Remembrance of Allah (Dhikrullah) should be a part of all our gatherings:

 A Muslim always remembers Allah, whether he is alone or in a gathering. 
There are many Ahadeeth that stress that Remembrance of Allah (Dhikrullah) should be a part of all our gatherings and meetings.

The Prophet ﺻﻠﯽ الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ ﻭﺍٓﻟﮧ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ  said, "Whoever sits and does not mention the Name of Allah (before he rises) will find it a cause of sorrow from Allah. Whoever lies down to sleep and does not mention the name of Allah before rising, will find it a cause of sorrow from Allah." - Abu Dawud 4/264, Al-Jami' As-Saghir 5/342 (Sahih).

Abu sa’id رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه  narrated that the Prophet ﺻﻠﯽ الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ ﻭﺍٓﻟﮧ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ  said,

“ Whenever a group gathers and does not remember Allah during their meeting, it will incur sorrow on them on Judgement Day, even if they enter the Garden”

(An-Nasa’ee in As-Sunan Al-Kubra, Kitab ‘amal Al-Yawm Wal-Laylah (Book of Actions done in the Day and Nights) no.10242)

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) seldom left a gathering without supplicating (doing Dua)..." [Tirmidhi with a Hasan chain]. 

 وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : [ ما من قوم يقومون من مجلس ولا يذكرون الله تعالى فيه إلا قاموا عن مثل جيفة حمار وكان لهم حسرة ] رواه أبو داود بإسناد صحيح 

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Those people who leave a gathering in which they have not remembered Allah, will conclude it as if it has foul odour similar to that of a rotten carcass of a donkey. And it will be a cause of grief to them.'' [Abu Dawud, Sahih]. 

Commentary: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has warned us against refraining from the remembrance of Allah because most of the heart diseases are caused by this indifference, and because most of the sins are committed as a result of this indifference. 

 وعنه رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ ما جلس قوم مجلسا لم يذكروا الله تعالى فيه ولم يصلوا على نبيهم فيه إلا كان عليهم ترة فإن شاء عذبهم وإن شاء غفر لهم ] رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن 

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Whenever a group of people sit in a gathering in which they do not remember Allah the Exalted, nor supplicate to elevate the rank of their Prophet, such a gathering will be a cause of grief to them. If Allah wills, He will punish them, and if He wills He will forgive them.'' 

[Tirmidhi, Hasan]. 

Commentary: Any meeting where Allah (SWT) is not glorified and praised and His blessings are not invoked to elevate the rank of His Prophet (PBUH), will cause grief and punishment to the participants in the Hereafter. 

 وعنه رضي الله عنه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ من قعد مقعدا لم يذكر الله تعالى فيه كانت عليه من الله ترة ومن اضطجع مضجعا لا يذكر الله تعالى فيه كانت عليه من الله ترة ] رواه أبو داود

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "If anyone sits in a gathering where he does not remember Allah, he will bring grief upon himself (on the Day of Resurrection), and he who lies down in a place where he does not remember Allah, will bring grief upon himself (on the Day of Resurrection).'' 

[Abu Dawud]. 

Commentary: To sum up what has gone in these Ahadith, man should remember Allah on all occasions. This will establish and cement his bond with Allah, keeping heedlessness away from his heart and mind. It is heedlessness which prompts man to transgress Divine rules and limits, whereas the remembrance of Allah prevents him from indulging in backbiting and passing slanderous remarks against people in their absence or reproaching and belittling someone at a meeting. Unfortunately, such petty and negative out-pourings are relished at chat sessions in our society. This generates grudge, ill-will and hostility in hearts and splits up social cohesion and Islamic solidarity. Every Muslim should, therefore, take care to avoid such gatherings. 

THE EXPIATION OF ASSEMBLY (Kaffaaratul Majlis)

Aishah (RA) said: "Allah's Messenger (SAW) did not sit in a gathering, and did not recite the Qur'an, and did not perform any prayer without concluding by saying :

سُبْحَانَكَ اللّٰهُـمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَـدُ أَنْ لاَّ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْكَ.

Transliteration:

Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaika.

