Ana Muslim

Me: Will I be protected by Allah?
Allah:

Truly, Allah defends those who believe.[22:38]

Me: Will anyone ever overcome me?
Allah:

And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers. [4:141]

Me: Will Allah forgive me for the bad I have done?
Allah:

Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds [that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward. [5:9]

Me: Will I have peace and security?
Allah:

They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice – those will have security, and they are [rightly] guided. [6:82]

Me: Will my ending be good?
Allah:

For those who believe and work righteousness, is (every) blessedness, and a beautiful place of (final) return. [13:29]

Me: Will I be protected against the devil?
Allah:

No authority has he (i.e. Shaitaan) over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. [16:99]

Me: Will people love me as a Muslim?
Allah:

Verily, those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the Most Gracious will bestow love for them.[19:96]

Me: Will Allah be my friend?
Allah:

And Allah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers. [3:68]

Me: Will Allah be with me?
Allah:

For verily Allah is with those who believe! [8:19]

Me: Will I have a good life?
Allah:

Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do. [16:97]

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The Meaning of As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim, the Straight Path

As for the meaning of As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim, Imam Abu Jafar At-Tabari said,

“The Ummah agreed that Sirat Al-Mustaqim, is the clear path without branches, according to the language of the Arabs. For instance, Jarir bin `Atiyah Al-Khatafi said in a poem,

`The Leader of the faithful is on a path that will remain straight even though the other paths are crooked.”

At-Tabari also stated that, “There are many evidences to this fact.”

At-Tabari then proceeded,

“The Arabs use the term, Sirat in reference to every deed and statement whether righteous or wicked. Hence the Arabs would describe the honest person as being straight and the wicked person as being crooked.

The straight path mentioned in the Qur’an refers to Islam.”

Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad that An-Nawwas bin Sam`an said that the Prophet said,

Allah has set an example:

a Sirat (straight path) that is surrounded by two walls on both sides, with several open doors within the walls covered with curtains. There is a caller on the gate of the Sirat who heralds,

‘O people! Stay on the path and do not deviate from it.’

Meanwhile, a caller from above the path is also warning any person who wants to open any of these doors,

‘Woe unto you! Do not open it, for if you open it you will pass through.’

• The straight path is Islam,
• the two walls are Allah’s set limits,
• while the doors resemble what Allah has prohibited.
• The caller on the gate of the Sirat is the Book of Allah,
• while the caller above the Sirat is Allah’s admonishment in the heart of every Muslim.

(via Tafsir Ibn Kathir 1.6)

Imam Abu Hanifa (rahimullah) said :

1. “When a hadeeth is found to be saheeh, then that is my mazhab.”
2. “When I say something contradicting the Book of Allah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallalaahu ‘alaihi wasallam), then ignore my saying.”
3. “Woe to you, O Ya’qub! Do not write down everything you hear from me, for it happens that I hold one opinion today and reject it tomorrow, or hold one opinion tomorrow and reject it the day after tomorrow.”

Imam Ash-Shafi’e (rahimullah) said :

1. “In every issue where the people of narration find a report from the Messenger of Allah (sallalaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to be saheeh which is contrary to what I have said, then I take my saying back, whether during my life or after my death.”

Imam Maalik (rahimullah) said :

1. “Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it.”

Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal (rahimullah) said :

1. “Whoever rejects a statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallalaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is on the brink of destruction.”

Narrated by Jabir ibnu ‘Abdullah (RA) :

We proceeded in the company of the Allah’s Messenger (SAW) for the battle of Dhat ar-Riqa. One of the Muslims killed the wife of one of the unbelievers. He (the husband of the woman killed) took an oath saying :

I shall not rest until I kill one of the companions of Muhammad.

He went out following the footsteps of Allah’s Messenger (SAW). Allah’s Messenger (SAW) encamped at a certain place. He said :

Who will keep a watch on us ?

A person from the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and another from the Ansar (Helpers) responded.

He said :

Go to the mouth of the mountain-pass.

When they went to the mouth of the mountain-pass the man from the Muhajirun lay down while the man from the Ansar stood praying.

The man (enemy) came to them. When he saw the person he realised that he was the watchman of the Muslims. He shot him with an arrow and hit the target. But he (took the arrow out and) threw it away. He (the enemy) then shot three arrows. Then he (the Muslim) bowed and prostrated and awoke his companion. When he (the enemy) perceived that they (the Muslims) had become aware of his presence, he ran away.

