When Allah seizes some precious possession from a believer and deprives him of it, the last thing to ensue would be his getting disheartened. A firm believer’s condition would actually not change! Infact, all in and out tranquility reins him. An illustration for this can be when a cherished friend of yours takes your belongings to Quetta, and you too have to leave Karachi to settle in Quetta for good. You even know that your friend who has taken your luggage to Quetta is a very wise man, and has also assured you: “My friend, I’m taking your possessions to Quetta and before you even arrive there, it will be increased manifold.” So what do you think, would you be perturbed or would you be content? Very content, indeed. Voicing the verity in honour of your friend: What a good fellow he is, who reduced my burden; in addition, he is also going to boost my assets multiple times over.

Now for instance, there is this person who is overwhelmed in tough trials. Incidentally he has a friend who loves him dearly, is always there in his need and to top it all - this friend is also influential and invested in authority to act. Now as soon as he falls in this trial, he says: “Ah, I have that friend; my work will be done by far. No problem at all.”  Under no means does he lose hope. And why would he when his friend is there for him.

Fortunately, when the tongue will remember Him much, then naturally the heart too will be stirred in the same course. This will facilitate this heart to be undivided between what matters and what does not. At times a person is so embedded in the eventful, day-to-day grind of this life; be it at work or a classroom, he might be listening to the teacher’s lecture but his mind is engaged elsewhere. And more often than not, the thought that does not leave him is exactly what the focus of his life is. Likewise, in the villages, there are women who carry two, three water pots on their heads. Every so often even four. Their path is crooked, amid highs and lows, but they carry on; even talking and laughing with eachother as they tread along. Nonetheless, their hearts are well acquainted with the primary fact that there is water on their heads.

“O you who believe! Remember Allah abundantly. And glorify Him morning and evening.” [Al-Ahzaab 33: 41, 42]

Allah, the most Exalted, is addressing the believers asserting: remember Allah morn and eve and every possible time in between. This, essentially, is a prescription for gilding the entire life of a believer; entailing one lone thing for scores of others. Thus the line of attack, to wipe out all weaknesses and stumbling blocks from a believer’s life is subsequently being specified by Allah in these few words: remember Allah abundantly.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful.

وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا (1)

[91:1] I swear by the sun and his broad light,

وَالْقَمَرِ إِذَا تَلاهَا (2)

[91:2] and by the moon when she follows him,

وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا جَلاَّهَا (3)

[91:3] and by the day when it shows his brightness,

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَاهَا (4)

[91:4] and by the night when it envelops him,

وَالسَّمَاءِ وَمَا بَنَاهَا (5)

The ban on pictures of animate objects (people and animals) is stated with great emphasis in many highly authentic Ahaadith. The authenticity of these Ahaadith has never been questioned by anyone, not even by those who propagate the permissibility of pictures. These people (who believe in the permissibility of television, cable, etc.) make their best endeavors to interpret away the prohibition. But all their interpretations are baseless and no Muslim of intelligence who is not intoxicated by his nafs will find sense in the interpretations to legalize the prohibition of pictures of animate objects.

The one who disdains the prayers will receive fifteen punishments from Allah.

Six punishments in this lifetime
Three while dying
three in the grave &
three on the Day of Judgment.

THE SIX PUNISHMENTS OF LIFE:

1. Allah takes away blessings from his age (makes his life misfortunate)
2.Allah does not accept his plea (Dua’s)
3.Allah erases the features of good people from his face.
4. He will be detested by all creatures on earth.
5. Allah does not award him for his good deeds. (No thawab)
6. He will not be included in the Dua’s of good people.

THE AZAN

1. The words of the azan should be called slowly while those of the iqama should be called rapidly (but not so fast that the words are not properly articulated).
2. It is necessary for the muezzin to know the timing of the salat, the best times to form the jamaat and the directions of Qibla.
3. One should not cry himself hoarse while calling the azan.
4. If some one else calls the azan in the muazzin’s absence he should not be annoyed at it.
5. One should call the azan in a loud and agreeable melodious voice but not like a song.

(1) The same rules which apply to a man observing I’tikaf in the Musjid, apply to a woman observing I’tikaf in her place of seclusion at home.

(2) When necessity, e.g. Juma’h Salat in another Musjid, compels the Mu’takif to leave his Musjid, it will be permissible for him to enquire about a sick person or generally engage in good conversation without departing from the road. He must not unnecessarily stop on the road.

(3) During I’tikaf it is not permissible to leave the Musjid for even a Sunnat ghusl.

The Mu’takif should engage himself in lbadat to the best of his ability. Nafl Salat, Tilawat, Durood, Istighfar and permanent Thikr in general should be the Mu’takifs occupations throughout the duration of his I’tikaf.

When the Mu’takif speaks, he must speak only what is virtue or what is necessary.

The Mutakif should not do anything which conflicts with the spirit of I’tikaf. He should guard his heart, mind, ears, eyes and limbs against all evil, thus deriving maximum benefit from his seclusion in the Musjid.

The Mu’takif is the guest of Allah. He should, therefore, be careful of his behaviour in the House of Allah.