Sins of the Heart

Assalamu Alaikum brothers. Inshallah I'd like to share with you some things I learned from the halaqa I attended last week in my local masjid. Unfortunately I didn't start taking notes until halfway through, so my recollection is incomplete. The Ustadh (professor?) is a member of the Zaytuna Institute and creater of LampPost Publications. Not everything is directly from Quran or Sunnah, but has been collected by the shuyuk for our benefit. May we all guard against these sins. Ameen.

1/11/08

Ma’siatal Qalb (Sins of the Heart) by Ustadh Abdullah bin Hamid Ali

• Can be punished for impulse.
• Ex. Pride: One w/pride will not enter paradise. Pride is rejection of truth & looking down on others (hadith)

• Sheikh Ahmad Zurook (Morrocan) all rounder listed 4 sins of the heart

1) Riya (ostentation). Cure is to think who has given characteristic

2) Self-Amazement/narcissism caused by kibr (pride)

3) Stinginess caused by fear of poverty

4) Ghadab (anger) caused by thinking of self. Cure is to think of bad characteristics or what others say of you.

• Sins of Seekers of Knowledge according to Gazzali in Bida-tul-Hidayah (Beginning of Guidance)

1) Hasad (envy): in state of torment which is greater in the Hereafter. Love for

your brother what you love for yourself. (More important than details of fiqh)

2) Riya: 1 of 2 types of shirk (subtle/asghar). Love of status or to be followed.

No one destroys the people, but the people. Invalidates deeds, not accepted.

God is good, only accepts good.

3) Self-Amazement/Pride: Chronic illness. Arrogant one has distaste for being

Rebuked, but not gentle when rebuking. Best of people are those who are best

In Hereafter. Ignorance not knowing this. Think of child as sinless, an old

Person has worshipped more so better. Less knowledgeable sinned out of

Ignorance. Unbeliever may become Muslim.

• Kibr will not leave until acknowledging greatness in sight of Allah (on deathbed)
• Cause of all is Hub ud Dunna (Love of the world)

You knocked a glass of water over

Assalamualaikum brothers, InshaAllah you are all doing well. I recently started my surgery rotation at a county hospital in Torrance, which is about a 25 minute drive from my apt. Alhamdulillah, it's really interesting and my team has involved me in many aspects of patient care so I'm trying to learn as much as I can. Also, the senior resident on our team is Muslim and that's been really cool. I'm still trying to get adjusted to the surgery hours, but I think it's possible as long as I get to bed early (inshaAllah). I hope the Florida brothers had a great time on the trip, and inshaAllah, I'll be able to join you all on the next trip.

Also, I'm sorry that I haven't been posting as regularly as we initially wanted for the Islamic Reminder email rotation. But, inshaAllah I hope the following benefits you.

In Surah al-An'am, Ayah 59 Allah (swt) says: "And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darkness of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record."

Subhanallah guys, I thought this ayah was incredible. Allah's (swt) knowledge is so complete and wide ranging that even if I knocked over a glass of water, that was close to being empty, in the middle of the night, and only a few leftover droplets fell out of the glass and moistened the top fibers of the carpet, Allah (swt) would know all of this and to much greater detail than I am describing here. Subhanallah! I miss you guys and I hope I can hang out with you all in the near future, inshaAllah.

Take care and have a great week (inshaAllah),

Sameer

On Brotherhood

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh, my dear brothers,

Yesterday, I was trying to think of a good hadeeth to send out to our list; that night I went to Isha at the masjid, and I found an amazing hadeeth (which I never heard before) written up on the dry-erase board, and so I copied it down so we can all benefit from it, insha Allah.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Do not evny one another, do not inflate prices to one another, do not hate one another, do not turn away from one another, and do not undercut one another, but be you - O servants of Allah - brothers. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim: he neither oppresses him nor does he fail him; he neither lies to him nor does he hold him in contempt. Piety is right here (and he pointed to his breast three times). It is evil enough for a man to hold his Muslim brother in contempt. The whole of a Muslim for another Muslim is inviolable: his blood, his property, and his honor."

