Islam Is My Religion

"The Night of Reward"

A portion of an authentic Hadith reported by Abu Hurairah and recorded in Musnad Ahmed is as follows: "During the last night of Ramadan, the sins of all the believers who have been fasting are forgiven. It was asked, 'O Prophet of God, is this night known as the 'night of power'?' The Prophet replied, 'No, but as soon as the deed is done, the reward for the deed is immediately bestowed'." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 7917)

According to this Hadith, on the last night of Ramadan, those among the Prophet's followers who have fasted in the true spirit will be rewarded for their deeds, which will be noted in their records. This night of Ramadan is referred to in other Hadith literature as the 'night of reward'. (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, Hadith No. 4271)

God rewards His believers for every good deed. Due to the unique significance of worship during Ramadan, the Prophet has specifically mentioned this reward.

In reality, those who have spent the month of Ramadan in its true spirit can never even contemplate that they can spend the last night of Ramadan in frivolous activity.

It has been generally noted that when the month of Ramadan is completed, most people spend the Eid night in careless indulgence and entertainment. They throng shopping centres and marketplaces. The above Hadith is a warning against all such frivolities. This is the night of reward and should be used in prayer and supplication.

The 'night of reward' is best utilized in more prayer and supplication, in introspection of the month of Ramadan that has just passed and in making new resolutions for the coming new year.

To spend this night in frivolous shopping and entertainment is to ignore its importance and lose this great opportunity to earn rewards. In reality, those who have spent the month of Ramadan in its true spirit can never even contemplate that they can spend the last night of Ramadan in frivolous activity. To such people, this last night will be prayer and supplication, not negligence or entertainment.

Anas ibn Malik has reported another authentic Hadith regarding Ramadan. One part of this Hadith is: "When the day of Eid al-Fitr dawns on them, then God is pleased and proclaims to the angels, 'O my angels, what is the reward for the doer who has completed his deed?' The angels reply, 'Our Lord, such a person should be given complete reward for the deed done'." (Shu’abul Iman, Hadith No. 3444)

After the end of Ramadan, the day of Eid al-Fitr appears with glad tidings, with tidings of everlasting happiness as a reward. This reward is for those believers of Allah who have proved themselves deserving of it by reviving the true spirit of all kinds of good deeds during Ramadan.

Ramadan is the month of fasting. But, in terms of spirit, the month of Ramadan is a month of self-training. Muslims are required to observe the month of Ramadan as a month of introspection in the light of Quranic teachings. The Quran is a divine criterion; it helps us examine our deeds and differentiate the right from the wrong. The Quran is like a divine mirror, in which Muslims can see their true face. They can identify the mistakes they have made in the past in order that they may mend their ways.

"The Essence of Ramadan"

According to Islam, man has been put in this world so that he may be put to the test. He has been given freedom so that he may make use of this freedom in following the commandments of Allah Almighty of his own free will.To pass the test of life, man has to restrict the use of this freedom: he has to promote all that is good and try to eradicate all that is bad. Self-control is needed for this. Fasting is a form of annual training to gain the self-control.

One has to have patience for this self-controlled life. Fasting inculcates in the individual this spirit of patience. On this ground, the month of fasting has been termed in a hadith the month of patience. The most important thing required to lead an Islamic life in this world is patience. For this very reason it was declared in the Quran, “Those who persevere patiently will be requited without measure.” (Al-Zumar, 39:10)

The same glad news of immeasurable reward for patience is also given in a hadith. Abu Hurayrah quoted the Prophet as having said “The good deeds of a person will receive tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. But (God, the exalted has said) fasting is (observed) for Me and I will give reward (without measure) for it.

"The Month ofSupplication"

While giving commands regarding fasting, the
Quran makes special mention of supplication or dua. “And when My servants ask you about Me, say that I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me: let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me, so that they may be rightly guided.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:186)

Fasting by its nature, is an act of patience. Patience and forbearance are what lead man to the state of the heart which enables him to experience the feeling of nearness to God. It is only then that words worthy of divine acceptance come to one’s lips. Patience is the ground where the blessed tree of dua is grown.

