The Fasting Thief

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Shibli. narrates

“Once I was travelling to Syria along with a group of other travellers when on the way we were plundered by a gang of thieves. They took all our possessions and put them in front of their gang leader. Amongst the goods were a bag of sugar and almonds, the thieves began to eat them but their leader did not join them.

I asked him why the rest of his gang was eating but he was not, he replied, “I am fasting”. I asked surprisingly, “How is it that you steal from people and fast at the same time?” He replied, “A man should do something to keep the doors of reconciliation open as well”.


Sometime later I saw the same gang leader in a state of “ihram” performing tawaaf [circulating around] of the blessed ka’ba. His face was resplendent with the light of worship and he had weakened himself through devotional practices. I asked surprisingly, “Are you the same man?” he answered,

“Yes, I am, and let me tell you, that very same fast is what caused my reconciliation with Allah".

(Raud-ur Riyaheen, P163, Maktaba-tul-Maymaniyyah Egypt)

do as much good as you can, maybe Allah (swt)  will guide you through one small good you once did.

Sand and stone…

Two friends Ismail and Ibrahim were walking through the desert, as the sun was beating down on their heads, and they were thirsty for water they began to argue. The argument got more and more heated and eventually Ismail struck Ibrahim across the face. Ibrahim felt hurt inside, but without anything to say, he wrote in the sand:“Today, my best friend slapped me in the face.”
They kept on walking, until eventually they came across an oasis, where they decided to stop and bathe. Ibrahim jumped in and began to wash, while Ismail sat back and relaxed. Suddenly Ibrahim began to scream and shout, he had developed a cramp and was having difficulty keeping his head above water, he was drowning.
Ismail dived in after him, and brought him gently to shore.
When Ibrahim recovered from the shock, he scratched a message on a nearby stone:
“Today, my best friend saved my life”
Ismail who had saved and slapped his best friend Ibrahim, asked him, “Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?”
Ibrahim, smiled and replied:
“When a friend hurts us, we should write his deeds in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness can blow it away, and when a friend does something good, we should engrave it in stone, where it shall remain for eternity.”
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant (i.e. don’t punish them). If a suggestion from Satan assails your mind, seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things)” [surah al-A'raf, 7:199-200]

"Before they call for prayer, I will answer all prayers!"

This story was written by a Muslim doctor who worked in Africa.


One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but
in spite of all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny
premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter.
We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no
incubator.
(We had no electricity to run an incubator.) We also had no special
feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were
often chilly with treacherous drafts.

One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the
cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up
the fire and fill a hot water bottle.  She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the
bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates.

And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed.
It is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might
be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not
grow on trees, and there are no
drugstores down forest pathways.

"All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely
can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from
drafts. "Your job is to keep the baby warm."
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with
any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me.

I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about
and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about
keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The
baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the
two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.

During the prayer time, one
ten-year-old girl, prayed with the
usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, Allah,"
she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow,
Allah, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon."

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by
way of a corollary, "And while You are about it, would You please
send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love
her?"

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I
honestly say, "Ameen?" I just did not believe that Allah could do
this.

Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything. The Holy Quraan says so.
But there are limits, aren't there? The only way Allah could
answer would be for a package to arrive from the homeland.

I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had
never, ever received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send
me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the
equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses'
training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my
front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but
there, on the verandah, was a large twenty-two pound
parcel.

I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone,
so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we
pulled off the
string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking
care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting.

Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large
cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted
cotton jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were
the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children
looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and
sultanas-

that would make a batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my
hand in again, I felt the...could it really be? I grasped it and
pulled it out -- yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle, I cried.
I had not asked Allah to send it; I had not truly believed
that He could.

The ten year old was in the front row of the children. She rushed
forward, crying out, If Allah has sent the bottle, He must have sent
the dolly, too!"

Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small,
beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted.

Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and
give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Allah
really loves her?"

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by
my former school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed Allah's
prompting to send a hot water
bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a
dolly for an
African child- five months before -- in answer to the believing
prayer of
a ten- year-old to bring it "that afternoon."

"Before they call for prayer, I will answer all prayers!"

Allah wants us to ask of Him.and he will surely answer

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED:

Don't ever underestimate the POWER OF ALLAH-
Allah can do anything Allah desires
Kids are innocent and pure- Their duas[prayers] are easily and
quickly answered by Allah
The Dedication of this Muslim Doctor - spare time was devoted to
Allah to bring others closer to Him- Lets also become inviters to
ALLAH

Don't forget others are in need.You may never know when you would be in
need!

Always contribute to good causes.you never know the little you give
may save some ones life..or in whichever way it will benefit them.

The story of a poor cloth washer and a British officer

“Tak, tak, tak”
The British officer in colonial Indian who was drinking tea asked loudly, “Who is that?”
“Its me sir, your cloth-washer, I came to take the cloths to wash!”
“Ah… good, how are you?”
“I am fine sir, a thousand thanks to Allah!”
“How are your children? How is the sick child now?”
“Their fine sir, alhamdulillah. One has got malaria and has a fever. But he’ll get well, inshaallah! The other child is fine. All praise to Allah, He is looking after us!”
“Hmm… how is your husband? Until now I couldn’t ask about him.”
“Oh…he died sir, it’s been six years since Allah took him back. Allah does everything according to a plan sir.”

That British official said later this conversion was the reason he embraced Islam. A Muslim reader wouldn’t see anything new here. Like many this sensitive British official was trying to understand the purpose of life, thinking of the best way to succeed in life, still not satisfied from it, a little defeated and unhappy, unable to comprehend the reasons for it, was engaged in a struggle. The contentment and thankfulness radiating from that woman’s face was unusual as well as captivating, he had later said.

Her old cloths and smudged face, her sick child and dead husband, her small income and unsure-ness of the future, yet, with all these things she lived a content life. She couldn’t finish a sentence without thanking almighty Allah. She had many things the noble, wealthy, powerful official didn’t have. He found it difficult to even comprehend this.

