There you are standing before Allah Taa’la, the whole of mankind in anticipation. Hell to your left and Paradise your right. From the first man until the last, everybody is present. What is to be of them on this Day?

Not a word is spoken. Everybody is naked but unusually today, no one actually cares about anybody else. There’s only one question running through everyone’s mind, what will be their eternal abode?

The Qur’an states:

“And they will be set before your Lord in (lines as) rows, (and Allah will say): “Now indeed you have come to us as We created you first. Nay, but you thought that We had appointed no meeting for you (with us).” (Surah 18, Verse 48)

You stand there very frightened. As a Muslim, you hardly prayed your Salaah. In Ramadhan, you didn’t feel like keeping fasts. Zakaat was never on your mind. Even though you had enough money for Hajj, a trip to the Caribbean always seemed much more appealing.

You look down and wish that this silence continues forever and ever. Then suddenly, very unexpectedly, your name is called. Abdullah! Son of Adam, your heart begins to beat faster and faster. You are now trembling. Your turn has now come.

It is time for the truth; did you live in this world as a true believer? Did you believe in the oneness of Allah and follow the teachings of our Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam? If so, then there is no doubt that Paradise is your eternal abode, but for those who ascribed partners with Allah and neglected the teachings of our Holy Prophet May Allah send his peace and blessings upon him, then, Hell is their only dwelling. There will be no injustice on this day.

Slowly, tears begin to role down your face. Even before you receive the book of deeds, you know you have no chance. You had so many chances to revive yourself in the world, but you continued to commit sins, one after another. Many signs were brought before you clearly proving the oneness of Allah, but you rejected each sign, one after another. How is Allah going to give you another chance? Chances were given in the world. You continued sinning but were not punished; now you must face punishment for those unpunished sins committed. Then, the book (of deeds) is given to you in your left hand. You may have passed all the exams in school, but you now have failed the most important one, Life.

The Qur’an states:

“And We have fastened every mans deeds to his neck, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open.” “(It will be said to him): “Read your book.” (Surah 17, Verses 13,14)

Allah Taa’la states:

“And the Book (ones record) will be placed (in the right hand for a believer in the Oneness of Allah, and in the left hand for a disbeliever in the oneness of Allah), and you will see the ‘Mujrimun (sinners), fearful of that which is (recorded) therein. They will say: Woe to us! What sort of Book is this that leaves neither a small thing nor a big thing, but has recorded it with numbers!” And they will find all that they did, placed before them, and Your Lord treats no one with injustice.” (Surah 18, Verse 49)

You bend down on your knees and beg for mercy. “Please Allah! Only one more chance, only one more chance! You open the Book which had been placed in your left hand. You are shaking as you open the book knowing full well that it has recorded every single deed and every sin. You know full well that no injustice has been done by Allah.

You open the book and every detail is inside. As soon as your eyes glance upon the first sin on the page you have opened, you begin to cry. You close the book and start to regret. But this is no time to regret. Your chance has now gone. You shout once more, “ALLAH! CAN I HAVE ONE MORE CHANCE!!!??”

The Qur’an states regarding the misguided:

When those who were followed will disown those who were following and they will see the punishment and all ties with them will be cut

And those people who were following will say if only there was a returning for us we would disown them just as they disowned us in this way Allah will show them their actions as a source of remorse against themselves and they will not be coming out of the fire of hell. (Surah 2, Verse 166-167)

The heat of the fire of Hell is burning in your mind. How will you be punished? How long will you be punished for? Every time you wanted to do good in the world, Shaytaan took you away from the straight path and you were deceived very easily. You can blame no one but yourself.

Allah Taa’la states:

And Satan will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allah promised you a promise of Truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me.” (Surah 14, Verse 22)

How deceiving Shaytaan was? How powerful were his whispers and how weak was your Imaan?

Whatever he whispered into your ears, you immediately followed him. You disobeyed Allah and followed what you thought was the right path, but you were truly on the wrong path, treading upon the path that would lead you to inevitable destruction, the path that will lead you into Hell fire on this day. You thought arrogantly and lived as though you would live in the world forever. You ignored the fact that everybody to enter the world would eventually die one day and be judged. Allah Taa’la states in the Qur’an:

“Everyone is going to taste death.” (Surah 21, Verse 33)

Only seconds remain. The Hell fire is waiting. Your time has now come, but all you think of is that one more chance. With that one more chance, you would go back in the world and never commit another sin again. Chances, many chances were only given in the world but now it’s too late. You are thrown into the scorching fire.

My dear respected readers, do you want to end up like brother Abdullah? Does his life sound familiar compared to yours? Is obeying Allah, Praying Salaah and pleasing Him not in our daily schedule? Here in this life is our only chance and time to change. Remember, no chance will be given once you pass away. Repenting will be of no avail on that day. The Prophet May Allah send his peace and blessings upon him mentions in one Hadith:

“The one who repents from sin is like one who has no sin.” (Ibn Majah)

There is an extremely wretched place for those who disobey Allah and the Prophet May Allah send his peace and blessings upon him. However, those who are pious and are on the Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (right path) will be the ones that will be triumphant on that day and these are the people that will earn a great reward. Allah Taa’la states in the Qur’an:

“Verily, the Muttaqun (pious and righteous persons) who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained) will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers (Paradise).” (Surah 54, Verse 54)

From all the hard work that you do in this world dear readers, Allah Taa’la will never let that work go to waste. Instead, gardens and rivers will be awaiting that person and the book of deeds will be placed in the believer’s right hand. As for those who do not believe, Allah Taa’la says:

“The Day they will be dragged in the Fire on their faces (it will be said to them): “Taste you the touch of Hell.” (Surah 54, Verse 48)

May Allah Taa’la give us all the ability to avoid or discard the path of the Shaytaan and follow the right path shown by our Holy Prophet May Allah send his peace and blessings upon him. Ameen

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and he handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: .50
Babysitting my kid brother while you went shopping: .25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote:

For 9 months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge.
For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge.
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge.
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge.
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge,
Son, When you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, "Mum, I sure do love you".

And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL"

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little. Surah 17 : Verses 23/24

About Menses (Haiz) and Istehada (Prolonged morbid menstruation)

1 : The blood which usually comes every month from the vagina of a woman is called Haiz (menses).

2 : The least duration of menses is three days and three nights and the maximum us ten days and ten nights. So if one has menses for less then three days and three nights, then it is not menses, rather it is 'Istehada'. It has happened due to some disease. If the blood has come for more than ten days and ten nights, so the dasy other than ten, will be included in 'Istehada'.

3 : In case it (the blood) comes for three days, but it stops before the third night is passed; for example, if if starts form the morning if Friday and stops by the sun-set, then also it is not menses, rather it is 'Istehada'. In short, if it is even a little less than three days and nights, it is not at all 'menses'. For instance, if the blood starts from the morning of Friday at the sun-rise, and it stops in Sunday, a little before the sun-rise, then it is nit menses, rather it is 'Istehada'.

4 : During the period of menses, the blood in red, yellow, green, 'Khaki' that is dust-Coloured, or in whatever colour it comes, it is menses, unless the sanitary towel remains white. And when it looks white as it was kept, then she (the woman) become clean form the menses.

5 : Nobody has menses before nine and after fifty-five years of age. Therefore, the blood which comes to a minor girl less than nine years old is not menses, rather it is 'Istehada'. In case the blood comes after fifty-five years, and if it is too reddish or black, then it is menses, but the yellow or green or dust-coloured is not menses, rather it is 'Istehada'. But if this woman had yellow or green or dust-coloured blood before this age, then even after fifty-five years it will be taken as menses. But if it is against the habit, then it is not menses but 'Istehada'

6 : If one had blood for three or four days, but in some month it come for more days but not more than ten days, then it is all menses. But if it exceeded more than ten days, then it is 'Istehada' for the days more than what it used to come habitually. For example, if it habitually comes to one for three days, but in some month it come for nine or ten days, then it is all menses, But if it exceeds even a little more than ten days and nights, then only three days are those of menses and the rest are those of 'Istehada'. One has to offer compensatory Prayer (Namaz) for those days.

