The Virtue of Books Reading

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Collected by Ibn 'Abd al-Barr in 'Jami' Bayan al-'Ilm wa Fadlih,' the chapter titled: 'The Virtue of Looking Through Books and the Praiseworthiness of Tending to Them':

2414: Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad bin Isma'il al-Bukhari was asked:

"What is it that strengthens one's memory?"

He replied: "Constantly looking through books."


2415: Ahmad bin Abi 'Imran said:

"I was with Abu Ayyub Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Shuja', and he was staying in his house. So, he sent one of his sons to Abu 'Abdillah bin al-A'rabi to invite him over.

The boy returned, saying: "I asked him this, and he said to me: "I am with a group, and when I am done being taught by them, I will be over," and I did not see a single person at his house. Rather, he had in front of him books that he was looking through. He would look in this book for some time, and then look in another book for some time."

Shortly thereafter, he arrived. So, Abu Ayyub said to him: "O Abu 'Abdillah! Glory be to Allah, the Mighty! You stayed behind and prevented us from your presence, and my son said that he did not see anyone with you, and that you said you were with a group, and that you would come as soon as you were done being taught by them!"

So, Ibn al-A'rabi said:

We have company who sit with us and do not bore us * Loyal ones who can be trusted while they are present or away;

They benefit us from their knowledge of what happened in the past * And intelligence, manners, and opinions that are correct;

With no fear of conflicts or bad companionship * And one does not fear from their tongue or hand;

So, if you say that they are dead: nay! You are a liar * And if you say they are alive, you are not far from the truth...


Translator's note: He did not lie, as he was referring to his books as his companions, and this is from the ma'arid (metaphoric speech) that do not count as lies, as was narrated authentically from 'Imran bin Husayn, 'Umar bin al-Khattab, and Ibn 'Abbas.

2416: It was said to Abi al-'Abbas Ahmad bin Yahya (Tha'lab):

"The people have greatly missed you. If only you could leave your house for just a bit and show yourself to the people so that they could benefit from you, and you could benefit from them."

So, he stayed silent for an hour, and said:

If we accompanied the kings, they would act arrogantly with us * And would belittle the rights of those they were accompanying;

Or if we accompanied the merchants, we would become sorrowful * And would become mere counters of money;

So, we remained in our homes, extracting knowledge * And filling with it the stomachs of these pages...
ö

2419: From what was memorized in the past:

What a great speaker and companion the book is! * You can seclude yourself with it if your friends bore you;

It does not reveal your secrets, and is not arrogant * And you can gain from it wisdom and uprightness...

2420: Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ahmad recited to me:

And the sweetest that a youth can desire after piety * Is knowledge that is beautified for him to seek it;

And for every seeker, there is a pleasure that he desires * And the pleasure of the scholar is his books...

2421: And he asked me to add to the above, and I immediately followed up with this in his presence:

The book relieves the concerns of its reader * And when he reads, his exhaustion disappears;

What a great companion it is if you seclude yourself with it * You do not fear it plotting against you, or causing commotion...

2424: Abu 'Amr bin al-'Ala' said:

"I never entered upon a man or passed by his door - seeing him with a book in his hand, and his companion doing nothing - except that I judged him to be the more intelligent one."


2425: 'Abdullah bin 'Abd al-'Aziz bin 'Umar bin 'Abd al-'Aziz said:

"I never saw a better admonisher than the grave, or anything more satisfying than a book, or anything safer than lack of socialization."


2426: al-Hasan al-Lu'lu'i said:

"Forty years of my life have passed in which I never awoke or went to sleep except that a book was resting on my chest."

Translated by Abu Sabaayaa

Jihaad an-Nafs: Striving Against the Soul

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Shaykh Hasan Ayyub – may Allah preserve him -

From the first chapter of his book 'Fiqh al-Jihad fil-Islam'

The world, in its overwhelming majority, is encountering waves upon waves of evil and is being struck by evil passions and trials and tribulations, and it is being overtaken by various kinds of destructive evils, and it is being governed by Satanic ideas and selfish, imposing laws, and concepts that destroy all aspects of the human being that can be considered virtuous and noble. We are surrounded by an environment that has deviated from the truth, submitted to its desires and has been put to trial by its forbidden passions. And the human being inherits all that those who came before him have left for him of corruption in belief, entrenchment in misguidance, submission to the Sharī'ah of the Devil, permitting the forbidden, forbidding the permissible, and beautifying the lowest of actions and the most disgusting sins. And he is - with this - longing to satisfy his desires as he has been surrounded by the devils of the humans and Jinn.

