The Importance of Working for the Next Life

A Friday Sermon by
The Great Scholar
Shaikh Muhammad Salih Al-Uthaimeen

(رحمه اللّه)

All praise is for Allah who created the Sun and the moon as lights and fixed them in their positions in order that you may tell time and know (when) the reckoning (is). All praise is for the one who made the night and day different for the one who wants to be mindful or thankful. I bear witness that there is no deity worshipped in truth other than Allah who is alone and without partner, owner of the dominion and all praise, from Him is the beginning and to Him is the end. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, the best and most virtuous of those who worship Allah and repent to Him, may peace and blessings be upon him, his family, companions, and all that follow him in perfection.

Fear Allah the Most High and reflect over these days and nights which are only a phase you are passing through to the next life where you will end your journey. Every day, every hour, every minute that passes draws you further away from this world and closer to the next.

These days and nights contain your actions like a chest, preserved for you as a witness to what you did of good and evil. So blessed is he who took advantage of the opportunity to get closer to Allah. Blessed is he who was busy with obedience and refraining from sin. Blessed is he who took a lesson from the differing and changing affairs and situations using it as an evidence for what Allah possess of great wisdom and hidden treasure, Allah the Mighty and Majestic says,

يُقَلِّبُ اللَّهُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُوْلِي الْأَبْصَارِ  

Allah causes the night and the day to succeed each other (i.e. if the day is gone, the night comes, and if the night is gone, the day comes, and so on). Truly, in these things is indeed a lesson for those who have insight. (An-Nur 24:44)

Do you not see the sun as it rises every day from the east and sets in the west? This contains the greatest of lessons. It's rising and setting is an indication that this life is not permanent rather it is rising and setting and will fade away. Do you not see the moon and how it appears as a small crescent at the beginning of the month just like a baby is born and gradually develops and just as the body develops until it reaches maturity and then gradually degrades and decays so does life, so take a lesson from this. Allah the Mighty and Majestic says,

اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفًا وَشَيْبَةً يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْقَدِيرُ

Allah is He Who created you in (a state of) weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after strength gave (you) weakness and grey hair. He creates what He wills. And it is He Who is the All­Knowing, the All­Powerful (i.e. Able to do all things). (Ar-Rum 30:54)
 
Look at the years and how they come year after year. I new year comes and you look at it like something long and the days begin to pass by quickly in the blink of an eye and before you know it you reach the end of the year. This is how life is. You see death as something far away looking at your life as something long and before you know it time has caught up with you,

وَجَاءتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ And the stupor of death will come in truth: "This is what you have been avoiding!" (Qaf 50:19)

It is possible that someone go through his life in hope and taking delight in being secure and all of a sudden that hope is lost and the security is gone.

Today you are leaving behind you the previous year which was a witness and entering a bright new year. If only I would be aware of what I left behind me in the previous year and with what I was entering the new year with, so let everyone take himself to account and look into his own affair and if he fell behind in some of his obligations then let him repent to Allah and make up that which he missed out on. If he oppressed his own self by committing sin then let him remove it from his habits before it is too late and then his time comes. If he was of those whom Allah blessed with uprightness within his ability then he is too praise Allah for that and ask Him to make him firm upon it until he meets his end. Faith is not by hopes and embellishment rather it is that which is revered by the heart and attested for by action. Repentance is not just words but it is remorse for what was done of sin, leaving those actions, and looking to Allah for aid in rectifying actions and supervision. So realize and actualize true faith and sincerely repent to the Most Merciful while you are still able.

The prophet admonished a man and said, "take advantage of five things before five things; your youth before your old age, your health before sickness, your wealth before poverty, your free time before you are busy, and your life before your death." In youth there is determination and strength and when old age sets in determination wears thin and strength becomes weakness and one is not able to overcome that aging. With good health there is happiness and energy and when you become sick you become weak and performing deeds is difficult. With wealth comes ease and free time and if you become poor you are worried and become busy providing a life for yourself and family. Life has vast opportunity for deeds and action and when you die all of that is cut off. Thus you should take a lesson from this sermon and measure what remains of your life as it will pass by very quickly just as that which has already passed did. Do what you can of righteous action for everything that is coming is close and all that is in this life will perish. Allah the Most High said,

كَأَنَّهُمْ يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَهَا لَمْ يَلْبَثُواإِلَّا عَشِيَّةً أَوْ ضُحَاهَا The Day they see it, (it will be) as if they had not tarried (in this world) except an afternoon or a morning. (An-Nazi'at 79:46)

