Seriously Short Reminder No. 33: Remember that you need to reply to it…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

[Note #1: So I was Internetless for 5 days. The last time that I sat that long in front of a PC without the Internet was….the 90s when the Internet first came out. I think I need to take more breaks away from this thing…]

[Note #2: Okay, it seems that most of you voted for the Lord of the Worlds series for Ramadan. If anyone wants one of the other two series mentioned, then please do say so ASAP. I’ll decide at the end of this week, insha-Allah.]

Reply to what, you ask?

Reply to the salaam (greeting of peace, of course).

The virtues of initiating the salaam (i.e. saying Assalamu Alaikum) are many and these are quite well-known, alhamdulillah. [This article states that it is a recommendation whereas this one states that it is an obligation.]

However, many people seem to be unaware of the importance of replying to the salaam.

Allah says:

وَإِذَا حُيِّيتُم بِتَحِيَّةٍ فَحَيُّوا بِأَحْسَنَ مِنْهَا أَوْ رُ‌دُّوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَسِيبًا

“When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things.” [Surah An-Nisa (4) : 86]

Imam Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah) says in his tafsir (explanation) of this ayah (verse): “Therefore, the better Salam is recommended, while returning it equally is an obligation.”

So, when a Muslim greets us with “Assalamu Alaikum”, we are obliged to reply to it with “Wa Alaikum Assalam” and encouraged to add “Wa Rahmathullahi” or “Wa Ramathullahi Wa Barakathuh”.

If a Muslim greets us with “Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullah” we are obliged to reply with “Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmathullah” and encouraged to add “Wa Barakthuh”.

If a Muslim greets us with “Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmathullahi Wa Barakathuh”, we are obliged to reply with “Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmathullahi Wa Barakathuh”.

It seems that in today’s fast-paced twitter-oriented blackberry-addicted world, people have forgotten this act completely.

Brothers and sisters, these might seem like little things but these little things add up to a lot. Not replying to the salaam is a sin (even a delayed reply is a sin) so if we keep doing this with everything (whether it be email, facebook, twitter, blog posts, live conversations, etc), the sins will keep piling up.

However, if we reply properly, then we’ll be increasing in good deeds.

So please, when someone sends you an email that starts with “Assalamu Alaikum”, start your reply with “Wa Alaikum Assalam”. And if you are replying to an online article that starts with “Assalamu Alaikum,” start your reply with “Wa Alaikum Assalam.” [Please don’t say “wasak” or something like that. Type the whole thing out!]

Please don’t think that this is something that will waste your time, rather this will put more barakah (blessings) in your time – just like everything else that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) came with.

So…please remember to reply to the salaam.

PS. That includes any comments that are submitted to this blog. [Although I think you might have figured out that part already…]

Seriously Short Reminder No. 32: Remember to spoil them….

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

“Spoil who? The kiddies?”

No, of course not. I meant that we need to spoil the guests. [As for the kiddies, they shouldn’t be spoilt at all!!!]

سمعت أذناي ، وأبصرت عيناي ، حين تكلم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال : ( من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم جاره ، ومن كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليكرم ضيفه جائزته ) . قال : وما جائزته يا رسول الله ؟ قال : ( يوم وليلة ، والضيافة ثلاثة أيام ، فما كان وراء ذلك فهو صدقة عليه ، ومن كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت ) .

Narrated by Abu Shuraih Al-Adawi (radiallahu anhu): My ears heard and my eyes saw the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) when he spoke, “Anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his neighbor generously, and anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should serve his guest generously by giving him his reward.” It was asked. “What is his reward, O Allah’s Messenger?” He said, “(To be entertained generously) for a day and a night (with high quality of food) and the guest has the right to be entertained for three days (with ordinary food) and if he stays longer, what he will be provided with will be regarded as sadaqah (a charitable gift). And anybody who believes in Allah and the Last Day should talk what is good or keep quite (i.e. abstain from all kinds of dirty and evil talks).” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume No. 8, Hadeeth No. 48]

ومن نزل بقوم فعليهم أن يقروه ، فإن لم يقروه فله أن يغصبهم بمثل قراه

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever stops among a people, they are obliged to entertain him, and if they do not entertain him, then he has the right to take from them an amount equivalent to that which they should have entertained him.” [Sunan Abee Dawood, Hadeeth No. 4604. Graded ‘sahih’ by Al-Albani, Sahih Sunan Abee Dawood, Hadeeth No. 4604.]

This is something that I would consider a “forgotten” sunnah. These days, you’d be blessed to get a glass of water when you visit someone.

Sadly, many people are unaware that showing hospitality to guests is an obligation.

So, let’s not forget to be good hosts and hostesses because this is part of being a good Muslim.