So, he is a product of the environment, culture, upbringing, thoughts and all that he is surrounded by, and affected by; beginning with his family, his people, all the way to the general human population.

This human being, if Divine Guidance was sent down for his sake, and Allāh showed him ways of living in happiness in this life and the next, and he was given from Allāh a Book, and He favored him – by His Favor – with a Messenger to take him by the hand to that which is better and higher, and organizes the affairs of his life on the basis of justice and mercy, and saves him from everything that could be a cause of his destruction in this life and the next; if all of this occurred, then his situation would be quite different.

From the people, however, are those who have been defeated by this accumulation in evil, and are pressured by these influences, so they don't pay any attention to the religion and give it not the slightest consideration. Rather, he belittles the religion, and mocks it, and has enmity to those who call to it, and fights all those who try to change his ways and plant a pure seed in his head in place of the filthy Satanic seed that is in place.

Allāh – the Exalted – said: {"Rather! On their hearts is the black spot of the sins that they used to earn…"} [al-Mutaffifīn; 14]

And He – the Exalted – said: {"And if it is said to them 'Come to that which Allāh has revealed and to the Messenger!' they said 'What we found our fathers upon is enough for us.' Were it not that their fathers knew nothing and were not guided…"} [al-Mā'idah; 104]

And He – the Exalted – said: {"Verily, those who disbelieve will not believe whether you warn them or not."} [al-Baqarah; 6]

And yet, there is another type of person that you might see who is ready to reflect calmly and with deep insight, and remove himself from any outside influences in order to look at the issues that are important, and puts aside all that he has been fed in order for his research to be upon clarity. So if he is guided and comes to know, he turns and changes and becomes another person.

This human being struggles against (yu jāhid) his soul that commands him with evil, as well as his overwhelming passions and transgressing innate nature, deviated desires, misguided cultural practices, and bad habits.

He says: there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, certain that it means: none is rightly deserving of being served or worshipped except for Allāh, and none deserves to be submitted to or humbled before except Allāh, and none has the right to command or forbid except Allāh, and there is no legislation of laws except by Allāh, and by Him – the Exalted – the Muslim takes his steps, and with this, he submits himself to Allāh in a complete manner – in every way, shape and form – so he is called a Muslim (a submitter).

And he believes in everything that Allāh has revealed - so he is called a Mu'min (believer).

And he stands watch over the devils among the humans and Jinn, so he does not allow them to affect him – so he is called a Sābir (an endurer).

And he stops at the limits set by Allāh, and does not cross them unless in a moment of heedlessness (in which case he repents) – so he is called a Murābit (one who guards his territory).

And he sacrifices himself and his wealth for the sake of his belief, and he lives as a fugitive who has been uprooted from his home – so he is called a Mujāhid (one who strives).

And regarding this, the Exalted says: {"And those who strive in Our cause, we will guide them to Our ways, and verily, Allāh is with those who do good."} [al-'Ankabūt; 69]

And He – the Exalted – says: {"O you who believe! Endure and be patient and guard your territory and fear Allāh so that you may be successful."} [Āl 'Imrān; 200]

This kind of person, wherever he is found in a land or amongst a certain group of people, he is like a rising sun who's rays are sweet-smelling perfume; by him, the Earth is connected to the Heavens, and upon him descends the Mercy of Allāh, and surrounding him are the Angels of the Most Merciful.

He has a heart with the innocence of children, and a tongue with the purity of water from a rain cloud, and a helping hand that extends as if it was sent from Allāh, and a face that shines with the truth as if it were the morning light, and firmness upon the religion of Allāh as if he himself was a firm mountain.

