“By the ten nights.” [Al- Fajr 89:2]

The “ten nights” which Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] is swearing by here, are the first 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah. [1] Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit.

Ibn ‘Abbâs [radi Allâhu ‘anhu] narrated that Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allâh, or greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice.” He was asked: “Not even jihâd for the sake of Allâh?” He said: “Not even jihâd for the sake of Allâh, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing.” [2]

So, my sisters [and brothers] take note of the following:

Have the intention to spread this important information.
It is a great chance to collect uncountable hasanât [rewards].
It is a great chance to renew your relation with Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ].
Prepare now so you can start from the first night/day of the month [i.e. as soon as Dhul-Hijjah is announced]. You don’t want to miss a moment of the best days in the sight of Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ].

Since the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] referred to the 10 days of Dhul-Hijjah as: “…no days better than these days in the sight of Allâh.” [3], the scholars have said that these are better than Ramadan. [4] Therefore, be very vigilant and don’t waste these precious moments. Ask Allâh to help you to benefit from this period of His special Grace.

Ask yourself these questions [non-rhetorical]:

Did you intend to benefit from these days?
What have you done to prepare for these 10 days?
Did you prepare a program?
What is your plan of action?

Here is a brief guide to help you to prepare for the best days of the year [inspired by a lecture by Shaykh Muhammad Hassan Yâqûb]:

Read the Qur’ân:

Plan to complete the reading of the Qur’ân within this period.

If you read three juz a day, it can be accomplished. It is not difficult. Ask Allâh to make it easy for you. We know reciting one letter is equal to ten hasanât [rewards]. If you read three juz everyday, it translates to thousands of millions of hasanât.

Subhâna’Allâh! And this calculation is just based on the 1=10 ratio. These are special days of His Grace. Therefore, don’t even think about how much Allâh can/will increase & add it for you. You cannot fathom it. He is Kareem. He knows that you have ikhlâs [sincerity]; He will not count it as 1=10. He could raise it to 1=700 or even more. And this is what you can earn every day of these special days. Keep in mind that reciting the Qur’ân is a good deed and Allâh specially loves the good deeds done in these days: “And if He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] loves the good deeds, He will love the doer of those good deeds.” [5] If Allâh loves someone, He will not punish them. Remember this concept so that the deeds you do come from your heart [don’t be like a machine]. Honour the rights of the Qur’ân when reciting it.

Increase in Nawâfil Prayers:

Increase your supererogatory prayers.

Ask yourself these questions and make sure that your heart gives you sincere answers:

Do you have an aim?
Do you really want to be closer to Allâh?
Do you live with this craving?
Do you really love Allâh and seek His closeness?
If, you want this, then know that Allâh teaches you the means to gaining His qurb [closeness].

Allâh says:

“Fall prostrate and draw near to Allâh!” [Al-Alaq 96:19]

This is the way! Prostrate in sujûd to Him [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] and you will be closer to Him. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “The closest that a person is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of du’â then.” [6] He [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] is commanding us to make a lot of du’â while in sujûd. Are we obeying his order? Yes? We need to do more. For he [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said to: “…make lots of du’â.” Remember, the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] loved us and he knew that we have a lot of needs from Allâh. This is why he taught us the way to get those needs fulfilled. Therefore, if you have needs, then you cannot leave sujûd. Any sajdah without khushû’ [focus] & without du’â [like your forehead is touching the ground and your mind is in the kitchen or the office] is a big khasâra [regretful loss]. Let us not be losers from now on bi-idhnillâh.

When the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] instructed us to do a lot of sujûd, it means to perform a lot of salâh [prayer]. “With each sajdah for Allâh, He will raise you a level with it. And cancel a sin with it.” So, the more you increase in your sujûd, the closer you are to being a winner.

Examples for increasing nawâfil salâh [voluntary prayers]:

a] Salât Dhuha: Also known as al-Awwâbeen, may be offered as 2, 4, 6 or 8 rak’ât, prayed after the sun has risen and before the time for Dhuhr approaches. [7] “Al-Awwâb’ means one who is obedient, or one who turns to obedience. Bi-idhnillâh, we want to show Allâh that we are of those who are obedient.

b] 4 rak’ât before and 4 after Dhuhr: “Whoever regularly performs four rak’ât before Dhuhr and four after it, Allâh will forbid him to the Fire.” [8]

c] 4 rak’ât before ‘Asr – The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “May Allâh have mercy on those who pray four rak’ât before ‘Asr prayer.” [9] Bi-idhnillâh, you stand to gain the mercy of Allâh because of the du’â of Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam]. Do you want the mercy of Allâh to reach you? Don’t leave these 4 rak’ât.

d] Tahhiyatul masjid: Greet the masjid with two rak’ât: “If any one of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rak’ât before sitting.” [10]

e] Salât at-Tawbah: It could be any bad deed, any sin, you hear something bad [backbiting], you see something bad, you feel your heart constricted because of something you have done and you didn’t mean it, etc, you can erase it immediately with your prayer of repentance. Make a good wudhû’ and offer two sincere rak’ât of repentance. Ask Allâh to forgive you. If it’s from your heart, then know that Allâh will cancel your sin.

g] Qiyâm al-Layl: With this prayer, we hope that Allâh will illuminate our graves; will bestow nûr on our faces; will cancel our bad deeds, bi-idhnillâh. Pray at least 2 rak’ât. If you are able to follow the Sunnah, then pray all 11 rak’ât [including witr].

Remember that in these special days and nights, Allâh is sending His special mercy. Do you think that this special mercy will reach everybody? Do you think that it will reach the one who is in front of the TV watching a movie? Or listening to music? Or do you think it will reach the one who is making sujûd, rukû’, tilâwah, making istighfâr, etc.?

We have to show Allâh that we want this special mercy. We need to make ourselves eligible for it.

Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] swears by the night [Sûrah Fajr]. Therefore, take care of the nights. Don’t be among the losers. Write this in bold and make it your motivational factor for the special days: “We won’t be among the losers!” Remember: “Our Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, comes down to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night is left, and He says: ‘Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will ask Me for forgiveness, that I may forgive him?’.” [11] And, now that it is winter, we get really long nights. So it’s a good chance to maximise our hasanât. Don’t forget while you are praying qiyâm that Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] Loves this deed. Therefore, He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] loves the doer of this deed also.

If we were lazy before, we will be active and good from now on bi-idhnillâh. We will not be among the losers. If these days and nights are a king who is distributing gifts of gold while announcing: “Come take these gold nuggets”, wAllâhi, you will find people standing in long queues and hordes to collect them. Subhâna’Allâh, Allâh is spreading [special] mercy during these days. He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] is accepting supplications. He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] is offering unimaginably wonderful blessings that we don’t even know of. So will we not work to get in those lines to gather Allâh’s gifts?

