The Believing Woman is Alert

One of the most prominent distinguishing features of the Muslim woman is her deep faith in Allah (SWT), and her sincere conviction that whatever happens in this universe, and whatever fate befalls human beings, only happens through the will and decree of Allah (SWT); whatever befalls a person could not have been avoided, and whatever does not happen to a person could not have been made to happen. A person has no choice in this life but to strive towards the right path and to do good deeds – acts of worship and other acts – by whatever means one can, putting all his trust in Allah (SWT), submitting to His will, and believing that he is always in need of Allah’s (SWT) help and support.

The story of Hajar offers the Muslim woman the most marvellous example of deep faith in Allah (SWT) and sincere trust in Him. Ibrahim `May peace be upon him’ (PBUH) left her at the Ka`bah in Makkah, above the well of Zamzam, at a time when there were no people and no water in the place. Hajar had no-one with her except her infant son Isma`il. She asked Ibrahim, calmly and with no trace of panic: “Has Allah (SWT) commanded you to do this, O Ibrahim?” Ibrahim (PBUH) said, “Yes.” Her response reflected her acceptance and optimism: “Then He is not going to abandon us.” Reported by Bukhari in Kitab al-Anbiya

Here was an extremely difficult situation: a man left his wife and infant son in a barren land, where there were no plants, no water, and no people, and went back to the distant land of Palestine. He left nothing with her but a sack of dates and a skin filled with water. Were it not for the deep faith and trust in Allah (SWT) that filled Hajar’s heart, she would not have been able to cope with such a difficult situation; she would have collapsed straight away, and would not have become the woman whose name is forever remembered night and day by those who perform hajj and `umrah at the house of Allah (SWT), every time they drink the pure water of Zamzam, and run between the mounts of Safa’ and Marwah, as Hajar did on that most trying day.

This deep faith and awareness had an amazing effect on the lives of Muslim men and women: it awoke their consciences and reminded them that Allah (SWT) witnesses and knows every secret, and that He is with a person wherever he may be. Nothing gives a clearer idea of that consciousness and fear of Allah (SWT) at all times than the story of the young Muslim girl related in Sifat al-Safwah and Wafiyat al-A’yan and cited by Ibn al-Jawzi in Ahkam al-Nisa’ (pp. 441, 442):

“Narrated `Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: `When I was accompanying `Umar ibn al-Khattab on his patrol of Madinah at night, he felt tired, so he leant against a wall. It was the middle of the night, and (we heard) a woman say to her daughter, “O my daughter, get up and mix that milk with some water.” The girl said, “O Mother, did you not hear the decree of Amir al-Mu’minin (chief of the believers) today?” The mother said, “What was that?” The girl said, “He ordered someone to announce in a loud voice that milk should not be mixed with water.”

The mother said, “Get up and mix the milk with water; you are in a place where `Umar cannot see you.” The girl told her mother, “I cannot obey Him (Allah) in public and disobey him in private.” `Umar heard this, and told me: “O Aslam, go to that place and see who that girl is, and to whom she was speaking, and whether she has a husband.” So I went to that place, and I saw that she was unmarried, the other woman was her mother, and neither of them had a husband.

I came to `Umar and told him what I had found out. He called his sons together, and said to them: “Do any of you need a wife, so I can arrange the marriage for you? If I had the desire to get married, I would have been the first one to marry this young woman.” `Abdullah said: “I have a wife.” `Abd al-Rahman said: “I have a wife.” `Asim said: “I do not have a wife, so let me marry her.” So `Umar arranged for her to be married to `Asim. She gave him a daughter, who grew up to be the mother of `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz.’”

This is the deep sense of awareness that Islam had implanted in the heart of this young woman. She was righteous and upright in all her deeds, both in public and in private, because she believed that Allah (SWT) was with her at all times and saw and heard everything. This is true faith, and these are the effects of that faith, which raised her to the level of ihsan. One of the immediate rewards with which Allah (SWT) honoured her was this blessed marriage, one of whose descendants was the fifth rightly-guided khalifah, `Umar ibn `Abd al-`Aziz `May Allah be pleased with him’ (RAA).

The Aqeedah (faith) of the true Muslim woman is pure and clear, uncontaminated by any stain of ignorance, illusion or superstition. This Aqeeda is based on faith in Allah, (SWT) the One, the Most High, the Eternal, Who is able to do all things, Who is in control of the entire universe, and to Whom all things must return:

(Say: `Who is it in Whose hands is the governance of all things – Who protects [all], but is not protected [by any]? [Say] if you know.’ They will say, `[It belongs] to Allah,’ Say: `Then how are you deluded?’) (Qur’an 23:88-89)

This is the pure, deep faith which increases the character of the Muslim woman in strength, understanding and maturity, so that she sees life as it really is, which is a place of testing whose results will be seen on the Day which will undoubtedly come:
( Say: `It is Allah Who gives you life, then gives you death; then He will gather you together for the Day of Judgement about which there is no doubt’: but most men do not understand.) (Qur’an 45:26)

(Did you then think that We had created you in jest, and that you would not be brought back to Us [for account]?) (Qur’an 23:115)

(Blessed is He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things has Power – He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed; and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.) (Qur’an 67:1-2)

On that Day, man will be brought to account for his deeds. If they are good, it will be good for him, and if they are bad, it will be bad for him. There will not be the slightest injustice:( That Day will every soul be requited for what it earned; no injustice will there be that Day, for Allah is Swift in taking account.) (Qur’an 40:17)

The Balance (in which man’s deeds will be weighed) will measure everything with the utmost precision, either in a person’s favour or against him:

(Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.) (Qur’an 99:7-8)

Nothing could be hidden from the Lord of Glory on that Day, not even if it were as insignificant as a grain of mustard seed:

(We shall set up scales of justice for the day of Judgement, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be [no more than] the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it [to account]: and enough are We to take account.)(Qur’an 21:47)
No doubt the true Muslim woman, when she ponders the meaning of these ayat, would think about that crucial Day and would turn to her Lord in obedience, repentance and gratitude, seeking to do as many righteous deeds as she is able, in preparation for the Hereafter.

Oh Ummah , We Need To Change Ourselves First!

We have corrupt people as our leaders today but instead of blaming them for the
condition our Ummah is in, we need to fix ourselves first.

Allah has told us in theQur'an that :
"He will not fix our condition until we fix what is within ourselves."

We need to ask Allah to purify our hearts and to grant us the ability to implement
Islam in our daily lives.

We must return to our Deen and adhere strictly to the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Once we've done this, everything else will follow smoothly insha'Allah.
We'll be a stronger Ummah and we'll have the best leaders

insha'Allah. Allah does not change the circumstances of any people
until they have changed what is within themselves" [Surah Ar-Ra'd: 11]

love && affection towards your wife as a Muslim

And among His (God's) Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.
[Qur'an Surat 30 Verse 21]

Acknowledge, appreciate && apply the Sign of Allah subhana wa ta'ala : Love.

Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said, "The believers who show the most perfect Faith are those who have the best behaviour, && the best of you are those who are the best to their wives".
[At-Tirmidhi].

Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`as (Radi Allahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said, "The world is but a (quick passing) enjoyment; && the best enjoyment of the world is a pious && virtuous woman".
[Muslim].

Above Hadith clearly indicates the qualities of a virtuous woman && stresses the fact that if one wants success in this world && the Hereafter, he should select a pious wife. Such qualities the Muslimah possesses is that when her husband looks at her, she pleases him; when he orders her, she obeys him; && when he is absent, she guards herself (chastity) && the property of her husband.
[Abu Dawud and Nasa'i]

Abu Hurairah (Radi Allahu Anhu) reported: Messenger of Allah (Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said, "A believer must not hate (his wife) believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics he will be pleased with another". [Muslim].