If you walk with him he benefits you, and if you befriend him he serves you, and if you consult him he advises you, and if you wrong him he excuses you, and if you comfort him he thanks you, and if you are at odds with him he forgives you. Truthful; easygoing; trustworthy; he fears Allāh, so he is as Allāh says regarding him: {"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allāh, and those who are with him are harsh against the disbelievers and merciful between each other. You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking Favor from Allāh and His Pleasure. Their distinctive sign is the mark of prostration on their faces."} [al-Fat’h; 29]

And the struggle of the soul (jihād an-nafs) is the severest type of struggle, and the hardest and longest-lasting. It is a struggle at night, and during the day; in times of hardship, in times of ease; in times of relaxation and tension. It is a struggle in your beliefs and worship and interactions; while you are secluded from the people as well as when you are mixing with them. And it is a struggle by way of remembrance, prayer, fasting, and patience – as well as all things that strengthen your soul. And it is a struggle that calls for the person to be fully awake, aware and knowledgeable of the weak points of the enemy, the strategies of the Devil, the incoming waves of falsehood, the possible entrance points of doubts and confusions, as well as knowledge of the permissible and forbidden, and the commands of Allāh and his prohibitions, etc.

And without this struggle (Jihād) that polishes and purifies the soul, and changes everything in the life of the believer, and makes the Muslim a leader not a follower, and makes him a head and not a tail, and one who initiates change in others as opposed to one who is changed by others; without this type of struggle, a person is known simply as a Muslim – not a believer – and this is not a name that he would even be deserving of, and an outer image that does not reflect the inner truth.

And since this Muslim has given up on the struggle against his soul, he has also given up his Islāmic personality.

The struggle against the soul causes explosive changes – both internal and external – that give birth to a person that has been purified the utmost purification in comparison to the entire human race, so that the one who undergoes this change deserves to shine under the saying of Allāh:

{"You were the best nation brought out for the people."} [Āl 'Imrān; 110]

Courtesy of Tibyan . Com

On Disappointment

Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead

Disappointment is the nurse of wisdom

Disappointments are to the soul what a thunder-storm is to the air

If I am to meet with a disappointment, the sooner I know it, the more of life I shall have to wear it off

Disappointment is the name, we give our mistakes

The sudden disappointment of a hope leaves a scar which the ultimate fulfillment of that hope never entirely removes.

Expect nothing and accept everything and you will never be disappointed.

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.

Islam: Truth, Virtue & Beauty

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

by Dr. Ja`far Sheikh Idris

The principles of truth, virtue and beauty. What they mean to Islam and how they should be incorporated into our everyday life.

Indeed, Islam is the religion of ultimate truth, virtue and beauty. Other doctrines and philosophies of life may have aspects of each of these principles but never are they in as consistent harmony as they are in Islam.

In other teachings or writings, we may find beautiful expressions used to make false claims, undermine virtuous behavior or even encourage corruption. Not so in our religion. These three principles are in constant interaction to convey the message of Allah.

The religion of Islam invites us to worship Allah, the ultimate in truth, virtue and beauty, the Creator of all things. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, too was a manifestation of truth and virtue. In Surah al-Qalam, Verse 4, the Almighty tells the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, "And surely you are of great morality." His wife said of him: "The Qur'an was his moral principle.". Ahmad related that the Prophet of Allah was honest, trustworthy, loyal, generous, merciful, courageous, patient and committed to the truth, whatever hardship he had to endure in the process. He was handsome both in features and spirit and his speech was beautiful to the ears. He was a man whose qualities commanded respect.

The Noble book of Islam, sent by Allah through Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, is a book of truth. It commands virtue and does so in unmatched beauty of expression. The following verses clearly state that this is the purpose of the Qur'an:

-Surah al-Israa, Verse 105: "And we have revealed this with the truth, and in truth it was sent."

-Surah al-Baqarah, Verses 1-2: "Alif(A) Lam (L) Mim (M). There is no doubt about this book, a guidance to the pious."

-Surah Fussilat, Verse 42: "No falsehood can come to it, not from before it or from behind it. It is a revelation from the All-Wise, the One worthy of all praise."

-Surah al-Israa, Verse 9: "Indeed, this Qur'an guides to the way that is most right."

-Surah al-An'am, Verse 115: "And the revelations of your Lord have been perfected in truth and justice."

-Surah az-Zumar, Verse 23: "Allah has revealed the best of revelations, a book consistent with itself, repeating its teachings in various aspects. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver at it, then their skins and hearts soften to the celebration of praising Allah."

