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“For twenty years I waged Jihad against myself.  I struggled, all throughout to remain standing in prayer at night.  For those twenty years I never tasted the sweetness of the night prayer.  It was only after that that I found comfort and sweetness.”

These are the words of one of the greatest scholars of the early generation.  Al-Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawri (161 H) is known as one of the Eight Ascetics of his age.  He was, rahimahullah, ‘aabid – a worshipper.

Twenty years of Jihad by night.  No sweetness was experienced by ath-Thawri (rahimahullah) for twenty years?  Read more... (1514 words, estimated 6:03 mins reading time)

Hadrat Jabir (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated that the Messenger of ALLAH said that the most excellent way to make mention of ALLAH is to say:

“There is no God but ALLAH.”

[Tirmizi - lbn Majah]

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Ta’ala Anhu) narrated ALLAH’s Messenger as saying that if anyone says a hundred times in a day:

“There is no God but ALLAH Who has no partner, to whom dominion belongs, to whom praise is due, who is omnipotent.”  Read more... (480 words, 12 images, estimated 1:55 mins reading time)

Q. A non-Muslim studying Islamics at a university is writing a project on the Tablighi Jamaat. Since I got to know him because of this, he frequently asks a thing or two concerning his project. One question is this :
“As far as I know “Dhikr” is not used in the Tablighi Jamaat in the same sense as Sufis use it, who use it often for mystical and spiritual exercises to attain a state of ecstasy. What is meant by “Dhikr” in Tablighi Jamaat and what is the difference between “Dhikr” and the Prayer (Salah)?”  Read more... (1328 words, estimated 5:19 mins reading time)

In a lengthy tradition, Hadrat Abu Sa’d al-Kudri narrated that one day, the Messenger of ALLAH came to the mosque from his home for performing Salaah and he saw people looking as if they were bursting into laughter (in the mosque) (and this was the sign of excessive carelessness). So the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said (for their guidance), “If you were to keep much in remembrance death which is the cutter-off of pleasures it would distract you from what I see. So keep death much in remembrance. [Jam-e-Tirmiz, Ma’arif-ul-Hadis]  Read more... (219 words, estimated 53 secs reading time)

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said to Hadrat Abu Zar: ‘l bequeath you to be pious, because piety greatly adorns and improves all your deeds.’ Hadrat Abu Zar (Radi Allaahu Ta’ala Anhu) thereupon said, “Some more, Sir”, He said, “Recite the Holy Quran and remember ALLAH as a regular measure because this recitation and remembrance will be followed by you on earth.” Hazrat Abu Zarr requested for some more. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “Cultivate the habit of remaining silent and speaking less because this habit wards off Satan and is helpful in matters of faith.” Hadrat Abu Zar (Radi Allaahu Ta’ala Anhu) again requested for some counsels. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “Give up the habit of laughing too much because it deadens the spirit and dims the light of one’s face. Hadrat Abu Zar (Radi Allaahu Ta’ala Anhu) requested for some more counsels. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, “Speak truth even though it may be unpalatable and bitter.” On request for still more counsels, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said. “Do not care for people’s reproach in the matter of ALLAH Whatever you know about your own self and person, should be enough to hold you back from finding out, and loop-holes of others. [Sha’ab-ul-Aman, Baihaqui, Ma’arif-ul-Hadis]  Read more... (310 words, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

Hazrat Ibn Abaas R.A. said: “Whoever has enough money to perform Hajj and does not do so, or enough wealth making Zakaat obligatory on him, and he does not give it, he shall surely at the time of his death beg to be sent back to the world.”

The fact that they shall beg to be returned to this earth is a reference to the verse I n Surah Mu’minoon which is thus: “In falsehood and deception will the be until when death comes to one of them, he says: “O My Lord, send me back to life, in order that I may work righteously in the thing I neglected.’ By no mean! But is a word he says.” Before them is a partition till the day they are raised up.”
(Surah 23 verse 99 and 100)  Read more... (493 words, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)

Inadmissible and absurd talks should be abstained from. As for as possible, one should keep oneself busy in the remembrance of Allah or in the study of the religious books which induce deep concern for the life hereinafter and mend one’s ways.

To Begin With The Dictates For Hajj
As the ‘Takbir-e-Tahrimah’ i.e. saying (Allah-o-Akbar) is meant to begin with the prayers (Salat), so is the ‘Ihram’ with which ‘Hajj’ or ‘Umra’ begins. The detailes of the ‘Ihram’ are to follow hereafter. But before this, the difference between Hajj and Umra and the kinds of Hajj should be learnt.

Hadrat Aishah (Radi Allaahu Ta’ala Anha) narrated: When the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) was lying critically ill, Abdur Rahman son of Abu Bakr (Radi Allaahu Ta’ala Anhu) came to see him. He had fresh miswak. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) stared at him and I made out that he wanted it. So I took it out of Abdur Rehman’s hand, chewed it and after cleaning gave it to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam). He used the miswâk (as was his wont) and then advanced it towards me. It fell down from his hand.” The tradition continues. Then he raised his eyes towards heavenwards and prayed, “O Allaah! With the Companion on High.”(i.e. in the company of pure souls and angels). Some extra righteous persons regard keeping away from family life as essential for attainment of nearness to ALLAH. This tradition refutes this view. There can be no better occasion of being near to ALLAH (than breathing one’s last) but even at this critical moment, he had so much consideration for his wife that he was sitting with the support of her breast. In fact such persons did not quite follow the conception of nearness to ALLAH. It is constant remembrance and complete submission to the will of ALLAH and if a wife is helpful in such devotion then this relationship is conducive to nearness to ALLAH. [Adopted from Kasratul Azwaj-li-Sahib-il-Miraj]

Allah Most High describes the hypocrites saying,

{When they stood up to prayer, they stand without earnestness, to see of men, but little do they hold Allah in remembrance.} (An-Nisa’: 142)

He Most High also says,

{So woe to the worshipers who are neglectful of their prayers, those who (want but) to be seen, but refuse (to supply) even) neighborly needs.} (Al-Ma’un: 4-7)

{O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury-like those who spend their wealth to be seen of men.} (Al-Baqarah: 264)  Read more... (934 words, estimated 3:44 mins reading time)

Allah says,

“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, sacrificing to stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination, of Satan’s handiwork: eschew such (abomination) that ye may prosper. Satan’s plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?” (5:90-91)

Gambling connotes backgammon, chess and speculation by nuts, balls, stones and all kinds of betting. It ranks under encroaching upon people’s rights that Allah has made forbidden in His saying,  Read more... (1007 words, estimated 4:02 mins reading time)