Mu`awiyah bin Haidah (Radi Allahu Anhu) reported: I asked Messenger of Allah (Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) "What right can any wife demand of her husband?''
He replied, "You should give her food when you eat, clothe her when you clothe yourself, not strike her on the face, && do not revile her or separate from her except in the house".
[Abu Dawud].


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGBLElOujdY

Aqeedah at Tawheed – The Meaning of Reliance (Tawakkul) on Allah

All praise be to Allaah, Lord of the all that exists, and may Allaah send His peace and praises on His Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, as well as on all of his family members and Companions, and those who follow his guidance, tread his methodology and adhere to his Sunnah until the Day of Recompense.

To Proceed: Relying on Allaah (tawakkul) is one of the greatest forms of worship. Allaah says: “So upon Allaah, put your trust if you are truly believers.” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 23] So He made relying upon Allaah (tawakkul) a condition for Eemaan (Faith).

Allaah said to His Prophet: “So when you have made a decision, then put your trust in Allaah.” [Surah Aali ‘Imraan: 159]

So He ordered His Prophet to put his trust and reliance on Allaah.

Allaah says: “O Prophet! Allaah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.” [Surah Al-Anfaal: 64]

And He says: “And whoever is dutiful to Allaah, He makes a way out for him (from every difficulty). And He will provide for him from places he never could imagine. And whoever puts his trust in Allaah, He will suffice him. Verily, Allaah will accomplish His purpose. Indeed, Allaah has set a measure for all things.” [Surah At-Talaaq: 2-3]

And He says: “And whoever is dutiful to Allaah, He will make his matter easy for him. That is the Command of Allaah, which He has sent down to you. And whoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will expiate from him his sins and enlarge his reward.” [Surah At-Talaaq: 4-5]

Furthermore, Allaah has linked this reliance (tawakkul) to worship ( ‘ibaadah), as occurs in His statement: “So worship Him and put your trust in Him.” [Surah Hood: 123]

Allaah orders us to put our trust in Him, and He praises those who do it. He also states in many verses of the Qur’aan that He loves those who put their reliance in Him. All of this indicates and shows the importance of putting one’s trust in Allaah.

Relying upon Allaah is from the actions of the heart – so it is an act of worship of the heart. Therefore, putting one’s trust in Allaah is not to be done with one’s limbs and body parts. Rather, it is found in the heart, just like fear (khawf), awe (khashyah), longing (raghbah), dreading (rahbah) and dutifulness (taqwaa) of Allaah – all of these are acts of worship of the heart.

The position of tawakkul (reliance on Allaah) is as some of the scholars have stated:“The position of tawakkul in the Religion is like that of the head on a body.”

So a person that does not have tawakkul does not have Religion, just like a body that has no head. It is well known that if a body is missing its head, it will cease to live. This is the same case with the Religion – if it lacks tawakkul, it lacks correctness – meaning that one will not have a correct religion.

Therefore, relying on Allaah has a great standing amongst the stations of servitude to Allaah. Allaah uses it to distinguish His believing servants from everyone else. So whoever doesn’t put his trust in Allaah at all is a disbeliever. And whoever puts his trust in Allaah and also on others besides Allaah (at the same time) is a polytheist. And as for the one who puts his trust in Allaah alone – he is a monotheistic believer whom Allaah loves and whose actions and statements He is pleased with. This is since he has established his actions and statements upon a correct foundation.

So what is the meaning of this tawakkul (reliance on Allaah), which holds such importance and high position in the Religion?

The Meaning of Reliance (Tawakkul) on Allaah
Tawakkul on Allaah means: Entrusting one’s affairs to Him and relying on Him in all matters. Entrusting one’s affairs to Allaah entails not turning to someone else for unseen (ghaibi) support or help.

So reliance (tawakkul) upon Allaah can be with regard to matters of Creed, such that the servant’s heart does not turn to anyone else besides Allaah. Therefore, he is always putting his reliance in Allaah, entrusting all of his affairs to Him.

The pagans did not fall into polytheism and disbelief except due to the fact that they put their reliance in other than Allaah, entrusted their affairs to other than Him, and believed in their hearts that someone besides Allaah was able to grant their requests, alleviate their worries and repel harms from them. So they relied on statues, idols, trees, stones, graves, shrines and the deceased.
They put their trust in created beings to grant them things that only Allaah could do. So they began to ask them for help, offer sacrifices to them, make oaths to them, and directed various forms of worship to them. This is since they have relied on them apart from Allaah, thinking that they have the power to benefit them, harm them or grant their requests. Due to this, when they put their reliance in other than Allaah and directed their beliefs and worship to other than Him, they disbelieved in Him.

The foundation of Shirk is: Entrusting one’s affairs and putting one’s reliance on other than Allaah. This is why Allaah says: “So upon Allaah, put your trust if you are truly believers.” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 23]

The scholars say: The object of the verb here “upon Allaah” denotes limitedness. Thus the ayah means: “Put your trust in Allaah alone and not anyone else.” So Allaah has restricted tawakkul to Himself alone apart from others. Upon Allaah” means not upon anyone else. The ayah continues: “…put your trust if you are truly believers.” Allaah has made tawakkul (reliance on Allaah) here a sign of one’s Faith in Him and proof of one’s Tawheed.

As for the one who claims to be a believer and an adherent of Tawheed, but yet then goes on to put his trust in other than Allaah, such as stones, trees, statues, graves, the deceased, and so on, then this person’s claim is false. And he is not a believer since he has entrusted his affairs to someone besides Allaah.

By: Shaikh Saalih bin Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan,
Haqeeqat-ut-Tawakkul ‘ala Allaah

http://dailyreminders.org/aqeedah-at-tawheed-the-meaning-of-reliance-tawakkul-on-allah/

JUSTE UN INSTANT (Just a moment)

pas se mentir et à observer ce qui nous entoure. L’angoisse de cet instant car la peur de prendre du recul et de voir nos erreurs. Juste un instant pour être, enfin, conscient de ce qui nous freine et nous entraîne dans des choses néfastes dans l’évolution de notre vie. Un doute, un silence dans la parole, une preuve que l’on ne sait pas ce que l’on croit savoir. Un instant, une minute, une journée, une pensée, un regard, un mot, une parole, un partage, un sourire…

Parfois le temps est comme suspendu, sous le choque d’un événement nous sommes comme figés, comme arrêté dans notre cheminement. La vie va si vite et nous passons notre temps à vouloir rattraper le temps mais le temps nous rattrape. On passe notre temps à courir sans voir ceux qui nous entourent, et un jour on pleure le temps passé, on pleure ceux qui ne sont plus. Juste un instant suffit pour écouter, entendre son cœur. Cinq fois par jour, le musulman se voit offrir un instant, une pause, une recharge, qu’en fait-il ?

La lecture de ce texte est déjà une pause pour toi, un instant que tu t’accordes, que tu accordes à Dieu, à ta conscience, à ton essence, à ta foi, à ton cœur. Sache qu’à l’instant où tu lis ces mots, leur poids me pèse encore car nos émotions ne s’effacent pas, elles se dissimulent pour réapparaître…

Juste un instant pour te remercier d’avoir fait l’effort de me lire. Je te demande cher lecteur, un instant pour pardonner à ceux qui t’entourent, pour revenir à Celui qui maitrise la Création toute entière, pour offrir du temps à ceux qui en ont besoin, pour t’effacer là où tu pourrais laisser ta place à celui qui n’ose pas, pour partager ces mots, pour dévoiler ce que contient ton cœur à ceux qui méritent de l’entendre.


