I want to change for the better but...

taken from www.ashrafiya.com

All of the spiritual seekers aspire to do good and abstain from sinful actions.

However, most of us harbor a misconception regarding the means to achieve this goal.

We wish for a overpowering and overwhelming state that facilitates this for us by itself. Automatically. A kind of fairy tale magic spell.

Moreover, we assume that making supplications or reciting a particular litany (wadhifa) or associating with a pious individual or a group or reading classical spiritual text or visiting a holy site (like the revered Makkah and radiant Medinah) or worshiping in the blessed times (like the night of power) will create this ‘state’ for us.

This will never happen!

Hakim al Ummah Mujaddid Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) has repeatedly made this very clear in his works.

Self determination, self restraint and earnest hard work is needed to do good and abstain from sinful actions.

There is no other way around.

It is not easy.

Initially it is tough. This is the spiritual struggle (mujahida ). It brings the reward and its blessings in the here-after.

This is the norm in all the things we aspire to achieve. No school or work  project is successfully completed just by supplicating, reading or associating with the experts. One has to toil and labor sincerely and put up his best effort in an organized manner to do it.

Therefore, praying the salah on time with the congregation, especially Fajr or having khushoo in salah or controlling anger or quit listening to music or watching the obscene on internet  or ending free intermingling with opposite sex , etc. will never ever be achieved until we make a firm resolve to do so and use the self determination and restraint  powers, bestowed to us by Allah, earnestly.

May Allah make this clear to us. Amin!

EVENT: Completion of Bukhari

A Healthy Lifestyle

Taken from www.inter-islam.org

The Greatest Gift - The Human Body
Diet plays a very important role in the daily life of a believer. There are many verses in the Noble Qur’ân which draw man's attention towards his self and which invite him to carefully study his body and soul and the nature of their mutual relationship. By doing so, one will firstly find in it strong evidence of the existence of Allah and that Allah has not created mankind and all other beings of this world without any purpose as mentioned in the Noble Qur’ân:

“Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose.”
(3:191)

The Importance of Healthiness
It is therefore necessary to ensure that the physical body is kept healthy so that the soul and spirit may also remain healthy thus in turn aiding the believer in the service of both his spiritual and material attainment. Diet therefore, plays an important role for this purpose. For this reason Islam has prohibited certain foods due to their ill effects and permitted all other pure, good and clean food products. Allah Ta’ala says in the Noble Qur’ân:

“O’ Believers! Eat of the good and pure (lawful) that We have provided you with and be grateful to Allah, if you truly worship Him.”
(2:172) Muslims in general are advised to eat good and pure things and not to indulge in impure, bad and harmful things thus following their open enemy Shaitaan:
“O People! Eat of what is lawful and good on the Earth and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitaan, for he is your open enemy.”
(2:168) In the verses previously mentioned the general principle with regard to permissible foods has been stated. The Noble Qur’ân further goes on to specify the types of food prohibited in the following verse:
“He (Allah) has only forbidden you (from eating) dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that (animal) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked.”
(2:173, 16:115)

The four items that have been mentioned in the above verse are absolutely forbidden in Islam for reasons best known to Allah. However, through research, some of them such as carrion, blood and swine flesh have proved to be injurious to human health. Whilst swine flesh is harmful to moral health and food over which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked is harmful to spiritual health.
 

Other prohibited items have also been mentioned in different chapters of the Holy Qur’ân. In Surah al-Ma’idah the following have also been mentioned along with the four previously mentioned. There are those animals which have been killed by strangling, or a violent blow, a headlong fall, being gored to death and those which have been partially eaten by a wild animal and not slaughtered before death, also those which have been sacrificed on the name of idols. 

A Balanced Diet - Prescribed in the Qur’ân
The Qur’ân has not restricted itself in merely mentioning the permissible and impermissible foods but goes to the extent of giving useful tips regarding a balanced diet, a diet which contains most if not all the useful ingredients required for the growth, strengthening and repairing of the human body. These ingredients include animal protein, fat, calcium, iron, salts, etc. The most balanced diets consist of meat, fish, fresh milk, cheese and fruit. Both direct and indirect references have been made regarding the afore mentioned.

