Some thoughts to share

[amatullah]

Pearls

These are some short notes from a book I'm reading titled: The Ideal Muslim. I hope the reader will find them of benefit, just as I am.

Part 1

16.10.12

-- A heart filled with Allah's love and fear will not be overcome with negligence.

-- It is those who ignore His Commands and Guidance who will be led astray.

-- Measure all your deeds against your desire to attain the pleasure of Allah, retain or discard any practice accordingly. Have appropriate standards.

-- Avoid falling into ridiculous contradictions i.e. one obeys Allah in one matter and disobeys in another.

-- Prayer: distance yourself from concerns of daily life and focus entirely on Allah.

-- Ask Him for help, guidance and perseverance. Through prayer, cleanse and replenish.

-- Prayer is not merely a matter of going through the motions when the heart is empty and the mind is wandering.

-- After prayer, do not rush straight back into hustle and bustle of daily life. Sit down, seek forgiveness from Allah, praise and glorify Him. Turn to Him in humble dua, ask for Guidance and Khayr of this world and the next.

-- While fasting: guard your tongue, sight and all other faculties.

-- No time for idle chatting and pursuits. Don¡¦t while away time.

-- Sole purpose in life? Worship Allah.

-- Starting point of all deeds should be the awareness: I am the slave of Allah, I forever try to seek HIS Pleasure

-- Mission In life: Strive to establish Allah's rule on earth, and follow the way of life He has prescribed.

[amatullah]

Part 2

23.11.12

-- A Muslim loves reading Quran. He sets aside regular times for reading- times devoted SOLELY to reading the words of His Rabb, with humility and seeking to understand their meanings.

-- A Muslim stands out- He takes good care to dress well and adorn himself- he does not neglect himself: forbidding for himself scruffy clothes and an unkempt and careless appearance. He understands that the outward appearance cannot be separated from his inner nature. A refined and pleasant appearance befits a noble and decene essence.

-- A Muslim knows Balance - He strikes a balance between the needs of his body, mind and soul. He gives each the attention it deserves.

Prophet SWS once said to Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al'Aas RA:

" Have I not heard that you fast all day and stay up all night in prayer?" He said, "That is true, O Messenger of Allah". The Prophet SWS told him, "Do not do that. Fast and break your fast, sleep and get up. For you body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you, your wife has a right over you, and your visitors have a right over you." (Bukhari, Muslim)[/font][/size]

[amatullah]

The Ideal Muslim

HIS BODY:

1. Moderation

- The Muslim takes good care of his body, is moderate in intake of food and drink- avoiding greed, consuming only that which maintains his well being and energy.

- He avoids drugs and stimulants, staying completely away from those that are haram.

- He sleeps early, and wakes up early- and does not take medicine except for illness.

2. Regular exercise

- His healthy eating habits are supplemented by an organized exercise program- giving him strength, energy and vitality.

3. Cleanliness

The Muslim has high standards of personal hygiene, he baths frequently and wears perfume, especially on Fridays. There is such emphasis on this, that the Prophet SWS said,

"It is the duty of every Muslim to take a bath (at least) once every 7 days, and to wash his head and body." (Bukhari, Muslim)

- He keeps his clothes and socks clean, making sure there is no unpleasant smell.

- He takes care of his mouth, so no one ever has to smell an unpleasant odour coming from it. Prophet SWS never woke from sleeping at any time of day or night without cleaning his teeth with a siwak before performing wudhu. Infact, he is reported to have said,

"If it were not for the fact that I did not want to overburden my Ummah, I would have ordered them to use the siwak before every prayer." (Bukhari, Muslim)

- It is reported from Anas bin Malik RA, "I have never smelt any ambergis or musk that had a better scent than the scent of the Messenger of Allah SWS". There are also reports that if he SWS shook hands with a man, his beautiful scent would remain on that man's hand for the rest of the day, and if he laid his hand on the head of a child, that child would stand out from others by virtue of his sweet smell.

- A Muslim looks after his hair- keeping it clean, combing it, styling it nicely, making sure it smells good.

- Neglecting one's appearance to the extent of being offensive to one's companions in the name of asceticism and humility is not part of Islam.

'O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful appearel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters. Say, who has forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He has provided) for sustenance? Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) purely for them on the Day of Judgment. Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who understand.' (QURAN 7:31-32)

- Those who call people to Allah SWT should be better and smarter in appearance. They who proclaim the word of Allah SWT should take special care of their appearance, paying attention to the cleanliness of body, clothes, nails and hair.

- The Muslim doesn't, however, over-exaggerate in grooming to the extent that he loses sight of the sense of balance.

