Seeker of Knowledge...Mehnat(EFFORT)

We should put in full concentration and work extremely hard to acquire this ILM. Remember we did not come here by ourselves, but Allah has chosen us and brought us here. So to be accepted he looks at, how much effort we put in, how hard we try, how much we sacrifice and according to that we will be rewarded.

Three points to bring into practice:

*Motala (going over the next day's lesson)

*Sabak (to learn what was taught on that day)

*Iyadah (To go over and revise the previous day's lesson)

"Work-hard day and night, surely you will gain success"

Week 3

HADITH:
One who repents from sin is like one who has no sin (ibn Maja, Tabarani, Al-Mujam al kabir)

DID YOU KNOW:
The "Pliny of the Arabs" Al-Masudi (d 957 A.D) described an earthquake, and the first windmill in his celebrated work "The Meadows of Gold".

TARGET:
Constantly ask for forgiveness Inshallah it will be beneficial.

Week 2

HADITH:
"The Quran will either be evidence for you or against you" (Muslim)

DID YOU KNOW:
The first observatory in Europe, Giralda or "The Tower of Seville", was built in 1190 C.E, in the Spanish town of Seville under the supervision of the celebrated Mathematician, Jabir Ibn Afiah.

TARGET:
Start reciting a few verses of the Glorious Quran and gradually increase it. Insh'Allah it will benefit us.

Seeker of Knowledge...Ikhlaas (Sincerity)

Talib-e-Ilm what is our aim?

Whilst we are studing this Ilm we must always ponder over our intentions and rectify them.
We are not here to gain worldly pleasure,

We are here to gain:

1. Marifat (Recognition of Allah)

2. Islah (Rectification of ourselves)

3. To convey the true message.

Remember:

"If you run after the world the world will run away from you, If you run towards Allah the world will come running towards you"

Week 1

HADITH:
"Backbiting is worse than unlawful intercourse" (bayhaqi, Shu'ab al-iman)

DID YOU KNOW:
In the year 980 Abu'l Wafa al Buzjani (a.k.a Abu'l Wefa) [940, d. Baghdad (iraq), July 15,998] introduces the tangent ratio to Arabic mathematics and further develops spherical trigonometry.

TARGET:
Stay away for back-biting, and from those who back-bite. Insha'Allah

Hadith/Target/Did you know

"When asked what deeds were the most beloved by Allah, the prophet Muhammed sallahu alaihi wassalam replied, "The most regular, constant deeds even though they may be a few". He added, "Take upon yourselves only those deeds which are within your ability." (bukhari)

As most of us may be aware what this hadith is saying. That those deeds, which are regular are most beloved to Allah. We all tried to act upon this hadith, with the help of a weekly hadith, target and did you know. I hope and pray that we all tried our utmost best to bring those hadiths in our lives and act upon them persistently.

Also as you can see the 2nd part of the hadith which mentions, only try to act upon those deeds that you are capable of. It can get difficult improving ourselves in deen, whilst we work and study. So insha'Allah for those that work, go university, college and even those seekers of knowledge (talib-e-ilm), i will carry on quoting a weekly Hadith, Target and a Did you know. In this method insha'Allah, we can put a new target and hadith into practice every week and increase our knowledge whether it be just a little amount, as long as we keep it persistent.

May Allah accept our efforts.

NOTE TO READERS

The site was not updated due to certain circumstances, i do apologise.

SUNDAY 24th JUNE 2007

23rd June 2007

June Week 20

HADITH:
"The Miswaak(a natural tooth-brush from the twigs of an Arak tree) purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord" (Bukhari without a chain [Ta'liqan]. Nasa'i. Darami).

DID YOU KNOW:
Wednesday is the day in which light was created and it is a day injurious to the ways of the disbeliever, though it is a providential day for the believer.

TARGET:
InshAllah start using the mis-waak try and make it a habit.

Wudhu (Ablution)

On the previous Wednesday my respected teacher elaborated on the topic wudhu and mentioned three prayers essential whilst making wudhu (ablution):

To take the name of Allah subhana watala before doing any action.

"Bismillahir-rahmanir-raheem"

1. An action done without Allah subhana watala's glorious name is incomplete, even though it may seem to be complete, it will not have the barakah in it. There are certain things that become haram, if done without taking Allah's name e.g slaughtering an animal. It is not permissible for a Muslim to eat the meat of an animal, which has not been slaughtered with Allah's name.

It is sunnat to Pray "bismillah" before washing each part (a'adha) of the body in wudhu.

2. AFTER WUDHU

"Ashadu-laa-ilaa-ha-ilal-laahu-wahdahu-laashareeka-lahu wa-ashhadu-anna-muhammadan-abduhu-warasoo-luhu"

I testify that there is no god (worthy of worship) but Allah. He is one by himself. There is no partner in Him and i testify that Muhammad (Sallahu alaihi wassalam) is his servant and his messenger.

After that recite the following prayer:

"Allahuma-ajalanee-minat-tawaa-beena-waja-al-nee-minal-muta-tahireen"

O Allah, make me of those who turn to you and repent much and make me of those who stay very clean and very pure.

In this prayer, firstly we ask Allah subhana watala to make us, from those who ask for forgiveness. This will purify our inner self and then we ask to be from those who keep themselves clean and pure from the outside. This dua also shows that it is giving priority to our inner-self and to be pure from the inside is extremely important.

May Allah give us the ability to act upon these prayers Ameen.