7 : If a woman who has no fixed habit i.e. blood comes to her sometimes for four days and sometimes foe seven days and it so often changes kike that and sometimes it comes for ten days as well, then it is all menses. If blood comes to such a woman for more than ten days and nights, then it is to be noted as for how many days it came in the pervious months. Now it is menses for the days formerly fixed for the same and it is 'Istehada' for the rest of the days.

8 : If someone always had menses for four days, but in some month it come for five days and came for fifteen days in the next month, then out of these fifteen days, five days will be counted as those of menses and the rest ten days as those of 'Istehada". In such a case, former habit will not come under consideration and it will be supposed that the habit is now changed to five-day cycle.

9 : One had blood for more than ten days, but she does not remember her former habit as for how many days it had come in the previous month, then the rule for it is so delicate that it is not very easy to understand and it seldom happens so. Therefore, I Leave out its description, If one needs it, she should consult some renowned scholar and not any ordinary 'Moulvi'.

10: If a girl had first experience of such a blood, then if it is for ten or a little less than ten days, then it is all menses; and if it comes for more than ten days, then it is menses for ten days and for the rest of the days it is 'Istehada'.

11: The last duration of cleanliness between two menses is a fortnight and for the most there is no limit. So if menses stops to anyone fro any reason, she will remain clean for the months menses does not come.

12: If someone has blood for three days and nights, then she remains clean for a fortnight, then again blood comes for three days and nights, then the blood before and after the fortnight will be taken that of menses and the fortnight in between, will be taken as the period of cleanliness.

13: If anyone has blood for a day or two and then remains clean for a fortnight, and the blood comes again for a bar or two, then the period in between is that of cleanliness. The blood which comes of a day or two before or after (the period of cleanliness) is not that of menses, but if 'Istehada'.

14: If one has blood for a day or for a few days and then remains clean for less than a fortnight, this is not at all reliable. In such a case it will be taken as if the blood remained continuing for the whole period. So the period habitually fixed for menses will be counted as those of menses but the rest will be taken as those of 'Istehada'. For example, if someone usually has menses by the first, second or third of every month, but in some month it happens that the blood comes on the first, and she remains clean for fourteen days and has blood once again fro one day only, then it be taken as if the blood remained continuing for the whole period or sixteen days. Out of these days, the period of three days passed earlier will be taken as the days of menses and the rest of the thirteen days are those of 'Istehada'. IF the fourth, fifth or sixth of every month are the dates of menses by habit, then these dates will come under the period of menses; and the three days passed earlier and the ten days passed later are those of 'Istehada'. But in case she has no fixed habit, then the ten days will be taken as those of menses and the rest of the six days as those of 'Istehada'.

15: The blood which comes during the period of conception is also not that of menses but it will come under 'Istehada'. no matter how many days it comes for.

16: The blood which comes at the time of child-birth, before the child comes out, is also that of 'Istehada'. In fact, that blood is also that of 'Istehada' which comes till the child comes out more than half.

About Menses (Haiz)

1: If is not proper to offer 'Salat (prayer) or observe Saum (fast)' during the period of menses. But while one is exempted form offering Salat during this period compensatory 'Salat' is not due, 'Saum' is not excusable. One has to observe compensatory 'Saum' after being clean.

2 : If menses starts during 'Fard (obligatory) Salat' then the Salat is also excused. One s not to offer compensatory Salat after being clean. But if the menses starts during 'Nafil' or 'Sunnah' Salat, then one has to offer compensatory 'Namaz' for that. If the menses starts after observing Saum for half a day, then that 'Saum' breached, and one has to boserve compensatory 'Saum' for that. If the menses starts during the 'Nafil Saum' then compensatory 'Saum' for that is also due.

3 : If menses comes at a time when there is very little time left for offering Salat then also Salat is excused.

4 : It is not proper for one to indulge in sexual intercourse with one's husband, but to lie down with the husband or eating drinking with him is allowed.

5 : If one habitually has menses for five or more days and the blood also come exactly for that period and then stopped, then sexual intercourse is not permissible unless she takes bath. If she does not take bath then she cane have sexual intercourse after period of one compensatory Salat is over.

6 : If one has a habit of five days, but the menses stopped after days, then she should compulsorily offer Salat after taking bath. But one is not allowed to get indulged in sexual intercourse before five days are completed, because there is not chance for the menses to come.

7 : If the menses comes the whole ten days and nights, then sexual intercourse is proper only after menses stopped, whether she has taken bath or not.

8 : If the blood stops after a day or two, then bath is not compulsory, one can offer Salat after performing Wudu, but sexual intercourse is not yet allowed. So, if menses starts before a fortnight is over then it will be known that the period was that of menses, In such a case, the period by calculation should be taken as that of menses. Now one should offer Salat after taking bath. But if the entire fortnight in between is over without bleeding, then it will be considered as 'Istehada'. So the Salats that were left off because of bleeding for a day or two, will now be offered in the compensatory from.

9 : If the menses habitually comes for three days, but it so happens that in a certain month, bleeding does not stop, then one should neither take bath nor offer Salat. If bleeding stops after full ten days and nights or less than that period, then Salat for those days are excused and no compensatory Salat is to be offered; and it will be taken as if the habit is now changed and so all these days will come under the period of menses. If it bleeds for the eleventh day too, then only three days will come under the account of menses and the rest will be counted as 'Istehada'. Now one should take bath on the eleventh day and offer compensatory Salat for seven days and should continue Salat without a break.

10: If the menses come for less than ten days and it stopped when the time for offering Salat is so little that even if she hastily takes bath she can hardly say Allah-u-Akbar only once and make intent (niy-yah) for Salat and nothing else, then also the Salat of that time becomes due and one has to offer compensatory Salat. But in case of a lesser time than this, the Salat is excused and no compensatory Salat will be due.

11: If the menses comes for full ten days and nights and bleeding stopped at a time that nothing other than Allah-u-Akbar cane be uttered and also she does not have time for a bath too, then also Salat become compulsory and one has to offer compensatory Salat.

12: if one comes clean in the day during the month of Ramadan, then after being clean, eating and drinking is not proper. One should compulsorily live like the observers of 'Saum'. But the day will not be counted in 'Saum', rather compensatory 'Saum' for the day will have to be observed.

13: If one has become clean after ten days of menses, then if the part of the night is so little that Allah-u-Akbar can be said only once, then also the 'saum' for the day following is compulsory. In case the part of night left was enough for taking bath but did not do so, then she should not break her 'saum' , rather she should make 'niy-yah' ( intent) for the 'Saum' and take bath in the morning. But if the part of night left is so little that one cane not even take bath, then the 'Saum' of the next morning is not valid. But eating and drinking in the morning is also not proper. One should pass her day like an observer of 'Saum' and observe compulsory 'Saum' later on.

14: Menses starts by the time blood comes upto the outer skin (of vagina). It makes no difference whether it comes out of the outer skin or not. If one keeps cotton pad ect. inside vagina so that blood does not come out of vagina; it will not be taken as menses. Till the blood remains and the cotton pad is not stained, it will not be taken as menses. If the blood stain appears on the outer skin of vagina or on the cotton pad, then the woman will be considered as started.

15: If a clean woman keeps pad inside her vagina in the night and finds blood-stain on it in the morning, then the period of menses will be counted from the time the blood stain has come to knowledge.

About Istehada (Prolonged morbid menstruation)

1: Istehada is like bleeding at the nose without a brake. Such a women should offer 'Salat' and observe 'Saum'. No compensatory prayer is necessary in such a cade; and sexual intercourse with such a woman in quite right.

Not : Istehada has the orders of the disabled and the excused.