We all wish for happiness. But that is a rare thing. Failing to attain it man resorts to crimes, suicide and violence. Craving happiness he strives to live in upper classes of the society, ruthlessly pursuing more power, cruelly taking away others rights. Striving with great difficulty for happiness man sometimes forgets what he was searching and gets mesmerized with lust and luxury. He tries to get happiness in mistaken ways with things like money, respect, power, entertainment, beauty etc.

Someone asked a great Abbasid Caliph “who is the happy man?”. Letting out a long breath he said “A happy man…? I don’t know him. He doesn’t know me either.”

What is the secret of happiness? What is it; many in the world cannot understand, did that unnamed woman know? Feeling secure without any insurance, or feeling safe without any danger signs or locks, in short without any of these she lived happily. But she didn’t keep any secrets. It was revealed from every word she expressed. Understanding the worthlessness of creations she turned towards The Creator with the aspiration of becoming a mu’min (i.e. firm believer). Almighty Allah says

“Those who believe, and whose hearts
find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah:
for without doubt in the remembrance
off Allah do hearts find satisfaction.”

The Price of Imaan

Several years ago an Imaam moved to London. He often took the bus from his home to the downtown area. Some weeks after he arrived, he had the occasion to ride on the same bus, with the same driver. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him twenty pence too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself :
"You better give the twenty pence back. It would be wrong to keep it".
Then he thought :
"Oh forget it, it's only twenty pence. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from Almighty Allah and keep quiet".

When his stop came, the Imaam paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the twenty pence back to the driver and said,
"Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver replied with a smile,
"Aren't you the new Imaam in this area? I have been thinking lately about going to worship at your mosque. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."

When the Imaam stepped off the bus, his knees became weak and soft. He had to grab the nearest light pole and held it for support, and looked up to the heavens and cried,
"Oh Allah, I almost sold Islam for twenty pence!" ))

Remember, we may never see the impact our actions have on people.

Sometimes we are the only knowledge of Al-Quran someone will read, or the only Islam a non-Muslim will see.

What we need to provide, Insha Allah is an example for others to see. Be careful and be honest everyday, because you never know who is watching your actions and judging you as a Muslim.

And always remember, Syaitaan will NEVER ever leave us alone. Their whispers are so soft yet so powerful. They plant ideas which seem sweet, when actually those ideas are the most sour of all.

So Muslims, fight and fight all the way. You might fall. You might trip. But get up and stand strong right after.

I am trying. Still trying. Still fighting. Help me, Dear Allah.

Quite a big lesson in this little story

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it." The mouse turned to the lamb and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The lamb sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the lamb. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another. REMEMBER: EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON. One of the best things to hold onto in this world, beside God is a friend.

The Venerable Usama Learns How to Weep

One day the blessed Prophet was counselling his Companions. As they listened to his sweet words, some of them wept from fear of Allah and some from love of Him. The venerable Usama was the only one not weeping. He lamented his state to the blessed Messenger of Allah, who placed his blessed hands upon his breast and said: ‘ukhruj ya iblis (Out, O Satan!)’ Now at last Usama began to weep. The blessed Messenger turned to his Companions saying: ‘The inability to weep is caused by hardness of heart, hardness of heart is caused by multiplicity of sin, multiplicity of sin is caused by forgetfulness of death, forgetfulness of death is caused by ambitious expectations, ambitious expectations are caused by excessive love of the life in this world.’ The religion of Islam and the Noble Qur’an are censorious of this world. What is this world? It is not wealth, property, status, money, rank, clothes and children. Whatever keeps you from your Lord, that is this world. For instance, a person who owns all this world has to offer, yet does not forget his Lord and serves Him with perfect devotion, that person is no worldly materialist but Allah’s beloved servant, a member of our Prophet’s Community. A poor person, on the other hand, may deserve to be called materialistic if he becomes a beggar and lets his begging prevent him from worshipping his Lord. He is not acceptable in the sight of Allah and His Messenger. In short, while your hands are about their work your heart should be with the beloved. Let the whole world belong to you while you belong to Allah. You should work for this world as if you were immortal, while preparing for the Hereafter as if you would die tomorrow. Treat everyone well. Have compassion for every creature. Be just, loyal, honest, hardworking and upright. That is how you must be, for that is how believers are.

-Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi

A Story of a King

This is a story about a king
Who lived in a marvelous castle,
Full of intricate passage ways,
Rooms and halls.

This castle had five gates
And each day upon awakening,
Feeling alone,
The king would send forth his ministers
Out into the world through these five gates,
Searching for the king’s beloved lost queen.

And each night he would await their return.

Yet never did they come

Then one day,
After shutting the five gates,
He heard a cry--
One he had heard before
But had chosen to ignore.

Sometimes it was a wail,
At other times a wimple,
And sometimes just a sigh.

However, this time he followed,
And down he went
Past all the chandeliered halls.

Down

Down

Down

into  the darkness,
Until he could smell
The stench of the dungeons.

And behind a locked cell
A boy he saw.

And the boy looked at him
And said:
Free me, father.
I want to come home.

And the king opened the cell.
With the boy in hand
They ascended to the king’s throne.

And the king said:
Sit upon the throne;
For only suffering
Have I caused this court.

And the boy did.

The boy called forth new ministers
And told them to go into the world,
And through the five gates they went.

And the king and the boy awaited their return.

To the king’s amazement they returned,
Their eyes wide with joy.

And walking behind them
She walked--
The king’s beloved queen.

And the three ruled together as One.

Janaka was such a king.
And each morning
Sight would fly from his eyes
Smell would grab from his nose
Taste would drip from his mouth
Hearing await in his ears
And feeling would reach through his skin.

And nothing he learned of the world.

Until he shut down the senses
And journeyed past the glittering of the mind,

Following the sorrow,
The longing,

Down past the stench of the guilt of wrong doings.

Until he found the Innocent One
Awaiting patiently in the darkness.

And when the Innocent One
Returned to consciousness,
Janaka truly saw
truly heard
truly smelled
truly tasted
and truly felt.