Translation:

Glory is to You. O Allah, and praise is to You. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.

[Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i-Sahih]

Abu Dawood narrated that Abu Barzah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to say, when he wanted to leave a gathering: “Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, there is no god but You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.” A man said: O Messenger of Allah, you are saying something that you did not say before. He said: “It is expiation for anything that happened in the gathering.”

Reciting Surah al-‘Asr before leaving a gathering:

This was the practice of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). 

It was narrated that Abu Madeenah al-Darimi said: When two men among the companions of the Prophet met, they did not part until one of them recited to the other Surah al-‘Asr, then one would say salam to (greet) the other.

(Abu Dawood (no. 417); al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat (5/215); al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Eeman (6/501), Sahih)

The prophet seldom left a gathering without saying this Dua...

 وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنه قال : قلما كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقوم من مجلس حتى يدعو بهؤلاء الدعوات : [ اللهم اقسم لنا من خشيتك ما تحول به بيننا وبين معاصيك ومن طاعتك ما تبلغنا به جنتك ومن اليقين ما تهون به علينا مصائب الدنيا اللهم متعنا بأسماعنا وأبصارنا وقوتنا ما أحييتنا واجعله الوارث منا واجعل ثأرنا على من ظلمنا وانصرنا على من عادانا ولا تجعل مصيبتنا في ديننا ولا تجعل الدنيا أكبر همنا ولا مبلغ علمنا ولا تسلط علينا من لا يرحمنا ] رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن 

Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) seldom left a gathering without supplicating in these terms: "Allahummaqsim lana min khashyatika ma tahulu bihi bainana wa baina ma`sika, wa min ta`atika ma tuballighuna bihi jannataka, wa minal-yaqini ma tuhawwinu `alaina masa-'ibad-dunya. Allahumma matti`na biasma`ina, wa absarina, wa quwwatina ma ahyaitana, waj`alhul-waritha minna, waj`al tharana `ala man zalamana, wansurna `ala man `adana, wa la taj`al musibatana fi dinina, wa la taj`alid-dunya akbara hammina, wa la mablagha `ilmina, wa la tusallit `alaina man-la yarhamuna.

 (O Allah, apportion to us such fear as should serve as a barrier between us and acts of disobedience; and such obedience as will take us to Your Jannah; and such as will make easy for us to bear in the calamities of this world. O Allah! let us enjoy our hearing, our sight and our power as long as You keep us alive and make our heirs from our own offspring, and make our revenge restricted to those who oppress us, and support us against those who are hostile to us let no misfortune afflict our Deen; let not worldly affairs be our principal concern, or the ultimate limit of our knowledge, and let not those rule over us who do not show mercy to us).'' 

[Tirmidhi]. 
Ameen.

This Hadith reveals a prayer through which we may be able to reach all that which is good in this world as well as in the Hereafter. 

Dont be deluded by the worldly possessions and progress of the non-Muslims

How can one prevent himself from being deluded by the worldly possessions and progress of the non-Muslims?

Remember the reality. Allah says of the disbelievers:

 Do not be impressed by their wealth and children (Al-Tawbah, 9:55),

 Do not strain your eyes in longing for things We have given for enjoyment to groups of them, the splendour of the life of this world, through which We test them; the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring (Ta Ha, 20:131) &

 Let not the movement of the disbelievers in the land deceive you. (Al `Imran, 3:196)

You should see their worldly possessions as being completely insignificant things which cause them to lose out on their portion in the next world. You should feel sympathy for those who have been deceived by this contemptible world and you should wish that they are given insight. 

They are like children who are promised sweets and toys in exchange for being slaughtered. Not knowing the meaning of being slaughtered, they happily accept the sweets and toys. 

So look at these disbelievers with sympathy just as you would look at those poor children. Save them if you are able to. Do not be deceived as they have been deceived but wish that they be guided and have sympathy for them.

