The Greater The Hardship The Greater The Reward II

Imam Ahmed brought it and Sheikh Nassir brings in his Saheehah No. 147 : Suhaib said that, 'we were sitting with the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and suddenly he laughed. Suddenly the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) laughed. He asked his companions: 'Won't you ask me what I am laughing about?.' So they asked the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) 'what are you laughing about ?' So he said : 'I laughed because I was astonished at the affair of a believer.' (Listen these are words of Musthafa alaihi salam. He doesn't speak of his own desires whatever he speaks it is revelation; Listen, these are words of Rasulullah describing a believer.). All of his affairs, all of his circumstances are good, all of it. If something happens to him that he loves, if Allah blesses him with something that he loves, then he praises Allaah and this is good. And if something happens to him, if he is put into some difficulty, test or tribulation or hardship or something that he hates, he is patient and that is good for him. And no o­ne's situation is totally good except the believer. And no o­ne else's affair, no o­ne else's circumstance, no o­ne else's condition, no o­ne else's situation is totally good except the mu'min, except the believer.'
'The o­nes who received the most difficulty, and went through the most hardship were the beloved people to Allaah --- the prophets. Allah loved them more than the rest of mankind or creatures. He tested them. He put them through test , he put them through hardship, he put them through difficulties. Listen to this narration of Ibn Majah and Sheikh Nassir also brings in his Saheehah No. 144 : (Sahaba's name not clear) uffe"I entered upon the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) before he passed away whilst he was sring having a fever -- I placed my hand upon him and I felt the heat from above the blanket, I felt the heat of his fever from above the blanket. I said : 'O Messenger of Allaah, how hard it is upon you.' The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam ) said : 'Yes, it is like that. Trials and tribulations, hardships and difficulties are doubled and multiplied and increased for us prophets. But also the reward, the blessing, the level that he is raised with Allaah upon is also multiplied and increased for him.' I said : 'O Messenger of Allaah who are most put through difficulty? Who are the people who are most tested? Who goes through the most trials and tribulation O' Messenger of Allaah?' He said : 'The prophets, then the righteous (saalihun)' ,
some of them are tested with clothing, some of them are tested with no clothing except an abaya that they place around their bodies, nothing else. But o­ne of them used to be so happy when he was put to trial or test like you see enjoyment and pleasure and contentment through ease. They were happy with trials and tribulations like you are happy with ease."Allaah the Exalted states in Surah Al-Zumar: 

سُوۡرَةُ الزُّمَر

قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ‌ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحۡسَنُواْ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٌ۬‌ۗ وَأَرۡضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٲسِعَةٌ‌ۗ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجۡرَهُم بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٍ۬ (١٠)

Surah Az-Zumar

"Verily the patient will get their reward without it being estimated, without it being calculated. It can't be counted. O­ne is waiting for reward, for that o­ne who is patient."
As-Sabr, patience Akhee Msulim, my brother Muslim, upon when you are put to trial, upon when you are put to test, upon when you go through sadness, upon when you go through hardship, upon when you go through difficulties, patience – As Sabr, then it is a sign that you are upon Khair. It is the sign that you are upon good. It is a distinguishing characteristic, or it is a distinguishing matter that shows that you are upon good. It is narrated in Abu Dawud : 
'Then it is saheeh, the happy o­ne, is the o­ne who can avoid trials and tribulations especially those that lead him astray or take him away from his deen, but the o­ne who is tested and is patient, so greater reward for him, unimaginable reward for him.'

Also it has been related by Bukhari and Muslim : Abbas said to Ibn Rabah :