Week 19

HADITH:
"The one who initiates the salaam is free of pride" (Bayhaqi, Shu'ab al iman)

DID YOU KNOW:
Al-Amide (d. 1314 C.E) a Syrian who was blind from childhood, developed a tactile system of reading by hand later developed by and popularised by Louis Braille, 500 years earlier.

TARGET:
InshAllah- try and make salaam to very Muslim you go past.

Seeker of knowledge ...(ILM)

ILM
(Knowledge)
(It maybe divided into two categories)

1. NUR-e- NABUWAT (light of Islam)
2. ILM-e- NABUWAT (knowledge of Islam)

NUR-e-NABUWAT:
This will only be attained if one has complete, Love and obedience towards the 'Ilm, teachers, books, equipment used for gaining the Islamic Sciences. One who acts upon, what he/she has learnt will be blessed with Nur-e-Nabuwat. By gaining this one has achieved the true meaning of knowledge and Allah سبحانه و تعالى will surely elevate him/her.

ILM-e-NABUWAT:
Remember, a person who is talented can gain the knowledge (ilm-e-nabuwat) but lack the Nur (divine light) of the knowledge because he/she did not have love for the knowledge and did not act upon it, nor he had respect of it. This 'Ilm will be useless to him/her and it may be detrimental for him/her.

Therefore we need to acquire both, ILM-e-NABUWAT which is attained by effort, and NUR-e-NABUWAT is gained by sitting in the company of the pious scholars.

Appreciation

Respected teacher reminds us a few points regarding appreciation, It is essential in one's life to be thankful to Allah سبحانه و تعالى as this will increase that blessing for us.

*The most valuable gift is to have Imaan, we must do Shukr (be thankful) to Allah سبحانه و تعالى for giving us this amazing gift.

*One of the greatest ways of appreciating and being thankful about the gift of Imaan, is to act upon all the good deeds. By undertaking this Allah سبحانه و تعالى will increase us in our IMAAN... InshaAllah.

*Most honoured teacher always mentions, that Shaytaan's mission is to penetrate in one's heart and he will do anything to do so, but remember keeping "our lips and tongue wet" by uttering the Glorious names of Allah will save us from shaytaan's evil thoughts.

"Allah is the friend of the believers, he takes them out from the darkenesses to light"

(quran 2:257)

Respected teacher says:

"It's up to you, to keep the friendship of Allah or to break it."

May Allah give me the Tawfique to act upon what has been said by respected and us all. Any mistakes are truly made unintentionally.

Seeker of knowledge ....(Value of time)

A few words of wisdom from respected teacher concerning the use of TIME!

TIME is a Ne'mat (gift) from Allah سبحانه و تعالى. In this time and era we do not use this gift as we should. Remember every minute is valuable and the previous minute will never return.

There are people that are engrossed in dhikr or any other type of worship whilst in their daily routine.

So we should try our utmost best in utilising our time wisely inshAllah it will be greatly beneficial.

An advice was specially given to those who are Hufaaz.

*One must pray 3 Paras a day, and use their time in the correct manner.

week 18

HADITH:
"The one who eats and is thankful is like the one who fasts and is patient" (Tirmidhi, Darami)

DID YOU KNOW:
Wearing the Ihram, all signs of position and status in society are removed and all men face Allah with their soul laid bare and independent of all worldly distinctions.

TARGET:
Reflect on the conditions for making repentance.

Week 16 and 17

HADITH:
"Bells are flutes of satan" (muslim)

DID YOU KNOW:
Ibn Al-naphis described pulmonary circulation in the human body 350 years before its attributed discoverer Sir William Harvey.

TARGET:
Reflect on the legitimacy of all earnings and possessions.

NOTICE

As you all may have known that respected teacher has been very ill, but alhamdulillah through the mercy of Allah he has recovered.. duas are requested...

Prescribed prayers

While going to the bathroom

"Allah-humma inni a-udhu bika minal khubuthi wal khabaa-ith"

O Allah, i seek refuge with you from the evil satans, the male and the female.

* One must enter with the left foot.

* One musn't spend too long in the bathroom.

* The shayateen like filthy places therefore they live in the bathroom.

BENEFITS OF READING THIS PRAYER:

--> Worldly (dunyawi) benefit is that, your body is protected from them.

--> The benefit for the hereafter (Ukhrawi) is that you are protected from evil thoughts.

When coming out of the bathroom

"Allah-humma gufraanak-Alhamdu-lilahi-ladhee adh-haba a'nil-adha wa a'faani"

O Allah, i seek your forgiveness. Praised is Allah who delivered me from filth and granted relief to me.

* Firstly we are asking for forgiveness as we were not able to be in remembrance of Allah in that room and also because we are not able to thank him the way we should.
* Then we thank him for removing the filth from our body, by praising the almighty.

Or say:

"Al-hamdu lilahi ladhee adhaa-qanee ladha-dha tahu wa abqaa-a'lay-ya qu-watahu-wa da-fa' a'n-nee adhaa-hu"

Praised is Allah who blessed me with the taste of food and let energy from it be absorbed in my body and the filthy part of it be removed from me.

* Firstly we praise him for giving us the ability to taste the food.

* Then for removing the filth from our body.

Week 14 and 15

HADITH:
"The upper [giving] hand is superior to the lower [taking] hand." (Bukhari, Muslim)

DID YOU KNOW:
The Black Stone came down from paradise, it was white in the beginning but it became black due to the sins of human beings. (tirmidhi)

TARGET:
InshAllah to reflect one's attitude towards prayer (salaah)