Volume 2 No.5

Vol. 2 – 1, Jamadee- ul-Awwal  1417 – September 1996 – No. 5

BACK TO BASICS (continued)
Virtues of Salah In Jama’ah (congregation)

 

Salah is the Supreme Gift from Allah  and performing this worship in Jama’ah is the Sunnatul Maukkiddah of the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad . Worship performed according to the Sunnah of the Beloved of my soul Hadrat Muhammad , gives worship the unique flavour of Paradise and endears the worshipper to the Lord of Muhammad  and the Lord of the universe. Salah performed in Jama’ah in the Masjid/Musalla therefore carries 27 times (29 in another Hadeeth) more rewards from Almighty Allah than doing it alone.
Salat With Jama’ah In The Mosque 

 

 

VIRTUES OF THE MONTH Jamadee-ul-Awwal 

 

“It is written in the book Jawaahir Ghaibee” that any person who performs 4 Raka’ah on the first night and in each Raka’ah recites Surah Al Ikhlas 11 times, Allah Tabarak Ta’la enters 90,000 years of good deeds in that person’s book of deeds and removes 90,000 years of bad deeds from that person’s book of deeds.

 

VIRTUES OF SALATUN NABI  (DUROOD)

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Translation: “Indeed Allah and His Angels send their blessings upon the Prophet (Muhammad). O you who believe send your blessings and peace upon him, send peace profusely and well.” Surah 33 verse 56

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The above Aayah opens the door for an unbelievable abundance and treasure of Virtues for the Ummah of the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad .
Allah  is informing us that He and His Angels are occupied with Salaatun Nabi  and we are then commanded to do the same. For Allah  to be occupied with Salaatun Nabi  is unique. We are the ones who are always commanded by Allah Dhul Jalaali Wal Ikram to perform our duties. Never in any other situation has The Almighty Allah made known to us that He Himself is occupied in a certain act and then command us also to do the same. The tremendous importance given to Salaatun Nabi , by our Exalted Creator, Lord of The Universe therefore is very obvious and should not escape our attention and comprehension.
Scholars clarify that Allah Ta’la’s Salah means bestowal of peace and blessings upon His Beloved . The Salah of the Angels means their desire and request for increasing the stations of the Beloved of Allah Muhammad  and seeking forgiveness for us. Since the Ummah of the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  are his followers and servants it is improper and impossible for us to send blessings upon him . This is why our Salaatun Nabi  is to humbly request Allah  to send appropriate and profuse blessings upon His Beloved  and at the same time we have been ordered to send peace upon him  as we do in the last part of our Salah at the time of reciting “Attahiyyat” when we say “Assalaamu Alaika Ayyuhan Nabiyyu Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuhu”. As a matter of fact you will realize that our Salah is neither complete nor accepted till we recite the above Salam and follow it by reciting the Salaatun Nabi .
There are literally hundreds of virtues of Salaatun Nabi . We shall mention several here and Inshaallah Ta’la in our next issue along with some commentary where ever necessary.
Hadrat Yahya Bin Ayyoob and Qaitabah Bin Sa’eed and Ibn Hajr, Ima’aeel (Ibn Ja’far) ‘Ala, his father and Hadrat Abu Hurairah  narrate that the Beloved of Allah, Hadrat Muhammad  said: Anyone who recites Salatun Nabi upon me once, Allah  will send him His Blessings ten times. (Assaheeh Muslim Vol. , Page 185, Masnad Ahmad Bin Hambal, Sunan Daarimi, Sunan Abu Dawood)
Hadrat Ishaq Bin Mansoor, Muhammad Bin Yusuf, Yunus Bin Abi Ishaq, Buraid Bin Abu Mariam, Hadrat Anas Bin Maalik  have narrated that the beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  has said: Whoever recites Durood upon me once, Allah  will bestow upon him 10 blessings, will forgive 10 sins, and will increase his station 10 times. (Sunnah Nisaai, 1^st Vol. Pg. 130)
Hadrat Abdullah Bin Mas’ood  narrates that the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  has said: On the Day of Judgement the person who would be closest to me would be the one who sends the most Duroods upon me. {Imam Abu ‘Eesa Tirmidhi, Hasan Ghareeb}
Jewels of my eyes, which one of us would not like to be close to the beloved of my soul the Beloved of the Lord of the Universe  on the terrible Day of Accountability. Let me inform you my dear soul mates that many Aulia of Allah Ta’la including our beloved Shaikh Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali Muddazilluhu would daily recite and send Durood 100,000 times or more. All of our centers of Islamic Virtues by the Grace of Allah Ta’la and out of the love we feel for His Beloved Hadrat Muhammad  try to seep ourselves with the deliciousness of the Durood. Join us my dear and beloved readers in this occupation of all occupations which is also the Divine occupation! Those of you who Allah Ta’la inspires to do the Durood profusely, may we suggest recitation of just . You could do thousands of this Durood Shareef in ½ to 1 hour. Then please make Dua for us would you not?