"Shall I show you o­ne of the women of Jannah? Saudah, this black woman who told the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) : Verily I have seizures and I become uncovered, make dua to Allaah for me.' The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: If you are patient you will have Jannah. And if you want I'll make dua for you that you be healthy. She said : 'I'll be patient, I'll be patient but make sure that I don't become uncovered.' So the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) made dua to Allaah that she does not become uncovered.' 
This is how the Salaf were. Because of this some of the salafs used to say : If a difficulty happens to you, a hardship happens to you, if you are put to trial and tested and you are patient, then you have got o­nly o­ne difficulty. You have o­nly got o­ne hardship. You have o­nly got o­ne problem. Whenever a difficulty or hardship or trial comes your way and you are not patient, then you have two problems, and two hardships. And particularly if it is a loss of a child, or a loss of a loved o­ne. You are not patient with that then you have two difficulties.
The loss of the o­ne you love plus the loss of the reward you would have got if you had been patient. To be patient upon the tests, and the trials, and the hardships and the difficulties as a worship for Allaah, is a worship for Allaah. Many of us know that salaah is a worship, Zakah is a worship, and ruku is a worship and sujud is a worship, and reading Quraan is a worship , how many of us know that being patient upon a hardship, upon a sadness , being patient upon a difficulty, upon a test, upon a trial is a worship for Allaah. Allaah says in Surah Al-Hajj (22:11) : 

 سُوۡرَةُ الحَجّ

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَعۡبُدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرۡفٍ۬‌ۖ فَإِنۡ أَصَابَهُ ۥ خَيۡرٌ ٱطۡمَأَنَّ بِهِۦ‌ۖ وَإِنۡ أَصَابَتۡهُ فِتۡنَةٌ ٱنقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجۡهِهِۦ خَسِرَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةَ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡخُسۡرَانُ ٱلۡمُبِينُ (١١)                                                                       Surah Al-Hajj

And among mankind is he who worshippeth Allah upon a narrow marge so that if good befalleth him he is content therewith, but if a trial befalleth him, he falleth away utterly. He loseth both the world and the Hereafter. That is the sheer loss. (11) 

Abu Uwais Abdullaah Ali [Rahimahullah]
Source:AbdurRahman.org
  

The Greater The Hardship The Greater The Reward

The greater the hardship, or trial or tribulation the greater the reward. The greater the difficulty the greater the reward. The greater the trial or tribulation or difficulty that you are put through the greater the reward will be for you and for me from Allah (Tabarak wa ta'ala).
If Allah loves a people, He puts them to trial, He tests them and places them in difficulty. Allah the Exalted states in Surah Baqarah :

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥) ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٲجِعُونَ (١٥٦) أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عَلَيۡہِمۡ صَلَوَٲتٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةٌ۬‌ۖ وَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ (١٥٧

Surah Al-Baqara

And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast, (155) Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and lo! unto Him we are returning. (156) Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided. (157)

The great reward is in accordance to how great o­nes trial, difficulty or test is. The greater the test and trial, the greater the reward. And everyone must have tests and everyone will have problems & trials and everyone will be put to difficulty, everyone will have moments of grief, moments of sadness moments when things are not as they feel or would like them to be. But the difference is the believer is patient, the believer believes in the decree of Allaah, the believer seeks the reward of Allaah (subhana wa ta'ala) at that time.

The believer praises Allah. The believer will be rewarded in his time of difficulty. The believer has burns and the Kaafir has burns. The believer needs an operation and a Kaafir needs an operation. The believer loses a mother and a Kaafir loses a mother. The believer loses his wife and the Kaafir will lose his wife. Everyone experiences difficulty. Everyone experiences trials and tribulations but the believer because of what Allaah (subhana wa ta'ala) has given him of Imaan and for what he has of patience and being pleased with the decree of Allaah, and seeking a reward from Allaah and seeing the wisdom of Allaah (subhana wa ta'ala) in his difficulty, he will be raised and he will receive great rewards.

Abu Dawud mentions in the Sunnan, related by Ahmad :
It is in the Saheehah (when you hear as-Saheehah it means it is authenticated by Shaikh Naasir ud-Din al-Albaani in his authentic books of narrations – Hadith No. 959) :The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said 

"This my Ummah, is a Ummah that has mercy upon it, 'Marhooma'- a Ummah that has mercy that's been wrapped in Mercies; there is no punishment for this Ummah in the Hereafter except their punishment that they experience in the Dunya --- killing and death and dying, trials and tribulations, earthquakes and the like." And the wording of Abu Dawud is : 'This Ummah reminds of the Ummah, that Allaah has placed His mercy upon. This Ummah will not have any punishment in the Hereafter, this punishment is in this world with fitn, trials, tribulations and punishments and difficulties, and earthquakes and killings, murder, death.. like this.

