Reformation of the Self

    “The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and also cleaning of teeth with Siwak and using perfume, if available.” [Sahih Bukhari]   As Muslims, we believe that the greatest day of the week is Friday. It is a special day in which we can earn awesome rewards that we cannot earn in any other day of the week. Allah says in the Quran 62, Suratul al-Jumu’ah verse 9: “O you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salah (prayer) on Friday (Jumuah prayer). Come to the remembrance of Allah [Juma’at service (Khutbah) and Salah (prayer)] and leave off business (or all other dealings). That is better for you if you did but know!” And to add to the importance of this day, Allah places huge reward on coming early to the Mosque for Juma’at service. In Sahih Bukhari, Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that Allah’s Messenger (S.A.W) said: “When it is Jumuah, the Angels stand at the gate of the masjid an...

  Today, I am going to share an interesting hadith from Sahih Bukhari.  Though it is short one yet it clearly expresses Allah’s immeasurable mercy on us as Muslims. It goes as follows: ‘A’isha, Mother of the Believers, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (SAW) about epidemics and he said: “They are a punishment which Allah sends upon whomsoever He wills, but Allah has made it a mercy to the believers. Anyone who remains in a town which is plagued with an epidemic, remaining patient and anticipating Allah’s reward, while firmly believing that nothing will befall him other than what Allah has preordained for him... ...then he will receive a reward of a martyr.” To get this great bounty in times of pestilence, all we need to do is to be a good believer--with basic knowledge of Islam--who patiently accepts the decree of our Lord, the Mighty and Majestic.

    As Muslims who desire to gain the pleasure of Allah (SWT), we need to make sure that all our acts of worship emanate from Him and not from any other source, not from our own impulses or what we merely see some well-meaning people doing. This is because Allah alone decides what is a sound form of worship and He alone decides the reward for each act of worship. So we would be wise to make sure that we are following His guidance as established in the Quran and the Sunnah of His Beloved Prophet (SAW). In His messengers—the number one of which is Muhammad (SAW)—are the most excellent examples. And to prove this point, we shall examine a verse of the Quran and a hadith from Sahih Muslim. In the Quran, Suratul Ahzab verse 21, Allah SWT says: “The Messenger of Allah is certainly a good example for those of you who have hope in Allah and in the Day of Judgement and who remember Allah very often.”   On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (RA): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)...

In Islam, Tawheed is the first and foremost requirement of divine submission. However, after a believer has declared the testimony of faith, he or she needs to practically demonstrate his or her belief with certain acts of righteousness according to the Book of Allah (SWT) and Sunnah of His Prophet (SAW). Some of those acts are enumerated below in an authentic hadith related in Sahih Muslim as follows: Abu Malik al-Ash’ari (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him (SAW), said:   “Purity is half of faith, and the praise of Allah fills the scale. Glorification and praise fill up what is between the heavens and the earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination. The Quran is a proof for you or against you. All people go out early in the morning and sell themselves, either setting themselves free or ruining themselves.” From the above narration, we can see a short list of good deeds we can improve upon to advance ...