 

 

WARNING WARNING WARNING

 

You are my beloved readers; you are the jewels of my eyes; you are the True Ummah of the Beloved of my soul Hadrat Muhammad . Some of you when I plead with you not to buy houses on mortgages (or anything on which interest is paid) respond

“How else can I buy a house?” Or

 

“How else can I do business?” Or

 

“How else can I buy a car?” Or

 

“How else can I buy Real Estate for business purposes?” etc. etc. etc.

Jewels of my eyes you are missing the whole point! Please . . . . . try and understand that the ONLY purpose for which Allah created us is for His Worship, His Love and His Obedience. Our very brief stay in this world is to prepare for the Hereafter and to strive to accumulate the fabulous and unbelievable assets in the Paradise.
Allah  in The Holy Quran and His Beloved Hadrat Muhammad  in his Khutbah of the Farewell Hajj and many Ahadeeth asserted in clear and undebatable terms, that all and every kind of interest giving and taking, in brief ALL INVOLVEMENT with interest is not only Haraam (Forbidden) but a major and horrendous sin punishable with the utmost severity. My dear and beloved readers consider the above and also the fact that those who attain the lowest level of Paradise will receive Palaces larger than this world!
Those of you who got involved in this terrible sin in ignorance or by a misunderstanding or in moments of weakness, does it make any sense whatsoever to continue and trade the Fire of Hell for tinsels of this world which are temporal? Please, does it not make perfect sense to get out of it with utmost expediency? And those of you who are clean or thinking (Nauzubllah) of getting involved, please thank Allah that you are not involved and do not even go near this terrible sin and remember often and profusely: Peace is guaranteed here as well as in Paradise to those who lead a life of Islamic Virtues. A life of simplicity brings peace. Life spent in chasing after worldly possessions may give satisfaction to our egos and to the Shaitaan; but peace? Never! Neither here nor in the Hereafter!
Trust Him Who has created you with love and follow him who was sent to lead you. May Allah Ta’la protect you. Ameen.
The final word is Allah Ta’la’s:
“Allah will destroy usury (Riba, interest) of all blessings, but will increase charity,
for He loves not any ungrateful sinner”. chapter 2, verse 276
“Those who devour usury, will not stand except as stands one whom the Satan by his touch has driven to madness”. That is because they say “Trade is like usury”. But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Chapter 2, verse 275 (part)

“Those who do not give up what remains of your demand for usury, take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger . . .” chapter 2, verse 279 (part)

 

VIRTUES OF SUNNAH Virtues of Siwaak (using miswaak)

 