About Nifas (After birth discharge) and Haiz (Menses)

1 : A woman who is passing from the period of menses of 'Nifas' and has bath compulsory for her, it is not permissible for her to enter a mosque, circumambulate the Kalimah, recite the Holy Qur'an or touch it. But if the Holy Qur'an is put in a case or wrapped in a bag of cloth which is not stitched with the cover and that can easily be put off then it is permissible to touch or lift the Holy Qur'an.

2 : One who is without Wudu (ablution) should not touch the Holy Qur'an; but, it cane be orally recited.

3 : The coins or saucer of amulet having verses of the Holy Qur'an written on it should also not be touched. But if these articles are kept in a bag or vessel, then these containers my be touched and lifted.

4 : To hold or lift the Holy Qur'an with the skirt of shirt and corner of 'Dupatta' (sheet worn loosely over shoulder) in not proper. But if there is some clothe detached from the body like handkerchief, towel etc.; they can be used for holding and lifting the Holy Qur'an.

5 : If (during the period of menses or Nifas) on recites not the whole of a verse or just a word of a verse or half of a verse, it is proper. But this half of averse should not be as big as some small a verse.

6 : if Surah Al-Fatihah or Al-Hamd as a whole to be recited with the intention of Du'a (invocation) or other invocations from the Holy Qur'an are recited with the intention of invocation only and with an intention of recitation, then it is permissible. It is not a sin. The following invocation; for example;

Invocation In Arabic

Rab-bana aatina fid-dunya hasanatanw wa fil akhirate hasanatanw wa Q'ena Adhabanner.

and the following invocation:

Rabbana la tu akhidhna innasina aw akhtana

upto the last written at the end of Surah Baqara or my other invocation that has occurred on the Holy Qur'an can be recited with the intention of invocation.

1 : Recitation of Dua-e-Qunut is also permissible (in such a condition).

2 : If a woman gives lessons in the Holy Qur'an to othe, then (in such a condition) she can only teach them the spellings of words, but should break the breath after a word or two and teach fluency in parts.

3 : To recite Kalimah (word) or Darood or to call out the name of Allah or to recite 'Istighfar' or Incantation (Wazifah) for instance,

La haula wala quwwata illa billahil ali-ul-azeem

is not prohibited.

4 : During the period of menses, it is appreciable to perform Wudu and recite the name of Allah at some clean spot so that the habit of Salat may not be broken and she may not feel disgusted after being clean.

5 : If one had a need for taking bath but the menses started before she could take bath, then bathing is not compulsory for her. She should rather take bath after being clean form the menses. Only one bath is enough fro both of them.

About cleaning of the Pollution

1 : If the semen in the clothe dries up, then it will be clean only after semen is being scratched, but the wet semen requires washing. But if one had not performed 'Istinja' (cleaning after a natural evacuation) and the semen is discharged in the meanwhile, then only rubbing will not be enough, rather washing would be necessary.

About Salat

1 : If one is giving birth to a child but only a small portion of the child had appeared, then also it is Fard (obligatory) to offer Salat, provided she is conscious. To give up Salat is not proper. But if offering of Salat endangers the life of the child, then she is allowed to give up Salat. In the same way, if the mid-wife thinks that offering of Salat on her part may harm the child to be born, then she also cane give up the Salat. But all of them should offer compensatory Salt as soon as possible.

About Attaining Puberty

1 : When a girl gets menses started or though menses has not started, but she becomes pregnant or though she has not been pregnant, but she commits sexual intercourse in dream and had a seminal discharge as well as taste of sexual intercourse then in all these three states of affairs she attains puberty. 'Saum' and al other orders of 'Shari'ah' (Code of Islam) will be applied on her. In case, she had not yet experienced any one of the three things mentioned above but has now become fifteen years old, then also she becomes young (or attains puberty) and she will come under the laws which are applied on a young girl.

2 : In 'Shari'ah', to become young means to attain puberty. No woman (girl) can become young before nine. Even If she starts bleeding (before nine) she connot be taken as young. The blood which comes before nine is not menses but 'Istehada' and orders of 'Shari'ah' have already been mentioned in this regard.

About Burial Rites

1 : If abortion is caused and if the child born has not developed limbs lime mouth, nose etc., then without giving bath and shroud, it should be wrapped in a piece of cloth and be buried into a pit dug for the purpose. In case, the new-born child has developed some limbs, then it will come under the order of the child born dead. Now it should be named and given bath, but it be given no shroud nor any Salat-Janaza (funeral prayer) should be offered. It should buried after having wrapped in a piece of cloth.

2 : During the process of birth, if only the head of the child appears and the child as dead, then it will come under the rules of a dead child. But if the child is dead after a major portion come out, it will be considered to be born alive. If the child is born from the side of head, then if the child is born upto its chest, it will be considered that the major portion is out; and if it come out with the reversed side, it should be out up to its navel.

Ecxtract from : Problems of Men & Women - By Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi

Assalamu-alaykum: Just a quick note, As some of the images below are missing - a issue I will fix inshallah in the next few days.. If you are looking for information on perfecting your prayer / salaah / namaaz - Please can you see this webpage (hanafi fiqh method of prayer) instead


http://www.islameasy.org/perform-salaah-correctly.php


Women salah / namaaz / prayer : Click here

Jazakallah




Before you read this page, it is vital you know that this isn't a A-Z guide of praying Salah, it has been written merely as a guide to perfecting your Salah Inshallah.



Note for women : There are some differences in the way you need to perform your Salah, these are briefed in the last section of this webpage.

Before you begin the Salah:

Check the following and be sure that you are doing things the way they should be done:
1. It is necessary that you face the Qiblah.
2. You should stand upright and your eyes should be focused on the spot where you make your Sajdah. Bending your neck and resting your chin on the chest is makruh (reprehensible). Similarly, standing in Salah while your chest is bent down is also not correct. Stand upright in a way that your ayes keep looking at the spot where you make your Sajdah.
3. Note that the direction of the fingers on your feet is towards the Qiblah and that your feet also have the same straight stance facing Qiblah. (Placing feet tilting to the right or left is contrary to Sunnah). Both feet should be in the direction of the Qiblah.
4. In between both feet, there should be a minimum span of four fingers of the hands as ready measure.
5. If you are making your Salah with jama’ah (congregation), make sure the line you are standing in is straight. The best method to make sure that the line is straight is that each person position the farthest ends of both his heels at the farthest end of the prayer-rug or at lines that mark out on rug from the other.
6. While in jama’ah, satisfy yourself by making certain that your arms are close to the arms of those who are standing on your right and left and that there is no gap in between.
7. It is impermissible, under all conditions, to let the lower portion of your ankles. It is obvious that its repugnance while standing for Salah increase much more. Therefore, be sure that the dress you are wearing is higher then your ankles.
8. Sleeves should be full, covering the whole arm. Only hands remain uncovered. Some people make their Salah with sleeves rolled up. This method is not correct.
9. It is makruh to stand for Salah while wearing clothes which one would not normally wear in public.

When you begin the Salah:

1. Make niyyah or intention in your heart to the effect you are offering such and such Salah. It is not necessary to say the words of the niyyah verbally.
2. Raise your hands upto your ears in a way that palms face Qiblah and the end of the thumbs either touch the lobes of the ears or come parallel to them. The rest o the fingers stay straight pointing upwards. there are some who would tend to turn the direction of their palms towards their ears rather then having them face the Qiblah. There are some others who almost cover their ears with their hands. There are still others who would make a faint symbolic gesture without raising their hands fully upto the ears. Some others grip the lobes of their ears with their hands. All these practices are incorrect and contrary to Sunnah. These should be abandoned.
3. While raising your hands in the manner stated above, say (Allahu-Akbar). Then, using the thumb and the little finger of your right hand, make a circle round the wrist of your left hand and hold it. You should then spread out the three remaining fingers of our right hand on the back of your left hand so that these three fingers face the elbow.
4. Placing both hands slightly below the navel, fold them as explained above.

