Protect Allah, Allah Will Protect You
Ibn Rajab on the Protection of Allāh In His Book, Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) has informed us that He is the Protector of the believers and that He protects the righteous; subsumed by this is the fact that He safeguards what is good for them both in this life and the Hereafter, and that He will not abandon them to another. Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) says, “Allāh is the Protector of those who have faith; He brings them out of the darkness into the light.” “That is because Allāh is the Protector of those who have faith and because the…
Ibn al-Qayyim on Sabr
Allāh, Glorious and Most High, made patience a racehorse that never falters or stumbles; a sword that never loses its sharpness; a vanquishing army that is never defeated, and a fortress that does not dilapidate and is never taken by force. Patience and divine help are like two blood-brothers that never separate. Divine help comes with patience, relief follows difficulty, and ease follows hardship. Patience aids and supports a person more than an entire army of people ever could, and in the attainment of victory, it is like the head to the body. In His Book, the Truthful Guarantor has…
Ibn Rajab on Beneficial Knowledge & Gnosis
Whoever suffices with knowledge of the Qurʾān and Sunnah, confining himself to what is reported from the Companions and Successors (in matters of the religion), makes his intention sincere – seeking Allāh’s face - and turns to Him for help, He will aid him, guide him, grant him divine accord, make him firm, grant him understanding, and inspire him. Now this knowledge will sprout its special fruit: the fear of Allāh, just as He, Mighty and Magnificent, says, “It is only the learned amongst His servants who truly fear Allāh.” Ibn Masʿūd and others said, ‘It is sufficient knowledge for…
Do You Want Good For Others?
Allāh’s Messenger (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said, “None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” In another narration it is reported that he said, “By the One in whose hand is my soul, a servant does not believe until he loves for his brother – or his neighbour – what he loves for himself.” And another still as, “By the One in whose hand is my soul, a servant does not believe until he loves for his brother the good that he loves for himself.” A fourth narration states, “None of you…
Our Trip To The Jungle
Just two days spent in Calais but so much to digest, so much to think about, and so much more that needs to be done. A group of volunteers from High Wycombe, Muslim and non-Muslim, after a concerted effort to collect items that were required for the refugees, and after filling a 40ft lorry and two vans with donations from the whole community, made their way over to the “Jungle” in Calais. The “Jungle,” packed with tents and other temporary structures, sprawls over an area of roughly four square kilometers and is really the culmination of French efforts over the…
Brought back to life with a single blast
The A to Z of Death Part 6 Click here for part 1 | Click here for part 2 | Click here for part 3 | Click here for part 4 | Click here for part 5 Resurrection During the sojourn in the grave, souls visit each other and converse with one another, regardless if they are buried close together or far apart. One such example is mentioned by the Prophet (sallAllāhu 'alayhi wasallam): The souls of the believers are brought to the believing soul and are overjoyed at receiving him, just as a person is when his absent, loved-one visits him. They will ask the person, ‘What…
The Soul’s Journey After Death
The A to Z of Death Part 4 Click here for part 1 | Click here for part 2 | Click here for part 3 The Soul's Journey After Death قُلْ يَتَوَفَّاكُم مَّلَكُ الْمَوْتِ الَّذِي وُكِّلَ بِكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكُمْ تُرْجَعُونَ Say, ‘The Angel of Death put in charge of you will reclaim you, and then you will be brought back to your Lord.’ اللَّـهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَىٰ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ Allāh takes the souls at the time of death and the souls of…
The Throes of Death
The A to Z of Death Part 3 Click here for part 1 | Click here for part 2 The Throes of Death Allāh says, وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنتَ مِنْهُ تَحِيدُ "The throes of death will come in truth, this is what you were trying to escape..." This āyah tells us that all will experience the throes and pangs of death, and for the sinner and disbeliever they will be exceptionally painful, وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُو أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمُ ۖ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ…
How to die a good death
The A to Z of Death Part 2 Click here for part 1 | Click here for part 3 Wanting to die Suicide is strictly prohibited in Islām and is unanimously counted amongst the mortal sins (kabāʾir). وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا Do not kill yourselves, Allāh is merciful to you. وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ۛ وَأَحْسِنُوا ۛ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ Do not contribute to your death with your own hands, but do good for Allāh loves those who do good. The Prophet (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) prohibited us from supplicating for death, and in one ḥadīth he said,…
Death – No One Can Escape
The A to Z of Death Part 1 Click here for part 2 | Click here for part 3 It is reported that one of the great scholars and ascetics of the past, Yazīd al-Riqāshī had a rhetorical conversation with himself, ‘Woe to you, Yazīd! After you die, who will perform ṣalāh on your behalf? Who will fast on your behalf? Who will make your Lord pleased with you on your behalf? Death is your promise, the grave will be your home, earth will be your bed, the worms will be your close companions – and all the while you will be…