Makes lots of Dhikr:

Do a lot of dhikr, especially in these days.

“There are no days greater in the sight of Allâh…” [12]

So what did the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] tell us to do in these days? That, we need to make the dhikr of tahlîl, tahmîd & takbîr. [13] As soon as the announcement of Dhul-Hijjah is made, start your dhikr:

“Allâhu Akbâr, Allâhu Akbâr, lâ ilâha ill-Allâh, Wallâhu Akbâr. Walilâhilhamd.”

Many people mistakenly believe that you chant this only on the day of ‘Îd. But, it is meant to be recited from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah. Bukhârî related that Ibn ‘Umar & Abu Hurayrah said that they used to go out in the streets making loud takbîr. They did not think that this was riyâ [showing off]. They were busy with declaring the [signs of Allâh. This practice has now become a forgotten Sunnah. Why do people feel shy to follow this Sunnah? These are the days of takbîr, tahlîl & tahmîd with raised voices. Therefore revive this Sunnah by doing audible tasbîh during all of the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.

For women, when you are in your homes, raise your voices. You will remind your children, husbands, brothers, etc. Make it like a habit so that you will find yourself doing dhikr automatically. While walking, reclining, working, eating, just keep doing dhikr.

Send a lot of blessings and salâm upon the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] consistently. Just one hadîth should be enough for the believer who loves Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam]. It is enough honour that when you send your salâm to Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam], Allâh returns his soul to him in order to answer you: “There is no one who sends salâm upon me but Allâh will restore to me my soul so that I may return his salâm.” [14] Therefore, send your darûd & salâm from your heart. Feel that special honour in doing that deed.

Istighfâr:

All kinds of dhikr will make your relation with Allâh stronger and stronger. How many Muslim’s are there today? 1.5 billion? In one minute it is possible to gain 1.5 billion hasanât. Allâhu Akbâr! How generous is Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ]. No one will give you like Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] gives. So how can you gain 1.5 million hasanât? By making istighfâr [seeking forgiveness] for all Muslim’s. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] is reported to have said that when a person seeks forgiveness for all believers, Allâh will write for him a hasanât for every one of those believers. [15] Just say ‘Astaghfirullâh’ for yourself and for all the believers, from your heart. Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] is forgiving & generous.

On the Day of Judgement, when you will see your book, you will find the record of your sins in it & you will feel regret. But, Subhâna’Allâh, you will find between these sins, Astaghfirullâh, Astaghfirullâh, Astaghfirullâh. Bi-idhnillâh, Allâh, the Karîm will cancel those sins that have istighfâr beside them, around them, after them.

Luqmân taught his sons to make istighfâr. He said: “Oh my sons, istighfirullâha qâidun, istighfirullâh qâimum, istghfirullâha râqibun [make istighfâr when you are standing, sitting, reclining]. For the mercy of Allâh is descending.”

Indeed, rahamât are falling down like rain. So try to be under those rahamât. Look at it this way – there are seasons of mercy during which Allâh sends down abundant mercy [like during Ramadân, like the days of Dhul-Hijjah, etc.]. Allâh is always generous because that is one of His [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] Attributes, but He says that He gives more during certain periods. Allâh is Rahîm always, but He says He has more mercy during a certain period. These days are like those special-rate promotions or sale season. Therefore, don’t leave or ignore this sale. Go and ask for more. Keep saying ‘astaghfirullâh’, ‘astaghfirullâh’, astaghfirullâh’, keep insisting on it till Allâh forgives you. Start from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah.

“…nor will He punish them while they seek (Allâh’s) forgiveness.” [Al-Anfâl 8:33]

We are informed that there is no punishment from Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ a] on the yastaghfirûn [i.e. those who seek forgiveness]. Allâh relieves all problems with istighfâr. Those who are persistent in istighfâr in their lives, disasters and calamities will be repelled from them. Mercy is like a cloud on the head of the mustaghfirîn [those who consistently seek forgiveness]. How do we know this?

“Why seek you not the forgiveness of Allâh, that you may receive mercy?” [An-Naml 27:46]

Allâh is telling us to make istighfâr to gain His mercy. Let your istighfâr ascend to Him and His mercy will descend upon you.

Fasting:

Fast as much as you can during these blessed days. If you can fast all of these days, then do so. Even in any regular day, Allâh has promised a great reward for the one who fasts: “Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allâh, Allâh will keep his face seventy years distance away from the Fire because of it.” [16] So what about these special days for which it is said: “There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allâh, or greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.” Allâh loves the good deeds in these days. Allâh loves siyâm. Put these two beloved things together. You are the doer of the things Allâh loves. He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] will Love you, bi-idhnillâh.

Any ‘ibâdah, be it salâh, dhikr, Qur’ân, that is done during some periods of time and with them, are also periods of non action. Can you do any of them from Fajr till Maghrib continuously? Which ‘ibâdah will you be able to do non-stop? Siyâm! From Fajr till Maghrib during the best days, you will be able to be in a continuous state of worship. So please my sisters [& brothers], grab this chance eagerly. Also don’t forget you have if Allâh wills, at least one du’â guaranteed with each siyâm – at the time of breaking the fast. So that is nine opportune moments during this period.

Regarding fasting on the day of ‘Arâfah, the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “Fasting the day of ‘Arafâh, I hope, will expiate the sins of the year before it and the year to come…” [17] So how does this happen? Does this mean that we can fast on that day and for the rest of the year we can do whatever we want of bad deeds? No! It implies that Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] will help us to abstain from sins. And, if you commit a sin by mistake, He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] will cancel it due to His promise.

Charity:

Spending for the sake of Allâh!

Only Allâh knows how many trials & calamities have been pushed away from us, our family and loved ones as a result of our sadaqâh. Allâh knows how many times relief and ease has come to us due to the sadaqâh we gave. Therefore, give in the way of Allâh, as much as you can. Don’t leave any raised hands return empty. Show Allâh that you love Him by spending from that which you love. Show Allâh [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] that all these things mean nothing besides gaining His ridha [pleasure].

Don’t look and remind yourself of what you have already spent in the past. If Allâh wills, He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] has accepted and written it for you. Now, think of how you can outdo that sadaqâh during these days. Spend from what you love and Allâh will love you.