And truly learned of the world.

For he found his Beloved within it all!

The man,was so attracted by the ladys figure that he started following her.

It was thick date farm, in the midst of it there is a spacious foothpath. She was walking on it freely. She is an obedient servant of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) She is living accordingly to islam. She was so immersed in her thoughts,that she didnt notice,a man following her.
The man,was so attracted by the ladys figure that he started following her. She heard the steps behind her, and turned back. She was scared to see this handsome man following her. She walked fast and turned back frequently, to see the man who was behind her. Suddenly the man ran and caught hold of her.
Oh! dear,where are you from? Are you from heaven? You have a beautiful eyes, which stole my heart. Each time, when you turned back, it really captured my mind. Its like a black soft pearl in glowing crystal bowl.
My dear, i cant wait more, i feel to be drowned in your eyes, and let me for it.


Stop it! Fear Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala). He is watching all your deeds. Now please leave me.
No, i will not leave you untill i fulfill my needs.
Please, let me go for now,look , thats my home. If you free me now, I promise, i will be back after sometime.
The man obeyed her. He felt that she will keep her promise.
I will be sitting under this tree, untill you come back. I believe in you. If you dont return back, i will sit here untill my death. Its my word.

Relax here, i will be back as soon as possible.You can believe me.
She ran to her home,locked up in her room and started crying-
Oh! Almighty, what have i done? I have promised that man, that i will be back for fulfiiling his feelings. Please forgive me Lord.
You created me as a woman. I dont know whether its my fortune or misfortune! I felt bored, and just had a walk in the farm, if this is my sin, forgive me Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) Show me a way to repent. She cried and prayed with broken heart. After sometime she took a decision. She got up, rubbed her tears and called out for her servant. The servant came. She asked her to bring a knife, bowl and a silk cloth to cover the bowl.
The servant brought the things for her. She took the knife and scooped out her both eyes into the bowl. Blood was rolling down from her cheeks.
The servant was alarmed to see this deed.
What have you done my child? Are you mad? What terrible sin did you do, for punishing yourself like this?
No, i am not mad. Now, i really feel content.
Go, cover this bowl with the satin and give this to that man, who is sitting under that tree.
She also said few things to be told to him.
The servant went to the man.
Are you waiting for some one?
Yes, i am waiting for a young lady, who stays in that home.
She told me to sit here. Who are you?
I am that ladys servant. She has sent a precious gift for you!
The lady handed him the bowl. The man removed the silk cloth, and was shocked to see the thing in it.
What is this, i cant believe it. These are those eyes which intoxicated my brains. Oh! Almighty, what have she done?
Dont cry as a fool now, These were those eyes which filled your heart with evil thoughts. She told me to give this to you and say that she doesnt want this eyes which provacated your thoughts to do sin. she also said, Prostitution is haraam, never indulge in it, it will burn you.
She has repented for the word she has given to you. Now its your turn, live as a good musalman and never go or do against Islam.

Human Kindness in Islam

Nasiruddin was the slave of a king, and very fond of hunting. One day he came across a very pretty baby deer and picked it up and rode away. The mother deer saw Nasiruddin take her baby and followed him anxiously. Nasiruddin, pleased with the baby dear, was thinking about presenting it to his children to play with. After a time, he chanced to look back and saw the mother deer following him, her expression full of grief. He noticed too that she did not seem to care about her own safety. Moved to pity, Nasiruddin set the baby deer free. The mother deer nuzzled and licked her baby fondly and the two deer leapt happily away into the forest. But many times the mother deer looked back at Nasiruddin, as if to express her thanks.

That night Nasiruddin dreamt that the revered Prophet (pbuh) was addressing him:
‘Nasiruddin, your name has been entered in the list of Allah, and you will one day have a kingdom. But remember that when you are king you will also have many responsibilities. Just as you have shown mercy to the deer today, you should be merciful to all Allah’s creatures. You should not forget your people by falling into a life of luxury.’

This dream came true and Nasiruddin did become king, Amir Nasiruddin Subaktagin, father of Sultan Muhammad.

The moral of the story is that if we wish Allah to be merciful to us, we must be eager to show mercy to all the living creatures of the earth.

When a flower blooms, its colour and scent first touch the garden near it, and then spread. In the same way, a Muslim’s acts of human kindness should first touch those nearest to him, his family and his neighbours.

Source: Muslim Manners by Iqbal Ahmad Azami

Four wives!

Our Four Wives ! (Khanqah Sheikh Zakariyya,Lenasia, South Africa)

Legend goes that once there was a very rich merchant in Baghdad who had four wives. The wealth had to be spent on something after all! The old man loved his young and beautiful fourth wife the most and adorned her with rich and beautiful clothes and treated her to all types of delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the third wife a lot. He was very proud of her and always wanted to show her off to his relatives and friends. However, the merchant was always in great fear that she might run away with a younger and more handsome man.

He loved his second wife too. A middle-aged lady by then, but her intelligence made up for her age. She was a very considerate person, always patient and in fact she was the one who knew the intricacies of the trade and acted as the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his second wife and she would always helped him tide over the difficult times.

Now the merchant's first wife - by now frail and neglected - was a very loyal partner. She had stood by her husband through thick and thin and braved the rough times along with her husband. But this was when they were not as rich. She had made great contributions in looking after his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However the merchant did not love his first wife any more and although she loved him deeply he hardly ever took notice of her. Like all good things the opulent and luxurious life of the merchant neared its end.

One day the merchant fell ill. A physician was sent for but he didn't find much hope for the patient's life. Judging by the somber mood of the men and women gathered around him, the merchant knew that he was going to die soon. He reflected on the good times, thought of his luxurious life and mused: “I have four wives but when I die, I will be alone. How lonely I will be.”