Dua is not just a verbal act. In essence, it is an act of the heart. This shows the relation between fasting and dua. Fasting increases the spiritual capability of man’s heart and when this capability increases, the dua which ensues is more precious than that of a non-fasting situation. Real fasting is that which induces real dua.

"The Month ofSympathy"

The Prophet said: “The month of Ramadan is the month of sympathy.”

Fasting teaches a man what basic human requirements are. It tells him what hunger is and what thirst is. Those who do not get a chance to feel hungry or thirsty also experience this during this month. For some hour, the rich also come to live in the same conditions in which a poor man lives.

Ramadan is thus a process of rejuvenation of a believer. He can look forward to applying the lessons learnt during Ramadan to everyday life. A person who has fasted in the true spirit can count on drawing upon the reservoir of fortitude that he has built up, on the power of dua, of patience and gratefulness when he is faced with any trying situation.

"Training inHumility"

The Quran tells us that fasting is prescribed for you so that you may fear God (Al-Baqarah, 2:183). So what does it mean to fear God? Fearing God means that man should acknowledge his helplessness vis-à-vis
God’s greatness.
The feeling of helplessness (‘ijz) is not simply a feeling but is rather the greatest motivational force in the life of a person. The feeling of ‘ijz relates to God. But when this feeling of ‘ijz is produced in man in the real sense, it finds
expression in human relations. One who becomes truly modest before Allah Almighty finds this same spirit making him modest before human beings.
The height of spirituality is a person’s realization of his own helplessness and the supreme power of Allah. The biggest
obstacle to a person’s spiritual growth is his own ego and false pride. This leads to his being distanced. The sole concern
of a spiritually pure person is his earning Allah’s pleasure.

The Purpose of Fasting

The month of fasting is a period of preparation for the believer aimed at——

•elevating the standards of thought

•increasing the spirit of piety in worship

•enhancing spirituality to attain closeness to Allah Almighty

•awakening gratitude within oneself by fasting and refraining from worldly distractions

•focusing more on the hereafter by reducing material preoccupations

•redirecting external journeys towards internal

•completing a month-long training course to acquire the sustenance of gratitude and piety for the entire year, and so on.

This is the purpose of fasting and also the true measure of its acceptance.

"The Spirit of Ramadan"

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Hijri calendar. Muslims are enjoined to observe fasting from daybreak to sunset during this month. Fasting is an annual worship in the Islamic faith and one of the five spiritual pillars of Islam.

What is the purpose of this annual practice? The answer can be had from the Quran. "The month of Ramadan is the month when the Quran was sent down as guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and the criterion by which to distinguish right from wrong." (2:185)

The Arabic word for fasting is 'sawm' meaning abstinence, restraint from desires. That is, saving oneself from all kinds of distraction, including basic needs, for a temporary period of time. The main purpose of fasting is going through the Quran with complete focus and dedication. This is a very serious study. So, believers are required to keep away from all other activities, and concentrate their minds totally on the study of the Quran.

In terms of form, the month of Ramadan is the month of fasting. But, in terms of spirit, the month of Ramadan is a month of self-training. Muslims are required to observe the month of Ramadan as a month of introspection in the light of Quranic teachings. The Quran is a divine criterion; it helps us examine our deeds and differentiate the right from the wrong. The Quran is like a divine mirror, in which Muslims can see their true face. They can identify the mistakes they have made in the past in order that they may mend their ways.

This is the main purpose of fasting. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is like a spiritual rehearsal for every Muslim. If this annual practice is done in the true spirit, it is bound to revolutionise the condition of Muslims, both individually and collectively.

"Scientific Facts Mentioned in the QUR'AN"

Theory of Probability

In mathematics there is a theory known as ‘Theory of Probability’. If you have two options, out of which one is right, and one is wrong, the chances that you will chose the right one is half, i.e. one out of the two will be correct. You have 50% chances of being correct. Similarly if you toss a coin the chances that your guess will be correct is 50% (1 out of 2) i.e. 1/2. If you toss a coin the second time, the chances that you will be correct in the second toss is again 50% i.e. half. But the chances that you will be correct in both the tosses is half multiplied by half (1/2 x 1/2) which is equal to 1/4 i.e. 50% of 50% which is equal to 25%. If you toss a coin the third time, chances that you will be correct all three times is (1/2 x 1/2 x 1/2) that is 1/8 or 50% of 50% of 50% that is 12½%.

