Walking to the Masjid

With Eid rapidly approaching, a reminder to me first:

“It is from the Sunnah to leave for the Eid walking, and to eat something before leaving.”

At-Tirmidhi

and

On the Day of `Id the Prophet (ﷺ) used to return (after offering the `Id prayer) through a way different from that by which he went.

Al Bukhari Continue reading “Walking to the Masjid”

“I’m fasting. I’m fasting.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is’ The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.”

Sahih Bukhari. Continue reading ““I’m fasting. I’m fasting.””

if you don’t know, don’t speak

وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَٰئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned.

Al ‘Isra: 36

So I posted a somewhat rambling discussion of Laylatul Qadr on Friday and exhorted to rush to worship, as it was an odd night…

Well, guess what: I hold a master’s degree in Art History, not mathematics: Friday was an even night.

I might have done better with my 1, 2, 3’s, but I grew up counting the days from sunrise (or the time I woke up in the morning). In Islam, the day starts at sunset. So while Friday was an odd day, Friday night was even. 

Allah knows, and it is best to worship Him, give thanks to Him, seek His guidance, protection, comfort, and favor regardless of what day it is.

So even thought tonight, like Friday, is an even night, may Allah give us the strength and focus to worship Him with extra gusto and fervor tonight; may He accept our prayer, our fasting, our charity, and all of our good deeds. And may He excuse our errors.

And, in case I haven’t mentioned it before, if what I say here on james.com is good and provides some benefit to you, then it comes from Allah azza wa jall; and if what I write here is wrong, bad, or otherwise of no benefit, then all that comes solely from me. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala is the Most Wise, the Most Great, the only Forgiver, and His is the only Wisdom, Guidance, Sustenance, Strength, Focus, Beauty, and Truth, and to Him we all belong and to Him we shall return.

dua for purification

d،اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ
،اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ
اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ

O Allah, distance me from my sins just as You have distanced The East from The West,
O Allah, purify me of my sins as a white robe is purified of filth,
O Allah, cleanse me of my sins with snow, water, and ice.

Al Bukhari

Continue reading “dua for purification”

Al-Qadr

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?

لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn.


It’s Friday… It’s one of the last 10 nights… It’s an odd night… could it be?

Only one way to find out: worship tonight like it’s your very last opportunity:  raise your hands to Allah azza wa jall and give thanks for His blessings; beg His forgiveness; seek His guidance; ask Him to grant you good in this life, good in the next life, and to save you from the fire. Seek blessings for your parents, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. If you have anything special to ask, put your face on the ground and ask: God will answer your prayers.

Just in case, do the same tomorrow night, and Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night, every night for the rest of Ramadan.

And when Ramadan ends, keep up as much as you can, don’t let this world distract you too much, keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of God.

 

Dua for Laylatul Qadr

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Oh Allah! You are the Pardoner (of sins) and you love to pardon, so pardon me!

Jami` at-Tirmidhi

One of the brothers in the revert group I participate in on the effbook reminded us of this dua a few days ago, and included a brief discussion of the difference between Magfirah (~forgiveness) and ‘Afuw (pardon).

Magfirah (as in “Astagfirullah” and “Rabigfirli”) is Allah’s forgiveness: He will forgive your sins, and they won’t be counted against you (in sha’Allah), but they will still be recorded in your book of deeds and you will be asked about them on the day of Judgment.

‘Afuw is Allah’s pardon: not only does He forgive your sin(s), but He deletes them from your book and they will not be revealed on the Day of Judgement.

I’m in clear need of some of that…

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي Continue reading “Dua for Laylatul Qadr”