Forgiveness...

I was listening to a few talks on the Mercy of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and His forgiveness when a thought came up.  Often times I realize the mistakes that I make in my interactions with people; e.g., my wife.  Seeing that my mistakes are usually not intentional - and if they are intentional a short while later I usually regret it - I always want people to forgive me....

Fast fowarding a bit...when listening about the immense Mercies of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) a few stories were brought up by the shuyukh that I was listening to.  One man is brought on the Day of Judgment.  Everyone from the awaleen (the early people) and akhareen (the later people) will be listening and watching very attentively and the angels are ordered to bring out the books of record for this individual.  When the books are brought out there are ninety-nine huge volumes that are brought up and these entire volumes are filled with sins.  As this man is being judged he is beginning to realize the reality that he will enter into the fire.  Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) then tells him that there will be no injustice done to this man on this day.  Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) says that there is one action that was very valuable that he had done in this world and He has a paper brought out that has a specific statement written on it.  That man will be told to place that paper on the side of the scale holding his good deeds.  The man responds that this is merely a sheet of paper and that it will make no difference.  Despite this, that man is told to place the sheet bearing the words of the kalima (the testimony of faith) on the scale, which he does.  There upon the scale tips towards the side of the good deeds despite ninety-nine large volumes of sins on the other side.  The man is then granted jannah.

There was another story about a man who is veiled and brought up in front of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and questioned about his sins.  The sins of the man too are hidden and Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) asks this man quietly whether or not he did these sins.  The man admits that he committed the sins mentioned and feels that his abode will be hell.  Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) then says quietly to the man go (to jannah), I have veiled and forgiven you for all of your sins.

SubhanAllah, these stories - taken from sahih ahadith - are amazing and we all wish that we can be forgiven in this manner, or any other manner that Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) wants to forgive us as long as we're forgiven.  In fact, we many times turn to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) in sincere tawbah (repentance) in this world so that we may be forgiven for our past sins.  And despite the sincerity of our tawbah we still slip back into sin.  But when we sin, do we realize what we are doing?  We are transgressing the boundaries of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa)!  We are doing what Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) hates!  And despite this we not only ask Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) to forgive us but some of us at times even expect for Him to forgive us.  But what's really interesting is what follows....

When we examine our interaction with other human beings on this Earth, sometimes we are very rude and mean.  We say and do things that we either do or do not mean, yet we still do damage.  However, despite the severity of our actions that we have to harm another person we expect them to forgive us.  We want them to overlook it and when that person doesn't, we begin to become upset at that person for not forgiving us!  We make the mistake, do the harm, and then it is us who become angry with the other person who does not forgiven us.  Yet, when someone else causes a small inconvenience to us, that which is not even mentionable, we don't forgive that person.  In fact, we hold it over the head of that person for long periods of time and cause that person to feel guilty and even do things for us because of that guilt.  Why is it that we never question ourselves and ask how we can ever hold our face up to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and ask Him for forgiveness when we ourselves are not willing to forgive others.  And how is it that we become so upset with people for wronging us and wonder over the audacity of that person to have done such an act to us - as if we are kings of some sort, when in reality we are merely dirt - and yet we continuously wrong Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) - the King of all kings, the Lord of all the worlds, the One Who created us and will bring us to life again - and do not feel even an an ounce of remorse or regret. 

How strange are the affairs of men and the manner in which they elevate themselves despite their lowered origins.  And how strange are the affairs of men who are tryannical and expect forgiveness, and when they are wronged seek retribution.  We should be careful to deal with others as we hope to be dealt with one day.

"A person is with whom he loves."

          - Rasulullah (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam)

Dates are very interesting.  Most of the time they are numbers on calendars with no significance, but every so often one date will appear that has an effect on an individual that it may necessarily have had on another person.  But we have just completed a date which has impacted the entire world that we live in.  This date has more bearing and importance than the days of our births, the days of our marriages, the days of our graduations, or any other days that we may remember.  The day I am referring to is the day that that Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) was born into this world.