A dice has got six sides. If you throw a dice and guess any number between 1 to 6, the chances that your guess will be correct is 1/6. If you throw the dice the second time, the chances that your guess will be correct in both the throws is (1/6 x 1/6) which is equal to 1/36. If you throw the dice the third time, the chances that all your three guesses are correct is (1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6) is equal to 1/216 that is less than 0.5 %.

Let us apply this theory of probability to the Qur’an, and assume that a person has guessed all the information that is mentioned in the Qur’an which was unknown at that time. Let us discuss the probability of all the guesses being simultaneously correct. At the time when the Qur’an was revealed, people thought the world was flat, there are several other options for the shape of the earth. It could be triangular, it could be quadrangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, spherical, etc. Lets assume there are about 30 different options for the shape of the earth. The Qur’an rightly says it is spherical, if it was a guess the chances of the guess being correct is 1/30. The light of the moon can be its own light or a reflected light. The Qur’an rightly says it is a reflected light. If it is a guess, the chances that it will be correct is 1/2 and the probability that both the guesses i.e the earth is spherical and the light of the moon is reflected light is 1/30 x 1/2 = 1/60.

Further, the Qur’an also mentions every living thing is made of water. Every living thing can be made up of either wood, stone, copper, aluminum, steel, silver, gold, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, oil, water, cement, concrete, etc. The options are say about 10,000. The Qur’an rightly says that everything is made up of water. If it is a guess, the chances that it will be correct is 1/10,000 and the probability of all the three guesses i.e. the earth is spherical, light of moon is reflected light and everything is created from water being correct is 1/30 x 1/2 x 1/10,000 = 1/60,000 which is equal to about .0017%.

The Qur’an speaks about hundreds of things that were not known to men at the time of its revelation. Only in three options the result is .0017%. I leave it upto you, to work out the probability if all the hundreds of the unknown facts were guesses, the chances of all of them being correct guesses simultaneously and there being not a single wrong guess. It is beyond human capacity to make all correct guesses without a single mistake, which itself is sufficient to prove to a logical person that the origin of the Qur’an is Divine.

The only logical answer to the question as to who could have mentioned all these scientific facts 1400 years ago before they were discovered, is exactly the same answer initially given by the atheist or any person, to the question who will be the first person who will be able to tell the mechanism of the unknown object. It is the ‘CREATOR’, the producer, the Manufacturer of the whole universe and its contents. In the English language He is ‘God’, or more appropriate in the Arabic language, ‘ALLAH’.

"The miracle of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), i.e. the Qur'an, is for all times"

All the previous Prophets of God were sent only to their people and their nation and their complete message was meant for a particular time period. Therefore the miracles they performed such as parting of sea by Prophet Moses (pbuh), giving life to the dead by Prophet Jesus (pbuh), etc. convinced the people of that time but these miracles cannot be analyzed and verified by us today. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the last and final Messenger of God, sent for the whole of humankind and the message he delivered is for eternity. The Qur'an says:

"We sent you (Prophet Muhammad) not but as a mercy for all creatures." (Al-Qur'an 21:107)

Therefore the miracle of the last and final Messenger should also be everlasting, examinable and verifiable by people of all ages, after its revelation. Though Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed several miracles as are mentioned in the Hadith (recorded traditions, sayings and actions of the Prophet), he never emphasized them. Though we Muslims believe in these miracles we only boast of the ultimate miracle given to him by Almighty God, which is the Qur'an. Al-Qur'an is the miracle of all times which proved itself to be a miracle 1400 years ago and which can be reconfirmed today and forever. In short, it is the Miracle of Miracles.

Many people have a misconception that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the founder of the religion of Islam. However, Islam is in existence since the first man (Prophet Adam) first set foot on earth. Since then, Almighty God sent several prophets and revelations, the last in this chain being Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Qur'an.

In the chapter Al-Shams (The Sun) of the Quran, you will find these verses:

“He who purifies it will indeed be successful, and he who corrupts it is sure to fail.” (91:9-10).

These Quranic verses refer to the importance of personality development, laying emphasis not on its physical but on its spiritual aspects. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the main theme of the Quran, personality development being its basic goal.

