Good Health

by Ahmed

Good Health is an oft forgotten blessing and Mercy
From our Lord and Creator Allah Almighty

Not being able to hide behind a mask
On the day of judgement we will be taken to task

Did you use for good this health?
Or were you too busy acquiring wealth?

Whilst you were young you were strong and able
Too scared to take on the Muslim label

Instead you chose to chill and relax
In your prayers and obligations you were lax

Now you realise your foolish mistake
From fear your body begins to shake

What will my Lord do with me churns your mind
Your body sweating, excuses you try and find

But this day you know theres no escape or dodging
Your every move and action captured on record

The alarm beeps and you awake in perspiration from your dream
You realise the stupidity to date of your sinful regime

Here and now resolve to change and amend
Become a true Muslim before your life comes to an end.

Mufti Ismail Menk

Mufti Ismail Menk of Zimbabwe commenced hifz at the tender age of nine years and completed at the age of twelve. He studied Arabic, Urdu and the Hanafi Mazhab from a young age with his father Maulana Musa Menk who graduated in Mazahirul Uloom Shahjahanpur under Hazrat Shaikh Maulana Zakaria (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) in the late 1950’s.

Having studied the Hanafi Mazhab he then went on to study at the Islamic University of Madinah where he completed a degree in Shariah on the four Mazhabs. Thereafter he joined the Iftah (Mufti) department of Darul Uloom Kantaria in Gujarat, India where he graduated under Mufti Ismail Barkodrah at the end of 1999.

Ever since he has been actively engaged in teaching, lecturing country wide, running of Islamic educational institutes for the under privileged as well as the orphans, construction of Masajid and Madaris, relief work and coordinated dawaah country wide.

Currently he is the Imaam of the largest Musjid in Harare.

May Allah reward Mufti Ismail Menk for his humble efforts towards the upliftment of the Deen of Almighty Allah, Ameen. Please visit the Mufti Menk website for audio recordings of his inspirational talks.
Source: Mufti Menk website

Failures

“We learn little from our succeses, but a lot from our failures”
Arab proverb

Close Friend

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
"A man follows the religion of his close friend, so each of you should be very careful about whom he takes as a close friend."
[Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

Blame

People of the world don't look at themselves, and so they blame one another.
Maulana Rumi

Pregnancy in Islam

After some time has elapsed, the couple desire that Allah Taa'la bless them with a child and thus through marital consummation Allah Taa'la grants their wish. The first stage that follows is that of pregnancy. A person should not be ashamed of being pregnant or treat it as a big burden, as there are many beautiful virtues and rewards for being pregnant.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "The woman that dies in her virginity or during her pregnancy or at the time of birth or thereafter (in nifaas) will attain the rank of a martyr."

It is mentioned in another Hadith that Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Does it not please you (O Women!) that when you conceive from your husbands while he is pleased with you then that woman will receive such reward equal to that of a fasting person in the path of Allah and spending the night in ibaadat. When her labour pains commence the inhabitants of the earth and the sky are unaware of the stores of comfort that are prepared for her. When she delivers and breast feeds her child then she will be granted a reward for every gulp of milk, and if she had to remain awake during the night for the sake of her child, she will receive the reward of emancipating seventy slaves in the path of Allah. O Salaamat! Do you know who these women are? They are pious, upright, delicately natured but yet are obedient to their husbands and not ungrateful to them."

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "A woman from her pregnancy till the time of weaning her child is like one protecting the boundaries of the Islamic state. If she passes away during this period she attains the reward of martyrdom."

In another Hadith it is mentioned that, "The woman who dies of labour pains is regarded as a martyr (shaheedah)."

A woman should therefore gladly bear these difficulties patiently and calmly as she will be highly rewarded.

Hazrat Mail bin Yasaar (radiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Marry such women who are loving and produce children (in abundance) because (on the day of Qiyaamah) I will vie with other Ummats and be proud of your numbers."

In another Hadith Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Even the miscarried foetus will drag its mother towards Jannat if she exercised patience with the hope of acquiring reward."

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "When the woman breast feeds then on every gulp of milk the child receives, the reward is as though she has granted life to a being and when she weans her child, then the angels pat her on her back saying: CONGRATULATIONS! all your past sins have been forgiven, now start all over again."

[By sins is intended the minor sins, this is also a great reward.]

Source: Pregnancy by Moulana Moosa ibn Ahmad Olgar courtesy of Beautiful Islam