Wednesday, July 31, 2013

5:13 PM

DOES GOD EXIST ?

As-Salaam-O-alaykum, wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh.

I just finished/published my Post ALLAH KARIM - 4 describing proofs of Allah Karim's existence through human nature that I came across this interesting write up. Read and reflect :

Buddha was gathered together with his disciples one morning, when a man came up to him:

‘Does God exist?’ he asked.

‘He does,’ replied Buddha.

After lunch, another man came up to him.

Does God exist?’ he asked.

‘No, He doesn’t,’ said Buddha.

Later that afternoon, a third man asked the same question:

‘Does God exist?’

‘That’s for you to decide,’ replied Buddha.

As soon as the man had gone, one of his disciples remarked angrily:

‘But that’s absurd, Master! How can you possibly give such different answers to the same question?’

'Because they are all different people, and each one of them will reach God by his own path.

The first man will believe what I say.

The second will do everything he can to prove me wrong.

The third will only believe in what he is allowed to choose for himself.'

MAY ALLAH KARIM MAKE US FOLLOW OUR FITRAH (NATURE) AND ENABLE US TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE IF WE HAVE TO CHOSE : AAMEEN.

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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4:33 PM

ALLAH KARIM - 4

As-Salaam-O-alaykum, wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh.

Allah SWT Says :

It is He Who brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when ye knew nothing; and He gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affections: that ye may give thanks (to Allah).

Do they not look at the birds, held poised in the midst of (the air and) the sky? Nothing holds them up but (the power of) Allah. Verily in this are signs for those who believe.

AN-NAHL (16) : 77-78.

Having discussed the Intellectual Proof of Allah Karim's existence let us see how Human Nature (Fitrah) provides the proof :

When faced with calamities, man has the instinct to call upon “Allah Karim”. This is because as humans we are created to be as such and most agree that a person’s “self” calling upon a “supreme being” in extreme situations is part of man’s nature. Allah reminds us in the Quran that this natural instinct (Fitrah) of us calling upon Allah is part of Adam’s creation. He says in the Quran:

(Remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed and made them testify as to themselves (saying), “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes! We testify." AL-AARAAF (7) : 172

He also says:

(Remember) Ayub (Job), when he cried to his Lord, “Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy. So We answered his call. We removed the distress that was on him. We restored his family to him and the like thereof along with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all who worship Us. AL-ANBIYA (21) : 83-84

Even Firawn (Pharaoh), who is famous for his pretense of denying the (existence of) Allah Karim, was convinced about it inwardly. Allah says in the Quran about Firawn and his people:

They belied them (those verses and signs) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their own selves were convinced thereof. AN-NAML (27) : 14

Again, not only we sense our instincts to call upon Allah in extreme situations, Allah’s reminding us of this facet of our nature in the Quran is another proof of His existence and as our Creator.

In the next Post we shall In Sha Allah discuss Proof through other (Divine) Religions (Judaism and Christianity).

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

5:34 PM

دعاۓ خیر !

!اے محبت و پیار کرنے والے اللّٰہ کریم

!اے پروردگارِ کائنات

!اے عرشِ عظیم کے مالک

!اےصمد

!اے سننے والے وسوسوں کے، جاننے والے رازوں کے، اور ماننے والے عرضداشتوں کے

!اے اپنی مرضی کرنے والے

سوال کرتا ھوں تجھ سے تیری بےکراں عزت کا واسطہ دے کر جس کا احاطہ نہیں کیا جا سکتا

!تیری قوت کا سہارا لے کر جس کا کویٔ مقابلہ نہیں

!تیرے نور کے وسیلے سے جس سے سب کائنات منور ھے

کافی ھو جا ھمارے لیٔے

!کافی ھو جا ھمارے لیٔے

شیطان مردود کے شر سے

ھمارے نفوس کے ضرر سے

ھماری خام خواھشات کے اثر سے

دنیا کے بہکاوے سے

!آخرت کے ڈراوے سے

ظالم کے ظلم سے

بدکردار کے ستم سے

خائن کی خیانت سے

جھوٹے اور بد دیانت سے

رھنما کی بے روی سے

!شعبدہ بازوں کی بازی گری سے

اے فریاد رس ھماری فریاد کو پہنچ

!اے فریاد رس ھماری فریاد کو پہنچ

!اے حلاالمشکلات، دافع البلیات، مسبب الاسباب، الرحم الراحمین

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Monday, July 29, 2013

1:49 PM

ALLAH KARIM ONLY IS 'THE DISPOSER OF AFFAIRS' - PLACE YOUR UNEQUIVOCAL TRUST IN HIM !