He asked his wives to come sit by his side. He addressed his fourth wife: “I love you the most, have showered on you diamonds, jewels, perfumes and the finest of clothing and have taken great care of you, follow me and give me company in the loneliness of my grave?” “No way,” replied the youngest wife. And she walked away without another word. The answer cut like a sharp knife right through the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked his third wife. “I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I am dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “NO!” Replied the third wife “Life is so good over here, after your burial I am going to marry my cousin in Basra. But I promise to arrange a very good funeral for you.” The merchant's heart sank and he turned cold. He then asked the second wife “I always turned to you for help and you have always helped me in my difficult times. This is a real crisis and now I need your valued help again. When I die, will you follow me and give me your company, you know like the good old days?” “I am sorry, I can't help you out this time.” replied the second wife. “At the very most I can accompany you up to your grave.” The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then he heard a weak and frail voice: “You are my first and my last. I will be with you all the time. I will follow you wherever you go.” The merchant then looked up and saw a frail figure - his first wife. Years of neglect showed on her face. She looked pale and skinny and it was obvious that she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the ailing merchant said, “I should have taken much more care of you while I could have.”

We all have four wives in our lives. The fourth is our body. No amount of health, food, vitamins and visiting the gym and effort we lavish in making it look good will be of any real help, it will leave us when we die. Regarding our third wife? Look beyond your nose - our possessions, status and wealth. When we die they all go to others. The second wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been during our good times and bad, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the graveyard. The first wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material wealth and sensual things that follows us wherever we go.Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we are on our deathbed to lament.

Story of an idolator

Abdul Wahid b. Zaid (mercy be upon him) who belonged to a lineage of saints said, "We were once sailing in a boat. A gush of wind blew away our boat to an island where we saw a man busy adoring an idol. We asked him what he was worshipping. He pointed towards the idol. We said to him that this idol was made with his own hands. How could he worship it? The God whom we worship creates all such things Himself, and so deserves to be worshipped, alone." He then asked us, who do you worship? We told him, "We worship the Great God (Allah) who lives in the highest heaven. He alone controls the heavens and the earth.

 All other creatures whether human or animal depend on Him for their sustenance." He further asked how we came to know about this Glorious God. We replied, "He sent His final Messenger (Peace be Upon him) to the whole of mankind to teach them about His Greatness." He proceeded to enquire "Let me know of the place where this Prophet of God is?" We replied, "After the Prophet had completed his mission by conveying the message of God he died and returned to his Lord". He continued to ask, "Did this Messenger of God leave behind a thing for your guidance?" We explained, "Yes, he left behind a Book (the Qur'an), which was revealed by God. He asked to see the book.

 We offered him the Holy Qur'an. He told us he was unable to read and so we recited a few verses for him instead. During the course of its recital he repeatedly wept until we stopped. He finally asserted, "This can only be from Allah, the Most High", and immediately confirmed his Faith in Allah and His Messenger. We informed him about the duties of Islam and also explained some verses of the Holy Qur'an. After the late night prayer we went to bed and the man continued to ask questions. "Does Allah sleep at night? he wondered aloud as we lay comfortably in our beds. "Our Exalted God is Everliving and Everlasting. He does not sleep or rest!" we exclaimed. On hearing this he cried, "What disobedient slaves you are! Your Lord keeps awake, whereas you sleep!" We were dumbstruck by his remark. When we were about to return from this island, he begged us to take him with us to allow him to learn more. We agreed. On reaching the city of 'Aabadan, says Abdul Wahid (Radi Allahu anhu), I said to my companions, "This man is our brother, therefore we should provide him with some livelihood".

Some dirhams were offered to him but he refused to accept them and exclaimed, "What is this?" We replied, "These are some dirhams for your expenditure." He said, "It is enough that.you have shown me the right path. I was upon error and Allah guided me. I did not even worship him yet He neither destroyed nor killed me. I am so grateful to Him and you After a few days, we were told that he was about to breathe his last. We went to see him and asked him if there was any need of his to be satisfied. He said no and that he was happy with all that he had gained from Allah. Abdul Wahid (Radi Allahu anhu), said, " I was all of asudden, overcome by sleep and hence slept there. While sleeping, I saw a very fertile grden wherein was avery fine vault; a throne occupied by a verybeautiful girl, a beauty that I had never seen before. She said to me , 'By Allah, I returned him toHis Lord quickly', By seeing her in such a state I became very anxious. He addeded, ''When I woke up , the man had passed away. We managed to bury him immediately.'' Again at night, said Abdul Wahid (Radi Allahu anhu), ; ''I witnessedthe same garden, the same vault and the sanme girl sitting besides the man who had died. She was recitting the following Qur'anic verse, the transalation of which is ''And the Angels vist them from each door and send them their compliments, glad tiddings for peace and safety against each kind of misfortune. All this is the fruit of your contentment (and steadfastness for the religion of Islam). There is therefore a good reward for you in the Hereafter.''

This story of the idolator shows the Greatness of Allah and His Mercy towards the man who previously worshipped idols. He sent the people to the island as a means to guide the idolator and thus rewarded him a magnificent rewardin the hereafter.

''O Master of the world ! Whom Thou giveth to, nobody can withhold and whom Thou giveth not, no one can confer upon him.''

Knowledge and Wisdom of Hazrat Sulaiman alayhis 'salam ( Solomon ) the King Prophet.

Hazrat Dawood Alaihis salaam ( David ) was the King of his people. He had 19 sons, each one of them hoped to inherit the father's throne. Allah revealed to Hazrat Dawood Alaihis-salaam a few questions and their answers and commanded him to put those questions to each one of his sons. Whosoever answered those questions correctly, would inherit his throne.

One day Hazrat Dawood Alaihis salaam called all his sons in the presence of the scholars and the chiefs of the tribes of his kingdom. He then put forward the following questions:

1) Which thing is closest (nearest) to man?

2) Which is the farthest thing?

3) Which two things are attached to each other?

4) Which is the most awe-creating thing?

5) Which two things remain unchanged?

6) Which two things are always different?

7) Which two things are opposed to each other?

8.) What is the action the result of which is good?

9) What is that action the result of which is bad?


