The description of Salaat al-Istikhaarah (Istikhara Prayers) was reported by Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Salami (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:

“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to teach his companions to make istikhaarah in all things, just as he used to teach them soorahs from the Quran. He said:

‘If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rakaahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say:

Allaahumma inni astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as’aluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lam, wa anta ‘allaam al-ghuyoob. Allaahumma fa in kunta ta’lamu haadha’l-amra (then the matter should be mentioned by name) khayran li fi ‘aajil amri wa aajilihi (or: fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri) faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allaahumma wa in kunta ta’lamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri (or: fi ‘aajili amri wa aajilihi) fasrifni ‘anhu [wasrafhu ‘anni] waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thumma radini bihi

Translation: O Allaah, I seek Your guidance [in making a choice] by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allaah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me], and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.”

(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6841; similar reports are also recorded by al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and Ahmad).

Some people wait for dreams and for special indications to guide them in their affairs. However, this is not necessary. The correct view is that when Allah makes something easy for you – after having decreed it and accepted your du’aa’ – this is a sign that it is good to go ahead and do it. The existence of obstacles and difficulties is an indication that Allah is pushing His slave away from doing it. This meaning will be very clear when one ponders the meaning of the hadeeth of Jaabir concerning al-istikhaarah, where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“… O Allah, if You know this affair – [and here he should mention it] – is good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.”

We see from the above hadith that the Dua clearly is asking Allah that if the matter is good for one, that Allah make it easy for one and if if not, to take it away.

The secret is that one’s heart should not be attached to the matter in question, because that will result in a person becoming restless. Being pleased with something means that one’s heart is content with the decree of Allah.

(Summarized from the commentary of al-Haafiz Ibn Hijr (may Allaah have mercy on him) on the hadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Da’waat and Kitaab al-Tawheed. Also, commentary based on on islamqa.info).

source: http://www.iqrasense.com/dua-from-quran-and-hadith/dua-and-prayer-for-istikhara.html

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: A man came to the prophet (s.a.w.) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am suffering because of a scorpion that stung me yesterday.” He said, “If you had said in the evening, ‘A’oodhu bi kalimaat Allah hil-taammah min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created),’ it would not have harmed you” .

In a related hadith, Khawlah bint Hakeem Al-Salamiyyah said: “I heard the prophet (s.a.w.) say: “Whoever makes a stop in some place, then says, ‘A’oodhu bi kalimaat Allah il-taammah min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created),’ nothing will harm him until he moves on from that place” (narrated by Muslim, 2708)

sources: http://www.iqrasense.com/dua-from-quran-and-hadith/dua-for-daily-protection-from-harm.html

‘Tawbah’ refers to asking repentance from Allah for the sins that we commit. Making sincere repentance or Tawbah raises a Muslim’s stature with Allah because the process of making Tawbah involves the following three steps:

1. Recognizing ones mistakes and sins,
2. Feeling ashamed of violating Allah’s trust of complete submission to His commands, and
3. Making a promise never to repeat such behavior.

According to many scholars, if one of these three is missing, then the repentance is not sincere. If the sin has to do with the rights of another person, then the fourth condition is added, which is to restore the rights of that person. For example, if violating of rights involves money or property, etc, it must be returned to him; if it had to do with slandering him etc, then his forgiveness must be asked, and so on.

We know both from Quran and Hadith that Allah gets very pleased when we leave all that is undesirable to Allah, and revert to the straight path. The prophet (s) said in a Hadith:

“Every son of Adam sins, and the best of those who sin are those who repent.”

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2499; classed as hasan by al-Albaani.

This article reviews some of the merits and blessings of Tawbah.

‘Tawbah’ paves the way for success

By choosing to stay the course prohibited by Allah, we consciously forego Allah’s mercy and the associated benefits and rewards, His protection and help. However, the moment we sincerely repent, we can be assured of Allah’s help in our lives that in turn is a precursor to success in this life and the hereafter.  Allah tells us in the Quran:

“…And beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. “

Quran (Surah An-Noor, Verse 31)

Repentance, therefore, paves the way for Allah’s Grace in this life and the hereafter. Within this world, Allah promises us of wealth, children, and increased blessings. Consider the following verses from the Quran:

“Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace. But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).”