As-Salaam-O-alaykum, wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh.

Allah SWT Says :

............And put your trust in Allah Karim as enough for you is HE SWT as a Disposer of Affairs. AN-NISA (4) : 81.

Life in this mortal world is characterized by a sustained scramble to survive, succeed and prosper. It requires persistency, industry and singular sincerity of purpose with a very vibrant thought process. Innumerable vistas exist....illuminated and straight.....and shadowed by acute darkness and fraught with fraud.

The 'Disposer of Affairs' wants us to TRY and there is a promise of very genuine AWARD or REWARD dependent upon the endeavor. MOST OF THE MANKIND BELIEVES IN THIS....yet most of it is sidetracked too as its indulgence seeks many other DISPOSERS.

We keep experiencing this throughout our lives that THINGS HAPPEN ONLY THE WAY PROVIDENCE WANTS THEM TO......yet we are generally anxious, looking for the short cuts with the killing expectation that THINGS MUST HAPPEN as WE WANT THEM TO.

If our expectations materialize WE WORKED FOR IT and if otherwise; then SOMEBODY UNDID US.....Belief regarding 'Disposer of Affairs' stays in the oblivion.

Yesternight during Trawih Prayers penultimate recited Surah was FAATIR and in the second Ayat, Allah Karim Says for all of us :

What Allah out of his Mercy does bestow on people there is none [who] can withhold: And what He SWT does withhold, there is none [who] can grant, apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power, full of Wisdom.

May we all work for our cause with utmost sincerity and May we all place our Trust in the Disposer of Affairs for the legitimate REWARD.

AAMEEN.

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Sunday, July 28, 2013

1:58 PM

LONG WAY FROM HOME !

Assalamu-Alaikum !

18th Day of Ramadhan Karim Mubarik - everyone.

What a month? Loyalty, Control, Patience, Industry and "I AM ON" personified. Quest is Allah Karim's pleasure and even the HALAL is 'a refrain' for most part of 24 Hours.

Friends; since SEHAR I am in a strange HAAL (milieu), 'Long Way from Home' in a 'Celestial Company'......(and I want to take you along).

There is an uninterrupted stream of 'FLASH BACKS'..BADAR..CONQUEST OF MAKKAH.....GRAVES OF EXALTED ONES IN SYRIA......ADI BIN HAJAR staring in the face of DIGGERS and telling them here I am fresh as a ROSE after 1400 years, IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE YOU 'SUBMIT' NOTHING WILL....BECAUSE 'THE STAMP HAS BEEN AFFIXED' ON YOU.

There is MAQAM-E-BADAR and NUSRAT-E-KHUDAWANDI.........Unarmed, poor and weak Mohajiroon, Awosis and Khazrajis; 313 only before the battle hardened, skillful swordsmen, champion archers and hate filled 1000 of Quresh with all their might......dusted in the brown dust of Badar at the hands of same unarmed, poor and weak.

There is URWA BIN MASOOD SAQFI pleading at Hudaibiya saying O Prophet ﷺ be our leader and forget about these MOHAJIROON and ANSAAR as they will desert you on which the mild and compassionate Abu Bakr takes out his sword saying O YOU WORSHIPER OF LAAT what did you say? Restrained only by Prophet ﷺ ... And then there is MUGHIRA (for whom once URWA had paid BLOOD MONEY for 13 murders) shoving URWA away from Prophet ﷺ when as per the tradition of Arabs URWA touched the beard of Prophet ﷺ.

