As Ramadan approaches, it is imperative for Muslims to purify their hearts of malice (ḥiqd). At its least harmful, malice diminishes one’s rank in the sight of Allah and obstructs a believer from performing voluntary acts of goodness. At its most severe, malice becomes a deadly spiritual disease associated with idolatry, unbelief, and even the practices of black magic.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed us to approach Ramadan with hearts free of malice, as indicated by his statement:

“On the middle night of Sha’ban, Allah Almighty looks down upon His creation, and He forgives the believers, but He abandons the people of grudges and malice to their malice.”¹ In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah looks down at His creation on the middle night of Sha’ban, and He forgives all of His creatures, except for an idolater or one who harbors hostility (mushāḥin).²” Imam al-Ṣan‘ānī explained that ‘one who harbors hostility’ refers to a person who carries malice in the heart.³

In a related narration, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ issued a grave warning:

“If not one of three evil traits is within someone, then Allah will forgive whatever else as He wills: one who dies without associating any partners with Allah, one who does not follow the way of black magic, and one who does not harbor malice against his brother.”⁴

In other words, a Muslim who deliberately nurtures malice against his brothers or sisters places himself in the company of idolaters and those who seek aid from devils. Malice is so heinous that Allah may withhold forgiveness from one who persists in it. As Imam al-Munāwī observed, “Malice is an evil portent. Its condemnation has been related by the Book and the Sunnah countless times.”⁵

Clearly, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended for believers to purify themselves of malice by the middle of Sha‘bān—at least two weeks before the arrival of Ramadan. To that end, we must develop a proper understanding of what malice is, how it undermines fasting, and the means by which it is treated, lest our Ramadan be corrupted from within before it even begins.

Malice: The Root of Evil

Imam Ibn Ḥibbān, who compiled the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ in written form, wrote plainly, “Malice is the root of evil. Whoever harbors evil in his heart will have a bitter plant grow, the taste of which is rage and the fruit of which is regret.⁶” There is no acceptable degree of malice, for the scholars have described it as “one of the mothers of sin.⁷” Unlike anger—which is often dangerous but occasionally righteous—malice is never praiseworthy. It is a weed in the garden of the heart and must be uprooted.

Shaykh Ḥasan al-Fayyūmī, one of the Hadith masters of the 9th century Hijrah, defined malice as “to internalize enmity and hatred.⁸” He explained that it is often described as the desire for revenge, and that its true nature emerges when rage cannot be released—because one is unable to retaliate in the moment—causing it to turn inward, fester, and ultimately transform into malice. In this sense, malice is unresolved anger: a smoldering fury that is retained and nurtured until it erupts in acts of vengeance. The desire for revenge and the pleasure of justified rage are beautified by Satan, yet in reality, they are a silent poison that corrupts the believer from within, masking the virtues of character and even sabotaging one’s fasting in Ramadan.

Malice is not a single spiritual disease, either, but rather a constellation of related sins that take root in the heart. Imam Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī listed unjust anger, envy, and malice as a single disease among the major sins.⁹ Further examination of the Hadith commentaries in which malice is mentioned shows that scholars consistently associate it with envy (ḥasad), arrogance (kibr), rancor (ghill), malevolence (ghish), hypocrisy (nifāq), rage (ghayẓ), and lingering grudges (ḍaghāʾin).¹⁰ Indeed, it could be said that ‘all roads lead to malice,’ for it is the central node through which Satan’s whisperings assail the heart. Therefore, purifying the heart of malice disarms the Devil of his most potent of weapons.

Fasting, when observed in accordance with both its outward rules and inward realities, is among the most effective means of treating malice in the heart. The relationship between the two is reciprocal: fasting purifies malice, while malice corrupts fasting. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ urged believers to rid themselves of malice at least two weeks before the onset of Ramadan.

Fasting: A Treatment for Malice

“When I forgave and held no malice toward anyone, I relieved my soul of the anxiety of enmity.” Imam al-Shafi’i [PC: Christopher Stites (unsplash)]

When we fast, we deliberately train ourselves to refrain from retaliation and revenge. We cultivate patience, forbearance, and dignified self-restraint in the face of insult, in accordance with the Prophet’s ﷺ instruction, “If someone insults him or seeks to fight him, let him say: ‘Indeed, I am fasting.’¹²” This posture stands in direct opposition to the impulse of malice. Thus, one who truly fasts is actively resisting malice, even if unaware of its formal or academic definition.

In this light, the commentators understood what the Prophet ﷺ meant when he said,

“Shall I tell you what will rid the chest of disturbances? Fasting for three days each month.¹³” Imam al-San’ani explained, “Disturbances in the chest, that is, its malevolence, malice, rage, hypocrisy, or intense anger. This [ridding of disturbance] is due to the benefit of fasting.¹⁴” 

The righteous predecessors likewise linked fasting to the treatment of malice, specifically citing the Prophet’s ﷺ description of Ramadan as “the month of patience.¹⁵” Al-Ḥārith al-Hamdānī, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Fasting the month of patience—Ramadan—and fasting three days each month removes disorders within the chest.” Mujāhid similarly said, “It removes agitation within the chest.” When asked what agitation in the chest is, he replied, “His malevolence.¹⁶” Imam Ibn Baṭṭāl clarified this linguistic connection, explaining, “Agitation in the chest refers to the inflammation of malice and its burning within the heart.¹⁷”

If malice is the node around which Satan gathers his weapons, then patience is the virtue through which Allah dispenses His cures—such as mercy (raḥmah) and sincere goodwill (naṣīḥah).

Healing from the Disease

Malice is a malignant disease at all times of the year, not only during Ramadan, and its cure is not confined to fasting alone. Imam Ibn Qudāmah, citing the great Imam al-Ghazālī, teaches that the general remedy for diseases of the heart is to compel oneself to act in opposition to them.¹⁸ Thus, if a Muslim feels inclined to curse another person, he should instead force himself to pray for that person’s guidance and well-being—however distasteful this may feel to the heart. As Imam al-Ghazālī observed, such remedies are “very bitter to the heart, yet benefit lies in bitter medicine.¹⁹”

Building upon this insight, Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn al-Ḥumayd, one of the Imams of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām in Mecca, offers the following counsel:

Whoever is afflicted with the disease of malice must compel himself to behave toward the one he resents in a manner opposite to what his malice demands—replacing censure with praise and arrogance with humility. He should place himself in the other’s position and remember that he himself loves to be treated with gentleness and affection; thus, let him treat others in the same way.²⁰

Such, then, is your mission this Ramadan: to enter the month with a heart purified of malice, and to emerge from it fortified against this disease ever taking root again. Strive to place yourself in the position of those you resent, so that you may regard them with empathy and incline your heart toward forgiveness. If nothing else, keep the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ever before your eyes, “Whoever would love to be delivered from Hellfire and admitted into Paradise, let him meet his end with faith in Allah and the Last Day, and let him treat people as he would love to be treated.²¹”

Success comes from Allah , and Allah knows best.

Related:

• Using Ramadan To Forgive Those Who Have Hurt Us In The Past
• Purification Of The Self: A Journey That Begins From The Outside-In

The post Starting Shaban, Train Yourself To Head Into Ramadan Without Malice appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa salatu wa salamu ‘ala Rasoolillah, wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi wa man wala. Amma ba’ad.

Allah ﷻ tells us in the Qur’an about Ramadan in verses that many of us recite each year. They begin with:

“يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا”
“O you who believe!”

One of the companions (radiAllahu ‘anhu) said that whenever you hear this phrase in the Qur’an, pay close attention. Why? Because what follows is either a command towards something good—khayr—or a prohibition from something evil—sharr.

The Command to Fast

Allah ﷻ says:

“يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ”

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain taqwa.”

It’s already written, already decreed—fasting is fardh, a compulsory obligation upon us. Just as it was upon those before us.

Fasting Across Faiths

I remember a brother who converted to Islam. During Ramadan, he attended a school gathering with various religious leaders. When he declined the food, someone from another religious group approached him and said:

“I know why you didn’t eat. It’s Ramadan, isn’t it? You’re fasting.”

The brother replied yes. Interestingly, he had converted from that man’s own religion. The man then said something remarkable:

“Fasting is such a noble thing to do. It’s too bad our religion changed it over the years.”

Many religions have remnants of fasting—maybe avoiding certain drinks or foods—but the tradition has been diluted over time.

The “Criticism” of Islam

People often criticize Islam by saying: “You Muslims are still practicing the same Islam from 1400 years ago.”

SubhanAllah. What a beautiful “criticism”! That’s exactly what we want—to follow the Islam practiced by the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.