Remember your brothers who were with you in days like these bidding farewell to the previous year and they moved from "the good life" to the graves and they bid their farewells to time before it bid them farewell, rather time bid them farewell before the were able to bid it farewell and were from the people of the graves before they could make it to "the good life". They left their family and wealth going to the recompense of deeds and actions becoming dependent on them and hoping for one extra good deed but they cannot obtain it, hoping to repent from their evil actions but they cannot repent after death. It was reported that in a dream some dead said that they faced a great affair, we know and are not able to act and you act but you do not know what has happened to the one who squanders and wastes deeds for by Allah, to glorify Allah once or twice, to pray one or two units of prayer that will be written in the book of records would be more beloved to us than the world and all that it contains. So rush to repentance and know the worth of your time and what you will soon face. The prophet r said, "Your whip or lash in the paradise is better than the world and all that it contains" It is better than the world from the beginning to the end, just whip or lash in paradise is better than all of that. Allah the Mighty and Majestic said,

انظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلَلآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً See how We prefer one above another (in this world) and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preference. (Al-Isra 17:21)
 
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَالْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى  

Nay, you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (Al-A'la 87:16-17)
 
أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِن مَّتَّعْنَاهُمْ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ جَاءهُم مَّا كَانُوا يُوعَدُونَ مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُوا يُمَتَّعُونَ  

Tell Me, if We do let them enjoy for years, And afterwards comes to them that (punishment) which they had been promised! All that with which they used to enjoy shall not avail them. (Ash-Shu'ara 26:205-207)

Take a lesson from the past and make it an opportunity for righteous actions. Read what Allah says,
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُدَبِّرُ الأَمْرَ مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ ذَلِكُمُ اللّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ. إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا وَعْدَ اللّهِ حَقًّا إِنَّهُ يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ بِالْقِسْطِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِّنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْفُرُونَ. هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاء وَالْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُواْ عَدَدَ السِّنِينَ وَالْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ ذَلِكَ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ. إِنَّ فِي اخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ

Surely, your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawâ (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty), disposing the affair of all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His Leave. That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him (Alone). Then, will you not remember? To Him is the return of all of you. The Promise of Allah is true. It is He Who begins the creation and then will repeat it, that He may reward with justice those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) and did deeds of righteousness. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of boiling fluids and painful torment because they used to disbelieve. It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning. Allah did not create this but in truth. He explains the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for people who have knowledge. Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day and in all that Allah has created in the heavens and the earth are Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for those people who keep their duty to Allah, and fear Him much. (Yunus 10:3-6)

So those of wisdom, take a lesson and prepare with deeds and actions for a day when the hearts and eyes will be fixed. Know that this life is quickly coming to its end and there is no real life except that which is spent in great obedience.

We ask Allah to protect us from heedlessness and to grant us success in our repentance. We ask you to give us from your virtue and mercy and to make us of those who have wisdom, those who take lessons, and from the intelligent who have insight. Forgive us, our parents, and all of the Muslims by your mercy for You are the Most Merciful. May your peace and blessings be upon you servant and messenger Muhammad, upon his family, and companions.

Translated by Eesa John Starling
April 30, 2009
For eDawah.com

what do you need to memorize Ahadeeth...

In the Name of Allaah, Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem...

'Uthmaan ibn Khur-raazaad [d.282], one of Imaam An-Nasaa'ee's shuyookh, said:

"The companion of hadeeth is in need of five things, and if he misses any one of them, then it is a deficiency.  He needs:

[1] A good intellect;

[2] (Uprightness in the) Deen;

[3] Precision;

[4] Expertise in the field;

[5] While being known to fulfill trusts."

Ath-Thahabee mentioned this in Siyar (13/380), and then commented:

"I say: Trustworthiness is a part of the Deen (ie. #5 is included in #2), and precision is included in expertise (ie. #3 is included in #4), so what the haafith (one who memorizes hadeeth) needs is to be:

[1] A person of taqwaa;

[2] Intelligent;

[3] Knowledgeable of 'Arabic grammar and language;

[4] Pure and shy;

[5] Salafee.

It will suffice him that he copies with his hand 200 volumes of books, owns 500 volumes of widely respected books, and does not tire from seeking knowledge until his death, all of this with a pure intention and humbleness.  Otherwise, then he shouldn't waste his time (by trying to be a haafith)."

