Al-Masad - 111:5


"In her neck is a twisted rope of palm fiber, [i.e. the chain which is in the Fire (of Hell)]." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, The Book of Interpretation, Surat 111, Chapter 4).

[Imam Qurtubi says in the Tafsir of the (V.17:45):]

Narrated Sa'id bin Jubair [radhi-yAllahu 'anhu]: "When Surah No. 111 (Surat Al-Masad) was revealed, the wife of Abu Lahab came looking out for the Prophet (ﷺ) while Abu Bakr [radhi-yAllahu 'anhu] was sitting beside him. Abu Bakr said to the Prophet (ﷺ) : 'I wish if you get aside (or go away) as she is coming to us, she may harm you.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'There will be a screen set between me and her.' So, she did not see him . She said to Abu Bakr: 'Your companion is saying poetry against me.' Abu Bakr said: 'By Allah he does not say poetry.' She said: 'Do you believe that.' Then she left. Abu Bakr said, 'O Allah's Messenger! She did not see you.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'An angel was screening me from her.' " [This Hadith is quoted in Musnad Abu Ya'la]

It is said that if the Verse (V.17:45) is recited by a real believer (of Islamic Monotheism) he will be screened from a disbeliever. (Allah knows better.)

(Tafsir Al-Qurtubi)

Al-Isra' 17:45
وَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ جَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَكَ وَبَيۡنَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حِجَابًا مَّسۡتُورًا

And when you (Muhammad SAW) recite the Quran, We put between you and those who believe not in the Hereafter, an invisible veil (or screen their hearts, so they hear or understand it not).

ކަލޭގެފާނު قرآن ކިޔަވައިވިދާޅުވާހިނދު، ކަލޭގެފާނާއި، آخرة ދުވަހަށް إيمان ނުވާމީހުންނާ ދެމެދު ނިވައިކުރަނިވި ފަރުދާއެއް، ތިމަންރަސްކަލާނގެ ލެއްވީމެވެ.

A reminder for those who are suffering from sadness or a hardship

❝The Qur'an absorbs sadness (and grief) from the heart like a sponge. If you read the Qur'an while sorrowful (and disheartened), it will bandage you. And if you read it while joyful (and delighted), it will multiply your happiness.❞

And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things. (65:2-3)

O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salat (the prayer). Truly! Allah is with As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.). (2:153)

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَاۚ
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope.
(2:238)

إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz zalimin

“There is no god but You, exalted are You! Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.”

(Surah Al Anbiya, 21:87)

إِنِّى عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ نَاصِيَتِى بِيَدِكَ مَاضٍ فِىَّ حُكْمُكَ عَدْلٌ فِىَّ قَضَاؤُكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِى كِتَابِكَ أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِى عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِى وَنُورَ صَدْرِى وَجَلاَءَ حُزْنِى وَذَهَابَ هَمِّى

O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your male servant, and son of Your female servant. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your command for me prevails. Your judgement concerning me is just. I beseech You through every name You have, by which You have called Yourself, or which You have sent down in Your Book, or which You have taught to any one of Your creations, or which You have preferred to keep to Yourself among Your guarded secrets, to make the Great Qur'an the springtime of my heart, the light of my eyes, the remedy of my grief, and the dispeller of my anxiety.

Anything can be a soldier of Allah

A spider was a soldier of Allah, it’s web blocked the entrance to the cave, which kept the enemies of Allah from Muhammad ﷺ and Abu bakr RA
Water can be a soldier of Allah, that’s what destroyed firaun
A mosquito can be a soldier of Allah, it destroyed an namrud
The earth could be a soldier of Allah, it swallowed qaroon
Wind can be a soldier of Allah, it destroyed A’ad
Lightning (Thunderbolt) can be a soldier of Allah, it destroyed Thamud

No one knows the soldiers of Allah, but He.

—Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki—

At-Tur 52:45
فَذَرۡهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يُلَٰقُواْ يَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى فِيهِ يُصۡعَقُونَ

So leave them alone till they meet their Day, in which they will sink into a fainting (with horror).

ފަހެ، އެއުރެން ހަލާކުވެގެންދާ ދުވަހާ އެއުރެން ބައްދަލުވެއްޖައުމަށް ދާނދެން، ކަލޭގެފާނު އެއުރެން ދޫކޮށްލައްވާށެވެ!

Bismillah
Subhanallah! A must read beautiful true story for all of us!

Al-Awza’i narrates from ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad that he said:

I went out to the shore as a patrolman and our patrol at the time was in ‘Areesh Misr. When I arrived at the shore, I came upon an open area and there was tent on it. In the tent was a man who had no hands and legs and he was hard of hearing and sight. None of his limbs were of benefit to him but his tongue, and was saying: O Allah, grant me (the ability) to praise you a praise through which I can sufficiently thank You for the favours You have bestowed upon me and by which You have preferred me over many whom You have created a great preference.

Al-Awza’I said: ‘Abdulla said: By Allah, I will certainly go to this man and I shall certainly ask him about this speech. An understanding, or knowledge or inspiration which was inspired to him?