Preserve the Ties of Kinship:

Preserve the ties of kinship for: “No one who severs the ties of kinship will enter Paradise.” [18] If it is difficult for you to call or meet every relative, then send them a message. But write with your heart and with the right intention. There is a man who connects with all of his near and far relatives. It is almost like a mission for him for the sake of Allâh. He [subhâna wa ta’âlâ] loves this ‘ibâdah. Even those who are far away, he calls and connects them to the rest of the family and brings them all together. And subhâna’Allaah, Allâh has given him a lot of wealth and with such ease and has made his life easy, and as a result of his deeds. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] promised this reward for the one who connects and maintains kinship: “Whoever would like his rizq [provision] to be increased and his life to be extended, should uphold the ties of kinship.” [19]

These were just a few of the wonderful things we can do during the forthcoming best days of Dhul-Hijjah. Therefore, if we want Allâh’s help with these deeds and our schedule for them, we need to do a lot of tawbah. The Salaf as-Sâlih used to say that they would feel prevented from qiyâm al-layl due to their sins. They knew that when they want to do ‘ibâdah and they are unable to do it, it is due sins. So, what do we need to do? A lot of istighfâr with tawbah, real Tawbah! Ask Allâh for help.

Make the du’â:

“O Allâh, help me to remember You, to give You thanks, and to perform Your worship in the best manner.” [20]

Footnotes:

[1] Ibn ‘Abbâs, Ibn az-Zubayr, Mujâhid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. Ibn Kathîr said: “This is the correct opinion.” [Tafsîr ibn Kathîr, 8/413]
[2] Al-Bukhârî, 2/457
[3] Ahmad, 7/224 – Ahmad Shâkir stated that it is sahîh
[4] The verses [Al-Fajr 89:1-2] and various hadîth indicate that these 10 days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadân. But the last ten nights of Ramadân are better, because they include Layl al-Qadr [“the Night of Power”], which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. [See: Tafsîr ibn Kathîr, 5/412]
[5] Shaykh Muhammad bin Sâlih al-‘Uthaymîn
[6] Muslim, 482
[7] Muslim, 1238
[8] At-Tirmidhî, 428 – classed as sahîh by al-Albânî in Sahîh al-Nasâ’î
[9] At-Tirmidhî, 395 – classed as hasan by al-Albânî in Sahîh al-Jâmi 3493
[10] Al-Bukhârî & Muslim
[11] Al-Bukhârî, 1094 and Muslim, 758
[12] Ahmad, 7/224
[13] Tahlîl [“Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh”], Tahmîd [“Alhamdulillâh”] and Takbîr ["Allâhu Akbâr"]. See: Ahmad, 7/224
[14] Abû Dâwûd, 2041 – classed as hasan by al-Albânî
[15] Classed as hasan by al Albânî
[16] Muslim, 2/808
[17] Muslim, 1976
[18] Sahîh Muslim
[19] Al-Bukhârî, 5986 and Muslim, 2557
[20] Sahîh Abû Dâwûd, 1/284

As was quoted earlier from Imâm ash-Shâfi’î (d.204 A.H.]: “It is impermissible for any person to give verdicts concerning the religion of Allâh, unless he is knowledgeable of the Book of Allâh, and its nâsikh from its mansûkh, and its muhkam from its mutashâbih, and its interpretation, and its process of revelation, and its makkî from its madanî, and its asbâb an-nuzûl. On top of this, he must be knowledgeable of the Sunnah…” [1]

As-Suyûtî, in his al-Itqân, lists fifteen characteristics that a person must have before he is qualified to interpret the Qur’ân. However, these are only a summary of the qualities that a mufassir is required to have. Some of these qualities, and others, are listed briefly below. The first four are inherent qualities that are essential in a mufassir, and the others are external and acquired. [2]

1. The proper intentions, since the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “All actions are by intentions.” [3] The mufassir must intend to please Allâh by this action of interpreting the Qur’ân, and he must intend to guide people to the Straight Path to the best of his abilities.

2. The correct Islâmic beliefs {‘aqîdah). If a person is not a Muslim or of a heretical or misguided sect, then he cannot be trusted in interpreting the Qur’ân, for his motive will be to defame Islâm, or to defend his particular sect or beliefs.

3. To be free from practising or believing in innovations, and to respect the Qur’ân. If a person is innovating in the religion of Allâh, then he will have no qualms about innovating in the interpretation of the Book of Allâh. Also, the mufassir must love and respect the Qur’ân, and have the proper beliefs concerning it. Part of this belief is that he must believe that the Qur’ân is the actual kalâm of Allâh (and not an “expression” of the kalâm of Allâh!]. Ibn Qayyim [d.758 A. H.] said: “…[a mufassir] must witness that it [the Qur’ân] is the kalâm of Allâh, which Allâh actually spoke, and which was revealed to the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] by inspiration. And none can grasp its meanings unless his heart is free of misgivings and doubts with regards to the Qur’ân, and if a person does not really believe that the Qur’ân is from Allâh, then there is a disease in his heart [which prevents him from understanding the Qur’ân].” [4]

4. Repentance and a pious heart. This condition means that a mufassir must fear Allâh to the best of his abilities, and if he falls into a sin, he must immediately repent to Allâh for that sin, and not return to it. This is because, as Ibn Qayyim said: “No heart can understand the Qur’ân, or grasp its meanings, except if it is pure, and it is impossible for a heart full of evils and innovations to understand the meanings of the Qur’ân properly.” [5]

5. A thorough and proper understanding of the fundamentals of religion [‘aqîdah], so that a mufassir can avoid falling into many of the heresies and innovations that misguided sects did with regards to the understanding of the Qur’ân.

6. Following the proper methodology of tafsîr. A basic introduction to this methodology was outlined in the previous section.

7. Knowledge of the Arabic language and its vocabulary. Such knowledge must, of course, be on a scholarly level; a person whose primary language is Arabic is not necessarily knowledgeable of Arabic to the level that is required to interpret the Qur’ân.

8. Knowledge of Arabic grammar (nahw).

9. Knowledge of Arabic morphology (sjirf).

10. Knowledge of the basis of Arabic words and word structures (ishtiqâq).

11. Knowledge of Arabic rhetoric, eloquence and manners of oratory. [6]

12. The knowledge of the sahîh, da’îf shâdh and bâtil qira’âts.

13. The knowledge of the principles of fiqh (Usûl-ul-Fiqh), so that he can interpret the verses pertaining to laws in a proper manner.

14. The knowledge of fiqh itself, so that he is aware of the various interpretations of the verses pertaining to laws.

15. The knowledge of asbâb an-nuzûl, and related sciences.

16. The knowledge of nâsikh from its mansûkh, and related sciences.

17. The knowledge of the hadîth of the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam], in particular those related to the interpretation of the Qur’ân.

18. The knowledge of all the other branches of Ulûm al-Qur’ân, including makkî and madanî, muhkam and mutashâbih, and the types of i’jâz of the Qur’ân.

19. A divine endowment that is not possible to obtain by one’s self. This is a type of gift from Allâh to whomever He chooses. This type of intellect was what the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] prayed for when he prayed for Ibn ‘Abbâs: “O Allâh, grant him an understanding of interpretation.”

