Hasan al-Basri رحمه لله said:

"The reciters of the Quran are of three types:

• Those who take it as merchandise with which they ply their trade.

• Those who recite its words but fail to comply with its injunctions, they use it to lord over the people of their land and rely on it to ascend to positions of authority. There are many who fall into this category, may Allaah make their number small!

• Those who treat the Quran as a cure and apply it to heal the ailments of the hearts. They recite it in their places of devotion and attain tranquility, they weep in their hooded closks, and they are overcome with fear and sombreness. It is for their sake that Allaah sends down the rain and it is through them that Allaah confers victory against the enemy. By Allaah this category is rarer than gold."

(Ibn Abi Dunya - Al Hamm wa'l Huzn #152)

When you make dua for others, the angels make dua for you saying, "And for you the same." Now that's a WIN-WIN!

For all those who love to help people:

Ibn al-Qayyim [رحمه الله] said:

❝Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله would search a lot to find people to help them with their needs. This was because he knew that everytime he helped someone then Allaah would aid him.❞

[Rawdat al-Muhibbeen]

Ibn Taymiyyah:
(May الله have mercy on him)

Seeking the Help & Forgiveness of الله

“If a person makes the best of their efforts, seeking help and support from الله the Almighty, and keep making istighfār (seeking الله's forgiveness) then surely الله will give them of His bounty what they never imagined.”

ابن تيمية.

‏إذا اجتهد الإنسان واستعان بالله تعالى، ولازم الاستغفار والاجتهاد، فلا بد أن يؤتيه الله من فضله ما لم يخطر ببال.

Making Dua During Ramadan

It is narrated from Abu Saeed Al-Khudri [رضي الله عنه] who said: The Messenger of Allaah [ﷺ] said:

«إن لله تبارك وتعالى عتقاء في كل يوم وليلة – يعني في رمضان – وإن لكل مسلم في كل يوم وليلة دعوة مستجابة.»

❝Indeed Allaah [تبارك وتعالى] frees slaves every day and night [in Ramadan] and indeed every Muslim has every day and night a supplication that is answered.❞

[Collected By Al-Bazzar | Sh. Albaani: 'Saheeh' Lighayrihi In Saheeh Targheeb Wa Tarheeb, (1/582) | Translated By Abbas Abu Yahya Miraath Al-Anbiyya]

-

Translators Note: As for making Dua specifically only at the time of Iftaar thinking that this is a special time then the Hadeeth regarding it has a Da’eef Isnaad. 'Indeed a fasting person has a Dua at the time of Iftaar which is not rejected.' [Graded Da’eef By Sh. Albaani In Kalimah Tayyib, (No. 164)]

The types of people in prayer

Ibn al Qayyim رحمه الله said,

When it comes to prayer, people are of five levels:

1) The first level is the one who wrongs himself and is negligent. He does not do wudoo’ properly, or pray at the right time or make sure he does all the necessary parts of prayer.

2) The second is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on time and does wudoo’, but he has lost the battle against his own self and is overwhelmed with waswa'as (whispers)

3) The third is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on time and does wudoo’, and also strives against his own self and against waswaas, but he is preoccupied with his struggle against his enemy (i.e. the Shaytan), lest he steal from his prayer, so he is engaged in salah and jihad at the same time.

4) The fourth is one who when he stands up to pray, he fulfils all the requirements of the prayer, and his heart is fully focused and alert lest he omit anything, and his concern is to do the prayer properly and perfectly. His heart is deeply immersed in his prayer and worship of his Lord.

5) The fifth is one who does all of that, but he takes his heart and places it before his Lord, looking at his Lord with his heart and focusing on Him, filled with love and adoration, as if he is actually seeing Him. That waswaas and those thoughts diminish, and the barriers between him and his Lord are lifted. The difference between the prayer of this person and the prayer of anyone else is greater than the difference between heaven and earth. When this person prays, he is preoccupied with his Lord and content with Him.

