Rights of our Neighbours Part 2

Aslam wa Alikum

First Topic

The need of a neighbor to his fellow neighbor

Islam has set a unique system for social life based on kindness, sympathy, mutual support and solidarity with each other. It is founded on cooperation in goodness and piety, helping other in avoiding sin and aggression and assisting every Muslim to save the right of the one whom he deals with. Allah has given much importance to the right of a Muslim over his Muslim fellow, the right of a relative over his relative and the right of a neighbor over his fellow neighbor.

Maintaining these rights is one of the most important reasons of happiness for the individual and society. People in this world are on trial, and misfortunes surround them from every side.

Man as an individual is a very weak person to the extent that he cannot withstand these misfortunes for a long time. If he withstands, he will suffer from unavoidable hardship unless his well-wishers and brothers come forward to help him, sympathize with him, and extend their support to solve his problem. It is known that a person is insignificant by himself, but feels strengthened if he gets support of his brothers, neighbors and relatives.

The closest people to man, the most surrounded to him and the most acquainted with his conditions, after his family and relatives, are his neighbors. Rather, the neighbor may be, in many cases, closer and more helpful to his neighbor than his blood relatives and in-laws. When a problem surprises the household or a calamity afflicts them, and they need an urgent relief, they directly hurry to their neighbors because they are close to them and adjacent to their house.

From this, the greatness of the right of the neighbor toward his neighbor and the strength of his influence to him become clear. It also appears that maintaining neighbour’s right is among the most obligatory duties and among the greatest reasons of solidarity and cooperation in this life in order to surmount its obstacles and alleviate its difficulties. In addition, it is among the greatest reasons of helping one another in goodness and piety and protecting one another from sin and evil.

However, today, many people have neglected this great right. They are preoccupied with their particularities and selfishness. They abstained from maintaining it due to their egoism. They did not observe it with due observance because of their ignorance and weakness in religion. The love of this world is firmly established in their hearts, so they became interested in their life only, they did not concern with but their interests only and became unmindful to their obligatory duties toward their Muslim brothers and neighbors. Hence, the emotions of brotherhood and love inside themselves have died, the morals of tolerance and help inside themselves have faded away and their hearts have become devoid of the beautiful human sentiments. Perhaps, the love of this life and the competition for its vanities has encouraged them to harm and do wrong their neighbors, transgress their interests and deny their rights.

Would that they could abstain from doing wrong and transgressing them as long as they did not treat them kindly and maintain their rights.

The Arabs during the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah) were proud of treating neighbor kindly and hospitably, maintaining his rights, protecting his sanctities and abstaining from harming him. Regarding this, their poet said:

My fire and that is of my neighbor is one, and the cooking pot is served to him before me.

It did not harm a neighbor that I neighbor him that his door has not a curtain.

Once my woman neighbor appears, I become blind from gazing at her until her boudoir hides her. [1]

Another poet said:

I lower my gaze from glancing at my woman neighbor if she appeared until her abode hides her.

So, when Islam came, it affirmed this noble moral. It maximized the right of the neighbor towards his neighbor until it was about to make him an heir like one of his relatives.

Rights of our Neighbours

Asalam wa alikum


So over the next few days i want to get into the right of our neighbours  and what they have upon us and we have upon them whether they are muslim or not

Insha`allah we can learn alot and maybe through this action it can help us attain jannah

Islam has set a unique system for social life based on kindness, sympathy, mutual support and solidarity with each other. It is founded on cooperation in goodness and piety, helping other in avoiding sin and aggression and assisting every Muslim to save the right of the one whom he deals with. Allah has given much importance to the right of a Muslim over his Muslim fellow, the right of a relative over his relative and the right of a neighbor over his fellow neighbor.

Maintaining these rights is one of the most important reasons of happiness for the individual and society. People in this world are on trial, and misfortunes surround them from every side.

Man as an individual is a very weak person to the extent that he cannot withstand these misfortunes for a long time. If he withstands, he will suffer from unavoidable hardship unless his well-wishers and brothers come forward to help him, sympathize with him, and extend their support to solve his problem. It is known that a person is insignificant by himself, but feels strengthened if he gets support of his brothers, neighbors and relatives. In views of this importance, we will discuss the neighbor's right through the following topics:

First: The need of a neighbor to his fellow neighbor.

Second: Types of neighbors.

Third: Boundaries of the neighborhood.

Fourth: The greatness of the neighbor's right.

Fifth: Degrees of the neighbor's right.

Sixth: The importance of mutual gatherings between neighbors.