'As recorded in Buhari and Muslim: The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said :

"Whoever Allah wants good for him, he puts them to test. He puts them through difficulties. Like a diamond or some metal that has to be burnt and then that which is bad from it is removed so that you have that which is the pure diamond or the pure gold or whatever. Put them to tests, trials and difficulties."
As narrated by Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah : (This is the Hadith that we started with) - The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said : 'The greater reward is with the greater trial or the greater the trial or difficulty of test or hardship is then the greater the reward. And when Allah loves a person He will tests them. So he who will be pleased and then He will be pleased. He who is displeased, then He will be displeased.'(Sahaba's name not clear) 'The people as long as they are in good health, good shape, good condition they are covered. You don't know their true character because they are in good situation, they are in good circumstance. As long as they are in a good circumstances they are covered. But if a trial or difficulty or a hardship comes upon them, then you will see their reality. They will go to their reality. The Mu'min will run to his Imaan, the Mu'min will run to his belief, the believer will run to his belief, his Imaan and the hypocrite will run to his hypocrisy, and the hypocrite will run to his hypocrisy. "Without being shaken, you don't not know what comes to the top and what goes to the bottom. Without being shaken you don't know a man from those who are faking; you won't know women from those who are faking. You won't know those who truly believe from those who don't. Those who make a claim o­n their tongue and is not really in their hearts and from their limbs from those who are willing to die for this matter. This can o­nly be shown by trials, the tribulations and tests and difficulties."

Abu Uwais Abdullaah Ali [Rahimahullah]
Source:AbdurRahman.org
 

Who Took such Great Care of You?

Ibn Qayyim says:

“Look then at yourself again, and think:

Who took such great care of you? – since you were a fetus in the belly of your mother, in a place where no hand could extend help to you, and no eye could reach you? You had then no way of seeking food or fending for yourself.

…

When your skin was judged to be strong enough to be exposed to air, your eyes strong enough to meet the light outside, and your bones were sturdy enough to withstand the touch of hands and life on earth, your mother had the labour that ushered you out into the world of ordeals, with all its attendant hardships.

…

And then He opened that gate and expanded it? for you to exit in the twinkling of an eye? You were not suffocated with its narrowness, and you were not held by the hardship of your passage through it. If you contemplate your entrance through that gate and then your exit through it, you will have enough to wonder at: Who inspired it to tighten when you were a drop so that you would not be infected, and later had it expand and open wide for you to exit strong and healthy?

Then you came out alone, unescorted, weak, without shelter, or clothing, or property, or money: you were the neediest, weakest, and poorest of creatures. But He ordered the nourishment that you received inside to be transformed into milk preserved in two reservoirs hung on the breast of your mother. She bears your nourishment on her breast as she bore you inside her belly. Milk flows to those two reservoirs for you in the subtlest way through paths that have been predesigned to carry it; it pauses in those paths until the milk already in the reservoirs is exhausted, and then a replenishment is provided for yon to suck. It is like a well that is never depleted, and is never blocked, running to you through obscure ways, untrodden ways! Who led it to follow those ways? Who purified it and gave it a delicious taste? Who chose its agreeable colour and made it to perfection? It is neither too hot nor too cold, neither bitter nor salty nor foul of scent. The teat at its Tip is just the right size for your mouth, neither too big for it, nor uncomfortably small. The pore at its tip is just big enough for your convenience, neither big in a way that suffocates you, nor small in a way that you need to exert yourself in sucking at it; it is just the amount that the Great Judge has arranged to fit your convenience.

Who directed The mother’s heart to have all that extraordinary compassion for you and amazing mercy, so that she dedicates to you the warmest, most convenient and the most precious of her devotion. On the slightest crying or complaint you make, she will every time put your pleasure before hers, even if that happens every moment. She would come obediently to attend to your needs, without any call or exhortation but the call of her mercy and the exhortation of her compassion. She wished that any affliction you suffered were inflicted on her body, that not the slightest pain should come to you, that years may be cut off from her life and added to yours, Who made her feel like that?