See when the agreement of Hudaibiya is being drafted and the leader of Quresh delegation is Sohail Bin Amr whose own son ABU-JANDAL walks in chained, bruised and tortured shouting "I BEAR WITNESS THAT THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH AND MUHAMMAD ﷺ IS ALLAH KARIM'S SERVANT AND PROPHET."

There are Khubaib, Summaiya (Aale Yasir) laying their lives for the truth.

There is Bilal under extreme torture proclaiming 'AHAD AHAD' (There in only one God) persistently.

There is Sumaira rushing like a gushing wind towards the Prophet ﷺ when some one intercepts her telling that your husband and sons have embraced Martyrdom....SHE RETORTS BACK 'Thousands be sacrificed on the name of Muhammad ﷺ in the way of TRUTH.......some one whispers :

حسنِ یوسف پہ کٹیں مصر میں انگُشتِ زناں

سر کٹاتے ھیں تیرےﷺ نام پہ مردانِ عرب۔

There you see the Khyber falling.

Khalid Bin Walid, Ikrama bin Abu Jahl and many other coming to the fold of TRUTH.

There the Caravan of Truth enters Makkah from where once it was forced to leave in the darkness of night. There you see the Idols falling....and there you see the Grace, The Mercy, The Compassion, The Forgiveness, the Humility, The Submission all in their glittering galore. NO REVENGE, NO HATE and NO HASTE.......ONLY GRATITUDE FOR ALLAH KARIM and LOVE AND MERCY FOR ALL.........AND IT IS RAMADHAN KARIM !

Wondering I ask the ever-pensive Iqbal as to how quickly those men and women had fathomed and became the living exegesis of that what you had to remind us 1300 years later :

کی محمدﷺ سے وفا تو نے تو ھم تیرے ھیں

یہ جہاں چیز ھے کیا؟ لوح و قلم تیرے ھیں۔

The serene ABD-ALLAH looks up and says :

نھیں ھے ناامید اقبال اپنی کشتِ ویراں سے

ذرا نم ھو تو یہ مٹی بڑی ذرخیز ھے ساقی۔

and goes on :

شب گریزاں ھو گی آخر جلوۂِ خورشید سے

یہ چمن معمور ھو گا نغمۂِ توحید سے۔

IN SHA ALLAH.

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Saturday, July 27, 2013

1:11 PM

آج کی دعا !

اے اللّٰہ کریم ! مجھے اپنی محبت اور اُس شخص کی محبت، جِس نے تجھ سے محبت رکھی، اور جو تجھ سے محبت رکھتا ھے، اور اُس عمل کی محبت جو تیری محبت کے قریب پہچانے والا ھو ۔ عطا فرما

اے بارِ اِلٰہی ! اپنی محبت کو میرے نزدیک پیاسے کو پانی کی محبت سے زیادہ محبوب بنا دے

اے اللّٰہ کریم ! مجھے ساغرِ نبوی ﷺ سے ایسا جام پِلا جس کے پینے کے بعد مجھے کویٔ پیاس نہ رھے

!اے الرحم الراحمین ! تیرا کرم درکار ھے

!آمین ! بحقِ طہٰ و یاسین ﷺ

!بجاہِ یا اللّٰہُ،یا اللّٰہُ ، یا نُورُ، یا رحمانُ، یا ذوالجلالِ والاکرام

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Friday, July 26, 2013

5:32 PM

ALLAH KARIM - 3

Assalamu-Alaikum !

Allah SWT Says :

Have they never learned to think for themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without [an inner] truth and a term set {by Him}: and yet, behold, there are many people who stubbornly deny the truth that they are destined to meet their Sustainer! AR-RUM (30) : 8.

We discussed the concepts of Eeman in the previous post. Lets summarize those concepts:

FAITH IN ALLAH's EXISTENCE

Allah proclaims His existence in the Quran by presenting multiple proofs and arguments, some of which are as follows:

Recognizing Allah’s existence through the use of human intellect.
Recognizing Allah’s existence through ones fitrah (natural human instinct)
Proof through other (Divine) Religions (Judaism and Christianity)

Intellectual Proof for the Existence of Allah

The creation of this universe and the order held therein forces one to think about the originator of this miracle. On pondering, one realizes that this universe couldn’t have started from nothing and the order with which it is held is a miracle in its own right. Even more astounding is the manner in which Allah assertively proclaims Himself in the Quran as the originator of this creation and maintainer of this order. This eloquent description of the various aspects of this universe’s creation can only be found in the Quran. Consider the following verses in the Quran:

“Were they created by nothing or were they themselves the creators?” AT-TUR (52) : 35.

