Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Assallamu Allaikkum
அஸ்ஸலாமு அலைக்கும்
Saturday, September 4, 2021
❖ Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ❖✺ You Should know this man!✺
❖ Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) ❖
✺ You Should know this man!✺
✺ Who is Muhammad (peace be up on him)?✺
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example to follow for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much." (Qur'an 33: 21)
Muslims beleive that Muhammad (peace be up on him) is the final Prophet sent to call the people to the obedience and worship of God alone ("Allah" in Arabic). Some of these Prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus (peace be up on them all).
Just as Moses (peace be up on him) was sent with the Torah (the original uncorrupted revelation sent to Moses) and Jesus (peace be up on him) with the Gospel (the original, uncorrupted revelation – not the present-day versions), Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be up on him) was sent with the Qur'an to demonstrate how its teachings should be applied.
The Prophet's (peace be up on him) wife, 'A'isha, was once asked to describe the Prophet (peace be up on him), and she replied that he was 'the Qur'an walking', meaning he meticulously implemented the noble teachings of the Qur'an into his daily life.
✺ Mission of Mercy✺
"And We (God) have not sent you (Muhammad) except as a mercy for mankind." (Qur'an 21: 107)
As well as calling people to pray, fast and give charity, the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that one's faith in God should also affect one's treatment of others. He said: "The best of you are they who have the best character."
Many sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasise the relationship between belief and action, for example: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day sould not hurt his neighbour, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should serve his guest generously, and whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should speak what is good or keep quiet."
In another narration, some people requested the Prophet (peace be upon him) to invoke God to punish the disbelievers but he replied: "I have not been sent down as one to curse but as a mercy."
✺ Forgiveness✺
"Let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur'an 24: 22)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was the most forgiving of all people and the kindest. If someone abused him, he would forgive him, and the harsher a person was, the more patient he would become. He was extremely lenient and forgiving, especially when he had the upper hand and the power to relaliate.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was all for forgiveness and no amount of crime or aggression against him was too great to be forgiven by him. He was the best example of forgiveness and kindness, as mentioned in the following verse of the Qur'an: "Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant." (Qur'an 7: 199)
✺ Equality✺
"Indeed the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you." (Qur'an 49: 13)
In the following sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he taught that all humans are equal in the sight of God: "All humanity is from Adam and Adam is from clay. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a black over a white; except through piety."
"God does not judge you according to your appearance and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds."
✺ Tolerance✺
"Good deeds and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is best, then he with whom you had enmity shall become as a loyal friend." (Qur'an 41: 34)
"You should not do evil to those who do evil to you, but you should deal with them with forgiveness and kindness." This is how the final Messenger of God (peace be upon him) reacted to personal attacks and abuse.
Islamic sources include a number of instances where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had the opportunity to take revenge upon those who wronged him, but refrained from doing so.
He taught man to exercise patience in the face of adversity. "The strong is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger."
Practising patience and tolerance does not mean that a Muslim should be a passivist and not defend himself in case of attack. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated that, "Do not wish to meet the enemy, but when you meet (face) the enemy, be patient (i.e stand firm when facing enemy)."
✺ Gentleness✺
"By the grace of Allah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been harsh and hard-hearted they would have dispersed from around you." (Qur'an 3: 159)
A companion who served Muhammad (peace be upon him) for ten years said that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was always gentle in his dealings with him. "When I did something, he never questioned my manner of doing it; and when I did not do something, he never questioned my failure to do it. He was the friendliest of all men."
He also said: "Show gentleness! For if gentleness is found in something, it beautifies it, and when it is taken out from anything, it makes it deficient."
✺ Humbleness✺
"And the servants of The Most Gracious (God) are those who walk on the earth in humbleness and when the ignorant address them, they say: 'Peace'." (Qur'an 25: 63)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to prevent people from standing up for him out of respect. He used to sit wherever there was a place available in an assembly and never sought a prominent or elevated place. He never wore anything to distinguish himself from his companions or appear in higher rank than them. He used to mix with the poor and the needy; he used to sit with the elderly and support the widows. People who did not know him could not tell him apart from the rest of the crowd.