The Power of seeking foegiveness from allah

Asalam Wa Alikum

This story about "Istighfar" (seeking forgiveness from Allah) is from the life of Imam Ahmed Bin Hanbal, who is considered as a renowned scholar of Islam and a famous theologian. Imam Ahmed is also considered to be the founder of the Hanbali school of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and is one of the most celebrated Sunni theologians, often referred to as the "Sheikh ul-Islam" or the "Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah." During his old age, while Imam Ahmed was travelling he stopped by a town. After the prayers, he wanted to stay for the night in the masjid yard because he didn't know anyone in the town. Owing to his humility, he hadn't introduced himself to anyone thinking that if he did, he would be welcomed by many people. Failing to recognize Ahmed bin Hanbal, the caretaker of the mosque refused to let him stay in the mosque. As Imam Ahmed was quite old, the caretaker had to drag him out of the mosque. On seeing this, a baker from a nearby place felt pity for this man (Imam Ahmed) and offered to be the host to him for the night. During his stay with the baker, Imam Ahmed observed that the baker would constantly recite Istighfar (seek forgiveness from Allah). Imam Ahmed asked the baker if the constant practice of saying Istighfar had any effect on him. The baker responded by telling Imam Ahmed that Allah had accepted all of his duas (supplications), except one. When he asked him what dua was it that hadn't been accepted, the baker replied that he had been asking Allah to provide him the privilege to meet the famous scholar Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal. On this, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal said that Allah had not only listened to his dua but had dragged him onto his (the baker's) doorsteps. [Summarized from Al Jumuah magazine, vol 19, issue 7] This story is a reminder of the power of saying Istighfar (seeking forgiveness) frequently. Let's remember that the prophet used to say Istighfar frequently during the day.

Asalam Wa Alikum

Hardships Benefit the Believer

Allah has decreed that, in this life, hardships and disasters strike both believers and non-believers. For a non-believer, they are inconveniences that hinder him from proceeding with his normal involvement in the worldly life. For a believer, on the other hand, they are instances of rest and remembrance, tests that promise great rewards, and indications of atonement and expiation of sins. Regardless of how little is the harm that strikes a believer, it carries with it good news of forgiveness and elevated rank ( in Jannah ). The Righteous Predecessors used to be pleased when a hardship afflicted them, seeing it as a token of Allah's forgiveness and benevolence.
Expiations of Sins
Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet said: " Hardships continue to befall a believing man and woman in their body, family, and property, until they meet Allah (S) burdened with no sins. " [Tirmithee]
Sign of Allah's Love
Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " Whenever Allah wills good for a person, He subjects him to adversity" [Bukharee and others]
Sign of Eeman
Abu Hurayrah (RA) and Ka'b Bin Maalik (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " The parable of a believer is that of a fresh and moist plant; the wind tilts it this way and that way; and so is the believer; he continues to be subject to affliction. And the parable of a hypocrite is that of a firm cedar tree; it does not shake - until it is uprooted all at once." [Bukharee and Muslim]
Sign of Righteousness
The prophets and righteous people are afflicted the most, and their rewards are the highest. Sa'd (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " The most in their suffering among the people are the prophets, then the best, then the (next) best. One is afflicted in accordance with his deen (faith). If his deen is firm his affliction is hard, and if his deen is weak, his affliction is light. Indeed, one would be so much subjected to adversity until he walks among the people without any sins. " [Ahmad, Tirmithee]
Early Punishment
Anas (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " When Allah wills good for a servant of His, He expedites his punishment in this life; and when He wills retribution for a servant of His, He holds his sins for Him to judge him by them on the Day of Resurrection." [Tirmithee]
Multiplication of Rewards
Anas (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " The amount of reward is in accordance with the amount of suffering. When Allah (SWT) loves some people, He tries them (with affliction). He who then is content (with Allah's decree) has achieved the acceptance (of Allah), and he who is dissatisfied (with Allah's decree) will attain the anger (of Allah)." [Tirmithee]
Rewards for Sickness
One should not look to sickness as a gloomy episode, but should remember the great good in it. It is one form of affliction with which Allah (SWT) tests His 'ibaad (servants), giving them a
chance to acquire rewards, as was explained above, as is further emphasized below.
Removal of Sins and Elevation in Ranks
Abu Hurayrah (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " Whenever a Muslim is afflicted by harm from sickness or other matters, Allah will drop his sins because of that, like a tree drops its leaves." [Bukharee and Muslim]
Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: "A Muslim is not afflicted by hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression - even if pricked by a thorn, but Allah expiates his sins because of that. " [Bukharee and Muslim]
Sa'eed said, " I was with Salmaan (RA) when he visited a sick man in Kindah ( in Persia ), and he said to him: " Expect good because Allah (SWT) makes a believers sickness an expiation (for his sins) and a period of rest. However, when a disbeliever falls sick, he is like a camel whose owner ties it then lets it loose - it does not understand why it was tied nor why it was freed." [Bukharee]
'Aishah (RA) narrated that once some pain afflicted the Prophet (SAW) causing him to suffer and turn about in his bed. she said: "Had one of us done this, you would have blamed him." He (SAW) replied: " An ailment is intensified for the righteous. whenever a believer is afflicted by a hardship, whether it is a thorn or more, a sin is taken off from him because of it, and he is elevated by one rank (in Jannah). " [Ahmad]
Retaining Rewards for Deeds Before Sickness
Usually, when a believer falls sick, he would not be able to do the same amount of good (prayer, fasting, helping Muslims etc) that he used to do when he was well. But Allah out of His great mercy, continues to record for him the good deeds that he was forced to stop because of his sickness. Abu Moosa Al-Ash'aree narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: " For a traveling or sick person, his deeds will be recorded in accordance with what he used to do when he was resident or well." [Bukharee]
'Abdullah Bin 'Amr reported that the Prophet said: "No (believing) person gets sick, but (his deeds) will be recorded for him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well." [Bukharee] Anas (RA) reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: " No Muslims body is afflicted by Allah, but He will record (his deeds) foe him in accordance with what he used to do when he was well - as long as he is sick. Thus, if He takes his life, He forgives him; and if He cures him, He washes him (from sins)." [Bukharee]