From this list, which is far from exhaustive, it can be appreciated that not everyone is qualified to pick up the Qur’ân and start interpreting it, in particular if he is not. Even familiar with Arabic! Of the fifteen conditions that as-Suyûtî mentions in his list, seven – almost half – are directly related to the knowledge of the Arabic language. In addition, the knowledge required for every other condition (in terms of books and scholars) is not available in any language other than Arabic! It is not surprising, therefore, to see Shaykh-ul-Islâm ibn Taymiyyah [d. 728 A.H.] saying that: “…the Arabic language is a part of the religion (of Islâm)!” [7]

By Abû Ammâr Yasir Qadhi
An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’ân, Pgs. 324-326

Footnotes:

1. An-Nahâs, P. 124
2. As-Suyûtî, V. 2, Pgs. 225-237, ar-Rûmî, Pgs. 136-142, Zamralî, Pgs. 11-13
3. Reported by al-Bukhârî and other
4. Ar-Rûmî, P. 12
5. Zamralî, Pgs. 11
6. This one point is a summary of three different pointes in the Itqân, all of which are types of knowledge related to the Arabic language. These are the knowledge’s of ma’âni, badî’, and bayân
7. Ibn Taymiyyah, Ahmad bin ‘Abdul-Halîm: Iqtidâ’ as-Sirât al-Mustaqîm [ed. Dr. Nâsir al-‘Aql, Maktabah ar-Rushd, Riyadh, 1994], P. 469

1. Correct Belief

The mufassir [1] first and foremost must possess a true belief in Islâm for his or her tafsîr to be pure and free from heresy or gross errors. Sincerely believing in Islâm does not automatically mean that one who does so has true belief in Islâm. A true or correct belief exists only when one’s conception of Islâm coincides with that of the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] and his Companions. Ignorance of what constitutes correct belief in Islâm will almost certainly lend the mufassir into incorrect explanations. Such an individual will be unable to distinguish between a correct interpretation and an incorrect one. Consequently, he or she will have to rely on their personal judgment, which would be impaired due to their ignorance. Correct belief is also non-sectarian. Such a belief frees the mufassir from the damaging influence of philosophies, schools of thought (madhhabs), movements, and sects. [2] The mufassir does not approach the Qur’ân with preconceived ideas and notions for which he or she wishes to find support in the Qur’ân. Such an approach invariably leads to misinterpretations and sectarian explanations.

2. Correct Methodology

All honest attempts at tafsîr must begin with the tafsîr of the Qur’ân by Qur’ân itself. What remains unexplained must then be sought in the Sunnah. If the tafsîr still cannot be found, the explanations of the Sahâbah [Companions of the Prophet] and their students must then be turned to. That which is left after the preceding steps can be found in the language of the Qur’ân. Such an approach to tafsîr takes into account Allâh’s role as the revealer and explainer of His revelation, the Prophet’s role as the practical interpreter of Allâh’s revelation, the Sahâbah and their students’ roles as the conveyers of Allâh’ revelation and the Prophet’s interpretation and application of it, and the role of classical Arabic as the vehicle in which the revelation and its explanation were transmitted.

Any other approach negates one or more of these vital roles and implies either a claim of direct revelation from God or an understanding superior to that of the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] and his Companions. A brief glance at the tafsîr of those ignoring these steps will expose their claims to divine revelation cloaked in terms like “ilham” [inspiration] and “kashf” [illumination].

3. Correct knowledge

The mufassir must have working knowledge of classical Arabic, its grammatical constructions, and its figures of speech, because this is the language of the Qur’ân. Any tafsîr which is based solely on a translation of some of the meanings of the Qur’ân will be liable to distortion. As Mujâhid, the student of Ibn ‘Abbâs said:

“It is not allowable for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to explain Allah’s Book if he is not knowledgeable in the Arabic language.” [3]

The mufassir should also know the other Islâmic sciences which are connected in one way or another to the Qur’ân, such as hadîth and fiqh [Islâmic law]. He should be familiar with the science of hadîth in order to make sure that explanations attributed the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] or his Companions that he uses in his tafsîr are authentic. He should also know the fundamental principles of fiqh [Usûl-ul-Fiqh] in order to accurately extract or deduce Islâmic law from its passages. Without a correct understanding of these two sciences, the mufassir could not possibly escape including in his tafsîr a wealth of misinformation, since the body of weak and fabricated narrations is quite vast and the schools of fiqh [Islâmic law] and their methods are many and varied.

By Dr. Abû Amînah Bilal Philips
Usûl at-Tafsîr: The Methodology of Qur’ânic Interpretation, Pgs. 51-53

Footnotes:

1. One who makes tafsîr of the Qur’ân.
2. Mabahith fi ‘Ulûm al-Qur’ân, Pgs. 329-30
3. Quoted in Mabahith fi ‘Ulûm al-Qur’ân, Pgs. 331

“The MSC issued a comprehensive questionnaire to almost 50 growing Muslimahs aged 11+. The very last question put to them read: ‘What worldly item do you think destroys your relationship with Allâh?’ 48 girls answered: ‘TV’

“…stats show that the average person watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of non-stop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years of their life glued to the box.”

And:

“As a responsible adult would you allow a child in your care to view, be subjected to or be part of any of the following:

- Would you allow your child to attend a live music concert lasting a number of hours, featuring loud blaring music (along with inappropriate lyrics), scantly dressed musicians and screaming fans?
- Would you allow your child to witness a crime, rape, robbery, shooting, murder etc?
- Would you allow your child to be in the company of those with little shame and immorality, e.g. would you allow them to free mix, witness first hand the ‘enchanting’ atmosphere in a pub, upcoming bar, night club, holiday resort etc?
- Would you allow your child to experiment with drugs, handle a gun, befriend and learn from a gangster?”

(more…)

After I heard his words, I said: “I seek refuge in Allâh from the accursed Shaytân [Devil]. In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:

‘O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire [Hell] whose fuel is men and stones, over which are [appointed] angels stern [and] severe.’ [At-Tahrîm 66:6].”

I heard a muffled, yet terrified sounding voice; [but since it was not my business to barge into the house] I got up and went on my way. When I returned in the morning, I passed by the same house, and there was a dead body being led out of the house; in the midst of that scene, an old woman kept on coming and going. I asked her: “Who is the dead person?”

“Go away from me,” she said. “Do you want to renew for me my sadness?”

“I am a stranger here,” I said.

“This dead person is my son,” she said. “Last night, a man – may Allâh not reward him well – recited a Verse in which the Hell-fire is mentioned. My son, having heard him, continued to cry and shake with terror until he died.”

That is indeed the description of one who truly fears Allâh.