Miswaak is a stem of trees, cut into pieces a hand span long, available in most Islamic supply stores for less than a dollar each. One chews one end to make it soft and brush-like. Cleaning the teeth and the tongue with this simple Miswaak was one of the most favorite rituals of the Beloved of Allah, Hadrat Muhammad .
As we unfold this Sunnah, the virtues and rewards are simply amazing.
Hadrat Abu Darda  narrates that the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  has said: That there are three acts which are among the Sunnah of the Messengers of Allah  : ~
(1)To hasten in breaking the fast (Iftaar).
(2) To delay in eating the Sahri (Pre dawn meal).
(3) To do Siwaak (clean with the Miswaak). (Attabaraani)
Hadrat Ibn Umar  narrates that the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  has said: Make use of Miswaak compulsory for yourself because in this is the cleanliness of the mouth and (which) is pleasing to Allah ‘Azza Wa Jal. (Bukhari)
Hadrat ‘Aaishah Siddeeqah  narrates that the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  has said: The virtue of performing Salah with Miswaak is 70 times more than the Salah without it.
(To clean the teeth and tongue, with Miswaak before doing the wudu of that Salah)
My beloved readers, so far you have learnt that the simplest and easiest of acts imaginable: Cleaning your teeth with a stick of wood, is a Sunnah of all the Messengers of Allah and a Sunnah which was supremely dear to the Beloved of my soul Hadrat Muhammad .
We are going to relate to you a very touching Hadeeth narrated by our most respected and honorable mother of Mumineen, Hadrat ‘Aayesha Siddeeqah about the very last minutes of the earthly sojourn of the Beloved of Allah, the most perfect of all humanity Hadrat Muhammad : “One of the gifts among the gifts bestowed upon me by Allah ‘Azza Wa Jal is the apparent passing away (from this world) of my beloved husband  in my house during my turn to be with him  (when he was lying with his head) in between my collar bone and my ribs. It is also His gift that my saliva blended with his  blessed saliva before his last breaths. (It so happened that) Hadrat Abdur Rahman Bin Abi Bakr  came to my house and he had a miswaak in his hand. At that time I was supporting my beloved husband (his head between my collar bone and ribs). I saw him  looking at the miswaak. I knew his fondness for the miswaak. So, I asked him  do you want me to take the miswaak? (from Hadrat Abdur Rahman Bin Abi Bakr  for you). He nodded his head in agreement. I took the miswaak from Hadrat Abdur Rahman Bin Abi Bakr  and presented it (to my beloved husband ). He  wanted to use it but it was hard. (He  did not have the strength) Hence I asked “should I soften it for you?” He  nodded his head in agreement. I then chewed one end and (after softening it) presented it to him. He  started to rub the miswaak over his (blessed) teeth. There was a utensil with water in it, in front of him . He  would put both his (blessed) hands in the water and apply it over his blessed face and recite “  ” (There is no God (worthy of worship) but Allah) and say “Indeed there are hardships around death”. He  would raise his hands in Dua and supplicate “O Allah (‘Azza Wa Jal) include me among my highest friends (Prophets and Messengers)” and kept repeating it, till his  blessed soul was taken away and then his  blessed hands came down (to rest on or by his blessed body). (Kutub Katheerah)

My precious gems, every action every movement and every moment of the Beloved of my soul  was for our benefit. No thought of his  was free from love and concern for us. He  is the greatest of all teachers. He  taught not so much with words as with deeds. Alongwith reciting and making dua, the last act he  performed as the strength was fading, was to clean his blessed teeth with the Miswaak.
When I read the above Hadeeth many many years ago Allah the Most Merciful moved my heart so profoundly that I resolved never to be without a Miswaak for the rest of my life. Whatever is dear to Allah is Dear to His Beloved  and vice versa. In the heart of my hearts I knew that using Miswaak would endear me to my dearest Lord because His Beloved  loved the Miswaak so, so much. I still carry the feeling, and its strength never wavers that weak and sinful as I am, I may falter in adopting the other difficult Sunnahs. The Merciful of all mercifuls may forgive my errors and shortcomings because of my love for the Miswaak and may just push me into Paradise because of it. Ameen.
I pray with all my heart that you my precious gems will be moved even more deeply than this humble slave was and adopt this magnificent yet simple blessed Sunnah for the rest of your lives and become endeared by the only One who matters and His most Beloved  and reach high levels in Paradise. Ameen. Ameen again.

