Secret of Doing Istighfar

This story about “Istighfar” is from the life of Imam Ahmed Bin Hanbal, who is considered as a renowned scholar of Islam and a famous theologian. 

During his old age, while Imam Ahmed was travelling he stopped by a town. After the prayers, he wanted to stay for the night in the masjid yard because he didn’t know anyone in the town. Owing to his humility, he hadn’t introduced himself to anyone thinking that if he did, he would be welcomed by many people.

Failing to recognize Ahmed bin Hanbal, the caretaker of the mosque refused to let him stay in the mosque. As Imam Ahmed was quite old, the caretaker had to drag him out of the mosque. On seeing this, a baker from a nearby place felt pity for this man (Imam Ahmed) and offered to be the host to him for the night. During his stay with the baker, Imam Ahmed observed that the baker would constantly recite Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah). Imam Ahmed asked the baker if the constant practice of saying Istighfar had any effect on him. The baker responded by telling Imam Ahmed that Allah had accepted all of his duas (supplications), except one. When he asked him what dua was it that hadn’t been accepted, the baker replied that he had been asking Allah to provide him the privilege to meet the famous scholar Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal.

On this, Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal said that Allah had not only listened to his dua but had dragged him onto his (the baker’s) doorsteps.

 [Summarized from Al Jumuah magazine, vol 19, issue 7]

Just Think

Think how many people have sat next to you on a bus, train, and plane whatever. Now think how many people have sat next to you on purpose, with their fingers crossed in hope that you’ll talk to them. I’m sure somebody has. There are plenty of times when somebody seen you and hoped that you spoke to them, but you never did, because you don’t have the guts, and neither do they. Don’t go around thinking nobody likes you and that you’re not loved. There’s been plenty of times when a stranger has spotted you and thought “Oh they’re just my type,” but haven’t had the courage or confidence to open their mouth and initiate a conversation, the funny thing is, neither have you.

Sometimes we attach ourselves too closely to people and when they are gone a part of us is gone too.Sometimes, the biggest risks are those we take with our hearts.

Don't live  a life full of plans.Sometimes, the best moments happen when unplanned and the greatest regrets happen on not reaching what is planned.

Moral Pinch.

These are the times where, even our good Muslim Sisters, come across many situations in their day-to-day life, where they have to confront our sick brothers. When I say sick, I don't mean physical or mental sickness but moral one. This post is a tiny reflection of some such situations.


So sisters, when you come across such sick brothers , just pinch them morally instead of just giving negative answers. I hope  these moral pinches, will help some of our brothers in curing their sickness.Allah willing!

(1) 

Hi, May I drop you at your college?

No thanks! I have my own means (legs). Better drop some handicapped one.

(2)

Hello! May I help you to lift your burden?

Yes! Can you lift my burden of sins as they have overburdened me.

(3) 

Excuse me! We all are going for a good movie,would u like to join us?

No.

Please!

No!Not at all.

But why?

I'm busy with my own.

What...your own movie? What u mean?

My life itself is a real movie for me. I'm busy in making it better.

(4) 

Hello! Can you show me your modesty?

How can I show that?

Just by lowering your gaze.Don't stare at me again, because Allah is watching you.

(5) 

Hey what happened to you? You seem worried today.Do you need any help?

No thanks! I'm good Alhumdulillah. I'm just thinking of my aakhirah.(hereafter)

(6) 

Hey you! I think you are a Muslim. Aren't you?

Yes I'm. Why do you ask when you already knew?

Well, you should follow Islam, before following me.

(7) 

Excuse me! Can I have your number please?

Why?

Hmm, I just wanna talk to you, tonight.

Im sorry I can't, better you talk to my friend.

Ok, No problem! May I know who is your friend?

Yes, the one who knows the hidden secrets of his slaves.

Talk to him tonight, May you be guided.

(8)


Oh, Mashallah! You look awesome in this Hijab today.Where did you buy it from?
Please!Shut your eyes and heart from me and remember my beloved who created you-The owner of Might n Majesty, the possessor of faith and beauty.


(9)


Salam! As today is My Birth day, I would like to give you a gift, instead of you giving me.
Well, May I know what for?
Hmm, just I wanna make you happy.No other reason.
Ok fine! Give it to an orphan please, I will be more than happy.


(10)


Excuse me, If you don't mind can I take your picture please?
But why?
You look hot in this new black Hijab.
Oh I see, remember the grave will be blacker and the hell will be hotter than this.


(11)


Dear, I love you!
You shouldn't.
What? 
You shouldn't love me.
Why?
Because, those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.(Qur'an#2:165)

You Love the world.

A leading scholar of Basra visited Rabe’a on her sickbed. Sitting beside her pillow, he reviled the world.


“You love the world very dearly,” Rabe’a commented. “If you did not love the world, you would not make mention of it so much. It is always the purchaser who disparages the wares If you were done with the world, you would not mention it either for good or evil. As it is, you keep mentioning it because as the proverb says, whoever loves a thing mentions it frequently.” 