'Uqbah Bin 'Aamir reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: "Each days deeds are sealed with it. thus, when a believer gets sick, the angels say, " Our lord! Your servant such and such, You have restrained him (from doing good this day)." And the lord replies, " Seal his day in accordance with his (usual) deeds, until he is cured or dies". [Ahmad]
Reason for the Reward
'Atta Bin Rabaah reported that Ibn 'Abbaas (RA) told him, "Do you want to see a woman from the people of Jannah (paradise)?" He said "Yes". He said: " It is this black woman. She came to the Prophet (SAW) saying, " I have (epileptic) seizures, and I get exposed, so supplicate to Allah for me." He (SAW) said: " If you wish, be patient and you will attain Jannah; or if you wish, I will ask Allah to cure you." She replied, " I will be patient ! But my body gets exposed (because of the fall), so supplicate to Allah for me that I do not become exposed." and he (SAW) did." [Bukharee and Muslim]
The scholars have differed in opinion as to whether a sick person will be rewarded for the sickness itself or for being patient during it. the correct opinion is that if he is patient and submits to Allah's will, as in the above hadeeth, he would be rewarded for both the submission and the sickness, otherwise, he would not be rewarded at all; because he resented Allah's decree. This is what should be understood from Ibn hajar al-'Asqalaanees words: "The authentic hadeeths are clear in that the rewards are recorded once affliction strikes a Muslim. As for patience and acceptance, they are virtues for which a person may get additional rewards over those for the affliction." 'Abdullah Bin 'Amr reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: "If a Muslim is pricked by (as little as) a thorn in the worldly life, and he seeks its reward from Allah, some of his sins will be removed, because of it, on the Day of Judgement."[Bukharee]
"True believers are only those whose hearts are filled with awe whenever God is mentioned, and whose faith is strengthened whenever His revelations are recited to them. In their Lord do they place their trust." (Chapter 8: Verse 2)

70 Ways To Earn Rewards from Allah

Asalam Wa Alikum


70 Ways To Earn Rewards from Allah

1. Repentance done sincerely for Allah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will forgive the sins of anybody who repents before the sun rises from the west (i.e., a major sign for the Day of Judgment)." (Muslim) He (peace be upon him) also said: "Allah accepts the repentance of His slaves until the time of their death (i.e., when the soul is departing)." (Tirmidhi)

2. 'Umrah during Ramadan: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Performing 'Umrah during it (Ramadan) is like performing Hajj with me." (Bukhari & Muslim)

3. Recitation of the Quran: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Recite the Quran, for it will intercede for you (with Allah) on the Day of Judgment." (Muslim)

4. Learning and teaching the Quran: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The best amongst you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it to others." (Bukhari)

5. The Mention of Allah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you about the best of your deeds, the most pure (i.e., righteous and sincere) of them to your Creator, that which will entitle you to the highest ranks, which is better for you than donating gold and silver for the sake of Allah, which is better than fighting your enemies in Jihad where you kill them or they kill you (i.e., you become martyrs)?" The people replied: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." So He (peace be upon him) said: "The mention of Allah." (Tirmidhi)

6. Seeking Allah's forgiveness: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "For he who always seeks the forgiveness of Allah, Allah will relieve him from all adversities, make a way out for him from all hardships and provide him from means which he could never have expected." (Nasa'i)

7. Performing complete and proper ablution: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever performs a complete and proper ablution, sins will leave his body – even from under his nails." (Muslim)

