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Friday Talks |
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Friday Talks |
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57 |
Virtue of the first ten days in the month of Thel-Hejjah (2)
Written by Sk. Younis Salih
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
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Thanks be to Allah the Lord of the worlds.
When being busy become the norm, and material takes over; and when the helpful friend becomes a rare occurrence, and when the soul becomes distracted with life itself, it is then the Muslim ought to examine himself, search within it, and live lessons and events from the past. Watch for each event that will connect him with his god. So, he/she can escape from Him to Him. Hoping to become closer to God and become accepted by God. The true Muslim ought to take extra care of him self seeking its salvation. The Muslim ought to watch out for seasons and times of obedience to see what he could do in such days, or rather than what those days could do to him. The Muslim ought to invest for him self and prepare for that day when eyes and hearts get mesmerized. A day when only those who were wise; will enjoy an ever lasting mercy from Allah.
The grace of the first ten days of the month of Thil-Hejjah is summarised in the following points:
a) They are the ten days at the end of which Allah talked to prophet Moses; Marking the end of the first stage of the prophet’s mission. The stage of saving the sons of Israel from Faro and starting the second stage of inheriting the land and live by Allah’s religion. But, they were not ready for this great mission. Moses remained thirty days, followed by ten nights getting ready to carry the load of the promised message.
As if the intended target for this is that each Muslim ought to return this message to earth. Every Muslim should train their souls to what is coming. And it is as if the weakening of the souls that happened to the sons of Israel is the danger that ought to be avoided for those who seek salvation.
b) The ten are also the same days that Allah completed his religion to Muhammad (PPBU). Allah says: {Today I completed to you your religion. And today I finalized upon you my mercy; and I have accepted for you Islam as a religion…}. That is the greatest of all mercies happened on the day of Arafah of those blessed days. Allah said completed; meaning it needs no addition to it, and Allah said “finalized” meaning it is missing nothing, and Allah says: “I accepted ” meaning that HE will never be unhappy with.
c) The ten days are the terminating days of the Hajj worship. In those days occurs the ritual of Hajj which causes sins to be forgiven. Sins are cleared to such an extent that a person returns to become like the day he/she was born.
Allah made Hajj compulsory once in a life time. But, Allah made it possible for some and not possible for others. But, Allah made this season of the ten days a common season for those who go to Hajj and those who do not. This who is unable to go to Hajj is able to do good deed at home and be rewarded better than those who fight in the line of Allah, and that is better than Hajj.
d) Those are the ten days that Allah used to make oaths or pledges with in the Koran. Allah says: {I make an oath with the dawn, the ten nights, the shaff and the watr}. Scholars say the ten nights refer to the first ten in the month of Thil-Hajjah, the Shaff refers to the day of eid, and the watr refers to the day of Arafah.
e) These ten days are the days the messenger (PPBU) said about them: {there is no deed that can be done better than a deed done in those days. They asked: not even fighting for Allah (jihad), He answered: not even jihad, except for when a man puts his life and his money on the line and nothing returns or nothing survives.} This indicates that reward for good deeds in those days is multiplied many folds. A good deed done on those ten days is the equivalent to doing jihad in other days.
What is recommended that a Muslim should do during those ten days:
1) Elevate your self: through Prayers
It is recommended to go early for the compulsory prayers; and do a plenty of the voluntary prayers (nafilah). The messenger said: {prostrate for Allah a plenty. For each time you bring your face down on earth for Allah, He elevates you up towards Him a grade, and takes a sin off you}
2) Get further away from Hell fire: through Fast
The messenger (PPBU) said: {if a slave fasts for Allah then Allah will increase the distance separating him/her from hell-fire by seventy years}. The messenger (PPBU) used to actively seek and fast those ten days.
3) Wipe two years off clean:
The messenger (PPBU) said: {fasting the day of Arafah cleanses the sins of two years; the previous year and the next year. And fasting the day of Ashouraa (the 10th day of the month of Al-Muhurram) cleanses the sins of the previous year.}
4) Make your tong damp.
A man complained to the messenger that he was overwhelmed with all the rules and regulations in Islam. So he asked for one thing to hang on to. The messenger (PPBU) said: {Keep your tong damp with the speaking of Allah (or uttering of Allah’s names and praises)}
5) Pull your heart together for Allah rather than being a materialistic heart always going after money, gold or worldly material. The messenger (PPBU) said: {This who sticks to asking forgiveness Allah will make for them an escape from every problem, and a relief from every grief and gloom, and Allah will give them from where they least expect}
6) Get eye washes: Let your eyes get washed with tears in fear of Allah. In shame from the sins one commits and, in hope in Allah’s mercy and forgiveness, and in recognition of the power of the Almighty. And in thanks to Him for the guidance He bestowed upon us to Islam.
Let these days be a new dawn into your life. Do jihad within your self and your soul. Remind your soul with the great meanings; and force your soul with the types of the good deed. Keep watching your self, and bring your soul to an account, and be tough with your soul in the way of Allah.
The messenger was known to work really hard when the first ten nights of the month of Thil-Hejjah approach. And He said: {do not switch the oil lamps (or lights) off in those ten nights} meaning stay up the nights with Allah.
All thanks be to Allah
Notes:
The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Adhan - The call to prayer.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God. Aya (or Ayah):
is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help. Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
Faheem Bukhatwa, my email
address is : faheemfb@gmail.com