The whole earth was created for the pious and not for the disbelievers, but Allah tests His slaves through the existence of disbelievers: Such days (of varying fortunes) we give to men in turns  (Al `Imrān, 3:140) but the pious Muslims will eventually inherit the earth: We wrote in the Zabūr (Psalms), after the Message (given to Mūsā) that My pious slaves will inherit the earth. (Al-Anbiyā’, 21:105)

-Adapted from http://muwasala.org 

Believer's Firasah (Spiritual Insight): Light of Allah

Believer's Firasah: Light of Allah

“Beware the spiritual insight (Firasah) of a believer, for he sees with the light of Allah.” (Tirmidhi)

"Indeed, Allah has servants who know about people by reading the signs." [Al-Tabarani, Mu‘jam al-Awsat, no.3086, and its chain is hasan].

Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah remarked: ‘O you who are defenceless! Beware the spiritual insight of the godly one, for he sees your hidden deeds from behind a veil. (Al-Fawaid)

Shaykh Surkheel Shareef writes: "Spiritual insight, or firasah, is a faith-based insight that Allah casts into the hearts of His faithful ones, by which peoples’ states or deeds are unveiled to them. They are from those saintly miracles (karamat al-awliya) gifted to them by God; the inner workings of which are the very opposite of magic and sorcery. Sorcerers claim power, for themselves or for others besides God. Saints (and more so, Prophets) claim only helplessness before their Lord, accepting they have no share whatsoever in the miracles which issues forth from them. Such spiritual intuitions or epiphanies that arise in the heart are seldom wrong if the heart is pure. Which is to say, the accuracy of a person’s firasah will depend upon their nearness to God and their strength of faith. For, as masters of the inward life say, when souls approach the presence of the Truth (al-Haqq), it is usually the epiphanies of the Truth that come to it." (thehumblei.com)

Shah al-Kirmani says, to increase the strength of one's insight:

1. Turn eyes away from the unlawful

2. Restrain passionate drives

3. Self-scrutiny and vigilance (muraqaba)

4. Eat only lawful food.

(Imam Qushayri's Risala)

In his Madarij al-Salikin, imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah discusses the reality of firasah, its cause, the sayings of the early masters concerning it, and its types. He also relates some wondrous accounts about the firasah of his shaykh and mentor, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. He writes:

“I have witnessed incredible things from the firasah of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may God have mercy upon him; and what I have not seen are even greater – accounts that would need a large volume to document".

Sunnah DUA to remove the love of Dunya from our hearts and lives

Nice DUA to remove the love of Dunya from our hearts and lives :

اللهم لا تجعل الدنيا أكبر همنا ولا مبلغ علمنا ولا غاية رغبتنا

Allahumma la taj`alid-dunya akbara hammina, wa la mablagha `ilmina, wa la ghayata raghbatina.

"O Allah!  let not worldly affairs (Dunya) be our principal concern (greatest aim), nor the ultimate limit of our knowledge nor the limit of our aspiration."

-Tirmidhi & Nasai 

Considering our conditions and life styles today, we need to say this Sunnah dua atleast once after every Salah with sincerity and a devoted heart.

May Allah remove the love of Dunya from our hearts and lives. 

آمين يا رب العالمين 

DUA of a repentant sinner: Ibn Jawzi

DUA of a repentant sinner:

My Lord, certainly, I am a weak slave

Who has come before You seeking that which You have to give.

I come before You complaining of the affliction of my sins, 

For can one complain of grief to anyone but You?

Gift me with Your Pardon, my Benevolent Master

For my reliance is on none but You.

My Lord, I have drowned in my own sins,

I ask for Your pardon, Most Generous Lord

By the depth of my poverty and my utter need

For You, my Lord, in times of distress.

I ask You by my weakness, inability, and indigence,

I ask You by what Your Books have guaranteed –

I ask you by Your infinite Mercy.

—

 (from Imam Ibn Jawzi's Al bahr ad-Damu) 

Arabic and Urdu scans of the above dua:

Seeking knowledge with Ikhlas (sincerity)

There are many virtues of acquiring Ilm of Deen that are mentioned in the Quran and Hadith. 

However, a person may be misled by his Nafs or Satan to seek religious knowledge and to study it extensively with the sole purpose of becoming a scholar or mufti who people will come to with their questions, or a scholar whose name will go down in history, or maybe an Islamic activist who people will rally around.