Addressing his companions, he used: "Allah has revealed to me, that you must be humble. No one should boast over one another, and no one should oppress another."
Such was his humbleness that he was fearful of being worshipped, a privilege only befitting God:
"Do not exceed bounds in praising me as the Christians do in praising Jesus, Son of Mary. I am only the Lord's servant; then call me the servant of Allah and His Messenger."
✺ The Ideal Husband✺
"And live with them (your spouses) in kindness." (Qur'an 4: 19)
The Prophet's beloved wife, Aa'isha, said of her noble husband: "He always helped with the housework and would at times mend his clothes, repair his shoes and sweep the floor. He would milk, protect and feed his animals and do household chores."
Not only was he a devoted husband, he also encouraged his companions to follow his example: "The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in morals. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives."
✺ The Ideal Example✺
"Indeed you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character." (Qur'an 68: 4)
What has preceded is only a glimpse of how Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived his life. The examples of kindness and mercy mentioned may come as a surprise to some people given the portrayal of Islam in the media and its constant misreperesentation.
It is important when trying to understand Islam that one goes directly to its sources: The Qur'an and the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and that anyone does not judge Islam based on the errant actions of a few muslim.
நபிகள் நாயகம் (ஸல்லல்லாஹு அலைஹி வஸல்லம்
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
12 Super Sunnahs We Should Seriously Begin to Follow
12 Super Sunnahs We Should Seriously Begin to Follow
As Muslims, we believe he was the last and final messenger of the Creator to mankind. His life is an example for generations after generations until the end of time.
He provided the best example on how to live in a pure and humble way, with the worship of Allah the Creator as our purpose and pivotal role.
The word “sunnah” is used to describe the life and teachings of the Prophet The sunnah is an ultimate guidance for leading a productive, successful life. Sometimes we neglect the sunnah, however, and we find ourselves googling “how to be successful/smart/productive”. Yet, the sunnah of the Prophet
has already provided us with gems on how to do just that.
Better yet, the Prophet said:
“Whoever revives my Sunnah then he has loved me. And whoever loved me, he shall be with me in Paradise.” [Tirmidhi]
Not only for our personal gain but out of love for our beloved Prophet, we should try to live our life by the sunnah as much as possible.
We should be active in seeking the Barakah that comes with learning about the life of the final messenger to mankind We should be engaging with the life of our Prophet
so our love and respect for him grow.
When learning about the Prophet we find hundreds of stories, attributes and habits that are beneficial for our lives if implemented, In sha Allah.
In this article, we will discuss 12 sunnahs of the Prophet that we must aim to revive, In sha Allah, in the hope of increasing our productivity, and seeking the company of our beloved Prophet in the Hereafter.
1. Sleeping and waking up early
Our sleeping pattern plays a great role in our ability to function effectively during the day. The hours after Fajr are among the most blessed of the day.
Starting the day off by praying the morning salah gives you Barakah and sets you in the right frame of mind. It allows you to be the best you can be throughout the day.
However, in order to rise in the early hours it is imperative to sleep early as your body requires an adequate amount of rest.
Aisha said about the Prophet
“He used to sleep early at night, and get up in its last part to pray, and then return to his bed.” [Bukhari]
When we have a million things to do, it is easy to fall into a horrible cycle of sleeping late and waking up late.
This is especially true if you are chasing the hustle rather than a Barakah culture.
Due to our failure to wake up early, one day extends into the next in order to finish our list of tasks.
Break that cycle today! Wake up early and sleep early to be the strong, successful and all that you want to be, In sha Allah.
2. Having a pleasant smile always
Ibn Jaz reports: “I have not seen anyone who smiled more than the Messenger of Allah .”[Tirmidhi]
Smiling has been shown to increase the natural antidepressant hormone, serotonin, causing the one who wears a smile to be happier.
We underestimate the power of a smile on both ourselves and those around us.
This characteristic is highly contagious and plays a massive role in building relationships with those around you.
A positive mind and attitude are irreplaceable in the quest to be productive and achieve your goals in life. Smiling is a simple, inexpensive act that helps lift your mood and makes you feel more grateful and content.