When the man from the Muhajirun saw the (man from the Ansar) bleeding, he asked him :

Glory be to Allah ! Why did you not wake me up the first time when he shot at you ?

He replied :

I was busy reciting a chapter of Al-Qur’an. I did not like to leave it.

[ Sunan Abu Dawood, Book 1, No. 0198 ]

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Masha-Allaah, notice how khushoo’ the Ansari was in performing his solat ?

* Read : How to Taste the Sweetness of Prayer.

Allah’s Messenger (salla-Allaahu-’alayhi-wa-sallam) said :

Children are the cause of grief, cowardice, ignorance and miserliness.

[ Reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 24/241; Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1990 ]

When he said that children are the cause of grief, he meant that when a child gets sick, the parent feels grief; if the child asks for something that the father cannot provide, this grieves the father; and if the child grows up and rebels against his father, this is a cause of ongoing grief and distress.

When he said that children are the cause of cowardliness, he meant that when a man wants to fight in jihaad for the sake of Allaah, the Shaytaan comes to him and says, “You will be killed and will die, and your children will become orphans, lost and alone”, so he stays home and does not go out for jihaad.

When he said that children are the cause of ignorance, he meant that they distract a father from seeking knowledge and trying to acquire learning by attending gatherings and reading books.

When he said that they are the cause of miserliness, he meant that if a man wants to spend for the sake of Allaah, the Shaytaan reminds him of his children, so he thinks, “My children deserve the money, I will leave it for them when I die”, so he is miserly in the sense that he refrains from spending it for the sake of Allaah.

[ Weakness of Faith By Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid ]

“You reap what you sow” … For that, fear Allah subhanahu wa taala. He punishes whom He wills, whenever He wills it, however He wills it. Yet, He is also Most Forgiving … La ilaaha illa anta, subhaanaka inni kuntu min az-zholimeen

Narrated by Usama (radhi-Allahu-’anhu) :

Allah’s Messenger (salla-Allaahu-’alayhi-wa-sallam) said :

“I stood at the gate of Jannah (Paradise) and saw that the majority of the people who entered it were the poor, while the wealthy were stopped at the gate (for the accounts). But the companions of the Fire were ordered to be taken to the Fire. Then I stood at the gate of the Fire and saw that the majority of those who entered it were women.”

[ Sahih al-Bukhari, No. 4854 ]

* Related post : The Eclipse.

Narrated by Usama (radhi-Allahu-’anhu) :

During the lifetime of Allah’s Messenger (salla-Allaahu-’alayhi-wa-sallam), the sun eclipsed. Allah’s Messenger (salla-Allaahu-’alayhi-wa-sallam) offered the prayer of (the) eclipse and so did the people along with him.

He performed a long Qiyam (standing posture) during which Surat-al-Baqara could have been recited; then he performed a pro-longed bowing, then raised his head and stood for a long time which was slightly less than that of the first Qiyam (and recited Qur’an). Then he performed a prolonged bowing again but the period was shorter than the period of the first bowing, then he stood up and then prostrated. Again he stood up, but this time the period of standing was less than the first standing. Then he performed a prolonged bowing but of a lesser duration than the first, then he stood up again for a long time but for a lesser duration than the first. Then he performed a prolonged bowing but of lesser duration than the first, and then he again stood up, and then prostrated and then finished his prayer. By then the sun eclipse had cleared.

Allah’s Messenger (salla-Allaahu-’alayhi-wa-sallam) then said, “The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah, and they do not eclipse because of the death or birth of someone, so when you observe the eclipse, remember Allah (offer the eclipse prayer).”

They (the people) said, “O Allah’s Messenger ! We saw you stretching your hand to take something at this place of yours, then we saw you stepping backward.”

He said, “I saw Paradise (or Paradise was shown to me), and I stretched my hand to pluck a bunch (of grapes), and had I plucked it, you would have eaten of it as long as this world exists. Then I saw the (Hell) Fire, and I have never before, seen such a horrible sight as that, and I saw that the majority of its dwellers were women.”

The people asked, “O Allah’s Messenger ! What is the reason for that ?”

He replied, “Because of their ungratefulness.”

It was said. “Do they disbelieve in Allah (are they ungrateful to Allah) ?”

He replied, “They are not thankful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favors done to them. Even if you do good to one of them all your life, when she seems some harshness from you, she will say, “I have never seen any good from you.’ “

[ Sahih al-Bukhari, No. 4855 ]

* Related post : At The Gate of Jannah.