Wednesday, April 27, 2005

The Tea Cup

THE TEA CUP
This is a great story that we could all benefit from. It is a simple reminder of how "Allah" is the potter of our life and we are the clay. "Allah" is the shaper of each of our lives and when struggles seem overwhelming, we need to remind ourselves that these struggles serve a purpose in making us stronger, wiser, and in the perfect image that "Allah" has for each of His creations.

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke.

"You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Let me alone', but he only smiled, 'Not yet.'

"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. Stop it! I'm getting dizzy! I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet.

'Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.

'Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. 'There, that's better', I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Stop it, stop it!' I cried. He only nodded, 'Not yet.

'Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head saying, 'Not yet.

'Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and I couldn't believe it was me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.'

'I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you would have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you would not have had any color in your life. And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you'.

MORAL: "Allah" knows what He's doing for all of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, so that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing, and perfect will, which we can never escape.
by email from Zaheer Mahomed

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (R.A)

Resuming our Wives of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) series...

HAZRAT ZAINAB BINT JAHSH (R.A)
She was the Prophet Mohammad's (pbuh) cousin. She was first given in marriage by the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) to his adopted son Hadhrat Zaid bin Harithah (Radhiyallaho anho). When Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) divorced her, she was married to the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) by command of Allah, as mentioned in Surah Al Ahzab. This took place in 5 A.H., at that time she was 35. She was therefore born 17 years before Nubuwwat. She was always proud of the fact that, the other wives while all the other wives were given in marriage to the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) by their guardians, it was Allah Himself Who did this for her.

When Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) divorced her and she had completed her Iddat, the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) sent the proposal to her. She said: “I cannot say anything until I have consulted my Allah." She performed Wudhu, said two rakaat of Salaat, and prayed to Allah: "O, Allah! Thy Prophet proposes to marry me. If I am fit for the honor, then give me in his marriage." Allah answered her prayer by revealing the following verse to the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) :

"So when Zaid had performed the necessary formality (of divorce) from her, we gave her unto thee in marriage, so that (henceforth) there may be no sin for believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have performed the necessary formality (of release) from them. The Commandment of Allah must be fulfilled." (XXXIII:37)

When she received the good news about this revelation, she prostrated before Allah in thanksgiving. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) arranged a big feast of Walimah for this marriage. A goat was slaughtered and mutton-curry with bread was served to the guests. People came in groups, and were served till all of them were fed.

Hadhrat Zainab (Radhiyallaho anha) had a very large heart for spending in the way of Allah. She earned by working with her hands and spent all "her earnings in charity. It was about her that the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) prophesied:

"My wife with long hands will be the first to meet me after my death." The wives took this to mean the physical length of arms and began to measure their hands with a stick. The hands of Hadhrat Saudah (Radhiyallaho anha) came out to be the longest by measurement. But when Hadhrat Zainab (Radhiyallaho anha) died first, the meaning of the metaphor used by the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dawned upon them. She fasted very often. She died in 20 and 'Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) led the funeral service. She fifty at the time of her death.

Fazail-e-Amaal
Hajirah Foundation

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Emphasis on the Rights of Neighbours

It is reported, on the authority of Ayesha (R.A.) and lbn Umar (R.A.) that the messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said "The Angel Jibra'il (A.S.) counselled me so frequently regarding the rights of the neighbour that I feared, he too would be declared an heir."

This hadeeth shows that Angel Jibra'il (A.S.) brought commandments from Allah, concerning the rights of the neighbour so frequently and stressed the need to be kind and courteous to him with such force and regularity that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) thought that the neighbour also will be made an heir i.e. just as parents, children and near relatives inherit the property left by the deceased, he thought that the neighbour, too, will be given a share in it.