The Qur'an is not like other books whose sources may be unknown and whose translations and meanings are doubtful. All three principles of truth, virtue and beauty are conveyed in the essence of the Almighty, His Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and through the Noble Book. Since this is the case, it becomes clear that these three principles should also be woven through the events of our everyday lives as they complement each other.

Truth, virtue and beauty are so closely related in Islam, that we often find in the Qur'an and the Sunnah that they are used to describe each other. For example, virtuous morals are described as beautiful as in Surah Yusuf, Verse 18: "But beautiful patience. Allah is my refuge from what you are describing." Also in Surah al-Ma'arij, Verse 5, "So endure patiently, with a graceful patience.” At other instances, words are described using derivatives of the word 'husn' which in Arabic means beauty. In the following verses, the faithful are advised to speak beautifully (meaning politely and pleasantly) to other people:

-Surah al- Mu'minoon, Verse 96: "Respond to evil by saying that which is best."

-Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 83: "Speak of good to the people."

-Surah an-Nahl, Verse 125: "Reason with them in a well-mannered way."

Islam also encourages people to appreciate beauty even in practical things which people make use of and usually don't consider to be items of beauty. For example, Surah an-Nahl, Verses 5-7 say, "Allah created cattle for you. In them you find warmth and benefit and from them you eat. In them there is beauty for you when you bring them home and when you take them out to the pasture. They bear your heavy loads to lands you could not have reached except with great effort. Surely, your Lord is Most Compassionate, Most Merciful."

Also Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 69 tells us: "They said, 'Pray to your Lord for us that He may make clear to us what its color should be.' He said, 'Allah said it should be a yellow cow, so deep and bright as to delight those who see it.'" And Surah an-NamI, Verse 60, "Or who created the heavens and the earth and sent down water from the sky and caused the growth of beautiful gardens whose trees you could never grow? Is there another god with Allah? No indeed. But they are a people who deviate."

Surah al-An'am, Verse 99 asks us to appreciate the beauty and value of fruit and growth: "Look at their fruit, when they bear it and their ripening. Surely in that there are signs for people who believe." Here we have been asked to see the signs of Allah in the beauty of creation, and in its usefulness to man. Verse 141 of the same Surah reminds us to look at fruits, appreciate their beauty and pay our dues for them: "Eat of their fruits when they bear fruit, and pay due alms (for) them on the day of harvest."

Our religion has also asked of man to look for both beauty and virtue in the selection of a wife. "If he looks at her, he is pleased. If he commands her, she obeys and if he is away, she is loyal in taking care of herself and his money." (Ibn Majah.)

In Islam truth, virtue and beauty are not only used to describe each other, they are used to complement and support one another at all times. Virtue can only be built on truth and must be done in a way that people find acceptable (beautiful). Stories from the Qur'an are not only exceptional in content and style but also tell of real life people and events. The morals and wisdom taught through them thus become all the more pertinent for they are not fictional. "We narrate to you the best of narratives." Surah Yusuf, Verse 3: "Most certainly, in their narratives is a lesson for those who possess minds. It is not an invented story but a confirmation to that before it and an explanation of all things, a guidance and mercy to people who believe."

If people are going to listen to the call of Islam for virtue and truth, it can only be through good expression and words which will warm people's hearts and appeal to their ears. "Speak of good to the people." Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 83. "Call mankind to the way of your Lord with wisdom and sound advice. Reason with them in a well-mannered way." [16:125]

Despite this, some people, may Allah forgive them, have adopted extremely unpleasant, harsh and blunt ways of spreading the truth and virtue of Allah and his Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.

As a result, people are driven away from Islam instead of being drawn to it. Have these people not thought about the words of Allah to his Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, in Surah ali-Imran, Verse 159 "It was by Allah's mercy that you were kind to them. Had you been harsh and hard of heart, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them and pray for forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter...”

It is as though the Almighty is telling the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, that even if he were virtuous and calling for the truth, if he did it harshly and without being sensitive, those around him would be driven away. Why would they do that? Because they were kind and respectable people. They would not accept violation of their dignity, even by a person like the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam.

Of course, not all people are like that. Some people only respond to humiliation and disrespect, such as the people of the Pharaoh, of whom we are told in Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 54: "Thus did he take his people for fools, and they obeyed him, indeed they were a wicked people."

