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fatima View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatima Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 November 2006 at 11:47am

Bismillah irrahman irrahim

Assalamu alaikum

MashaAllah good to see this topic prospering. I think whatever topic we are going to pick up is going to be linked with taqwa.  Because thats what being mindful of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is that whenever a had of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala come you refrain.

Sister herjihad picked a very good point, 'And then intending to have Taqwa isn't at all the same as actually having it'. But would that not be a start? Because if the person is sincere in his intention Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is going to create means for him.

And JazakAllah khair for the story sister abeer, i think it is a light for everyone. So what about the blameworthy patience then?

wassalam

Say: (O Muhammad) If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, MercifuL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Abeer23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 November 2006 at 2:25am

Jazakillahu khairan sis. Amah, I benefited a lot from your explanation of Sabr.  Here goes the story of Ayyub alayhi salam:

The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was one of the descendants of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and a nephew of Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him).  He was sent to reform the people who lived in the desert situated in the north eastern corner of Palestine.

When Ayyub (Job) was chosen to be the Prophet, he started to teach the people about God and His religion.  He advised the people to do good and shun evil.  As usual with all the Prophets very few people believed in him in the beginning but gradually the number of his followers began to increase.
 
 

The Prophet Ayyub was Well Off:
The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was a prosperous man with firm faith in Allah.   He possessed vast farms, enormous wealth, many cattle and valuable property but these things did not make him arrogant.  His wealth provided him with a medium by means of which he sought Allah's grace.
 
 

The Prophet Ayyub Displays Patience:
The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was a pattern of humility and faith in Allah.   He was very patient.  He suffered from a number of calamities but did not utter a single word of complaint.  One day his big farm was attacked by the thieves.   They killed many of his servants and carried away forcibly all his cattle.   The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) did not feel sorry at this loss and thanked Allah.  After some time the roof of the house fell down and many members of his family were crushed.  The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was much shocked but he held fast to his faith in Allah.  He neither shed a tear nor heaved a sigh.  He prostrated before the Almighty.  He remarked that possessions and children were the gifts from Allah.  If He had taken His things, it was useless to lament over their loss.

After a few years Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) suffered from skin disease.   His parts of body were covered with loathsome sores.  He had many ugly looking ulcers on his face and hands.  The sores were full of worms.  It is narrated that he picked up those worms which fell from his abscess and praised Allah for creating them.  Above all, his false friends attributed his calamities to his sins.  They ridiculed and looked down upon him.  All the persons deserted him with the exception of his faithful wife, Rahima.  She also grew tired of him in the long run and prayed for his death.  She cursed her husband for retaining integrity in Allah.  When Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was in an extremely pathetic condition he prayed:

"Truly adversity has afflicted me and You are Most Merciful of all who show mercy." (21: 83)

Allah accepted his prayer.  The Holy Qur'an affirms:

"Then We heard his prayer and removed that adversity from which he suffered, and We gave him his household and the like thereof along with them, a mercy from Our store and remembrance for the worshippers."  (21: 84)
 
 

The Prophet Ayyub Recovers and Prospers:
Allah turned to him with mercy.  He was commanded to strike the earth with his foot.   He complied with the order and water from the spring gushed forth.  He took a bath with the water and got cured from his evil disease.  After this he was restored to prosperity.  The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) knelt and prayed expressing a deep sense of gratitude to Allah.  He never forgot His favors, mercy and love.

The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was one of the celebrated Prophets.  His example illustrates: that those who remain patient under the stress � of all circumstances, art never deprived of high rewards.  The Holy Qur'an affirms:

"And surely we try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and crops, but give glad-tidings to the steadfast, who when a misfortune befalls them, say lo! we are Allah's (possession of Allah) and to Him shall we surely return.  � Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy.   Such are the rightly-guided." (2: 155-157)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herjihad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2006 at 5:47pm
Originally posted by fatima fatima wrote:

Bismillah irrahman irrahim

Assalamu alaikum

IC Team wants to start a thread in which members can discuss basic concepts of islam through their understanding. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in Quran al-Karim, 2:143] Thus We have appointed you a middle nation', alhamdulillah the best way is the balanced middle way. But through His Mercy we are allowed to follow the lineant or the strict way according to our own strength. So members are welcome to bringup any topic or concept and discuss it in a peacefull manner.

JazakumAllah Khair.

So I am going to start the thread inshaAllah with 'Taqwa'.

