The lost camel

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيْم

Once upon a time in the Arabian desert, there was a man on a journey through the scorching heat. He spent days feeding and providing water for his camel that was holding all his food and drink for the long journey ahead.

A few days into his journey, the man found some shade and decided to have a nap. He unmounted, tied the camel and fell asleep. When he woke up, to his horror, the camel was nowhere to be seen.

The man called out to the camel in panic, climbed up desert slopes but could not see anything. Hours in, he had lost hope and decided to go back to the shade. Out of pure exhaustion from the heat and no sustenance, he fell unconscious.

As he opened his eyes again a while later, there stood his camel. Jumping up in the great joy he yelled “O Allah! You are my servant and I am Your Lord.” He commits this mistake out of extreme delight. [from Sahih Muslim]

The prophet referred to this story when mentioning: “Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns penitently towards Him than one of you would be on finding the lost camel.” [Muslim]

Allah loves those who repent. May Allah make us of those who continuously turn back to him.

Allah knows best.

Be gentle

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Here is are two stories to show how gentle our prophet really was.

A man once confessed he was doomed because he slept with his wife while fasting in Ramadan, which is a major sin. The prophet (ﷺ) asked if he was able to free a slave. The man said no.

– Prophet (ﷺ) : “Can you fast two consecutive months?”

– Man: “No.”

– Prophet (ﷺ): “Can you feed sixty poor people?”

– Man: “No.”

The prophet (ﷺ) stayed quiet. Soon, a basket of dates was presented to him. The prophet (ﷺ) took the dates, and looked for the man.

“Take these dates and give them in charity.”

The man said dejectedly, “No one is poorer than me, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). By Allah, there is no family in all of Madinah poorer than mine.”

At this, the Prophet’s (ﷺ)  face broke into a smile.

“Take it and feed your family,” he said. [Bukhari]

Anas Ibn Malik narrated:

Whilst we were in the Mosque with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a Bedouin came and stood urinating in the Mosque.

The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Stop it! Stop it!’ and were about to attack him, but the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Do not interrupt him; leave him alone.’ So they left him until he had finished urinating.

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called him and said to him, “In these Mosques it is not right to do anything like urinating or defecating; they are only for remembering Allah, praying and reading Qur’an” or words to that effect.

Then he commanded a man who was there to bring a bucket of water and throw it over the (urine), and he did so.” [Muslim]

How quick are we to get angry at people? How quick are we to react in a grave manner with people? How quick are we to punish others?

May Allah make us of those who are truly patient.

Allah knows best.

Allah knows our actions

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Allah mentions in surat A’Zummar:

“And every soul will be fully compensated [for] what it did; and He is most knowing of what they do.” [39:70]

The context here is the day of judgement, the day every soul will be given what it deserves according to the actions in the dunya. Allah mentions that He will judge based on what the soul “did” and is most knowing of what they “do” – translation never gives justice to the meaning.

Allah uses the word “‘amilat” to describe what we will be judged on, then uses the word “yaf’aloon” for what He knows we have done. Here, these two words are seemingly the same, which would be the case if they were said separately. However, in Arabic grammar when two words of the same meaning are mentioned together, they have different meanings.

Scholars explained that “‘amilat” in this context is referring to actions committed knowingly; bad deeds that we purposely carried out. “Yaf’aloon” is used for actions that were not on purpose, a true mistake without any intentions. This is not to say that we should not ask for forgiveness of these mistakes, rather Allah here is covering for the mistakes that we do not even realise we commit.

This is also why istighfar and remembrance of Allah is important. Knowing these mistakes exist it should motivate us to do more good, as Allah tells us good deeds wipe out bad deeds:

“And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” [11:114]

It is also to tell us, that if we do away with the sins we commit on purpose, Allah will completely forgive those we commit without knowing.

May Allah increase us in knowledge in order to abstain from the actions which will be the biggest burden upon the sinners on that day.

Allah knows best.

Beating your wife?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

Let us swiftly tackle this insane misconception about Islam with one verse from the Qur’an which is ironically used by islamically uneducated people to backup the claim that husbands can beat their wives as they wish, for disobedience or other.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Men are in maintainers of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband’s] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance – [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if return to obedience [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.” [4:34

Firstly, many Muslims use the word “qawamoon” to mean “in charge of” which is a big mistake. Qawamoon is the plural of “qawam” which comes from the word “qama” which in this context means to “take care of” just as we “take care of” our salah. In no context does it mean to be in charge of.

Secondly, Allah mentions the women that “you fear their nushuz”. Nushuz as many misinterpret does not mean disobedience. Scholars of the Qur’an have explained that this word refers to “fahisha mubayina” which basically means immoral behaviour that is done openly. Scholars further explained that this leans more towards obscenity that leads to zina.