Ramadan: A Month of Qur’an and Du’a

In the verses about Ramadan, there’s a powerful interjection. Between the verses on fasting, Allah ﷻ says:

“وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ”
“And when My servant asks you concerning Me—indeed, I am near.”

“أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ”
“I respond to the du’a of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”

Allah ﷻ will answer your du’a. Every single time.

The Power of Du’a

You might make du’a for a Cadillac Escalade. And either:

1. You get it.
2. You get something even better.
3. Allah protects you from a harm you didn’t know about.

Even if your du’a isn’t answered in this life, it’s stored for the Hereafter.

The Prophet ﷺ told us: on the Day of Judgment, when people see the stored rewards of unanswered du’as, they will wish that none of their du’as had been answered in the dunya!

The Cost of Du’a and Intention

What does it cost to make du’a? Nothing.

What about making a good intention? Also nothing.

But the reward? If you make a sincere intention to do good, it’s recorded as if you did it. And if you actually do it? You get 10 times the reward.

Imagine the power of simply sitting down and making lofty intentions:

• “I want to build 1,000 masjids.”
• “I want to donate a billion dollars to da’wah.”
• “I want to bring a thousand people back to Allah.”

Even if only 1% of people fulfilled those intentions, our community would be transformed.

Don’t Let Others Deflate Your Intentions

Sometimes when you make big intentions, someone will say, “That’ll never work. Be realistic.”

That kind of mindset deflates ambition. But the Sahaba didn’t think like that. In fact, the Battle of Badr happened during Ramadan. And what did they do? They fasted and fought.

The Prophet ﷺ made du’a:

“O Allah, if this group is destroyed, You will not be worshipped on Earth.”

Ramadan wasn’t just about fasting—it was about striving.

The Spectators and the Participants

Masajid are packed on:

1. The first night of Ramadan.
2. The last 10 nights.

These are the spectators—the ones watching from the sidelines. But the real participants are in the masjid every night. They push through, read Qur’an while others sip tea, and spend time feeding others—not just feeding themselves.

Shahr al-‘It’am vs. Shahr al-Ta’am

Ramadan is Shahr al-‘It’am—the month of feeding others. But many of us have made it Shahr al-Ta’am—the month of eating!

There’s so much pressure, especially on our sisters, to raise food quality. But is that the essence of Ramadan? Going to dinner parties? Eating more than usual?

The Prophet ﷺ performed i’tikaf in Ramadan—not social dinners. In his last Ramadan, he did 20 days of i’tikaf.

No More Excuses

People often say:

• “I can’t go to the masjid daily.”
  But in Ramadan, they show up every night.
• “I can’t pray Qiyam—it’s too hard.”
  Yet during Ramadan, they wake up early for Suhoor and Qiyam.
• “I can’t live without coffee or cigarettes.”
  But in Ramadan? They go cold turkey from dawn to dusk.

The same goes for Qur’an. A person might read nothing all year, but in Ramadan they finish the entire Qur’an.

Training the Soul

Fasting trains the soul to obey Allah. You’re avoiding things normally halal—like food and drink—because Allah said so.

After Ramadan, avoiding haram becomes easier. Ramadan is about developing taqwa through spiritual training.

What Makes a Ramadan Unforgettable?

Try to remember a Ramadan you’ll never forget. What made it unforgettable?

For most people, it’s tied to Taraweeh:

• A special imam.
• A deep focus.
• Consistent attendance.

But what if that imam isn’t there next year? Will you give up? No. You have to be the one who brings the focus—you extract the benefit, not wait for it.

Behind the Scenes: Life of the Imam

Let me take you backstage—what is Ramadan like for the imam?

• After Fajr: Reviewing Qur’an while everyone else sleeps.
• Daytime: Resting intentionally to preserve energy for night prayers.
• Afternoon: More Qur’an review.
• Iftar: Light meal. If he eats too much, he can’t lead Taraweeh. He might literally vomit—no joke.
• Taraweeh: Complete concentration.
• Post-Taraweeh: Brief rest. Then the cycle continues.

Why? Because the Qur’an is his priority.

Be Like the Imam

Whether you’re leading or not, you can live like the imam.

Let Ramadan become a month of:

• Qur’an
• Discipline
• Du’a
• Intention
• Ibadah

You can even aim to memorize 10 ajza’ this Ramadan. It’s not impossible. People have done it.

Final Thoughts

Don’t be the person who shows up at the airport and says, “I haven’t decided where to go yet.”

If you don’t know your destination, you’ll go nowhere.

Make your intention now. Plan your Ramadan today. Prioritize Qur’an and ibadah above all else. And with Allah’s help, you’ll make this Ramadan unforgettable.

Jazakum Allahu Khayran.
May Allah grant us all a truly epic Ramadan. Ameen.

Related:

Ramadan Duaa Series: The Greatest Delight

5 Duas For Ramadan Therapy | Sh Yahya Ibrahim

The post How to Make this Ramadan Epic | Shaykh Muhammad Alshareef appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

I took Visionaire, a course about making “dream duas,” the last time it was ever taught by Shaykh Muhammad al Shareef. While I thought I would continue to learn and deepen my understanding of his teachings for years to come, Allah had different plans. As I revisit the course in preparation for Ramadan this year, here are the basics of what I learned about making dua from the shaykh before his passing. 

It’s Sunnah to Aim for the Highest in Your Duas  

The Prophet’s final words were a dua. He was lying in the lap of his beloved wife, Aisha , and she just used a miswak to clean his teeth. His final words were, “Oh Allah, in the highest companionship,”¹ referring to his desired station in the akhirah. Throug this dua, we can see the final act of the Prophet was making a lofty dua. 

Following in his footsteps, we should also make huge duas that only Allah can fulfill. Dua is not about us, what we can have, or what we deserve; dua is about the One who will answer it. Thus, we raise our standards when it comes to dua without needing to be timid, moderate, shy, or embarrassed to ask Allah or anything we want.

If we can reach the zone of “slightly unrealistic,” we’ve started asking Allah at a scale that is fitting to His Majesty. We’ve reached that zone when we become confused or feel uncomfortable because we can’t figure out how a dua could ever come into volition. For example, someone wants to change their career and needs time and money for further education. Once they start struggling to figure out the logistics of how they would make ends meet without working full-time and balance their family life, that’s where Allah’s Divine capability intercedes. The duas we make should aim to reflect Allah’s infinite ability and not our finite human limitations.  

You Can Make Dua Out of Pain or Pleasure

We can make dua from a state of pain or pleasure, and that Allah listens to both. 

Allah answers the duas of pain and desperate need and says so in the Quran.

“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember.” [Surah An-Naml; 27:62]

The Prophet has also taught us that Allah guarantees to answer anyone who uses the specific dua of Prophet Yunus ²

“And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” [Surah Al-Anbiya; 21:87]

The good news is that when we are trapped in the belly of the whale, so to speak, in our own lives, we know our pleas will be answered. However, if times of crisis are the only times when we make dua, we will find ourselves constantly needing to be in a disaster to perform this powerful act of worship. On the flip side, when we’re not in pain, we completely disconnect from dua and remain quiet. That sounds pretty sad and is a huge disadvantage to only make dua from pain. 

However, we can also make dua out of pleasure–ones that make us excited and put a smile on our faces. These duas are the ones we say, “I can’t wait to get into sajdah to make dua for this” because we’re looking forward to having them answered with so much anticipation. These duas can be separated into three broad categories: things we want to experience, things we want to own, and the type of person we would like to become. Being able to connect to the duas that encapsulate our dreams, is not silly or trivial. They build the intimacy in our relationship with Allah because we continue to ask and ask and ask from Him, even during the good times.

Finally, we should look for hacks to create optimistic duas we can feel excited for even during times of sadness and distress. If we are experiencing doom during a calamity, is there a happy future we can look forward to? We should try to make dua for that as a solution to the current crisis we are facing. For example, a woman has just given birth but has severe health complications and has been in the ICU for a week. While her family is distraught, hoping she’ll recover, they probably can’t think of anything else to pray for. Instead of repeating Ya Allah, give her a full recovery, maybe they can look forward to the mom enjoying her baby’s first birthday or high school graduation in full health. Ya Allah, let her bake the baby’s first birthday cake. Ya Allah, let her make a heartfelt speech about her baby’s accomplishments at his graduation dinner.  Doesn’t that sound optimistic, exciting, and so beautiful? Sometimes, it is easier to repeat a dua and stay consistent with asking for it when the dua itself looks on the brighter side of a painful, trying situation.