كتاب البر والصلة والآداب
10 - باب تَحْرِيمِ ظُلْمِ الْمُسْلِمِ وَخَذْلِهِ وَاحْتِقَارِهِ وَدَمِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ وَمَالِهِ
6706#
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ قَيْسٍ - عَنْ أَبِي، سَعِيدٍ مَوْلَى عَامِرِ بْنِ كُرَيْزٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لاَ تَحَاسَدُوا وَلاَ تَنَاجَشُوا وَلاَ تَبَاغَضُوا وَلاَ تَدَابَرُوا وَلاَ يَبِعْ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَيْعِ بَعْضٍ وَكُونُوا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ إِخْوَانًا ‏.‏ الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ لاَ يَظْلِمُهُ وَلاَ يَخْذُلُهُ وَلاَ يَحْقِرُهُ ‏.‏ التَّقْوَى هَا هُنَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَيُشِيرُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ‏"‏ بِحَسْبِ امْرِئٍ مِنَ الشَّرِّ أَنْ يَحْقِرَ أَخَاهُ الْمُسْلِمَ كُلُّ الْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِ حَرَامٌ دَمُهُ وَمَالُهُ وَعِرْضُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.

رواه مسلم

(I don't think this went out Thursday)

Asalaamu Alaikum Sorry this is getting to you all so late and thanks for all of your concern about my tooth. I currently have a temporary tooth in and will be waiting a few weeks for the permanent to be finished. Insha' Allah it will fit better than the last two temporary ones have. This experience has been a quite a strain on my patience but nothing I can't handle. I hope this reaches you all in good health and spirits and i can't wait to meet up with you all again. Take care and enjoy this: Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "Any person who takes a bath on Friday like the bath of Janaba and then goes for the prayer (in the first hour i.e. early), it is as if he had sacrificed a camel (in Allah's cause); and whoever goes in the second hour it is as if he had sacrificed a cow; and whoever goes in the third hour, then it is as if he had sacrificed a horned ram; and if one goes in the fourth hour, then it is as if he had sacrificed a hen; and whoever goes in the fifth hour then it is as if he had offered an egg. When the Imam comes out ( i.e. starts delivering the Khutba), the angels present themselves to listen to the Khutba."

Salam from Nabil

Assalamu Alaikom brothers,

 

Florida was wonderful. Missed a bunch of you there, though. Anyhow, things are cool. I'm still on the project in Maine and finished the first semester of the part-time MBA, alhamdullilah. There was a bit more reading than I expected, but the different prespective was refreshing.

 

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to seeing you all as a group in our summer trip, iA and hopefully, will see you indiviually intermittently throughout the spring.

 

I wanted to share couple of  hadith with you all.

 

The Prophet (S) said to his companions:

"Allah the Most High says, 'I am with my slave when he thinks of Me and I am with him when he mentions Me. For if he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in a gathering, I mention him in superior gathering. If he approaches Me by a hand's width, I approach him by an arm's length, I approach him by two arms length. And if he comes to me walking, I hasten to him swiftly.'" - 
Al Bukhari and Muslim

 

Allah's Messenger (S) said: Whoever says:

Subhaanallaahi wa bihamdihi. (Glorified is Allah and praised is He) one hundred times a day, will have his sins forgiven even if they are like the foam of the sea.

Al-Bukhari and Muslim

 

Peace,

Nabil

Summary Of Our Focus as Muslims

Asalamu'alikum,

Alhumdulilah, it was nice seeing those of you that made it out to Florida. Inshallah, I am looking forward to our next gathering sometime in the near future...Florida was nice and warm. It is zero degrees in Vermont right now (-12 with windchill), but I think I am getting used to it, alhumdulilah...


I would like to share one ayah that sumarizes what we should focus on as Muslims:

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West.But it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day, And the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers;To spend of your substance, out of love for Him,For your kin, for orphans, for the needy,for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves;To be steadfast in prayerAnd give in charity;To fulfill the contracts which you have made;And to be firm and patient, in pain and adversityAnd throughout all periods of panic.Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.Qur'an 2:177

Imad's post

Springboard from encouragement

1. By the Glorious Morning Light,

2. And by the Night when it is still,-

3. Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased.