By Majdi Muhammad ash-Shahâwi
Glimpses at the Loves of the Righteous People, Pgs. 105-106

This portion of the hadîth [i.e. “If you feel no shame, then do as you wish.”] is in the form of an imperative or command. For that reason, it has been interpreted in a number of different ways. Each interpretation shall be discussed separately.

The First Interpretation

Some scholars say that although this phrase is in the form of an imperative, it is actually not meant to be an order. Instead, it is a form of threat or warning. Its meaning is, in other words: “If you have no shame or modesty, then do whatever you wish and Allâh will recompense you – punish you – for what you do.”

This is a known form of speech in Arabic. This style can also be found in the Qur’ân for example, Allâh says,

“Do what you will. Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do.” [Fussilat 41:40]

This is not a command for one to do as one likes, but. instead, it is a type of threat. In fact, in their translation of the Qur’ân, al-Hilâlî and Khan add in parenthesis at the end of that verse: “…this is a severe threat to the unbelievers.” [1]

Ibn Rajab states that a number of scholars follow this interpretation. [2] Al-Munâwi [3], and Al-Bugha and Mistu [4] conclude that this is the strongest interpretation.

A Second Interpretation

A second interpretation for this hadîth also states that the imperative or command is not what is meant by this statement. Instead, it is a case of an order being used as a statement of fact. In other words, the meaning is: “If a person does not have any shame, then he does whatever he wishes.” Hayâ’ [shame or modesty] is one of the most important factors that keeps a person away from committing a lewd or sinful act. If a person has no feeling of shame or modesty, then there is nothing to prevent him from doing almost anything. He would do almost anything because he has nothing inside of him telling him that such is not good behaviour and that he should be ashamed to act in that fashion.

Ibn Qayyim has shed some more light on this interpretation by saying that when a person commits sins, his feeling of hayâ’ is lessened. As he commits more and more sins, his hayâ’ is weakened more and more, to the point that it may not exist at all. When he gets to that point, he does not care what people might say or think about him. In fact, he might even start to tell others about the sins that he has committed. This type of person will not be forgiven and the road to repentance will be blocked for him. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] has said:

“All of my Nation are apt to be forgiven except for those who commit sins openly. Included among those who commit sins openly is where a person performs a deed during the night and, although Allâh had concealed that sin, in the morning he says: ‘0 so and so, last night I did such and such.’ He spent the night being concealed by Allâh and in the morning he uncovered Allâh’s concealment from himself.” [Al-Bukhârî] [5]

This interpretation is also consistent with what is known in the Arabic language. Another example of this nature, according to some, is the hadîth:

“Whoever falsely attributes something to me must take his own seat in the Fire.” [6] The meaning of this hadîth is a statement of fact: “The one who falsely attributes something to me shall take his own seat in the Fire.”

Al-Khattâbi explains why the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] made this statement in the form of a command rather than a statement of fact. He says that the character that keeps a person from committing a sin is hayâ’ or shame. If a person has no shame, then he becomes like someone who is naturally ordered by his soul to commit evil. [7] Hence, it is proper to state the meaning in the form of an order as, in the long-run; this is what it is actually describing.

According to Ibn Rajab, this interpretation of this hadîth has been favoured by Abu Ubayd, al-Qâsim bin Salâm, Ibn Qutaybah, Muhammad bin Nasr al-Marûzi and others. He also states that Abû Dâwûd has narrated from Ahmad a quote that indicates that he also follows this interpretation. [8]

A Third Interpretation

A third interpretation is that the command here is in the form of displaying permission. [9] In other words: “If you are contemplating an act and it is an act such that there is no reason to be ashamed of it in front of Allâh or the people, then you may do that act.” Hence, according to this interpretation, modesty or shame becomes the standard over whether or not on should do the act. If there is nothing to be ashamed of concerning the act, then there is no harm in doing the act. However, if there is reason to be ashamed from that act, either with respect to Allâh or others, then the person should not perform that act.

This is the interpretation that is favoured by an-Nawawî. [10] This view has also been recorded from Ahmad.

The interpretation of a command to mean permission is also well-known and established in Arabic. In fact, numerous examples of this nature may be found in the Qur’ân. For example, Allâh says:

“Then when the [Friday] prayer is ended, disperse through the land and seek the bounty of Allâh.” [Al-Jumu’ah 62:10]

This verse is actually an imperative. However, its meaning is permissibility:” After the prayer, you may disperse through the land…”

A Fourth Interpretation

Salîm al-Hilâlî offers a fourth interpretation. He states, as a possible understanding, that this hadîth is a form of encouragement to have the characteristic of modesty and indirectly points to the virtues of modesty. In this way, the hadîth is understood to say: “Since it is not allowed to do any act you wish, it is not allowed to leave having modesty and shame.”

By Jamâl ad-Dîn M. Zarabozo

Commentary on the Forty Hadîth of Imâm an-Nawawî, Vol. 2, Pgs. 802-805

Footnotes:

1. Al-Hilâlî and Khan, P. 866

2. Ibn Rajab, Jâmi’, Vol. 1, P. 498

3. Al-Munâwi, Vol. 2, P. 540

4. Al-Bugha and Mistu, P. 140

5. Muhammad bin Qayyim, Al-Jawâb al-Kâfi liman Sa’ala Anal-Dawâl-Shâfi’i [Beirut: Dâr al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1983], P. 78-79

6. Recorded by al-Bukhârî, Muslim and many others. Al-Hilâlî points out that it is mutawâtir. See al-Hilâlî, Eeqâdb, P. 304

7. Ibn Hajr, Fath [Maktabah Dar al-Bâz], Vol. 10, P. 641. Al-Zamakhshari also stated something similar. See al-Munâwi, Vol. 2, P. 540

8. Ibn Rajab, Vol. 1, P. 498

9. If a sentence is stated in the form of the imperative, it has many possible meanings. The first meaning is that of obligation. This is its understood meaning unless there is evidence to demonstrate otherwise. However, it could also imply recommendation or permissibility. It can also be interpreted in the manner described earlier as a warning or censure. For more on this point, see Muhammad Hashim Kamali, Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence [Selangor. Malaysia: Pelanduk Publications, 1989], Pgs. 177-179

10. Ibn Hajr, Path [Maktabah al-Bâz] Vol. 10, P 641

11. Ibn Rajab, Jâmi’, Vol. 1, P 503

12. Salîm al-Hilâlî, Al-Hayâ’ fi Dhau al-Qur’ân al-Karîm wâl-Ahadeethal-Saheehah [Dammam, Saudi Arabia: Maktabah bin al-Jawzi, 1988), P. 10. Al-Hilâlî did not state who favours this fourth interpretation. Al-Jîlâni also mentions it in passing. [See Fadhlullâh al-Jîlâni, Fadhl Allâhu as-Samad fi Tawdhîh al-Adab al-Mufrad [Cairo: al-Maktabah as-Salafiyyah, 1407 AH], Vol. 2, P. 54]. Al-Hilâlî concludes that all four interpretations are good and offer excellent meanings. However, he favours the interpretation that the sentence is a command expressing a fact. Ibn Rajab actually mentions a fifth interpretation, but he states that it is not at all feasible. See Ibn Rajab, Vol. 1, Pgs. 504-505