Now, I know that celebrating birthdays in it of themselves are not correct, but solely remembering a date because of it's significance is amongst the many purposes behind actually keeping dates.  And what greater day to remember than the day that the most perfect creation was introduced to this world.  SubhanAllah, can we imagine who this person must have been for Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) to write this man's name on His throne?  Can we ever even begin to fathom who this man was that, though it may be a minority opinion, according to some scholars the world was created for?   Is there any possible way that we can picture a person who was so beautiful that when compared to the moon and other brilliant worldly objects that his beautiful face was superior?  Are there any worlds to describe the man whom his sweat smelled better than the finest of musks and his spetum was collected and used as ointment?  Who must this man have been who took hearts that had died and were committing crimes that were so horrific that they included taking ones own daugther and burying her alive and brought them to life to the extent that they would weep when divine, beautiful words were recited in front of them?  What favors must have been bestowed upon this person to whom the fire of the Persians ceased to burn the day he was born, though that fire had not become extinguished for over a thousand years; the man for whom the secrets of the heavens were now guarded and no longer left unprotected for the Jinn creation to take from?  How noble must this true servant have been to be called up on a private journey though the heavens to personally meet and converse with his Lord?  How patient must this man have been to have lost father, mother, and grandfather at a tender young age, and wife, uncle/supporter, and children during his adulthood?  What strength must this man have had possessed to have been offered the mountain of Uhud in gold but turned it away in order to only take from the beauties of the hereafter?  What foresight must this beautiful person have had in order to turn down the offer to continue living in this world and enjoy from its bounties? 

Sadly we were not able to be with him during his life on this Earth, but we can imagine the how wonderful he must have been if Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) - on whom there is nothing mandatory and no acts of worship prescribed to do because He is the One to whom all acts of worship are directed - ordered about him the Qur'an: "Ya ayyuha alladheena amanoo sallu alayhi wa sallimu tasleema," "Oh you who believe, send prayers and peace upon him (meaning the Prophet [sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam]).  SubhanAllah,  He ordered us to send prayers and peace upon this man.  But He did not stop there; He further put emphasis on such an order by ordaining it upon Himself with the preceeding phrase: "InnaAllaha wa malaaikatuhu yusalloona 'ani nabi. " that "indeed Allah and His angels send prayers upon the Prophet."  Allahuakbar.  What else can be said?  That is sufficient to describe him, if Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) Himself is taking an order that was given to mankind and Jinn and making it incumbent upon not only the angels, but upon Himself as well.

But before I end, I wanted to mention one thing.  And that is that according to some scholars today was actually also the day the blessed Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) left this Earth as well; and that is the greatest tragedy ever to be experienced by mankind, because that tragedy meant that the most perfect of creation, Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa)'s beloved, the receiver of divine inspiration/revelation left humanity.  But, subhanAllah, through so many people's lives do we benefit.  But it is only through the greatest of all creations that we benefit through his life and death.  In a narration of our mother, Aisha (radiaAllahu anha) we see that the Holy Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) had stated that anyone who loses three children will be protected from the hell fire.  He was then asked about the parents who lose two children.  To this, he (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) said that anyone who loses two children will be protected from the hellfire.  He was subsequently asked about the one who loses one child, to which he responded that anyone who loses one child will be granted protection from the hellfire.  But then he was posed the question about the one who loses no children (and we know that our beloved mother, Aisha [radiullahu anha] did not have children).  To this he said, they too will be given protection from the hellfire "because they have lost me.  And I am the greatest of losses."  SubhanAllah, despite how painful it is to have lost our beloved Messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) we take such a huge benefit from not only his life, but even from his passing. 

Oh Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa), our Lord, grant us companionship with Your beloved (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) in the next world as we were denied companionship with him in this world.

Oh our dear Lord, surely you have made brothers in this world able to see one another and enjoy one anothers company.  We know that in hadith Your beloved (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) referred to us as his brothers.  Please do not deprive us from seeing our beautiful brother in the hereafter.

Ameen.

How will we go?

I think every person ponders, at least one time in their life, over their death.  Will they die sinning, praying, believing, disbelieving, it's always something that can be concerning.  In Love For Allah, Sheikh Zulfiqar Ahmad (damat barakatuhu) has an entire chapter (6) devoted to the topic: "The Conditions of the Lovers of Allah when Dying."  This section includes many amzaing stories that speak about people who were close to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) being able to actually predict - to an extent - their own death and subsequently prepare for it properly.  This may seem sacrilegious to many people, and something that cannot happen in reality.  Yet, I want to bring an example from the life of my wife and I in order to further prove this point.