When you are standing:

1. If you are making your Salah alone, or leading it as Imam, you first recite 'Thana' (Subhanakal-la-hum-ma) then 'Surah al-Fatihah', then some other Surah. If you are behind an Imam, you only recite Thana and then stand silent listening attentively to the recitation of the Imam. If the Imam’s recitation is not loud enough for you to hear, you should be thinking of 'Surah al-Fatihah' using you heart and mind without moving your tongue.
2. When you are reciting yourself, it is better that you, While reciting 'Surah al-Fatihah', stop at every verse and break your breath. Recite the next verse with fresh breath. Do not recite more then one verse in a single breath. For example, break your breath at 'Alhamdu-lilah-hirab-bil-aalameen' then on 'ar-rahma-nir-raheem' and then on 'ma-liki-yaw-mid-deen'. Recite the whole Surah al-Fatihah in this manner. But, there is no harm if, during recitation that follows, more then one verse has been recited in a single breath.
3. Do not move any part of your body without the need. Stand in peace - the more, the better. If you have to scratch or do something else like that, use only one hand and that too, under very serious compulsion using the least time and effort.
4. Transferring all the weight of the body on to one leg and leaving the other weightlessly loose to the limit that it shows a certain bend is against the etiquette of Salah. Abstain from it. Either you transfer your body weight equally on both legs or if you must channel your body weight on one leg, you have to do it in a way that the other leg shows no bend or curve.
5. If you feel like yawning, try your best to stop it.
6. When standing for Salat, keep you eyes looking at the spot where you make your Sajdah. Abstain from looking to your right and left, or front.

When in Ruku’:

When you bend for Ruku’, watch out for the following:
1. Bend the upper part of your body upto a point where the neck and back nearly level up. Do not bend any more or less then that.
2. While in Ruku’, do not bend the neck to the limit that the chin starts touching the chest, nor raise it is high that the neck goes higher than the waist level. Instead, the neck and the waist should be in one level.
3. In Ruku’, keep feet straight. Do not place them with an outward or inward slant.
4. Place both hands on your knees in a way that fingers on both hands stay open. In other wards, there should be space between every two fingers when you thus go on to hold the right knee with your right hand and the left knee with your left hand.
5. In the state of Ruku’, wrists and arms should remain stretched straight. They should not bend, curve or sag.
6. Stay in Ruku’, at least for a time during which (Subhana Rabbi-al-Azim) could be said three times calmly and comfortably.
7. In the state of Ruku’, the ayes should be looking towards the feet.
8. Body weight should be evenly distributed on both feet and both knees should be parallel to each other.

Returning to the standing position from Ruku’

1. While returning from Ruku’, back to the standing position, see that you stand straight leaving no sag or droop in the body.
2. In this position as well, eyes should be fixed on the spot where you do your Sajdah.
3. Three are those who simply make a ‘gesture’ of rising from the Ruku’ instead of rising fully and standing upright when it is time to do so and who, in that every state, when their body is still bent downwards, go on to do their Sajdah - for them it becomes obligatory that they make their Salah all over again. Therefore, abstain from it very firmly. Unless you make sure about having become perfectly straight in your standing position, do not go for Sajdah.

When bowing down for Sajdah:

Remember the following method when bowing down for Sajdah:
1. Bending the knees first of all, take them towards the prayer floor in a way that the chest does not lean forward. When the knees have already been rested on the floor, the chest should then be lowered down.
2. Until such time that the knees have come to rest against the floor, abstain, as far as possible, from bending or lowering the upper part of the body. These days negligence in observing this particular rule of etiquette while getting ready to go for Sajdah has become very common. Many people would lower down their chest right from the start and go on to do their Sajdah. But, the correct method is what has been stated in #1 and #2 above. Unless it be for a valid reason, this method should not be bypassed.
3. After having rested your knees on the floor, place your hands first, then the tip of the nose, then the forehead.

In Sajdah

1. While in Sajdah, keep your head in between your two hands in a way that the end of the two thumbs come parallel to the ear-lobes.
2. In Sajdah, fingers on both hands should remain close together, that is, the fingers should be adjacent to each other leaving no space in between them.
3. The direction of the fingers should be towards the Qiblah.
4. The elbows should stay raised off the floor. It is not correct to rest the elbows on the floor.
5. Both arms should stay apart from armpits and sides. Never keep them tucked in.
6. Do not, at the same time, poke your elbows far out to your right and left causing discomfort to those making Salah next to you.
7. The thighs should not come in contact with the stomach-wall. The stomach and the thighs should stay apart.
8. During the entire Sajdah, the nose-tip should continue to rest on the floor.
9. Both feet should be placed upright on the floor with heels showing on top and all fingers turned flat on the floor in the direction of the Qiblah. Those who cannot turn all their fingers because of the physical formation of their feet, they will still do well to turn them as much as they can. It is not correct to place the fingers vertically on the floor just for no valid reason.
10. Be careful that your feet do not lift off the floor during Sajdah. Some people would their Sajdah while none of the fingers on their feet come to rest on the floor even for a moment. This way the obligation of Sajdah is not liquidated at all, as a result, the Salah too becomes invalid. Be very particular in abstaining from this error.
11. In the state of Sajdah, the least time you can give yourself should be sufficient enough to say (Subhana Rabbi-al-Aala) three times, calmly and comfortably. Raising the forehead immediately after having rested it on the floor is prohibited.

In between the two Sajdahs

1. Rising from the first Sajdah, sit up straight, on the hams, calmly and comfortably. Then go for the second Sajdah. Doing the second Sajdah after raising the head just a little bit and without becoming straight is a sin. If one does it like that, it becomes obligatory that the Salah be made all over again.
2. Spared out the left foot (like the blade of a hockey stick) and sit on it. Let the right foot stand vertically with fingers turned towards the Qiblah. Some people let both feet remain in upright position and sit on the heels. This method is not correct.
3. While sitting, both hands should be placed on the things but fingers should not taper down onto the knees., instead, the far ends of the finger tips should reach only as far as the beginning edge of the knee.
4. While sitting, let your eyes be on the lap.
5. Sit for a time during which (subha-nallah) could be said at least once and if your can sit for a time during which

could be recited, it is better. But, reciting this during Fard (obligatory) Salah is not necessary. It is better to do so in Nafl Salah.

The second Sajdah and rising from it:

1. Go on to do your second Sajdah in the same manner by first placing both hands on the floor, then the nose-tip, then the forehead.
2. The complete from of Sajdah should be the same as mentioned in connection with the first Sajdah.
3. When rising from Sajdah, first raise the forehead off the floor, then the nose-tip, then the hands, and then the knees.
4. While rising, it is better not to learn for support off the floor, however, should it be difficult to get up from the floor because of body-weight, sickness or old age, making use of the floor for support is also permissible.
5. After you have risen back to your standing position, recite (Bismillah-hir-rah-mah-nir-raheem) before 'Surah al-Fatihah' in the begining of each raka’ah.

In Qa’dah:

1. The method of sitting in Qa’dah shall be the same as mentioned in connection with the method of sitting between Sajdahs.
2. When you reach while reciting the 'At-tahiyaat' raise the shahadah finger (the fore-finger or the index finger) with a pointing motion and let it fall back at
3. The method of making a pointing motion is that you make a circle by joining your middle finger and the thumb, close the little finger and the ringfinger (the one next to it), then raise the shahadah finger in a way that it is tapered towards the Qiblah. It should not be raised up straight in the direction of the sky.
4. However, lower the shahadah finger while saying but retain, right through the end, the initial formation of the rest of the fingers you already had when making the pointing motion.

When turning for Salam:

1. When turning for Salam on both sides, you should turn your neck just enough that your cheeks become visible to the person sitting behind you.
2. When turning for Salam, eyes should be towards the shoulders.
3. When turning your neck to the right to say make an intention that you are offering your Salam greetings to all human beings and angles on your right. Similarly, while turning for Salam to the left, have the intention of offering your Salam greeting to all human beings and angels present on your left.

The method of Du’a

1. The method of Du’a is that both hands be raised high enough so that they come in front of the chest. Let there be some space between the two hands. Do not bring the hands close together nor keep them far apart.
2. When making Du’a, keep the inner side of the hands turned towards your face.