And Allah knows Better.

Seriously Short Reminder No. 31: Remember that the Fire of Hell is hotter…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

It was 45 degrees Celsius today here in Dubai.

And we haven’t even started summer yet.

Subhan Allah, we can barely stand this heat. Shouldn’t that make us feel even more fearful of the Hell fire?

Allah says:

فَرِ‌حَ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَافَ رَ‌سُولِ اللَّـهِ وَكَرِ‌هُوا أَن يُجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَقَالُوا لَا تَنفِرُ‌وا فِي الْحَرِّ‌ ۗ قُلْ نَارُ‌ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّ‌ا ۚ لَّوْ كَانُوا يَفْقَهُونَ

فَلْيَضْحَكُوا قَلِيلًا وَلْيَبْكُوا كَثِيرً‌ا جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

“Those who stayed away (from Tabuk expedition) rejoiced in their staying behind the Messenger of Allah; they hated to strive and fight with their properties and their lives in the Cause of Allah, and they said: “March not forth in the heat.” Say: “The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat”, if only they could understand!” So let them laugh a little and (they will) cry much as a recompense of what they used to earn (by committing sins).” [Surah At-Tawbah (9) : 81-82]

The group of people mentioned in the above ayah (verse) did not take part in jihad (fighting for the sake of Allah) because it was “too hot” for them.

Sadly, we see many people doing similar things today:

– Men who don’t want to go to the masjid because it’s too hot outside.

– Women who don’t want to wear hijab because they feel too hot in it.

– People who don’t fast in Ramadan because the heat makes them tired.

Of course, it’s not the heat that’s actually the problem. It’s that we don’t want to harm ourselves in anyway. We want the easy way out.

Unfortunately, sometimes this leads many people to putting this world above the next. So for them, if they see an act of worship as being a burden, they just drop it because it’s too much trouble.

They don’t realise that the punishment in the Hereafter is much worse than anything that could happen to them in this world.

So the next time we undergo a trial or a punishment of any sort, let us remember the following:

– Hell is even worse so we need to be steadfast in our religion.

– Paradise needs to be earned. It’s not going to drop in our laps.

Seriously Short Reminder No. 30: Remember to cover your mouth…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

“You mean while we’re eating so that the whole world can’t see what’s in our mouths?”

Yeah, that too.

However, I was primarily referring to the following two ahadeeth:

إذا تثاوب أحدكم ، فليمسك بيده على فيه . فإن الشيطان يدخل

The son of Abu Said al-Khudri reported on the authority of his father (radiallahu anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “When one of you yawns, he should keep his mouth shut with the help of his hand, for it is the devil that enters therein.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadeeth No. 7130]

إن الله يحب العطاس ، ويكره التثاؤب ، فإذا عطس فحمد الله ، فحق على كل مسلم سمعه أن يشمته ، وأما التثاؤب : فإنما هو من الشيطان ، فليرده ما استطاع ، فإذا قال : ها ، ضحك منه الشيطان

Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu): The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Allah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning, so if someone sneezes and then praises Allah, then it is obligatory on every Muslim who heard him, to say: May Allah be merciful to you (Yarhamukallah). But as regards yawning, it is from Shaytan (the devil), so one must try one’s best to stop it, if one says ‘Ha’ when yawning, Shaytan will laugh at him.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume No. 8, Hadeeth No. 242]

Now we all know why yawning is so contagious….

So, let’s cover our mouths whilst yawning so that Shaytan doesn’t get an opportunity to laugh at us.

PS. I probably won’t post again until next week, insha-Allah. I have lots of work to catch up on…

Seriously Short Reminder No. 29: Remember to move over…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

“Could you please move over a bit so I can sit here?”

“What? No way! This is MY place. I came here first. Go find another place!”

Sound familiar?

Sadly enough, the answer is yes.

Allah says:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا فِي الْمَجَالِسِ فَافْسَحُوا يَفْسَحِ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ انشُزُوا فَانشُزُوا يَرْ‌فَعِ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَ‌جَاتٍ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ‌

“O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the assemblies, (spread out and) make room. Allah will give you (ample) room (from His Mercy). And when you are told to rise up [for prayers, Jihad (holy fighting in Allah’s Cause), or for any other good deed], rise up. Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do.” [Surah Al-Mujaadilah (58) : 11]

Alright, one more time then.

“Could you please move over a bit so I can sit here?”

“Sure. Come on over.”

That’s more like it.

Seriously Short Reminder No. 28: Remember to remove it…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

So, there we are walking. We see something harmful on the ground like a nail or a safety pin, for example.

What do we do? Well, most of us make sure that we avoid it and then we proceed to forget about it.