8. Supplicating between the Adhan and Iqamah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Supplication between the Adhan and Iqamah is not rejected." So people asked: "What should we ask for?" He (peace be upon him) replied: "Ask Allah for His forgiveness." (Tirmidhi)

9. Performing the five daily prayers: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is no Muslim who, at the time of prayer, performs ablution properly, then performs the prayer in humility before Allah and perfects its pillars; except that this will expiate all his past minor sins. This is for every prayer throughout his life." (Muslim)

10. Offering Fajr and 'Asr prayers promptly: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever performs the two cool prayers (i.e., 'Asr and Fajr) on time will enter Paradise." (Bukhari)

11. Supplicating during the virtuous time on Fridays: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There is a virtuous time every Friday; never does a Muslim supplicate during it except that Allah grants him what he asks for." (Bukhari & Muslim)

12. Reciting chapter Al-Kahf from the Quran on Fridays: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever recites chapter Al-Kahf on a Friday will have a light (i.e., will be guided) between it and the next Friday." (Nasa'i)

13. Going to the mosque: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever goes to the mosque to pray and returns; Allah will make a dwelling for him in Paradise for every time he goes (and every time he comes back)." (Bukhari & Muslim)

14. Praying in congregation: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Praying in congregation is twenty seven multiples higher in reward than praying alone ." (Bukhari & Muslim)

15. Offering supererogatory prayers: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will build a dwelling in Paradise for anyone who prays twelve supererogatory rak`ah daily in addition to the compulsory prayers." (Muslim)

16. Offering funeral prayers: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever attends a funeral and prays over the dead receives a reward equal to a Qiraat, and whosoever was also present at the burial receives a reward equal to two Qiraat." So people asked: "What is a Qiraat?" He (peace be upon him) replied: "It is equal to twice the size of the greatest mountain (i.e. Uhud)." (Bukhari & Muslim)

17. Women praying at home: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Do not deprive women from praying in the houses of Allah (i.e., the mosques) but praying at home is better for them (in reward)." (Abu Dawud)

18. Supplications after prayer: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will forgive the sins, even if they were as much as the foam of the sea, for anyone who exalts Allah thirty-three times saying 'Subhan Allah', praises Him thirty-three times saying 'Al-hamdulillah' and glorifies Him thirty-three times saying 'Allahu Akbar', and then completes the supplications to be one hundred by saying: 'None has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, without partner. To Him belong sovereignty and praise, and He is over all things Omnipotent.' " (Muslim)

19. Thanking Allah after eating or drinking: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah is pleased with the slave who thanks Him after eating or drinking (When Allah is pleased with a slave He forgives his sins)." (Muslim)

20. Zakat Al-Fitr: Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made Zakat Al-Fitr obligatory as a means of purifying the fasting person from idle talk and foul language and feeding the poor. It is accepted as Zakat from whoever pays it before the ('Eid) prayer, and as a (simple) charity from whoever pays it after that." (Abu Dawud)

21. Optional charity: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Charity wipes out sins as water extinguishes fire." (Tirmidhi)

22. Paying charity secretly: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Righteous deeds protect a person from an evil end; a charity spent in secret extinguishes Allah's wrath; and maintaining good ties of kinship increases ones lifespan." (Tabarani)

23. Spreading the Islamic salutation (of salaam): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O people! Spread the salaam; maintain good ties with kin; and pray at night while people are sleeping, then you will enter Paradise peacefully." (Tirmidhi)

24. Removing harmful objects from people's way: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I saw a man enjoying himself in Paradise (simply) because he removed from a road a tree that used to harm people." (Muslim)

25. Dutifulness to parents: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "What a loss is for him! What a loss is for him! What a loss is for him!" Someone asked: "Who, O Allah's Messenger?" He replied: "He whose parents reach old age, either one or both of them, and he does not use their presence (by being good to them, etc.) to cause him to enter Paradise." (Muslim)

26. The wife's obedience to her husband: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If a woman prays the five obligatory daily prayers, fasts the month of Ramadan, guards her private parts (from adultery and fornication), and is obedient to her husband, she will be able to enter Paradise from any of its gates." (Ibn Hibban)

27. Earning lawfully: The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about the best earnings, he replied: "Those which a man earns by his hands, or any other lawfully earned money." (Hakim)

28. Providing for ones family: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If a man provides for his family hoping for the reward, it will be counted as charity for him." (Bukhari & Muslim)

29. Providing for widows and the needy: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "One who provides for widows and the poor is like one who fights Jihad for the sake of Allah (in reward)." He (peace be upon him) added: "(He is) like one who prays at night without tiring and one who fasts continuously." (Bukhari)

30. Nurturing the orphan: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I and the one who nurtures an orphan will be like this in Paradise (then he joined his index and middle fingers together)." (Bukhari)