For example, enjoying eyesight, one does not recognise its grace unless he becomes blind. Restoring his eyesight once more, he realises its blessing and thanks Allâh. This person resembles an evil slave who is continually hit. When spared hits for a while, he becomes grateful. If his master gives up hitting him altogether, he becomes ungrateful and discontented. Once someone complained of poverty to a righteous person, he replied: “Would you like to have ten thousand Dirhams and lose your eyesight?” He answered in the negative. Then he asked him: “Would you like to be dumb and possess ten thousand Dirhams?” He answered in the negative. Then he asked him: “Would you like to be insane and have ten thousand Dirhams?” He answered in the negative. He then asked: “Would you like to have your hands cut and possess ten thousand Dirhams?” He also answered in the negative. Hence, he remarked: “Do you not feel shame complaining your Lord while He has given your goods worth of forty thousand Dirhams?”

One day a man suffered poverty so much that he fell in despair. He saw in a dream that someone addresses him: “Would you like to forget Sûrah Al-An’âm and be given a thousand Dinars?” He answered in the negative. Then he was made to choose between Sûrah Hûd, Yûsuf and so on, but he declined. Hence he was told: “How do you complain of poverty while you have a treasure worth of a hundred thousand Dinars!”

Ibn as-Sammak visited ar-Rashid and counselled him. Therefore, ar-Rashid shed tears. Then, Ibn as-Sammak asked for a cup of water and remarked: “O Caliph, if you are prevented to drink this cup of water unless you lay down your office, would you do so?” He answered in the affirmative. Then, Ibn as-Sammak gave him the cup of water to drink. Drinking it, he remarked: “If you are unable to excrete this water unless you give up your office and property, would you do so?” He answered in the affirmative. Then, he highlighted: “What does it avail for a thing less worth than a cup of water!”

In that way, the blessing of drinking water in thirst is even greater than the whole universe. Excreting it commands a rather magnificent blessing…

…Furthermore, each person knows his self best. He recognises its latent qualities, its imperfections and merits. If he becomes uncovered among people, he will be ashamed thereof. Hence, one should be grateful to the Almighty. We may consider a rather wider example. Each person has been gifted with certain blessings in his figure, manners, qualities, household, offspring, accommodation, friends, relatives and his neighbours. If deprived there from and given to someone else, he would not be satisfied. For instance, Allâh has made him a believer not an unbeliever, a human being not an animal, healthy not sick, normal not deformed and so on and so forth. Thus, if one deems to have his life substituted with another’s, he should know that he has certain blessings, which others do not have, and he would be deprived from them. This is clear in a hadîth reported by Abu Hurayrah. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said:

“If anyone of you looked at a person who was made superior to him in property and (in good) appearance, then he should also look at the one who is inferior to him, and to whom he has been made superior.” [Al-Bukhârî]

Hence, considering one’s status and searching for those blessings he has been gifted with, one finds out that Allâh has granted him endless blessings, especially Îmân, the Qur’ân, the Sunnah, knowledge and leisure time, health and safety. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said:

“Whoever begins his day enjoying safety, being healthy and possesses his daily food has held sway over the whole world and all it contains.” [At-Tirmidhî]

Now we can ask how can ungrateful negligent hearts be awakened. In fact, hearts having insight contemplate over the clues of the Almighty’s blessings. But the negligent ones can only be treated by their consideration of persons inferior to them. Early Muslims used to visit hospitals to notice varieties of afflictions. Then they would think of their being healthy. They would watch criminals punished, killed, having their hands cut off or tortured and thank the Almighty for their safety. They visited graveyards knowing that the dead wish to return to life to make up for their shortcomings and increase their good deeds. Thus they thank Allâh for having the chance to do so. Hence, they would do their utmost to spend the rest of their life obeying the Almighty.

We should also know that ingratitude abolishes blessings. Al-Fudayl bin ‘Iyâd said: “Keep gratitude, for every missing blessing returns with gratitude.”

By Imâm ibn Qudâmah al-Maqdisî [d.620H]
Mukhtasar Minhâj al-Qâsidîn, Pgs. 296-299

“Whoever does righteous deeds – whether male or female – while a believer, We shall certainly give them a good life and We will certainly grant them their rewards in accordance to the best of what they used to perform.” [An-Nahl 16:97]

In his commentary to this verse, Ibn Kathîr notes that this means that whoever performs the righteous deeds, which are acts of obedience in accord with the Qur’ân and Sunnah, will be given a good life in this world and in the Hereafter he will receive rewards according to the best of what he used to perform. He stated that “the good life” implies all forms of contentment and tranquillity. Such has been reported from ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbâs, Ikrimah and Wahb bin Munnabih. It is also recorded from Ibn ‘Abbâs that it means happiness. Ad-Dhuhâk states that it refers to lawful provisions and worship in this life. [1]

As noted previously, every Muslim must realise that true success and happiness do not lie in the possessing of wealth, power, status, fine cars and houses and all of the allurements of this world. In fact, those worldly possessions are not even the things that actually make a person rich in a true sense. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] explained this fact most succinctly when he stated:

“True richness is not via much property and belongings but true richness is in self-contentment.” [Al-Bukhârî and Muslim]

Indeed, there is no real benefit to any worldly possessions if one’s soul is uneasy, depressed, extremely doubtful about its own future, full of anxiety and always desiring for more when it can never be content with what it has. In general though, this is what happens to human beings; they are always filled with anxiety, concerned about losing what they have while always yearning for more. The Messenger of Allah [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] pointed out this general fact of mankind when he said:

“If the human had one valley of gold, he would love to have two valleys worth.” [Al-Bukhârî]

In fact, it is due to this misconception as to wherein lies the true happiness of this life that many are of the false impression that it is impossible to “enjoy” or be happy in both the life of this world as well as that of the Hereafter. [2] In reality, though, by concentrating one’s intention on the Hereafter, the matters of this world become much “easier” and less tense. Allah thereby increases one’s happiness in this world. In a very important hadîth for this day and age, the Messenger of Allah [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said:

“If a person’s main concern is the Hereafter, Allâh puts his richness in his heart, makes his affairs together for him and gives to him the world while it is not desirable to him. And if a person’s main concern is this world, Allâh will put his poverty in front of his eyes, make his affairs disunited and will not give him of this world save what has been decreed for him.” [3]