Give Your Dua an Emotional Charge

“The undercurrent to making dua regularly and being truly committed to it is being moved emotionally in some way.” [PC: Haci Elmas (unsplash)]

Dua is Not Just Spontaneous, it Involves Careful Preparation and Diligent Work

Dua doesn’t have to be a spontaneous string of words that come from fleeting feelings in our hearts at the given time of the dua. Dream duas that we commit to repeating often involve careful preparation. We must introspect on our current lives and the future lives we wish to live. We can try to visualize what those duas would look, smell, feel, sound, and taste like. We can explore all of the possibilities and brainstorm before committing to a select few. We can think about the words that best capture what we imagine. It might take 10 or 20 attempts to find the perfect wording for a dua and even involve input from others. The duas we make don’t have to be carefully guarded and secret; we are welcome to get help for them. 

The work doesn’t stop at coming up with the duas. We can commit to making dua according to a dua habit we devise. (Specifically in Visionaire, the dua habit involves making dream duas multiple times a day/night throughout Ramadan and for 6 months afterwards.) We can also commit to working on making those duas come true with our own efforts, keeping in mind that we seek the worldly means and trust in Allah .³

Grand Duas Help us Grow

As humans, there is no point where we’ve finally “arrived” or “made it” in our lives because things constantly change. We are either growing or dying in everything we do. There is always another mountain to climb; we just have to be the ones to find it. The champion MMA fighter Khabib couldn’t get any higher than being a world champion, right? What he decided to pivot to next was coaching a future world champion. He found another goal to fight for. Our grand “dream duas” benefit us by helping us find, and eventually achieve, our next growth. 

Moreover, dream duas can help motivate us, keep us focused on a clear vision, and hold ourselves accountable. If we find that there are duas we keep coming back to over 5-10 years, we can double down on investing in ourselves in those areas to complete our end of the bargain.⁴ We can do whatever we can in that area and leave the rest to Allah .   

Don’t Feel Guilty about Making Dua for Dunya 

There is nothing wrong with making dua for the dunya. In the Quran, we are taught to say a dua that asks for the best in this dunya.

But among them is he who says, “Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” [Surah Al-Baqarah; 2:201]

The key is that we are not exclusively making dua for the dunya. That feeling of guilt is coming from Shaytan, who is trying to prevent us from engaging in a good deed. We shouldn’t be shy about asking for anything from Allah. As a matter of fact, the more we ask, the happier Allah is and the closer we become to Allah through dua. 

Another form of guilt that can deceive us is feeling as if we shouldn’t ask for more if we’re supposed to be grateful for what we already have. However, Allah states that those who are truly grateful will experience an ever-increasing abundance of more to be grateful for [https://quran.com/ibrahim/7.] This dispels the idea that being truly grateful means that a person will never deserve, or desire, more.

I’m Too Scared to Make Dua for the Wrong Thing

Some of us may be faced with dua paralysis when we feel nervous that we are going to ask Allah for something that will turn out to be bad for us in the end. To quell this fear, we should look at the three ways in which Allah answers duas. The first answer to the dua is yes, and exactly what the dua asked for. The second answer is yes, but not now. It will happen later. And the third is yes, but I have something better for you. The protection from making dua for a bad thing is built into the way Allah promises to answer all duas, so make the dua and then leave the rest to Allah . We must have the best opinion of Allah and know that He will always send us good according to His all-encompassing knowledge⁵.  

Dua is a Lifeforce that will Change You

Dua is a lifeforce that reminds us of the miracles that we are. Aren’t humans just “ghosts inside a skeletal meat living on a rock hurtling through space?” Shaykh Muhammad reminds us.⁶ Our lives are a sign of Our Creator, the One who can do what we aren’t even capable of imagining or knowing. Thus, dua isn’t about us; it’s about the all-powerful and infinite God whom we worship. As a matter of fact, even non-Muslims know dua works–they just call it by different names like manifesting, the principle of positive attraction, etc. Even Shaytan knows dua works…and he shows us how intensely he understands that duas are not about the asker, but the Responder. Shaytan makes the craziest dua–to live forever and have the power to tempt and lead mankind astray. That is a scary level of yaqeen we can all learn from.

Dua is the only tool we have to rewrite our destiny. Dua is larger than us. Sometimes we feel like we have to change a lot of things in our lives in order to start or return to making dua. However, we don’t need to change; all we need to do is begin in order for dua to change us. Allah will outstrip our smallest baby steps at the onset of this journey and facilitate our progress as we strive to turn and ask from Him.⁷ So, what are we waiting for now? Get excited about making dua. Godspeed!

Related:

– Constructing Your Personal Arafah Dua List I Sh. Muhammad Alshareef & Sh. Yahya Ibrahim

– From The Chaplain’s Desk: Sayyid Al-Istighfar – The Greatest Dua For Seeking Forgiveness

The post What Shaykh Muhammad Al Shareef Taught Us About Making Dua appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

A Companion In The Grave 

This devotion to reading Surah al-Mulk is new, and something I’m doing solely for myself. Some random lady at a masjid wearing a niqab told me that reading it every night will make it a companion in my grave that will save me from being punished.¹ That sounds like a hack I’m willing to believe in and implement.       

The fear of the punishment of Hell is supposed to be a great motivator for Muslims; otherwise, why would it be mentioned in the Quran in horrifying detail? But when I hear about the punishments of Hell, I don’t break a sweat. Sorry…Hell? It’s just too abstract and theoretical to impact me. I’ve got to die first, wait for the entire world to end in an insane earthquake, be resurrected, and go through the Day of Judgment with all of humanity, and then maybe eventually I’ll be thrown into a pit of fire. I’ve got a lot of time before any of that happens.

But what truly scares me is what is real in this world: that’s the punishment in the grave. If I read a few words about life in the grave, I’m paranoid for a whole day and sobered up for a good week. Why? Because I’ve been to a cemetery, prayed a funeral prayer with a dead body in front of the congregation, smelled the sickly scents inside of a morgue, and seen a fresh pile of earth next to an empty grave. To me, that’s real, and I could be in my own grave tomorrow night, for all I know.  

So, I spend the hour break during student government camp at sixteen years old, making sure I deal with my life in the grave adequately. It is a miracle I am there in the first place–but a miracle with conditions. I could go if and only if I promised I would not a) attend the dance, and b) perform in the skit/dance competition between schools. It was something I put on the table outright when negotiating going on a multi-day-and-night co-ed trip. My parents were already not fans of my decision to join the student government, and going to this camp was unofficially mandatory for everyone. I knew I was pushing my luck, but they eventually signed the permission slip and I packed my bags before they could change their minds!

That Night

It’s from out of these very bags that I pull the full-blown carpet janaamaz, my yellow namaz dupatta with the tiny Sindhi mirrors studded all over it, and my mushaf every day of the trip. I admit, it’s an assortment of odd additions to what could easily be a trip brimming with unabashed rule-breaking away from home. There are two things I would guard on this trip, no matter what: praying all five prayers every day, even if they are all late, and reading Surah Al-Mulk before I sleep. These are not things I promised my parents. These are not things they ask me to do or keep track of at home. These are things I do to prepare myself for my grave.

“There are two things I would guard on this trip, no matter what: praying all five prayers every day, even if they are all late, and reading Surah Al-Mulk before I sleep.” [PC: Md Mahdi (unsplash)]t

My friend disturbs me as our free time concludes, saying she’s off to meet the others for dinner if I want to join her now. I haven’t finished, but I’ll wrap it up before bed. The next couple of hours aren’t extraordinary–eating dinner in the cafeteria and attending a leadership seminar of some sort. After that is the big dance, which I am not attending, of course. I run into some minor problems, though: nobody else is going to the dorm, and I’m worried about walking by myself at night on an unfamiliar college campus, and I’ll be passing right by the dance that’s happening in a courtyard along the way. I’m already feeling hesitant about being alone, and I’m very aware of the fact that I’m definitely the black sheep in the student government group. As I try to figure out how to get back to the dorm on my own at the top of the steps towards the festivities, some of the seniors press me to join them. It only takes a couple of entreaties, and my curiosity takes the best of me.

I descend the concrete steps into Dante’s Inferno with the gaggling group of senior girls, a reluctant smile on my face. I’m going to my first high school dance and I know this is the only time I’ll ever get away with it. Maybe prom won’t be too much to ask for in two years…? I pass Mr. Garcia, the teacher in charge of our high school’s group, and see a smirk flit across his face. He knows I’m breaking my moral code because I expressly told him I need to be excused from all dancing activities for religious reasons. I push it from my mind and tell myself to see what this quintessential high school experience is all about. 

