And proclaim to the people the Hajj [pilgrimage]; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass [Surah al-Hajj, 22:27]

Hajj Resources:

Hajj Coach: Site run by al-Maghrib’s Muhammad al-Shareef

IslamQA: Pilgrimage: IslamQA’s hajj section

Kalamullah: Hajj Resources: Download Hajj e-books and lectures

True and Good Words: How to Perform Hajj and Umrah: A number of useful resources to prepare you for Hajj

Islam House Hajj Resources: A mass of e-books and audios

If you have any more useful links please post them in the comments section insha’Allah.

al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyyad said: If you are asked whether you fear Allah, do not reply; for if you say ‘Yes’, you would be lying and if you say ‘No’ it would mean you do not believe in Him.

From The Purification of the Soul, compiled from the works of Ibn Rajab, Ibn al Qayyim and al-Ghazzali.

But… (and yes there’s a big but)

…if we compare ourselves to the people of the past, the Salaf, the Sahabah, we are nobodies. Our exertion in worship during Ramadan wouldn’t even compare to one of their days of worship. When you think about it, our worship is like a game compared to theirs. These guys LIVED the deen, the way it’s meant to be. Us, we just pay lip service…

In Ramadan, we get excited if we finish reciting the Qur’an. The Salaf, they finished it every couple of days AND they implemented what they recited! The Qur’an wasn’t just a book for them, that you keep on a high shelf and recited once in a while, they kept it in their hearts! It was the words of Allah that pumped through their veins, so that it dictated their every step and movement, and it showed! In the way they walked, talked, eat, slept…everything!

Do you know Hisnul Muslim, that small book of adhkar that everyone carries in their bag? How many of them have you actually memorised? When was the last time that you said the du’a for entering the masjid, or for when it rained, or for getting dressed? When was the last time you said the adhkar for when you wake up or before you go to sleep, for when you enter or leave the bathroom? There is a du’a for everything but how many of us make the effort to learn them and mention Allah’s name in everything we do?

We don’t realise it, but it’s the little things that make a big difference. It’s what differentiates us from the Muslims from the past. When they learnt a Sunnah, they never left it. Us guys, we learn and we learn, but what does it benefit us? What use is ‘ilm if we don’t implement it?

We all want to memorise Qur’an, learn Arabic, and it’s so hard isn’t it? But just think for a second, why isn’t that knowledge being given to us? Most likely, we’re not worthy enough of such a blessing, cos rather than put it to use we would waste it.

I remember listening to a lecture by Muhammad al-Shareef, in which he mentioned a story about Abu Hanifa (I think). Someone asked him a question, but he forgot the answer, so he got up and prayed some nawafil, right there and then, during his class. After he prayed, he came back to his class and answered the question. When asked to explain he replied that knowledge was withheld from him, due to some sin he had committed. This was one of the giants of Islam and what about us? How many sins do we commit on a daily basis and compare it to how many times, we make sincere tawbah. Pathetic when you think about it huh?

So the point is this. Don’t think you’re good if you do well in your worship; rather thank Allah, cos it’s a blessing. Ask Him to keep you firm and steadfast, so that you maintain your ‘ibadah, rather than it being a momentary iman rush.

Don’t think big, think small. Before you decide you want to wake up every night for qiyam, make sure you are praying your fard salah, properly, with khushu’. Similarly before you try and become a hafidh(ah) make sure you’re worthy of such a blessing. Practice what you learn, implement it into your daily life.

Memorise all the adhkar so that you are constantly mentioning Allah’s name, in everything you do. If you learn a Sunnah implement it. It’s no good reading a hadith and thinking ‘oooh that’s nice’ but not then taking the benefit from it.

Make sure that you’re constant in your tawbah. Like forever! Forgiveness can not be asked for enough times. No matter how small your wrong doing seems, ask Allah to forgive you. Count all your sins in the day , triple the number and then pray/ask for forgiveness that many times… minimum.

And always, always thank Allah. For your parents, your house, kids, water, eyesight, school, friends, rizq, even for the Mars bar you just ate…absolutely everything! Allah wont give us the blessing of (strong) iman if we’re not thankful for it

May He keep us firm upon the deen, make us worthy of the title Muslim and give us the tawfiq to live Islam.

Everything declines after reaching perfection, therefore let no man be beguiled by the sweetness of a pleasant life.

As you have observed, these are the decrees that are inconstant: he whom a single moment has made happy, has been harmed by many other moments

And this is the abode that will show pity for no man, nor will any condition remain in its state for it.

