Rabbana Zidna ‘Ilma!!

“I will be with the mihbarah (inkwell) all the way to the maqbarah (graveyard).”

In the Name of Allah , the Most Merciful, the All-Merciful, may His salâh and salâm be upon His Final Messenger.

Imâm Ahmad had two sons, ‘Abdullâh and Sâlih, whom were half-brothers. Sâlih relates that “A man saw my father carrying a mihbarah (a wooden inkwell that students used to carry along with their pens) and said, ‘O Abâ ‘Abdillâh! You are the Imâm of the Muslims!’

 ”This man spoke like this since he was surprised to see Imâm Ahmad carrying his mihbarah as the young students would carry it, or indeed that he would still read books, or shoulder the same responsibilities that the youth did. Note also how all the people were fascinated by him (by Imâm Ahmad), even the elders of the people!
 
Imâm Ahmad replied with a statement that nullified this man’s whole understanding. He said:

“I will be with the mihbarah all the way to the maqbarah (graveyard).”What did he mean?

 He meant, “I will be busy with knowledge until I die.” Another narration mentions that he said this same statement on a separate occasion to another group of people:“As for me, I will seek knowledge until I am placed in the grave.”When the time of his death came near, he said to those around him:“Relate to me the statement of Hushaym.” (Hushaym was Hushaym ibn Bashîr, Imâm Ahmad’s first teacher. He met him in the year 179AH, when he began seeking knowledge at the age of 16) So they read to him what he had requested. This narrated tradition mentioned that Ibn Sîrîn used to dislike a person groaning from pain. At that time, Imâm Ahmad had became very ill and he used to groan due to the pain yet when they informed him that Ibn Sîrîn used to dislike groaning at such a time, he did not groan again until he died.This is the reality of his statement, “I will seek knowledge until I am placed in the grave,” meaning, “I must continue benefiting from knowledge.”
So if you have left your youth behind and become a teacher or an educator, or a lecturer or professor in the university, or an author, and you say, “I have finished seeking knowledge,” know that this is the situation of someone who does not know the reality of his affairs.Al-’Ilm is knowledge of what? It is knowledge of the Speech of Allah and the speech of His Messenger, peace be upon him.

Has anyone reached a level of awareness of the meanings of the Speech of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, and also the statements of the scholars explaining the Book and the sunnah, a level of awareness that is sufficient?No one has reached that level. No one who has the right intention and a proper heart has reached that level. Regarding this, Imâm Ahmad said, “With the mihbarah all the way to the maqbarah.” He was addressing everyone, advising us to continue seeking knowledge and not to give it up for any petty reason.In the study circles of our mosques we have seen a great number of students who are eager to learn for two months, and then they abandon it.

Three months or so only. What is this?! Some of them seek knowledge for 3, 4, 5, or 7 years and then they abandon it.Why is that? Is it because the lure of the world has come to you, so you are finished and now you head off into the world? Is it because a position was offered to you and you took it?  Is it because you have reached a certain status, you have become a school director or professor in the university? For this you reason you have stopped seeking knowledge? No! You must continue seeking knowledge until you die. This is what will correct the society’s problems, if their scholars take this advice. As for the students of knowledge, then they must hold fast to this advice, “With the mihbarah all the way to the maqbarah.”He must stay with his book until he dies - reading, learning, memorizing, reviewing, teaching, until his end.

What are the people saying these days? “The rulings related to prayer, we know them, no problem.” If you asked them about many of the rulings, you will find that they do not know them. Why is that? It is because they have become satisfied with the knowledge they have, even delighted that they have the knowledge they have. We ask Allah that He excuses us and that He is pleased with us.If you asked them about affairs even greater than the prayer, issues of creed, issues of tawhîd, you will find that they have not fully grasped the issues, and they used to be students of knowledge! Why is that? Because they were negligent, and thus abandoned it.

Knowledge is honor, if you abandon it, it will abandon you. If you take the task seriously, you will be given some of it, from what Allah has decreed for you.

From the Life and Works of al-Imâm Ahmad

From a lecture by Shaykh Salih aalish-Shaykh

Posted By: Sis Shaykha

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 Allah ’s creation  

The sun, sky, stars and sea
Watch and marvel at their beauty
The sun gives us spring and summer
A relief from the cold and cruel winter
In the morning it rises turning darkness into light
Such overwhelming beauty, such a breathtaking sight
In the evening it sets, leaving behind the dark night
But the moon and stars appear with their light so bright
Everyday the sky looks wonderfully pristine
Brand new, clear blue, aquamarine
During sunset its beauty increases,
its beauty never ceases
From shades of blue to shades of lilac and pink
Does this creation not make you think?
Does it not make you wonder?
Does this creation not make you ponder?
There must be something greater than us, greater than all that exists
For he, Allah , He is the one that created the sun, sky, stars and sea
He created the mountains, rivers, animals as well as you and me
To him belongs all creation, and to him do we return
He gave us life, he takes life and it is his love that we must strive hard to earn.