The first 18 sons of Hazrat Dawood Alaihis-salaam felt helpless and could not answer any of these questions. Then the youngest of the sons, Hazrat Sulaiman Alaihis-salaam (Solomon) stood up and gave the following answers:

1) The nearest things to a man is the hereafter (Life and Death - as one may die any moment);

2) The farthest things is the time which has passed away (which is not to come again);

3) The two things that are attached to each other is man's body with the soul;

4) The most awe-creating is the man's body (dead) without soul;

5) The two things which remain the same are the sky and the earth;

6) The two things which are different are the day and night;

7) The two things which are opposed to each other are life and death;

8.) The action - the end of which is good - is patience and forbearance at the time of anger;

9) The action - the end of which is bad is haste at the time of anger.


Hazrat Dawood Alaihis-salaam obviously, was very much impressed with his knowledge and appointed Hazrat Sulaiman Alaihis Salaam as his successor.

Thus it will be seen that it was the supreme knowledge and wisdom that made Hazrat Sulaiman Alaihis-salaam succeed his father and become the Great King Prophet.

Act with Kindness

Once an evil man was slandering Imam Al Baqer After a while he noticed that the Imam was not responding to him at all, so he said: “I’m talking to you!”. So the Imam said in response: “And I am ignoring you”.

Once a follower of Mu’awiyah came to Madina. When he saw our 2nd Imam, Imam Hasan ahle salaam he started to shout names and use foul language at the Imam Hasan ahle salaam, because Mu’awiyah had told him horrible things about Imam Hasan ahle salaam .

The followers of Imam Hasan ahle salaam wanted to punish the man for what he had said but Imam Hasan ahle salaam told them to leave him alone.

Imam Hasan ahle salaam then turned to the man and greeted him with “Salaam” after which Imam asked the man if he would like to come to his house for food and a rest as he had just come from a long trip.

When the man saw the Akhlaq of Imam ahle salaam, he realised that what Mu’awiyah had told him about the Imam ahle salaam was untrue and he felt very ashamed of how he had spoken.

The man asked Imam ahle salaam for forgiveness. Thereafter, whenever he heard anyone saying anything against Imam Hasan ahle salaam he would correct them.

Moral:

Never get angry at someone when they are angry – To punish someone who has hurt you, you punish him by being good towards him!

No matter how other people act you should always have perfect akhlaq (manners).

Never believe bad things about other people that you have heard because it may not be true.

A Cobbler's Hajj - For thirty years I have lived in hope of performing Hajj

It is related that a noted Muslim scholar Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu, had a dream while he was sleeping near the Kaaba.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu saw two angels' descend from the sky, and start talking to each other. One of the angels asked the other: "Do you know how many people have come for Hajj this year?" The other angel replied: "Six hundred thousand have come for Hajj."

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu had also gone for Hajj that year.

The first angel asked: "How many people's Hajj has been accepted?"

The second replied: "I wonder if anyone's Hajj has been accepted at all."

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu was grieved to hear that. He thought, "So many people have come from all over the world, crossing so many obstacles like rivers, jungles, mountains, suffered so many hardships, and meeting so many expenses. Would their effort be wasted? Allah does not let anyone's effort go to waste".

He had thought only so far when he heard the other angel speak: "There is a cobbler in Damascus . His name is Ali bin al-Mufiq. He could not come for Hajj, but Allah has accepted his intention of Hajj. Not only will he get the reward for Hajj, but because of him, all the Hajjis will be rewarded.

When Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu woke up, he decided he would go to Damascus and meet that cobbler whose Hajj intentions carried such a lot of weight.

On reaching Damascus , Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu inquired if anyone knew a cobbler named Ali bin al-Mufiq. The town people directed him to a house. When a man appeared from the house Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu greeted him and asked his name. The man replied "Ali bin al-Mufiq".

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu  asked: "What do you do for a living?"

Ali replied: "I am a cobbler". Then Ali asked the stranger's name that had come looking for him.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu  was a very well-known scholar of Islam, when Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu introduced him self, the cobbler was anxious to find out why such a well known scholar was seeking him out.

When Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu asked Ali to tell him if he had made any plans to go for Hajj. Ali replied "For thirty years I have lived in the hope of performing the Hajj.

This year I had saved enough to go for Hajj, but Allah did not will it, so I couldn't make my intention translate into action.


Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu was eager to find out how could this man's Hajj be accepted and blessed for all the people who went for Hajj that year when he didn't go for Hajj in the first place. While talking to the cobbler he could feel a certain purity in his heart.

Islam regards greatness not in wealth or in power, but in civility, in good manners and the goodness of heart.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu further asked: "why could you not go on Hajj?". In order not to disclose the reason, Ali again replied "it was Allah's will".


When Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu persisted, Ali revealed: "Once I went to see my neighbor's house. His family was just sitting down for dinner. Although I was not hungry

I thought my neighbor would invite me to sit down for dinner out of courtesy but I could see that my neighbor was grieved about something and wanted to avoid inviting me for dinner.


After some hesitation the neighbor told me: "I am sorry I cannot invite you for food. We were without food for three days and I could not bear to see the pain of hunger of my children. I went out looking for food today and found a dead donkey. In my desperation I cut out some meat from the dead animal, and brought it home so that my wife could cook this meat. It is halal (lawful or permitted) for us because of our extreme condition of hunger, but I cannot offer it to you."

Ali continued: "On hearing this, my heart bled with tears. I got up and went home, collected the three thousand dinars I had saved for Hajj, and gave my neighbor the money. I too had to go hungry but that was to save money for Hajj, but I thought helping my neighbor during his difficult times was more important. Although I still desire to go for Hajj if Allah wills."


Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubarak radi Allahu anhu was greatly inspired by the cobbler's story and told the cobbler of his dream.

Allah is merciful and shows mercy to those who do likewise to his creatures. This act of compassion on the part of the cobbler was so pleasing to
Allah that it not only earned him the reward of Hajj but was extended to all the people who came for Hajj.

Hajj is a journey that can ignite the soul to be reminded of the time it was created and takes it beyond the dimensions of this life to the time it will meet the creator.