And then, after your body grew robust, your intestine expanded, your bones stiffened, and you needed tougher food, to solidify your bones, and strengthen your flesh, He supplied you with the tool of cutting and grinding, the incisors that cut the food, and the molars that grind it. Who held back the growth of your teeth while you were a sucking infant, out of mercy for your mother, and then let them out at the time you needed them, out of mercy for you, as a blessing and a boon to you? How would it be for your mother if you were born with incisors, canine teeth and molars? And if you lacked the same at the time you needed them what would you have done with the foods that are not digestible before they are cut and ground? Observe how the stronger you grew, and the more you needed teeth to eat various nutrients, those tools in your mouth were increased, until you had canine teeth, that can stand the tearing of meat, the cutting of bread, and the breaking of solid foods.

In His vast judgement, Allaah willed that you emerge from your mother’s belly knowing nothing, a blank that has no intellect, no comprehension and no knowledge. This is reality His mercy, since you, in your frailty, would not stand thinking, comprehension and knowledge: they would have shattered you. He rather evolved that gradually in you, step by step, so that it does not overwhelm you should it come in one blow. It grows in you little by little until it is fully grown. You may see an illustration of this in the infant who is snatched into slavery from its parents and from home before it has understanding: you see how it does not mind at all, while the more understanding it has, the more it feels the blow of bereavement. An adult taken into slavery is seen to be like one dazed and obsessed. Consider also that if you were born with your full intellectual power your life would have been one of great misery and vexation, for in that case you would see yourself a newborn, lactating infant, swaddled in some pieces of cloth, confined in your cradle, frail and unable to act, unlike the older people around you. So what would life be like in that state? Besides, you would not in that case have that sweetness, loveliness and appeal to all hearts and the affection that people have for the very young; you would rather be the most unpopular, burdensome, stubborn and curious of creatures.

That you entered this world as a dullard who understands nothing, who knows nothing about what people engage in, has been sheer mercy and deep judgement; since’ you encounter things with your feeble mental power and without prior knowledge of things, and then your mental power and knowledge grow steadily and slowly, until you become familiarized with things. You practice things, and gradually overcome your bewilderment at them; then you stop being surprised and amazed at them; you begin to receive them with confidence, acting on them and taking control of them. There is even more to it than this. Who, then, is keeping such a close watch over you, keen to attend to your progressive needs, requisites, desires and tools at the time of their arising, not before and not later?” 

Source : Men and the Universe – Reflections of the Universe, by Ibn Qayyim.

            مفتاح دار السعادة لإبن القيم الجوزية

"If I was asked where is Allah?" I would say above the Heaven".

On the authority of Sadaqah, [who] said:

I heard Sulaymaan at-Taymee saying: "If I was asked where is Allah?" I would say above the Heaven".

Sulaymaan is from the leading Imaams of [the People of] al-Basrah in knowledge and action.
Source: "Mukhtasar al-Uluww" of adh-Dhahabi, (p. 133).
Note: Al-Laalikaa'ee reported this also (2/92). Sadaqah, he is Ibn al-Muntasir, Abu Shu'bah ash-Sha'baanee, Abu Zur'ah said: "The is no harm in him" all of its men (i.e. the narrators) are trustworthy, and al-Bukhaaree narrated it in "mu'allaq" form in "Af'aal ul-'Ibaad" (p. 71

Source: http://www.abovethethrone.com/arsh/

Allaah Was Above His Throne Before Creating Anything

Al-Hasan bin Uthmaan informed us, saying: Alee bin Muhammad bin az-Zubayr informed us, saying: Ibraaheem bin Abil-Anbas narrated to us, saying: Ya'laa bin Ubayd narrated to us from Sufyaan from Abu Haashim from Mujaahid, who said: It was said to Ibn Abbaas, "There are some people who speak with [the rejection] of al-Qadr!". So he said:

They reject the Book. If I was to grab the hair of one of them, I would cut it off. Indeed Allaah the Mighty and Majestic was above His Throne before He created anything, then He created the creation. So He wrote whatever would happen until the Day of Judgement and indeed the people proceed upon an affair that has already been concluded.