Only the first kind of people are the ones that will respond to the call for truth and virtue. Only they will believe, and do it with strength and courage. Let those people be our target in dawah and let us address them in the manner that they deserve so that they will hear us. As for those who have no good in their hearts, they will not respond to respectful ways and we should not waste time with them.

Some people use kind and sensitive words to draw people to evil and corruption, but Allah will only be with those who are calling for truth and he is truly fortunate who calls for the truth in the manner that Allah has described.

Beauty is therefore a quality which we must desire and strive for. It is as important as virtue and truth. We should take every opportunity to enjoy beauty except if this activity is going to lead to corruption and undermine our morals and principles. In this case, beauty should be avoided.

We are prohibited from looking at certain pictures which may be beautiful and listening to certain beautiful voices. This is because this kind of beauty leads to betrayal of ethical behavior. For this reason, the beauty of a woman is reserved for her husband and certain relatives and family members. This way, it will not lead to dishonorable behavior. Husbands are allowed and encouraged to enjoy the beauty of their wives, as this is not a prohibited behavior, and may even prevent corruption.

Beautiful voices, depending on what they are saying, may provoke certain unethical behavior. Sometimes men are aroused by the voices of soft-spoken women. Thus even the wives of the Prophet of Allah were addressed in Surah al-Ahzab, Verse 32, "O wives of the Prophet You are not like any other women. If you fear Allah, speak not in an affected tone so that he in whose heart is a disease may yearn. But speak in honorable words."

The same applies for certain kinds of music and song. In Surah Luqman, Verse 6, we are told, "And there are among people some who use vain talk to lead astray from Allah's way without knowledge and to make mockery of it. For such there is a humiliating punishment." Ibn Masoud referring to the talk described in this Verse said, "It is -by Allah- singing."

We are thankful that Allah has guided us to the truth and paved for us the ways to virtue and explained to us the significance of beauty of words, deeds and meanings.

Courtesy Of: Islaam.com

Managing your personal finance as Business

We all have a duty of creating value in our lives, financially and otherwise, and when managing personal finances is our business to make thrive or drive to ruin. Not only is managing our personal finances our business, but the secret is to treat our personal finance decisions as a business, the business of ourselves.
Ancient cultural wisdom has passed on this secret of personal finance for countless generations yet many forget its lessons.

Life can be looked at in a way that will make managing your money and your finances easy with this understanding. From birth to passing, you are in business for yourself, the business of you. How you choose to run your business is up to you, but the principles of a successful business will lead to a successful life, both financially with your money and emotionally, let me explain.
A successful business is all about service to your fellow human beings, and providing value to their lives. If you seek to provide as much value to as many human beings in your life, you are sure to be a success, and customers and wealth will flock to your door. So how does this apply to managing personal finances successfully you might ask?
When managing personal finances like a business, it is with the understanding that you are in business for yourself. Your personal finance business is of the utmost importance, and management will lead to additional opportunities and much success in life. Make sure that treat your personal finance business with the importance they deserve as proper managing of said finances will have ramifications that reverberate through all the aspects of your life.
When managing personal finances it is important to search for opportunities to be of greater service and value in the relationships you build. But also to do so with an eye towards avoiding decisions that would lead to bankrupting the business of your finances. Managing your personal finances will give you additional opportunities to help and build wealth for the people around you. It is your duty to grow your personal finance opportunities with sound decision making and investments to grow your ability to help.
A business is always looking for opportunity to expand and to grow, and this principle should be applied towards managing your personal finances as well. Seek greater income opportunities by becoming more integral at your job, or with another company. Develop relationships with the people you meet and discover how your skills can help them. Keep a keen eye towards the growth of your finances. And managing your personal finance business also means watching for opportunities to cut costs or expenses that are unnecessary.
Invest in yourself to develop greater skill sets, position yourself for your future. My point, is managing personal finances like a business is about seizing control of your destiny, both with your finances and your life. Imitate the great business leaders from and attack your future with vigor and enthusiasm. Managing your finances in this way, with boldness, and a belief in their importance can have astounding results. Lead your money with boldness, and like an army your personal finances are sure to follow.

Article Source: Ezine articles