31. Stroking the head of an orphan: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in reply to a man who complained about the hardness of his own heart: "Stroke the head of an orphan and feed the needy." (Ahmad)

32. Fulfilling people's needs: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "It better for one of you to fulfill the need of his brother (in Islam) than residing for I'tikaf in my mosque for two months." (Hakim)

33. Visiting Muslims: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Prophets will be in Paradise, the truthful will be in Paradise, and those who visit their Muslim brothers purely for the sake of Allah will be in Paradise." (Tabarani)

34. Visiting the sick: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When a Muslim visits his sick brother, he never ceases to be in a Khurfah of paradise until he returns." He was asked: "What is a Khurfah?" He (peace be upon him) replied: "Its fruits." (Muslim)

35. Maintaining ties with those who sever them: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Al-wasil (i.e., one who maintains ties) is not the one who recompenses the good done to him by his relatives, but Al-wasil is the one who keeps good relations with those relatives who sever the bond of kinship with him."

36. Cheering up Muslims: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will cheer up (by His forgiveness) He who cheers up his fellow Muslim." (Tabarani)

37. Easing matters for those in hardship: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will make matters easy in the Hereafter for he who eases hardship for a Muslim." (Muslim)

38. Being kind and merciful to the weak: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will be merciful with those who are merciful with others; be merciful with those on the earth, and the One above the heavens will be merciful with you." (Tirmidhi)

39. Reconciling between people: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Should I not tell you of a deed that is a rank higher than fasting, praying and spending in charity?" People replied: "Indeed, O messenger of Allah" He (peace be upon him) replied: "Reconciling between people." (Abu Dawud)

40. Having good manners: When The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about which act leads people to enter Paradise the most, he replied: "Piety and good manners." (Tirmidhi)

41. Being bashful: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Bashfulness is a part of faith, and faith leads to Paradise." (Ahmad)

42. Truthfulness: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Be truthful, as truthfulness leads to virtue, and virtue leads to Paradise." (Bukhari)

43. Forgiveness and controlling anger: Allah says what means: "And march forth in the way (which leads) to forgiveness from your Lord and Paradise as wide as are the Heavens and the Earth, prepared for the pious. Those who spend (in Allah's cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves the good- doers." (Aali-'Imraan:133-134)

44. Shaking hands: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Never do two Muslims shake hands except that their sins are forgiven before they depart." (Abu Dawud)

45. Having a cheerful face: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Do not undermine any kind deed, even if it is to meet your Muslim brother with a cheerful face." (Muslim)

46. Leniency during trade: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy upon the one who is easy when he buys and easy when he disputes (i.e., forgives easily)." (Bukhari)

47. Lowering one's gaze: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that Allah says: "A lustful look is like a poisoned arrow of Satan; whoever refrains from it out of fear from Me, I will replace it with belief whose sweetness he will find in his heart." (Tabarani)

48. Enjoining good and forbidding evil: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever sees an evil should stop it with his hands; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; if he is unable to do that, then with his heart (by hating it), and this is the lowest level of belief." (Bukhari)

49. Attending virtuous gatherings: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Never do a group of people gather to mention Allah the Almighty, except that they will be surrounded with angels; the mercy of Allah will descend upon them, tranquility will shade them and Allah will mention them (with pride) in front of the angels." (Muslim)

50. Guarding one's tongue: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever guarantees (i.e., restrains) what is between his two jaws (i.e., the tongue), and what is between his legs (i.e., the private parts), I will guarantee him Paradise." (Muslim)

51. Guiding people to virtue: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Every good done to others is a charity, and the one who guides to a good deed gets the same reward as the one who performs the good deed." (Bukhari & Muslim)

52. Calling people to the religion of Allah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "One who calls people towards guidance gains the same reward (from Allah) as those who follow him, without their reward being reduced." (Muslim)

53. Concealing people's faults: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever conceals others' faults in this life; Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection." (Muslim)

54. Perseverance: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Never is a Muslim is afflicted with a calamity, sadness, worry, harm, or hardship - even a prick of a thorn - except that Allah, will expiate his sins (due to this)." (Bukhari)

55. Expiation of a gathering: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever sits in a gathering and commits bad deeds (i.e., speech) in it; then says before he stands up to leave: 'Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash- hadu allaa ilaaha illaa ant, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk,' Allah will forgive that which he committed during the gathering." (Tirmidhi)

56. Rearing daughters: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He who has three daughters, and he shelters them, provides for them and is merciful to them, will definitely be admitted into Paradise." (Ahmad)

57. Kindness to animals: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "A man saw a dog panting and eating mud out of thirst; so the man used his shoe to give the dog some water from a well. Allah appreciated this action and admitted him into Paradise." (Bukhari)

