Tahajjud: The strength of a believer

Monday, May 27, 2013

Pin drop silence lingers all around. Hustle and bustle has faded out. In the tranquility of twilight, all have curled up under their blankets, slipped into deep sleep.

Getting quietly out of his cozy blanket, a believer makes ablution and silently, engrosses himself into a conversation with his Lord. Sun is still down, may be hours left to rise. Under the veil of night, he is immersed in prayers, long prostration, murmurings of sincere penitence… he opens up to his Merciful Lord. Imagine how delighted that heart would be at the dawn, seeing his new daybreak as a purified soul!

Tahajjud (long prayer in night) is a highly favored tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It’s the golden opportunity to strengthen one’s faith, to meditate down your mind, and to expunge your sins. The supplications and the Qur’an we recite during Tahajjud help us keep our faith and piety un-perforated, grow roots of belief deeper and stand strong.

Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recommend Tahajjud highly. He used to elaborate on its benefits in the life here and hereafter. In early periods of prophethood, Tahajjud was given prime importance. “And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjud beyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory” (Qur’an 17:79). This and many Qur’anic verses were instructions to the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding Tahajjud.

Nothing beats Tahajjud when it comes to inner strength to a believer. The power and potential it provides is unimaginable and ineffable. Qur’an says that waking up from sleep in the midst of night helps to attain self-control and to better recite Qur’an.

Look at this hadeeth from our Prophet (peace be upon him): “Be vigilant in standing up [in prayer] at night for it was the practice of the pious before you. It is a means of gaining proximity to Allah Ta’ala, an expiation for transgressions and a barrier from sins.” [Tirmidhi].

For a caller to Islam, the moments of Tahajjud are a respite, and a strong rope to hold fast to. During Tahajjud, he gives his words and deeds a retrospect, shares his worries and concerns with Allah, eases the burden on his shoulder.

Only strong willed can wake up at a moment when mind and body refuses to leave cozy cushions of comfort, wandering in the dreamland of desires. In another reporting from Thabraani, Prophet (peace be upon him) says, “If one intents to offer Tahajjud, an Angel approaches him and tells : ‘its time up to wake up’. Pray and remember you Lord’. And the Satan comes and tells him, ‘Night is still young, sleep over for some more time. If you get up now for prayer, your eyes will turn red, you will grow weak, sleeplessness will eat up your vitality’. If this person follows Satan, he sleeps off without praying and the Satan urinates in his ears.”

My dear, for all this while, who were you following?

English rendering of article written by Abdul Wadud
Translated by Noufal PT

Source: http://feelislam.com/2013/05/tahajjud-nightprayer

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My Reflections on Human World

Monday, March 11, 2013

Author: Madiha Ahmed

 Humans are the “best of creation”, who have been blessed with the ability to think, to differentiate between right and wrong. Humans, being superior to all creatures have the greater responsibility to care for all beings to propagate justice, peace and love. But is this what we do all the time or most of the time?

Animals lack the ability to think and the same goes for birds. Since God has given us the greater responsibility, we ought to keep up to His expectations as He is our Creator. God has made humans in the “best of forms” and we can become among “the lowest of the low”. We, humans, can rise above angels in worship of God, which is the sole purpose for which we are created and they too, but we have been given the power of reasoning whereas they are created to worship only. If we suppress the evil in ourselves, we can rise higher than the angels and if we let the evil dominate, we can sink lower than the animals!

Each one of us has been blessed with special talents and resources and is unique in our own ways. No two people can be compared as each one has a different purpose to serve in the world. God has created a perfect balance in each one of us, so that if one is extremely good looking, lack of manners or some other deficiency will be found. On the other hand, if one is average looking, there may be extraordinary talent of communication or politeness etc.

There are various kinds of people in the world. According to me four types, the first being good, the second moderate or average, the third not so good and fourth bad! The first kind hears what the conscience says, does what is morally right. The second kind is often confused about morals. They are confused whether certain things are right or wrong. They do care about morals but sometimes are prevented from following it due to the society’s opinion of them. The third kind does not care about morals, principles, right or wrong, they do what is “cool”, “trendy”, “fashionable”, etc. They go by what they see and hear, without judging the matter. The fourth kind does not care about humanity. They indulge in inhumane activities and atrocities; they are brutal, selfish and harsh. Hitler was one such individual. He killed or rather was responsible for the death of six million Jews.

We humans know that none has the power to create but God and yet certain sections make and worship idols, do biddah in dargah! We also know that no one loves and cares for us as our Creator, God does, and yet we seek love in the world among people! We know that life and death, health and sickness, are with Allah’s commands and yet we boast, when we can’t even breathe without God’s will! We live in the world as if there are no worries besides earning, fooding, clothing, shopping, studying; no responsibility besides studying, bringing up children, earning! We don’t make an effort to realise our duties, our responsibilities, and our purpose in life. We give all our time and energy, thinking and working towards our ambition and goal of being a doctor, engineer, pilot, C.A., officer, etc. How many of us actually think beyond this? Are studies everything? Is a good income enough for our lives? Is being a doctor or an engineer, the definition of success? Think about it!

