease in the same way? At the same time, these type of tears taught me that I really had none but Allāh, among many other lessons, and forced me back to Allāh to rectify my affairs between me and Him.

Though, there’s a difference between ورجل ذكر الله خاليًا ففاضت عيناه (or as Rasūlullāh said) and someone who tears up due to a dunyā matter and then redirects that pain to Allāh.

It’s not wrong at all, and actually the servant finds immense sweetness in constantly returning to Allāh, and in times of hardship it has a special sweetness to it. But I say this to remind myself and to keep it in check, my nafs needs to distinguish between the fine line of sincerity and true inābah (in times of ease and other than it) and simply feeling dunyawi pain.

It’s the same thing for wishing for shaهـādah, when do we long for it most? When we’ve got all we want out of this dunyā and have every want and need of ours? Or is it when we’ve been afflicted and want a way out of this dunyā completely? Again, I’m not saying wrong or right or shaming anyone (but myself), but remember that the only condition to be granted the level of shaهـādah even if one dies upon their bed (as in the Hadīth) is: sincerity. Do you think asking for it in the latter situation is more sincere than the former?

May Allāh grant us sincerity and make us among the truthful. May Allāh make us among those who truly enjoy His company in all times.

Pitter and patter

In the last third of the night

Pouring torrents,

A breathtaking sight

Lightning and thunder,

Signs of His Might

The bedrooms are dark,

But the hearts are alight

Tearful supplications,

To be guided aright

Cheeks are soaked,

Like the earth outside

Iman swelling,

As if the high tide

If the skies weep in His fear,

My eyes shall do the same

May the sins be washed away,

In the late night rains

True Value Lies in Iman

While worldly possessions are shared among all, Iman is a distinct honor. This hadith reminds us that true worth isn’t in what we own, but in the faith we’re granted.

Ibn Mas'ud said:

“Allah gives the Dunya to those He loves and to those He does not love, but He grants Iman only to those He loves. So when Allah loves a servant, He grants him Iman.”

[al-Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah]

«reviving the heart»

‎Imām Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

‎ "The Qur'ān revives the heart the way water gives life to the Earth."

‎مفتاح دار السعادة–٢٥٠

A believer never enjoys his sin, never finds his delight completed. Rather, even while committing the sin his heart is faced with grief, though the intoxication of desire covers up his feeling of it.

If the heart ever becomes void of this remorseful ache and the joy of sinning overpowers any feeling of remorse, then one should doubt one's faith, and cry over the death of his heart.

Were the heart alive, the committing of sin would make it sad, upbraid and constrict it, and it would sense it.

A wound, after all, does not cause pain to a corpse.

[ Madarij al-Salikin ] Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzi

The heart grows rusty due two things: through heedlessness and sins.

It is cleansed by way of two things: Seeking forgiveness and the remembrance of Alläh.

Remembrance of the most merciful Imãm ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751H) | P.no. 111

Never think highly of yourself when people praise you. The only reason they are praising you is because Allah has veiled your sins. Without that veil I swear by Allah many people would look at one another with pure disgust

‫وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَن یُقۡتَلُ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمۡوَ ٰ⁠تُۢۚ بَلۡ أَحۡیَاۤءࣱ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَشۡعُرُونَ﴿ ١٥٤ ﴾‬

‫وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَیۡءࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَ ٰ⁠لِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَ ٰ⁠تِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِینَ﴿ ١٥٥ ﴾‬

‫ٱلَّذِینَ إِذَاۤ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِیبَةࣱ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّاۤ إِلَیۡهِ رَ ٰ⁠جِعُونَ﴿ ١٥٦ ﴾‬

‫أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ عَلَیۡهِمۡ صَلَوَ ٰ⁠تࣱ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةࣱۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ﴿ ١٥٧ ﴾‬

—————————————————————

And do not say about those who are killed in the way of Allāh, They are dead. Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not.

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, Indeed we belong to Allāh, and indeed to Him we will return

Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.

إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون

قَالَ: قَرِيباً أَجَلِي، بَعِيداً أَمَلِي ، سَيِّئاً عَمَلِي

My death is near, my hopes are far, and my deeds are bad.

Do not be surprised if, in our times, the voice of delusion is loud while the voice of truth seems quiet.

Remember, Abu Jahl loudly proclaimed his falsehoods near the Ka’aba, while Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم quietly recited the Words of Allah in the house of al-Arqam.

And what was their fate?

The first was slain and discarded into the well at Badr!

The second ascended to the Highest Heavens, where he conversed with his Lord at Sidrat al Muntaha

Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله said:

التناسب الذي بين الأرواح من أقوى أسباب المحبة فكل امرىء يصبو إلى ما يناسبه

The compatibility between souls is one of the strongest causes of love, for every person is drawn / yearns for what suits them.