The reference regarding the importance of meat protein in the human diet is given in the following verse:

“And the cattle, He has created them for you, in them there is warmth (clothing) and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.”
(16:5)
In this verse special reference has been given to the importance of eating despite having said, “…numerous benefits…”. Reference regarding other types of meat has also been given such as the meat of fowls in the following verse:
“And the flesh of fowls that they desire.”
(56:21) Fish has always been considered as a food of very high protein and is very important for human consumption. Allah says:
“And from them both (fresh and salt water) you eat fresh tender meat (fish).”
(35:12) The usefulness of fresh milk is stressed in these words:
“And verily in the cattle there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretion and blood, pure milk, palatable to the drinkers.”
(16:66) The benefits of fruits as good nourishment can be understood from this verse:
“And from the fruits of date palms and grapes, you desire strong drink and a goodly provision.”
(16:67) Similarly there are verses which cover the whole range of fruits, salads, and vegetables which also play an important role in a nutritious, balanced diet:
“It is He who sends down rain from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds, and out of it We bring forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date palm and its spate come clusters of dates hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their fruits when then begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof.”
(6:99) Islam, being a complete religion, also teaches and advises the believer as to what the best method of eating is. The believers are advised to be moderate in every aspect of life. Direct reference has been made in the Noble Qur’ân regarding moderation in eating and drinking.
“And eat and drink, but waste not in extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not those who waste in extravagance.”
(7:31)

Moderation - The Teachings of the Prophet
The Best of Teachers and the Mercy of the Worlds  is reported to have clarified the meaning and limit of moderation in a tradition in which he is reported to have said that one’s worst weakness is one’s belly. If you must eat make sure you fill one third of your stomach with food, one third with water and leave one third for air i.e. leave it empty.
In another narration, the reason for moderation has been clearly stated. The Prophet  is reported to have said:
“The stomach is the tank of the body and the veins go down to it. When the stomach is healthy the veins come back in a healthy condition, but when it is in a bad condition, they return diseased.” In short, believers are advised to always take care of their stomachs and refrain from foods and practices that might pollute the stomach with various diseases. In order to do so the Prophet  is reported to have advised believers to always stop eating before their stomachs are completely full i.e. stop eating when the urge to eat more is still present.

Conclusion - The Etiquette's of Eating and Drinking
Islam teaches us many other etiquette's of eating and drinking. The Prophet  made a point of developing remarkably clean and healthy eating habits among his followers. He asked the companions to wash their hands before and after, to start eating with the praise of Allah, to eat using the right hand, not to eat until they really felt hungry, not to eat and drink excessively. Finally, by praising and thanking Allah for the food and drink, for making it easy to swallow and for producing an exit for it.
From all that has been mentioned, the importance of healthy eating, a balanced diet and hygiene can be understood in the light of the Qur’ân and Sunnah. Islam has stressed on the importance of these things right from the start unlike health authorities etc., which have just recently begun to stress its importance. This could be counted as just another gem that manifests the perfection of Islam.

My Ramblings: Thoughts while on the bus

I have been really itching to write something for quite a while now. Over the last few months I’ve been a mixture of busy and lazy; the lack of my own writings bare testament to this. I hope to insha Allah soon get back into the habit of writing and translating things on a regular basis. However, some have also requested me to use this blog as a blog and share some of my thoughts and tales from my adventures and escapades; I’ll write whatever I can and I pray to Allah Ta’ala that it is of benefit to some people. The following picture can some up my thoughts, putting them into words is harder!

I am a person that thinks a lot. I think the most when I am on travels; I often peer out of the window and observe my surroundings with great interest. In fact, the Qur’an exhorts us to ponder on our travels as when we see different creations of Allah Ta’ala, our hearts are strengthened in believing in him.

Sometimes, it is quite amazing just to put Allah Ta’ala in the context of the world; how useless we are to Allah Ta’ala but how dependant we are on him. I peer in amazement when I see people running from bus to bus and platform to platform in order to carry out their day to day affairs. When we push the ‘stop’ button on the bus and the ‘ting!’ sound rings, every single person getting off the bus has a different thought or worry on their mind. Some are wondering whether they will be late, some are happy they are on time, some are figuring out what to do if they are early; the bottom line here is that every single being on the face of this earth has a different worry on their mind.