The real rest and the real happiness can only come to those whom Allâh blesses with such a blessing and which is received when one purifies one’s soul and worships Allâh alone with a true and complete form of worship. When a person accomplishes these matters, he becomes overcome with a joy that never leaves him and that is difficult to put into words. Ibn Taymiyyah attempted to express the joy that he felt from his faith in Allâh and the deeds he performed. He once said: “In this world there is a Paradise that whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise in the Hereafter.” He also said: “What can my enemies do to me? Certainly, my paradise and garden are in my chest.” [4] In fact, Ibn Qayyim, Ibn Taymiyyah’s closest student who would visit him often in the citadel prison, stated:

“Allah knows that I have never seen anyone having a better life than him. [This was true] even though he was in straitened circumstances and not living in luxuries and comforts. On the contrary, he was on the opposite extreme. Even though he faced imprisonment, torture and threats, he still had the most pleasurable life among the people, with the most relaxed feelings, strongest in heart and happiest of all of them. The experiencing of joy could be seen on his face. Whenever we were very fearful, feeling bad expectations and felt the earth constricting upon us, we would come to him and we only needed to see him and listen to his words that all of those emotions would leave us. Instead, we would be filled with rest, strength, certainty and tranquillity. Exalted be the One who allows His servant to witness His Paradise before he meets Him.” [5]

Of course, such a beautiful feeling from one’s faith was not restricted to Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Qayyim quotes another devout Muslim as saying: “If the kings and the children of the kings knew what [felicity] we are in, they would fight us over it with their swords.” Yet another stated: “The inhabitants of this world are miserable. They leave this world and they do not taste the most wonderful aspect that it contains.” When asked what that was, he replied: “Love for Allâh, knowing Him and remembering Him.” Ibn Qayyim also quoted another who said: “There comes some times in which I say: ‘If the people of Paradise are in a state like this, they are enjoying a good life’.” [6]

On the other hand, Allâh says:

“And he fails who corrupts (khâb) it.” (Ash-Shams 91:10).

The Arabic word “al-khaybah” has many aspects to it, including:

1. Weakness in one’s soul, as the soul does not have the strength and courage to follow what it knows is the truth;
2. Hesitation and confusion as every time it wants to do good; the soul drags it back down and fights it;
3. True psychological humiliation as he is worshipping something that has no benefit to it and it is not worthy of a human being to be worshipping something of that nature;
4. Cowardice and stinginess as his soul knows that he is disobeying his Lord and he cannot look forward to anything positive; hence, he has to hang on to his life and everything that he possesses in the strongest fashion;
5. Loss of modesty and dignity as his soul drives him to be shameless acts to the point that he accepts them, supports them and loses all shame concerning them.

This is all part of the reality that happens to him in this world. And that is all much less the disgrace that he will face in the Hereafter. [7]

By Jamâl ad-Dîn M. Zarabozo
Purification of the Soul: Concept, Process and Means, Pgs. 475-479

Footnotes:

1. Ibn Kathîr, Tafsîr, Vol. 4, P.601
2. Cf., al-Bilâli, P.127
3. Recorded by at-Tirmidhî and Ibn Majâh. According to al-Albânî it is sahîh. See al-Albânî, Sahîh al-Jâmi’, Vol. 2, Pgs. 1110-1111
4. Quoted in Ibn Qayyim, al-Wâbil as-Sayyib, P.73
5. Ibn Qayyim, al-Wâbil as-Sayyib, P.73
6. See Ibn Qayyim, al-Wâbil as-Sayyib, P.73. Ibn Qayyim also quoted Ibn Tamiyyiah as saying: “If you do not find any sweetness and relaxation in your heart from a [good] deed, then you should suspect your heart. Verily, Allâh is grateful. That is, He must reward the doer of the deed for his deed in this world by a sweetness he finds in his heart, a stronger feeling of relaxation and a joy in his eyes. If the person does not find these things, it means that something has entered upon his deed [and made it not correct and purely for Allâh’s sake.” See Ibn Qayyim, Madârij, Vol. 2, P. 68
7. For a similar discussion, see al-Bilâli, P.33

Have you ever seen a man whose back has become hunched, his hair gray, his steps heavy and his teeth lost? He has difficulty in praying, fasting, eating and drinking. He was once a young man like you. He lived the life of young men. He walked, played and entertained himself as young men do. He thought that the days of young age will be long and the strength of youth will last forever.

Today, after he has become old and weak, afflicted with many ailments, he cries over his past. He cries over the time he wasted in vain play and worthless actions. He cries over the strength which has departed him and wishes to regain it so that he would utilise it in the obedience of Allâh. But it is too late. Every new day calls upon the son of Âdam saying: “O son of Âdam! I am a new day, and will be a witness to what you do, so take advantage of me; because once I leave I will never come back until the day of Resurrection.”

This man continues to live a life of sorrow and regret. He does not have the power to worship Allâh due to his weakness and age, he wants to pray, but finds it difficult, he wishes to fast, but cannot. Sickness has exhausted him, pain has overwhelmed him and that is why he cries in regret.

Beware of the Hope to Live Long

Dear young man! You may say: “Why will I wait until I reach this level of weakness? I will repent before that, perhaps at the age of forty or shortly after, which is the age during which men enjoy the best of their health and strength. By then, I will have enjoyed my youth and so, will worship Allâh after that; Allâh is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful, He forgives His slave when he repents, even if he has reached fifty or sixty years of age. As long as the soul of the slave has not reached his throat, Allâh will forgive him.”

Dear brother! In order to show how feeble this plan is, I would like to ask you a question: who has guaranteed you life until thirty or forty years of age? Who can guarantee that you will live until tomorrow? In fact, who can guarantee that you will stand up from where you are now? Do you not know that death strikes suddenly, and that it attacks youth just as it hits the aged?

Did you not see how many young men have died? Did any of them get the chance to repent, or were their deaths delayed until they repented? Did they benefit in their graves from the time that they wasted in sinning? Did they reach the age you want to reach before you repent? Why then do you take the risk and hope to live long enough to repent?

Why do you delay repentance and remain heedless when you know that death comes unexpectedly:

“And turn to Allâh in repentance, all of you, O believers that you may succeed.” [An-Nûr 24:31]

The False for hope to live a long life is a form of heedlessness, and it is one of the major dilemmas, because if it was not for this false hope, negligence would not have taken place initially, and it is the reason people commit sins and delay repentance.

An Incompetent Youth

Dear youth! What guarantee do you have that when you do reach forty, you will still enjoy your strength and ability to worship Allâh in the best manner, as you claim? Is it not possible for a twenty or a thirty-year-old young man to be afflicted with diseases, which can incapacitate him and confine him to bed for the rest of his life?