Like wise, there may be many such Dunyawi purposes or worldly intentions for acquiring the Ilm of Deen that can destroy it's benefits.

The Holy Prophet  ﺻﻠﯽ الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ ﻭﺍٓﻟﮧ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ has specially stressed upon us to learn the Deen only with the intention of pleasing Allah.

1. Those who learn the Deen to be called as a 'Scholar':

The Prophet ﺻﻠﯽ الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ ﻋﻠﯿﮧ ﻭﺍٓﻟﮧ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ  mentioned that three people would be the first on the Day of Resurrection to be thrown in the Hell-fire. One of these three was: “…a man who acquired knowledge and taught it to others, who recited the Qur’ân. He will be summoned and asked what he did during his lifetime. He will say: ‘I acquired knowledge and taught it to others and I recited the Qur’ân for your sake.’ Allah will tell him: ‘You lie! You only acquired knowledge so people would call you a scholar and read the Qur’ân so you would be acclaimed as a Qur’ân reciter. These things were indeed said about you.’ At this point an order will be given and this man will be dragged on his face and cast into Hell.” 
The others mentioned in this hadîth were a man who will be a Martyr in Allah’s cause and a man who gave lot of charity, both with the intention of showing off. 
[Sahih Muslim]

2. Those who learn the Deen for acquiring wealth:

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who learns knowledge which should be learned for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, only to obtain by it goods of this world, will not experience the scent of the Garden on the Day of Rising." [Abu Dawud] 

3. Those who learn the Deen to win arguments and debates:

Jabir (radhiallahu 'anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:

"Do not acquire knowledge in order to compete with the scholars, nor to argue with the ignorant, nor to gain mastery over the gatherings. Since whoever does that, then: The Fire! The Fire!"

[Reported by Ibn Majah (no.254), Ibn Hibban (no.90 of az-Zawaid), al-Hakim (1/86)]

[It also has a further witness from the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah reported by Ahmad (2/338), and Abu Dawud (Eng.Trans. vol.3, p.1039, no.3656), Ibn Majah (Eng.Trans. No.252) and others and its chain of narration is acceptable as a support]

May Allah give us Ikhlas and correct niyyah in all our actions. Ameen

Correct Approach to Wealth: Mufti Shafi RA

Correct Approach to Wealth:

Wealth is the axis of man's needs and necessities. Shari'ah has not only permitted its acquisition, but it has also made its acquisition obligatory to the degree of his needs. Therefore, what is condemned in the Quran and Sunnah is the ‘intense’ or excessive love for wealth that makes one neglectful to one's obligations, and oblivious of the divine injunctions. 

Earning wealth, even saving it according to one's needs, is permissible but having its love in the heart is bad. 

Let us consider the following illustration: When man feels the need to answer the call of nature, he does it out of necessity. In fact, he makes arrangements for it, but he does not develop love or passion for it in his heart. 

Likewise, when one falls sick he takes medication, or even undergoes surgery, but he does not develop attachment for the treatment in his heart. He does it only out of necessity.

The believer should treat the wealth in this way: A believer should acquire wealth as Allah has commanded him, to the extent of his need, save it, look after it and utilize it whenever and wherever necessary, but his heart should not be attached to it. 

How elegantly Maulana Rumi has put it in one of his verses! 

"As long as the water remains under the boat it helps the boat [to sail]; 

but if the water seeps into the boat it sinks it."

Likewise, as long as the wealth is around the heart it would be useful; but  when we let it enter the boat of heart, it sinks it.

-Tafseer Maariful Quran

Sunnah Duas when in distress or difficulty or sorrow:

Sunnah Duas When in distress or difficulty or sorrow:

Doing excessive Astaghfaar:

In hadith #599 narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه  in Sunan Abu Dawood, The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If anyone continually asks pardon, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.