The sincere performance of Hajj can transcend a person's day to day life into a spiritual awakening of the highest magnitude. A successful Hajj experience connects us to our creator and the greater compassion of humanity.

The Story of Alqamah

At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), there was a young man named Alqamah. He was very diligent in obeying Allah by engaging in prayer and fasting and spending in charity.

Then he fell ill and his illness became serious.

His wife went to the Prophet and said, "My husband, Alqamah, is on his deathbed. I therefore came to tell you, Messenger of Allah, about his condition."

The Prophet (then) sent for Ammar or Suhaib and Bilal, and told them to go to him (Alqamah) and have him repeat the Shahadah. Thereupon they went to him and found him in the agony of death.

They asked him to say, "La illaha illa Allah," but his tongue was unable to pronounce it.

At that, they came and told the Messenger of Allah that he was unable to repeat the Shahadah.

The Prophet asked, "Is either of his parents alive?"

He was told, "Messenger of Allah, his Mother is, but she is very old."

The Prophet sent her a message that if it was convenient for her (that is, is she was able to go out), she should come to him; otherwise she should stay in her house and the Prophet would come to her.

The Prophets messenger came to her and informed her of the Prophets message.

She said, "May my life be a ransom for him, it is my pleasure to go to him!"

She then stood up, leaning on her walking stick, and came to the Prophet and greeted him.

The Prophet returned her greeting and said to her,

"Umm Alqamah, tell me the truth, for otherwise Allah Most High will reveal the truth to me! What is the situation concerning your son, Alqamah?"

She replied, "Messenger of Allah, he prays much, fasts a great deal, and spends a great amount in charity."

The Prophet said, "And what about yourself?"

She said, "Messenger of Allah, I am angry with him."

He said, "Why?"

She replied, "Messenger of Allah, he has preferred his wife to me and has disobeyed me."

Then Allahs Messenger said, "Umm Alqamah, surely your anger has prevented Alqamahs tongue from pronouncing the Shahadah."

He then turned to Bilal and said, "Bilal, go out and collect a quantity of firewood."

She said, "Messenger of Allah, what do you plan to do?"

He replied, "I will burn him in front of your eyes."

She said, "Messenger of Allah, he is my son! My heart cannot bear your burning him in front of me!"

He said, "Umm Alqamah, Allahs punishment is more severe and more lasting! Therefore, if you want Allah to forgive him, be reconciled to him. By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, the prayer, fasting, and spending in charity (which he has done) are of no benefit to Alqamah as long as you are angry with him!"

Thereupon she said, "Messenger of Allah, I call upon Allah Most High and His angels and the Muslims who are present to be my witnesses that I am pleased with my son Alqamah."

Allahs Messenger said, "Bilal, go to him and see whether he is now able to say, "La illaha illa Allah" or not. It may be that Umm Alqamah is saying something for my sake which is not in her heart."

Thereupon Bilal went, and while entering the door he heard Alqamah saying, "La illaha illa Allah." (Concerning this),

Bilal remarked, "It is surely true that while Alqamahs mother was angry with him his tongue was tied, and now that she is pleased with him his tongue is freed."

Alqamah died the same day.

The Prophet came to him and gave the order for his washing and shrouding, and then prayed the funeral prayer for him and buried him.

He then stood by the side of his grave and said,

"You company of Muhajireen and Helpers, if anyone favors his wife over his mother, Allah and His angels and all the people curse him!

Allah does not accept his spending (in charity) and his uprightness unless he repents toward Allah, the Glorious and Majestic, and reconciles with her and attains her pleasure, because Allahs pleasure consists in her pleasure and Allah's anger consists in her anger."

Source: Reported in Tabarani and Ahmed.

We must always be respectful and obedient to our parents. However, we are not to obey them if they order us to disobey Allah and His Prophet[ Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him ] . Other than this, they deserve our utmost attention and respect.

Beautiful woman, who wanted to get married

There was this beautiful woman, who wanted to get married, but she wanted a very pious husband, so she said that she’ll marry the man who recites the whole Quran every single day, fasts for the whole year and stays awake and worships Allah all throughout the night.

She was a very beautiful woman, and a lot of suitors wanted to marry her, but they knew they couldn’t fulfil the conditions she set. Until this one man stepped forward and said he could fulfil them. So the Imam got both of them married.

After the first night of the marriage, the wife sees that the husband doesn’t recite the whole of the Quran, nor does he fast, nor does he stay awake in the worship of Allah, she decided to let it roll on for a few weeks to see if there were any changes, there weren’t, so she filed a complaint and asked for a divorce.

They are both taken in front of the judge, and the judge asked, ‘What were the conditions of the marriage?’ the man replied ‘They were for me to recite the whole Quran daily, keep fast for the whole year and to worship Allah all throughout the night.’

The Judge asked, ‘ did you fulfil them? The man calmly answered, ‘…yes.’

The judge answers, ‘you lie, your wife has said that you don’t, that’s why she’s asking for a divorce’.

But the man insisted that he had fulfilled the conditions, so the judge asked, ‘did you recite the full Quran everyday?’ The man answered yes. The Judge, baffled asked, ‘how? How can you do that?’ The man coolly answered, ‘I recite Surah Ikhlas three times a day and according to Prophet Muhammad (saw), reciting Surah Ikhlas three times is equivalent to reciting the whole Quran.’ The Judge was intrigued, so he asked, ‘how did you fast the whole year?’ The man answered, ‘ I fasted for the whole month of Ramadan, then kept another six fasts in the month of Shawwal, according to Prophet Muhammad (saw), keeping all of the fast of Ramadan then keeping six fasts in the month of Shawwal, is as if you have fasted for the whole year.’

The Judge remained silent, he couldn’t give a reply saying the man was wrong, so finally he asked, ‘ how did you stay awake all night and worship Allah, when your wife saw you sleeping?’ The Judge thought the man wouldn’t be able to answer this one, but the man, cool as a cucumber answered, ‘I prayed Salatul Isha with jamaat, then the next day prayed Salatul Fajr with jamaat, according to Prophet Muhammad (saw), the one who prays Salatul Isha and Salatul Fajr with jamaat, it is as if he had stayed up all night worshipping Allah.’