There is a saying of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihe wassalam about wudu which says, 'save your heels from hellfire'. It is regarding making sure that enough care is taken in washing each part with enough water. But another hadith tells us that he sallallahu alaihe wassalam told a sahabi doing wudu not to be extravagant with water even though he was sitting by a stream.

So anybody who is using more water for making sure he has payed its due would have taqwa of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Similarly anybody using little amount of water because of the second hadith would also be doing it because of taqwa.

So what is more important in Taqwa, the act or the intention?

wassalam

Salaamu Alaykum Dear Sister Fatima,

Jazzak Allah Khayr for sending a pm to me about this topic heading.  It sounds like a lovely idea. Would this be just for Muslims then?  Or for people considering Islaam possibly?  Or also for those with a deep, respect and understanding for the Islaamic principles headlined who may have benefitted from their implementation?

The helpful quoted dictionary definition of Taqwa is similar but not quite the same as that which I have come to understand that it means.  Which is when you love someone so much that you fear to displease them, that is like Taqwa.  I fear to displease Allah, the Most Wise and All-Loving because I love his majesty and glory and every aspect that we can understand as humans. 

Intention is more than the thought of something passing through our heads.  "It might be good if someone fed that poor hungry guy that we pass on the freeway ramp each day" is only a wisp of a thought.  But "I will put a dollar or a granola bar and juice box in my car so that when I pass him here again, I will be able to feed him" is a serious intention blessed by Allah, even though you may never see this man again, the intention of your heart, which only the All-Knowing really knows, is blessed by the Provider.

To opine which is more important the act or the intention may be irrelevant unless a person just has to keep an accounting of his/her good and evild deeds.  But according to the hadith, the intention is blessed, while the act is more blessed (maybe it says 10 times.)  So I'm obviously not a literalist, but the important thing in this hadith to me is that an evil intention is not written down as a sin, while a good one is rewarded.  The point I see is that we should try to have good intentions and drive out evil ones from our minds.

And then intending to have Taqwa isn't at all the same as actually having it, so that may not fit at all into the above scenario.

Peace

Al-Hamdulillah (From a Married Muslimah) La Howla Wa La Quwata Illa BiLLah - There is no Effort or Power except with Allah's Will.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2006 at 3:34pm

Bismillahirrahmanirraheem

Assalaamualiakum

A Man once prayed "God give me patience.....but hurry!"  Ok..jokes apart...

Prophet Yaqoob [alayhissalaam] said "Fa Sabrun Jameelun" meaning "patience is good/most fitting." (  Yusuf, Chapter #12, Verse #18)

Yaqoob ,Ayyoob [alaykumassalaam ] and Muhammad [sallallahu alayhi wasallam] are such good examples of patience. Anyone wants to share their stories?

Patience ie. "sabr" comes from a root meaning to detain, refrain and stop. patience means to stop ourselves from despairing and panicking, to stop our tongues from complaining, and to stop our hands from striking our faces and tearing our clothes at times of grief and stress.

Allah says:

And seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayer) and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashioon (i.e. the true believers in Allah - those who obey Allah with full submission, fear much from His Punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise, etc.) and in His Warnings (Hell, etc.)).  
(  Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #45)

Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds, those: theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (Paradise).  
(   Hud, Chapter #11, Verse #11)

"Salamun Alaikum (peace be upon you) for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!"  
(   Ar-Rad, Chapter #13, Verse #24)

 

Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:

"(Remember) Whoever abstains from asking others, Allah will make him contented, and whoever tries to make himself self-sufficient, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience."  (Book #24, Hadith #548)

Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, "The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity."  (Book #23, Hadith #389)

Some scholars have explained patience very well:"Patience means to adhere to the rules of the Qur'an and Sunnah".

"Patience means to keep close to Allah and to accept calmly the trials He sends, without complaining or feeling sad."

We need patience to do ibaadah and follow Allah's commands. We need patience to stay away from haram actions.

Making shikwah (complaint) to Allah does not go against patience. Many Prophets made dua to Allah asking for His help to overcome difficulties. Ayyub (Job), when he cried to his Lord, "Truly distress has seized me..."" (Al-Anbiya 21:83)     "I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah." (Yusuf 12:86)

Complaining to people, either directly, through our words, or indirectly, through the way we look and behave. This is contradictory to patience.

Indeed patience is a great virtue, may Allah bless us with a lot of patience.

Wassalaam.