Poem & Post by: Sister Hina

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| Ahamed Ameen|

It is impossible to achieve any reform without first developing our willpower.

If we want our youth to be able to keep their emotions in check, refrain from overindulgence, exhibit courage in times of hardship, and uphold justice in the face of oppression, then we must realize that all of our advice will be of no avail to them if they lack willpower. People need to develop their willpower before they can put their convictions into practice. It takes willpower for a person to do something arduous, even if he thinks it is for his own benefit. Likewise, it takes willpower for him to shun temptation, even when he knows that indulging such temptations will be harmful to him. You can advise him all day long if you like, but it will do no good if the one receiving your advice is weak-willed.

How, then, can we cultivate our willpower and strengthen it?

Consider a child who wants to learn to ride a bicycle. When he starts off, he cannot even keep the bike standing straight, let alone go forward on it. When he does get going, he weaves wildly to the left and to the right and ultimately ends up falling flat on the ground. With a lot of hard work and perseverance, he gets it in the end. He learns to ride smoothly and easily. He even learns to do a few stunts.

What happened? The bicycle definitely did not change – except for possibly a few dents. It is just as willing to obey its rider as it ever was. All the changes have taken place with the rider.

The same can be said for all of our goals in life. We have to get control of ourselves before we can tackle our environment. The first step in this is to develop our willpower.

A weak-willed person is as shaky when it comes to life’s problems as that child was when he first climbed onto his bicycle. If this person begins trying to strengthen his will, he will slowly but surely learn to move through life more steadily. And just like when our nascent cyclist first took to the road, the weak-willed person is going to need a lot of hard work and perseverance to get through his problems. However, as time goes on, facing his problems will become easier and smoother. This is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The time for patience is when misfortune first strikes.”

Strengthening our willpower is arduous at first, but once it is strengthened, life will become much easier.

A weak-willed person always resolves on something and then gives up. He goes through life like a weaver who constantly unravels his own yarn. However, once a person actually goes forth with determination until he reaches his goal, he will find that he can do so again with much less difficulty.

A pious man finds the performance of good deed as easy as a sinner finds indulging in vice. The difference between the two is that the pious man directed his willpower toward virtue while the other directed his towards sin.

Many young people get into bad habits without thinking. They just go with the flow, thoughtlessly aping their peers without thinking about the consequences. Many of our youth succumb simply because they are weak-willed.

Imagine a boy sitting with a couple of his friends. They start smoking and urge him to join them. He declines and they start to put pressure on him. They justify what they are doing by saying that it eases stress or by offering some other baseless claim. So he takes his first puff, but he finds it irritating and has no desire to smoke again. However, a few days later he finds himself in the same situation again. This time the irritation is not so bad. Now he joins in with them wholeheartedly. Another bad habit is born.

If this boy had been strong-willed to begin with, he would never have smoked. It takes willpower to resist peer pressure, whether the temptation at hand is smoking, drinking, or chasing girls.

Our youth have to learn to follow their reason instead of their desires. They need to have a strong sense of responsibility.

When a person stays in bed even though it is time for the Fajr prayer or time to go to work, he gives in to sloth and laziness and this weakens his willpower. However, if he has a strong sense of responsibility and obeys his intellect, he will be able to get himself out of bed and do what he has to do. The same thing goes for every other aspect of life. Whether a person gives in to sleep or to peer pressure, he dulls both his mind and his willpower and he becomes less responsible as a person.

The great people we read about in history were strong willed people who obeyed their minds and not their fancies. They built up their willpower by working hard and surmounting the obstacles that faced them. Great people take pleasure in resisting temptation and in the sense of power and self-control that doing so gives them. Our history testifies to a great number of such people.

Take Abû Bakr at the time when many of the Arabs turned their backs on Islam and refused to pay Zakâh. Many people advised Abû Bakr to be lenient on them. However, he rejected their advice and demanded that the Arabs accept Islam wholeheartedly without subtracting anything from it. We can see in this his determination, his strength of will, and his ability to stand up in the face of the most trying of circumstances.

