An Amazing Nightly Opportunity:

From Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:

مَنْ قَرَأَ مِائَةَ آيَةٍ فِي لَيْلَةٍ لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ، وَمَنْ قَرَأَ مِائَتَيْنِ كُتِبَ مِنَ الْقَانِتِينَ.

Whoever recites one hundred verses in a night will not be recorded among the heedless; and whoever recites two hundred will be recorded among the devoutly obedient.

In another wording:

وَمَنْ حَافَظَ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ لَمْ يُكْتَبْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ.

And whoever maintains the five daily prayers will not be recorded among the heedless.

(Authentic) — Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr (no. 136), Ibn Abī Shaybah (no. 30085).

It carries the ruling of being raised (to the Prophet ﷺ).

📚 ʿArafāt al-Muḥammadī

Some words of wisdom:

"كلما تقدمنا في العمر ضعف البصر واتضحت الرؤية"
"As we age, our eyesight weakens, but our ability to "see" sharpens"

(Life experiences and exposure to different types of people enhance our wisdom and insight, and we are able to see people for what they are)

The Categories of People in Prayer

Al-Imam Ibn al-Qayyim – may Allah have mercy on him – said:

People in prayer are of five ranks:

1. The first rank:
The one who wrongs himself and is negligent. He is the one who falls short in performing wudū (ablution), in observing the prescribed times, boundaries, and essential pillars of the prayer.

2. The second rank:
The one who maintains the times, boundaries, external pillars, and wudū of the prayer, but he neglects striving against his own self regarding whispers and distractions. His mind is overtaken by thoughts and illusions.

3. The third rank:
The one who preserves the boundaries and pillars of the prayer and strives against his soul to repel distractions and thoughts. He is engaged in a struggle against his enemy (Shayṭān) so that he does not steal his prayer. This person is in a state of prayer and jihad.

4. The fourth rank:
The one who, when he stands for prayer, completes its rights, pillars, and boundaries. His heart is fully immersed in observing its requirements and rights, ensuring nothing from it is wasted. His entire concern is to perform it in the best way and complete it perfectly.

5. The fifth rank:
The one who, when he stands for prayer, does as the fourth does, but with his heart placed before his Lord – Almighty and Majestic – looking towards Him with his heart, vigilant of Him, filled with His love and awe, as if he sees and witnesses Him.

As for the rulings:

• The first: is punished.

• The second: is held accountable.

• The third: has his shortcomings expiated.

• The fourth: is rewarded.

• The fifth: is brought near to his Lord, for he has a portion of those for whom the prayer has been made the coolness of the eyes.

Whoever finds the coolness of his eyes in prayer in this world will find the coolness of his eyes in closeness to his Lord – Mighty and Majestic – in the Hereafter.

Shaykh Abū ʿAbdur-Raḥmān Nūr al-Dīn al-Ḥabīshī (may Allah grant him success) said:

"Very few people possess the quality of accepting excuses from those who have wronged them."

Ibn al-Qayyim (Raḥimahullah) said:
If someone wrongs you and then comes to apologize for their wrongdoing, humility demands that you accept their excuse—whether it is true or false—and entrust their inner intentions to Allah Ta'ala. This is what Rasulullah ﷺ did with the hypocrites who stayed behind and did not join him in a battle. When they later came to him with excuses, he accepted their apologies and left their inner motives to Allah Ta'ala.

— Madarij al-Salikin (2/321)

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad رضي said, “If a man comes to you complaining about another man, then say: O brother, forgive him, as forgiveness is closer to righteousness. If he says my heart cannot tolerate forgiveness, but rather retaliation as Allah Almighty has commanded me, then say: If you must, do so in the best manner and retaliate with the same measure which you were afflicted, or else return to the door of forgiveness. Surely, the door of forgiveness is wider. Whoever forgives and sets things right, his reward is with Allah. The one who forgives will sleep comfortably in his bed, but the one who avenges will toss and turn over his affairs.”

Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 8/112

عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ عِيَاضٍ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ قَال إِذَا أَتَاكَ رَجُلٌ يَشْكُوإِلَيْكَ رَجُلًا فَقُلْ يَا أَخِي اعْفُ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّ الْعَفْوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَى فَإِنْ قَالَ لَا يَحْتَمِلُ قَلْبِي الْعَفْوَ وَلَكِنْ أَنْتَصِرُ كَمَا أَمَرَنِي اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قُلْ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تُحْسِنُ تَنْتَصِرُ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلِ وَإِلَّا فَارْجِعْ إِلَى بَابِ الْعَفْوِ فَإِنَّ بَابَ الْعَفْوِ أَوْسَعُ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلِحْ فَأَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللهِ وَصَاحِبُ الْعَفْوِ يَنَامُ اللَّيْلَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ وَصَاحِبُ الِانْتِصَارِ يُقَلِّبُ الْأُمُورَ

8/112 حلية الأولياء وطبقات الأصفياء

Shaykh ʿAbd al-Muḥsin ibn Ḥamad al-Badr (may Allah preserve him) said:

“The first time the Mawlid (the celebration of the Prophet’s ﷺ birthday) was introduced was in the 4th century after Hijrah.
It was initiated by the Rāfiḍah (Shīʿah), the ʿUbaydiyyūn, imitating the Christians.
Darkness upon darkness.
And it is sufficient (as a proof) that the favored generations (the first three) passed without any mention of the Mawlid.”