“It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. They all float, each in an orbit.” YASIN (36) : 40.

“This is the creation of Allah. So, show Me that which those (whom you worship) besides Him have created.” LUQMAN (31) : 11.

“Verily! Those whom you call upon besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, even if they combine together for the purpose.” AL-HAJJ (22):73.

The proclamation and confident assertion in these verses about Allah’s creation of this universe gives credence to the deity and existence of Allah.

Human Nature (FITRAH) Proves the Existence Of Allah SWT

....................will be discussed in next Post In Sha Allah.

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

2:29 PM

CHERISH THE BRIEF CRACK OF LIGHT BETWEEN TWO DARKNESSES

Assalamu-Alaikum !

Allah SWT Says :

Or [else, their deeds are] like the depths of darkness upon an abysmal Sea, made yet more dark by wave billowing over wave, with {black} clouds above it all: depths of darkness, layer upon layer, (so that) when one holds up his hand, he can hardly see it: for he to whom Allah Karim gives no light, NO LIGHT WHATEVER HAS HE !. AN-NUR (24) : 40.

Deadly darkness surrounds us through our deeds, deals and destiny. We debut in this world through darkness. Our exit from the world takes us to another darkness. Dark shadow of Devil follows us persistently during the little break we have in between the two darknesses.

The cradle rocks above the abyss, and the common sense tells us that OUR EXISTENCE IS BUT A BRIEF CRACK OF LIGHT BETWEEN TWO ETERNITIES OF DARKNESS.

Although the two are identical TWINS, man, as a rule, views the prenatal abyss with more calm [oblivious of the consequences and forgetful of the promises made in that first conference with the Creator] than THE ONE HE IS HEADING FOR {due to love for the brief light he enjoys and fear of the unknown}.

What is the course then? CHERISH THE BRIEF CRACK OF LIGHT BETWEEN TWO DARKNESSES .......AND..........PREPARE TO HANDLE THE UNKNOWN IN A BEFITTING MANNER.

I SEEK ALLAH KARIM'S BLESSINGS, LIGHT AND HELP FOR EVERYONE.

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

3:22 PM

ALLAH KARIM - 2

Assalamu-Alaikum !

Allah SWT Says :

Are you not aware that it is Allah Karim Who causes the clouds to move onward, then joins them together, then piles them up in masses, until you can see rain come forth from their midst?

And He it is Who sends down from the skies, by degrees, mountainous masses [of clouds] charged with hail, striking therewith whomever He wills and averting it from whomever He wills, [the while] the flash of His lightning well-nigh deprives men of their sight !

It is Allah SWT Who causes night and day to alternate: In this [too], behold, there is surely a lesson for all who have eyes to see. AN-NUR (24) : 43-44.

In the previous post we finished with a Hadith describing Allah's right over us. We must, therefore, strive to learn about His rights over us. We can know more about Allah by properly understanding the concepts of Tawheed and to inculcate those principles in our hearts. The principles of Tawheed should never be taken lightly because they mark the boundaries of entering Islam. Believing in those concepts brings one in the fold of Islam and denying them puts one out of Islam. Various aspects of Tawheed are :

Eeman (belief/faith) in Allah comprises of the following distinct concepts:

Faith (Eeman) in the Existence of Allah: This refers to believing in Allah – not just any God – but specifically Allah Karim as the supreme being of this universe and all that exists therein.

Faith (Eeman) in the Rububiyah (Lordship) of Allah – This refers to believing in Allah as the true Lord of this universe and as the controller of all aspects of this universe.

Faith (Eeman) in the Uluhiyyah (Worship) of Allah – This refers to singling out only Allah SWT as the One who is worthy of any worship.