Just a moment, a pause to discover, learn to know ourselves, not to lie and watch the world around us. The anguish of that moment for fear of stepping back and see our mistakes. Just a moment to be finally aware of what hinders us and leads us into bad things in the evolution of our life. A doubt, a pause in speech, proof that we do not know what one understands. One moment, one minute a day, a thought, a glance, a word, a word sharing a smile ...

Sometimes time is suspended under the shock of an event as we are frozen, as agreed in our path. Life goes so fast and we spend our time trying to catch up but time is catching up. We spend our time running around without seeing those around us, and one day we spent the time crying, you cry those who are not. Just a moment just to listen, hear his heart. Five times a day, the Muslim is offered a moment, pause, reload, what is it?

Reading this text is already a break for you, a moment that you grant you, that you grant to God, to your conscience, your essence, your faith, your heart. Know that the moment you read these words, their weight still weighs on me because our emotions do not disappear, they reappear in disguise ...

Just a moment to thank you for making the effort to read me. I ask you dear reader a moment to forgive those around you, to return to that which controls the whole creation, to give time to those who need to t'effacer where you could leave your place to him who dares not to share these words, to reveal what's in your heart to those who deserve to hear.

How to be successful in life

(In the light of the Glorious Qurân and the Sunnah)

By:
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Question:
How to obtain success and prosperity in this world and hereafter? What kind of success or prosperity that Islam wants the Ummah Islam gain in this world?

Answer:
Praise be to Allah.

Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety… these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy.

There are religious means of achieving that, and natural and practical means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers; although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on others.

There follows a summary of the means of achieving this aim for which everyone is striving. In some cases, those who achieve many of them will live a joyful life and a good life; in other cases, those who fail to achieve all of them will live a life of misery and hardship. And there are others which are in between, according to what the means he is able to attain. These means include the following:

1 – Faith and righteous deeds:
This is the greatest and most fundamental of means. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)} [Quran, 16:97].

{مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحاً مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ
مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ}

Transliteration: Man `Amila Şāliĥāan Min Dhakarin 'Aw 'Unthá Wa Huwa Mu'uminun Falanuĥyiyannahu Ĥayāatan Ţayyibatan Wa Lanajziyannahum 'Ajrahum Bi'aĥsani Mā Kānū Ya`malūna

Allah tells us and promises us that whoever combines faith with righteous deeds will have a good life and a good reward in this world and in the Hereafter.

The reason for that is clear: those who believe in Allah – with sincere faith that motivates them to do righteous deeds that change hearts and attitudes and guides them to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter – follow principles and guidelines by means of which they deal with everything that happens to them, be it the causes of happiness and excitement or the causes of anxiety, worry and grief.

They deal with the things that they like by accepting them and giving thanks for them, and using them in good ways. When they deal with them in this manner, that creates in them a sense of excitement and the hope that it will continue and that they will be rewarded for their gratitude, which is more important than the good things that happen to them. And they deal with bad things, worries and distress by resisting those that they can resist, alleviating those that they can alleviate, and bearing with goodly patience those that they cannot avoid. Thus as a result of the bad things they gain a lot of benefits, experience, strength, patience and hope of reward, which are more important and which diminish the hardships they have undergone and replace them with happiness and hope for the bounty and reward of Allah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) expressed this in a saheeh hadeeth in which he said: «How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer» [Narrated by Muslim, no. 2999].

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that the believer is always gaining and the reward for his deeds is always multiplying, no matter what happens to him, good or bad.

2 – Being kind to people in word and deed, and all kinds of doing good.
This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and anxiety. By this means Allah wards off worries and distress from righteous and immoral like, but the believer has the greater share of that, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allah makes it easy for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and hope of reward. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
{لاَّ خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِّن نَّجْوَاهُمْ إِلاَّ مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلاَحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ابْتَغَاء مَرْضَاتِ اللّهِ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْراً عَظِيماً}
Transliteration: Lā Khayra Fī Kathīrin Min Najwāhum 'Illā Man 'Amara Bişadaqatin 'Aw Ma`rūfin 'Aw 'Işlāĥin Bayna An-Nāsi Wa Man Yaf`al Dhālika Abtighā'a Marđāati Allāhi Fasawfa Nu'utīhi 'Ajrāan `Ažīmāan

{There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah's Cause), or Ma‘roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward} [Quran, 4:114].
Part of that great reward is relief from worry, distress, troubles, etc.

3 – Another of the means of warding off anxiety that stems from nervous tension and being preoccupied with disturbing thoughts is to occupy oneself with good deeds or seeking beneficial knowledge, for that will distract one from dwelling on the matters that are causing anxiety. In this way a person may forget about the things that are making him worried and distressed, and he may become happy and more energetic. This is another means that believers and others have in common, but the believer is distinguished by his faith, sincerity and hope of reward when he occupies himself with that knowledge which he is learning or teaching, or with the good deeds that he is doing.

The work with which he occupies himself should be something that he likes and enjoys, for that is more likely to produce the desired results. And Allah knows best.

4 – Another thing that may ward off worry and anxiety is focusing all one’s thoughts of the present day, and not worrying about the future or grieving about the past. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sought refuge with Allah from worry and regret, from regret for things in the past which one cannot put right or change, and worry which may come because of fear for the future. So one should focus only on the present day, and focus one's efforts on getting things right today. For if a person is focused on that, this means that he will do things properly and forget about worry and regret.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said a du’aa’ or taught a du’aa’ to his Ummah, as well as urging them to seek the help of Allah and hope for His bounty, he was also urging them to strive to attain the thing they were praying for through their own efforts and to forget about the thing which they were praying would be warded off from them. Because du’aa’ (supplication) must be accompanied by action. So a person must strive to attain that which will benefit him in worldly and spiritual terms, and ask his Lord to make his efforts successful, and he should seek His help in that, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
«Strive for that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah, and do not be helpless. If anything (bad) happens to you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such, then such-and-such would have happened.’ Rather you should say, ‘Qaddara Allah wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allah decrees, and what He wills He does),’ for (the words) ‘If only’ open the door to the Shaytaan» [Narrated by Muslim].

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) connected the matter of striving to achieve good things with the matter of seeking the help of Allah and not giving in to feelings of helplessness which are a harmful kind of laziness, and with the matter of accepting things in the past which are over and done with, and acknowledging that the will and decree of Allah will inevitably come to pass. He described matters as being of two types:
1 – Matters which a person may strive to achieve or to achieve whatever he can of them, or to ward them off or alleviate them. In such cases a person must strive and make the effort, and also seek the help of Allah.

2 – Matters where such is not possible, so he must have peace of mind, accept them and submit to Allah's will.
Undoubtedly paying attention to this principle will bring happiness and relieve worry and distress.

5 – One of the greatest means of feeling content and relaxed and of acquiring peace of mind is to remember Allah a great deal (dhikr). That has a great effect in bringing contentment and peace of mind, and relieving worry and distress. Allah says:
{الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ}
Transliteration: Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū Wa Taţma'innu Qulūbuhum Bidhikri Allāhi 'Alā Bidhikri Allāhi Taţma'innu Al-Qulūbu
{Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest} [Quran, 13:28].

Remembering Allah (dhikr) has a great effect in achieving this aim because it has a special influence and because of the hope that it brings of reward.