Specific Duas:

1. Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه  reported, “The Prophet, peace be upon him, at times of sorrow and grief used to supplicate, La ilaha illa Allah Al-’Azim, Al-’Alim, la ilaha illa Allah, Rabbul ‘arshil ‘Azim, la ilaha illa Allahu, Rabbus-Samawati wa rabbul ardi wa rabbul ‘arshi karim (There is no god but Allah, the Mighty, the Forbearing, there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the mighty throne, there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and the Lord of the throne of honor)’.”
Source: Bukhari and Muslim.

2. Anas رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه said that when the Prophet, peace be upon him, was faced with a serious difficulty, he would always supplicate, “Ya Hayyu, ya Qayyumu, bi-rahmatika astaghithu (O the Living, O the Eternal, I seek help in Your grace). Source: Tirmidhi

3. Abu Hurairah رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه reported that whenever the Prophet, peace be upon him, was faced with a serious difficulty, he would raise his head to the sky and supplicate, “Subhan-Allah al-’Azim (glory be to Allah, the Mighty).” And when he implored seriously and strongly, he would say “Ya Hayyu, Ya Qayyum (O the Living, the Eternal One). Source: Tirmidhi

4. Abu Bakr (رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه) reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “The supplications of distress are, ‘Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ain, wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, la ilaha illa anta (O Allah, I hope for Your mercy, so give me not over to my self even for as little as wink of an eye, and set right all my affairs, there is no god but You).”
Source: Abu Daw’ud

5. Asma (RA), daughter of ‘Amais, reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, asked her, “Shall I tell you words that you may say in times of pain or distress. These are, ‘Allah, Allah, Rabbi la ushriku bihi shai’an (Allah, Allah, my Lord, I associate none with Him).” Another narration says that these words should be said seven times. Source: Abu Daw’ud

6. Sa’d ibn Waqas رضي الله ﺗﻌﺎﻟﯽٰ عنه reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “The supplication made by the Companion of the Fish (Prophet Yunus) in the belly of the fish was, ‘La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu minaz-zalimin (there is no god but You, You are far exalted and above all weaknesses, and I was indeed the wrongdoer)’. If any Muslim supplicates in these words, his supplication will be accepted.” In another report we read, “I know words that will cause Allah to remove one’s distress. These are the words (of supplication) of my brother Yunus, peace be upon him.” Source: Tirmidhi

7. Dua to be said every morning and evening to prevent stress & sorrow:

Allahumma inni a’udhubika minal hammi wal hazan, wal ‘ajzi wal kasal, wal bukhli wal jubn, wa dhala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir rijaal

“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and from being overpowered by men.” Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 7:158

(Most of the Duas taken from Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4)

Patience and loving Allâh : Ibn Qayyim

Patience and loving Allah

Patience is one of the most important qualities demanded of those who claim to love Allâh, as the degree of patience determines those who are sincere in their claim and those who are not. The degree of patience needed to endure hardship and difficulties in order to please the Beloved proves the sincerity of one’s love.

Many claim to love Allâh, but when Allâh tests them with hardship, they forget the true essence of love. No-one can adhere to the love of Allâh except those who are patient and persevering (as-sâbirûn). If it were not for the test of hardship and sincerity, there would be no proof of the sincerity
of a person’s love of Allâh.

Tirmidhi narrated that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu layhi wasallam), which of the people are most severely tested?” He said: “The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A man will be tested in accordance with his level of religious commitment. If his religious commitment is strong, he will be tested more severely, and if his religious commitment is weak, he will be tested in accordance with his religious commitment."

The one whose love of Allâh is greater, has a greater degree of patience.
Therefore, Allâh has attributed the quality of patience to His close friends (awliyâ) and most beloved. He said about His beloved slave Ayyûb (AS):
“…Truly We found him full of patience and constancy. How excellent in Our service! Ever did he turn (to Us)!” (Sâd 38:44)

Allâh instructed the most beloved to Him of everything He created to have patience in accepting His decree and told him that patience comes only by the help of Allâh.

He praised those who have patience and promised them the best of rewards: the rewards of others are defined and limited, but the reward of as-sâbirûn is without measure. 

Allah says,“…Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!” (az-Zumar 39:10).