Translated by Abul-'Abbaas Moosaa Richardson
Original source: http://www.salafitalk.net/st//viewmessages.cfm?Forum=9&Topic=2791

the signs of Allah's love for His slaves:

the signs of Allah's love for His slaves:

1. following the prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam

2. doing the obligatory acts [includes, fasts, prayer, zakah, hajj]

3. doing lots of nawafil ibadat [includes: fasts, prayer, zakah, hajj]

4. people loving you, and accepting you†

5. and that your hands, feet, eyes and ears only directed to what pleases Allah

6. and if you make dua, it is answered

7. if you seek refuge with Allah from something, Allah gives you the refuge

some benefits:

• this aya: if you love Allah then follow me, Allah will love you [surah alimaran:31] is called: the verse of examination - examining who is true in his claim of loving Allah. [because if one loves Allah, then it will be shown by his following of the prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam]
• who are the awliya of Allah? - they are the ones who believe and fears Allah as in the aya: Surah Yusuf: 62-63†

Good enough for now. Alhamdulillah. may Allah benefit you and me by these benefits ameen

http://www.sahab.net/home/index.php?Site=News&Show=795

Shaykh Muhammad Al Imaam: Islam's Concern with Teaching Women their Religion

Shaykh Muhammad Al Imaam: Islam's Concern with Teaching Women their Religion

from TriniMuslims Forums by najeeb ibn yusuf

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem!

Indeed, it has been narrated by a number of companions that the Messenger of Allah said "seeking knowledge is compulsory upon every muslim." Male and females are both included in the term "muslim." The Exalted said:

"O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire." [At Tahrim:6]

The commentators of the Qur'an have explained it (the intent of the verse) to mean "teach and educate them." The Prophet said "teach your children the prayer at age 7. Spank them at age 10 (if they don't pray) and separate the two genders from the same bed." Narrated by Abu Dawud from the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr. The word "children" includes both male and females.

Also found in both sahih Al Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of Abu Musa Al Ashari, the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salaam said "Any man that has a slave girl and teaches her, and does well at educating her, teaches her discipline and does well at this, then liberates and marries her then for him is two rewards." So contemplate O muslim woman on how the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salaam urged with the educating of the slave girl, so how about the freed woman?!

Allah says: "And remeber what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom." [Al Ahzab:34] (The verse is addressing the wives of the Prophet)

The Sunnah here is what's intended by wisdom. Ahmad, Al Haakim, and An Nisaa'i (in Al Kubraa) narrated from the hadith of Ash Shifaa bint Abdullah in which she said "the Messenger of Allah entered upon us while I was with Hafsa, so he said to me: Will you not teach her ruqya an namlah, just like you taught her how to write?" Thus it becomes crystal clear from these evidences that it's compulsory upon the guardians of muslim girls to educate them. This is obligatory (in the religion). Likewise it's mandatory upon the sisters to learn what is necessary from the affairs of the religion. And from these affairs:

1: Learning At Tawhid and it is to direct all acts of worship to Allah alone from fear, repentence, sacrificing, vowing, supplication, seeking help, love, and exaltation.

2: Learning the prayer and that which is related to it from fasting, and other than it from what is obligatory upon each woman.

3: Teaching them dignified manners: Decency, modesty, chasity, and to do all actions with the awareness that Allah is ever watchful. This is what is found from benefit in the hadith "And separate the two genders from the same bed."

4:Teaching them that which is related to the rights of the husband and close relatives.

The issue that fathers and guardians need to know is that they are in need of teaching their daughters and wives all of that which they require from the affairs of good and the warning against evil. So look at the big difference, indeed the women of jaahiliyyah were blindly ignorant. So when Islam came it opened the way for them towards education of the religion of Allah.

Indeed, the hadith of the Messenger of Allah were conveyed by more than 300 women from the companions, aside from their statements in tafseer and fiqh. With regards to (the science of) hadith, from the women there are those who narrated thousands of hadith. From them those who narrated hundreds of hadith, and from them those who narrated less than a hundred hadith. So this education and it's compulsion (that which has already been clarified) upon the fathers and guardians, if it is not established then they (the guardians) have brought themselves close to destruction. Because they're instrumental in ruining the religion of Allah, and are a cause for the women to be subjected to every evil.

Verily Allah granted the muslim women success, thus they competed with one another in seeking beneficial knowledge. Aisha said: "The women of the ansar.... shyness did not hinder them from seeking understanding of the religion." Narrated by both Al Bukhari and Muslim. Um Darda said: "I searched for worship in everything (I did) and I found it in the sittings of the scholars."

Taken from muaamaraatul kubraa alaal maratil muslimah
Translated by Najeeb Al Angelesi