Faith (Eeman) in AL-Asma WAS-Sifaat (the Names and Attributes) of Allah – This refers to belief in Allah’s names and attributes.

TO BE CONTINUED.........

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

5:54 PM

APPRECIATE...DON'T CRITICIZE.....AN EMPTY VESSEL PRODUCES HOWLS !

Assalamu-Alaikum !

The Camel and the Critic - (Arab oral tradition)

An Administrator, a Painter, a Poet and a Critic were crossing the desert.

One night, to kill the time, they decided to describe the camel that was accompanying them.

The Administrator went into the tent; in ten minutes he wrote an objective report on the animal’s importance.

The Poet also took ten minutes to describe the animal’s nobility in beautiful verses.

In a few rapid strokes, the Painter offered his friends a drawing.

Finally the Critic entered the tent.

He came out two hours later, by which time they were all annoyed at how long he was taking.

“I tried to be quick, but I discovered flaws in the animal,” said the critic.

“It doesn’t run. It’s uncomfortable. It’s ugly.”

And he handed his friends a wad of pages with the title:

“The perfect camel, or how God should have made the camel.”

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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1:44 PM

ALLAH KARIM - 1

Assalamu-Alaikum !

Allah SWT Says :

Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, and the succession of night and day; and in the ships that speed through the Sea with what is useful to man; and in the waters which Allah Karim sends down from the Sky, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and causing all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon; and in the change of the winds, and the clouds that run their appointed courses between Sky and Earth; {in all this} there are messages indeed for people WHO USE THEIR REASON. AL-BAQARAH (2) : 164.

One of the questions that we need to ask ourselves is whether we really know Allah the way He ought to be known? Because, if we truly knew Him, we would fear AND WORSHIP Him the way he ought to be feared AND WORSHIPED, follow His commands, and would not suffer from weakness of faith.

The primary way for us to know Allah is to understand the concepts of Tawheed and ensure that we inculcate those principles in our hearts. These basics must be understood by every Muslim because they constitute the essence of Islam and knowing and believing the concepts of Tawheed makes one a MUSLIM.

Allah Karim the Supreme Being of this universe – revealed the message of truth through His Prophets and completed it through Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and gave us Quran to enable us to live meaningful lives and to help us succeed in the hereafter. Reflecting on that message with an open mind and heart has allowed many from mankind to recognize and believe in Allah as the sole deity of this universe. Once our minds clearly know Allah as our Creator and Sustainer, we can better understand Allah’s rights over us and can also help us to worship Him the way we ought to worship Him as our Creator.

The prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Allah’s right over His servants is that they worship Him without associating any partner with Him in worship, and their right over Him is that He does not punish anyone who worships Him without associating any partner with Him in worship.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

We shall continue with the subject in the coming Posts too to remind ourselves that the more we know Allah SWT, the more we will be able to establish the right relationship with Him.

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

2:40 PM

ماں کا کریم لمس اور جادو کی جپھی - 'THE 'BLESSED TOUCH' OF A MOTHER AND 'THE MAGICAL HUG

Salam.

A little 'happening', a little 'reflection', a little 'nostalgia'; have yielded this 'little' post. Hope my friends like it. The post centers around a Mother hence very appropriate it is to quote Rasool Ullah's (ﷺ) two Ahadith out of many:

Your Heaven lies under the feet of your mother (Ahmad, Nasai).

A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah SWT! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?' The Prophet said: Then your father. (Bukhari, Muslim).

A quote goes; "A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."

My son Saad Hasan is just a little over 7 years old...full of life to the extent of being 'hyper active'...Football, Cricket, Cartoons and ear picking (others) are his favorite activities.....Nutshell A STAR OF THE HOUSE....LOVED AND ATTENDED TO BY EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY.

Every day early in the morning he moves into our bedroom and asks his mother for a 'جادو کی جپھی' (The Magical Hug); goes to sleep in her arms for sometime and then starts up with his routine.

Just before the advent of Ramadhan Karim we went to our native village to see near and dear ones. Saad accompanied us and insisted on staying there for sometime; I declined and he brought SIFARISH of his ABU JAAN (My brother is called Abu by all children of the family), so I had to relent. He stayed back, was very happy and asked us to send Summer Vacation Home Work and Books to him immediately.