I can not leave this topic without teaching those of you who do not know, how the Beloved of Allah  used the Miswaak:

• The Miswaak should not be longer than your hand span.
• The Miswaak is taken from Peelu, Olive, and Neem Trees.
• It should not be thicker than the fingers.
• Chew and soften one end of the Miswaak about one inch.
• Hold the Miswaak in your right hand with your little finger under the Miswaak. Place your other three fingers on top of the Miswaak. Your thumb should be placed on the top of the end of the Miswaak.
• The Miswaak should be rubbed on the teeth side ways from right to left. First the upper teeth (right to left) then the lower teeth.
• This should be done three times and the Miswaak cleaned with water each time.
• The tongue should be rubbed length wise.
• The inner and upper sides of the teeth should also be cleaned.

If you have difficulty obtaining Miswaak, please write or phone and we shall be happy to send you Fee Sabeelillah.
There is much more to come about the Miswaak, in our next issue Inshaallah Ta’la. 

 

VIRTUES OF EVERYDAY DUAS (supplication)
When you see your muslim brother happy

Hadrat ‘Umar  narrates that the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  said: When you see your muslim brother happy, recite: 
Translation: “May Allah Ta’la keep you always happy. (Bukhaari. Muslim, Nisaai, Tarteeb Shareef Pg. 491)

When you see your face in the mirror
Hadrat Ibn Mas’ood  narrates: The Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  said: When you see your face in the mirror say: 
Translation: “Dearest Allah you made my face beautiful/handsome, please make my Akhlaaq (manners, conduct) also beautiful.”

When you raise your head towards the sky
Hadrat “Aayeshah Siddeeqah  narrates that whenever the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad  looked up at the sky he recited: 
Translation: “O the One who turns my heart, keep my heart firm on your obedience.”
(‘Amal al Yaumi Wal Lailati, Ibn Sunnee, Tarteeb Shareef Pg. 495) 

While donations are welcome they are not solicited. All our
publications, and programs which include Da’wah and Tableegh,

holding seminars and lectures through the United States and

distributing food and other essentials to the needy non-denominationally are Fee Sabeelillah, to seek the pleasure of Allah.

 

SOME ESSENTIAL ADVISE from – – –
Hadrat Shaikh Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali Mudda Zilluhu

• If any kind of hardship, illness, worry, sadness or misfortune visits you, consider them to be a consequence of your own bad deeds. Do not blame others for them. Recite Astaghfirullah (seeking forgiveness from Allah ‘Azza Wa Jal) repeatedly. Indeed, Astaghfirullah is the sole cure of such calamities.
• If you employ someone for any work, pay his dues before his sweat dries, so that he can take home his earnings.
• Wild and Airborne birds should not be imprisoned in cages. Give them freedom, let them go whichever way they want to go. Hunting is permissible. However do not spend a whole day chasing animals with dogs and guns.
• Every religion has one wonderful attribute. In our Deenul Islam the wonderful attribute is modesty. Never shower, take a bath naked. Even in your bathroom, cover your shame with a piece of cloth. The thigh is included in the satar. Never show your own or see the thigh of either a dead or alive person.
• Do not arrange animal fights and enjoy watching.
• You should arrange the most important ceremony of the marriage of a boy and a girl which is the Nikah and send them away. Do not ever get bound by any other ceremony.
  