The rest of the night goes poorly. Although I’m no stranger to dance parties with my sisters and our friends, I can’t relax here. My shoulders are tense, my throat is tight, and my jaws feel hot the same way they get when I’m lying. I can’t make myself smile, and my limbs jerk in an awkward way when I try to groove along to a beat. I have danced to these very songs so many times, but here, I’m too aware that the air is heavy with teenage sexual angst. I try to ignore it, but I’m too busy being disgusted and feeling guilty for breaking my promise to my parents and going against my personal code. I finally see what grinding looks like in person, and I am horrified; particularly to see some girls I look up to partaking in what looks like a pre-mating ritual. I get what all the hullabaloo about banning it from school dances is about now. 

I think of another tactic: I take in the oppressive air and use the energy to my strategic advantage towards a cute, unassuming white guy from my school that I’ve been nursing a crush on for a while. This is my chance to make a tiny move–nothing too extreme. I’m trying to muster up the courage, but I can’t breathe enough to propel myself into action. Is the air as thick as slime, or is it just me? I look around and want to close my eyes to everything I see. 

All I wanted to do was have a good time! I scream at myself in my mind. Grudgingly, I know it’s not going to happen here. I’m not like the rest of them, even the other Pakistani girl who is also Muslim and has been empathetically nudging me towards all the haram things that the others do. I can’t be like the rest of them, even if I want to be. 

I decide to leave before I can witness more of my classmates’ t strange escapades, not sparing a care about getting back to the dorm on my own. I nudge my roommate and tell her I’m not feeling well and need to bounce. Luckily for me, she has a headache and wants to knock out. We walk towards the steps, and I make sure to wave down my teacher and let him know we’re leaving. I hope he chokes on the fact that I only spent half an hour here and had a horrible time. 

Not Tonight, My Friend

Twenty years later, I admit that I have thought about that night often, particularly when I feel tired and would rather sleep than read Surah Al-Mulk. They say that the Quran can be a companion, and when I hope it can be a companion in my grave, I remember wearing the dupatta while reading the surah and hearing the ocean. I remember walking down the steps to the dance into the muggy air pregnant with teenage titillation. I remember feeling like I was moving through sludge even though I thought I could indulge in a secret night away. I wonder how I could do such opposing things in the same night. I feel the surah wrapping its mustard yellow wings around me in an embrace. Holding me, it whispers–not tonight, my friend. I’ve got you. Somehow, it was my wingman back then, saving me that one night and thus probably on many others.  I remember that night when I can hardly look at myself in the mirror from the shame and guilt from my sins of the day and feel that I am not worthy of reading Surah Al-Mulk. But we’ve experienced so much together since that night at UCSB. I owe it so much and I know I can’t leave it hanging now.  Once I’m six-feet under, I I hope it returns the favor and clings onto me.

Related:

– Lessons From Surah Al-Mulk: How The Bees And Birds Teach Us About Tawakkul

– Surah Al Waqiah Paid My Tuition Twice

The post Why I Can’t Leave Surah Al-Mulk Hanging Every Night appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

There is no one optional act that is the best in all situations, or for all people. Rather, as Ibn Taymiyyah wrote: “As to what you asked about concerning the best of acts after the obligations, this varies in accordance with people’s differing abilities and what is suitable for their time. Therefore, it is not possible to furnish a comprehensive, detailed answer for each individual.”¹

This implies that we must each gain the spiritual intelligence to appreciate what deeds are of most benefit for us to do, given our abilities or particular circumstances. In other words, after fulfilling the fara’id and shunning the haram, our suluk should be tailored to our own specific strengths and abilities in respect to the best way to draw close to Allah and grow beloved to Him.

The path, in this sense, is a vast landscape, accommodating our individual needs or nature. We can, of course, try to self-diagnose. Or we can be wise and be prudent, and seek counsel from spiritually-rooted shaykhs and shaykhas of suluk. It’s about travelling intelligently.

II.

When it comes to optional acts of worship, we should focus on the acts we have the capacity for, are likely to be regular at, can perform well, and will best sharpen our sense of God-consciousness. This is the way to deepen faith and divine love. As for other optional acts, we try to have some share of them too, but not at the expense of ones that Allah has gifted us clear openings for.

Ibn Mas‘ud replied, when he was asked why he did not fast optional fasts more frequently: ‘When I fast, it weakens my capacity to recite the Qur’an; for reciting the Qur’an is more beloved to me than fasting.’²

III.

Not to belabour the point of spiritual intelligence, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah was asked about how faith can be increased and perfected, and if one must take to asceticism (zuhd) or to knowledge to attain this? His reply is insightful; he said:

‘People differ in this aspect. From them are those who find knowledge easier than asceticism. For some, asceticism is easier. Yet for others, worship is easier than both. So what is legislated for each person is to do what they are capable of from the good; as Allah, exalted is He, says:

“So fear Allah as much as you are able and listen and obey and spend [in the way of Allah ]; it is better for yourselves. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful.” [Surah At-Taghabun; 64:16]

…It may be that a person does a deed of lesser merit and acquires more from it than from doing a deed of superior merit. So what is better is that he seeks what will benefit him more. That, for him, is best. He must not seek to do that which is most meritorious in an absolute sense if he is incapable, or if he finds it hard. Just like someone who reads the Qur’an, meditates over it, and benefits from its recitation, yet finds [optional] prayer difficult and does not benefit from it. Or he benefits from making dhikr more than he benefits from reciting the Qur’an. So whatever action is more beneficial and more pleasing to Allah is the best for him, than an act he cannot do properly but only deficiently and so loses out on the benefit.’³

Of course, if we are not careful, all of this critical consideration can be hijacked by the ego, so that we are deluded into false judgments about what is spiritually best for us. The ego must be removed from the driver’s seat. So while past scholars are still indispensable for learning spiritual guidance, there’s nothing like living shaykhs who are able to impart actualised, qualified tazkiyah instruction to seekers in these delirious times.

[This article was first published here]

Related:

– IOK Ramadan 2025: Good Deeds Erase Bad Deeds | Shaykha Ayesha Hussain

–The Forgotten Sunnahs: Ihsan, Itqaan, And Self-Reliance

The post The Best Deed After the Obligations appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم وسيد المرسلين وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

[The detailed work of al-Imām Abī ʿAbdullāh Shihāb al-Dīn al-Tūrbishtī al-Ḥanafī, Maṭlab al-Nāsik fī ʿIlm al-Manāsik, contains sections on the virtues of the Levant and its people, its importance now, in the past, and in the end of times, followed by a section on al-Aqṣā, a translation of which may similarly follow. All of these shed light on the spirit of the Levantine peoples, particularly the Palestinians, in light of current events, for where many others would break apart in the advent of such atrocities—in the face of the loss of families, bloodlines, destruction of homes and one’s homeland as well as all that he had ever known—the Palestinian, as Taha Abderrahmane succinctly indicates, remains to be the embodiment of the Perfect Man (al-Insān al-Kāmil) in our age, proclaiming God’s praise and treading forward with duty regardless of what befalls him. This is not detached from the blessings the Levantine lands have been imbued with. As such, there may hardly ever be a more appropriate time to recount their virtues and significance—not to succumb to the civilizational weakness of the ummah and romanticize the anguish of our brethren, but to remember the nobility of the land we fight for, its inhabitants, and the sacrifices of those who have entrusted the torch to us that we must carry. May we be proven worthy.]

God, the Exalted, said, “Exalted is He who took His Servant [i.e., Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ] by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, whose surroundings We have blessed.”¹ This verse indicates the virtue of al-Aqṣā from two perspectives.

One, [it refers] to the night journey undertaken by the Messenger ﷺ from the Ḥarām thereto so that he may fulfill his particular position in the most perfect of manners, complete his ﷺ status as the noblest of the Prophets, and so that for him the two virtues may be gathered and a qiblah from the two may be preferred.

Two, it is an indication to the blessings dedicated for its surroundings, for the blessing being connected to the general surroundings are closer and more complete in relation to the meaning than for the case to be restricted to the mosque alone, and so there is an exhortation towards the affirmation of the blessings that are perpetuated from it to the worlds.

Then we understand from the meaning of the statement that the most beneficial of these blessings and exalted in welfare is the foundation upon the earth of the Mosque, which necessitates the perpetuation of blessings in its surroundings. It is as the root, and the surroundings as the ancillary, and as such the latter follows in being blessed, as is the case for the surroundings of the Ḥaram in relation to the Bayt al-Ḥaram.

And which land may be more blessed than the one which God has chosen for his faithful servants? There is not a place therein where so much as a fingertip may reach except that a Prophet had prostrated thereupon or glorified God. None has preceded it in attaining this status except Masjid al-Ḥarām.