The first type is punishable; the second is accountable; the third is striving so he is not counted as a sinner; the fourth is rewarded and the fifth is drawn close to his Lord because he is one of those for whom prayer is a source of joy.

Whoever finds their joy in Salah in this life, will find their joy in being close to Allah in the Hereafter, and will also find his joy in Allah in this world. Whoever finds his joy in Allah will be content with everything, and whoever does not find his joy in Allah, will be destroyed by his feelings of grief and regret for worldly matters.”

[al-Waabil al-Sayyib, pg. 40]

Muslims By Name, Disbelievers By Actions...

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله):

“Most Muslims are born to two Muslim parents, essentially becoming Muslims by name, without there being any actual faith on their part. Then, when they reach puberty, from them are those that are blessed with actual faith, performing their obligations. Likewise, from them are those who perform these acts out of ingrained habit, and just to go along with his relatives, the people of the land in which he lives, etc.

For example, he gives Zakah simply because it is a habitual tradition that the ruler collects tax, and not because he realizes either the generality or specifics of the obligation to pay it. So, in his eyes, there is no difference between the innovated tax and the legislated Zakah. Such is the case with the inhabitant of Makkah who goes out to ‘Arafat every year simply because this is the way it is done, without realizing the generality or specifics of this being an act of worship of Allah.

So, the acts of worship performed by such people is invalid, without a doubt. In fact, the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah, as well as the consensus of the Ummah, are clear in the ruling that these actions do not fulfill the obligation placed upon their doer…

So, the Islam of most people is by name, only. Rather, it (faith) only enters into their hearts during the course of the matter (i.e., later in their lives), if it enters at all. So, were this intention not to be obligatory upon them, they would not at all attempt to have it, and their hearts would be empty of it, and they would essentially be hypocrites, carrying out their actions out of habit and imitation, as is the case with many people.”

[‘Majmu’ al-Fatawa’; 26/32]

Four of the Major Sins

Ibn Mas'ud رضي الله عنه said:

“The major sins are:

1. To associate partners with Allah,
2. To lose hope of the aid of Allah,
3. To despair of the mercy of Allah,
4. To feel safe from the plans of Allah.”

Seek refuge with Allah from being amazed with oneself!

✒ *Be The Key To Goodness كن مفتاح للخير* 🗝

Prophet Muḥammad Ṣallallāhu-ʿAlaihi Wa Sallam said:

“Indeed, from amongst mankind are those who are *KEYS* to *GOODNESS* (and) *LOCKS* to *EVIL* and indeed from amongst mankind are those who are *KEYS* to *EVIL* (and) *LOCKS* to *GOODNESS*, so *GLAD-TIDINGS* to the one for whom Allāh has placed the keys to goodness in his hand and *WOE* to the one for whom Allāh has placed the keys to evil in his hand.”

● [مختصر صحيح الجامع الصغير برقم ٢٢٢٣ ، حسنه الألباني]

You’re not going to find a scholar be it how big and knowledgable he is being 100% right in everything. This station is reserved for the prophets (peace be upon them).

Abu Musa (رضي الله عنه) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me, "Shall I not guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Jannah?" I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!" Thereupon he (ﷺ) said, "(Recite) 'La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' (There is no change of a condition nor power except by Allah)."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

(Riyad as-Salihin 1443, Book 15, Hadith 36)

Gain the treasures of Jannah with this beautiful Dhikr:
................................................

Today’s Beautiful Hadith
is about Long Prostrations

Narrated Aisha (رضي الله عنها):Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to offer eleven rakat and that was his prayer.
He used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Qur'an) before he would lift his head. He used to pray two rak`at (Sunnah) before the Fajr prayer and then used to lie down on his right side till the call-maker came and informed him about the prayer.