6 – Another of the means of bringing happiness and relieving worry and distress is striving to eliminate the things that cause worry and to achieve the things that bring happiness. That may be done by forgetting about bad things in the past which cannot be changed, and realizing that dwelling on them is a waste of time. So a person must strive to stop himself from thinking of that, and also strive to stop himself from feeling anxious about the future and the things that he may imagine of poverty, fear and other bad things that he thinks may happen to him in the future. He should realize that the future is something unknown, he cannot know what good or bad things are going to happen to him. That is in the hand of the Almighty, the Most Wise, and all that His slaves can do is to strive to attain the good things and to ward off the bad things. A person should realize that if he diverts his thoughts from worrying about his future and puts his trust in his Lord to take care of his situation, and puts his mind at rest concerning that, if he does that, then his heart will be at peace and his situation will improve and he will be relieved of worry and anxiety.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with worries about the future is to recite this du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite:
«Allaahumma aslih li deeni alladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaaya allati fiha ma’aashi, wa aslih li aakhirati allati ilayha ma’aadi, waj’al al-hayaata ziyaadatan li fi kulli khayr, wa’l-mawta raahatan li min kulli sharr (O Allah, correct my religious commitment which is the foundation of my life, and correct my worldly affairs in which is my livelihood, and grant me good in the Hereafter to which is my return. Make my life a means of accumulating good, and make death a respite for me from all evil)» [Narrated by Muslim, 2720].

And he said: «Allaahumma rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not abandon me to myself even for a moment. And correct all my affairs. There is no god but You)» [Narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad, no. 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib, p. 49].

If a person utters these du’aa’s, which ask that his spiritual and worldly affairs may be set right or corrected, with proper presence of mind and sincerity of intention, whilst striving to achieve that, Allah will grant him what he has prayed for, hoped for and striven for, and He will turn his worry into joy and happiness.

7 – If a person experiences anxiety and distress because of a disaster, then one of the most effective means of relieving himself of that is to think of the worst scenario to which that may lead, and try to accept that. When he has done that, then he should try to alleviate it as much as possible. By means of this acceptance and these efforts, he will relieve himself of his worries and distress, and instead of worrying he will strive to bring about good things and to deal with whatever he can of the bad things.

If he is faced with things that cause fear or the possibility of sickness or poverty, then he should deal with that by striving to make himself accept that, or something even worse, with contentment, because by making himself accept the worst-case scenario, he lessens the impact of the thing and makes it seem less terrible, especially if he occupies himself with efforts to ward it off as much as he can. Thus as well as striving to achieve something good which will distract him from his worries about calamity, he will also renew his strength to resist bad things, and put his trust and reliance in Allah.

Undoubtedly these matters are of great benefit in attaining happiness and peace of mind, as well as bringing the hope of reward in this world and in the Hereafter. This is something which is well known from the experience of many who have tried it.

8 – Steadfastness of heart and not being disturbed about the imaginary things that bad thoughts may bring to mind. For when a person gives in to his imagination and lets his mind be disturbed by these thoughts, such as fear of disease and the like, or anger and confusion stirred up by some grievous matter, or the expectation of bad things and the loss of good things, that will fill him with worries, distress, mental and physical illness and nervous breakdowns, which will have a bad effect on him and which causes a great deal of harm, as many people have seen. But when a person depends on Allah and puts his trust in Him, and does not give in to his imagination or let bad thoughts overwhelm him, and he relies on Allah and has hope of His bounty, that wards off his worries and distress, and relieves him of a great deal of mental and physical sickness. It gives indescribable strength, comfort and happiness to the heart. How many hospitals are filled with the mentally sick victims of illusions and harmful imagination; how often have these things had an effect upon the hearts of many strong people, let alone the weak ones; how often have they led to foolishness and insanity.

It should be noted that your life will follow your train of thought. If your thoughts are of things that will bring you benefit in your spiritual or worldly affairs, then your life will be good and happy. Otherwise it will be the opposite.
The person who is safe from all of that is the one who is protected by Allah and helped by Him to strive to achieve that which will benefit and strengthen the heart and ward off anxiety. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
{And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him} [Quran, 65:3]
{وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ}
Transliteration: Wa Man Yatawakkal `Alaá Allāhi Fahuwa Ĥasbuhu

i.e., He will be sufficient for all that is worrying him in his spiritual and worldly affairs. The one who puts his trust in Allah will have strength in his heart and will not be affected by anything he imagines or be disturbed by events, because he knows that these are the result of vulnerable human nature and of weakness and fear that have no basis. He also knows that Allah has guaranteed complete sufficiency to those who put their trust in Him. So he trusts in Allah and finds peace of mind in His promise, and thus his worry and anxiety are dispelled; hardship is turned to ease, sadness is turned to joy, fear is turned to peace. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound, and to bless us with strength and steadfastness of heart, and complete trust, for Allah has guaranteed all good things to those who put their trust in Him, and has guaranteed to ward off all bad and harmful things from them.

If bad things happen or there is the fear of such, then you should count the many blessings that you are still enjoying, both spiritual and worldly, and compare them with the bad things that have happened, for when you compare them you will see the many blessings that you are enjoying, and this will make the bad things appear less serious.
See al-Wasaa’il al-Mufeedah li’l-Hayaat al-Sa’eedah by Shatkh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Sa’di

Ibn al-Qayyim summed fifteen ways through which Allah may dispel worries and regret. These are as follows:
1- Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (belief in the Oneness of Divine Lordship).

2- Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (belief in the Oneness of the Divine nature).

3- Tawheed of knowledge and belief (i.e., Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l_Sifaat, belief in the Oneness of the Divine names and attributes).

4- Thinking of Allah as being above doing any injustice to His slaves, and above punishing anyone for no cause on the part of the slave that would require such punishment.

5- The person’s acknowledging that he is the one who has done wrong.

6- Beseeching Allah by means of the things that are most beloved to Him, which are His names and attributes. Two of His names that encompass the meanings of all other names and attributes are al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) and al-Qayyoom (the Eternal).

7- Seeking the help of Allah Alone.

8- Affirming one's hope in Him.

9- Truly putting one’s trust in Him and leaving matters to Him, acknowledging that one's forelock is in His hand and that He does as He wills, that His will is forever executed and that He is just in all that He decrees.

10- Letting one's heart wander in the garden of the Qur’aan, seeking consolation in it from every calamity, seeking healing in it from all diseases of the heart, so that it will bring comfort to his grief and healing for his worries and distress.

11- Seeking forgiveness.

12- Repentance.

13- Jihad.

14- Salah (prayer).

15- Declaring that he has no power and no strength, and leaving matters to the One in Whose hand they are.
We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound from worries and to relieve us of distress and anxiety, for He is the All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive, and He is the Ever-Living, Eternal.

See Alhomoom – Dealing with Worries and Stress, in the Books section of this site.

And Allah knows best. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Accepted Actions 被接受的行為

“In order for any action to be accepted by Allāh ta’ala it must fulfil two conditions:
任何行為為了求得真主所接受,而必須履行的2項先決條件為:

1.The action must be in accordance with the teachings of the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam.
一切行為必須依照穆罕默德(求主賜福於他)聖人的教導。

2.There must be sincerity in the action, i.e. it must be done for
the pleasure of Allāh ta’ala.
一切行為必須是誠心誠意的,它必須是為了取悅真主而作的。

It is imperative that these two conditions are fulfilled,
otherwise the action will not be accepted in the Court of Allāh ta’ala.
Often, enough emphasis is not given to the first point: if an action,
no matter how sincere it is, does not conform to the teachings of
the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam, it will not be accepted.
這都是極為重要和必須服從的先決條件，否則這項行為將不會被真主所接受，
通常一些十分強調的事情是沒有向第一項所指示的，無論任何虔誠的行為，
如果沒有符合穆罕默德(求主賜福於他)聖人的教導，將不會被接受的。


This concept can be further understood through the example of
a passport and visa.
At immigration control the first thing that is checked is the validity
of the passport. If the officer does not accept its authenticity then
no matter how valid the visa is,the passport holder will not be able
to progress.