58. Not asking anything of people: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever guarantees me that he will not ask people for anything, I can guarantee him Paradise." (Bukhari)

59. Exalting Allah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever says: 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdih' one hundred times a day, Allah will forgive his sins even if they were as great as the foam of the sea." (Bukhari & Muslim)

60. Charity with continuous benefit: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When a son of Adam dies, he ceases to gain (additional) benefit from his deeds except from three: a charity that is continuous in benefit, beneficial knowledge and a righteous child that supplicates for him." (Muslim)

61. Giving charity from the husband's wealth: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If a woman spends from the wealth of her house without causing harm (to her family), she will get the reward of what she spent and her husband also gets a reward because he earned it. (Moreover) the one who is entrusted with money gets the same reward (of spending it), without any of them (the wife and the entrusted) decreasing the rewards of the others." (Bukhari)

62. Honesty in trade: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When two people trade, they have the choice (to proceed with or stop the transaction), so if they are honest and clarify (e.g., defects in their merchandise) their trade will be blessed, but if they lie and conceal (defects) there will be no blessing in their trade." (Bukhari)

63. Relieving Muslims: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever relieves another Muslim of any hardship, Allah will relieve him from one of the hardships of the Day of Resurrection." (Muslim)

64. Assisting people: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Every day, charity is due from each of your joints; assisting a man to mount his beast or helping him load his luggage on it is a charity." (Bukhari)

65. Intercession to fulfill people's needs: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Intercede (to fulfill people's needs) and you will be rewarded." (Bukhari)

66. Supplicating for parents: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Allah the Almighty and Exalted will raise the rank of the righteous slave in Paradise, then the slave will ask: 'O Allah! How did I attain this rank?' Allah will reply, 'By virtue of your child's supplication for your forgiveness.' " (Ahmad)

67. Supplicating for Muslims in their absence: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whenever a Muslim supplicates for his Muslim brother in his absence, an angel says: 'You will get the same (as you supplicated for).' " (Muslim)

68. Immediately following up a sin with a good deed: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a sin with a good deed, it will eradicate it - and deal with people kindly." (Ahmad)

69. Defending Muslims in their absence: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whosoever defends his Muslim brother in his absence, Allah will keep the Hellfire away from his face on the Day of Resurrection." (Tirmidhi)

70. Being fair between people: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Every day that the sun rises, charity is due from each of your joints, and being fair between people is a charity." (Bukhari)

6-steps-to-get-you-closer-to-allah-swt

Asalam wa alikum

“…for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Surah Al-Rad, 13:28)
To be close to our Creator is a fundamental need of every human being and striving to achieve it can be the healing for our chaotic inner selves which, in turn, leads to:

1. Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) love
2. Greater productivity
3. Confidence
4. Satisfaction and joy

Therefore, it is essential to exert effort in seeking closeness to your Creator. To begin with, the prescription to getting closer to Allah requires a few things from you:

1. Strong intention to get closer to Allah (glorified and exalted be He)
2. Patience
3. Consistency
4. Avoid doing nothing

Let’s first consider our worth to Allah (glorified and exalted be He). If you want to know your worth to Allah (glorified and exalted be He), then see what you are doing with your life. Are you pleasing Allah (glorified and exalted be He) or disappointing Him?
Don’t like your answer?
Well, there is good news. The fact that you are seeking closeness to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) means He wants you to remember Him. Being productive is very important as a Muslim. It is a sign of Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) mercy that you have come to seek beneficial knowledge from websites like this one. A righteous deed is like a pearl necklace – when it breaks, all the pearls follow one another quickly.
Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said that Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the Exalted and Glorious said, “I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.” (Sahih Muslim).

We need to struggle to achieve great things. The harder the struggle is, the better the outcome becomes. Getting close to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) takes time. We cannot expect everything to magically fall into place by doing a righteous deed. You need to depend on Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and trust that what He has planned for you is the best you can have, for this life and the hereafter.
Here are some tips to achieve closeness to Allah (glorified and exalted be He) (glorified and exalted be He):

1. Dua’a (Supplication)

We forget that we need Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) help and strength to guide us. When we get too caught up with dunya (this life) we often think we can do it on our own without His help. We have to know that nothing changes without the strength and power of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). We need to ask Him for His help, even if it is to get closer to Him, or become better at worshiping Him. We need to seek refuge in Allah (glorified and exalted be He) in everything. It could be negative thoughts we have, our lack of productivity or even our lack of faith. We need to ask Allah (glorified and exalted be He) to help us and guide us to the Straight Path. Allah (glorified and exalted be He) says in the Qur’an:
”And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided”(2:186).