Consider Ibn Taymiyah’s stance when the ruler wanted him to abandon the opinions that he had arrived at through careful study. When Ibn Taymiyah refused to do so, he was imprisoned and tortured but he still refused to recant. Instead, he spent his time in prison writing books wherein he explained and defended his principles and teachings. When they took away his pens and paper, he took up pieces of coal and began writing on the walls. His determination in the face of imprisonment and torture is a great example of the triumph of the human will over adversity and his writings are an enduring legacy of this triumph.

Willpower is one of the greatest secrets of success. By cultivating our willpower and strengthening it, we can stand up to the trials that face us. A strong-willed person is someone who can improve himself and someone who can benefit from the advice and guidance of others. By contrast, a weak-willed person cannot improve himself and will not be availed of the efforts of others to better him. Before anything else, he needs to strengthen himself. He needs to treat his weakness as if it were a disease and be patient during the healing process.

www.Islamtoday.com

Posted by: Sister Nazma/Ebadah

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Asalaamu Alaaikum

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Lecture of the Month

Lecture: Be Firm Oh Muslims!

Speaker: Abu Ahmad

Topic: A very uplifting topic for Muslims. To be firm and stick to the religion of truth, Al Islam. And to not buckle under all the fitna that is around today, which tries to lead the Muslim away from their beautiful deen. May Allah keep us firm on this path! ameen

Submitted by: Sister Halalified

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Asalaamu Alaaikum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu!

Allah Most High says:
Only the learned among His slaves fear Allah . [Fatir 35:28]
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, in explaining this verse, said That is to say, only those of My creation have awe of Me who know My Omnipotence, My Glory, and My Dominion. Mujahid and Sh’abi said: The learned person is the one who fears Allah .
Rabi’ bin Anas said: The one who does not fear Allah is not learned.

Allah Most High says:
Truly, those who hide the proofs and the guidance which we revealed after We made it clear to the people in the Scripture- those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse. [al-Baqarah 2: 159]

This verse was revealed concerning the Jewish scholars. [The proofs] are the commandments and the prescribed punishment. [ The guidance] is the news and the praise of Prophet Muhammad (contained in the scripture of the Jews but concealed by them); [We made it clear to the people] - that is, to the children of Israel- [ in the Scripture] - that is, in the Torah. [Those] are the ones among the Jews who conceal this information, and they are cursed by Allah and by [those who curse,] which, according to Ibn ‘Abbas, includes all things excepting jinn and humankind.
Ibn Mas’ood said: To Muslims do not curse each other without their curse returning to the Jews and Christians, who have concealed the news about the coming of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the description of him.

Allah most High says: And when Allah took a covenant from those who had received the scripture, to make it known to the people and not to hide it. But they threw it (the covenant) behind their backs and bought with it a trifling gain. Then, evil is that which they have bought! [Ale ‘’Imran 3:87]
Wahidi said: this verse came down concerning the Jews of Madinah. Allah took a covenant from them in the torah that they would make known to everyone the prophecy concerning Prophet Muhammad , his characteristics, and the place where he would appeare, and not hide it. Al-Hasan said that here the Jewish scholars are referred to. Ibn ‘Abbas commented that they (the Jewish scholars) flung their covenant with Allah behind their backs in order to [buy with it a trifling gain,]which consisted of their authority and respect among their people because of their learning and scholarship; but [evil is that] bargain, and they were the losers.

Allah ’s Messenger (SAW) said: if anyone acquires such knowledge by Allah Allah ’s pleasure Is to be sought (i.e., knowledge of the religion), but he acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience the fragrance of the Garden on the Day of Resurrection. (Ahmad)
We have already reported a Hadith from Abu Hurairah concerning three persons who will be dragged to the Fire, including the one who will be told: You acquired knowledge so that people might call you learned, and they have done so.

Allah ’s Messenger (SAW) said: if anyone seeks knowledge to use it in competing with the learned or disputing with the foolish or to attract men’s attention to himself, Allah will cause him to enter the Fire. ( Tirmidhi)

Allah ’s messenger (SAW) said: “If anyone is asked about such knowledge but conceal it, he will restrain with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection.””
The Prophet (SAW) used to supplicate: I seek refuge in You from such knowledge from which no benefit is derived. (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nisai)
And he said: The one who acquires knowledge but does not act on it, has acquired it only to increase his pride. (Tirmidhi)

Hilal ibn “Ala said: Seeking knowledge is hard; retraining it in memory is harder than seeking it; applying it is harder than retraining it in memory; and remaining safe from it is harder than applying it.

