How do we appreciate Allah?

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good – that you may succeed.” [22:77]

Ruku’ (bowing) and sajda (prostration) – salah is the first step to appreciating our creator. Where is our salah? How active and vigilant are we in getting out of bed? How lazy are we getting to the masjid?

When a non-Muslim who has never seen the Muslim prayer sees someone praying they realise the increase in humility throughout the prayer. We start by standing then we make ruku’, then after standing again we put our faces to the ground for the creator. The progression of salat itself teaches us that we are supposed to grow in our humility to Allah. The more humility we have the more humble we become, the more we appreciate our creator.

So what about in between the salawat?

Allah goes further, He mentions worship and doing good. We as Muslims understand that worship is more than just salah, it is an attitude. How we conduct ourselves everyday, how we walk, talk, dress, deal with others – our daily prayers are what shape these traits. Our salah is not merely a behaviour, it should have a direct effect on how we think, our attitudes to daily life.

If salah simply becomes just a form of exercise we will not see a change in our personalities. We must take a step back and review our prayer. Do we truly feel the humility or is it simply a chore?

Our salawat are the pillars that hold our day together, the foundation of a Muslim’s life. This is why we must plan our days around the salah and not the salah around our days.

May Allah make us of those who are truly appreciative of Him through the salah and our daily lives.

Allah knows best.

Seek refuge with Allah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Shaytan is the biggest enemy to mankind and wishes to make us all follow his path into hellfire. There is nothing that corrupts his plans more than when we obey Allah. One of the commandments of Allah is to recite Qur’an. Allah says:

“So when you recite the Qur’an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy].” [16:98]

Shaytan will approach when we sit and open the book of Allah, reminding us of things we may have to do or putting thoughts in our heads to derail us from pondering over Allah’s words and thus puts us off reading; this will happen every single time we try to read, even in our salah. Allah commands us to seek refuge with him from the shaytan every time we recite. Allah then follows up on this ayah:

“Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord.” [16:99]

This tells the Muslims that we should not fear shaytan, rather our belief in Allah and the words we utter as He taught us are enough to guard us. Not only to protect us from the shaytan making us lazy or put us off the Qur’an but also to make us misinterpret or turn our guidance into misguidance. Seeking refuge in Allah should not merely be a recitation but a genuine statement from our hearts to keep the shaytan away.

Allah knows best.

Loaning to Allah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Allah says in the Qur’an:

” Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned.” [2:245]

He gives mankind an opportunity, one that many of us overlook or misunderstand. The phrase in Arabic used for “goodly loan” is “qardan hasana” which is referring to a loan that one offers someone without a date of return, thus the receiver may return the loan whenever they are able or fit to. Allah here is asking us to give Him a loan which may seem odd since He is the one who provides us with everything we possess.

So what kind of loan is Allah talking about here? The first thing that comes to our minds is wealth, our money, giving charity and spending in the path of Allah. However, that is only part of it as Allah does not say “whoever spends from their money”, rather He covers all of what He has given us, as mentioned in another ayah:

“Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward.” [57:7]

Thus it is not merely our wealth but also our skills, our ability to control our emotions etc. An example could be anger; if one were to be provoked and the anger is held back for the sake of Allah, that is a loan – and Allah tells us that it will all be paid back in multiplicity.

How will it be paid back we may ask? Many of us assume all the wealth we spend and sacrifices we make for the sake of Allah will be paid back in money but that’s not always the case. Allah can give us back things that are worth a lot more than wealth such as physical/mental health, stability of family relations or most important of all: mercy in the afterlife. Assuming money is all that we should get back and within our own set time is not what “qardan hasana” is all about.

As Muslims, we spend for Allah and do not look at what we get back. We as believers must be fully convinced by Allah’s words when He tells us that He will give back to His slaves. Allah ends with a reminder for us all, that we shall return to Him. That day is when what we see as valuable now will mean nothing and all that will be left is what we spent in the dunya.