Salah for women

The method of Salah describe earlier is for men. The Salah as offered by women differs from that of men in the following aspects. Women should be careful about what is required of them:
1. Before they begin their Salah, women should make sure that their whole body, except the face, the hands and the feet, is covered with clothes.
Some women offer their Salah with the hair on their head remaining uncovered. Some have their wrists left uncovered. Some women use scarfs so thin or small that their hair tresses are visible dangling down underneath. If, during the Salah, any part of the body, even if it be equal to one-fourth, remains uncovered for a time during which one could say (Subhana Rabbi-al-Azim) three times, the Salah itself would not be valid. However, should the uncovered portion be less than that, Salah would take place but the sin shall stay.
2. For women, making Salah in the room is better than doing it in the verandah and doing it in the verandah is better than doing it in the courtyard.
3. While starting the Salah, women should not raise their hands upto their ears, instead, they should raise them upto their shoulders, and that too, from within the scarf or other outer wrap being used. Hands should not be taken out of this cover.
4. When women fold their hands on the chest, they should simply place the palm of their right hand on the back of the left forehand. They should not fold their hands on the navel like men.
5. In Ruku’, women are not required to straighten their backs fully like men. Women should bend less as compared to men.
6. In the position of Ruku’, men should open up their fingers while placing them on the knees, but women are required that they place their hands on the knees with fingers close together, that is, there be on space between fingers.
7. Women should not stand on legs absolutely straight, instead, they should stand with knees slightly bent forward.
8. In Ruku’, men are required to keep their arms stretched, away from the sides. But, women should stand with their arms close to their sides.
9. Women should stand with both feet close together. Specially, both their knees should just about be joined together. Let their be no separating distance between legs.
10. While doing Sajdah, the method prescribed for men is that they should not lower their chest until such time that their knees come to rest on the floor. But this method is not for women. They can, right from the start, lower their chest and go for Sajdah.
11. Women should do their Salah in a manner that the stomach-wall come to rest against the thighs and the arms stay close to the sides. In addition to that, omen do have to position their feet, upright, they should spread them on the floor sliding them out towards the right.
12. Men are prohibited to place their elbows on the floor while making Salah. But, women should place the whole arm, including the elbows, on the floor.
13. When sitting between Sajdah and when reciting the 'At-Tahiyyaat', sit on the left hip, side both feet out to the side and let the left foot reset on the right calf of the leg.
14. Men are required that they be careful about keeping their finger upon when bending for Ruku’, and keeping then close together in Sajdah, and then, leave them as they are during the rest of the Salah, when they make no effort either to close or open them. But, it required of women, under all conditions, that they keep fingers close together, that is leave no space between them. This is required all along in Ruku’, in Sajdah, between two Sajdah and in the Qa’dahs.
15. It is makruh (reprehensible) for women to make a jama’ah (congregation) The very act of offering their Salah alone is better for them. However, should mahram-members of the family be making their Salah with jama’ah within the house, there is no harm if they join in with them in the jama’ah. But, in a situation like this, it is necessary that they stand exactly behind men. They should never stand next to them in the same row.

By: Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Hanifi School of thought Scholar)

Some essential rules of conduct

1. While entering the Masjid, recite the following Du’a:
( I enter with the name of Allah and with the prayer that Allah bless His Messenger and bestow upon him. O Allah, open for me the doors of Thy mercy.)

2. Immediately on entering the Masjid, make an intention that ‘I shall be in I’tikaf for whatever time I stay in the Masjid: By doing so, Insha’-Allah, the spiritual reward of I’tikaf can also be hoped for.

3. Following entry into the Masjid, it is better to sit in the front row. But, in case space in the front has already been taken up, sit wherever you find an opening. Advancing forward by leap-frogging people’s necks is not permissible.

4. Salam greeting should not be offered to those already sitting in the Masjid and busy in Dhikr or recitation of the Qu’ran. However, should one of them be not so engaged and looking at you on his own, there is no harm in offering such Salam greeting to him.

5. If you have to offer Sunnah or Nafl Salah in the Masjid, select a spot where there is the least likelihood of people crossing in front of you. Some people start up their Salah in the back rows while ample space remains open in the front. Because of this act of theirs, it becomes difficult for other to cross over and they have to make a long detour to reach open sitting spots. Offering Salah in this manner is a sin in itself, and should a person happen to cross in front of the person making his Salah, then this sin of his crossing over in that manner will also rest on the shoulders of the person making such a Salah.

6. After entering the Masjid, if you find that you are there a little ahead of the Salah timing, then, before you sit down, make two raka’ahs with the intention of Tahiyyah al-Masjid. This has great merit. If there is not time for that, you can combine the intention of Tahiyyah al-Masjid within the Sunnah Salah. And if, you do not have the time even to make your Sunnah Salah and the jama’ah is ready, this intention could also be combine with that of the Fard Salah.

7. As long as you sit in the Masjid, keep doing Dhikr. Specially, keep reciting the following Kalimah devotedly:
Sanctified is Allah and for Allah is all praise and there is no god but Allah is great.

8. Do not engage yourself in unnecessary conversation while sitting in the nothing else that may disturb those devoting to their ‘Ibadah of Salah or Dhikr.

9. If the jama’ah is ready, fill in the front rows first. If space is open in the front row, it is not permissible to stand in the back row.

10. From the time when the Iman takes his place on the Mimber to deliver the Friday Khutbah right through the end of the Salah, it is not permissible for anyone to talk, make Salah or to offer Salam to anyone or to answer Salam offered. However, should anyone start talking during this time, it is also not permissible that he be asked to keep quiet.

11. Sit during the Khutbah as you sit in Qa’dah when reciting at-Tahiyyat. Some people sit hand folded during the first part of the Khutbah and then place their hands on the things during the second. This method is baseless. One should sit with hands on the thighs during both.

12. Abstain from everything that may spread filth or smell in the Masjid or cause pain to anyone.

13. When you see anyone doing something wrong, ask him not to do so, quietly and softly. Totally avoid insulting him openly, or rebuking him, or quarreling with him.

By Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani

In the tribe of Bani Israel, there once lived a pious worshipper. One day, the people informed him that at a certain location, there existed a tree that was being worshipped by a tribe. When he heard this, the man flew into a rage, picked up his axe and set out to cut down the tree.

Iblees, appearing before him in the form of an old man, asked, “Where are you headed for?” He replied, “I intend to cut down the tree, which is being worshipped so that the people worship Allah instead.”

Iblees means the ‘carnal soul’, while the pious worshipper alludes to the ‘pure innate and soul’.

“Hold yourself till you hear what I have to say,” said Iblees to him.

The worshipper urged him to carry on.

Iblees continued, “God has His own Prophets and if it had been essential to cutdown the tree, He would have sent them to perform the task.”

However, the worshipper did not agree with Iblees and continued on his way.

“There is no way I shall let you do it,” said Iblees angrily, and he began to wrestle with the man. In the ensuing contest, the pious worshipper hurled Iblees onto the ground.

“Wait! I have something else to say to you”, pleaded Iblees. “Listen! You are a poor man. If you could possess some wealth by means of which you could give alms to the other worshippers it would be much better than cutting the tree. If you refrain from cutting the tree, I shall place two dinars beneath your pillow everyday.”

The pious person said thoughtfully, “If you speak the truth, I shall give one dinar in charity while the other dinar I shall put to my use. This is better than cutting down the tree; in any case, I have neither been ordered to perform this task nor am I a Prophet to burden myself with unnecessarygrief and anxiety.”

Thus, he acceded to the request of Shaitan who left him alone.

For two days, he received the two dinars and utilized them, but on the third day, there was no sign of the money. Upset and distressed, he picked up his axe and set out to cut down the tree.

On the way, he encountered Shaitan, who asked him: “Where are you headed for?”

“I am going to cut that tree.”

“There is no way you are going to do it,” said Shaitan.