From the time of the one who spoke to God—Moses, peace be upon him—it was a station of prayer till the time of the abrogation [of the Mosaic prophethood]. Seventeen months following the emigration, Muḥammad ﷺ faced it, before which he prayed therein with the Prophets during the night of Isrāʾ. It is blessed from every aspect, and so, then, we do not say that today it retains the same honor it did as the days prior. Rather, it has become even more honorable by the virtue of the Messenger ﷺ turning to it, being taken thereto during the night journey, and praying in it. The virtues of the two Sanctuaries are even greater in nature, but these do not decrease from its virtue, but attest to and increase its noble nature.

It is more noble to supplicate to God, the Exalted, by being in its vicinity and praying therein, seeking closeness to Him by visiting it. The Messenger ﷺ particularly designated it as a place of visitation along with the two Sanctuaries.

It was narrated from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Do not undertake a journey except to three mosques: Masjid al-Ḥarām, my own Masjid, and Masjid al-Aqṣā.”²

He, may God be pleased with him, said, “The Ḥarām was mentioned, as was the Aqṣā in the Book, in the form of adjectives. As for what has come in the Sunnah, they are majorly in the form of annexations, like the saying ‘congregational mosque (Masjid al-Jāmiʿ) and ‘truth of certainty’ (ḥaqq al-yaqīn), indicating the mosque on a given day in which a congregation is held or the truth of certainty belonging to a specific matter. The Ḥarām is the Mosque of the greater nation, whilst al-Aqṣā is the mosque of a smaller portion.”

There is another facet of this to uncover, which is that the Arabs connected larger ideas to singular words when there were two different words to denote a particular concept. As such, they would use “al-Aqṣā” to denote the mosque, but this carries the larger meaning of the larger compound as was mentioned by the Messenger ﷺ and his companions.

Masjid al-Aqṣā is an Islamic name. It has come in some ḥadīths in the form of Masjid al-Īliyāʾ. We have cited this facet in the first chapter of our book, and such is how it was known prior to the advent of Islām. It was also referred to by Uri Shalem, by the People of the Book, in Hebrew. It was said that it means “House of Peace” (bayt a-salām)—this is how it was known to the Arabs. Al-Aʿshā said,

Wealth has been carried—

To the ends of Amman, Homs, and Uri Shalem.

Abū Naṣr al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Sajzī called it Uri Salem—with an “s” (sīn), and the “l” appended with an “-e/-i” (kasrah)—as if he was Arabizing it. From a ḥadīth from ʿAṭāʾ, it was mentioned in some books, “Give Uri Shalem the glad tidings of the rider of the donkey.” (This is in reference to the Messenger ﷺ when he journeyed during the night of Isrāʾ.) As was narrated from Kaʿb, “Paradise is in the Seven Heavens, centered by Bayt al-Maqdis, for which it was called Uri Shalem (the Complete Light).”³

He said, God be pleased with him, that the d (dal) Bayt al-Maqdis is pronounced only slightly, followed by an -i vowel (kasrah). It was named such for it had been purified—cleansed—of sins. It was also said that it was to be pronounced as Bayt al-Muqaddas.

It was narrated from Anas bin Mālik that the Messenger ﷺ said, “I arrived in an animal larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, which would place its hooves [when it ran] as far as its sight [went]. I mounted it, and Jibrīl, peace be upon him, was with me, and so we left. He told me to dismount and pray [after a point], and so I did. He asked, ‘Do you know where you prayed? You have prayed at the center of emigration (Madīnah). He said again [later], ‘Dismount and pray.’ I did so, and he asked [again], ‘Do you know where you have prayed? You have prayed at the Ṭūr of Mount Sinai where God [the Exalted] had spoken to Mūsā, peace be upon him.’ [We traveled some more] and then he asked [once more], ‘Do you know where you have prayed? You have prayed at Bethlehem where ʿĪsā, peace be upon him, was born.’ I entered Bayt al-Maqdis afterwards, and the Prophets were gathered before me, peace be upon them, and Jibrīl walked me to lead them [in prayer].”⁴

If it is asked that the statement that “I prayed where the emigrants stepped [foot] in” contradicts the ḥadīth of Jarīr—“Indeed, God, the Exalted, revealed to me, “Whichever of these lands you settle in will be the place of your emigration: Madīnah, Bahrain, or Qinnasrīn.”⁵—why is it that the first report involves specification and the latter choice?”

We respond that the difference comes due to history [and timing], which does not imply a deficiency on any part. It can be said thus that he was inspired before the Isrāʾ for what was mentioned in the ḥadīth of Jarīr, before or after which the night of Isrāʾ was clarified to him. He had been informed about his migration but was unable to stay in Madīnah. He made it easy for his companions, as appeared in his saying: “I was shown your place of migration. I was shown a salty land with palm trees situated between two volcanic stones.”⁶

From what supports this is that a group of anṣār (Helpers) met with the Messenger ﷺ, who spoke to them about the situation. They said, “When we return to our people, we will convey this ḥadīth.” The following year, twelve men came and pledged allegiance to him upon Islām—this was the first pledge of al-ʿAqabah. They promised to arrive the following year with the rest of their people and take him to their homeland. The year came, [the promise was fulfilled,] and this was the second pledge of al-ʿAqabah. The majority of the people of knowledge held that the Isrāʾ was after the first pledge of al-ʿAqabah and before the second. There are also those who say that it was prior to the hijrah by a year, or a year and two months, or sixteen months. Further positions were not mentioned to us.

If the ḥadīth of Abū Mūsā is asked about, wherein the Messenger ﷺ said, “I saw in my dream that I emigrated from Makkah to the land where dates grow, and I was afraid that it was al-Yamāmah or Hajr, when it was [in fact] the city of Yathrib.”⁷ We say that this report does not contradict the previous one, as he said, “I was afraid (fa-dhahaba wahlī, literally meaning “my fear turned to…”).” This is not based on an opinion or anything of the sort, but is a grammatical matter that is not concerned with the knowledge of Prophethood in any form.

“When it was [in fact] the city of Yathrib”—there are differences concerning what led to his fear, so the reality was clarified to him. It is the same whether it was explained to him during the dream or whilst he was awake.

It was narrated from Dhū-l-Aṣābiʿ that he said, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], if we are tested with remaining after you [have passed], what do you command us to do? He responded, ‘Upon you is Bayt al-Maqdis. Perhaps God [the Exalted] may provide you with offspring who visit it [frequently].’”⁸

With a chain tracing back to al-Ṭabarānī, it has also been narrated via Dhū-l-Aṣābiʿ that he asked, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], should we be tested with remaining after your passing, where do you command us [to go]? He replied, “Upon you is Bayt al-Maqdis. Perhaps offspring will be made for you who will visit the Masjid frequently and be delighted.”⁹

It was narrated from Dhū-l-Aṣābiʿ that he said, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], if we are tested with remaining after you [have passed], what do you command us to do? He responded, ‘Upon you is Bayt al-Maqdis. Perhaps God [the Exalted] may provide you with offspring who visit it [frequently].’” [PC: Cole Keister (unsplash)]

As for the virtues of prayer therein, we have mentioned several aḥādīth prior.

Regarding the virtues of praying in Bayt al-Maqdis, we have also mentioned several reports. Among those is what has been narrated from Abū-l-Dardāʾ, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Prayer at the Masjid al-Ḥarām is similar to a hundred thousand prayers, at my Masjid a thousand, and at Bayt al-Maqdis five hundred.”¹⁰

It was also  narrated from Abū-l-Dardāʾ that the Messenger ﷺ said, “The virtue of prayer in the Masjid al-Ḥarām, compared to prayers outside of it, is a hundred thousand [of such]; in my Masjid, it is like a thousand; and in Bayt al-Maqdis, it is like five hundred.”¹¹

With a chain tracing back to Aḥmad al-ʿAssāl, it was narrated from Abū Dharr, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, who said, “I said, O Messenger of God ﷺ, is prayer at your Masjid more virtuous than prayer at Bayt al-Maqdis? He replied, ‘A prayer in my Masjid is better than four prayers there (i.e. Bayt al-Maqdis)—a blessed place for prayer. It is the land of gathering and resurrection.’”¹²

If it is said that this report contradicts what has preceded, we respond that these reports, if they are taken from Saʿīd bin Bashīr Abī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, the leader of Banī Naṣr from the people of Damascus, then many of the aʾimmah of the text[-ual sciences] have spoken regarding this, saying, “He had a poor memory and atrocious handwriting.”¹³ On Saʿīd bin Sālim al-Qaddāḥ—Abū ʿUthmān al-Khurāsānī—they narrated, “He would make several mistakes in narrations, and would bring reports the opposite way.”¹⁴

The matter is thus as Abū Dharr had narrated, which is the first of the reports mentioned. God [the Exalted] had increased it in its virtue by mentioning it beside, and subordinating it to, the virtue of the mosque of Madīnah.