Source: Sharh Usool il-I'tiqaad Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah of al-Laalikaa'ee (p.439) 


From Mujaahid who said: It was said to Ibn Abbaas, "There are some people who speak with [the rejection] of al-Qadr!". So he said:

They reject the Book. If I was to grab the hair of one of them, I would have taken them by the forelock. Indeed Allaah the Mighty and Majestic was above His Throne before He created anything, then He created the creation. So He wrote whatever would happen until the Day of Judgement and indeed the people proceed upon an affair that has already been concluded.

Source: "Mukhtasar al-Uluww" of adh-Dhahabi, (p. 95). 

http://www.abovethethrone.com/arsh/

VI : Feature: The Evils of Harry Potter and the Kufr of Magic

An important lecture on the topic of Magic, more specifically how it has found its way in to Muslim homes by way of books, video games and other media, usually under the guise of fiction and educational benefit. The evil characteristics of magic are outlined with examples from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah in addition to an analysis of the Harry Potter phenomena (a magic-laden fictionally trilogy) which has grasped the attention span of children around the world with remarkably ability.
What Prompted this Lecture?
We strongly encourage the Muslims to propagate this lecture, as the subtle and not so subtle magic that opposes our deen and corrupts our communities is often overlooked due to its fictional classification. In addition, it shows the importance of guardianship, being concerned with our children’s time, their books, games etc. Finally, it exposes the evil contained in the Potter series, this lecture was prompted by the fascination of young Muslims in the community with Harry Potter, loving him, admiring him and wanting to be like him – all under the eyes of their parents, unaware or uninterested in what our beloved Muslim children are reading and watching.
From the topics discussed:

• Protecting ones’ self and one’s family from the shaytaan
• The responsibility of guardianship/parenthood
• The verdicts on magic according to the Qur’aan and Sunnah
• The types of magic (illusionary and afflictive)
• Black magic, white Magic – good and bad magic?
• Harry Potter; his character, companions, teachers, passions and goals
• Examples of the magic contained in the Harry Potter books
• Divination – predicting the future
• The position of the sharee’ah concerning fiction

This lecture is available in a 2-CD set, in full CD quality for purchase insha’Allaah.



 Listen to this audio:  http://troid.org/media/audio/harryp.mp3

 Read it as a pdf :      http://abdurrahman.org/character/harrypotter-magic.pdf

From Troid Store:    http://www.troid.org/store/search.php?mode=search&page=1

Evil Eye and Envy and How to Protect Ourselves and Protect our Children from it

I am going to post -In shaa Allah - a series of articles about The Evil Eye (El-'Ayn) and Envy (Hasad) according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah and the understanding of our righteous predecessors. Some of these articles are quite lengthy but beneficial in shaa Allah. And I will post as well what Allah Subhan wa ta'ala and the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) advices us Muslims how protect ourselves from the Evil Eye.

Teaching Children Tawheed

*As worship (العبادة) is the purpose and reason for which mankind was created, then it is vital for us to clearly understand what this worship is, specifically what is its definition, what are its pillars and what are its conditions.*

**Allaah Tabaraka wa Taýalaa mentions

سُوۡرَةُ النّحل

وَلَقَدۡ بَعَثۡنَا فِى ڪُلِّ أُمَّةٍ۬ رَّسُولاً أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱجۡتَنِبُواْ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتَ‌ۖ فَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ وَمِنۡهُم مَّنۡ حَقَّتۡ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةُ‌ۚ فَسِيرُواْ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُكَذِّبِينَ (36
And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers! (36) Surah An-Nahl 16 :36 

This affair of Aqeedah(Creed) is extremely important for the believers to focus on and give it their priority (main importance).There is no doubt that other subjects  of Tarbiyah and Tazkiya and like Tazkiya tul nafus (soul purifications) itýs tremendously important in Islam. 

Therefore, it is important for the believer to understand the importance of this particular subject  The Tawheed and the Aqeedah (Creed) of the Believers.**

And Alhamdulilah I found a brief summary for the subject of Tawheed- to be taught  to children by Dr.Saleh As Saleh (رحمه الله) compiled in a pdf file in this link :

 http://abdurrahman.org/children/TawheedforChildren.pdf

* http://www.tawhidfirst.com/monotheism/articles/phcgo-the-definition-pillars-and-conditions-of-worship.cfm

 **Taken from: Short advice by Br.Mustapha George DeBerry(SalafiTalk.Net)