-Hadhrat Rabe’a al-Adawiya (rahmatullah alayhi)

Get the anger out.

Communication works on the thinking of a person (cause),though the impact is slow, it is permanent.On the contarray, anger works only on the action of a person (effect), though the impact is immediate, it is only temporaray.What you shout for, you will have to keep shouting at.Your peace is the price you pay for your anger.Whats the point? While anger expresed, hurts others and anger supressed hurts you, because it takes more energy to hold an emotion that to express it.Continous supression leads to depression.So neither supressing anger nor expressing anger is the solution.Transcending anger is the only solution.To transcend anger, you must first understand anger.Anger is not a result of what the world does to you.It is the basic expression of your inability to be in control of the situation.It is through awareness alone, you will transcend anger.So let awareness in and get the anger out.


Remember! Anger is only one alphabet shorter than danger.


From Frozen Thoughts.

Split your ego.

Ego survives on gaining attention.True ego can be a source of motivation; but then, ego by its nature, needs feeding; and hence it is a perpetual beggar.The problem with ego is that when ego is fed, you struggle with a Superiority complex and when it is starved,you suffer from an Inferiority complex. Either way it robs you of your peace of mind.The price ego asks of you to be your motivator is your peace of mind.why should you sell your hair to buy a comb?


Taken from Frozen Thoughts

Advice for Brothers.

A real story: There was a Brother in Glasgow (United Kingdom) who became ill and was hospitalized. He was admitted for three days and on the fourth day the attendant nurse said, "Marry me".He [the brother in Glasgow] asked, "Why? I am a Muslim, you and I cannot become companions---Muslim men don't date." She said, "I will become Muslim". "What's the reason?" it was asked. She said, "In all my time that I have served in hospitals, except you, I have never seen a man lower his gaze in front of a woman. In my life you are the first person who lowers his gaze when seeing a woman. I come, and you close your eyes. Such great modesty can be taught by none other than a true religion."


An Exclusive Advice: When you want to marry a girl, the first thing you should look in her  must be true Faith in God, if she has that, give her a 1.(one point) Second if she has beauty, add a 0 to that 1, so now you have a 10. For every good thing, keep adding more 0's…Intelligence: 100, Manners: 1000, so on and so forth. But if you take Faith out, all you have left is a bunch of zeros.



A Special Note: A muslim male is envisaged in Islam as vivile,dynamic,tough and powerfully masculine.He does not care how he looks and what the people think of him.He is too sure of himself and confident too.A fashionable person is on the other hand somewhat effeminate,who tries to sell himself.His adoption of the latest fashions is a sign of his weak character and personality -Syed Iqbal Zaheer, editor of Young muslim digest magazine.

Precious Moments!

At-Tanooki gave the account of a governon in Baghdad who usurped the wealth of an old lady in his province.He took away all of her rights and confiscated her property.She went to him,wept before him,and complained of his opression and wrongdoing.He was neither regretful nor ashamed of what he had done.In a firt of anger,she said, "I will pray against you." He laughed at her in mockery and said, "Then you should pray in the last third of the night." His arrogance had made him sat this to her.She went away, and in accordance with the governor's mock-advice she was steadfast in praying during the last third of the night.Ie was only a matter of days before he was violently removed from office.As a reward for his tyranny,his properties were seized,and he was publicy whipped.After the whipping,the old lady passed by him and said,"You did well! You advice me to pray in the last third of the night and I found the results to be most favourable."

Lesson:The last third of the night is very precious time in our lifes why?During this time Allah,the exalted says: "Is there someone who is asking,and I will give to him.Is there someone who is seking forgiveness,and I will forgive him.Is there someone who is supplicating,and I will answer him."

Moral: How you deal with others is how you will be dealth with.

Source:From the book Dont be sad.

The illusion of reflection.

Once there was a king who had presented his daughter, the princess, with a beautiful diamond
necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. Some said a bird might have stolen it. The king then asked them all to search for it and put a reward for $50,000 for anyone who found it.

One day a clerk was walking home along a river next to an industrial area. This river was completely polluted, filthy and smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw a shimmering in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it so that he could get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the filthy, dirty river and grabbed at the necklace, but some how missed it and didn’t catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again, this time he walked in the river and dirtied his pants in the filthy river and put his whole arm in to catch the necklace. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling depressed.Then again he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it, no matter what. He decided to plunge into the river, although it was a disgusting thing to do as the river was polluted, and
his whole body would become filthy. He plunged in, and searched everywhere for the necklace and yet he failed. This time he was really bewildered and came out feeling very depressed that he could not get the necklace. Just then a saint who was walking by, saw him, and asked him what was the matter? The clerk didn’t want to share the secret with the saint, thinking the saint might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell the saint anything. But the saint could see this man was troubled and being compassionate, again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk mustered some courage and decided to put some faith in the saint. He told the saint about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The saint then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river.

The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had
been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all this time.