Edited by amah
Allah is Sufficient as a Walee (Protector) and Allah is Sufficient as a Naseer (Helper).
(Surah An-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #45)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2006 at 2:53pm

Bismillahirrahmanirraheem

Assalaamualaikum

Actually when I thought about this...taqwa and sabr go hand in hand... so alhamdulillah sis fatima, you mentioned both one after the other.

Since taqwa means being conscious of Allah, we do things always keeping in mind that Allah is watching, we refrain from haram stuff thinking that we may displease Allah, we do good things to please Allah. So think of it, if we go by Allah's likes and dislikes, insha allah we will not go wrong, save our errors made in ignorance. (Maryah mentioned the verse regarding this).

Some verses from the Quran on taqwa:

"Alif. Lam. Mim. This is the book wherein there is no doubt; a guidance unto those who ward off (evil): who believe in the unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that we have bestowed upon them: and who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter." (2 : 1-4)

"Friends on the Day will be foes one to another, save those who kept their duty (to Allah)." (43 : 67)

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believes in Allah and the last Day and the angels and the Scriptures and the Prophets; and gives his wealth for the love of Him, to kinsfolk and to the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observes proper worship and pays the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the God-fearing." (2 : 177)

"And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth prepared for those who ward off (evil); those who spend (of that which Allah has given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loves the good; and those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - who forgives sins save Allah only? And will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did." (3 : 133-135)

The prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said "taqwa is here, taqwa is here, taqwa is here." he said this while pointing towards his heart. (please someone give reference to this hadith)

Allah loves the muttaqee (person with taqwa). Can all of you give your pointers on how to increase our taqwa?

Jazakallahkhair, wassalaam.

Allah is Sufficient as a Walee (Protector) and Allah is Sufficient as a Naseer (Helper).
(Surah An-Nisa, Chapter #4, Verse #45)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mariyah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2006 at 11:32am
Originally posted by fatima fatima wrote:

Bismillah irrahman irrahim

Assalamu alaikum

I got a pm saying i dint show enough patience  with the first topic and started the second topic already when some people want to contribute to first. Well if some1 wants to discuss the first topic, you are more than welcome to discuss it and inshaAllah i will wait for replies. Actually i was quite, well how should i put it, The topic of taqwa is very huge subhanAllah and this discussion never quenched my thirst you could say. So I will be looking forward to more detailed replies.

wassalam

Assalaamu alaikum:

In my simple view, Taqwa and patience could also be discussed in a similar light.

Taqwa, the importance of making the correct intention. Didn't I read in  a thread somewhere in this forum in the past about the brother that made wudu at home, and while attempting to go to the masjid for prayer, fell and soiled his clothing? He then went home, changed to clean clothing, repeated his wudu and was again dirtied by a passing car on the way to the masjid again.Being the ever patient brother, he again started over up to three times. He was cited for his extreme patience and his faithfullness to the teachings of the prophet. What patience this brother must have had! His intentions to follow procedure correctly is an example! It reminds me of certain ayats that were discussed in some of our kutjahs in the past few months:

 3:15 Say: Shall I give you glad tidings of things Far better than those? For the righteous are Gardens in nearness to their Lord, with rivers flowing beneath; therein is their eternal home; with companions pure (and holy); and the good pleasure of Allah. For in Allah's sight are (all) His servants,

 3:16 (Namely), those who say: "Our Lord! we have indeed believed: forgive us, then, our sins, and save us from the agony of the Fire;"-

 3:17 Those who show patience, Firmness and self-control; who are true (in word and deed); who worship devoutly; who spend (in the way of Allah.; and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning.

Oh, how beautiful are many of the words of the Qu'ran. That all may come to knowledge of the true path in life!

Wa salaama.

"Every good deed is charity whether you come to your brother's assistance or just greet him with a smile.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fatima Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2006 at 4:14am

Bismillah irrahman irrahim

Assalamu alaikum

I got a pm saying i dint show enough patience  with the first topic and started the second topic already when some people want to contribute to first. Well if some1 wants to discuss the first topic, you are more than welcome to discuss it and inshaAllah i will wait for replies. Actually i was quite, well how should i put it, The topic of taqwa is very huge subhanAllah and this discussion never quenched my thirst you could say. So I will be looking forward to more detailed replies.

wassalam

Say: (O Muhammad) If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, MercifuL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Abeer23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2006 at 8:55pm

Hmm, you got me on this one.   I guess praiseworthy patience would be that which is exercised during adversity, when slandered, when dealing with shah'wat etc.  These are some of the things the Quran tells us to show patience with.  As for blameworthy patience, I'm not really sure.  Enlighten me sis.

Salam

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