If it is asked, “Why is the matter not settled in the heart?” We respond that the matter is based upon sayings on the virtues of prayer in the mosque of the Messenger of God ﷺ, which is equivalent to a thousand prayers offered elsewhere. This is all based on authentic textual evidence as opposed to statements that lack such decisive proof, and God [the Exalted] knows best.

If it is then asked, “Did the authentic texts not establish that prayer in the mosque of the Messenger ﷺ is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere save for the Ḥarām, which implies that prayer al-Aqṣā and other masājid are of the same value? How is this contradiction resolved?”

We respond that it has been established in the reports of Abū-l-Dardāʾ and Abū Dharr, and it is possible to resolve [the apparent contradiction] between the two, which is to affirm that prayer in al-Aqṣā would have resembled prayers elsewhere save for the Two Sanctuaries if not for what we have already established [in terms of it being equivalent to five hundred prayers in typical circumstances]. God [the Exalted] is aware of its authenticity.

It was narrated from ʿAbd-Allāh ibn ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Sulaymān, the son of Dāwud, when he created Bayt al-Maqdis, asked God [the Exalted] for three things: judgment that would correspond to God’s own, and it was granted to him; for a kingdom unlike which none will arise thereafter, and it was granted to him; that the one who enters his mosque does not do so except to pray therein, and leaves it sinless as the day he was born.”¹⁵

It was narrated from ʿAbd-Allāh bin ʿUmar that he heard the Messenger ﷺ say, “Sulaymān, the son of Dāwud, asked God [the Exalted] for three things. He was granted two of them, and I hope the third came to him as well. He asked his Lord for judgment that would correspond to His own, and he was granted such; he asked for a kingdom unlike which none would have, and he was granted such; and he asked that when a man leaves the mosque—meaning, Bayt al-Maqdis—having intended nothing but prayer therein, leaves so sinless as the day he was born. We hope this was granted as well.¹⁶

He said, may God be pleased with him, this (i.e., the issue of leaving Bayt al-Maqdis sinless after prayer) matter is connected to hope, for he was not inspired with an answer with regard thereto, nor was he made certain regarding it. However, even if this affair was not clarified specifically, it was still done so on a general level due to his saying that “[the supplication of] every Prophet is answered.”¹⁷

He said, God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, the addition (ziyādah) in this narration— according to what we have narrated from the book of al-Nasāʾī—is not reliable, due to the position of ʿAbd-Allāh bin Muḥammad bin Saʿīd bin Abī Maryam al-Miṣrī. Ibn ʿAdī, regarding him, said, “He was neglectful and did not know what left his head or would purposefully lie.”¹⁸

It was narrated from Maymūnah, the freed slave of the Messenger ﷺ, that she said, “O Messenger of God [ﷺ], instruct us regarding Bayt al-Maqdis.” He replied, “Go there and pray therein”—the land was in a state of war at the time–“and if you cannot do it, then send oil so that its lamps may be lit.”¹⁹

He [Ibn Mājah] said, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, that in some chains of the report, it has been narrated as follows: “Go there and pray, for prayer therein is as a thousand prayers elsewhere.”²⁰

It was narrated from Abū Hurayrah, may God [the Exalted] be pleased with him, that the Messenger ﷺ said, “Whoever passes away in Bayt al-Maqdis, it is as though he has passed away in the heavens.”²¹

Abū Jaʿfar Luwayn said, “What is meant in the report is not Bayt al-Maqdis itself, but the city in which it is located.”

Our master said, “In the chain (isnād) of this ḥadīth is Yūsuf bin ʿAṭiyyah Abū Sahl al-Ṣaffār al-Baṣrī, who is weak. Even if the report is proven, the implication of the saying that ‘it is as though he passed in the heavens’ carries a tone of reverence of the place and its loftiness and the safety of the Muslims who pass away therein, for the people of the Heavens are not amongst the punished due to their own elevated nature and the particularization of the place that has been indicated.”

Then we mention that it is the greatest of frontiers of Islām—a House wherein the Prophets had worshipped [God, the Exalted]—where the Muslims had gathered to overpower their enemies, for which much blood was shed at the beginning of the sincere servants of God [the Exalted]. But when the Commander of the Faithful, ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him, arrived, they became afraid, their hearts trembled, and their thoughts became troubled. Unable to find a way out, they requested safety in a state of subjugation. Terror had filled them—they departed, with God [the Exalted] having weakened their foundations, broken their supports, and disappointed their hopes.

Following their end came [new] generations—a time of seizing a novel opportunity—a group from Banī ʿUbayd camped there and took control, making clear the faults in their defenses and the futility of their hopes. God [the Exalted] then willed that their capabilities should be weakened and their structures destroyed after ninety years of rule by the King and mujāhid Nūr al-Dīn Muḥammad bin Sanqar [al-Zengī], may God sanctify his martyrdom and elevate his soul. He was a pillar of the Abbasid Caliphate—may God [the Exalted] raise its position and increase its supporters—who unsheathed his sword with his battalions whose mention extended to the horizons, rising [in the lands] with the dawn of Islām [in the lands], till the Holy Land was freed of the filth [it possessed prior], save for the Holy House (al-Bayt al-Muqaddas), as it was difficult for him due to the protection surrounding it and impenetrability. He thus took control of its highs and lows for fifteen years. Then he, God have mercy on him, passed away after much service, his memory being remembered in verses:

I said, “May God allow their souls to thrive”—

As though I saw them, and only them.

So whoever passes from good attains [further good],

And whoever is absent, through his remembrance is still present.

After his rule, al-Nāṣir Yūsuf bin Ayyūb stood to power, may God reward him for the good he brought for Islām, and so he took what he took, and so did they. He restricted their capacity to breathe for seven years, until they were finally uprooted and the truth was established in their place.

It has reached me from him, may God have mercy on [his soul], that when he conquered the land and ordered the washing of the rock from impurities, he used his beard instead of a broom [out of reverence]. It is no wonder that God, the Exalted, raised his status when he humbled himself before His Majesty, and honored through him the Ayyūbids. Any breach against the religion, through their presence, remained closed, and schemes of the misguided repelled, until weakness befell them through the sight of what al-Malik al-Kāmil witnessed.²² By God’s grace, he was astute, using his cunning to shield his shortcomings, and being a steed that raced past to be unable to recover from faltering. He retained some things, and yet others eluded him. The words of the poet proved true²³:

Seeing is for the eyes that remain dormant [on the visible],

And witnessing is for that which is not present.

The fury of the dīn and the bed of humiliation were unleashed upon al-Quds, a place of mercy. A poor man from the Ḥijāz walked to Bayt al-Maqdis after the days of the formation of the heinous truce—not out of necessity—and there he saw the foul ones—the bearers of defilement—treading within the purified Mosque. He turned his eyes towards the guard posts, which had now become pens for pigs and seats for those worse than pigs. The zeal of Islām stirred within him as did the generosity of faith, and so he sang:

O king whose aspirations

Have struck the domes of glory above the highest stars

We have laid forth what we have out of concern for the kings of the Levant, the guardians of the truth, in the event that their hearts soften towards the enemies of God [the Exalted] and the enemies of His Messenger ﷺ, and out of compassion for them to wear the armor of shame and be clothed therein. God [the Exalted] honored them by honoring the religion and elevated their rule by elevating His Word. Were honor sought through anything other than those, God [the Exalted] would have turned away from them, their power leaving them, and the earth becoming narrow for their presence despite its vastness.

Whoever ponders upon these words will come to know that it is a reminder for the intelligent and an exhortation towards the negligent. We ask God [the Exalted] to grant us and them success in fulfilling the right of that land and the re-establishment of its sanctity, for it is a place designated for His worship, the exaltation of His Name—a place rendered for sending forth His Revelation, blessed by the Holy Spirit, characterized by an increase in rewards for prayer and iʿtikāf therein for iḥrām (for ḥajj) on one’s path to Masjid al-Ḥarām. We have previously mentioned a ḥadīth narrated from Umm Salamah, may God be pleased with her, from the Messenger ﷺ in the chapter on times (bāb al-mawāqīt).

There were those who had assumed iḥrām from the muhājirīn and the fuqahāʾ from within their population. Amongst them was ʿAbd-Allāh bin ʿUmar, may God be pleased with him; from the anṣār was present Muʿādh bin Jabal; and from the tābiʿīn Kaʿb al-Aḥbār and others. We have previously mentioned others from various generations.