Quran (Surah Hood, Verse 3)

Allah also tells us in the Quran that Prophet Hood told his people:

“And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him, He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain, and add strength to your strength, so do not turn away as Mujrimoon (criminals, evil doers, etc)”

Quran (Surah Hood, Verse 52)

Tawbah keeps us away from hardships and trials

We know that our sins can haunt us in this life and the hereafter. The more sins we commit, the more we could be deprived of Allah’s blessings and the more trials and challenges we could be put through. Repentance, therefore, can provide us a way out of our miseries and troubles of this life. Allah tells us in the Quran:

“See they not that they are put in trial once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it).”

Quran (Surah At-Taubah, Verse 126)

Tawbah helps clear our conscience

We know that sins are always associated with an accompanying sense of guilt that gets lodged into our hearts. While we can always turn a blind eye to those guilty feelings, we know from experience that such guilt is responsible to slowly chip away at our happiness. Tawbah, on the other hand, by its very nature, removes that guilt and fills our hearts with happiness.

Tawbah pleases Allah

Let’s remind ourselves that turning to Allah in repentance greatly pleases Him because it is o­ne of the most beloved acts of worship to Him. By joining the rank of  those who repent, we also earn Allah’s love. Allah says in the Quran:

“…Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves”

Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 222)

In narrating one of the popular hadith, Ibn Masud stated that Allaah’s Messenger (sal allaahu alaiyhi wa sallam) said:

Allah is more pleased with the repentance of his slave than a man who encamps at a place where his life is jeopardized. But he has his riding animal carrying his food and water. He then rests his head and sleeps for a short while and wakes up to find his riding animal missing. He starts looking for it and suffers from severe heat and thirst or what Allah wished him to suffer from. He then says: ‘I will go back to my place.’ He returns and sleeps again. Then when he wakes up, he raises his head to find his riding animal standing besides him. So one can imagine the happiness that this brings to him. (The prophet continued by stating that) Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than the situation of happiness that this person experiences after he was saved from death.’

The scholars have also observed that those who make a sincere Taubah (repentance) also experience such happiness, and it has a profound influence o­n one and the person’s heart.

Tawbah is a life transformational process

Tawbah, by its very nature requires one not just to abandon the old ways of sinful behavior but instead requires us to replace those with righteous deeds. Turning to Allah in repentance, therefore, is a truly transformational process. Allah says in the Quran:

“Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.”

Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 160)

Tawbah makes our Duas more ‘worthy’ of a response

We know from many of the prophet’s Hadith that Allah is more responsive to the Duas and calls of those who are oppressed, travelers, the ones who ask Allah in a state of prostration, the ones who are fasting, and so on. This is because such states bring out humility and humbleness in a person’s heart and Allah thus responds more to people in such states. Many scholars have thus noted that as repentance and Tawbah also bring forth humility and humbleness in a person’s heart, our Duas are more likely to be heard in such a state.

Sincere Tawbah (repentance) leads to forgiveness of ones sins

Both Quran and Hadith are clear that those who repent sincerely to Allah, acknowledging their sins, and commit not to return again to those sins will have their sins forgiven. The Prophet (s) said: “If the servant acknowledges his sin and repents, then Allah accepts his repentance.” (Reported by Muslim, End; Trans. vol. 4, no. 6673)

Parting remarks

Finally, let’s remember that Allah has reminded us repeatedly in the Quran about repentance and that His doors for accepting repentance are always open. All that’s needed from us is to let go of our stubbornness and use the opportunity to turn to Him in repentance. Allah says in the Quran repeatedly:

“Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful.”

Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 37)

He also tells us in the Quran:

Say: “O Ibadee (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Quran (Surah Az-Zumar, Verse 53)

The question we ought to ask ourselves is that if we know we are engaged in certain sinful behavior, why wouldn’t we then stop and ask Allah’s forgiveness? As Allah says in the Quran:

Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Quran (Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 74)

sources: http://www.iqrasense.com/repentance-tawbah/merits-and-rewards-of-tawbah-repentance-to-allah.html

Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) delivered his last sermon (Khutbah) on the ninth of Dhul Hijjah (12^th and last month of the Islamic year), 10 years after Hijrah (migration from Makkah to Madinah) in the Uranah Valley of mount Arafat. His words were quite clear and concise and were directed to the entire humanity.