Since our Prophet was seen frequently doing it, there is even more reason to smile! So, let’s follow along this great sunnah.
Consciously take note of your usual facial expression: is your normal expression a happy one or do you often appear sad, exhausted, preoccupied or frustrated?
It will take a bit of regular effort, but you can cut down on the frowning, smile more often and spread joy and peace around you, just as the Prophet instructed.
3. Using the siwak
Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger said:
“If it were not that it would be difficult on my nation, then I would have ordered them to use the siwak for each prayer.” [Tirmidhi]
This hadith indicates the view of the Prophet towards the siwak.
Siwak comes from the Salvadora persica tree and has many antibacterial qualities, making it a great way to maintain hygiene of the mouth.
It can be said, given how often the Prophet would have liked us to use the siwak, that there is a big emphasis on maintaining oral hygiene in Islam.
It is narrated that the Prophet would use siwak upon waking.
The teeth are delicate and when problems occur they can cause a tremendous amount of pain. So this sunnah introduces preventative measures against an issue that can have you rolled up in bed for days.
Siwak is easily purchasable and relatively cheap, making it an easy sunnah to uphold. It keeps the mouth clean and fresh naturally and effortlessly all the time.
Abdur-Rahman bin Abu ‘Atiq said: “My father told me: ‘I heard ‘Aishah say, (narrating) from the Prophet : “Siwak is a means of purification for the mouth and is pleasing to the Lord.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i]
4. Oiling hair
I heard Jabir bin Samurah being asked about the grey hairs of the Prophet . He said: ‘If he put oil on his head they could not be seen, but if he did not put oil on his head, they could be seen.’” [An-Nasa’i]
The act of oiling is something many of us do not recognise to be a part of the sunnah.
This hadith alludes to the idea of using oil to prevent grey hairs being visible, highlighting that the sunnah of the Prophet encompasses every aspect of life.
Oiling hair on a regular basis prevents hair loss and greying, promotes strong and lustrous hair by strengthening hair protein.
It rejuvenates and relaxes the mind by soothing the brain’s nerves and capillaries.
Many of us seek this by spending a great deal of money at hairdressers and spas. Yet, this simple sunnah can save us a great deal of money, time and effort whilst we continue to live like our beloved Prophet .
5. Maintaining the 1/3rd rule in eating
Miqdam bin Madikarib said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one-third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’” [Ibn Majah]
It is an underestimated fact that food has a dramatic effect on your body’s and brain’s performance.
This hadith clearly highlights that overeating is a reprehensible quality we should stay away from.
However, it is also important to remember that undereating is equally harmful to a person.
In order to function, we need to have a balanced outlook towards our meals; our level of food consumption should not leave us feeling tired or bloated.
This is a state that leads to laziness, which is a vice we seek refuge in Allah from.
Can you conquer the world by sleeping? No. So, eat a nutritious, balanced meal that is sufficient in suppressing your hunger.
6. Speaking good or keeping silent
The Prophet said:
“He who believes in Allah and the Hereafter, if he witnesses any matter he should talk in good terms about it or keep quiet.” [Muslim]
We often find ourselves in situations where we sit and talk about things that do not concern us.
We waste precious minutes, even hours, just by talking about matters that will not increase us in knowledge, character or anything for that matter.
When speaking ill of a person or situation, the conversation becomes elongated, sadly due to the desire to gossip.
The beauty of this particular sunnah is that it will help you save time and reduce the amount of energy used to contemplate over irrelevant matters being discussed.
This energy and time could be well spent on something beneficial, such as reading Qur’an or doing vital tasks or only speaking things that benefit oneself and others in dunya and akhirah.
7. Doing hijama (cupping)
The Prophet said:
“If there is any healing in your medicines, then it is in cupping, a gulp of honey or branding with fire (cauterization) that suits the ailment, but I don’t like to be (cauterized) branded with fire.” [Bukhari]
The Prophet would be cupped on a regular basis. This form of treatment has been used throughout history in a number of countries.
The benefits of cupping are vast, including the removal of toxins within the blood. Studies have shown cupping to be beneficial in the treatment of migraines, fertility and joint pain.