這樣的觀念將會應用護照和通行證的例子來得到更進一步的瞭解，
在一個通過移民管制站的，第一件事會是檢查護照的合法和有效性，
假如檢察官不接受這已齊備的手續，那麼 無論你的通行證效力會有多齊全，
但對持有這護照的人還是無法前進。


Similarly, when it comes to our actions in the Court of Allāh ta’ala
they must first be in accordance to the teachings of
the Prophet sallalahu alayhi wasallam.
Only then will their sincerity be checked. If both pass the test
then the action will be accepted by Allāh ta’ala.”

同樣地,當一切是為了真主而作的行為 ，
它必須是依照穆罕默德(求主賜福於他)聖人的教導，
只有這樣 ，那些虔誠的行為才會受到檢驗,如果同過了這2項的考驗，
那麼行為將會被真主所接受。


Insha ALLAH ,may ALLAH accept for our niat (intention)
and good deen ( deed)
假如真主允諾，求主接受我們的niat(舉意)和 deen (善行)。


By : Material taken from In Shaykh's Company:www.shaykh.org.

Do not deny for the truth --Islam 不可否認的真理--伊斯蘭

" We ~ Allah will show them Our signs in the universe,
and in their souls, until it becomes clear to them that It
~ the Quran is the truth. Is it not enough ~ for non-
believers that your Lord witnesses over all things?


"我將在四方和在他們自身中，
把我的許多跡象昭示他們 ，
直到他們明白古蘭經卻是真理" < 古蘭經41.53>


"Do not curse those who call to worship other than Allah,
so that they don't curse Allah out of spite and ignorance.
This is how We ~Allah appealed to each people its own
actions; then they will be brought back to their Lord
~ Allah, who will inform them of what they have been doing."


你們不要辱罵他們捨棄真主而祈禱的 (偶像)，
以免他們因過分和無知而辱罵真主 。
我這樣以每個民族的行為迷惑他們， 然後 ，
他們只歸於他們的主， 而要把他們生前的行為告訴他們。< 古蘭經6.108>


"And if you were in doubt about what We have revealed to
Our servant, then bring forth a book like the Quran; and call
your witnesses ~scientists to prove it contrary to Allah, if
you were truthful.

如果你們懷疑我所降示給我的僕人的經典，
那麼，你們擬作一章 並捨真主，
而祈禱你們的見證 ，如果你們是誠實的。< 古蘭經2.23>


" But you cannot and will never ~be able. So beware of
a fire whose fuel is men and stones prepared for blasphemers."


如果你們不能作證 ，你們絕不能作 --那麼 ，
你們當防備火獄 ，那是用人和石做燃料的，
已為不信道的人們預備好了。< 古蘭經2.24>

" They only disbanded after they received knowledge ~of
their Bible fallaciously among them. And if it were not a word
from your Lord ~Allah that postponed it to a later date, it
would have been all settled among them then. And those
who inherited the Book ~the Bible from them are in great
suspicion of it. < Quran 42:14>

知識來臨他們後， 他們才為互相嫉妒而分派別。
假若不是因為妳們的主預先說過要延期懲治，
那麼，他們必已受裁判了。 在他們之後繼承天經的人們，
對於天經，的確在使人猶豫的疑惑中。。< 古蘭經42.14>


"Therefore call them ~to the Quran and straighten your ways
as you are ordered and don't follow their passions and say:
"I believe in what Allah revealed of the Book ~The Quran
and I was ordered to be just among you ~both Christians
and Jews; Allah is our Lord and your Lord, we have our
actions and you have your actions, no argument between
us and you, Allah brings us together and to Him we are
~all destined." < Quran 42:15>

你應當召人於此道，你應當謹遵天命，常守正道，不要順從他們的私欲。
你說：「我確信真主所降示的經典，我奉命公平待遇你們。真主是我們的主，
也是你們的主。我們有我們的工作，你們有你們的工作，我們不必和你們辯駁。
真主將集合我們，他是唯一的歸宿。。< 古蘭經42.15>

戒除惡習 By-Ibn al-Qayyim rahimullah

"Stand firm against evil thoughts, for if you fail to do so,

they will become ideas,if you do not,

they will become desires, so fight against them.

If you do, they will become a form of determination and intention,

if you do not resist, they will become actions,

and if you do not follow them up with their opposite,

they will become habits that will be hard to quit."

-Ibn al-Qayyim rahimullah

我們應堅持對抗於一切的邪念,如果我們無法抵制這樣的想法,

它將會形成想法,如果我們無法抗拒這樣的想法,

他將會轉變成我們的私欲,將會轉變成決定和意圖目的

如果我們不夠堅持,它將會轉變成行動,

如果我們一直遵循這樣的邪念,它將會變成我們的習性,

也會難於戒除這樣的惡習

-Ibn al-Qayyim rahimullah

แค่ได้คิดถึง

ตั้งแต่ครั้งที่เราจากกันแสนไกล

เหตุและผลมากมายไม่เคยสำคัญ

เท่ากับความรู้สึกที่ใจของฉันนั้นเก็บให้เธอ

แต่ละครั้งที่เราผ่านมาพบกัน

อาจบังเอิญได้ยินข่าวคราวของเธอ

นั่นคือความรู้สึกที่ฉันคอยอยู่เสมอ

ขอบฟ้าที่เรานั่งบอกคราวนั้นยังมีความหมาย

ต้นไม้ลำธารยิ่งมองยิ่งคิดถึงเธอมากมาย

ชีวิตที่มันขาดเธอวันนี้ยังเดินต่อไป

แค่ได้คิดถึงก็เป็นสุขใจ

หยิบเอาภาพที่เรากอดคอด้วยกัน

ได้แต่ยิ้มกับมันด้วยความชื่นใจ

และก็ยังเสียดายกับการสูญเสียเธออยู่เรื่อยมา

ได้ยินเสียงบทเพลงที่เธอชอบฟัง

และทุกครั้งยังแอบมีน้ำตา

ยิ่งเวลารู้สึกไม่มีไม่เหลือใครอยู่ตรงนี้

และจะคิดถึงเธอตลอดไป

Are we worring, crying, laughing in vain? ignoring reality

saddness for anything that is not eternal is vain....death is your true birth...theres no time to worry or be sad or lonely...espacialy if there is something after death one should prepare for..."What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter,-that is life indeed, if they but knew"(translation of the Quran) why waste time careing about it...


this life, anything in this life that does not bring you closer to the Beloved is insignifigant in vain pointless and thus so is worrying or being sad because of it....if you want to be sad...their is something much greater to be sad about...and if you want to be happy,their is something greater to be happy about...if people only knew it...they would smash their heads for ever sheding a tear or breaking a laugh, on material things which seemed so vital,while forgetting the eternal things which alone are worth tears or laughter:

1. Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;
2. That man can have nothing but what he strives for;
3.. That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight:
4.. Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete;
5.. That to thy Lord is the final Goal;
6. That it is He Who granteth Laughter and Tears;
7. That it is He Who granteth Death and Life;
8. That He did create in pairs,- male and female,
9. From a seed when lodged (in its place);
10.. That He hath promised a Second Creation (Raising of the Dead);
11.. That it is He Who giveth wealth and satisfaction;

---------
The (material) things which ye are given are but the conveniences of this life and the
glitter thereof; but that which is with God is better and more enduring: will ye not then
be wise?
---------

"Know that worldly life is merely a sport and a pastime [involving] worldly show and competition among yourselves, as well as rivalry in wealth and children. It may be compared to showers where the plantlike amazes the incredulous: then it withers away and you see it turning yellow; soon it will be just stubble. In the Hereafter there will be both severe torment and forgiveness as well as approval on the part of God. Worldly life means only the enjoyment of illusion.