The Judge sat there looking at the man; the final verdict was about to be released…

He said to the man and his wife, ‘…go, just go, there is nothing wrong with this marriage’…

A preacher was once giving a sermon

A preacher was once giving a sermon to a large audience in the Masjid. In the course of it he said: "O People! I tell you the truth. If only you knew the power of the sentence Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful), you would say it before every action of yours. Whoever says these words before beginning any act will see wonders. One will even be able to walk on water."

A poor villager, who was sitting close to the pulpit, listened to this sermon attentively. Poor villager was a regular visitor to the Masjid although his journey from his home was a very difficult one because he had to cross a large river on the way. Poor villager did not have a boat and often had to wait until someone appeared who could transport him across. The route around the river was extremely long. However, when the poor villager heard this sermon, he realized that he had found the solution to his problem.

When Poor villager reached the river on his way back, he did not hesitate, but recited 'Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful)' and stepped onto the water. By the grace of Allah Subhana Wa Taala he was able to walk on the water and soon reached the other side. This became a regular practice for the poor villager, until one day, as he was crossing the river; it occurred to him that he had not thanked the preacher who had given him the solution to his problem. Poor villager decided to invite him to his house for a meal as a way of showing his gratitude to him.

The preacher accepted the invitation and both of them began walking back to the poor villager's house. On reaching the river, the poor villager recited 'Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful)' and stepped out onto the water, as was his normal routine. Poor villager expected the preacher to do the same. But when he looked behind, he found that the preacher was still standing on the bank looking at him in bewilderment. The man told him to recite 'Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful)' just as he had preached.

"My dear villager, I lack the faith/trust that you have," replied the preacher.

Moral of the Story: Teaching and acting on the words taught with trust is not the same. Also we must inculcate the habit of reciting 'Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful)' before everything that we say or do in this life. Imam Jafar Sadiq Aleh Salam has said, "Do not forsake Bismillah even if you write one line of poem."

The Fast of Summer

Once, during the journey of Hajj, Hajaj bin Yusuf stopped at a place between Makka-tul-Mukarrama and Madina-tul-Munawwara and had the lunch prepared. He then instructed his guard to bring a guest. When the guard left the tent, he spotted a Bedouin lying down. He woke him up and said, come, Hajaj bin Yusuf is calling you. When the Bedouin came, Hajaj bin Yusuf said, accept my invitation, wash your hands and sit down with me to eat. The Bedouin replied, please forgive me, prior to your invitation I have already accepted the invitation of someone else that is more generous and gracious than you. Hajaj bin Yusuf asked, whose invitation ? The Bedouin replied, The invitation of Allah ta'ala who has invited me to keep a fast and hence I have had fast. Hajaj asked, you have fast in such scorching heat ? The Bedouin replied, yes, inorder to save myself from the blazing heat of Judgment Day. Hajaj said, please eat now and make up for the fast tomorrow. The Bedouin immediately replied, can you guarantee me that I will be alive till tomorrow ? Hajaj replied, I m afraid I can’t. The pious Bedouin said I m afraid I can’t eat, and then he went away. 

(Rauz ur Riyaheen P::212)

Scars of Love

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.

In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His mother, in the house, was looking out the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother.

It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two.

The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived.

His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs; and then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn’t let go.”

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too.

No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic. But, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go.

In the midst of your struggle, He’s been there holding on to you.

This teaches us that God loves us. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril -and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That’s when the tug-o-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not - and will not - let you go.

Don't we all

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.

Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a beggar. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."

"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't. He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke. "That's a very pretty car," he said. He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard kept more than his face warm. I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.

He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money but it never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice. "Do you need any help?" I asked. He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.

We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me. "Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a beggar in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge Don't we all? I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true.

No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all.They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves. Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a beggar, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help." Don't we all?

Ya Allah! Shukran Katheeran

Azman was walking with his father on the pavement near the supermarket. Suddenly he saw a man who was struggling to walk with a stick. The man was tall and dressed in simple but clean clothes. He was wearing dark sunglasses even though it was nighttime.

Azman asked his father, "Ya Abee! [O my father !] Why is the man wearing dark glasses in the night? Why is he using a stick and moving it around?

His father followed his gaze and saw that it was a blind man.

His father said, "Ya ibnee! [O my son!] Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has not given him the gift of sight [absaar]. This man is blind. He cannot see. [Huwa La yastatee' an yanzur.]"

Azman was shocked and touched his eyes ['ai nain] and said, " Alhamdulillah. Ya Allah! Shukran for the eyes ['ai nain] that you have given me. May I only see what is good and halal with these eyes. ['ai nain] Ya Allah, make this man's life easy for him and guide him to the straight path. Ameen."

His father read the verse 78 from Surah Al Mu'minuun 23.

{Use the Qur'an to read this verse.]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Kind

Wa HuwallaZee An sha a Lakumus Sam 'a Wal abSaara [sight] Wal af idah.

Qaleelam [Little] Ma tashkuruun.

It is He who has created for you [the sense of ] hearing [ears], sight [absaara] [eyes] and hearts [understanding]. Little thanks you give.

There were tears in Azman's eyes ['ai nain] as he continued looking at the blind man. How thankful he felt that Allah has given him eyes ['ai nain] with which to see. [yanzur]

When he reached home, Azman put on a blindfold on his eyes ['ai nain] and tried to walk around. He started bumping into the furniture and the walls.He was slow and clumsy. Once he even fell down as he tripped over the stool. He could not see his mum's beautiful face or the beautiful flowers in the garden. All he saw was blackness.

He heard so many noises and almost became frightened. He could not see where the noise was coming from.

He was relieved to take off his blindfold. Suddenly, there was a burst of colour all around him. For the first time he really appreciated this beautiful gift of sight [absaar] from Allah.