2. Stay Away from Poisons

You need to get any poisons out of your life. Poison has many forms. Fix your heart, by staying away from anything that Allah (glorified and exalted be He) doesn’t love. If you are around friends that make you sin and make you disappoint Allah (glorified and exalted be He), then you need to get them out of your life.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

3. Get to Know Allah [SWT] Through His 99 Beautiful Names

How can you love Allah (glorified and exalted be He) and want to get closer to Him if you don’t know Him that well? We fall in love with people as we get to know them more and realize that they have a lot of beautiful qualities and characteristics. Of course Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is above any analogy, but you need know Him more. Wanting to get closer alone won’t do you any good without falling in love with your Creator. Start with the name of Al-Wadud, the Ever-Loving. Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) love for you is unconditional. He does not need or want anything from you in return. He loves you so He keeps giving you even if you disobey Him. Ask Allah (glorified and exalted be He) with His 99 Names.
If you want to get closer to Him, pray with His name Al-Qareeb (The Close One) and ask Him to bring you closer to Him. And with Al-Wadud ask Him to love you more and make you love Him more. It’s as simple as that. We tend to overthink stuff and forget that if we seek refuge in Allah (glorified and exalted be He), He will make everything easier on us.
Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that the Prophet [SAW] said, “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.’ Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

4. Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah (glorified and exalted be He))

Remembering Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is essential in achieving closeness to Him. You can remember him by engaging in dhikr (remembrance) and tasbeeh (praise).
Say Astaghfirullah a lot to erase your sins.
Say Alhamdulillah so Allah will give you more.
Look outside your window and say Subhan-Allah about His beautiful creations.
The most elegant form of remembering Allah (glorified and exalted be He) is by looking at His creations. When you are in between tasks like driving or walking, remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Listen to Islamic lectures or Islamic poetry that talk about Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) glory. Surround yourself with people who remind you of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Attend halaqas or religious circles in masjids or you can even create your own gathering of remembrance. The more you remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the more He will remember you. See what happens when you are sitting in a gathering that is filled with Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) remembrance.
Allah’s Messenger [SAW] said:
“Whenever some people gather in one of Allah’s houses (mosques) to recite the book of Allah and study it among themselves – then calmness (tranquility) descends upon them, the angels surround them, mercy covers them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.” (Sahih Muslim)

5. Follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him)

By following the Sunnah of our prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) we will gain the love of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). When you gain the love of Allah (glorified and exalted be He), you will get closer to him. Following the sunnah of the Prophet makes you a better person. You will have better manners and ethics. Read more about the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him); fall in love with your Messenger. After all, he was a mercy to all mankind. Allah says so in the Qu’ran:
“Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (3:31)”.

6. Stay Connected to the Qur’an

Reading or memorizing the Qur’an alone is not enough. Understand it and act upon it. Try your best to act the way we were asked to in the Qur’an. Strive for the best. Reflect on its meanings; it will give you answers to your daily life’s complications. When you read the Qur’an and understand it more you will be more likely to reach the level of ihsan. You will want to do everything right. In the form of a man, Gabriel/Jibreel (peace be upon him) once entered a gathering where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) was sitting. One of the questions the angel asked was to elaborate on the term “ihsan”, Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “That you worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you don’t see Him then truly He sees you.”(Bukhari and Muslim)

Wrapping It All Up

Be productive, seek knowledge and take action. The more you love Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the more you will do to get closer to Him. The more you get closer to Him, the more He will get closer to you. The more you will want to learn about the sunnah and the Qur’an and want to get even closer to Him, the closer you will become to reaching the level of ihsan. When you reach that level you will feel Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) love and you will be satisfied with everything He gives you. You will be productive because you won’t want to waste time without pleasing Allah (glorified and exalted be He). You will be confident in anything that you do in your life, because you will have full trust in Allah (glorified and exalted be He). May Allah (glorified and exalted be He) guide us to the path that takes us closer to Him. Ameen.

Read more: http://productivemuslim.com/6-steps-to-get-you-closer-to-allah-swt/#ixzz2Atomfwnm

Modesty and shyness

Asalam Wa Alikum


Modesty and shyness play a special part between the affairs of the Creator and the created.  All prophets and Messengers encouraged modesty, as the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“Indeed from the teachings of the first prophets which has reached you is, ‘If you do not have shyness, then do as you please.” (Al-Bukhari)

Modesty as a sense of shame or shyness in human beings is a shrinking of the soul from foul conduct, a quality that prevents one from behaving badly towards others or encouraging others to behave badly towards you.  Islamic ethics considers modesty as more than just a question of how a person dresses, and more than just modesty in front of people; rather it is reflected in a Muslim’s speech, dress, and conduct: in public in regards to people, and in private in regards to God.  Any talk of modesty, therefore, must begin with the heart, not the hemline, as the Prophet of Mercy said, ‘Modesty is part of faith,  and that part of faith must lie in the heart.