2-3 days back we started receiving frantic calls to get him ..Yesterday he called his elder brother and broke down...Who left immediately for the village and brought him back...

He came in...gave a look of a Plant which had gone without water and sunshine for quite sometime....burnt, laid back and depressed. Everyone gathered around him....asking questions as to what had gone wrong? Was he not looked after properly?.....

The spontaneous reply which came forth is the reason for this post. He said he was loved by everyone, looked after, cared and hugged but there was no 'جادو کی جپھی' (THE MAGICAL HUG OF THE MOTHER).

ماں تجھے سلام !

SALUTE TO EVERY MOTHER !

........Akhtar N Janjua.....

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Monday, July 15, 2013

2:48 PM

HOW TO LIVE ISLAM WITHIN A FAMILY

Salam !

Worth a read and practice:

Strong family ties built on the teachings of Quran and Sunnah provide the necessary foundation for a happy and joyous household and in turn contribute to the overall health of a society. On the other hand, members of troubled families struggle to maintain calm within and watch helplessly as day to day troubles tarnish and strain their relationships, and as a result grapple with daily stress in their lives. In extreme cases, this might result in corrupting the very foundations of societies at large. As family members, therefore, everyone has the obligation to take the necessary measures to strengthen these foundations.

Having a family is a blessing and its members must work to make family life at home peaceful and joyful. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Allah has made for you in your homes an abode …” [Surah al-Nahl:80]

A home is also a place of protection from the fitnah (corruption) of the outside world. The Prophet (S) said:

“The safety of a man at times of fitnah is in his staying home.”

Islamic teachings based on the foundation of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet (s) provide us with those guidelines. To benefit from those guidelines, we ought to “live” Islam within our families. We do not become Muslims simply by being born into a Muslim family. Rather, Islamic character is formed from a combination of parental efforts, personal struggle, prayers and supplications.

The necessity to bring Islam within our families is underscored by Allah telling us in the Quran to protect ourselves and our family members from the fire. He says in the Quran,:

“O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.” (Surah Tahrim:6)

Protecting one’s family from the fire refers to fostering a guiding environment for our families. The Prophet (S), too, stressed that we all actively help lead our families in the right direction. He (s) said:

“Allah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about his flock (those for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or neglected it, until He asks a man about his household.”

We know that the walls of a home have little to do with the building of healthy dynamics within family members. That usually comes from living our lives according to the principles of Islam. So, how do we live Islam within our families and nurture a good home? This post reviews six principles that families can use to live Islam within their families. This in turn can help in building the foundations of a joyous family.

Make home a place for the family to worship Allah SWT

Let us start with the basics. Allah clearly tells that He created us to worship Him. That involves following His commands in our daily lives as well as remembering Him through various Ibadat such as prayers, Quran recitation and so on. Within a family, we need to ensure following all that is needed to fulfill our minimum responsibilities of worshiping Him along with helping others to perform theirs. For example, Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (S) used to pray qiyaam at night, and at the time of Witr he would wake her up to pray Witr. (Reported by Muslim, Sharh al-Nawawi, 6/23).

The importance of family members frequently engaging in Allah’s worship at home is evident through other ahadith as well as the Quran. Allah says in the Quran (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We inspired Moosa and his brother (saying): ‘Take dwellings for your people in Egypt, and make your dwellings as places for your worship, and perform al-salaah, and give glad tidings to the believers.’” [Surah Yoonus:87].

In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Do not turn your houses into graves …” (Reported by Muslim, 1/539).

One of the signs of a home that is filled with Allah’s remembrance is for it to become lively at Tahajjud, Fajar, and other prayers. This habit alone can bring tremendous peace to one’s household. The importance of this habit is obvious from a hadith where the Prophet (S) said:

“The likeness of a house in which Allah is remembered and the house in which Allah is not remembered is that of the living and the dead, respectively.”

With regard to men, the Prophet (S) said:

“The best prayer is a man’s prayer in his house – apart from the prescribed prayers (which should be in a masjid).”(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 731).