What is purification of the soul? It is to purify your mind of all kinds of bias and negativity. In other words, it is to decondition your conditioning. This is the mind the Quran tries to build. One who fails in this de-conditioning process will become a corrupt or an unwanted personality in the divine scheme of things.

"THE UNIVERSE—A SOURCE OF DIVINE INSPIRATION"

The universe has been fashioned by God in a way that it may become a source of spiritual inspiration for man. According to the Qur’an, it is the quality of tawassum (15:75) that enables one to find inspiration in the universe. What is tawassum? It is the ability to understand the signs of nature. That is, to observe the phenomena of the universe in order to draw lessons from them and receive spiritual nourishment from physical events.

Tawassum is, in a sense, a matter of conversion, on a parallel with grass entering the body of the cow and through a natural process being transformed into milk. Similarly, the truly religious person is like a divine industry. He is able to convert physical events into spiritual lessons. He extracts spiritual nourishment from material things.

The distinguishing feature of the wise people described in the Qur’an is that, they continuously derive such sustenance from their environment, thus maintaining their intellectual and spiritual well-being. This is elaborated upon in the Qur’an as follows:

“In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are signs for men of understanding; those that remember God when standing, sitting, and lying down, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth (saying): ‘Lord, You have not created these in vain. Glory be to You! Save us from the torment of the fire, Lord.” (3:190-191)

Islam: The End of the Search for Truth

Man’s search for truth can come to a successful end when he finds answers to his questions at an intellectual level. To achieve such a purposeful existence is the greatest quest of man’s life. Everyone is motivated, consciously or unconsciously, by this demand of human nature, everyone at one time or another suffers from a sense of frustration, with or without sad experiences. To make one’s life meaningful, therefore one has to discover its purpose. One should be extremely sincere and honest in this respect. Sincerity and honesty are an assurance of engaging oneself unremittingly in this pursuit, and never giving-up, until one has discovered the real purpose of human existence.

In the search for truth, although man looks towards philosophy, science, mysticism and the religions of the world, it is only through Islam that one discovers the ultimate reality or truth. Islam is the only religion whose scripture – the Quran – is preserved. It is the only religion whose prophet – Prophet Muhammad – has historical credibility. It is the only religion that stands on the logic of all arguments – natural, philosophical, spiritual and scientific. For a seeker of truth there is not a whole range of options to choose from. In his search for truth, man has only one choice to make. And that is the choice of Islam and Islam alone.

In his search for truth when a man succeeds in discovering Islam in its true form through its original sources – the Quran and Sunnah and learns the teachings of Islam, he becomes a person who is fit to be called a complete man, one who has succeeded in making his life purposeful, in the real sense of the word.

Such a believer has been called in the Qur’an as al-nafs al-Mutmainna (89:27). This means a soul at rest, in peace or in a state of complete satisfaction. That is, a man who wholeheartedly follows the divine way of life and is always fully satisfied, whether or not it is in consonance with his own desires. Who, although finding himself totally free, realizes that this freedom does not belong to him as a matter of right, but is rather a test paper. Who is willing to acknowledge the truth of the one God, although He is unseen and surrender to Him — not by compulsion but by his own choice. Who lives a principled and disciplined based on higher principles of positivity rather than on negative emotions such as anger, revenge, jealousy, hatred, rivalry, etc. By showing such total willingness to surrender his will to the will of God (the literal meaning of Islam), he attains that state of humanity that is at one with the creation plan of God. Such people will be rewarded with eternal paradise in the world Hereafter.

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"UNIVERSE BEARS WITNESS"

In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the ocean with cargoes beneficial to man; in the water which God sends down from the sky and with which he revives the earth after its death, dispersing over it all manner of beasts; in the movements of the winds, and in the clouds driven between earth and sky: surely in these there are signs for people who understand. (The Qur’an 2:163-164)

The universe, stretching out to infinity on all sides, is a sublime testament to God’s immanence. The very existence of an incredibly vast universe is proof of there being a Creator. And that there is only one Creator and Sustainer is testified to by the complete harmony and correspondence of all the objects in existence, despite their multiplicity.