This can be taken as a therapeutic measure against stress, helping to relieve a person of thoughts that impinge on their ability to complete their daily tasks.
8. Visiting the sick
The Prophet said:
“Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set free the captives.” [Bukhari]
The concept of looking out for others is found throughout the teachings of the Prophet .
Sadly, we are regularly aware of people within our circle of family, friends and acquaintances who are tested with an illness, big or small.
Visiting and spending time with them has two major benefits. You demonstrate love towards another, instantly tightening the bonds of kinship/friendship.
Also, to see someone who is unable to function as well as they normally can, is a strong reminder of the blessing of health.
This is something that we often take for granted, or even push aside, whilst we are rushing around at home and at work.
So, the next time you hear of someone who is ill, try your best to go beyond sending them a ‘get well soon’ and practice a forgotten Sunnah – make the effort to be physically present and comfort them. Seek Barakah, not the hustle!
9. Sitting when eating/drinking
It was narrated from Anas : “The Prophet prohibited that a man should drink while standing.” (Qatadah said) So it was said: “And eating?” He (Anas) said: “That is worse.” [Tirmidhi]
Those who stand to eat or drink always look like they are in a rush.
Sitting down to mindfully eat slows a person in their eating habits, reducing the amount they are likely to swallow and the unhealthy speed at which they do so.
As mentioned above, eating consciously prevents a person from becoming fatigued due to their stomach size.
Importantly, eating together as a family, which requires you to sit, is a crucial way to build relationships.
The same can be said at work – take the time to build friendships with colleagues – it is not all about the bank balance!
10. Sleeping on your right side
“When Allah’s Messenger went to bed, he used to sleep on his right side.”[Bukhari]
One of the main points to consider when a person wants to have a productive, blessed day is to look at how you go to sleep.
The Prophet was most successful in how he spent his days; the way in which he took to his sleep played a role in helping him to be our leader and our guide.
Following in his footsteps is the key to unlocking a fruitful morning.
11. Saying Salam/Bismillah before entering a house
The Messenger of Allah said:
“If a person mentions the Name of Allah upon entering his house or eating, Satan says, addressing his followers: ‘You will find nowhere to spend the night and no dinner.’ But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah, Satan says (to his followers); ‘You have found (a place) to spend the night in, and if he does not mention the Name of Allah at the time of eating, Satan says: ‘You have found (a place) to spend the night in as well as food.”‘ [Muslim]
None of us wants shaytan to enter our homes; we are aware of the distractions he creates to lead us to our destruction.
Consequently, it is fundamentally important to seek refuge from his evil ways. Upon entering our homes, it is crucial to utter the Name of Allah to prevent our doors from being open to our enemy.
Shaytan dislikes productivity and success; his ultimate goal is to see us fail in our journey with Allah .
Take the measures, as given in the Sunnah, against him because he will squeeze into whatever gap is visible to him. Never let the enemy win!
12. Untying the three knots
Waking up for Fajr is a battle many of us have experienced or are experiencing.
The hours of the morning, as mentioned above, are a blessed time for being productive in studying and completing various tasks for the sake of Allah .
It is a time for seeking Barakah. The sad reality is, many of us miss out on this because we fail to wake up for Fajr on time.
Allah’s Messenger said:
“During your sleep, Satan knots three knots at the back of the head of each of you, and he breathes the following words at each knot, ‘The night is, long, so keep on sleeping,’ If that person wakes up and celebrates the praises of Allah, then one knot is undone, and when he performs ablution the second knot is undone, and when he prays, all the knots are undone, and he gets up in the morning lively and in good spirits, otherwise he gets up in low spirits and lethargic.” [Bukhari]
This hadith sets out the plan of action to be successful: wake up, praise Allah , perform wudu and pray Fajr.
Being lively and in good spirits are the perfect ingredients to having a productive day, and this is what you will achieve when you follow this sunnah, In sha Allah.
How blessed are we that our religion teaches us about all the ingredients of a successful life. Alhamdulillah!
Tell us, do you think you can easily incorporate all these sunnahs in your life? What other sunnahs can you think of that can help to increase our productivity?