Now, let’s put all of this into the context of Allah Ta’ala as our Lord. We read in Ayyatul Kursi, “Allah, there is no God but He; the Living, the All Sustaining.” The word Qayyum (translated here as All Sustaining) has been defined by the commentators of the Qur’an as that being who not only sustains himself but sustains others as well. When we consider ourselves and our day to day lives, we are only responsible for sustaining those around us. A good child will try to help his parents and vice versa however, the scope of maintaining and looking after one another is very limited. We only look after the worries of 3-4 people on a day to day basis. Some of us have really big families so that number may increase a little but the bottom line is, the scope is limited to a few individuals for whom we are responsible...

Baring this in mind, I only understood this feature of Allah, ‘Al Qayyum’, when I was travelling. There are thousands of people all with a different worry or issue but it is Allah Ta’ala who is sustaining them with sustenance of various kinds. 

How amazing is our Allah Ta’ala? We barely are able to look after those around us yet Allah Ta’ala has been taking care of the entirety of humanity from the beginning!

These are a few ramblings of mine, a few points to ponder over... I caution you all in advance from future posts! Sometimes I see things that bug me and as a result I tend to go AWOL which results in an almighty, epic rant!

Allah Ta’ala reward you all. Ameen.

Heart Wrenching Poetry - If my Lord asks me

A man once came to Imām Ahlus-Sunnah, Ahmad bin Hanbal and asked him, "O Imām, what is your opinion on poetry?"

He replied, "Which poetry is this?" to which the man responded by reciting the following couplets:

إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني
If my Lord asks me, "Have you shyness in disobeying me?

وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي وبالعصيان تأتيني
You conceal your sins from my creation -- and with sins you come to me."

Imām Ahmad took these lines and repeated them over and over again, and wept profusely to such an extent that one his students said that he almost perished due to him crying so much.

"If my Lord asks me..."

إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني

If my Lord asks me, "Have you shyness in disobeying me?

وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي وبالعصيان تأتيني

You conceal your sins from my creation -- and with sins you come to me."

فكيف أجيبُ يا ويحي ومن ذا سوف يحميني؟

So how will I answer? O woe to me -- and who shall protect me?

أسُلي النفس بالآمالِ من حينٍ الى حيني

I keep averting my soul with thoughts of hope -- from time to time.

وأنسى ما وراءُ الموت ماذا بعد تكفيني

And I forget what is to come after death -- and what is to come after I am shrouded.

كأني قد ضّمنتُ العيش ليس الموت يأتيني

As if I am guaranteed life (eternally) -- and that death will not come to me.

وجائت سكرة الموتُ الشديدة من سيحميني

And when the severe stupor of death overtakes me -- who will protect me?

نظرتُ الى الوُجوهِ أليـس منُهم من سيفدينـــي

I looked at the faces; is there not from amongst them who will ransom me?

سأسأل ما الذي قدمت في دنياي ينجيني

I will be asked regarding what I have prepared in my life to save me (on the Day of Judgement).

فكيف إجابتي من بعد ما فرطت في ديني

Then how will I answer -- after I have neglected my religion.

ويا ويحي ألــــم أسمع كلام الله يدعوني

Woe to me! Did I not hear the Speech of Allāh inviting me?

ألــــم أسمع لما قد جاء في قاف ويسِ

Did I not hear what came in (the chapters of) Qāf and Yā-Sīn?

ألـــم أسمع بيوم الحشر يوم الجمع و الديني

Did I not hear about the Day of Gathering, the Day of Assemble and the Day of Judgement?

ألـــم أسمع مُنادي الموت يدعوني يناديني

Did I not hear the crier of death inviting me, calling me?

فيا ربــــاه عبدُ تــائبُ من ذا سيؤويني

So O my Lord, a slave (turning to you) I have repented -- so who then shall shelter me?

سوى رب غفور واسعُ للحقِ يهديني

Except a Lord extensive in forgiveness -- to the truth He will guide me.

أتيتُ إليكَ فارحمني وثقــّـل في موازيني

I have come to you (in repentance) -- so have mercy on me, and make heavy my scales (with good deeds).

وخفَفَ في جزائي أنتَ أرجـى من يجازيني