So many of these things having been tamed to meet human requirements shows that man’s Creator is a God of unbounded compassion; even before man came into existence, God had already provided for all his needs. Moreover, the usefulness inherent in so many of our earthly phenomena is a silent, but certain indicator of the universe having been consciously planned as a purposive entity. A sign of the limitless extent of God’s power is the infinite variety of animal species all thriving on the same nutrients and water which He provided. Another sign of his power is the inevitability with which each death is succeeded by a life. Life and freshness come to lifeless things because that is how God causes nature to function. If death in the universe is only a temporary phase, that is because God wills it to be so.

Man’s God is only One God. He alone is worthy of becoming the centre of man’s attention. Our existence and all the things we have been provided with on earth are attributable solely to God, the source of all divine blessings. Man must make Him his object of worship in the real sense and must eternally associate with Him all his hopes and feelings.

"Earth is a Testing Ground"

One who subscribes to the theory that the earth is a testing ground will focus on such activities as will reap a reward in the life hereafter. However, one who believes in the theory that the earth is a place for enjoyment will engage in such activities as improve his worldly life. So test-oriented thinking makes man content as regards wealth; he will remain content if his basic requirements are provided for. On the contrary, enjoyment-oriented thinking will always lead to the endeavour to accumulate more and more wealth. There is no limit to human greed. If a man who has developed this test-oriented thinking has a small car and his friends want him to buy a bigger car, he will say: “I do not want to make my test paper more difficult.” By contrast, the enjoyment-oriented person will always be striving not only for a bigger and bigger car, but also for many more cars.

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving. (Qur'an 67:2)

The test-oriented person will keep himself away from futile entertainment, for he will consider it to be a distraction. Conversely, the enjoyment-oriented person will jump into the fray of the entertainment culture, regardless of the amount of time and money he will be squandering. The test-oriented person will avoid all unnecessary wastage of money, time, food, water, and above all, words. Unlike him, the enjoyment-oriented person will not attach any importance to wasteful expenditure. The test-oriented person will consider himself bound by moral values, whereas to the latter, personal interest, and not moral values, is supreme.

According to the Creation Plan of the Creator, what is important in this matter is what kind of personality is being nurtured in a man while he experiences different sets of situations. Will it be a God-oriented personality or a self-oriented personality? Just as man has constantly to acquire food in the present world for his physical existence, so also does his spiritual existence require a continual supply of spiritual food. It is this spiritual food which develops in man the God-oriented personality.

What is spiritual food? It is the truth, accepted by man whether it comes to him from his own people or someone else. That means that his thinking should not be the result of conditioning: he should form his opinions unaffected by his immediate circumstances. His life should be one of thanksgiving and acknowledgement rather than of ingratitude and denial. He should respond positively, even in a negative situation. He should temper his use of freedom by selfimposed discipline, adhering to justice in all situations, even if it goes against his interests. He should keep before him the eternal rewards of the Hereafter rather than the temporary gains of this world.

Those who regard the present world as a testing ground and lead their lives accordingly will be lodged in the Hereafter in the Eternal Gardens in close proximity to their Creator. Those, on the other hand, who regard this world merely as a place of enjoyment will finally face the dreadful consequences of being denied access to the eternal world: they will have nothing but deprivation and frustration in store for them.

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💟 Eleven Signs of Love for the Beloved Prophet Muhammad SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam 💟

Someone who claims that he/she loves another will prefer that person to all others, he will also prefer what they like, if it were otherwise then he would be acting and his love would not be sincere. The following signs will be apparent in those who truly love the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam.

First: The first sign of love for the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, is that he/she will follow his example, apply his prophetic way in words, deeds, obedience to his commands, avoidance of whatever he prohibited and adopt his manner in times of ease, hardship, joy and disappointment. Allah says, "Say (Prophet Muhammad, 'If you love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you." [Aal Imran : 31]

Second: The second sign is that he/she will set aside his own desires and appetite in preference to the law established and encouraged by the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam. Allah says, "Those before them who had made their dwelling in the abode (City of Medina), and because of their belief love those who have emigrated to them; they do not find any (envy) in their chests for what they have been given and prefer them above themselves, even though they themselves have a need." [al Hashr : 9]