Take reservation in speech.  As with everything in Islam, speech should be moderate.  Raising one’s voice in venting anger simply shows one lacks the ability to contain it, and only damage will ensue from it.  Uncontrolled anger, for example, can lead one to verbally abuse and physically assault another, both of which take off the veil of bashfulness one is endowed with, exposing the shameful ego within.  The Prophet said:

“A strong person is not the person who throws his adversaries to the ground.  A strong person is the person who contains himself when he is angry.” (Saheeh al-Bukhari)

A strong person who believes feels shy in front of God and His creation, since God knows and sees everything.  He feels shy to disobey his Lord and feels shame if he sins or acts inappropriately, whether in private or public.  This type of modesty is acquired and is directly related to one’s faith, where one’s awareness of God increases one’s “shyness” in front of Him.

Islamic morality divides modesty into natural and acquired.  Modesty is a quality inherent in girls and boys, a certain type of modesty that is natural in human beings.  If manifests itself, for instance, in a natural human urge to cover one’s private parts.  According to the Quran, when Adam and Eve ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree, they became aware that their private parts were exposed, and they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise, a natural result of their modesty.

Islamic scholars consider modesty to be a quality that distinguishes human beings from animals.  Animals follow their instincts without feeling any shame or a sense of right or wrong.  Hence, the less modesty a person has, the more he resembles animals.  The more modesty a person has, the closer he is to being human.  Islam has mandated certain legislations which induce this sense of modesty within humans. These legislation range from seeking permission before entering any room and distancing one from others while relieving oneself, to mandating certain manners of dress for men and women alike. Another way that modesty may be attained is by associating with modest people - people in whose presence a person feels embarrassed to do anything shameful - as the Prophet said:

“I advise you to be shy toward God, the Exalted, in the same way that you are shy toward a pious man from your people.

Being shy of a stranger’s gaze is one of the driving forces behind modesty in dress.  This can be seen in children, who naturally shy away from strangers, sometimes hiding from them in their mother’s skirts or behind their father’s legs.  In Islam, screening most of your body off from the gaze of a stranger, especially of the opposite sex, is actually mandated as a means to avoid falling into conduct that may lead to extra-marital or pre-marital sex.  God says,

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest.  That is purer for them.  Lo!  God is Aware of what they do.  And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their chests, and not to reveal their adornment.” (Quran 24:30)

The verse then mentions the people before whom one is exempted from veiling; the ones who cannot be called ‘strangers’.  Also, the command is relaxed as one matures: an aged woman who has no hope of marriage can discard the overcoats that screen what they are wearing underneath

As seen from this verse, Islamic ethics view modesty not as a virtue for women only, but for men as well.  Thus, men must also dress modestly, being careful to wear loose flowing and opaque clothes through which the area between their waist and knees be totally covered. Tight pants or translucent clothing is prohibited. This modesty is reflected upon Muslim male clothing throughout the world, long shirts reaching below the thighs, and loose flowing trousers.

 It may still seem, however, that women bear the main brunt of ‘dressing modestly’. When one reflects, however,  about the predator and the prey in illegal relations between the sexes; the prey which is hidden escapes being a victim.  Besides, another verse says modesty in dress actually identifies one as being a believing woman  a ‘target’ which the devout Muslim, or any decent man, would be motivated to protect rather than abuse.

The way to develop modesty is to think about whether he or she would do the sin they are contemplating in front of their parents.  A person with a shred of shame in their heart will not commit any lewd act in front of their parents.  So what about doing so in front of God?  Is not God much worthier that such acts not be done in His sight?  Thus, Islam considers that the modesty of a believer in front of God must be greater than in front of people. This is manifest in the saying of the Prophet when a man asked him about remaining naked in the house while alone. The Prophet responded:

 God is more deserving than other people of shyness.” (Abu Dawood)

Early Muslims used to say, “Be shy toward God when you are in private in the same way you are shy in front of people when you are in public.”  Another one of their sayings is, “Do not be a devoted slave of God in your public behavior while you are an enemy to Him in your private affairs.”

Modesty can therefore be seen as the means by which morals and ethics in society are maintained and pursued.  Shyness from people and society may be a reason to be modest, but this modesty will not remain due to the fact that what is immodest one day in a secular society may be totally acceptable in another. Thus, the key to modesty is knowing that God is aware of what you do and shying away from that which He forbids.  God only desires what is best for us.  So to seek what is best for us is to submit to what He has in mind for us.  The only way to properly know what that is, is to believe in what he sent down to us through His Prophet, Muhammad, and to embrace the religion (Islam) that His Messenger brought us.