Refresh Your Imaan

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing from his fast save hunger, and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night (qiyam-ul-lail) will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness.” [An-Nasai. Sahih according to Imam Bukhari’s criteria.] Suppose you made 29 or 30 delicious deserts but then left them out in the open without covering them. When you came back later you found that some lizards, cockroaches and ants were drowned in the sticky deserts, while others were busy helping themselves.  When good deeds are done, then they must be protected. It is easier to do a good deed than it is to protect it.  If you lie, fight, or backbite while fasting, show off your qiyam-ul-lail, or do any such thing that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has forbidden, then you are allowing lizards and roaches to ruin the desserts you worked so hard to make. You don’t want to find out on the Day of Judgement that your desserts were infested and not...

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (peace be upon him) drew a few lines and said, "This is (man's) hope, and this is the instant of his death, and while he is in this state (of hope), the nearer line (death) comes to Him." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, Book 81, Hadith 7)

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The fast and the Quran are two intercessors for the servant of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. The fast will say, ‘O Lord, I prevented him from his food and desires during the day. Let me intercede for him.’ The Quran will say, ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night. Let me intercede for him.’ And their intercession will be accepted.” [Ahmad] On the Day of Qiyamah everybody will be desperate for intercession, if only somebody of high rank could plead on their behalf with Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). On that Day only those will intercede whom Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will allow to do so. Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) told us that one’s fasts will be granted the power by Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) to intercede.

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no God except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, the establishment of the prayer, the giving of Zakah, the fast of Ramadan and the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah.” [Sahih Bukhari] A man came to the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me what Allah requires of me as regards fasting.” He answered: “The month of Ramadan.” The man asked: “Is there any other (fast)?” The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) answered: “No, unless you do so voluntarily.” [Sahih Bukhari] The edifice of Islam is built on five pillars. The fasts of Ramadhan are one of the pillars that support the structure of Islam. The whole Muslim nation agrees that the fast of Ramadan is obligatory. It is one of the pillars of Islam, and if one disputes this, he cannot be called a Muslim.

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “May Allah curse him who eats of usury (riba) or feeds it to another.” [Sahih Muslim] The prohibition regarding riba is for both accepting it (eating of it) as well as paying it (feeding another with it). “Curse (la’n)” means to put someone far from divine mercy. Riba is usually translated as “interest”. This includes both simple and compound interest. Dealing in riba is one of the kaba’ir (enormities) as it is accursed by Allah’s Messenger in the above hadith, and also carries the threat of punishment in the Hereafter in the words of Allah (subhana wa ta’ala): “O you who believe: fear Allah and forgo what remains of usury (riba) if you are believers. If you will not, then know of a declaration of war (against you) from Allah and His Messenger.” [Quran 2: 278-79] If Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and His Messenger come armed to wage war against a person on the Day of Judgement, does he/she stand a chance? The prohibition regarding riba also e...

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah gives worldly things to those He loves and to those He does not love, but He gives eeman (faith) only to those He loves, so he who is given eeman by Allah, has been loved by Him.” [Ahmad, Bayhaqiy] The most priceless treasure on earth is eeman. This is the currency that will buy you eternal happiness and all the riches you want to keep forever. Thus, whoever is given the treasure of eeman is among the most beloved people to Allah (subhana wa ta’ala). If something is not in your share in this worldly life (e.g. car, house, nice clothes, good food), it makes no difference. The duration of this life compared to the life that starts after this, is so short, that it will be as though it never happened.   Material riches in this life could also be the lot of him/her who ends up for eternity in the Fire of Hell. Again, this life is so short compared to the Hereafter, that despite having every luxury in the world, a person who ends up...

Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “It was said to the children of Israel, ‘Enter the gate (of the town), prostrate (in humility) and say: Hittatun (repentance) i.e., O Allah! Forgive our sins.’ But they entered by dragging themselves on their buttocks, so they did something different (from what they had been ordered to do) and said, ‘Hittatun,’ but added, ‘A grain in a hair.’” [Sahih Bukhari] The Bani Israil have distinguished themselves in history as the most disobedient and rebellious of people. They have, however, already met with the consequences of their behaviour. So then why are their stories narrated to us in the Quran and hadith in such a large number? This is because Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) knew that we, the last nation, would insist on following in their footsteps. Thus, He made clear to us with their examples which actions earn Allah’s wrath and punishment and which actions are worth emulating. This incident is ...