Once again they began to contest, but this time Iblees overcame him and hurling him to the ground, ordered, “Turn back or I shall sever your head from your body.”

The pious man said, “Leave me alone and I shall return, but tell me, how was it that I had managed to overcome you on the previous occasion?”

Iblees answered, “On that occasion, you had set out only for Allah and you were sincere in your intention as a result of which, Allah subjugated me for you, but this time you were angry for your own self and for your dinars and so I could overpower you.”

Source : Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 1, pg. 54; Ihyaa al-U’loom, vol. 4, pg. 380; Riyadh al-Hikaayaat, pg. 140.

A sage presented a prince with a set of three small dolls. The prince was not amused.

“Am I a girl that you give me dolls?” he asked.

“This is a gift for a future king,” said the man. “If you look carefully, you’ll see a hole in the ear of each doll.”

“So?”

The sage handed him a piece of string.

“Pass it through each doll,” he said.

Intrigued, the prince picked up the first doll and put the string into the ear.

It came out from the other ear.

“This is one type of person,” said the man. “Whatever you tell him, comes out from the other ear. He doesn’t retain anything.”

The prince put the string into the second doll. It came out from the mouth.

“This is the second type of person,” said the man. “Whatever you tell him, he tells everybody else.”

The prince picked up the third doll and repeated the process. The string did not reappear from anywhere else.

“This is the third type of person,” said the man. “Whatever you tell him is locked up within him. It never comes out.”

“What is the best type of person?” asked the prince.

The man handed him a fourth doll, in answer.

When the prince put the string into the doll, it came out from the other ear.

“Do it again,” said the sage. The prince repeated the process. This time the string came out from the mouth. When he put the string in a third time, it did not come out at all.

“This is the best type of person,” said the sage. “To be trustworthy and wise, a man must know when not to listen, when to remain silent and when to speak out.”

Once a king purchased two slaves. One of them was very handsome while the other was very ugly.

The king asked the handsome slave to go and take a bath. While he was away, the king turned to the other (ugly) slave and said, “Your companion has given a very bad account of you, he said that you are a thief and of bad character. Is this correct?”

The slave replied that his companion was a handsome person, and his exterior beauty must be reflected by inward beauty as well. He could not believe that such a beautiful man could tell a lie. He therefore said, “If my companion has a bad opinion about me, there must certainly be something wrong with me. I am afraid he must be correct.”

The king observed that beauty was only an Allah given gift, and it did not follow that a person who had a handsome face had a pure heart as well.

The king was greatly impressed with the character and intelligence of this slave. In the meantime, the first slave had returned from his bath.

The king sent the second slave (i.e. the ugly slave to have a bath) and in his absence told the handsome slave that his fellow slave had given a bad account of him.

On hearing this, the handsome slave burst into invectives against his companion and said that he was a rascal and a liar.

The king thus came to the conclusion that the slave with a beautiful face had no inner worth, while the slave with an ugly face had much inner worth.

The moral of the story is that beauty is only skin deep. All that glitters is not gold.

The tongue reveals the inner intelligence as well as inner vileness. The safety of a man lies in holding his tongue.

'Surely Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your forms. Rather He looks to your hearts,' and he pointed to his chest.
[Muslim]

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, Allah will use our flaws to grace the table (the world).

In Allah ta'ala's great economy, nothing goes to waste. So as we seek ways to minister together, and as Allah calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway. Everything Allah Commands to be will Always become a reality.

There was a little boy with a bad temper.

His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally, the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.

The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

A man woke up early in order to pray the Fajr prayer in the masjid. He got dressed, made his ablution and was on his way to the masjid.

On his way to the masjid, the man fell and his clothes got dirty. He got up, brushed himself off, and headed home. At home, he changed his clothes, made his ablution, and was, again, on his way to the masjid.

On his way to the masjid, he fell again and at the same spot! He, again, got up, brushed himself off and headed home. At home he, once again, changed his clothes, made his ablution and was on his way to the masjid.

On his way to the masjid, he met a man holding a lamp. He asked the man of his identity and the man replied "I saw you fall twice on your way to the masjid, so I brought a lamp so I can light your way." The first man thanked him profusely and the two where on their way to the masjid.

Once at the masjid, the first man asked the man with the lamp to come in and pray Fajr with him. The second man refused. The first man asked him a couple more times and, again, the answer was the same. The first man asked him why he did not wish to come in and pray.

The man replied "I am Satan."

The man was shocked at this reply. Satan went on to explain, "I saw you on your way to the masjid and it was I who made you fall. When you went home, cleaned yourself and went back on your way to the masjid, Allah forgave all of your sins. I made you fall a second time, and even that did not encourage you to stay home, but rather, you went back on your way to the masjid. Because of that, Allah forgave all the sins of the people of your household. I was afraid if i made you fall one more time, then Allah will forgive the sins of the people of your village, so i made sure that you reached the masjid safely."

So do not let Satan benefit from his actions.

Do not put off a good that you intended to do as you never know how much reward you might receive from the hardships you encounter while trying to achieve that good.

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

“What food might this contain?” The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The mouse turned to the lamb and told him, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The lamb sympathised, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.”

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house — like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.

But his wife’s sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the lamb.

The farmer’s wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember — when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Each one of us is a vital thread in another person's tapestry. Our lives are woven together for a reason.

Narrated Ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"A Muslim is a brother of Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does hand him over to one who does him wrong. If anyone fulfils his brother’s needs, Allah will fulfil his needs; if one relieves a Muslim of his troubles, Allah will relieve his troubles on the Day of Resurrection."
[sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Narrated Ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should not oppress him nor should he hand him over to (his satan or to his self which is inclined to evil). Whoever fulfils the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Resurrection."
[sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Judgement; and he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Judgement; he who covers up (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his faults) in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother; and he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Paradise for him; The people who assemble in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquillity, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him; and he who lags behind in doing good deeds, his high descent will not make him go ahead."
[Muslim]

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

“What food might this contain?” The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The mouse turned to the lamb and told him, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The lamb sympathised, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.”

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house — like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient.

But his wife’s sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the lamb.

The farmer’s wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember — when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Each one of us is a vital thread in another person's tapestry. Our lives are woven together for a reason.


Narrated Ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"A Muslim is a brother of Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does hand him over to one who does him wrong. If anyone fulfils his brother’s needs, Allah will fulfil his needs; if one relieves a Muslim of his troubles, Allah will relieve his troubles on the Day of Resurrection."
[sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Narrated Ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. So he should not oppress him nor should he hand him over to (his satan or to his self which is inclined to evil). Whoever fulfils the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfil his needs; whoever removes the troubles of his brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Resurrection; and whoever covers up the fault of a Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the Day of Resurrection."
[sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said,

"He who removes from a believer one of his difficulties of this world, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Judgement; and he who finds relief for a hard-pressed person, Allah will make things easy for him on the Day of Judgement; he who covers up (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah will cover up (his faults) in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah supports His slave as long as the slave is supportive of his brother; and he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Paradise for him; The people who assemble in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, learning it and teaching, there descends upon them the tranquillity, and mercy covers them, the angels flock around them, and Allah mentions them in the presence of those near Him; and he who lags behind in doing good deeds, his high descent will not make him go ahead."
[Muslim]

Angel Jibrail (alayhis salam) told RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) the follwing incident about a man in the past who worshipped Allah Ta’ala continuously for 500 years. He was granted a shelter on top of a mountain that was surrounded by salty water. However, Allah caused a stream of sweet water to flow through the mountain for that individual. The man would drink from this water and use it to make ablution. Allah Ta’ala also raised a pomegranate tree from which the man would eat one fruit every day.

One day, this person supplicated to Allah that, “Oh Allah, bring my death while I am in the state of prostration.” Allah accepted this dua of his. Whenever Jibrail (alayhis salam) came down to the Earth, he found this man prostrating to Allah. Jibrail (alayhis salam) said that on the day of Judgement, Allah will tell the angels to take this individual to Paradise through His mercy. However, this man will insist that he should enter paradise through the good deeds that he had performed.