With regard to women, the prophet (S) said:

“The best prayer for women is [that offered] in the furthest (innermost) part of their houses.” (Reported by al-Tabaraani. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3311).

A home filled with the remembrance of the Lord will no doubt find an aura of peace and tranquility in its midst that it may not otherwise find possible.

Keep Satan out of the House

Allah has told us in the Quran that Satan is our enemy and we should do everything to keep Satan out of our lives. Satan hurts us by misguiding us toward evil deeds, making the bad look acceptable, bringing misfortune in our lives and families, and so on. The more we succeed in keeping Satan’s tactics and curses away from our lives and our homes, the fewer will be the fights, arguments, misunderstandings, etc., and the more will we enjoy Allah’s peace and blessings.

Both Allah and the prophet (s) have told us how to ward off Satan’s whispers and other evil tactics. For example, when entering a house, we should ensure that everyone welcomes the others at home by saying the Islamic greeting of “Assalamualaikum”. Muslim reported in his Saheeh that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“When any one of you enters his home and mentions the Name of Allah when he enters and when he eats, the Shaytaan says (about himself): ‘You have no place to stay and nothing to eat here.’ If he enters and does not mention the name of Allah when he enters, [the Shaytaan] says (to himself), ‘You have a place to stay.’ If he does not mention the name of Allah when he eats, [the Shaytaan says], ‘You have a place to stay and something to eat.’”(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 3/346; Muslim, 3/1599).

Abu Dawood reported in his Sunan that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“If a man goes out of his house and says, ‘Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah (In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, there is no help and no strength except in Allah),’ it will be said to him, ‘This will take care of you, you are guided, you have what you need and you are protected.’ The Shaytaan will stay away from him, and another shaytaan will say to him, ‘What can you do with a man who is guided, provided for and protected?’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi. Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 499)

Another tactic to keep Satan away from the house is for family members to recite Surah Al-Baqarah regularly. As this surah is long, family members can alternate in the recitation of the Surah. The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Do not make your houses into graves. The Shaytaan flees from a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited.” (Reported by Muslim, 1/539).

He (S) also said:

“Allah wrote a document two thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, which is kept near the Throne, and He revealed two Aayaat of it with which He concluded Soorat al-Baqarah. If they are recited in a house for three consecutive nights, the Shaytaan will not approach it.” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 4/274, and others. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1799).

Let Respect, Kindness and Trust Rule the Affairs of the Family

Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

‘When Allah – may He be glorified – wills some good towards the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/71; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 303).

Each individual has a unique identity and individuality that deserves to be respected. Giving time to listen to each other and helping solve problems in the light of Islam will make a household more conducive for productive problem solving. On the contrary, a home filled with frequent argumentation, disputes, and quarrels will only foster bad feelings and is something that stands counter to the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Let’s remember that the prophet (S) associated an argumentative and disputing attitude with misguidance. He said,

“A nation never went astray after being guided except by means of disputation(Tirmidhi #3253 and ibn Majah #48 on the authority of Abu Umamah).”

In this context, we should also exercise the use of our tongues with great care. The Prophet (S) said:

“Blessed is the one who controls his tongue…”

Family members should also uphold each other’s trust and ensure that family matters stay private unless there is a specific need to share it with others. This especially pertains to spousal issues and matters. The prophet (S) said,

“One of the most evil of people in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who went in unto his wife and she went in unto him, then he (she) disclosed her (or his) secret.” (Reported by Muslim, 4/157).

There are other ahadith that clearly and strictly warn the spouses (likening them to devils) when they let others in their very private matters.

Foster a Culture of Islamic Learning and Knowledge

Fostering and nurturing a learning environment at home where family members share Islamic teachings regularly can help all members to become more knowledgeable about Islam, improving one’s life in turn. Let’s remind ourselves that the prophet (S) used to teach his wives / family and even servants quite regularly. Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“We must teach our children and wives the religion and goodness, and whatever they need of good manners. If the Messenger of Allah (S) used to urge the teaching of female servants, who were slaves, what do you think about your children and wives, who are free?”