My heart gives in due to the dissipation of this virtue. Although I hail from the Ḥijāz, this intention had come to my heart when I had only been a child. I was light on my feet and able to walk well, and yet I was not taken. Now, I grieve over the loss of that blessing, as I am in my sixties, or have at the very least struck my sixtieth year, and I do not despair that my Lord will grant me the capacity to fulfill this long-cherished desire, enabling me to reach that noble station. It is the place described to quench the thirst of those devoted to God [the Exalted], and to fill with hope the souls of those who were neglectful prior. It is hardly surprising [that it occupies such a status], given that its soil was made more virtuous through one Prophet after another—particularly through the friend of the Most Merciful, may God’s salutations be upon him.

Upon him, from the beloved, every day—

The peace of God when peace is remembered.

I was afraid to seek the landmarks of our faith—

The days of your reign in the lowest of the earth.

Are you not from a noble people?

Blessed roots bring a blessed nature to the tree.

You erected the banners of guidance to crush disbelief,

With a dangerous spear and sharp blade.

They came to destroy what has been established.

I have determined—not the eyes of envy—

That you have seated the enemies of the Messenger,

Raising their sons to the status of the [believers] who prostrate.

Respect the Sharīʿah, for it has changed—

The Law of the Canon has been altered.

Many a covenant was taken from Prophets—

All blasphemed by wine and swine, O Promised One.

My grief lies for the Purified House, for it

Has housed many infidels.

Be honored upon Islām, lest you meet [the fate] of those

Who strut proudly in the mosque.

If you do not fear the gloating of the envious,

The stubbornness of the tyrant, and the power of the aggressor,

Beware the tears of the Muslims and their grief,

And the supplications of the pious.

Remember when you stood in regret, seeking forgiveness

In a day now past from the Prophet Muḥammad.

The Cross has united its supporters—

So O Nation of Islām, does [Islām] have its supporters?

Blessed is the one destined to be the neighbor of that noble Prophet and his noble children.

As for the virtues of the Holy Land and its abundance of characteristics—which the one who spoke to God [the Exalted] asked to be brought to him within a distance of a stone’s throw—[we will mention the following].

It was narrated from Abū Hurayrah, may God be pleased with him, “He asked God that the Holy Land be brought to him within the distance of a stone’s throw.” He added, “The Messenger ﷺ said, ‘If I were able, I would have shown you his grave which lies beside the road, beneath a red dune.’”²⁴

The road to Al-Aqsa [PC: Levi Meir Clancy (unsplash)]

So in conclusion, we return to what we had begun with in the opening. Thus, we say, with a tongue entwined with humility and need, rather than one with eloquence and freedom: O God, by Whose grace good deeds are completed, by whose Words bones are scattered, by Whose signs the heavens and the earth are cut open, and by Whose Names the mountains are set firm: we praise You whilst acknowledging our inability to ever be able to do so sufficiently, and thank You whilst noting our deficiency in doing so. We ask you to send your blessings upon the one who guided us to You—the Prophet of Mercy, Muḥammad , with the purest of blessings and the most perfect of greetings, and to bestow him with the highest of ranks.

[Bestow such as well] upon his family who followed what he legislated and followed the light which was revealed to him—we ask that you bestow upon us from the radiance of Your Glorifications what delivers us from the darkness of ignorance, and guide us thereto [as You protect us from] missteps. Teach us the greatest of ways with which we may glorify You by which we may attain safety from misery and attain Your pleasure on the Day of Meeting. Allow us to taste the coolness of Your forgiveness and the sweetness of Your love, from what we find from You in the essence of life and the delight of subsistence, and not be rendered needy from any other than You—not rendered humiliated by any except You and be fearful or hopeful of any other; in distress except through Your exaltation; in abundance except by Your Face; and in annihilation except in You.

Reward our parents and those who guide us with a reward that fulfills their right on our behalf, and do with us and them as befits You; fulfill our hopes, for we have extended to You the hands of supplication, O Guider of the perplexed, and the Face of those who ask; O God, assist the nation of Islām by filling their schisms and uniting their spread, for the rupture has spread far and wide.

Preserve, O God, Your Prophet Muḥammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in every branch of his fountainhead and tree—the bringer of guidance with the party of truth. O God, support him with a support… from which stem the signs of victory and triumph. O God, this House—the stronghold of Your religion and the nest of Your friends, is from Your creation and subtlety. Help the builders [of nations built in Your Name], the helpers of those who call to You, and soldiers who fight for You. Break, O God, those who seek to break us, and strike them with a crushing force to break their faces and backs. Do not, O God, allow the party of Satan and tyrants to attain victory over those who have witnessed and held firmly to the truth in Your path. Indeed, You are Most Noble and Merciful (al-Karīm al-Raḥīm). Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and salutations be upon our Prophet Muḥammad and his family.

Related:

– The Glorious Virtues of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa

– 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Masjid Al-Aqsa

The post The Virtues Of Al-Aqsa And Traveling Thereto: A Translation From Maṭlab Al-Nasik appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

“And they ask you about menstruation. Say, “It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure. And when they have purified themselves, then come to them from where Allah has ordained for you. Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.“ [Surah Al-Baqarah;2:222]

Given that the context of the verse is about women’s menstruation, the first thing included in the idea of purification, or taharah, is purification of the body from physical and ritual impurities. Scholars further include in it all the other types of purification, the consummate summary of which has been given to us by Ibn Qudamah, who wrote:

‘Know that purification has four levels: Firstly, to purify the body from ritual impurities, physical impurities, and excretions. Secondly, to purify the limbs from sins and disobedience. Thirdly, to purify the heart from its odious traits and deplorable vices. Fourthly, to purify the innermost being from all else save Allah , exalted is He; this being the ultimate goal.’¹

The verse tells us a fundamental principle, which is that Allah loves — and that in itself is a profound thing — those who frequently turn to Him in sincere contrition and repentance, and those who actively purify themselves and who are purified. Thus, after purifying one’s basic beliefs concerning Allah and the meaning of life and the purpose of existence, by declaring the two shahadahs, the whole process of reshaping ourselves starts. And where does it begin, practically in our tradition? It begins with the fiqh rules regarding the purity of water, and then to use this water to cleanse and purify our limbs according to the shari‘ah. Then, at least outwardly, we are in a purified state to bow and pray. That is where it all begins. This is where the reshaping truly starts: with outward purification.

Is that all there is to purification, just the issues of fiqh al-taharah; of bodily hygiene? Absolutely not! For as we saw in Ibn Qudamah’s schematic, there’s much more to it. For beyond this level of taharah, there is restraining the limbs from what is unlawful (haram). This involves keeping our tongue, eyes, and ears pure by averting our hearing or gaze, or caging our tongue, from what Allah has forbidden; doing so seeking His good pleasure or rida.

The third degree moves us from the outward to the inward: the diseases and impurities of the heart. It is where we roll up our sleeves to spiritual combat the pride, vanity, hypocrisy, and/or insincerity within us, for instance. But so much of the time, the heart gets so rusted that we become desensitised to the heart’s vices. Unlike physical impurities, whose presence can be seen or smelt, this inner filth can’t be sensed by a person. We often require someone with a purer soul to point out to us that we are giving off a bad spiritual odour. Otherwise, we are usually none the wiser. It is this obligatory, inner purification of the heart that begins to make all the difference.

As for the fourth degree, which, for the likes of us, is almost unimaginable, it is keeping the heart focused on Allah and mindful of His Presence in our lives. Any distraction at this profound degree is a veil, almost like a sin, and hence a kind of impurity. Religion is about awakening to Allah . It is about vigilance and remembrance of Allah . Heedlessness is an impurity that must be cleansed. This is the fourth degree: to empty the heart of whatever distracts it from Allah .

A cardinal trait in our spiritual wayfaring, or suluk, says Ibn al-Qayyim, is that of reigning in our desires; our tendency to step out of the light and into the shadows. He said:

‘The wayfaring of one seeking Allah and the Afterlife will not be sound except with restraints: Restraining one’s heart to seek and want only Him, training it to turn away from all but Him. Restraining the tongue from whatever will not be of benefit to it, training it to constantly remember Allah and all that increases it in faith and knowledge of Him. And restraining the limbs from sins and doubtful acts, training them to fulfil the obligations and recommendations. He must not part with such restraints till He meets his Lord.’²

With that being so, the journey to Allah practically begins from the outside in. It is with the fiqh rules of outward, bodily, and ritual purification (taharah), along with a few other day-to-day shari‘ah duties, that true inward, spiritual purification (tazkiyah) is activated and gradually realised.