The above is a few lines from the poem Ritha Ashbiliyyah, which can be read here. Quite profound…

The irony of the incident was that the one shouting paki was not only one herself but probably more ‘paki-fied’ than me.

=)

On a serious note I think (Muslim) kids these days are well messed up. They’ve got no manners or anything. I think some parents really need to get their acts together, cos in the cases I have seen, kids lack the characteristics that are befitting of a muslim cos either (a) they get it from their parents (b) parents don’t make an effort to ensure that their children are good mannered or (c) parents don’t have control over their kids or discipline them appropriately when they act like prats.

When I see a Muslim on the street walking as tho he’s 50 cent (or whoever) not showing an ounce of humility and talking like a wannabe gansta I feel like going up to him and giving him a good smack. These guys have left the best of creation as thier role model opting istead for some kaffir nobody…

Urgh, it’s so annoying to see Muslims acting like idiots!

I’m looking for a good book on fiqh, something not too simple, (don’t wanna get bored!), but at the same time it can’t be too detailed (don’t wanna get confused!). Insha’Allah i plan on doing some proper studying (not just a quick read) so I want to buy the best book out there (within a reasonable price range of course)

So far I’ve come across:

1. Fiqh us-Sunnah by Sayyid Sabbiq.

I downloaded pdf version (from here) but not sure if it’s a full version. From what I’ve read so far it looks good. The full set is available in the library so I’m going to check it out before I make my mind on whether it’s the one to get. Each volume costs around £12-£15, but I saw it on Maktabah for £30 (I think it’s the full set!) which seems pretty good, considering its 5 volumes. They’re out of stock though. I’ve seen it at other places for around £60 which is way too expensive! Another (silly) reason i’m inclined to buy it is cos it looks nice =)

2. A Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence by Sh. Salih al-Fawzan

Also managed to get hold of a pdf version of this (vol 1 and vol 2). I’ve had a quick read through a few chapters from volume one and I like it. It’s something that if I had a hard copy I could sit down and read properly. Costs around £30 for the set.

3. Fiqh Made Easy by Dr Salih al Sadlan.

Which I don’t know much about except it was recommended by a friend.

So because I am very indecisive, if anybody could give me their recommendations from the three, or any other book, it would be much appreciated.

[Surah al-Hajj, 22:1-2]

At-Tirmidhi recorded from Imran bin Husayn that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet was on a journey, and he said:

“Do you know what Day that is?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: That is the Day on which Allah will say to Adam, “Send forth (those of your progeny) who are to be sent to the Fire.” He will say, “O Lord, how many are to be sent to the Fire” He will say, “From every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine will be in the Fire and one will be in Paradise.” The Muslims started to weep, then the Messenger of Allah said:

Be close in your rank and be straight forward, for there was never any Prophet but there was a time of ignorance just before his advent, so the number will be taken from that time of ignorance, and if that is not enough, it will be made up from the hypocrites. A parable of yours in comparison to the other nations is that, you are like a mark on the foreleg of an animal, or a mole on the flank of a camel. [Taken from Tafsir ibn Kathir]

Unfortunately we don’t have the Prophet here to reassure us; neither can we be compared to the Sahabah. So what makes us think that from every thousand we’re going to be the one going to Jannah?

…And give glad tidings to the Mukhbitin. Whose hearts are filled with fear when Allah is mentioned; who patiently bear whatever may befall them; and who perform al-­Salat, and who spend out of what We have provided them. [Surah al-Hajj, 22:34-35]

Secondly the wahabi school of thought may Allah bless them with paradise. They follow a sheikh whos name is Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab who follows imam Ahmad Bin Humble may peace be on his soul. So the thing that hits me is that they call us deobandis wahabis, but in reality they should be calling the people who follow imam ahmad bin humble not wahabis, but mohammadis. Im a deoband scholar and ill speak on behave of not the wahabis like you state, mohammadis now ibne means son ibne abdul wahab which means son of wahab so it only leaves you with not wahabi,but mohammadi.

http://www.tawheedullah.co.uk/

Man, I thought my dissertation didn’t make sense!

Anyway, Imam Ahmad rocked! One heck of a scholar! Go read his biography, it’ll make u cry. And Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab, a reviver of the deen, good and proper! Very cool indeed! May Allah grant them both Firdaws al-A’la…

Btw du’as requested. Jazak’Allah khayr!

Wa alaykum as-salaam

Nice, isn’t it?

Download here

Lyrics can be found here (click on the notebook pic). If anyone wants to roughly translate it for me, I’d be grateful.

Cheers