Compete for forgiveness from your Lord, and a garden broader than the sky plus the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messenger. Such is God's bounty which He gives to anyone He wishes. God possesses splendid bounty!

No disaster ever happens on earth nor to yourselves unless it is [contained] in a Book even before We brought it into existence. That is easy for God [to do], so that you should not feel sorry about what may have escaped you, nor yet rejoice in what He has given you. God does not love every conceited boaster who is miserly and orders people to be miserly. For anyone who turns away from it, God is Transcendent, Praiseworthy. "

TRUST IN ALLAH

We are choosing our wife for her permanent values; namely her religious devotions,
moral integrity, character etc. But believe me, if we try ourselves to combine a marriage,
we are almost sure to fail, because we have no knowledge.

Allah loves a servant when he puts his trust in Him. When we do so, it is illustrating how we rely upon Him for help, and proving our sincerity to Him, establishing that we recognise His infinite knowledge and wisdom.

Islam is likened to being as a house, and in my estimation nothing cements that house together as well as putting our trust in Allah.

It is related on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah that the Prophet (s.a.w) used to teach his companions to seek, through a special du'a (known as an istikharah), the guidance of Allah in
all matters which affected them. Rasulallah (s.a.w) said:

"When you are confused about what you should do in a certain situation, then pray two rak'at
of nafl salaat and read the following du'a (du'a of istikharah).

" I am surprised at the criticisms thrown at this du'a, and of its negligence. We are humans, powerless in this sphere of life, knowledgeable only enough to survive. So why shouldn't we
turn to Allah and seek His perfect help whenever we require it? Allah responds to the call of
His servant when he asks for guidance, and we are after all seeking to do something in order
to please Him.

Many wrong notions exist concerning istikharah. Many Muslims will pray, read the du'a, and run to bed expecting to see a dream showing them their future wife, what her favourite colour is, and some other weird fantasy. That is not the purpose of this salaat.

The results of an istikharah can take many forms. Basically, you go by your feelings, whether you now feel more favourable or not. Also, you may notice events have changed, either for or against you.

Finally, as a wonderful gift from Allah, you may be blessed with a dream. Note that you must follow the results of an istikharah, because not doing so is tantamount to rejecting Allah's guidance once you've asked for it. Also, you should firstly clear your mind, not have your mind already decided, and then afterwards follow the results willingly.

The Prophet (s.a.w) once sent Zainab a proposal of marriage. She refused to accept the proposal straight away, expressing her intention to refer the matter to Allah:

"I do not do anything until I solicit the will of my Lord." Allah, the Responsive, answered her plea for help and revealed an ayah approving of the marriage. We may seem shocked at her refusal to accept a proposal from what is the best husband any woman can have, yet she was just recognising that it is Allah who knows how successful such a marriage will be, and as a sign of appreciation, that reply is now preserved in our Holy Book: al Qur'an.


The Prophet (s.a.w) once said to Aisha: "I saw you in a dream for three nights when an angel brought you to me in a silk cloth and he said'Here is your wife', and when I removed (the cloth) from your face, look, it was yourself, so I said: 'if this is from Allah, let Him carry it out' ".

Marriage is a serious step, and requires the right attitude. If marriage completes half our faith, shouldn't that half be the best half?

A woman married for the wrong reasons can only weaken the Muslim household. Consider that she will be your life-long companion, the rearer of your children. Don't marry her for her worldly wealth, but for her wealth in Islamic wisdom and knowledge. Her status in this life is but illusionary, so choose her for her status in the sight of Allah.

Beauty is but superficial, but the beauty of Iman is transcendent. When asking Allah for a wife, call upon Him by His beautiful names, as He has commanded us:

"For Allah are certain and dignified names: therefore call upon Him by them"[7:189].

Ask for a companion who is devout, pious, patient and so on. Be among those who say:

"Our Lord, may our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes and make us leaders of the righteous"[al-Furqan,74]. I cannot provide a better conclusion than saying that you must put your trust in Allah. You must have trust in His concern for us, and His ability to help us.

Allah says: "Put your trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who put their trust in Him"[3:159]. May Allah help us in our sincere efforts in following His commandments and the way of His beloved servant, and provide us with wives whom He loves.

"When my servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I respond to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to my call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way"[2:186]

QUALITIES OF THE PIOUS WOMAN

Alright, you say, you've convinced me, but what actually makes her a pious woman?
The answer is simple: Allah himself has described those qualities most loved by Him in the Qur'an, and in the ahadith there are numerous accounts of the virtuous attributes of a pious woman.

The following are some ayahs on the attributes of the wife you should be seeking, so note those fine and appreciative qualities. The following are some ayahs on the attributes of the wife you should be seeking, so note those fine and appreciative qualities.

"And women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity"[24:26]

"Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husbands) absence what Allah would have them guard"[4:34]

"It may be, if he divorced you (all), that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you, who submit (Muslims), who believe, who are devout, who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for faith) and fast..."[66:5].

And then, in surah Ahzab, is a full list of those qualities loved by Allah, qualities which by the way should be evident in both males and females. So, my dear brother, choose her for the following attributes:

-a Muslim woman
-a believing woman
-a devout woman
-a true woman
-a woman who is patient and constant
-a woman who humbles herself
-a woman who gives charity
-a woman who fasts and denies herself
-a woman who guards her chastity
-a woman who engages much in Allah's praise.

Among the four known perfect women was Maryam. She was loved by Allah because of her religious qualities:

"O Maryam! Worship your Lord: prostrate yourself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down"[3:43].

Another was the wife of Pharaoh:

"And Allah sets forth, as an example to those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh: behold she said:

"O my Lord, build for me, in nearness to Thee, a mansion in the Garden' "[66:11].

The Prophet (s.a.w) loved his wives because of their religious qualities. Aisha once related the fine qualities of Zainab:

"(Zainab) was the one who was somewhat equal in rank with me in the eyes of Allah's Messenger (s.a.w), and I have never seen a woman more advanced in religious piety than Zainab, more God-conscious, more truthful, more alive to the ties of blood, more generous and having more sense of self-sacrifice in practical life and having more charitable disposition and thus more closer to Allah, the Exalted, than her." Ahh, you think, but you'll never find such a woman!

Well, if that was true, Allah would not have described her in the first place, and furthermore those qualities were emanating from the women described above. Islam deals with reality, not fiction. Sure, the perfect woman doesn't exist, yet

"if you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good"[4:19].

Remember also that you are not perfect either. KNOWING WHO SHE IS To find that pious woman, there are two steps to be taken, and that firstone relies on your personal observation.

In surah Nisaa, Allah asks the believing women that they should

"lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments,"

and also that they "should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments"[24:31].

If you notice a woman acting modestly, being not too obvious through her actions (by lowering her voice when around men), one who attempts to hide her attractions (which includes her external beauty as well as her internal charms), then you know she has some of those precious qualities. When you see a woman unashamedly flirting, unconcerned about her revealing clothes, and freely converses with males- keep far, far away. I'm sure when you get married you want your wife to devote her love to you, not to twenty other "just good friends".