Patience is vital at all levels of Islâm, îmân and ihsân, as well as being a major element in îmân (faith) and tawakkul (putting one’s trust in Allâh).

Allâh has made patience the means for attaining His love, His companionship, His help and support, and His good rewards. This is sufficient honour and blessings.

-Extracts from: 'Patience and Gratitude' By Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen”

HOW TO ACQUIRE THE ABILITY TO SACRIFICE FOR ALLAH?

HOW TO ACQUIRE THE ABILITY TO SACRIFICE FOR ALLAH? 

(Khurram Murad R.A)

http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2013/10/inner-dimensions-of-sacrifice-qurbani.html?m=1

1. Love for Allah

Love lies at the root of every sacrifice. You can therefore realize what you need most to help you gain the inner strength necessary for offering sacrifices. It is your love for Allah. How much do you love him? Do you love Him more than everything else?

That is why the Qur'an says: 'The [true] believers love God more than all else' (al-Baqarah 2:165). That is why it confronts every Muslim with one simple but profound question: Whom do you love more? Allah, His Messenger and Jihad in His way, or fathers, sons, wives, brothers, wealth, houses, commerce, careers? (al-Tawbah 9: 24).

Only with such love for Allah will sacrifice turn into an inner urge, rather than remaining a motion of compliance with an external exhortation. Then you will derive the true delight and pleasure in fulfilling the demands of Iman. 

The Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, said: 'There are three things, only the one who has them will taste the sweetness of Iman: [first of them is] that Allah and His Messenger he loves more than any other thing beside them... ' (Bukhari, Muslim).

How to attain love for Allah which exceeds every other love? There are not, and cannot be, any precise formula for this purpose. But a few things will help. And each in turn will become a rich inner resource you will need to fulfill the demands of sacrificing.

2. Remembering Allah (Dhikrullah)

Remembering Him as often as you can is essential and fundamental. It will help you not only to attain love, but all other resources you need to develop your spirit and capacity of sacrifice: mindful of living in His presence, attaching real value to meeting Him and receiving His rewards, understanding the worth and place of this-worldly life, grateful and humble before Him, fearful of never having done enough, prepared and willing to obey His commands.

3. Living in His Presence (Ma'e at)

Live as if you are in His presence. Remember that 'He is with you wherever you may be' (al-Hadid 57:4). When you are called upon to make a sacrifice, or you prepare to make it of your own accord, remember that you are before His eyes. That is what He asks us to be mindful of: 'Surely you are before Our eyes' (al-Tur 52:48).

Coupled with your conviction that whatever you are sacrificing belongs to the One who is seeing you, and His reward would be manifold and eternal, this should give you some measure of that inner urge and strength essential to you.

This consciousness of being in His presence, of His Eyes being upon us, of Him listening to us, of doing our duty as our Master is with us, praising us generously, rewarding us kindly, is a prime source for creating the spirit of sacrifice. This also creates trust in Him, because once you know that you are with Him, you can entrust all your affairs to Him.

4. Thinking of the day of Meeting with Allah

 If you understand the nature and reality of this-worldly life, if you know that you can receive your fair wages only upon meeting Allah, then you will develop two feelings. 

One, a desire to meet Him, however you may fear Him on account of your own misdeeds. 

Two, the preparedness to sacrifice everything that belongs to this-world for what you will earn in reward in the Hereafter.

One of the du'as the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, used to make says:

"Allah! Grant me the delight of looking at Your noble face and a longing to meet You." (Nasa'i, Ahmad, Hakim).

5. Gratefulness and Humility

Whatever the nature of sacrifice, and whether big or small tangible or intangible, offer it in gratitude and humility. It so often happens that one begins to get weary and tired of giving in the way of Allah. One, then, begins to say, 'We have already spent so much time; we have already given so much money; how much more shall we give?; we have already made so many sacrifices; what else is required of us?' This will happen only if you are making sacrifices not to please Allah alone; but then you are motivated by something else. Or, when you do not realize that you should indeed be grateful to Him for every opportunity you get to offer some sacrifice. Also offer every sacrifice in all humility.