[amatullah]

HIS MIND

1. The Muslim believes in exercising his mind and seeking knowledge, discovering the signs of Allah SWT in the unicerse.

2. Quran 35: 28 - Those who truly fear Allah, among His Slaves, who have knowledge.

Only if the mind is enlightened- will it be enabled to see the greatness and power of Allah SWT manifested in the creation of the universe and all living things.

3. True Knowledge?

It doesn't entail obtaining a degree/diploma to earn an income and guarantee a good standard of living, after which one turns away from learning-- true learning means that one continues to read and study, increasing in learning day by day.

Imam Malik RA: No one who has knowledge should stop seeking knowledge.

Imam Sufyan RA: Those who have the most knowledge are most in need of seeking knowledge- because if they make a mistake, it is worse.

4. Respect the teacher of Knowledge.

Imam Fakhr al Din would say: It is not right for the student to sit anywhere but at the feet of his teacher.

The Imam had such a great reputation and was held in such awe that no one dared argue with him, they would hardly breathe in his presence. He once asked one of his students to teach him the geneology of al Talibiyyin (Descendants of Abu Talib). He made his student sit on his mattress and sat at his feet which he learned from him!

5. What every Muslim needs to know:

-- Read the Quran properly (with tajweed) and to understand its meaning.

-- Learn something of the science of Hadith

-- Seerah of Prophet sallalahu alayi wassalam

-- From the History of the Sahabah and Tabi'een: the prominent figures in Islam

-- As much knowledge of Fiqh as needed to ensure his worship and daily dealings are correct- with a sound grasp of the basic principles of Islam.

-- Try and learn Arabic properly.

6. The Muslim is proficient in his speciality

He gives all his energy and pays a great deal of attention to it- whether it is in Shariah, or math, physics, chemistry, engineering, astronomy, medicine, industry, commerce etc. He should be good in whatever field he specializes in, reading what is written about it, keeping abread of any developments through continual reading and study.

7. The Muslim exposes himself to information about other fields

The smart Muslim is open to learning about other areas, not merely restricting himself to his own field- enriching his mind, broadening his horizons.

8. Learning a foreign language.

Prophet SWS would encourage this so Muslims would always be able to communicate with various nations and races, and convey the message of truth Allah SWT has entrusted them to proclaim through out the world.

[amatullah]

HIS SOUL

-- While taking care of his mind and body, the true Muslim doesnt forget his passionate, yearning sould whose higher longings motivate him to lift himself up by devoting himself to worship- seeking Allah SWT's Blessings, fearing His Punishment.

-- The Muslim is alert to the tricks and whispers of Shaytaan- and if in a moment of weakness, evil thoughts come to him, he remembers Allah SWT and sets himself aright.

-- Prophet SWS would tell his Companions to Renew their faith by frequently repeating: La ilaha illa Allah.

-- Keeps company with the righteous people, and joins religious gatherings.

He sits in such gatherings to purify his soul, cleanse his heart- to fill himself with faith. To learn haqq, sabr and immerse himself in the majlis where Allah SWT's name is mentioned often. Where tarbiyyah (education/development) of the individual, family and community is done.

-- He chooses friends carefully, friends who will increase his faith, taqwa and insight.

-- He avoids bad company- keeping away from gatherings of sin which corrupt is soul.

-- He frequently recites masnun duas (supplications mentioned in Hadith): Dua when he leaves and enters his home, when he wears new clothes or lies down in bed, wakes up from sleep etc.

[Tuaha]

Transcript from Yasmin Mogahed's lecture at RIS (Reviving the Islamic Spirit) Convention:

"What impoverishes and kills the heart? It is allowing the heart to love anything as it should only love God. See the heart was created with a very particular nature and for a very particular purpose. When you fail to use any created thing for the purpose for which it was created for, it breaks. It drowns. It starves. It dies.

The heart was created by and for God. The heart was created to know and love God. The heart was created to be given to God. To be filled with God. The heart that is given to or filled by any other thing, suffers the most painful impoverishment and death.

The human heart is like a boat in the ocean of dunya. The boat that allows the oceans water to enter breaks and then drowns. The human heart that allows this dunya to enter, breaks and drowns. And becomes owned. Owned by this life. Owned by our gadgets, our Facebook, our jobs, the distractions, the fashion trends, the marketing tools, the money, the power, the status.
The heart that is owned by this life is a prisoner of the worst kind. The heart that is owned by any other master, than the Master of masters, is the weakest of all slaves. That is true oppression. True death.

True poverty. "

[wetong]