Through simple observation, you can get a glimpse of her nature; for example, the way she stands when conversing, how she maintains eye-contact, her clothes, where she spends her time etc. Look for her strong points, and don't stress on her weak ones. Yet, after all this, we still have to come to the most important topic.

You can look all you want ather, set a private investigator to track her movements, read her diaries (all of which I consider extreme and unIslamic), yet, my dear brother, no-one knows her heart and intentions, no-one knows whether she will turn sour or more religious, or whether you are suitable for each other, except for Allah.

Choosing the Desired Wife

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Merciful, the Hearer of supplications, and peace and blessings upon our beloved and humble prophet Muhammad,and upon his family

and companions.

When marriage is spoken of during these "Modern" times, Muslims become horrified, conjuring

images of an arranged marriage, trying to find that "perfect" companion, how much of a financial

burden it will become, and so on.

The reality is that Islam came to solve these problems, not exacerbate them, yet unfortunately we have integrated our local traditions and customs with Islam so that marriage has become a major concern for a man rather than a delightful experience.

When living in a free, perverted and corrupt Western society, the Muslim male youth finds many

temptations and tests, as a result of mixing with females, which he must face and overcome.

He must constantly resist these temptations, which are thrown at him in the streets, on the media, and at work.And so the wisdom of the Prophet (s.a.w) echoes on, when he said:

"O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains the eyes from casting(evil glances), and preserves one from immorality..." When seriously considering marriage,

you must pose the question to yourself as to just what kind of wife you want, what her qualities should be in order to establish an Islamic and peaceful household, and how you will know who she is.

As Muslims, we believe that Allah wants the best for us, and that His Prophet (s.a.w) illustrated this through his own life. So note that by following the advise of our own Creator,and that of His beloved servant, we can only be successful. WHOM TO MARRY Islam isclear on the kind of wife you should be seeking.

The Prophet (s.a.w) said: "A woman may be married for 4 reasons:

1.for her property, 2.her status, 3.her beauty, and 4.her religion; so try to get one who is religious,

may you be blessed." This specifically defines just what kind of a companion we are seeking,for if we marry her for anything other than her religious piety, our marriage is bound to fall into misery. True, beauty and charm is hard to resist, yet beauty does not last forever and does not guarantee you her obedience and religiousness.Financial status is dynamic, and so is worldly status, yet religion strongly establishes a household, and it may be that through your intention of

marrying her for her religion, the rest is given to you anyway.

In another hadith, the Prophet (s.a.w) said:

"The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman."

Imagine! Nothing in this world is as valuable as a pious woman! This point has been stressed many

times by Rasulallah (s.a.w), who himself, when asked what three things he loved the most, mentioned

a pious woman. Once the following ayah was revealed:

"They who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of

a painful doom. On that day when it will (all)be heated in the fire of Jahannam, and their foreheads andflanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said to them): 'Here is what you hoarded for yourselves,now taste of what you used to hoard' "[al-Taubah: 34-35].

Umar (r.a.a) has been quoted tosay that, when this ayah was revealed, he approached

the Prophet (s.a.w), submitting that the ayah weighed heavily on the minds of the Sahaba. Rasulallah (s.a.w) replied that the best thing to be treasured is the devoted wife who causes pleasure when seen,obeys orders instantly and takes full care of herself and her husbands property when he is away.

Abu Bakr once asked Rasulallah (s.a.w) what was the best thing to be treasured, and he (s.a.w) replied: "the tongue in remembrance of Allah, the heart filled with thanks to Allah, and a pious wife who helps in virtuous deeds". Look at how valuable such a woman is in the sight of Allah!How can a man live unhappily with such a person.

Sincerity

Allah, the Almighty, says, " And they have been commanded no more than this: to worship
Allah, offering him sincere devotion" [98:5]


Allah’s Command to His first and foremost creature, man, has been connected with only two things; the first is worship, which means complete obedience His Divine Commands; and the second is sincerity, which is purifying the heart from doubt and polytheism. Worship is exterior aspect of devotion, while sincerity is an interior one.


Worship is connected with parts of the body, whereas sincerity is connected with the heart. Worship is ostensible, while sincerity is secret and hidden. This means that the true Muslim obeys Allah’s commands completely by his organs, and has sincerity in his heart. It is clear that sincerity is part of belief. Nay, rather it is the very belief.

Motives, which lead someone to a certain action, push him to perfect it, and encourage him to bear hardship and spend a lot for it, are numerous and various.

Some of these motives are closely linked to work, and could be noticed with deeds and actions. Others are distant and require some effort and insight in order to be realized. Some are so clear and obvious that raise no disputation or disagreement. Others are so ambiguous and hidden inside the human soul that they bring about a lot of disputation and disagreement to define or evaluate.


Some motives are instinctive, combined within human nature and urge man to maintain his existence, its safety, perfection and continuity.Some motives are acquired and stem from the soul after man gets to know his Lord, himself and what has been prepared for him of the everlasting blessings in the Garden of Paradise, as wide as the heavens and earth. The more good beneficial knowledge a human being acquires as demanded by Allah, the nobler the motive which urges him to great deeds and high morals are.

The more man is far away from the knowledge leading to Allah, the lower the psychological motive and the more debased deeds and traits are.Good deeds manifest firm belief. And belief without deeds is like a tree without fruits.


Moreover, good deeds are the price for Paradise and the only way to it. In Paradise, believers assume their positions according to the size and multitude of their righteous deeds. To this effect, Allah All Mighty says,

“Enter you in the Garden, because of (the good) which you did (in the world).” [XVI: 32] “And to all are (assigned) degrees according to the deeds which they have done.” [46; 19]The value of a certain act depends , before anything else, upon the motive(s) behind it.


Moreover, only motives can determine the real value of any action. If someone, for instance, finds a valuable silver coin in the street and bends down to pick it up with the intention to look for its owner, he would be considered a good-doer and will be well-rewarded. If, however, the same coin is picked up by someone with the intention of taking it for themselves, he would be considered an evil-doer and will be severely punished. Both acts are but one and the same;
but it is merely intention which makes the former good, and the latter bad.

It was narrated
on the authority of Omar bin Al-Khattab, who said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, “Verily, deeds are (rewarded) according to intentions; and, verily, everyone will gets what
he has intended.

Whosoever migrates for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, his migration will be
(considered accordingly) for the sake of Allah and His Messenger. But whosoever migrates
for the sake of a worldly benefit or a woman to marry, his migration will be (considered as having been done) for the purpose for which he has migrated.” Allah, the Almighty, also
says,

“He (Allah), Who created death and life that He may try you - which of you is best in deed.” (67. 2)

Fudhail bin Ayadh interpreted the clause “Which of you is best in deed” as “which of you are the most sincere and correct in deed.”

And when he was asked, “O Abu Ali! Which deed is the most sincere and correct?”,
he replied, “If an act is done out of sincerity, but is not correct, it will not be accepted.
And if it is correct but lacks sincerity, it will not be accepted, either. No act will be accepted, unless it is correct, sincere and in pursuit of the good pleasure of Allah:

“We feed you for the sake of Allah alone. No reward do we desire from you nor thanks.” [76; 6] Correctness of deed means being in agreement with Prophetic Sunnah (the tradition of the holy Prophet (PBUH).

This is because Allah has said, “Say if you do love Allah, follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah is Oft -forgiving, Most Merciful” (III. 31) Then Fudhail recited the verse, “Whosoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord admit no one as partner.”[18.110]

Allah has also said, “And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did (in this life) and We shall make such deeds as floating dust scattered about.” [25,23]

The deeds mentioned in this verse are said to mean the deeds which are not in agreement with the Sunnah and those which have been done for the sake of others than Allah.In a Divine Hadith, Allah All High says, “I am the Self-Sufficient, Who need no partners.