The Moral: My dear friends, material happiness is just like the filthy, polluted river; because it is a mere reflection of the TRUE happiness in the spiritual world. We can never achieve the happiness we are looking for no matter how hard we endeavor in material life. Instead we should look upwards, toward Almighty God, who is the source of real happiness, and stop chasing after the reflection of this happiness in the material world. This spiritual happiness is the only thing that can satisfy us completely.

Source: http://www.momo17.wordpress.com/

Remember,Forget Never...

When becoming humiliated, remember the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in Ta'if.

When being starved, remember the Prophet (Peace be upon him) tying two stones to his stomach in the battle of Khandaq.

When becoming angry, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) control of anger on the martyrdom of his beloved Uncle Hamza.

When losing a tooth, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) tooth in the battle of Uhud.

When bleeding from any part of the body, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) body covered in blood on his return from Ta'if.

When feeling lonely, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) seclusion in Mount Hira .

When feeling tired in Salaat, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) blessed feet in Tahajjud.

When being prickled with thorns, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) pain from Abu Lahab's wife.

When being troubled by neighbours, remember the old woman who would empty rubbish on the Prophet (Peace be upon him) .

When losing a child, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) son, Ibrahim.

When beginning a long journey, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) long journey to Madinah.

When going against a Sunnah, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) intercession, (Ummati, Ummati, Ummati) (My Ummah).

When sacrificing an animal, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) sacrifice of 63 animals for his Ummah.

Before shaving your beard, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) face rejecting the two beardless Iranians.

When falling into an argument with your wife, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) encounter with Aisha and Hafsa.

When experiencing less food in the house, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) days of poverty.

When experiencing poverty, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) advice to Ashaab-e-Suffa (People of Suffa).

When losing a family member, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) departure from this world.

When becoming an orphan, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) age at six.

When sponsoring an orphan, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) sponsor for Zaid ibn Haritha.

When fearing an enemy, remember the Prophet's (Peace be upon him) saying to Abu Bakr in Mount Thour.

Whatever situation you may find yourself in, remember your role model, the best of creation: Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

Matter of regret.

Both pious & the sinful person will regret after thier death.The former regret for not doing more good deeds & attain more reward & the latter for not abandoning evil deeds & not repenting. And for as he is concerned whose good and bad deeds are equal,then its up to his creator to forgive him or punish him.

Falling in love with a fading shadow is sheer stupidity.

O dwellers of the earth, you have focused on building a realm that will soon pass away, and you have neglected the realm to which you are moving quickly. You have built houses in which others will live and enjoy and you have neglected houses for which there are no other inhabitants but you.This is the place where you will abide and bid farewell to work and toil. This is what matters, one of the gardens of Paradise or one of the chambers of Hell… (Al-Ruh by ibn Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah)

"Surely, this dunya is sweet and fresh. And Allah makes you the heirs of it and then watches what you do. So beware of this dunya and beware regarding women." Muslim

(I ask Allaah) that He makes you from those (people) that, when given are thankful; and when tested, are patient; and when they sin, they repent. And verily these three are the keys to happiness--Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab

Laws of MIND & SOUL.

If the individual is to be happy, healthy, and prosperous, he must change from the Laws of the Mind (negative) to the Laws of the Soul (positive).

Laws of the Mind are: fear, worry, selfishness, vanity, anger, criticism, envy, greed, hypocrisy, prejudice, jealousy, and hate.

Laws of the Soul are: faith, hope, generosity, aspiration, patience, sympathy, goodness, kindness, courage, duty, and love.

Every flower has difference in color and fragrance so also we human beings.
So Plan purposefully,Prepare prayerfully,Proceed positively and Pursue persistently.

Try To Tell The Un Told

Learn the art of speaking from the the best speech of the best sustainer in the form of the best book i.e Qur'an. ~Hamid


1)Qaulam Baleega(An-Nisa:63)- Tell the touching words.

2)Qaulam Ma'roofa(Al-Ahzaab:32)-Tell the high quality words.

3)Qaulam Kareema(Al-Isra:23)-Tell polite words.

4)Qaulal Layyina(Taha:44)-Tell the gentle words.

5)Qaulam Mysoora(Al-Isra:28)-Tell the good words.

6)Qaulan Sadeeda(Al-Ahzaab:70)-Tell the truth.


Words can do,what weapons cannot~Hamid.

O Allah! I ask you a blessing that does not end,contentment that never ceases,knolwedge which is beneficial, sustenance which is good,deeds which are acceptable and acceptance of your decree.

A Deep Advice From Past, For Present.

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.


Now that’s poetry!

From Khalil Gibran’s, the Prophet.

Just three things.

If you are unable to do three things, then you must do three (other) things.

1) If you cannot do good, then stop doing evil.
2) If you cannot benefit people, then do not harm them.
3) If you cannot fast, then do not eat the flesh of the people (by backbiting.

O My Creator! Guide and help us to make our intention sincere,our faith stong,our will submissive,our thinking creative,our attitude positive,our words thoughtful,our time useful,our actions fruitful,our life blissful and our death peaceful---A'ameen.