Dear brother! Renew your repentance, perhaps this will save you from punishment, and beware of sinning, because the one who challenges Allâh will fall into destruction.

The Consequence of Delaying

Dear brother! There is another matter which you are unaware of, and that is that delaying does not have a limit. A person may continue to delay repentance until he reaches his grave. If he reaches thirty he would say, I will repent tomorrow, and when he passes forty, he would still postpone his repentance.

Every day which passes by makes him grow further away from Allâh, and away from repentance and the way leading to it. Only the determined person repents immediately and shuns sinning.

Dear youth! Beware of delaying and relying heavily and unduly on the forgiveness of Allâh. Indeed Allâh is All-Forgiving, but He is also severe and painful in punishment:

“Indeed, the assault (i.e. vengeance) of your Lord is severe.” [Al-Burûj 85:12]

And also:

“And thus is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the cities while they are committing wrong. Indeed, His seizure is painful and severe.” [Hûd 11:102]

There are usually three reasons behind being relaxed and feeling secure from the wrath of Allâh:

First, being overwhelmed by the immediate joys and pleasures of this world and so a person is blinded by them.

Second, delaying repentance, for if people think, then they would be careful and would not delay it.

Third, having hope in the mercy of Allâh and forgetting that Allâh is also severe in punishment.

A Youth Who Grows Up in Obedience

Abu Hurayrah [radî Allâhu ‘anhu] narrated that the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “Seven people will be under the shade of (the throne of) Allâh on the Day when there will be no shade but His…” of which is “a man who grew up in the obedience of Allâh.”

Dear youth! Do you not want Allâh to protect you with His shade?

Do you not want to receive your record with your right hand and say with joy?

“So as for he who has given his record in his right hand, he will say: ‘Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account’.” [Al-Hâqqah 19-20]

Do you not want to meet the Prophets and Messengers in Paradise?
Do you not want to enjoy looking at the Face of Allâh?

“(Some) faces, that Day, will be radiant, looking at their Lord.” [Al-Qiyâmah 75:22-23]

Do you not want to enjoy pleasure that will last forever?

If you want all that we mentioned, then get ready, think about your destiny and where you are heading, and do not forget that life is short and fleeting.

A Prophetic Advice

Our Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said while advising a man, as narrated by Ibn ‘Abbâs [radî Allâhu ‘anhu]: “Take advantage of five things before five other things occur; your youth before you become old, your health before you become sick, your wealth before you become poor, your spare time before you become busy, and your life before death.”

The Way Islâm Deals with Desires

Dear brother! It is a mistake to think that Islâm absolutely forbids and deprives us from fulfilling our desires and enjoying life, or that it prohibits fun. This is not true. Islâm has allowed fun but it has set certain boundaries for enjoyment to prevent man from becoming enslaved by his desires. Among the many things which Islâm has allowed, and even encouraged within these boundaries, are,

Marriage: Islâm has encouraged marriage and made it a means to control desires and a way for love and compassion to develop between the husband and wife, as Allâh says:

“And from His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” [Ar-Rûm 30:21]

Due to the intensity of sexual desire at youth, the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] gave them a special advice saying: “O youths! Whoever amongst you has the requirements of marriage, should marry; as it is more effective in lowering the gaze and in curbing lust.”

There are many benefits to marrying:

• It is a fulfilment of the command of Allâh and following the way of the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam].
• It establishes love, harmony and compassion between spouses.
• It prevents mixing between lineages.
• It preserves chastity and controls desires.
• It increases and strengthens the Muslim population.
• It protects the community against corruption.
• It protects against sexually transmitted diseases, which spread through illicit sexual activities; such prohibited relations can also cause enmity, famine and adversities.

Eating and drinking: Allâh permitted us to eat and drink anything which is permissible provided that it is not ill-gotten, other than during the daytime in the month of Ramadân and without extravagance. Allâh says:

“Eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allâh) likes not those who waste by extravagance.” [Al-A’râf 7:21]

Joking and laughter: The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] used to laugh and joke, but used only true statements to entertain. Islâm does not allow lying or making fun of others for joy and entertainment. The Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said: “Woe to the one who lies while talking, in order to make people laugh; woe to him; woe to him.”

Travelling and visitations: This is another allowed matter, on the condition that it does not include sinning, like mixing between men and women, smoking, listening to music and immoral conversations, etc.

Sports and exercise: A strong believer is more beloved to Allâh than a weak believer. ‘Umar [radî Allâhu ‘anhu] said: “Teach your children swimming, archery and horseback riding.” Youth should have good intentions when learning these things, like jihâd for the sake of Allâh, self-defence and protecting himself, his religion, honour and wealth.

Be Productive

Dear youth! We have talked for long enough, so why don’t we start acting? I admit that it is difficult at first, but remember the saying of the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam]: “There are two bounties which people do not give their due thanks (do not utilise properly): health and spare time.” It is as if you are being addressed by this, because you are in the age of strength and health, and have a lot of time to utilise, so why don’t you take advantage of this time by using it to do what brings you closer to Allâh and benefits you in the Hereafter?

‘Abdullâh bin Mas’ûd [radî Allâhu ‘anhu] said: “I hate to see man not utilizing his time in something useful for his life in this world or the life in the Hereafter.”

Ibn Shaybân [rahimahullâh] said: “He who preserves his time and, does not waste it in what displeases Allâh; Allâh will preserve for him his religion and worldly affairs.”

Finally

Dear youth! Remember the following:

• Your life is a capital you posses, so do not waste it in unbeneficial things.
• Be selective in the company you keep and do not befriend evil people.
• Guard your prayers, because they are your rescuers. And do not sleep through the dawn prayer.
• Perform wudhû’ even when you find it hard to do so, attend the congregational prayer and spend time in the mosque waiting for the next prayer.
• Rush to the mosque as soon as you hear the call for prayer.
• Fast optional voluntary fasts, as they are a protection for you in your youth.
• Get yourself used to spending in charity because relieves it you from many hardships.
• Rush to perform Hajj. And remember that performing one ‘Umrah after another is an expiation of the minor sins between them.
• Recite a portion from the Qur’ân daily.
• Exaggerate in remembrance and supplication to Allâh, because Allâh loves those who remember Him and supplicate to Him.
• Read the biography of the Prophet [sall-Allâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] and his companions to take from their qualities.
• Attend sessions of knowledge, because seeking knowledge is an obligation.
• Be humble because arrogant people will not be admitted in Paradise.
• Obey your parents, because rebellious people will not enter Paradise.
• Avoid music and singing, because their love and the love of the Qur’ân can never be combined in one heart. So choose for yourself.
• Lower your gaze, as it is the action of the pious.