As many of you know, this last month has been very difficult on my wife and her family.  It was during this month that not only did my wife's father had four different surgeries, but her grandfather also passed away.  This was especially difficult as both of her grandparents lived with her family for many years.  It is about the latter occurence that I wanted to say a few words. 

Months prior to his death, my wife's grandfather kept asking his family when the month of Safar was.  His family kept telling him that it was still a few months away, and upon hearing that he would tell them that he's asking because it was during this month that he would pass away.  The obvious response was for him to stay quiet and not to speak such nonsense.  However, as the months kept progressing his condition kept digressing. 

It's right now that I wanted to mention that my wife's grandfather was a very pious man.  Despite the fact that he had lost his vision by the time I was a part of his life, he would still be very active in worship.  His "down time" was spent listening to a plethora of lecutres and Qur'an.  He successfully memorized and implemented the 99 names of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa).  He was actually quite an individual to see and an honor to have met.  One of the greatest things about him that Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) blessed him with was that as he was aging, he was able to ask everyone - from those to whom he had the ability to ask - for forgiveness.

During this past month he was admitted to the hospital at the age of 85, and it was during that time that the doctors were convinced that they could no longer help him.  It was his wish that if he was going to die that he would pass away at home and not in the hospital.  That Sunday he called one of his daughters close to him and asked her what month it was.  She told him it was Safar; he told her that he would pass away this month.  She urged him to not say such things, but he told her to stay quiet and listen.  He said, "I will be awake, but in a few days I will fall into a coma, and then my last day on this Earth will be Friday."  SubhanAllah, three days later, on Wednesday, he slipped into a coma, and by the request of his children, was brought home.  At my wife's family's home his entire family came, from children to grandchildren, many from whom were reading Qur'an, making du'a for him, and doing talqeen (reading the kalimah).  Early Thursday morning, slightly before Fajr time, he breathed his last and died in his daugther's home, surrounded by family.  Because the nurses and judge were delayed in coming to the house and pronounce him as legally having passed away, we were unable to carry out the janazah and burial that day.  Rather, he was kept in the house and later that evening taken to a Muslim funeral home.  He was kept there and Friday morning his ghusl (bath) was performed, and after Jumu'ah he must have had over two hundred people present at his janazah prayer.  That afternoon he was finally laid to rest in his grave at a Muslim cemetary, and his foreshadowing came true, his last day on this Earth was on a Friday.

Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) says in the Qur'an, "tilka ummatun qad khalat, laha ma kasabat wa lakum ma kasabtum," "that was a community that came before, to them is what they earned and to you is what you earn," and subhanAllah we can't imagine how true that statement - like all of Qur'an - is.  The stories that we read in the Qur'an and in books seem like they are so distant, yet here is an example that I was able to witness in front of my eyes.  But my wife's grandfather, may Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa)'s Mercy be with him in his grave and in the hereafter, is someone whose time has come and gone, and his end was a beautiful end in which he was able to prepare for.  But what what will be our end?  How will we return to our Lord?  Are we ready to meet our Lord?

Goal: Jannah

Means: Donation

Amount: $75,000

Purpose: Build a gym for IIE

Deadline: Next Maulana Saleem talk

If interested in going to jannah through this project: Saad.Quadri@gmail.com

Currently Reading Love for Allah By Zulfiqar Ahmad see related

Taken from Love For Allah by Sheikh Zulfiqar Ahmad (damat barakatuhu):

It is narrated in a hadith that when a believer is buried, Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) tells the angels, "Here is a servant of mine, having come from the material world [dunyah], is tired.  Tell him:

                             Sleep the sleep of a newlywed bride.

Here the scholars of hadith have noted a subtle point.  The narration does not state, "Tell him: 'Sleep peacefully'," but rather, "Tell him: 'sleep the sleep of a newlywed bride'."  When a bride sleeps, none other than her beloved wakes her.  Similarly, the believer sleeping in his grave will also be awakened by none other than his True Beloved (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) on the Day of Judgment.  When a bride awakens, she sees the smiling face of her husband.  And, when a sincere 'ashiq [lover, specifically of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) awakens on the Day of Judgment, he will behold Allah (subhanahu wa ta'alaa) smiling upon him.