(67)كتاب روضة المحبين ونزهة المشتاقين - ط العلمية

وكلُّ شيءٍ حُرمتَ منهُ؛ رُحمتَ مِن شرّه.

And everything you were deprived of, you were spared from its harm.

Ka’b ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said :

عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ أَرْوَاحَ الشُّهَدَاءِ فِي طَيْرٍ خُضْرٍ تَعْلُقُ مِنْ ثَمَرِ الْجَنَّةِ أَوْ شَجَرِ الْجَنَّةِ

Verily, the souls of martyrs are in green birds, hanging from the fruits of Paradise, or the trees of Paradise.

(1641) سنن الترمذي كتاب فضائل الجهاد باب ما جاء في ثواب الشهداء

I am weary of life.

If death were sold, I would buy it,

longing for Allah, yearning to meet him.

They asked, are you sure of your deeds?

No, not at all.

But I love Him, and I think well of Him.

Would He punish me while I love Him?

❝ When Allah blesses you with a chance to help and support your brother, recognise it as a true blessing! Consider yourself the one being helped. Allah has bestowed upon you the blessings to help others and cleanse yourself. You are a mere vessel of opportunity—either you help or you don’t. Remember, Allah will always find a way to support and aid His faithful slaves. Allah selected you and preferred you for the opportunity to be presented to. But if you don’t help yourself by giving charity and reject this blessing of Allah, you have no one to help you and you are accountable for every penny. The angels will make Duah against you and your fortune sooner or later will diminish as it’s void of the blessings of Allah. Exactly what happened to those before you. ❞

— Shaykh Musa Jibril حفظه الله

Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said:

يا من ضاع عمره لا شيء استدرك ما فاتك في ليلة القدر فإنها تحسب بالعمر.

O you who have wasted your life, nothing can make up for what you’ve lost except the Night of Decree (Laylatul Qadr), for indeed, its value is equal to a lifetime.

(191)كتاب لطائف المعارف فيما لمواسم العام من الوظائف - ط ابن حزم

Fasting all day and then feeling full after the first bite of food is the perfect example of how temporary this dunya is.

Many think abandoning Qur’ān = abandoning reciting it, and this is wrong!

Shaykh Sulaymān al-‘Alwān (فك الله أسره)

❝It’s necessary to contemplate and ponder over it, since Allāh may He be Glorified and Exalted said:

وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا

“And the Messenger has said, “O my Lord, indeed my people have taken this Qur'an as [a thing] abandoned.” [25:30].

Many people think that abandoning the Qur’ān is to abandon reciting it, and this is wrong! Abandoning the Qur’ān consists of various levels;

Abandoning reciting it, abandoning implementing the Qur’ān, abandoning pondering over the Qur’ān, abandoning making tahākum to the Qur’ān, and abandoning seeking shifā’ (cure) through the Qur’ān.❞

Shaykh Sulaymân al-‘Alwân فك الله أسره was asked: What is the ruling on abandoning Suhûr?

He answered: Abandoning Suhûr is an imitation of Ahlul-Kitâb, and some of the people are lenient regarding the matter of Suhûr, claiming that they do not desire it. It is a priority for the Muslim that he does not miss Suhûr, even by drinking a sip of milk to differ from Ahlul-Kitâb, and to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ‎ﷺ.

It has come in the report from ‘Amr ibn al-‘Âs that the Prophet ‎ﷺ said: “The difference between our fasting and the fasting of Ahlul-Kitâb is eating shortly before Fajr.” Narrated by Imâm Muslim.

This is indicates that [having] Suhûr is a differentiation from Ahlul-Kitâb, and differing from them is a very [important] aim in the Sharî’ah.

While discussing the merits of the second half of Ramadan, ibn Rajab al-Hanbali mentioned the following more general point:

[كل زمان فاضل من ليل أو نهار فإن آخره أفضل من أوله كيوم عرفة ويوم الجمعة وكذلك الليل والنهار عموما آخره أفضل من أوله ولذلك كانت الصلاة الوسطى صلاة العصر كما دلت الأحاديث الصحيحة عليه وآثار السلف الكثيرة تدل عليه ]

"For every virtuous time – whether it be in the day or the night – its latter part is more virtuous than its earlier part. Take for example the day of ‘Arafah and the day of Jumu’ah. Likewise, this applies to the night and day generally speaking, that the latter part is more virtuous than the earlier part. That is why “the middle prayer” is the ‘Asr prayer, as is indicated by authentic hadith narrations, and a great number of statements from the salaf also support this."