We think of being good human beings, when the functions of our organs retard, when we near our death, our end! That is the time, when we make sacrifices, we become generous, and we become wise. Let me tell you, wisdom not only comes with age, there are other means to become wise, even in your youth. Old age has very little to do with sacrifice. There is nothing much to sacrifice- you have little energy, few resources, little strength. Sacrifices can be made when you have lots of energy, lots of strength, enormous resources...your youth...which you waste in watching TV, chatting uselessly, music, hanging out with friends.

Youth...a time in life when you can create revolutions, can create histories, when you can contribute to the world - peace, justice and love, propagate humanity. Youth, is a stage when you can put the wrongs right, war to peace, injustice to justice. How can we waste our youth? If only the young know, what their potential is, then how peaceful this world would be?

Instead of using their energies to bring about constructive, positive changes, the youth aimlessly spend their time in drug addiction, terrorism, and violence in so many negative ways, thereby wasting their energies, their resources! May God help the youth to utilize their energies, their resources in a constructive, positive manner! Ameen. 

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Islam and Fanatism : What leads some Muslims to fanatism?

Monday, February 18, 2013

Author: Nisar Nadiadwala

One of the finest advice and command that our Messenger , peace be upon him, gave : Haram upon you is the blood and the honour of your Muslim brother. The other hadith declares : Abusing a Muslim is fisk and killing him is kufr. It needs a courageous introspection to realise why our daggers are pulled out when it comes to inner quarrels and why we cant even pursue legal battle when it comes to those who do injustice to us, who burn our houses and rape our women.

Few years back we were praying Asar in a congregation. After the prayers were over a youth spoke bitterly: Ah ! This Imam has spoiled our prayers. How fast he prayed ! The youth insulted the Imam. A few other youth gathered and there was a heated dispute. The imam defended himself loudly " Look here! these jeans and T shirt guys will teach me how to lead prayers?" The dispute ended with an announcement : If you are not comfortable in our Masjid then don't pray here. We will not discuss which sect the boys belonged to and which group the Masjid belonged to. Many masjids of India and Pakistan have such ban on entries of certain sects.

The same year there was a quarrel between two sunni sects in Mumbai which lead to the killing of a youth who had a beard and prayed five times in the Masjid. He was stabbed to death when he stepped out of the Masjid after Magrib prayers. The issue was " whether the moon was really sighted or not!!!!!" That year the rift over moon sighting was so broad that there were families where half the members continued to complete the thirtieth fast and the remaining half celebrated the Eid.

Last month a young man refused to participate in his own father's Salatul Janazah! The reason? My father was not a man of Taqwa!!

What converts belief into a violent emotion that pitches brother against brother and father against son? We cannot discuss all the issues here because I fear a battle may rage beneath my notes and violent comments may be missiled . So I will carefully pick up a few and keep it dilute.

As Religious knowledge becomes easily available there is an emergence of self made muftis who thrive upon the fatawas of the world renounced scholars and who understand exactly opposite to what was mentioned. Many young people are learning deen on their own. By buying library of Islamic books one cannot become a scholar. By merely reading Islamic books one cannot claim to have understood everything on his own . Will you accept the medical credential of a person who says he has become a doctor on his own just by reading medical books? Can you become a lawyer just by learning English language and reading a few books of law? Then how can one assume that he is a lawyer of Deen when he has just read little !

One need to learn and seek explanations from the scholars. Even a man of Dr Zakir's caliber has appointed a team of Madinite scholars who refer to their senior scholars in many issues. The presence of the scholars becomes essential in case one errs. If reading books were enough to make a man comprehend Deen then why did Allah sent messengers? . There were sahaba who were scholars in Arabic language and poetry, but yet they approached the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, to understand the law. And it was obligatory to do so, says the Qur'an in Surah Nisa' verse 59.. O you who believe ! obey Allah and Obey His messenger and those who are an authority amongst you, but if you differ among your selves then refer to Allah and Messenger..the next phrase of the verse is very important;; inkuntum to'minona billahi wa yaumul akheerah..If you have believed in Allah and on the last day. It is a part of the belief that one refers to the Qur'an and the sunnah to solve differences.

But many youth rely on their own understanding or stick to the opinion of a scholar they approve of. They are met with equal resistance from others who dont agree with them. Some "so called scholars" ignite fire. I happened to pass by a fiery speech by a moulana. He was naming the scholars of the other sects as kuffars and hypocrites. The sermon was on mike in the masjid but the echo was felt in the streets and houses and friend circles when two people of different ideologies meet. The fire that are kindled in khutbas explode in the streets.

The correct way of learning deen is not to be a fanatic. But try to do the best as much as you can. The Qur'an reminds in many places..

waquloo linnasa Husna.. "and talk with the people in a beautiful manner" ( Surah al Baqarah) Islam even teaches ethics in differing. It becomes a religious obligation to differ ethically. When ethics in speeches are discarded then hatred occupies the empty space and rules the thinking.

Consider this hadith : If your Muslim brother sins, correct him, pray for him but do not hand him over to shaytan... Many of us give up corrections after a couple of efforts, but never or rarely pray for the guidance of the erring brother. We quickly gun for fatawas and are in a hurry to hand him over to shaytan. This is fanatism..

Author Nisaar Nadiadwala can be reached at mnisaar@gmail.com | www.nisaaryusuf.wordpress.com

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