  

 

VIRTUES OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF FIQH AND SHARIAH (continued)

By the Grace of Almighty Allah we shall continue to present you with the extracts about the above subject from the great work “Manifestations of The Stages of Excellence in Worship (Makshoofaat Manaazile Ehsaan) Vol. 1,
by our beloved, esteemed and highly revered Shaikh, Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat ‘Ali, Muddazilluhu:

“Do not use derogatory language against any institution of our Deen. Do not use the Deen as an excuse to cross your swords about personal differences. If we ponder upon this situation judiciously we shall realize that we do not argue about differences in matters of the Deen. We argue because of personal differences. There are no differences in the Ahkaam (ordnances) of the Deen. When you will become busy with the work of Allah’s Deenul Islam for the pleasure of Allah , Allah Ta’la will be with you. There is no need for you to argue with anyone. What you know, propagate it, tell it to every one. After you spend some time in this frame of mind, Allah’s victory will visit your Tableegh for His Deen and then army after army will enter the Deenul Islam, Inshaallah Ta’la.
When this takes place do not become proud that this happened because of your efforts and hard work. Considering this success to have come from Allah Rabbul ‘Izzah, Glorify and Praise Him and seek His forgiveness and repentance, indeed Allah is Ghafoorur Raheem and forgives those who repent and befriends those who repent.

 

For me it is to convey – – – – – – – 

 

Please pay careful attention once again. The Deenul Islaam has been perfected and completed. There is no good left off that has not been already commanded. Similarly there is no evil remaining that has not been prohibited. Throughout your entire life you will not come across any situation or a problem for which a solution is not available from the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah Ta’la has proclaimed the Deen to be completed and perfected. Such proclamation is made only when it is completed and perfected from every perspective and when there is no room for any improvements or alterations whatsoever. These words are strong links in the chain of unity. Without this our unity is doubtful although not impossible.
Remember a religion is dependent upon 4 requirements:

1. Obedience to Commands
2. Love
3. Fatwa
4. Taqwa (Awe/Fear of Allah  )

Until a person has a mastery over the above four stations, he is not really conversant with any religion, nor should he give any decisions.
The one who spoke anything according to a command, spoke correctly.
Anyone who spoke under the influence of love, spoke correctly.
Similarly, anyone who spoke with Taqwa, spoke correctly.
There is always a consequence of a spoken word, here in the world as well as in the Hereafter. May Allah  turn us all towards Him and not towards each other. Till such time as we turn our attention towards Allah , how can this mutual hatred end? At times we pursue each other as if we were each others Rabbs (Lords) and we are the ones that have to take the account!
The one who turns his attention towards Allah  will never harbour any hatred towards another.
To be continued Inshaallah Ta’la.

 

 

VIRTUES OF PURIFICATION (Tazkiatun Nafs) continued

It was by the Grace of Allah , established in the previous 2 issues of ”Virtues of Islamic Life”, from the Quran and the Ahadeeth that success in the Hereafter comes to the one who purifies his self (Nafs).
Let us look at the simile given in the Quran that rain is a blessing from our Lord. However when it falls on a rocky surface nothing happens. When it falls on a marshy and waterlogged area it produces more bad odor, more mosquitoes, more snakes!
When the rain falls on a cultivated, fertile land it produces healthy crops.

The seat of our Iman (faith) is our spiritual heart. The Rasoolallah  has mentioned in a Hadeeth something to the effect that there is a piece of flesh (the heart) in our body. If it is healthy the whole body is healthy. If it is diseased, the whole body becomes diseased.
The Holy Quran without a doubt is a great blessing from Allah . However when it reaches a heart which is contaminated with pride, arrogance, jealousy, hatred, anger, greed, love for the world and its possessions, etc. etc., such a heart is not receptive to this blessing. History bears witness that such hearts, even at the time of the Beloved of Allah Hadrat Muhammad , rejected the Quran and its guidance. Many such hearts actually became inflamed and turned to violence and even wanted to kill the one who came as a Mercy to mankind.
No wonder or surprise that Allah would advise His Beloved, Hadrat Muhammad  to recite to his compatriots the Quranic Ayahs as he received them, and when they accepted the truth, to purify their hearts, so that the now fertile soil of their purified heart would be ready, willing and able to be receptive to the deeper and profound knowledge from the book of Allah.
When the heart becomes fond of what it receives, the Imaan (belief) which resides gets rooted and strengthens into faith and then into certitude. The commands of our Lord and Master, Allah Rabbul ‘Izzah and the Sunnah of His Beloved Hadrat Muhammad  acquire a sweetness of their own and now obedience becomes eager and willing. This purified heart now becomes the Ka’ba of the Mumin wherein reside Allah with His full Glory and His Beloved  with his love and goodwill.
It is about this purified heart that the Hadeeth Qudsi refers to when Allah  says to the effect:
I am the creator of the Heavens and the Earth so I can not be accommodated in them. I can be accommodated though, in the heart of My slave.