May Allah make us of those who spend in His way, from our wealth, abilities and more in the sincerest and purist form.

Allah knows best.

Tools to keep away from zina

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

As explained in a previous post, zina is one of the worst major sins that can be committed. The simple explanation of zina is sexual relations outside the bond of marriage. Allah does not only prohibit zina but even going near it is considered part of the sin. He says:

“And do not go near unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.” [17:32]

We live in times now when everything is sexualised. From movies to children’s cartoons/toys, even walking outside in the West is a fitnah. Undoubtedly it is one of the most difficult times to live in terms of zina especially for the youth who are constantly exposed to filth.

For those who truly wish to avoid it will have to put in the work. Allah only helps those who begin by helping themselves; we try our best then Allah makes things easier. Here are a few tools for those who sincerely wish to abstain from it:

  • The prophet (ﷺ) said: “O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty (i.e. his private parts from committing illegal sexual intercourse, masturbation etc.), and whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power.” [Bukhari] For our parents and elders, remember: when marriage becomes expensive and difficult, zina becomes cheap and easy.

 

  • We all know that Allah has ordered both males and females to lower their gaze but it seems that we as mankind have difficulty in this, especially in our times. Not to say that the one who stares is not to be blamed, they are responsible for their sight, but for those who struggle there is a way to work towards stopping it: every time you stare at the opposite sex, make istighfar and pray 2 rakat or read a page from the Qur’an. This in turn will counter the sin as Allah says:

“..Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” [11:114]

Not only this but the shaytan will then link the stare with the prayer and Qur’an thus he will eventually avoid pulling you towards the sin in order for him to avoid you performing the good deed.

 

  • Stop watching filthy movies and TV shows. This is not only including films with implicit scenes such as sexual activity or free mixing in clubs etc. but also those with inappropriate sense of dress. Women with tight or revealing clothing and makeup etc. or men dressed in a certain way revealing what is to be covered (from the navel to the knees) – these things will entice the body towards filth thus making it more difficult for the soul to tackle such desires.

 

  • Stop accessing websites that you know will have material that will entice your sexual desires. This does not only include pornography (which is completely out the question) but also certain pages in social media sites or certain people’s profiles, don’t click on or follow their streams or posts and stop chatting with the opposite sex. Our electronic devices can either be a great tool or completely lead us astray – one must be weary of its power.

 

  • Try to keep busy in life. If you find yourself doing nothing at all, do not stay alone unless it is in ibada (praying, reading Qur’an etc.). Stay with your family or go to the mosque, put yourself in a good environment. The places you go to and what you are doing will effect your desires and in turn effect your ability to control them.

 

  • Watch who you are hanging out with. Your environment affects your mood and your ability to control your feelings. If you are free mixing or sitting with people who have no consciousness of Allah or Islam, it’s better not to be there in the first place. Mix with good people who fear Allah and remind eachother of goodness instead of evil.

 

  • Keeping pure is another tool. Make wudu every time you go to the bathroom and ghusl every time you shower. Try to keep it throughout the day and before going to bed. Purity of the body in this manner will purify the soul. Allah says:

“..Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” [2:222]

For those who Allah loves, there will always be ease in their hearts.

 

  • Make dua. When Allah sees His slave trying, He will make things easier without any doubt, ask Him for help through dua. Never forget that Allah knows your struggles. However big or small, He knows it all and it is all recorded. Allah says:

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.” [6:59]

He also reminds His slave:

“And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein” [50:16]

Let us remember, tools such as these will not vanquish the desire but merely help keep it in control and will only help if we are already fulfilling our main duties as Muslims (such as our 5 daily prayers).

Allah tests us in this world through our desires and what we sacrifice for His sake is what will allow us to succeed, for our end goal is not temporary pleasure this world but permanent jannah in the next.

May Allah help all those who are struggling with the fitna of zina especially the youth.

Allah knows best.