“So what’s wrong with that?”

Well, if one wants to be average, then there’s nothing wrong with that. However, if one wishes to excel in the hereafter, then a great opportunity has been lost.

الإيمان بضع وسبعون أو بضع وستون شعبة . فأفضلها قول لا إله إلا الله . وأدناها إماطة الأذى عن الطريق . والحياء شعبة من الإيمان

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Iman (faith) has over seventy or sixty odd branches, the most excellent of which is the declaration that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and the lowest of which is the removal of what is harmful from the path: and modesty is a branch of iman.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadeeth No. 56]

Here’s a man who took advantage of this great opportunity:

بينما رجل يمشي بطريق ، وجد غصن شوك على الطريق فأخره ، فشكر الله له فغفر له

Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu): Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “While a man was going on a way, he saw a thorny branch and removed it from the way and Allah became pleased by his action and forgave him for that.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume No. 1, Hadeeth No. 624]

I was telling one of my friends about the virtues of fasting 3 days a month. She was very surprised. She pointed out that if we did these little deeds, we could earn so much reward, yet we were so lax. [Little things add up, remember?]

And this is the truth. Fasting three days a month and moving a harmful object from the way are very easy things. Sadly, we find that few people do them.

So, let’s try to implement these little things, for the sake of Allah. Who knows, perhaps they will be our entrance to Paradise, as they were for the man mentioned above.

Seriously Short Reminder No. 27: Realise whose fault it is…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

[Note: Jazakumullahu kheira to the 13 people who took the time out to fill the survey. It was most appreciated.]

[Another note: No more 7-days-a-week blogging for me. I’m taking the weekends off.]

Every time something bad happens to us, we try to figure out whose fault it is.

Well, Allah tells us exactly whose fault it is:

وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ‌

“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.” [Surah Ash-Shura (42)  :30]

Yes, it’s OUR fault. And these calamities are a part of what we’ve earned.

“Part?”

Yes.

Allah says:

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّـهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَ‌كَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِ‌هَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُ‌هُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرً‌ا

“And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term, and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever All­-Seer of His slaves.” [Surah Fatir (35) : 45]

If we got everything we earned, we’d be history.

So what do we need to do?

At the end of a long hadeeth qudsi (the full version can be found in this post), Allah says:

فمن وجد خيرا فليحمد الله . ومن وجد غير ذلك فلا يلومن إلا نفسه

“So he who finds good, let him praise Allah, and he who finds other than that, let him blame no one but himself.” [Sahih Muslim, Hadeeth No. 6246]

So, when something good happens to us, we should attribute it to Allah, not to ourselves. However, when something bad happens to us, we should NOT attribute it to Allah, rather we should blame ourselves and seek His forgiveness.

In fact, this was the difference between Adam (alaihissalam) and Iblees. When Adam (alaihissalam) made that mistake, he blamed himself and asked Allah to forgive him. Due to this, he was raised in status.

Whereas in the case of Iblees, he blamed Allah for his misdeeds and refused to blame himself. Due to this, he was doomed.

So, who do we want to be like? Our father Adam or our enemy Iblees?

Seriously Short Reminder No. 26: Don’t let the wolves eat you up…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

“What wolves?”

These two:

ما ذئبان جائعان أرسلا في غنم ، بأفسد لها من حرص المرء على المال والشرف ، لدينه

Ibn Kab ibn Malik Al-Ansari narrated from his father (radiallahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam): “Two hungry wolves let loose among sheep are not more harmful than a person craving after wealth and status, is to his Deen (Religion).” [Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Hadeeth No. 2376. Graded “sahih” by Al-Albani in Sahih Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Hadeeth No. 2376]

Seriously Short Reminder No. 25: Remember to use the siwak…

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Assalamu Alaikum.

[Siwak = Miswak]

What’s a “siwak”, you ask?

Well, it looks like this:

Why should we use it?

Well, some of the reasons would be:

لولا أن أشق على أمتي ، أو على الناس لأمرتهم بالسواك مع كل صلاة

Narrated Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu): Allah’s Messenger (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “If I had not found it hard for my nation or the people, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with Siwak for every prayer.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume No. 2, Hadeeth No. 12]

السواك مطهرة للفم ، مرضاة للرب

Aishah (radiallahu anha) narrated that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Siwak is a means of purification for the mouth and is pleasing to the Lord.” [Sunan An-Nasai, Hadeeth No. 5. Graded “sahih” by Al-Albani in Sahih Sunan An-Nasai, Hadeeth No. 5]

One should use it at the time of wudhu (ablution).

And yes, we can use it whilst fasting.

This is one of those “easy” good deeds that we can do all the time, and especially in Ramadan.