I hope and I pray to Allah the most Compassionate that so far it is clear to you me soulmates, that purification of the self and the heart is the road which leads to the Lord and Master of His Creation and His true Worship; and this is how we can fulfill the very purpose of our creation.

Inshaallah Ta’la, more is on its way on this vital topic in our next issue.

 

TRANSLATION OF THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOK IN 5 VOLUMES “MAKSHOOFAT MANAZIL EHSAAN”.
“{MANIFESTATIONS OF THE STAGES OF EXCELLENCE IN WORSHIP}” continued 

By Hadrat Shaikh Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali Muddazilluhu

“In my occupation of the Da’wah and Tableegh of your Deenul Islam, I will never be unfaithful in any way. I will also not become someone (of importance) in your world (Dunya). I will never make any claims of mastery of anything. All the time and in every condition I will confess my shortcomings and will not consider myself superior to anyone. I will always speak plainly and clearly with every one and will never keep anyone under any misunderstanding. My condition is such that I have no special and hidden knowledge about the dead in their graves, about the condition of peoples’ hearts, about the condition of peoples’ jugular arteries (as special doctors called “Hakeems” do), about bringing back to life or about new sciences. I make no claims of possessing any super natural powers, I am just an ordinary person. I have no acquaintance with sainthood. I do not make any claims of having reached any unique condition or station.

Finally, apart from the knowledge of the apparent ordnances of Deenul Islam, I have no other special knowledge. I do not consider it necessary at all to try and acquire knowledge about matters and occupations for which we have no mandate. The cannons and laws of Your Deen are simple, easy to understand in every (conceivable) matter totally sufficient and fulfill our needs. And I am fully satisfied with them. I make dua that You may give me rock like steadfastness upon them. 

Firm Resolve

Whether any one listens or not, accepts or not, wants to meet me or not, join me or not, I will not abandon it (my resolve) under any condition. I will do it always and perpetually till death overtakes me. 

This center of Da’wah and Tableegh of Deenul Islam and its continuity should survive till The Day of Judgement. It should gather force every day, never weaken and never end. 

O Allah, O Rahmaan, O Raheem, O Dhal Jalaahi Wal Ikraam, I make Dua in Your Court of Exaltedness and Grandeur that my life be taken for You and in Your Path. 
Even my coffin may traverse Your Path. 

Dua:

Translation: Dearest Allah please give me martyrdom for Your Pleasure and my death in the city of the Rasool () Ameen. Dear Lord please accept me worship as You are the Hearer and the Knower. Glorified is the Lord, Lord of Exaltedness, Purer that they attribute You to be. Peace be upon the Messengers. And all Praises are for the Lord of The Universe. Ameen. And the last of my supplication is that all Praises are only for the Lord of The Universe. And Blessings and peace be on the generous Messenger. Ameen. 

 

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Too many of us have little or no interest in Islam.
Too many of those have some interest in Islam too often try to fit Islam into their lives.
Only those Inshaallah Ta’la will achieve the peace, harmony, and tranquillity here and in Paradise, promised by Allah Rabbul Izzah who work hard to fit all of themselves into all of Islam