Discussing Islamic wisdom regularly can help us to stay informed and involved in ongoing self assessment. Most of us are usually preoccupied with issues related to our responsibilities, work, relationships and disappointments in life. While discussing these matters with our family members, we can relate them to how the prophet (S) and his companions resolved such matters. We should find opportunities to discuss such issues when everyone comes together as for instance during meal times.

Family members should also use the learning opportunities at home to learn and advise each other on matters of Halal and Haram. This can help us ward off Satanic whispers related to making haram appear as acceptable. Let’s remind ourselves that once we cross those lines and start characterizing the bad as acceptable, Satan further raises those limits and does not stop until he completely pushes us into the darkness of evil and shirk (polytheism).

Another way to foster a learning environment at home is for each family to instill the love of Islamic literature and books. So, beyond keeping a Quran and a book on Hadith, the family should look to maintain literature on Quran interpretation and books of renowned Islamic scholars that can help family members get a deeper insight into the wisdom of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Make Family Decisions through mutual Consultation

Involving the family in important matters before making a decision ensures closeness among the members. Allah says in the Quran,

“… and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual consultation…” [Surah al-Shoora:38].

Mutual consultation allows for each member to have a sense of importance and responsibility. Besides, when trying to solve a problem, the more brains that are involved, the better the chances for a solution. Problems can be resolved with one-on-one conversations between parents and children, and other family members. Rather than venting frustrations and focusing on the problems, family members should find ways to engage in conversations where solutions are sought in an amicable manner. Venting frustrations, blaming each other, harsh tones, and demeaning each other not only does not solve problems but also sours relationships and closes all doors for future consultations and trust. Let’s remember the hadith of the prophet where he compared harshness with good behavior. He (s) said,

“Allah loves kindness and rewards it in such a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else.”(Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-Birr wa’l-Sillah wa’l-Aadaab, no. 2592).”

Understand and Fulfill Responsibilities Toward Other Family Members

Living with other family members also necessitates that each of us learns the rights of others. As Muslims, we should know the rights of our parents, children, spouses, siblings, and others. For example, Allah provides us clear instructions about kindness to parents. He (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) Has instructed us:

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor reprimand them but address them in terms of honor.

And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.” (Surah Bani Israeel: 23,24)

As we can see, the Quran is clear with regard to our duties to our parents. By fulfilling our responsibilities towards them we can also serve as a good example to our children in the practice of patience and kindness. Similarly, we should learn our responsibilities in dealing with our children. When parents recognize the child as an individual, address him and include him / her in discussions on general topics, a proper rapport is formed and the child finds it easier to obey them. Reminders could be given and situations that parents themselves were in could be discussed to help each other get and stay on the track of Islam. When parents make the mistake of considering themselves perfect (and their imperfections are quite obvious!) they lose their own credibility and the respect of their children as well.

This applies to other family members as well. Knowing the rights of other individual within the family can help us fulfill our responsibilities as prescribed to us by Islam and can help us live Islam within our families.

Conclusion

The Quran and Sunnah provide us ample guidelines on various aspects of living Islam within a family and one article is not enough to cover the above topics in detail. Examples include verses of Surah Al Muminun (23: 1-11), Surah Luqmaan (31:13-19) and others. When the elders and responsible parties of a household highlight the importance to live Islam within a family, and practice these virtues and manners, this inspires the children to learn as well.

Finally, let’s remind ourselves that to simply becoming knowledgeable about these issues doesn’t help unless we live by these practices. One of the Islamic scholars stated that:

If faith (eemaan) was simply knowing the facts in one’s heart, then that is similar to Satan’s situation because he was very knowledgeable about his Lord (rabb), yet his arrogance and pride led him to become argumentative and disobedient to Allah, and in the process became the worst of creatures.

COURTESY : IqraSense.com

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Make home a place for the family to worship Allah SWT

Keep Satan out of the House

Let Respect, Kindness and Trust Rule the Affairs of the Family

Foster a Culture of Islamic Learning and Knowledge

Make Family Decisions through mutual Consultation

Understand and Fulfill Responsibilities Toward Other Family Members

Conclusion

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