Azman touched his eyes ['ai nain] again and said, "Ya Allah! Shukran Katheeran, [many thanks] for this sight [absaar] you have given me."

O Bilal, will you not come to visit me anymore

The Broken Hearted Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu

Hazrat Bilal Habshi radiallaho ta'ala anhu was the Mo'azzin (person calling the Azaan) of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam. After Syria was conquered he went to Hazrat Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu and said, "If you give permission, I want to leave Madinah and go to Jerusalem and lead a quiet life. Because the beloved whose blessed face was the cure for my aching heart is resting and has hidden his glowing face from us.

This has resulted in great restlessness and anxiety for me. A true lover can not bear to be away from his beloved. Whenever I look at any part of Masjid E Nabvi, the Mihraab or Mimbar, my heart cries out for my beloved. How can I explain to my broken heart? How can I comfort my dejected heart and soul? How can I satisfy my aching heart?"

Sometimes the path of true love means you have to be apart. But that is only when you have reached the pinnacle of love like Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu.

The broken hearted Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu was given permission by Hazrat Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu to go to Syria. Who can know the love of Bilal better than Ameer Ul Mo'mineen? Only one broken hearted person can know the pain being felt by another with a broken heart, and this was the case with Ameer Ul Mo'mineen Hazrat Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu. The love of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam has intoxicated the heart to such an extent that when he heard that Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam had left this world, he drew his sword and said, "If anyone says that Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam is dead, I will take his head off." Can you imagine the obsession and sincere love?

What causes this level of emotion and passion? The companions were those who had witnessed Hazrat Jibrael alaihis salaam bringing the verses of the Qur'an and for whose reformation and improvement the leader of the Angels would bring verses. None of these walking examples of the Qur'an grabbed Hazrat Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu by the hand to stop him. None of them tried to stand in his path. The shock of the departure of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam shook and scattered the harmony of the mind and brain. However, this same Prophet of Mercy sallalaho alaihe wasallam had also trained him and moulded him into what he was today. It was the height of devotion and love that shook the walls of wisdom and sanity for a few moments. It was also love and devotion that covered itself with a quiet blanket later on.

That Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu, who could not control himself due to grief at the departure of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam, is the same Hazrat Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu that also controlled the whole ummah. He took on the extraordinary responsibility of being a deputy of a Prophet and guiding and helping the nation and the religion towards greatness.

Hazrat Umar radiallaho ta'ala anhu knew exactly what Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu was going through and knew the state of his heart. He gave permission and Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu left for Syria. But the heart never left Madinah. His remembrance and his thoughts were always lost in Rasool Allah (sallalaho alaihe wasallam) and always yearning for him.

My Heart Is Attached To Your Memories In Such A Way
Now There Is No Chance Of Me Being Alone Ever.

Seeing the state of Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu night and day, those with sincerity and love decided to do something to ease his mind and soothe his pain. Therefore they arranged for him to be married, and his Nikah was performed in due course. But, how could Hazrat Bilal deny and forget the bright glow and the showers of mercy in the city of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam?

One night he was asleep and Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam came to him in his dream. The Mercy to the Worlds sallalaho alaihe wasallam asked him, "O Bilal, will you not come to visit me anymore?" Allah! Allah! Who knows what affect these words had on this devotee but Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu immediately got up and his heart and soul were singing with joy and happiness.

How could Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu rest now? Immediately he got up and set of for the blessed city of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam. When he entered Madinah he saw that it was the same streets of mercy and light. The same calm wind of pleasure and happiness. But the centre and the reason for this amazing environment was nowhere to be seen. He hurried to the resting-place of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam with a fast beating heart, wounded passion, tears in his eyes and presented his salutations (salaam). He embraced the blessed resting-place of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam and cried and cried. The heart and soul of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam, his grandsons, Hazrat Imam Hasan and Hazrat Imam Hussein radiallaho ta'ala anhuma saw this slave of their grandfather and were reminded about the time when he was amongst them.

Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu used to play with them when they were young boys, he would carry them on his shoulders, and would hold their fingers and walk with them. They both ran forward and embraced Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu, and said, "O beloved Mo'azzin of the Prophet sallalaho alaihe wasallam! Will we never hear the Azaan that we used to hear when our grandfather was amongst us? It is time for Namaz, please give Azaan today."

Hazrat Bilal was now in a predicament. He could not refuse an order from the leaders of the youth of Paradise, but for giving Azaan, Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu needed the beauty and elegance of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam in front of him. Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu stood to give Azaan, and as soon as the first words of the Azaan were carried into the streets of Madinah, hearts trembled. It was like a spear through the hearts of people. The voice of Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu immediately bought to life the era of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam. Allah o Akbar! Everyone remembered that glorious time when Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam was amongst them. Everyone that heard the Azaan of Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu, dropped what they were doing and ran to the  Masjid. The era of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam had returned.

The Azaan of Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu ignited the embers of love of Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam that had been restrained and subdued. The flames of love roared to life, there was a deafening noise and chaos in the streets of Madinah, people stopped working in the fields, veiled ladies lost their senses and ran out into the streets of Madinah out of love for Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam. Allah! Allah!

When Hazrat Bilal radiallaho ta'ala anhu said "Ash-hado Al-Laa Ilaha Illal-Laah" his voice trembled, because when he used to give Azaan before, when he would say "Ash-hado Anna Muhammadur Rasool Allah", he would point his forefinger at Muhammad Rasool Allah sallalaho alaihe wasallam. Today when this Aashiq E Rasool sallalaho alaihe wasallam said those words and opened his eyes, he found his beloved {our holy prophet (sal-lal-laho-tala-alaihi-wasalm)} right in front of him looking at him in the same way as he(sal-lal-laho-tala-alaihi-wasalm) use to when he(sal-lal-laho-tala-alaihi-wasalm) has not taken the veil, his voice stopped and Hazrat Bilal was unable to complete the Azaan. He lost his senses, fainted and fell to the floor. Allah O Akbar!

What a True Ashique Hazrat Bilal is and will be...(subhanAllah)