So I approached the man and greeted him and said to him: I heard you and you were saying: O Allah, grant me (the ability) to praise you a praise through which I can sufficiently thank You for the favours You have bestowed upon me and by which You have preferred me over many whom You have created a great preference.; so what favour from the favours of Allah upon you are you praising Him for? And in what way did He prefer you over others a great preference that you need to thank Him for it?

He said: Don’t you see what my Lord has done? By Allah, if He sent the sky to me as a fire which burned me, or ordered the mountains to crush me, or the oceans to drown me, or the earth to swallow me up; it would only cause me to be more grateful to my Lord for the favour of this tongue He bestowed upon me.

However, O slave of Allah, As long as you have come to me, I have a need of you! Perhaps you see me and the state I am in, I cannot harm nor benefit myself. I had a young son who used to come to me at the time of prayer and help me do my ablution, and when I became hungry he’d feed me, and I became thirsty he’d provide me with a drink but I have missed him for the last three days, so please look for him on my behalf may Allah have mercy on you.

I said: By Allah, no creature could fulfill the need of another which is greater in reward with Allah than a need similar to yours. So I set out looking for the young boy, and I hadn’t gone far before I came by a sand hill, and behold I found the boy who had been preyed upon by a beast which ate his flesh! I did istirjaa’ (saying Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him is our return) and said: How am I going to be able to face this man with a gentle face?!

As I was heading towards him, the thikr (words of remembrance) of Ayyub the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) came to my heart.
So when I reached him I greeted him and he responded and said: Are you not my companion?
I said yes!

He said: What did you do about my need?

I said: Are you more honourable in the site of Allah or was Ayyub the Prophet?

He said, of course Ayyub the Prophet.

I said: Do you know what His Lord did with him? Did He not test him in his wealth, family and children?

He said, yes.

I said: How did He find him?

He said: He found him patient, grateful and praising.

I said: He was not pleased with that for him until his relatives and loved ones deserted him?

He said, yes.

I said: How did His Lord find him?

He said: He found him patient, grateful and praising; make it short may Allah have mercy on you.

I said to him: The young boy you sent me in search of, I found him in a sand hill having been preyed upon by a beast which had eaten his flesh. May Allah increase for you tour reward and may He inspire you with patience.

The tested man said: Praise be to Allah Who did not create from my progeny creations who would disobey Him and He would then punish them by the fire. He then did istirjaa’ and breathed a sigh and died.

I said: Indeed to Allah we belong and to Him is our return. What a huge calamity before me; a man like this, if I were to leave him the beasts would eat him, and if I stay I won’t be able to harm nor benefit. So I covered him in a cloak which was over him and sat at his head crying.

As I was sitting, four men came upon me and said: O slave of Allah, what is your situation and what is your story. So I told them my story and his.

They said to me: uncover his face for us, perhaps we know him.

I uncovered his face and the men fell upon him kissing his eyes and his hands alternately and saying: May our father be sacrificed; for how long these eyes were lowered from the prohibitions of Allah. May our father be sacrificed; for how long this body prostrated before Allah while the people were sleeping.

I said: Who is this, may Allah have mercy on you? They said, this is Abu Qilabah al-Jurmi, the companion of ibn ‘Abbas. He had tremendous love for Allah and the Prophet of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)!!

So we washed him and shrouded him with clothing we had with us and prayed over him and buried him. The men left and I went back to my station. When night fell, I put my head down and saw him in a dream, in a garden from the gardens of Paradise wearing two garments from the garments of Paradise while reciting the revelation (which means): “Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.” (13:24).

I said: Aren’t you my companion? He said, yes. I said: How did you receive this?!

He said: Verily, with Allah are levels that cannot be attained except with patience at times of trial and gratitude at times of prosperity along with fear of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, in private and in public.

End quote from “ath-Thiqaat” by ibn Hibban (5:3-5)

ZUHD IN THE DUNYA

Our Prophet was the leader of the devout worshipers and the zuhhad (ascetics). There came to him Jibril, sent from the Lord of the creation, offering him the choice between being sent as a prophet and king, or as a prophet and slave of Allah, so he chose the latter, rejecting the keys to this temporal world as he and his family experienced all kinds of poverty and destitution, while living on the minimal in the company of the best of companions. They are those who ruled the land, and to whom the people surrendered.

As for our time, after the Dunya was opened up before us, we began to lose that spirit – the spirit of that first generation of zuhhad, those who weren’t deceived by this worldly life and its beautifications and comprehended that the way to be safe from it is abandoning what is in it.
The one who ponders on the situation of some women today will see from them an excessive indulgence in luxury and aspiration for this debased worldly life. When they shop, they overdo it and spend wastefully, and when they request from their husbands, they overtask and inconvenience them, and if they are late in delivering what was requested due to inability, they nag and complain. And they often push him to take advances and loans, such that they harm his reputation among other men and he becomes distressed by asking others for so much help.