Whosoever does an act for the sake of others with Me, his act will be considered merely for the partner (whom he associates with Me); and I am exempt from it.”In another Divine Hadith He, Glory be to Him, says,

“Sincerity is one of My Secrets; I put it in the hearts of those whom I love of My slaves.”* * *Sincerity in seeking the good pleasure of Allah, exalts the worldly act and turns it into an accepted worship.

Thus, any act on the part of man for earning sustenance turns into an accepted worship if the following requirements are fulfilled: It must be fundamentally lawful, and intended for self-sufficiency. It should be spend on man’s family and those under his care. It should be
intended to be in service of people in general and Muslims in particular. It must not entail disobedience to Allah or distract man from performing the obligatory or religious obligations.

It is narrated that a pious person once saw a man busy at praying in a mosque without doing
any work.

He asked him “who feeds you?” “My brother”, replied the man. The righteous man said, “ Your brother is more devoted than you are.”Imam Muslim also narrated in his Sahih that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, ‘No Muslim plants a plant or cultivates a plant, so that a bird or a human being eats from, it will be a charity for him.”Thus, good intentions turn mere worldly deeds turn into worships and deeds.


Man’s responsibilities towards himself, his family and children turns into good and generously rewarded deeds if accompanied by good intentions. The prophet (PBUH) said, “Whatever you feed yourself is a charity for you, and whatever you feed your wife is a charity for you, and whatever you feed your servant is a charity for you.


” Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas narrated that the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), said, “you will certainly never spend anything seeking the good pleasure of Allah but you will be rewarded for it.” One may wonder when one gets to know that only sincerity in seeking the good pleasure of Allah is considered as a good deed if man is prevented from doing such a good deed by certain irresistible circumstances.In the battle of ‘Usrah, some people came to the prophet (PBUH). They wanted to fight against the infidels with him.

They offered their lives in the Cause of Allah; but the prophet (PBUH) could not recruit them. They went back because they were sad because of being left behind the battlefield. The following Koranic verse was revealed about them:“Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, when you said, ‘I can find no mounts for you,’ they turned back, while their eyes streaming with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad).” (IX; 92) The Prophet (PBUH) praised their belief and sincerity and addressed the army going ahead for the battle, “There are some people left behind us in Medina. we do not walk on a mountain pass nor a valley but they are with us. They have been excusably detained.

” Moreover, the Prophet (PUBH) considers illness and travel, when accompanied by sincerity in seeking the Reward of Allah as a reason for getting the reward of good deeds, which one used to do when one was healthy and at home. To this effect, he (PBUH) said “ If a slave (of Allah) becomes ill or travels, a better reward will be written for him for the good things that he used to do before his illness or travel.”

If hypocrisy, which is the opposite of sincerity, sneaks into good deeds or even worships and devotional services, it turns them into deeds worthy of blame and punishment. To this effect, Allah Almighty says, “ Woe unto the worshippers who are neglectful of their prayers, those who (want but) to be seen (of men) but refuse (to supply) (even) neighborly needs.” [107:4-7]


Whenever hypocrisy creeps into spending money, it renders it void and valueless in the sight of Allah. To this effect, Allah All Mighty says, “O you who believe render not your charity void by reminders of your generosity or by injury like those who spend their substance to be seen of men but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in parable like a hard barren rock, on which is a little soil: on it falls heavy rain which leaves it (just) a bare stone; they will be able to do nothing with ought they have earned, and Allah guided not those who reject faith.” [11:264] The Prophet also says, “Be sincere in your religion; a little amount of work will be enough for you”


* * *Here are some of the sayings of some scholars about sincerity:- Sincerity is that man’s secret acts must be better than his open ones. Hypocrisy is that man’s open deeds are better than his secret ones. And truthfulness in sincerity is that man’s interior should be better than his exterior.- Sincerity is to single Allah, the Almighty, for obedience and devotion.


One should purify his deeds from eye-service.- A sincere person is never a hypocrite; and a truthful one is never self-conceited. Sincerity is never perfected except by truthfulness just as truthfulness is never perfected except by sincerity; and they both can never be perfected without patient. - Sincerity is being heedless of people’s observation of man’s deeds and being in continuous observation of the Creator. Whosoever beautifies himself for people with what he does not possess drops in Allah’s estimation.- It has been said that abandoning work for the sake of people is hypocrisy; and performing any act for the sake of people is polytheism.


But if Allah keeps you away from them both, that is sincerity.- Sincerity is the secret between Allah and His slave; it should be known by no one else. - Sincerity is that you should not seek any witness on your deeds other than Allah, and that you should seek no reward from any one except Him.- Whosoever feels hat he is sincere enough, his sincerity lacks sincerity.An when a true believer gets rid of being pride of his sincerity, he will become of the chosen sincere elite. This is because the hardest thing to man is sincerity, for it has no benefit from it.* * *Before he embraced Islam, Zaid Al-Khaiyr was one of the bravest and most generous people. When the news of the Prophet (PBUH) reached him. He desired to know about his religion; so he prepared his camel, invited prominent men of his people to visit Yathrib (Medina). When they came nearer to Medina, they went straight towards the Prophet’s mosque and made their animals kneel down at its door. It so happened that when they entered, the Prophet (PBUH) was on the pulpit delivering a sermon. They were highly impressed by his sermon. They were amazed by the attachment of Muslims to him, their careful listening to him, and their being affected by his sayings. When the Messenger (PBUH) saw them, he said, “I am better for you than ‘Uzza and all what you worship. I am better for you than the black camel (metaphorical expression of the most precious wealth in Arabia), which you worship other than Allah.” When the Prophet (PBUH) finished his speech, Zaid, the knight, stood up among the crowds of Muslims having the appearance of one of the most handsome men with perfect countenance and a tall stature and began speaking out with his loud voice, “O Muhammad, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet came towards him and said “Who are you?” He replied, “I am Zaid, the knight”. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Nay, but you are Zaid the good, not Zaid the knight. All Praise be to Allah, Who brought you from your homeland and made your heart soft for accepting Islam.” Then the Prophet (PBUH) took him in honor to his house with some of his Companions among whom were Omar.At home, the Prophet (PBUH) put a pillow for Zaid. It was difficult for him to lean on it at the presence of the Prophet (PBUH). He said, “O Messenger of Allah! I swear by Allah I cannot lean in your presence!” The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “O Zaid! All men who were described to me proved to be inferior to the image I had made about them, except for you, Zaid. O Zaid! you have two traits that are beloved by Allah and His Messenger.” He asked, “What are they, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “ Patience and Clemency.” “Praise to Allah that He has made me as Allah and His Messenger like! O Messenger of Allah! Just give me three hundred knights and I guarantee to you that I shall attack the Romans and defeat them.” The Prophet (PBUH) appreciated his courage and said, “What a (great) man you are!” Then all of Zaid’s people who were with him embraced Islam as soon as he did. When he wanted to go back to his people’s land, the Prophet (PBUH) bade him farewell him and said, “What a (great) man this is!” On his way back he passed away. And it was not a long time between his acceptance of Islam and his death; but his sincerity for Islam and his great ambitions for the spread of this religion sufficed him from lots of work blemished by hypocrisy. In this context, the Messenger of Allah addressed one of his venerable Companions, “O Mou’ath! Be sincere in your religion, a little work suffices you.”