We ask Allah to keep us safe from every trouble and guide us to what He likes and what he is please with. Indeed, he is the Magnanimous and Generous!

Posted By: Sister Nazifa

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Asalaamu Alaaikum

A video with ahadith and quotes from scholars on the subject of death!

Prepare for it!!

Video Made & Submitted By: Sister Halalified

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Asalaamu Alaaikum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu!

SubhanAllah, time does fly by past!!

Jumuah Mubarak to all the Muslimeen around the world, from the IlmCentral Team!

If you would like to share what your Khutba was about, please feel free comment down below! Insha’Allah that will be beneficial to all. If not, Jumuah Mubarak just the same. :)

Also, here are some ahadith & Reminders for the blessed day of Jumuah:

1) Read Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave), chapter 18
2)Pray on (make dua for) the Prophet (pbuh) many times
3)Attend the sermon quietly — no speaking.
4)Make du’aa between the two khutbas
5)Make du’aa for your Muslim brothers and sisters all over the world.

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
Allah ’s Apostle (pbuh) said, “The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male (Muslim) who has attained the age of puberty.”

Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah ’s Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, “When the Imam is delivering the Khutba, and you ask your companion to keep quiet and listen, then no doubt you have done an evil act.”

Jabir b. ‘Abdullah reported that: while Allah ’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) was delivering the sermon on Friday a person came there, and the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) said to him: So and so, have you prayed (two rak’ahs)? He said: No. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Then stand and pray.

Abu Burda b. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari reported: ‘Abdullah b. Umar said to me: Did you hear anything from your father narrating something from the messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) about the time on Friday? I said: Yes, I heard him say from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) (these words):” It is between the time when the Imam sits down and the end of the prayer.”

-The above hadith are all narrated from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim-

JazaakAllahum Khair

Wa’alaykum Asalaam wa Rahmatullah

-The IlmCentral Team

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What’s So Special About Muharram?

1) It is the first month of the Hijri calendar.

2) It is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…” [al-Tawbah 9:36]

Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (sa) said: ‘The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of: Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha’baan.’ (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2958).

3) The 10th of Muharram is the ‘day of Ashura‘

Fasting the day of ‘Ashoora’ does expiate for the past year, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘For fasting the day of ‘Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for (the sins committed in) the year that went before.’ (Narrated by Muslim, 1162.) This is by the bounty that Allaah bestows upon us, whereby fasting one day expiates for the sins of a whole year. And Allaah is the Owner of great bounty.

4) Sins in this month are more serious, and good deeds bring greater reward

It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: Allaah’s words (interpretation of the meaning):’so wrong not yourselves therein…’referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.

5) Virtues of observing Nafl (voluntary fasts)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: ‘The Messenger of Allaah (sa) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadaan is fasting Allaah’s month of Muharram.’ (reported by Muslim, 1982).

InshaaAllah the day of ‘Ashoora’ is on Friday (18th Jan 2008), and those who intend to fast are required to fast Thursday (Jan 17th) or Saturday also (Jan 19th) - in order to avoid singling out the Friday for fasting.

May Allah accept from us and you..

Adapted from Islam Q&A - Shaykh Muhammad Salih al-Munajjid (Courtesy of JustQuran / Blog)

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“Understand that whatever befalls you could not have missed you.” (Hadith)

Look at life with a spirit of love and optimism, for life is a gift from Allah to man. So accept this gift from the One, take it with joy and embrace the morning with its glow and the night with its quietness, and the day with its brightness. Drink this fresh water with gratitude, breathe the fresh air with joy, smell the roses and glorify Allah . Think about the universe and learn from it, make use of the blessed gift of land, the beautiful flowers, the sweet air, the delights of the garden, the warmth of the sun, the light of the moon. Let these blessings motivate you to obey Allah , the Exalted, give thanks to Him and praise Him for His blessings and bounty. Do not let worry and distress prevent you from seeing these blessings or make you ungrateful; rather, remember that the Creator and Provider has only created these blessings as a means to help you obey Him, and He says:

{O’ [you] Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibat [all kinds of Halal (lawful) foods and which Allah has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits)] and do righteous deeds…} (Qur`an 23:51)

“The most sincere generosity comes from those who do not have anything but recognize the value of a kind word and a smile. How many people give, but it is as if it they are giving a slap.”

Source: “You can be the happiest woman in the world” by Dr. `A`id al-Qarni

Posted by: Sister Nazma/Ebadah

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