***

[This article was first published here]

Related:

– IOK Ramadan: The Importance of Spiritual Purification | Keys To The Divine Compass [Ep30]

– Practical Tips for Purification of the Heart

The post Purification Of The Self: A Journey That Begins From The Outside-In appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The month of Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar, it is one of the four sacred months mentioned in the Qur’an [Surah At-Tawbah, 9:36]. This month holds deep historical and spiritual significance for Muslims. It is a time when warfare is prohibited; a time of reflection, and a time of reaffirmation of some of the core Islamic values and principles that Islam has been founded upon, such as faith, perseverance, sacrifice, and moral courage.

The 10th of Muharram, known as ‘Ashura or Yawm ‘Ashura, holds deep spiritual and historical significance for Muslims today. Among the many events associated with this day, two stand out as monumental signs of Allah’s Mercy and Power: the deliverance of Prophet Musa and his followers from Pharaoh, and the safe landing of Prophet Nuh’s Ark on Mount Judi.

Another deeply saddening event that occurred on ‘Ashura was indeed the horrendous massacre of Hussein, the beloved grandson of the Prophet Muhammad , who was martyred in Karbala while standing for justice and truth. These narratives are not mere historical occurrences, but are intricately woven with profound lessons that resonate with Muslims today.

Let’s look at four of the most important lessons of ‘Ashura:

1. Trust in Allah

Trust in Allah during times of trials and tribulations is demonstrated when, on the day of ‘Ashura Allah saved Prophet Musa and his followers from the oppression and tyranny of Pharaoh. It was an extremely daunting moment for the followers of Prophet Musa , as they stood at the Red Sea, with the menacing army of Pharaoh relentless in pursuing them. However, Prophet Musa had his complete and unwavering trust in his Lord. He affirmed:

“Indeed, with me is my Lord; He will guide me.” [Surah Ash-Shu’ara; 26:62]

At that moment, a miraculous event unfolded as the sea was divided, allowing Prophet Musa and his followers to cross over, while Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the depths of the waters. Muslims today face many forms of oppression—be it political, social, or personal. The story of Prophet Musa teaches us that even in the darkest moments, faith and patience can lead to relief and victory.

When injustice seems insurmountable, as Muslims, we are reminded that Allah is in control, and He comes to the aid of those who place their trust in Him alone.

2. Perseverance in the Face of Rejection

Persevering in the face of rejection is the key lesson derived from the life of Prophet Nuh . On the same blessed day of ‘Ashura, it is believed that Prophet Nuh’s Ark came to rest upon Mount Judi, marking the conclusion of the Great Flood. After enduring centuries of ardent preaching and relentless rejection from his people, Prophet Nuh was commanded by His Lord to construct an Ark; which would be a sanctuary for the righteous. As he embarked on the monumental task of building this vessel in the heart of the desert, his people mocked him; however, he remained resolute and firm.

The Qur’an describes the event as follows:

“And it was said, ‘O earth! Swallow up your water. And O sky! Withhold [your rain].’ The floodwater receded and the decree was carried out. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and it was said, ‘Away with the wrongdoing people!’” [Surah Hud; 11:44]

Prophet Nuh’s story is a testament to steadfastness and endurance. In a world increasingly moving away from moral and spiritual values, Muslims are reminded to remain committed to truth and righteousness, even when they feel isolated or mocked. Like Prophet Nuh , it is important to always conduct oneself with integrity and uphold ethical principles, even when such actions may conflict with the prevailing societal norms.

3. The Martyrdom of Hussein

The city of Kufa, Iraq, today.

Hasan and Hussein were the grandsons of Prophet Muhammad . He loved them immensely. Ibn ‘Umar said: ‘I heard the Prophet say, ‘They are my two sweet-basils in the world.’” [Sahih Bukhari].

‘Ashura is also the day when the poignant martyrdom of Hussein took place, a day characterised by profound brutality. During the reign of Yazid, the son of Mu’awiya, the Muslim community was deeply fragmented, and the people of Kufa wanted Hussein to be their leader. They inundated him with letters while he was in Makkah, pledging their unwavering allegiance should he accept to be their leader. Hussein decided to accept the pleas of the people of Kufa and embarked upon his journey towards the city.

Sadly, by the time he reached Kufa, the people had betrayed him. A myriad of circumstances culminated in a harrowing and unjust battle, in which the martyrdom of Hussein , the beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad , took place.

To make matters worse, he was beheaded and his head was desecrated with a stick in a vile and mocking manner by Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, a general and governor of the Umayyad Caliphate, who was also the mastermind of the wicked campaign of Karbala. This was a barbaric and heart-rending act of profound disrespect towards Hussein , who hailed from the noble lineage of the Prophet and who was deeply cherished by him and whom he affectionately referred to as one of his “two sweet basils in the world.”

Defiance of Tyranny

The triumph of Hussein in this instance was not a worldly victory, but rather a resounding affirmation in the Hereafter. His success is manifested in the form of martyrdom, serving as a testament to the invincible, steadfast faith amidst the onslaught of tyranny. It illustrates the exquisite beauty of perceiving life as a dual existence – impermanent material world and the eternal world of Paradise. This is elucidated in the Qur’an:

“Never say that those martyred in the cause of Allah are dead—in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it.” [Surah Al-Baqarah; 2:154]

As well as in the Prophetic hadith:

“Verily, the souls of martyrs are in green birds, hanging from the fruits of Paradise, or the trees of Paradise.” [al-Tirmidhi]

Hussein is respected as one of the most esteemed members of the Prophet’s lineage. His unshakeable patience and steadfastness in the face of oppression serve as exemplary models for all Muslims. The tragedy of Karbala is deeply rooted in moral and spiritual significance, teaching Muslims the paramount importance of upholding justice in all circumstances.

Today, truthfulness is frequently sacrificed for the sake of power or fear; however, the lessons derived from Karbala serve as a reminder that faith devoid of action and principles devoid of sacrifice, are meaningless. Above all, principles and integrity will always champion righteousness over power.

4. Commemorate ‘Ashura by Fasting

The best way to commemorate ‘Ashura is by following the example of the Prophet , and this is through fasting on the 10th of Muharram. The Prophet urged us to fast on this day to commemorate and celebrate the victory of Prophet Musa over Pharaoh. To differ from earlier practices, we may observe a fast either on the day preceding or following ‘Ashura.

Fasting on ‘Ashura is a means of expiation of the sins of the previous year. Prophet Muhammad said:

“Fasting on the day of Ashura, I hope, will expiate for the sins of the previous year.” [Muslim]

Faith and Patience

In conclusion, ‘Ashura is not just about reminiscing or mourning the past events – it is about embracing and living by the key moral principles extrapolated from these events. Whether reflecting on the salvation of Prophet Nuh , the victory of Prophet Musa , or the sacrifice of Imam Hussein , Muharram unites Muslims around a common theme: faith and patience in times of adversity.

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient.” [Surah Al-Baqarah; 2:153]

The Muslim Ummah today is plagued by disunity and a lack of leadership rooted in values. ‘Ashura serves as a powerful reminder for every Muslim to reaffirm our dedication to the tenets of truth, justice, patience, and gratitude. From Prophet Musa , we learn about the importance of placing our trust in Allah during adversity. Prophet Nuh’s life teaches us the virtue of perseverance in the face of challenges. From Hussein , we are inspired to embody resilience, uphold the truth, and make sacrifices in the pursuit of justice.

Related Posts:

From The Chaplain’s Desk: The Sanctity of Muharram And Ashura

The Month of Allah | Muharram

The post From The Prophets To Karbala: The Timeless Lessons Of Ashura For Muslims Today appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

The ten best days of the year are upon us! Just as we prepare du’a lists in Ramadan, so too are these blessed days the perfect opportunity to pour our hearts out to our creator. This Dhul Hijjah, Shaykh Yahya Ibrahim provides guidance on how to perfect the art of du’a so that we may turn to Allah in the best way.

In the third episode, Shaykh Yahya shares different strategies and the etiquette of making du’a in the best way, right in time for the Day of ‘Arafah.

Related:

[Dhul Hijjah Series] Calling Upon the Divine: The Art of Du’a (Part 1)

Embracing the Sacred: A Heartfelt Journey Through the First 10 Days of Dhul-Hijjah

The post [Dhul Hijjah Series] Calling Upon the Divine: The Art of Du’a (Part 3) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.

In the second episode, Shaykh Yahya teaches us about the different types of du’a and how they contribute to the spiritual purity of our worship, as well as the “psychology of du’a.”

The post [Dhul Hijjah Series] Calling Upon the Divine: The Art of Du’a (Part 2) appeared first on MuslimMatters.org.