Islamic Information Blog Issue 7

Assalamu Alaikum brothers and sisters of Islam.

Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr ibn Abd ar-Rahman, from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

Malik's Muwatta, Book 3, Number 3.1.3
"If people knew what was in the adhan and the first row of the prayer and could only draw lots for it, they would draw lots. And if they knew what was in doing dhuhr early, they would race each other to it. And if they knew what was in ishaa and fajr, they would go to them even if they had to crawl."

Brothers and sisters, why do many of us sit right at the back of the masjid and end up in the last rows during prayers? Even when the masjid is empty why are you at the back? I understand that many have to go back to work, classes, but we are all finishing prayer at the same time aren't we? Like the above Hadith says If you knew the reward for praying in the front row. Well lets see what is the reward is

Muslims are urged to go early to the masjid to attend congregational Prayer and be in the first row in order to get great rewards.
Ibn `Umar quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying

(Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
"The reward of salah (Prayer) performed in congregation outweighs that of salah performed individually by twenty-seven degrees"

Another mistake I see is that we as Muslims in prayers are doing bowing or prostrating before the Imam does, why are you doing this? Brothers and sisters, the one leading the prayer is the one we follow, you wait until the one at the front leading is it that position then you go into that position

Malik said, concerning someone who forgot and raised his head before the imam in ruku or sujud,

Malik's Muwatta, Book 3, Number 3.15.61
"The sunnah of that is to return to bowing or prostrating and not to wait for the imam to come up. What he has done is a mistake, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'The imam is appointed to be followed as a leader, so do not oppose him.' Abu Hurayra said, 'The one who raises his head and lowers it before the imam - his forelock is in
the hand of a shaytan.' "

Brothers and Sisters we should Praise Allah for giving you what you have, Praise Allah that you are on the straight path and inshallah working your way through life, doing good deeds and inshallah returning to Allah knowing that Allah will be pleased with the way you passed the tests you were given by Him, doing what is right and forbidding what is wrong. When was the last time you gave thanks to Allah for everything He has given you, what has He given you? Well look around you right now, your home, your family, the food and drink, the clothes you are wearing, the technology around you. Without Allah none of this would exist…not even you!

Even give Charity to the ones who need it, does it really hurt us to give 1 pound/1 euro/1 dollar a day to charity? Charity brings peace to our hearts knowing that the money we give will go to someone who really needs it - Alhamdulillah

"And the likeness of those who spend their wealth seeking Allah's Pleasure while they in their ownselves are sure and certain that Allah will reward them [for their spending in His Cause], is the likeness of a garden on a height; heavy rain falls on it and it doubles its yield of harvest. And if it does not receive heavy rain, light rain suffices it" (Quran 2:265)

Spend for the sake of Allah, remember doing this Allah will double it, if people knew the reward for spending in the sake of Allah, we would rush to do this more often has it says in the Quran

"If you lend to Allah a goodly loan [i.e. spend in Allah's Cause] He will double it for you, and will forgive you" (Quran 64:17)

Brothers and sisters there are so many ways to get rewards from Allah, so many! But how many
of us are really do this?

Sahih Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 61, Number 534
The Prophet said to his companions, "Is it difficult for any of you to recite one third of the Qur'an in one night?" This suggestion was difficult for them so they said, "Who among us has the power to do so, O Allah's Apostle?" Allah Apostle replied: " Allah (the) One, the Self-Sufficient Master Whom all creatures need.' (Surah Al-Ikhlas 112.1--to the End) is equal to one third of the Qur'an."

Read that again, one third of the Quran, Surah 112, do you know how lines there are for that surah? Let us read it now inshallah

Surah Al-Ikhlaas (The Sincerity) #112
Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

1. Qul huwAllaahu Ahud,
Say He is Allah, the One and Only

2. Allaahus-Samad,
Allah the Eternal Refuge

3. Lam yalid, wa lam yuulad,
He neither begets nor is born

4. Walam yakunl-la-Huu kufu-wan ahad.
Nor is there to Him any equivalent

Brothers and sisters, that was known as one third of the Quran, subhanallah

Do lots and lots of Nafil prayers or any prayers that are not fard salah,

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The first thing that the people will be called to account for on the Day of Resurrection will be the prayers. Our Lord will say to the angels although He knows better: 'Look into the salah of my servant to see if he observed it perfectly or been negligent in it. So if he observed it perfectly it will be recorded to his credit, but if he had been negligent in it in any way, Allah would say: See if My servant has any supererogatory prayers. Then if he has any supererogatory prayers, Allah would say: Make up the deficiency in My servant's obligatory prayer with his supererogatory prayers.' Thereafter all his actions will be examined in like manner" (Abu Dawud).

Still pray Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Ishaa no matter what, because theses are more important and as said above will be accounted for first on the Day of Resurrection, but doing theses extra prayers, wouldn't you want to be on the safe side? I will say again and again, this life is no joke and what we do and say are being recorded this very moment, nothing will get pass Allah, as Allah is All-Knowing.

Thank you for your support.

Your Brother in Islam

Was Salaam