One of the women of the Salaf used to follow her husband to the front door of their home daily, requesting from him before he departed that he fear Allah with regards to what he brings home and feeds them of provisions – her concern was the halal and haram – whereas some women of today follow their husbands to the door with a shopping list that has no end, with no concern as to where and how he will acquire her demands. You will find some of them having no concern in the world except for food and clothing. If she eats, she overdoes it, if she dresses, she does so boastfully, and if she sits to converse, it’s usually centered around food, clothes and hairstyles. From the supplications of the Prophet was, “Do not make this worldly life from our greatest concerns or the boundary of our knowledge” (Reported by at-Tirmidhi).

O sister of Islam, O granddaughter of ‘Aishah – ‘Aishah whose house dress was patched – let us reflect for a moment on the best, most honorable, and most pleasant of all homes when it comes to lineage, din, integrity, virtuousness, prosperity, and fear of Allah – verily it is the home of your Prophet. It was a small room that was simple and modest and could barely suffice for two. As for his bed on which he slept, ‘Aishah describes it to us as follows: “The bed of the Prophet on which he slept was tanned leather stuffed with palm tree leaves” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim).

‘Umar reports to us a long narration in which he relates, “I entered upon Allah’s messenger care as he was reclining on a straw mat, and I sat down, so he drew his lower garment closer to him, and he was wearing nothing else. The straw mat had left marks on his side. I looked towards the cupboard of Allah’s messenger where I saw a handful of wheat and leaves of the acacia tree of the similar amount at the end of the room, and skin hanging that had yet to be tanned. My eyes were overcome with tears. He said, ‘What makes you cry, O ibnal-Khattab?’ I replied, ‘O Prophet of Allah, how can I not cry while this straw mat has left marks on your side, and here is your cupboard in which I find only what I see; yet Caesar and Khosrau are amidst gardens and rivers, even though you are the Messenger of Allah and His chosen one, and this is your cupboard.’ He said, ‘O ibnal-Khattab, are you not pleased that for us is the Hereafter and for them is this worldly life?’ I replied, ‘Of course…’ ” (Reported by Muslim).

And what did he and his family eat? A whole month would pass without the glow of fire appearing in his house, and they would mostly live off of dates and water. ‘Aishah describes to us what they used to receive of meat from time to time, saying, “Luhaym” (i.e. small bit of meat)” due to its small amount!

At-Tabari mentions, “The choice of the Messenger of Allah and that of the Salaf, from the Companions and the Tabi’in, to live a life of austerity and to be patient with the bitterness of poverty and endure the coarseness of their clothing and food, despite it being little and despite the sweetness and comfort of being wealthy, demonstrates the virtues of zuhd in regards to the Dunya and the taking of its provisions, especially in regards to what suffices for living. Our Prophet used to spend his days with a rock tied to his stomach due to hunger, an indication of his austere living and his patience upon that despite his knowledge that if he asked his Lord to send for him mountains of gold and silver, He would have done so. And so upon this path the righteous proceeded.”

By Allah, O Muslimah, contemplate the statement of Umm Salamah where she states, “In the time of the Messenger of Allah, there would befall us our monthly menstruation. Each one of us would spend days on her menstruation and then purify herself and then examine the garment that she was wearing. If it was stained by blood, we would wash it and then pray wearing it, and if it had not been affected by anything we would leave it and he would not forbid that we pray wearing it” (Reported by Abu Dawud). Subhan Allah! Here was a woman of the best generation that most likely didn’t own more than one garment, in times of menstruation and times of washing, while the homes of the women of our ummah today are almost declaring what is inside of clothing and adornments.

One might say, “I see only that you are prohibiting what Allah has permitted, and He loves to see the signs of His blessings on His slaves!” To that we say: refuge is sought with Allah that we prohibit His good things which He has granted His slaves. However, this is a call to follow the best of the creation and zuhd is the jewel of the true believer, he in whose eyes the worldly life is insignificant and in whose heart the Hereafter is magnified. Allah loves to see the signs of His blessings upon His slaves, not the signs of excessiveness and waste, and does not love to see the wife fatiguing her husband by requesting everything she craves despite his inability to provide that. We are calling the women towards adorning themselves with this fine jewel.

We, likewise, would like to take this opportunity to warn against the consequences of being stingy with regard to one’s family. It is upon the Muslim husband to spend upon his wife and children with what is known to be good, without excessiveness and without negligence, and when he spends, it should be in accordance with his capacity, thereby arriving at a virtuous station without becoming a brother to Shaytan. So let not one have wealth yet behave tight-fisted with his family, and let one consider his reward for every mouthful he feeds his family and every delight that enters their hearts, and Allah is All-Knowing of what was intended. Likewise, he should not, at times of financial difficulty, overburden himself with what he cannot bear, seeking the approval of a wife who doesn’t consider his circumstances or show mercy towards his weakness.

Our final call is praise be to Allah, the Lord of the creation, and may Allah’s blessings and peace descend on the leader of the prophets and messengers, and on his family and companions.

Source: Editorial, Rumiyah, no. 8