(Sahih al-Bukhari 1123, Book 19, Hadith 3)

Dear HOTD family, how beautiful was our Prophet (ﷺ)'s prayer? The very least we can do is perform the two rakahs before Fajr with the intention of fulfilling the Sunnah and praying for our Ummah. With Ramadan coming, now is the best time to increase the amount of rakahs you do so by the time the blessed month is here, you are already gaining more blessings than you normally would every single day. Start something that you intend to continue with Bismillah. May all your prayers be accepted and weigh heavy on your scales in the Hereafter - Ameen!

AVOID BEING BEATEN IN YOUR GRAVE A 100 TIMES..

Abdullah ibn Mas'ood (radiAllahuanhu) related that the Prophet, ﷺ, said:

"One of Allah's slaves was ordered to be beaten in his grave one hundred times. He never ceased asking and supplicating until it became one strike, so he was stuck once and his grave became filled with fire. When he rose up and regained consciousness he said:

'What did you strike me for?' They said:

'You prayed a prayer without purity and you passed someone that was oppressed without helping him'"

[Reported by at-Tahawi in "Mushkil al-Aathar" and graded Hasan (good) by Shaykh al-Albaani in "As-Silsilah as-Sahihah", number: 2774, and he said: "All of the narrators are trustworthy."]

📌 The pain of what has passed:

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله writes:

“(The pain) of what has passed can not be removed by grieving over it, but only through:

• Acceptance (i.e. being pleased with Allaah's Decree) (al-Ridhaa)

• Gratitude (al-Hamd)

• Patience (al-Sabr)

• Faith in Predestination
(al-Imaan bil-Qadr)

and the saying of the slave:

“It is the decree of Allāh and what He Wills, He Does” (قَدَّرَ اللَّهُ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ)."

[Zaad al-Ma`aad | 2-327]

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

When three things appear faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from his faith: the rising of the sun from the west, the Dajjal, and the beast of the earth. - Sahih Muslim 158

Narrated Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe. And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then." Then he recited the whole Verse (6.158) _ Sahih al-Bukhari 4636

Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated:

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "He who repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will forgive him".

[Muslim].

The prophet (ﷺ) said:
"By Him in whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allaah than the smell of musk. (Allaah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times."
(Bukhari, Volume, 3 Book, Number 118)

But that does not mean a believer should not brush his teeth. Brushing of teeth is very essential to prepare for prayer (Salah).
Brushing teeth with (miswaq) a stick of wood made into fibers at one end, used as toothbrush, which is a custom (Sunnah) of the prophet (ﷺ) is also important.
The prophet (ﷺ) says:
"The prayer (Salah) that is made after brushing the teeth with the miswaq is seventy times stronger than than the one without it."
(Ahmad bin Hanbal Musnad, VL, 272).

"The toothbrush (miswaq) not only cleans the teeth, but pleases Allaah."
(Bukhari, Saum, 28)

The act of prayer is in the first place done by the tongue, through such means as pronouncing the profession of Allaah's Unity, the affirmation of "Allaah is Great", praising Allaah, and other recitations. Therefore, the mouth, from where Divine prayers come out, should be kept clean in prayer. This will, obviously, provide serenity to heart as well.
Through toothbrush and toothpaste clean the teeth as well, extra medical benefits are gained by using miswaq.
As stated in the saying of the prophet (ﷺ) , miswaq protect by preventing tooth decay and stomach problem in addition to many benefits.

The condition of the one who relies on Allah is like the condition of the one who is given a dirham by a King, then it gets stolen from him; so the King says to him: "I have many times as much as that, so don't worry. When you come to me, I will give you from my treasures much more than that."

Thus if (this person) knows the truthfulness of the king's statement, and trusts him, and knows that his treasures are full of that, then what he missed will not make him sad.

📚: Madaarij as-Saalikeen, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him)

Peo­ple Change & Allah For­gives

It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:

Do not be hasty in praising people or blaming them, for perhaps what pleases you from a person today will displease you tomorrow, and perhaps what displeases you today, will please you tomorrow. Indeed, people change. It is Allāh who forgives the sins. And Allāh is more merciful to his servant the day he meets him than a mother who lays out a bed for her child in an empty patch of land and feels [the ground]: if there is a risk of being stung, it will be her instead of him (her child), and if there is a risk of being pricked by a thorn, it will be her instead of him.

Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān article 6177, and others.

"What's the point of her wearing the hijab if she is so imperfect? What's the use of him keeping a beard if he can't even control his sight? What's the use of him praying 5 times if he chills and pops bottles? What is the point of your Hajj if you still fell into Zina?

These people forget that a man came to Rasūlullāh ﷺ over 50 times for drinking alcohol in MADINAH and when people teased him - Rasūlullāh ﷺ said, "Leave him! He loves Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ" When people spoke badly about a thief who prayed at night and would steal in the day - Rasūlullāh ﷺ refused to give up on him until he became the most truthful of men. They forgot the young man who came to the Prophet ﷺ and sought permission to commit Zina. What's an imperfect hijab - when our Prophet ﷺ taught us that even a prostitute went to Jannah for her mercy to a dog. The tears of humble sinners are more beloved to Allāh than the lengthy worship of the arrogant.

Allāh doesn't expect perfection so why do imperfect and sinful souls like us point fingers and demand it from others? No one is perfect. No scholar or wali or mufti is sinless or fault-free. We aren't angels. We all have our own struggles, regrets, and issues. Sinning a billion times and then still having the strength and courage to return to Allāh isn't the sign of a hypocrite. It is the sign of those who love Allāh - and it is the sign of the people of Islam and Iman.

📱Ramadān Planning: Social Media Use

Current social media has become like a drug for many. There is no doubt social media can be used for good, but it also can lead to many sins and corruption.

Now that Ramadān is approaching us, we should really try limit our use, avoid spending time just scrolling on instagram, twitter, tiktok, etc.

Below are some ways to limit our time on social media:

1. Schedule a time for you to check your social media accounts:

- Strive to limit your use to less then 20mins a day.

2. Disable social media notifications on devices:

- Turn notifications off so you dont get tempted to look.
- Dont stress its not important its only a notification that someone liked the pic of your cat.

3. Keep distance from the device:

- Place it in the other room if it gets too much. Go COLD TURKEY!

4. Ask yourself the following questions:

1) What do you really want to get out of social media?
2) Is your viewing of social media increasing your faith?
3) How does being on social media help you to achieve your goals?
4) Are you using social media in the best way to accomplish those goals?

📊 Mental health research on the use of social media:

- “Social media platforms drive surges of dopamine to the brain to keep consumers coming back over and over again. The shares, likes and comments on these platforms trigger the brain’s reward center, resulting in a high similar to the one people feel when gambling or using drugs.”

- “The overuse of social media can actually rewire a young child or teen’s brain to constantly seek out immediate gratification, leading to obsessive, compulsive and addictive behaviors.”

⏳DONT WASTE TIME!!!
The Prophet ﷺ said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: HEALTH and FREE TIME.” Bukha‌ri‌ (no. 6412).

Compiled by Ibrāhīm Hussaīn
Al-Ansār Group
Read & Share

Punishment for those who break the Ramadan fast without valid reason

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described his dream: “… till I was at the mountain, where I heard loud voices.” I said, “What are these voices?” They responded, “This is Hellfire’s shrieking.” I was carried there and saw individuals hanging by their hamstrings, their mouths ripped and flowing with blood. Who are they? They said, “The ones who broke their fast before the correct hour,” i.e., before iftar.

Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/420). An-Nasaa’i narrated in al-Kubra (3273), Al-Albaani classed it as saheeh in as-Saheehah 3951,

When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) finished eating his food, he would lick his three fingers (i.e., the forefinger, the middle finger and the thumb). He (pbuh) said, "If anyone of you drops a morsel, he should remove anything harmful from it and then eat it. He should not leave it for Shaitan." He commanded us to clean out the dish saying, "You do not know in what portion of your food the blessing lies."

Riyad As Saliheen Book 1 Hadith 608 [Muslim and Tirmidhi]

#Food #Allah #Hunger #Blessed