[Lataa'if al-Maraa'if pg. 176]

How can the tears of a believer not flow over the departure of this month when he does not know whether he has enough of his life to see it returning [the following year]?

— Lataa’if Al-Ma’aarif | P. 373

قال الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم:

لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ،

لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ وَلَا مَنْ خَالَفَهُمْ، إِلَى قِيَامِ السَّاعَة

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

A group of my Ummah will always remain on the truth and dominant, unharmed by those who fail to support them and those who defy them, until the Last Hour begins.

[Sahih Muslim]

More than half of Ramadan has passed—wake up from your slumber before it’s too late! Rise, seek mercy, and race toward the gates of Ar-Rayyan. Let these blessed nights be your turning point, for the doors of forgiveness are still open, and the chance to earn Allah’s pleasure is within reach. Strive now, before the final moments slip away

You wish to be patient, so you're tested with hardships.

You wish to be disciplined, so you're tested with temptations

You wish to be kind, so you're tested with unkind people.

You wish to be enlightened, so you're tested with mistakes

You wish to be grateful, so you're tested with loss and adversity

You wish to be forgiving, so you're tested with being wronged

You wish to be steadfast in faith. so you're tested with doubts and trials.

You wish to be consistent, so you're tested with interruptions

You wish to love, so you're tested with being alone

Do the people think that they will be left to say, We believe' and they will not be tested?

29:2

“Do not ask me about my life, for it is the secrets of life. It is both a gift and a hardship, a world of wishes I have entrusted to Allah, then I moved forward in the company of the righteous.

As for my path, it is the Quran, the sword, and trials.

Allah has blessed it, and before me, the Prophets walked it, as did the caravans of martyrs. It was nourished by rivers of blood, and thus it became a fragrant garden, framed in light.

As for my fate, it is what pleases Allah and what He wills, whether it is victory with clear triumph or martyrdom and eternal life. And if I find myself on this earth with limited time, then let me be the symbol of heroism and guidance, or woe to my existence.”

انما هي ايام قلائل والموعد الجنة

It is but a few days and Jannah is the promise

The Forgotten Sister

My dear sister whom I have not met, Let me begin with my apologies for that is all I can offer, I’m sorry I can not do more than apologies, But in my dua is where your remembrance lies, I’m sorry your screams and cries go unheard of in the depths of the night, under ground in dark rooms of confinement where strangers imprison you and hurt you, I’m sorry they raped and bruised you, Broke you and shattered you, Squeezed you and shackled you, Choked you and battered you, I’m sorry I was too busy with my life, I wasted my time on my phone chilling out, Checking out what’s new and what’s old, I maybe only thought of you once every few months, Your screams I could not bare so I chose not to listen, We all overlooked you and your struggle, We kept quiet just so we don’t get in trouble, We had the answer all along, I’m sorry we’re too busy saying you and those that defend you are wrong, Once upon a time a single tear falling from your eye would have ranked and sent forth armies to your defence, But it seems as though this ummah has lost its common sense, Sometimes I imagine being in your place, But every time I do I feel like I’m lost in time and space, I admire your strength, If this test was given to just anyone they would have surely crumbled, So my dear sister I am sorry, But Alhamdulilah the ummah is slowly awakening and rising, Your relief after hardship is soon, So bear with beautiful patience, For Allah subhanu wata'ala gives His greatest tests to His strongest soldiers. الْحَمْـدُ للهِ الّذي عافاني مِمّا ابْتَـلاكَ بِهِ، وَفَضَّلَـني عَلى كَثيـرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَـقَ تَفْضـيلا Praise is to Allah, Who has spared me what He has afflicted you with, and preferred me greatly above much of what He has created. Make dua for the ummah this Ramadhan, Alhamdulilah we have it way better than others, the purpose of Ramadhan is to remember the less fortunate and the struggle and to be greatful to Allah subhanu wata'ala for all that He has blessed us with, it’s so much more than just refraining from food and drink, it’s a month of beautiful lessons and a month to feed our souls. A reminder to myself first and foremost In Sha Allah.

Ibn al-Jawzi said something profound:

"This world only amazes someone who has no understanding, just like a dream amazes a sleeping person, or imaginary games which the child perceives as reality. As for the intelligent people, they are not deceived by it."

["Kitab al-Lataaif", 27-28]

When Al Junayd Al Baghdadi رحمه الله died, the people saw him in a dream, and they asked him, what did Allah do to you? How was your standing before Allah? He said,

“All those fancy expressions we used to say have disappeared, and all of those complicated words have gone, and all of those sciences we used to teach have disappeared, and nothing benefited us on this day except for a few units of prayer that we used to pray at night”