📕 Lesson on Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
Thursday, 3rd of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, 1441 AH

*Urdu*
شیخ عبدالمحسن بن حمد البدر حفظہ اللہ نے فرمایا:

’’سب سے پہلی مرتبہ میلاد (نبی کریم ﷺ کی ولادت کا جشن) چوتھی صدی ہجری میں شروع کیا گیا۔
اسے رافضہ عبیدیوں نے ایجاد کیا، جو نصاریٰ (عیسائیوں) کی نقل کر رہے تھے۔
تاریکی پر تاریکی۔
اور یہی کافی ہے کہ افضل ترین زمانے گزر گئے اور ان میں میلاد کا کوئی ذکر تک نہ تھا۔‘‘

📕 درسِ صحیح البخاری
جمعرات، 3 ربیع الاول، 1441 ھ

‎Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله

‎“Even if he were given the world and whatever is in it, he would never be able to fill the emptiness in his heart.”

‎[مدارج السالكين ٣/١٥٦]

Prophet Isa عليه السلام said:

“Place your treasures in heaven, for a man’s heart is where his treasure is.”

‎[كتاب الزهد الإمام أحمد بن حنبل ٣١٣]

💗 Nasihah (Advice): The Virtue of Surah Fatihah

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas Radiyallahu anhuma reported: “While the Angel Jibreel was sitting with Rasulullah ﷺ , he heard a creaking noise above him. Jibreel raised his head and said, “This is a door of Jannah that has been opened today and has never been opened before.” Then an angel descended from it, and Jibreel said, “This angel descended to the earth today and has never descended before.” The angel greeted him with Salaam and said, “Rejoice in two lights you have been given which were not given to any Prophet before you: Surah Fatihah and the last verses of Surah Baqarah. You will never recite a letter from them but that you will be given (the reward & blessings they contain).”
[Sahih Muslim] 💗

A Lesson in Etiquette: Why the Prophet (ﷺ) Picked Gourd Over Meat.

Narrated Anas:

I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) being served with soup and containing gourd and cured meat, and I saw him picking and eating the pieces of gourd.

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5437

Shaykh Umar Bhutvi commented

حافظ گوندلوی رحمہ اللہ کے حوالے سے والد صاحب نے فتح السلام میں نقل کیا ہے کہ اگر غور کریں تو سمجھ آتی ہے کہ آپ نے ظاہر یہ کیا گویا آپ کدو تلاش کررہے ہیں تاکہ انس رضی اللہ عنہ کو کھانے کے لیے گوشت مل جائے یعنی آپ غیر محسوس طریقے سے ایثار کررہے تھے کیونکہ اگر آپ اسے کھانے کے لیے گوشت دیتے تو وہ شرم محسوس کرتے جبکہ یہ کسی سے بھی مخفی نہیں کہ آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کو گوشت کس قدر پسند تھا ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔یہ بھی مزے کا نکتہ ہے

With reference to Hafiz Gondalvi (may Allah have mercy on him), my father mentioned in Fatah-ul-Salam that upon reflection, it becomes clear the Prophet (peace be upon him) was purposely searching for the gourd. He acted as if he wanted Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) to eat the meat. He was making an unnoticeable sacrifice because if he had given the meat directly to Anas, he would have felt shy. Furthermore, it is no secret how much the Prophet (peace be upon him) liked meat. This is also a profound point. (End quote)

At least 600 people were killed as a powerful earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan (Al Jazeera). Extremely sad news, but we should help anyone who is in need

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever meets the needs of his brother, Allah will meet his needs.” (Agreed upon; al-Bukhaari, 3/98; Muslim, 4/1996)

And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever relieves a believer of some of the distress of this world, Allah will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easier for one who is suffering hardship, Allah will make things easier for him in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah will help a person so long as he helps his brother.” (Narrated by Muslim, 4/2074)

#Shaykh Ibn Bāz رحمه الله:

“Loving Prophet ﷺ is not to organise his birthday (Mawlid), rather loving him requires following him, holding onto his Shariah, defending it, calling to it and being firm upon it, this is real love for Prophet ﷺ.”

[فتاوى نور على الدرب الجزء الأول]

There is no point in arguing with someone who wants to celebrate the innovated Mawlid celebration; obedience and love cannot be taught, it is only gifted.

Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah”

[ar-Ra‘d 13:11]

‘Ikrimah narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: “They guard him by the Command of Allah” – this refers to angels who protect him from in front and from behind, but when the decree of Allah comes, they step back."

Mujaahid said: "There is no person who does not have an angel appointed over him, to protect him whilst he sleeps and when he is awake from the jinn, humans and vermin, so none of them come towards him, intending him ill, but the angel says: Get back – except for something that Allah decrees is to reach him, then it befalls him."

[Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/438]