Note:- The purpose of this hadeeth is not merely to state a fact, but rather it is most effective way of highlighting the importance of the neighbour to the Muslims.
Social Conduct of a Muslim
by Shaykh Ibrahim Musa Menk

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Hazrat Umme Salamah (R.A)

HAZRAT UMME SALAMAH (R.A)
She was the daughter of Hadhrat Abu Ummayyah (Radhiyallaho anhu). She was first married to her cousin Hadhrat bin Abdul Asad known as Abu Salamah (Radhiyallaho anhu). The couple embraced Islam in the very beginning and emigrated to Abyssinia, due to the persecutions of Qureysh. A son was born to them in exile, who was named Salamah. After returning from Abyssinia, the family emigrated to Madinah. Hadhrat Umme Salamah’s (Radhiyallaho anha) story about her journey to Madinah, has been already given in the early part of the chapter. After reaching Madinah, Hadhrat Umme Salmah (Rad laho anha) got another son 'Umar and two daughters Durrah and Zainab (Radhiyallaho anhum).

Hadhrat Abu Salamah (Radhiyallaho anho) was the eleventh man to embrace Islam. He participated in the battle of Badr as well as in Uhud. He got a severe wound in Uhud, which did not heal for a long time. He was sent by the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) in an expedition in Safar, 4 A. H. When he returned from the expedition, the old wound again started giving trouble and at last he died of the same on 8th Jamadil-Akhir, 4 A. H. Hadhrat Umme Salamah (Rad, laho anha) was pregnant at the time. Zainab was born to her after the death of her husband. After she had completed her Iddat (waiting period), Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radlaho anho) proposed to marry her, but she declined.

Later, the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) offered to marry her. She said: "O, Prophet of Allah! I have quite a few children with me and I am very sensitive by nature. Moreover, a people are in Mecca, and their permission for getting remarried is necessary."

The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said: "Allah will look after your children and your sensitiveness will vanish in due course. None of people will dislike the proposed marriage".

She then asked her (eldest) son Hadhrat Salamah (Radhiyallaho anho) to serve as her guardian and give her in marriage to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) She was married in the end of Shawwal, 4 A. H. She says: "I had heard from the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) that a person struck with a calamity should recite this prayer:

"O, Allah! Recompense me for this affliction by giving me something better than what I have lost: then Allah would accept his prayer." I had been reciting this prayer since the death of Hadhrat Abu Salamah (Radhiyallaho anho), but I could not imagine a husband better than he, till Allah arranged my marriage with the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) ." Hadhrat Aishah (Radhiyallaho anha) says:

“Umme Salamah (Radhiyallaho anha) was famous for her beauty. Once I contrived to see her. I found her much more beautiful than I had heard. I mentioned this to Hafsah who said. "In my opinion, she is not as beautiful as people say." She was the last of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) wives to die. It was in 59 or 62 A. H. She was 84 at the time of her death, and as such she was born 9 years before Nubuwwat.

As already been said, the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) married her after the death of Hadhrat Zainab Khuzaimah (Radhiyallaho anha). She therefore lived in Hadhrat Zainab's (Radhiyallaho anha) house. She found a had-mill, a kettle and some barley in an earthen jar, lying in the house. She milled some barley and after putting some fat cooked a preparation, which she served to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) on the very first day of her marriage with him.

Fazail-e-Amaal
Hajirah Foundation

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Extra Change

This is just a poem and NOT a true story...

The lady looked at me strange
Little she expected I return the change

For she had incorrectly given me
An extra penny

I had turned to leave
But my heart said: what would this achieve?

Allahs displeasure I would earn
To Hellfire my face would turn

Quickly I returned the extra change and went on my way
Thanking Allah for saving me that day

Inshallah, in her heart a respect for Muslims has been planted
And perhaps one day for her Hidayah and Islam granted.

Remember me in your Duas.
WS

Monday, April 11, 2005

Hazrat Zainab bint Khuzaimah (R.A)

Continuing with our Wives of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) series...

HAZRAT ZAINAB BINT KHUZAIMAH (R.A)
Hadhrat Zainab (Radhiyallaho anha) was the next to be married to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) . There are divergent reports about her previous husbands. According to one report she was first married to Hadhrat Abdullah bin Jahsh (Radhiyallaho anho) who was killed in Uhud, as we have already seen in his story in chapter VII. According to another report, she was first married to Tufail ibnul al Harith and when divorced by him was remarried to his brother Ubaidah ibnul Harith, who was killed in Badr.