Let us be very clear that whatever things you sacrifice, you do not give it to some person, nor to some organization. Nor do you give it to Allah, though He is Merciful and Generous enough to say that whatever you give is a loan to Him, which shall be repaid manifold. You give everything to yourselves. Does one ever get tired of giving more and more to himself?

Now this is not selfishness. It only means that we believe that our ultimate prosperity lies in submission to the will of Allah. Through sacrifice we seek our betterment in this life and we desire a successful, eternal life in the Hereafter. At the same time, every sacrifice we make, everything we give in the way of Allah, makes our community stronger.

Therefore be grateful to Allah for having given you the opportunity to sacrifice, for having called upon you to serve Him, for having blessed you with the ability to offer something in His way. 

Things might have been otherwise. We might have been left wandering astray: we might not have been given the opportunity to sacrifice wealth and thus reap eternal reward. You should therefore give every sacrifice in the spirit of gratitude. To Him you should look for acceptance.

And also humility. You should never have the feeling of having done enough. Once the disease creeps into your heart that you have done enough, then all is lost. You should always think that whatever sacrifice you may offer, it is still nothing compared to the obligations you have to discharge towards Allah.

Being fearful of never having given away enough is very fundamental to your sacrifice. The Qur'an says: 'They give what they give, but their hearts tremble' (al-Mu'minun 23:60).

6. Inner Urge and Ikhlaas

The primary motivating force that drives you to make sacrifices must lie inside your own self. The urge should come from within. 

The roots must lie deep in your heart and soul. Neither group approval, nor conformity, nor organizational discipline, nor any other external pressure, should provide the compulsion to come forward with your sacrifice. Each one of them is important and has an important role to play in shaping our conduct. But if sacrifices are offered for any reason other than Allah's pleasure, it would be extremely difficult to offer large sacrifices, or offer them continually, under all circumstances. The will and spirit to sacrifice must be internalized.

7. Willing Choice and Ridha

Choice to sacrifice should be made willingly. This means that you should, by your own choice, come forward to offer whatever you can to secure Allah's pleasure. Your will should harmonize with His will.

This does not mean that one should not feel any pain or discomfort while making a sacrifice. Once you give up your love or your desire or your value, to feel pain is only human. Indeed, if you feel no pain in giving up something, that giving up may not be worth being called a sacrifice. You are throwing away something which is of no value to you. Rather, the greater the pain, the greater the worth of the sacrifice. But pain ought to be followed by contentment; contentment for having given up something you considered valuable for Allah's pleasure which is really the most valuable, for having willingly borne pain for the sake of your love for Allah which supersedes every other love.

Two Basic Aids in acquiring these qualities- SALAT AND SABR:

We have been given two basic aids to help us develop all those inner resources which I have put before you. I can only mention them in passing, for each deserves to be treated in detail in its own right.

O Believers! Seek help with Sabr and Salat (al-Baqarah 2:153).

What is Salat? 

Salat of course is a ritual worship. It consists of certain physical postures. It also consists of certain words which we utter from beginning to end. But the whole purpose of Salat is to remember and to be conscious of Allah. This is what the Qur'an very clearly states: 'Establish Prayer to remember Me' (Ta Ha 20:14).

What is sabr? 

It is very comprehensive in meaning. Literally sabr means to bind and restrain. In the Qur'an it encompasses qualities as wide as restraint and resolve, patience and the will to sacrifice, discipline and steadfastness. It binds you to your pledge to Allah, to your brothers, to your good in the Hereafter.

Hold on to Salat and sabr and you will gain the strength you need to offer sacrifices.

The only Regret in JANNAH:

The only Regret in JANNAH: 

Mu`adh ibn Jabal (RA) said that the Prophet (SAWS) said: 

"The People of Paradise will not regret except one thing alone: the hour that passed them by in which they made no Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah." 

Narrated by Bayhaqi in Shu`ab al-iman (1:392 #512-513) and by Tabarani. Haythami in Majma` al-zawa'id (10:74) said that its narrators are all trustworthy (thiqat), while Suyuti declared it hasan in his Jami` al-saghir (#7701).

-Extracted from a long article on Dhikr on sunnah.org