After praising, and thanking Allah he said:

“O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn ‘Abd’al Muttalib (Prophet’s uncle) shall henceforth be waived…

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety (taqwa) and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people”.

(Reference: See Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1623, 1626, 6361) Sahih of Imam Muslim also refers to this sermon in Hadith number 98. Imam al-Tirmidhi has mentioned this sermon in Hadith nos. 1628, 2046, 2085. Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal has given us the longest and perhaps the most complete version of this sermon in his Masnud, Hadith no. 19774.)

One can heed words of wisdom and guidelines from the last sermon (khutbah) of the prophet (SAWS). His sermons emphasized on the following:

• Sacredness of a Muslim’s life and property
• The importance of propagating this message to all others (A Muslim’s responsibility thus does not end by following the religion)
• A reminder that everyone is fully accountable for their deeds and Allah (God) will take every person into account. If everyone heeded to this fact alone, the world would be a much better place today.
• “Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.” These words of the prophet are self explanatory.
• The prohibition of dealing with interest (Numerous accounts in Quran and Hadith prohibit taking, giving or being a part of any transaction dealing with interest).
• “You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity.” These words of the prophet are self explanatory.
• The awareness of satan and how satan can work to deviate us from the right path and doing evil things.
• Rights of women over men and rights of men over women.
• Treatment of women with kindness.
• Modesty and chastity in women.
• The importance of worshiping Allah (saying your five daily prayers (Salah), fasting during the month of Ramadan, giving charity (Zakat) and performing pilgrimage (Hajj).
• Equality amongst all (blacks, white, Arabs, non-Arabs, etc.)
• The need to establish justice.
• Islam is the final divine religion (Last prophet and Last Book).

Let’s do our part in following the prophet’s message and propagating the message to everyone we know.

sources: http://www.iqrasense.com/about-islam/the-last-sermon-khutbah-of-prophet-muhammad-farewell-sermon.html

How to Wake up for Fajr?

How do you wake up for fajr? And I don’t mean wake up for a day or two, but how do you keep waking up for fajr, constantly, everyday, without fail.

There’s loads & loads of websites online giving you tips and advice on how to wake up early. But our focus is not on worldly tips (which should be taken by all means, part of tying the camel ;)), our focus is on the spiritual means.

My dear brothers/sisters, every day when you read Surat Al-Fatiha, at least 17 times a day, you recite the verse “You Alone we Worship, and You Alone we Seek Help from”: You want to worship Allah? “Yes!” You need His help then. You want to wake up for Fajr? “Yes please!” Guess what, you need Allah. You cannot, I repeat, cannot, wake up for fajr without Allah’s help. Now ask yourself the question, what can I do to show Allah that I truly and utterly want to wake up for fajr?!

Have you ever had days when you’re about to go to sleep, and you have this deep feeling that you’ll definitely wake up for fajr? And have you ever had days when you know for certain that you’ll oversleep? Imagine the two scenarios, which I’m sure some of us have gone through:

Scenario 1:

You feel high with Eman, you’ve prayed your witr, read some Quran, and even though you’ve got 2 hours to sleep till fajr, you’re certain you’ll wake up because you’ve set your mind, heart and body to make sure you wake up. In fact, sometimes you keep on waking in the middle of the night thinking it’s fajr time out of fear that you’re going to miss it. If you haven’t experienced this, think of a time when you had to catch an early flight or a bus/train, and think of how your mind, heart and body were switched on, and it doesn’t matter what time you slept, you’ll wake up.

Scenario 2:

There are days when deep down you really don’t want to wake up, you hope that you “oversleep” so you feel less guilty about it, and Allah may have mercy upon you and still wake you up, and that’s when the battle with the snooze alarm starts and the classic shaytaan trick “just 5 more minutes…” begins.