The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) married her in Ramadan, 3 A.H. She lived with the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) for eight months only, as she died in Rabi-ul-Akhir, 4 A.H. Hadhrat Zainab and Hadhrat Khadijah (Radhiyallaho anha) are the two wives of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) who died during his life time. All the other wives lived on after him and died later. Hadhrat Zainab (Radhiyallaho anha) spent very liberally on the poor, and was Ummul Masakin' (mother of the poor) even before Islam.
Hajirah Foundation

Thursday, April 07, 2005

Mum & Dad

Jazakallah for the Islamic upbringing
Teaching me to refrain from sinning

Showing me right from wrong
Tarbiyyah provided all along

Saving me from doing misdeeds
Guiding me to increase good deeds

Instilling in me the desire to seek Allahs pleasure
Mum and Dad, what you did for me I cannot measure.

Oh, Allah, Look after my parents as they looked after me*
My Lord, make Jannah for them Your decree.
Ameen

*My Lord! Have mercy on them as they did care for me when I was little. (Quran, Al-Isra' v. 24)

Waathilah (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Four [types of people’s] du’a are accepted: The just leader, a man who prays for his absent brother, the prayer of the oppressed person and the one who prays for his parents.” (Kanz-ul-Ummaal 423)

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Something to think about

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."
"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers. "Yuck" says her daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Mom, those are all yucky!"
To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

Allah works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But Allah knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

Allah is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.
email from Zaheer Mahomed

Sunday, April 03, 2005

Hazrat Hafsah (R.A)

HAZRAT HAFSAH (R.A)
Hafsah was the daughter of 'Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) who was born in Mecca five years before the Nubuwwat. She was first married to Hadhrat Khunais bin Huzaifah (Radhiyallaho anho), who was one of the very early Muslims. He first emigrated to Abyssinia and then to Madinah. He participated in Badr, and was fatally wounded in Badr (or in Uhud) and died of the wound in the year l or 2 A. H. Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) had also emigrated to Madinah with her husband. When her husband died, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) went to Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) and said:

"I want to give Hafsah in marriage to you." Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) kept quiet and said nothing. Meanwhile Ruqayyah (Radhiyallaho anha) the daughter of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and the wife of Hadhrat Usman (Radhiyallaho anho) died.

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) went to Hadhrat Usman (Radhiyallaho anho) and offered Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anho’s) hand to him. He declined by saying, "I have no mind to marry for the present." Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) complained of this to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam).

The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said: "I tell you of a husband for Hafsah better than Usman and of a wife for Usman better than Hafsah."
He then took Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) as (next wife, and gave his own daughter Hadhrat Umme Kulsum (Radhiyallaho anha) in marriage to Hadhrat Usman (Radhiyallaho anho). Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) later said to Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho):

"When you offered Hafsah's hand to me, I kept quiet as the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) had expressed to me his intention of marrying her. I could neither accept your offer nor disclose the Prophet Mohammad's (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) secret to you. I, therefore, kept quiet. If the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) had changed his mind, I would have gladly married her."

Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) says: "Abu Bakr's silence over the offer was in fact more shocking to me than 'Usman's rejection."

Hadhrat Hafsah (Radhiyallaho anha) was a very pious woman, and very much devoted to Salaat. She would often fast during the day and spend the night in prayers. Once the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) , for some reason, was displeased with Hafsah and even pronounced the first divorce to her. ‘Hadhrat Umar (Radhlyallaho anho) was naturally very much shocked over this. Jibraeel Alayhis came to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and said: “Allah wants you to take Hafsah back, as she is fasting often and spending her nights in Salaat, and also Allah wants it for Hadhrat Umar's (Radhiyallaho anho) sake.”

The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) therefore took her back. She died in Jamadil oola, 45 A. H., at the age of 63.

Fazail-e-Amaal
Hajirah Foundation