Then, Allah will tell the angels to compare his good deeds with the blessings that were given to him in the world. It will be seen that 500 years of his worship does not even equal to the gift of eye sight that was given to him by Allah. The angels will be asked to take him towards the hell fire. Then the man will plead, “Oh Allah! Enter me into Paradise only through Your mercy.” At that point, the following discussion will take place between Allah and that man.

Allah: Oh my servant, who created you?

The worshipper: Oh Allah, You have created me.

Allah: Were you created because of the good deeds you have done or because of My mercy?

The worshipper: Because of Your mercy.

Allah: Who granted you the ability to worship for 500 years?

The worshipper: Oh the Almighty! You have granted me that ability.

Allah: Who placed you on the mountain surrounded by the ocean? Who caused a stream of sweet water to flow in between the salty water? Who caused a pomegranate tree to grow for you? Who granted you death while in the state of prostration?

The worshipper: Oh the Sustainer of the Worlds! You have done all of these.

Then Allah will say, “All these have happened due to My mercy and you too will enter Paradise only through My Mercy.”

We can never thank Allah for the blessings that He has given us. Let us use these blessings to recognize Allah before our death.

Source: Obtained from the book “Tambihul Ghafileen” by Shaikh Abul Laith Samarkandi.

by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

I envy the sand that met his feet
I'm jealous of honey he tasted sweet

Of birds that hovered above his head
Of spiders who spun their sacred web

To save him from his enemies
I envy clouds formed from the seas

That gave him cover from the heat
Of a sun whose light could not compete

With his, whose face did shine so bright
That all was clear in pitch-black night

I envy sightless trees that gazed
Upon his form completely dazed

Not knowing if the sun had rose
Or if the sky was one with those

Who knelt, who prayed, and fasted too
Simply because he told them to

With truth and kindness, charity
From God who gave such clarity

His mercy comes in one He sent
To mold our hearts more heaven bent

I envy all there at his side
Who watched the turning of the tide

As truth prevailed and falsehood fled
And hope restored life to the dead

And men and women found their place
With aspirations for God's Face

I envy the cup that gave him drink
His thoughts that helped us all to think

To be one thought that passed his mind
Inspiring him to act so kind

For me this world is not one jot
If I could simple be a thought

From him to God throughout the ages
As revelation came in stages

I pity all who think it odd
To hear him say there is one God

Or he was sent by God to men
To hone their spirits' acumen

It's pride that blinds us from the sight
That helps good men to see his light

He taught us all to be God's slaves
And he will be the one who saves

Humanity from sinful pride
Muhammad has God on his side

So on this day be blessed and sing
For he was born to grace our Spring

With lilies, flowers, life's rebirth
In a dome of green like his on earth.

O Dear Muslims, if you were sincere
and tread the path of the righteous,
The living among you,
who didn't know the path to the straight,
would have fallen in love,
with Islam the real faith.
If you practised Islam the true way,
Your manners were the best
in what you thought and what you say.
Just by looking at you,
the unbelievers would have convert
to the religion of Islam
the perfect and true.

O Muslims, did we practise Islam
for ourselves and our family?
Did we not care for the
whole entire Ummah?
What will we say to our beloved
Prophet May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him
on Judgment Day?
He made so much effort
before he passed away.
Will he have a smile
on his face for us?
Or will he be unhappy
And his face turned away from us?
And won't we feel disgrace and injustice?

O Muslims, just don't pray for yourselves
and family.
Pray for the entire Ummah.

O Dear Muslims, if you were sincere

and tread the path of the righteous,

The living among you,

who didn't know the path to the straight,

would have fallen in love,

with Islam the real faith.

If you practised Islam the true way,

Your manners were the best

in what you thought and what you say.

Just by looking at you,

the unbelievers would have convert

to the religion of Islam

the perfect and true.

O Muslims, did we practise Islam

for ourselves and our family?

Did we not care for the

whole entire Ummah?

What will we say to our beloved

Prophet May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him

on Judgment Day?

He made so much effort

before he passed away.

Will he have a smile

on his face for us?

Or will he be unhappy

And his face turned away from us?

And won't we feel disgrace and injustice?

O Muslims, just don't pray for yourselves

and family.

Pray for the entire Ummah.

Abdullah ibn Jafar reported that he heard Sayyiduna Ali say in Kufa that Allah's Messenger, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "The best of the women of her time was Maryam, daughter of Imran, and the bet of the women of her time was Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid."

Is it not a great honor that the first person to embrace Islam was a woman? She was the first to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that her husband was the Messenger of Allah. Her husband was our beloved Prophet Muhammad, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and she was called Khadijah, ( may Allah be pleased with her) She was also called Thaira, meaning 'pure'.

Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, came from a noble family. Her father Khuwaylid had been one of the most honored leaders of their tribe until he was killed in battle. Her husband had also died, leaving her a very wealthy woman. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) was still a young man, she entrusted him with some of her wealth, asking him to trade with it in Syria on her behalf. He was already well known for his honesty, truthfulness and trustworthiness. He returned from Syria after having made a large profit for Khadijah.

After hearing his account of the journey, she decided that he would make the best of the husbands, even though many of the most important nobles of the Quraish had already proposed to her and had been refused, and in due course she proposed to him. After the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib, had given the proposed marriage his blessing, Muhammad and Khadijah were married. At the time of the marriage, the Prophet was twenty-five years old, while Khadijah was forty years old.

For the next fifteen years they lived happily together, and Khadijah bore several children. Their first child, a son whom they named Qasim, died when he was only two years old. Two more sons, called Tayyib and Tahir, were also born, but they too died in their infancy. However, Muhammad and Khadijah also had four daughters who survived: Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum and Fatima.

No one except Allah of course, knows more about a man than his wife, both his good and his bad qualities, his strengths and his weaknesses. The more Khadijah came to know about her husband, the more she loved and respected him. Everyone in Makka called him 'al-Amin', which means 'the trustworthy one', and she, more than anyone else, knew how fitting this name was. It became Muhammad's custom each year to spend the month of Ramadan in seclusion and reflection in a cave on the mountain of Hira, which is on the outskirts of Makka. Khadijah would always make sure that he was provided with food and drink during his retreat. Towards the end of one Ramadan, when he was forty and Khadijah fifty-five, Muhammad suddenly appeared at their house in the middle of the night, trembling with fear and saying, "Cover me up, cover me up!"

Khadijah was very alarmed to see him in such a state. Quickly she wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and, when he had calmed down, she asked him to describe exactly what had happened. He told her how a being whom he had never seen before - in fact it was the angel Jibril - had suddenly appeared to him while he was asleep and had said, "Read!"

"But I cannot read," he had replied, for he was unlettered and could neither read or write. "Read!" the angel had repeated, clasping Muhammad close to his chest. "I cannot read," he had repeated. "Read!" the angel had repeated, firmly embracing him yet again. "What shall I read?" he had asked in desperation, and the angel had replied:

Read, in the Name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot, Read, and your Lord is the Most Gracious, Who taught with the pen, taught man what he did not know. (Quran 96:1-5)

Although Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fully realize it at the time, this was the beginning of the revelation of the Qur'an; but in that first encounter with the angel Jibril, Muhammad was very frightened, for he did not know who the angel Jibril was or what was happening. He woke up and ran out of the cave only to find Jibril still in front of him, and whenever he turned away from him, there Jibril was in front of him yet again, filling the horizon with his mighty yet beautiful form.

"Oh Muhammad," said Jibril eventually, "you are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibril," and with these words he disappeared from Muhammad's sight.

After the angel had disappeared Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had clambered down the mountain as fast as he could run, not knowing if he was going mad and imagining things, or if he had been possessed by one of the jinn.

