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Friday Talks |
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Time (2020)
Written by: Abdurrazzak Taher Farih
Translated by: Dr Faheem Bukhatwa.
15 Jumada al-Ula 1441
10 January 2020
Dearly beloved in Allah,
Time is life. Time is age. Time is your commodity and your capital investment. If your commodity and your capital is lost then you will be considered bust or bankrupt and a loser. I ask Allah to always make you and I; winners. It is for that reason that time is one of the greatest mercies or blessings of Allah upon His slaves. In fact, Allah Has made time to be a sign (or an Aya) of His, which deserves to be remembered and to be thankful for. Allah says: {And it is He who has made the night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or desires gratitude} 25:62. Time is succession or rotation of the night and day, which are two of Allah’s signs that deserve to think about them; and reflect or ponder upon their value; by those who are wise. They also ought to give thanks to Allah and remember Allah’s mercies and blessings upon them. The blessings are the succession of the night and day. Imagine if it was night forever, or if it were day like for eternity, then the face of the universe would have changed. Life would not have been right. However, The Almighty Allah, wanted for the night and day to rotate.
Allah wanted this as a sign deserving to give thanks for. Allah also wanted us to notice with our eyes, and with our hearts and our minds the importance of time and the status of time. Allah made an oath or a pledge by “Time” in many verses in the Quran. When the almighty God makes a pledge then He wishes us to notice the great standing or status of that with which He used in affirming the pledge. You should know that Allah could use any item or anything of His creation; as the object of making the oath. While the created (as in us) can only make an oath using the creator as the object of any pledge. You may not use your father as an object to swear by. Not your mother either. You may not use the prophet ppbu to swear with, or with the life of anyone. Nothing or no one, and if one must make an oath then they can only use Allah as the object of the oath.
Allah Had made an oath or a pledge using dawn, Allah says: {I make an oath with dawn; and with the ten nights} 89:1-2.
Allah Had made an oath or a pledge using the night, Allah says: {I make an oath with the night as it takes over and covers everything, and with the day as it clears things up} 92:1-2.
Allah Had made an oath or a pledge using Mid-afternoon time (Asr), Allah says: {I make an oath with dawn, and with the time of Asr (mid-afternoon)} 103:1. There are many more verses of the Quran using times as the object of oath in which Allah is showing us the value and honorable status of time.
The prophet ppbu said: {There are two blessings into which many people are disappointed and disheartened, they are: health and free-time}; (notice that: “time” is a blessing). Meaning whoever utilizes the health and spare time into some work for religion or work for this life as long as it is halal and legal, then this is a blissful person. A blissful person is the one whom Allah Has blessed and honored. Anyone who does not employ or utilize their health and free time for the benefit of religion or benefit of this life then they will be disappointed and disheartened. Notice the prophet ppbu many “many people” when he said: The prophet ppbu said: {There are two blessings into which many people are disappointed and disheartened, they are: health and free-time}.
Slaves of Allah, you age will go and life does not go on forever. Riches and wealth are not stable or secure; and health does not continue nor lasts. So, do not be fooled or deceived with your health, or with your wealth, or with your strength, or with your youth, or with your spare or free time. Of all that, nothing will remain with you.
It is because of this that the prophet ppbu said: {Take the opportunity of five things before five others. Your life before your death, and your youth before your old age, and your spare and free time before you becoming too busy, and your health before your sickness}.
Listen to how our ancestors used to say: “If a day passes by in my life, without me learning some guidance or benefit from some knowledge then that day is not part of my life”. Alhasan Albasry said: “Every day as it’s dawn cracks, a call is made: O son of Adam, I am a new creation, I am a witness to what you do today, so, make the most of me for I will not return again until the day of resurrection”.
Ebn Abbas said: “By-Allah; I never regretted anything as I did regret a day whose sun had set, when my life has shortened while my deeds did not increase”.
Those were the people with the right attitude and right mind. This is how those mindful people viewed this great blessing. The blessing of time, and the status of time, and the honor of time. We, slaves of Allah, we need to benefit from our times. We must not waste one moment in anything useless. If you waste your time then you will regret it when regret will not benefit you.
Dearly beloved in Allah, let a slave of Allah who has faith, let him/her be one who would give advice to him/herself. Take your own reigns and controls. Be leader and make your soul be lead, let your soul be obedient, let your soul be proactive in doing good deeds, in expectation of what the God of the earth and the heavens Has as reward of great rankings and highest levels.
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
Ahmad (Ahmed)- Another name for the messenger Muhammad (PPBU).
Allah - The Arabic word for "god." It is often used as a name for God in Islam.
- 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.
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.