How do we maintain scenario 1 everyday?

With these 2 scenarios, one details a feeling deep down inside that you’re definitely waking up, and another where you know you won’t wake up because deep down inside you don’t want to and you’re not ready to take the fight against shaytaan of waking up in the morning.

Below I detail some practical and spiritual tools, that will help you in achieving scenario 1 all the time inshaAllah:

Spiritual Tools

• Know who Allah is: This is the key and number one tool to waking up for Fajr. If you know Who you’re worshipping, and you know that He requests that you get up in the morning and pray to Him, you’ll wake up. It’s our lack of understanding of who Allah is that makes us slump into scenario 2 all the time. Know your Lord, that’s key.
• Sincerity: Be sincere about waking up for fajr, don’t just say to yourself: “InshaAllah, it’ll be nice if I wake up for fajr” be sincere about it, and say: “I will wake up for fajr” I find it useful sometimes to talk to myself about it before going to sleep and say: “I will wake up for fajr, i don’t care how, but I’ll definitely will!”
• Wudu before sleep: Ibn Abbas reported that Allah’s Messenger said: “Purify these bodies and Allah will purify you, for there is no slave who goes to sleep in a state of purity but an Angel spends the night with him, and every time he turns over, [the Angel] says, ‘O Allah! Forgive Your slave, for he went to bed in a state of purity.” Do you think that such a person would be left to oversleep and miss fajr?
• Witr Prayer + Dua: Make sure you don’t sleep before performing your witr prayer, and supplicate to Allah during your Witr prayer to help you wake up for Fajr, remember, “You Alone we Worship, and You Alone we Seek help from”
• Read some Quran: Ending the day with verses of the Noble Quran will sure put your focus straight on waking up for salaat. Prophet Muhammad used to recommend that we recite Surat Al-Sajdah, and Surat Al-Mulk (Chapters 32 and 67) before going to sleep.
• Remember Allah before you go to Sleep: This is part of the first point I made, and you can find all the supplications you need to recite before going to sleep here. You might need to print them off and read them off paper at first, but within a week or two you should be able to memorize them fully and just recite them before dozing off.
• Remember the rewards attached to Fajr Salaat: from being safe from being a hypocrite, to having light on the day of judgement, to being under Allah’s protection the whole day, to having laziness removed from us that day and being productive. Remember these rewards and you’ll sure wake up.

Other tools I use that help me a lot:

Ask a friend/family member to wake you up: This is the number one rule for me to wake up. Get a family, friend, spouse to wake up, and help each other, if you get up before them, don’t be selfish and make sure they are awake too.

• 1.5 hours sleep rule: Aaaah.. here’s a secret trick, there’s a theory in the Sleep science that says that every human being completes an entire sleep cycle in 1.5 hours, therefore, if you can wake up at the end of a multiple of 1.5 hours (e.g. 1.5 hours, or 3 hours, or 4.5 hours..etc) you’ll wake up fresh and rejuvenated. Otherwise, you’ll wake up lazy. So if fajr is at 5am, and you sleep at 12am, make sure you set your alarm at 4.30am, because that gives you 4.5 hours to sleep. (Of course, if you take 1/2 an hour to fall to sleep, you might need to add that into your calculation).
• Nap in the afternoon: Another lifehack, taken from the Sunnah and recommended by many, make sure you nap in the afternoon, for just 20 minutes! yup, just 20 minutes. Trust me, for the past 3 years, I’ve mastered the 20 min nap, and everytime it never fails to rejuvenate me. If you need to train yourself to nap for that long, I highly recommend www.pzizz.com, a wonderful software that trains you for these short naps, it’s what I used to train myself.
• Promise yourself a grand breakfast if you wake up for Fajr: I’m a breakfast guy, so if I wake up early, I sure like to have a big breakfast. Sometimes i look forward to my breakfast from the afternoon before, and just like a small reward, treat yourself to a massive breakfast in the morning. It’ll definitely set your day straight as well inshaAllah.

Well, that’s all I can think of. If you think of new ideas, or you have other ways to wake up for fajr and hence keep up your productivity boost, give me a shout in the comments section below!

 

source