4. And verily the Hereafter will be better for thee than the present.

5. And soon will thy Guardian-Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased.

AA guys,

I chose these verses from Surah Ad-Dhuha as an extension of Safi's post. I see these verses as a good source for refocusing oneself when things aren't immediately going one's way and hopefully a good source for encouraging one another. Hopefully, I wasn't way off of what Safi was getting at. Take care gentlemen.

imad

Springboard from encouragement

1. By the Glorious Morning Light,

2. And by the Night when it is still,-

3. Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased.

4. And verily the Hereafter will be better for thee than the present.

5. And soon will thy Guardian-Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased.

AA guys,

I chose these verses from Surah Ad-Dhuha as an extension of Safi's post. I see these verses as a good source for refocusing oneself when things aren't immediately going one's way and hopefully a good source for encouraging one another. Hopefully, I wasn't way off of what Safi was getting at. Take care gentlemen.

imad

Encouragement

Assalamu alaikum guys,

Sorry my inactivity messed this rotation up.

Alhamdulillah I am finally half-way done with my first year of Med School.
There have been a lot of ups and downs (alot of the latter lately).

But Alhamdulillah things are things are still good.

Some awesome highlights of the past 5 months:
- Realizing that if I work hard I can not suck at Med School
- Ramadan being awesome
- Making some great friends
- Having Nabil randomly visit me
- Realizing I need to take action if I want to succeed
- Going to the Masjid
-... other fun stuff

And now for the translation of a great Surah (Surat-al-'Asr):

I begin with the name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Kind
By the Passing of Time
Mankind is at a loss
Except for those who believe and do good deeds and encourage each other to the truth and and encourage each other to patience.

Salam,
-Safi

Dhul Hijjah

Asalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Alhumdulilah, as most of your know, our brothers Shamim and Bilal are currently performing Hajj, and we should all make sincere dua that this act is accepted from them. However, we should also be mindful that the blessings of Dhul Hijjah are not limited to those that were able to make the pilgrimage.

Ibn 'Abbas said about the Aayah, "Remember Allaah during the well known days," that it refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

-[Al-Bukhari]

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these days [meaning the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah]." The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allaah, not even jihad in the way of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihad, except for the man who puts his life and wealth in danger [for Allaah's sake] and returns with neither of them."

-[Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmidhi]

Hafsah reported, "There are five things that the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) never abandoned: fasting the day of 'Ashurah, fasting the [first] 10 [days of Dhul-Hijjah], fasting 3 days of every month and praying two rak'ah before the dawn prayer."

-[Ahmad and An-Nasa'i]

May Allah assist all of us in following the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon upon hom), increasing our good deeds and strengthening our Imaan.

-Ibraheem

Imad's post

'Umar b. al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When the Mu'adhdhin says: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and one of you should make this response: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; (and when the Mu'adhdhin) says: I testify that there is no god but Allah, one should respond: I testify that there is no god but Allah, and when he says: I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, one should make a response: I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.When he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: Come to prayer, one should make a response: There is no might and no power except with Allah.When he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: Come to salvation, one should respond: There is no might and no power except with Allah, and when he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, then make a response: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. When he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: There is no god but Allah, and he who makes a response from the heart: There is no god but Allah, he will enter Paradise. Translation from Sahih Muslim, Book 4.

Assalaamualaikum guys,
I hope all is well with you guys, InshaAllah. I'm hitting my final stretch of exams for the semester so it's go-time. Any duas to Allah asking that I adequately pass these exams would be much appreciated :) Take care,
imad

When the Adhan is called:

'Umar b. al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When the Mu'adhdhin says: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and one of you should make this response: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; (and when the Mu'adhdhin) says: I testify that there is no god but Allah, one should respond: I testify that there is no god but Allah, and when he says: I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, one should make a response: I testify that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.When he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: Come to prayer, one should make a response: There is no might and no power except with Allah.When he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: Come to salvation, one should respond: There is no might and no power except with Allah, and when he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, then make a response: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. When he (the Mu'adhdhin) says: There is no god but Allah, and he who makes a response from the heart: There is no god but Allah, he will enter Paradise. Translation from Sahih Muslim, Book 4.

Assalaamualaikum guys,
I hope all is well with you guys, InshaAllah. I'm hitting my final stretch of exams for the semester so it's go-time. Any duas to Allah asking that I adequately pass these exams would be much appreciated :) Take care,
imad