Allah uses the word “fear” very specifically here. What is a man’s greatest fear when it comes to his wife? That’s right, adultery. It can drive any person insane; however, men are more likely to act out physically. In 2018 alone there were almost 90,000 recorded cases of “crimes of passion”, over 90% of them were committed by men – some of them being brutal murders.

Allah knows His creation and thus gave guidelines on how to act accordingly. The first step is to talk; attempt to fix the issue through real conversation. If that does not work, leave the bed. If the woman is not fazed by this at all then there must be something going on. No partner in the world would not react to this notion.

This is where Allah has put down a strike. However, this is not for physically abuse – there are exact rulings on how this is done in order for it to be a gesture to draw attention to the major sin and not an attack – it has to be done lightly. No hitting with force, no physically hurting the woman, no touching the face and further strict guidelines.

Then Allah says “wa la’in ata’nakoum”. The word “ata’nakoum” translates in English to “if they return to obedience”, however, the word used has several meanings: comply with, accommodate, give in to i.e. it is translated in this context as “when they are committed to the marriage again”, as scholars of the Qur’an explained.

If they are committed once again, Allah orders the man to never speak of the issue ever again – to never once bring it up. Many husbands will hold on to such a notion and spring it up as a defence in the future – Allah forbids this.

What other way of life forms such detailed orders on a matter like this?

May Allah guide those who are oppressing our women in the name of Islam and help the women overcome such treacherous treatment.

Remember, the prophet (ﷺ) said: “The best of you are those who are the best to their wives, and I am the best of you to my wives.” [Tirmidhi]

His wife Aisha said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), peace and blessings be upon him, did not strike a servant or a woman, and he never struck anything with his hand.” [Muslim]

Allah knows best.

6 days of Shawwal

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

The prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of fasting in the month of Shawwal, it will be as if he had fasted the year through” [Muslim]

Every deed is multiplied by 10. The month of Ramadan is 10 months worth of fasting, 6 days of Shawwal is 60 days of fasting which completes the year.

Remember, we have until the end of the month of Shawwal to finish these 6 days; they do not have to be done in a row.

May Allah make it easy to fast these short extra days.

Allah knows best.

Ramadan Muslims

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

As it is nearing the end of the month, let us discuss a matter that is sadly very common these days.

Every Ramadan comes and every year many of the the Muslims who are not usually acting upon Islam usually fix at least one of their issues concerning their belief.

We will not go into the halal and haram, I think we all already agree that worshipping only in Ramadan is incorrect. I just want to send a message to these Muslims.

One of the thought processes that goes by Ramadan Muslims is that they have done enough. As if the actions they performed during this month is enough for the year, until they see another Ramadan then they will repeat the process. Let me tell you a story, of the man who worshipped Allah for 500 years.

The prophet (ﷺ) was told that there was a man in the past who was given shelter on a mountain that was surrounded by salt water. Allah then granted the man a stream through which sweet water flowed; he would drink and make wudu’ from it and also provided him with a pomegranate tree to eat from.

One day the man made dua’ to Allah, to allow him to die in a state of prostration and Allah accepted; every time the angel Jibreel came down he would find the man prostrating.

On the day of judgement, Allah will tell the angels to take this man into Jannah out of His mercy, but the man will insist on entering Jannah from his own good deeds; he will be convinced that 500 years of worship is enough to enter paradise.

Then Allah will tell the angels to bring the scales (“mizan”) and place the gift of eyesight on the other. That gift alone outweighed all those years of worship.

The man will then be turned towards Hell fire, he will plead, “Oh Allah! Enter me into Paradise only through Your mercy!”. The following conversation will occur:

Allah: Oh my servant, who created you?

The worshipper: Oh Allah, You have created me.

Allah: Were you created because of the good deeds you have done or because of My mercy?

The worshipper: Because of Your mercy.

Allah: Who granted you the ability to worship for 500 years?

The worshipper: Oh the Almighty! You have granted me that ability.

Allah: Who placed you on the mountain surrounded by the ocean? Who caused a stream of sweet water to flow in between the salty water? Who caused a pomegranate tree to grow for you? Who granted you death while in the state of prostration?

The worshipper: Oh the Sustainer of the Worlds! You have done all of these.

Then Allah will say, “All these have happened due to My mercy and you too will enter Paradise only through My Mercy.”

This is the state of a man who worshipped Allah constantly for 500 years. We then see Muslims telling themselves that one month is enough. Ask yourselves sincerely, are you worshipping Allah? Or are you worshipping Ramadan?

If we stop praying, if we go back to those sins, if we do not meet even the minimum requirements needed to be a Muslim, then our worship this month will mean nothing to Allah.

We are not even promised a tomorrow, let alone another Ramadan.

May Allah make of the sincere worshippers.

Allah knows best.