As she listened to Muhammad's words, Khadijah did not share any of these fears. She realized that something tremendous and awe-inspiring had happened to her husband, and she was certain, knowing him as she did, that he was neither mad nor possessed. "Do not worry," she said, "for by Him who has dominion over Khadijah's soul, I hope that you are the Prophet of this nation. Allah would never humiliate you, for you are good to your relatives, you are true to your word, you help those who are in need, you support the weak, you feed the guest and you answer the call of those who are in distress."

When Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as a little more relaxed, Khadijah took him to see her cousin, Waraqa ibn Nawfal, for he was a man of knowledge, and she was sure that he would be able to explain the meaning of what had just happened to her beloved husband. Waraqa had studied the books of both the Jews and the Christians very closely and he had learned a great deal from many of their wisest people. He knew that the coming of another Prophet had been foretold by both Moses and Jesus, peace be on them, anhe knew many of the signs that would confirm the identity of this Prophet when he appeared.

After listening closely to his story, Waraqa, who was both old and blind, exclaimed, "This is the same being who brought the revelations of Allah to Moses. I wish I was young and could be alive whyour people will drive you out."

"Will they drive me out?" asked Muhammad.

"Yes," replied Waraqa. "No one has come with what you have been given without being treated with enmity; and if I were to live until the day when you are turned out, then I would support you with all my might. Let me just feel your back." So, saying, Waraqa felt between the Prophet's shoulder-blades and found what he was feeling for: a small round, slightly raised irregularity in the skin, about the size of a pigeon's egg. This was yet another of the many signs that Waraqa already knew would indicate the identity of the next Prophet after Jesus, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

"This is the Seal of the Prophethood!" he exclaimed. "Now I am certain that you are indeed the Prophet whose coming was foretold in the Torah that was revealed to Moses and in the Injil that was revealed to Jesus, (pbut) You are indeed the Messenger of Allah, and the being who appeared to you on the mountain was indeed the angel Jibril!"

Khadijah as both overjoyed and awed to find that her understanding of what had happened on the mountain had been confirmed. Not long after this incident, Muhammad was commanded in a subsequent revelation from Allah, through the angel Jibril, to call people to worship Allah only, and it was at this point that Khadijah did not hesitate in expressing in public what she had now known for certain in secret for some time: " I bear witness that there is no god except Allah," she said, "and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

In the years that followed, difficult years in which the leaders of the Quraish did everything in their power to stop the Prophet spreading his message, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was a constant source of help and comfort to Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the difficulties which he had to face. All her wealth was spent in the way of Allah, helping to spread the message of her husband, helping to free slaves who had embraced Islam, and helping to feed and shelter the community of Muslims that slowly but surely began to grow in numbers and strength.

The Quraish were infuriated by the Prophet's success and did everything in their power to discourage both him and his followers, often inflicting awful tortures on them, but without success. The situation became so bad that the Prophet told some of his followers to go to Abyssinia, where their ruler, the Negus, who was a sincere Christian gave them shelter and protection. Eventually there came a time when, as Waraqa had foretold, Muhammad and his followers -along with all the members of his tribe, the Banu Hashim were driven out of the city of Mecca and forced to camp out in a small ravine in the mountains nearby. This happened long after Waraqa had died, and about seven years after that extraordinary night of power in which Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had received the first revelation of Quran through the angel Jibril. There, while their homes lay empty in Mecca, the Muslims were exposed to the bitterly cold nights of winter and the fiery hot days of summer, with very little food and shelter. No one would buy and sell with the Muslims, or allow their sons and daughters to marry any of them. Fortunately those who secretly sympathized with the Muslims would send what food they could to them whenever the chance arose, sometimes by loading provisions onto a camel or a horse and then sending it off at a gallop in the direction of the camp, hoping that the animal would not stop or get lost before it reached its intended destination.

For three years the small Muslim community lived a life of hardship and deprivation, but although they suffered from hunger and thirst, and from exposure to heat and cold, this was a time in which the hearts of the first Muslims were both purified and also filled with the light of knowledge and wisdom. The Muslims knew that they were following the truth, and so nothing else mattered. They did not care what the Quraish did to them or said about them. Allah and His Messenger were enough for them!

It was during this period that the Muslims who had sought shelter in Abyssinia returned, only to find the situation even worse than when they had left it. Not long after, many of them returned to Abyssinia, their numbers swelled by those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had told to accompany them. Finally the boycott was lifted and the Muslims were allowed to re enter the city; but the three years of hardship had taken their toll. First of all the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib, who was by then more than eighty years old, died; and then a few months later, during the month of Ramadan, Khadijah also died, at the age of sixty-five, may Allah be pleased with her. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mourned her deeply. They had shared twenty-five years of marriage together and she had given birth to five of his children. Only one of the Prophet's future wives, Maria the Copt, would give him another child, Ibrahim, and he, like Qasim, was destined to die when he was still very young, at the age of eighteen months.

Khadijah had been the first to publicly accept Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as the Messenger of Allah, and she had never stopped doing all she could to help him. Love and mercy had grown between them, increasing in quality and depth as the years passed by, and not even death could take this love away. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never stopped loving Khadijah, and although he married several more wives in later years and loved them all, it is clear that Khadijah always had a special place in his heart. Indeed whenever 'Aisha, his third wife, heard the Prophet speak of Khadijah, or saw him sending food to Khadijah's old friends and relatives, she could not help feeling jealous of her, because of the love that the Prophet still had for her.

Once Aisha asked him if Khadijah had been the only woman worthy of his love. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: "She believed in me when no one else did; she accepted Islam when people rejected me; and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else to lend me a helping hand." It had been related by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that on one occasion, when Khadijah was still alive, Jibril came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, Khadijah is just coming with a bowl of soup (or food or drink) for you. When she comes to you, give her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me, and give her the good news of a palace of jewels in the Garden, where there will be neither any noise nor any tiredness." After the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib, and his first wife, Khadijah, had both died in the same year, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his small community of believers endured a time of great hardship and persecution at the hands of the Quraish. Indeed the Prophet, who was now fifty years old, name this year 'the Year of Sorrow.'

In private his dearest wife was no longer present to share his life; and in public the insults that he received from the Quraish multiplied, now that he had no longer had the protection of his dead uncle. Even when he journeyed to Ta'if, a small city up in the mountains outside Mecca, to call its people to worship Allah, he was rejected and stoned by them. It has been related by Aisha that on his way back to Mecca, Jibril appeared to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, "Allah, may He be exalted and glorified, has heard what the people have said to you and how they have responded to your invitation, and he has sent the angel in charge of the mountains so that you can tell him what you want him to with them." Then the angel in charge of the mountains called out to him and greeted him and said, "O Muhammad, Allah has listened to what your people have said to you. I am the angel in charge of the mountains, and your Lord has sent me so that you can order me to do whatever you want. If you wish, I can bring the mountain of the outskirts of Mecca together so that they are crushed between them." But the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him, "Rather I hope that Allah will make their descendants a people who will worship Allah alone, without ascribing any partners to him."

It was a while after this that tfollowing Surah was revealed:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

By the morning hours, and by the night when it is stillest, Your Lord has not forsake you nor does He hate you, And truly what comes after will be better for you than what has come before, And truly your Lord will give to you so that you will be content. Did he not find you an orphan and protect you? Did he not find you wandering and guide you? Did he not find you destitute and enrich you? So do not oppress the orphan, And do not drive the beggar away, And speak about the blessings of Your Lord. (Quran 93:1-11)

And so it happened. After three years of constant struggle, a relative of his, called Khawla, went to him and pointed out that his house was sadly neglected and that his daughters needed a mother to look after them. "But who can take the place of Khadijah?" he asked. "Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr, the dearest of people to you," she answered. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had been the first man to accept Islam and he was the Prophet's closest companion. Like Khadijah, he had done all that he could do to help the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and had spent all his wealth in the way of Allah. However, while the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was now fifty-three years old, Aisha as only a little girl of seven. She was hardly in a position to look after either the Prophet's household or children. "She is very young." Replied the Prophet. Khawla had a solution for everything. She suggested that he marry at the same time a lady called Sawda, the widow of Al-Sakran ibn 'Amr.