Third: The third sign is that a person's anger of others is only for the sake of seeking the pleasure of Allah. Anas, Malik's son was told by the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, "My son, if you can refrain from holding a grudge in your heart from morning to evening, then do so." He then added, "My son, that is part of my prophetic way. Whosoever revives my way has loved me, and whosoever loves me is with me in the Garden." [Sunan Tirmidh, Kitab al-Ilm, Vol. 4, Page 151]

If a person possesses this fine quality, then he/she has perfect love for Allah and His Messenger. If he is found to be slightly lacking in this quality then his love is imperfect, but not devoid of it. The proof of this is found in the saying of the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, when a person faced punishment for imbibing. As the person was about to receive his punishment a man cursed the offender, whereupon the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, said, "Do not curse him. He loves Allah and His Messenger." [Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Hudood, Vol. 3, Page 133]

Fourth: The fourth sign is that one mentions the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, in abundance – whosoever loves something, it is constantly upon his tongue. [Al Shifa bi Ta'reefi Huqooq al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, Page 32]

Fifth: The fifth sign is yearning to meet the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam. Every lover yearns to be with their beloved. When the tribe of Ash'arites approached Medina, they were heard chanting, "Tomorrow, we will be with those we love, Muhammad and his Companions!" [Dalail an-Nabuwwah lil Bayhaqi, Vol. 5, Page 351]

Sixth: The sixth sign is that as well as the remembrance of the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, someone who loves him will be found praising and respecting him whenever he is mentioned and display humility, and lower himself when he hears his name. We are told by Isaac At -Tujibi that after the passing of the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, whenever the Companions heard his name they became humble, their skin trembled and they wept. As for the other followers of the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, some experienced the same out of love and yearning for him, whereas others did so out of respect and esteem. [Al Shifa bi Ta'reefi Huqooq al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, Page 33]

Seventh: The seventh sign is the love expressed for the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, and the People of his House, and his Companions – the Emigrants (Muhajirun) and the Helpers (Ansar) alike for his sake. A person with this sign will be found hostile to those who hate them.

Of Al Hasan and Al Hussain, may Allah be pleased with them, the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, said, "O Allah, I love them, so please love them."

Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al Manaqib, Vol. 5, Page 23
Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Fadhail, Vol. 4, Page 1883
Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab al Manaqib, Vol. 5, Page 327

Al-Hasan said that the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, also said, "O Allah, I love him, so love the one who loves him." Of his two grandsons, the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, also said, "Whosoever loves them, loves me." Then he said. Whosoever loves me, loves Allah. Whosoever hates them hates me and whosoever hates me hates Allah."

Muqaddam Sunan Ibn Maja, Vol.1, Page 51
Majma' az-Zawaid, Vol. 9, Page 180

The Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, said, "Do not make my companions targets after me! Whosoever loves them loves them it is because they love me, and whosoever hates them it is through their hatred of me. Whosoever harms them, harms me. Whosoever does something to hurt me does it is as if it is hurtful to Allah. Whosoever does something that appears to be hurtful to Allah is about to be seized."

Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab al Manaqib, Vol. 5, Page 358
Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 5, Page 54

Of his family, the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, said referring to Hadrat Fatima, may Allah be pleased with her, "She is part of me, whosoever hates her hates me."

Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab al Manaqib, Vol. 5, Page 24
Sahih Muslim, Kitab Fadhail as-Sahaba, Vol. 4, Page 1903

The Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, told Hadrat Ayesha to love Osama, Zaid's son because he loves him. [Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Vol. 5, Page 342]

The Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, spoke of the Helpers (Ansar) saying, "The sign of certain faith is love for the Ansar, whereas the sign of hypocrisy is hatred for them."

Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab al Manaqib, Vol. 5, Page 27
Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab al Iman, Vol. 1, Page 9
Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Iman, Vol. 1, Page 85

Umar's son tells us that the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, said, "Whosoever loves the Arabs loves them because he loves me. Whereas whosoever hates them hates them because of their hatred of me." [Al Shifa bi Ta'reefi Huqooq al-Mustafa, Vol 2, Page 34]

The fact is when someone loves another, he loves everything that person loves, and this was indeed the case with the Companions. When Anas saw the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, eating a piece of pumpkin, he said, "From that day I loved pumpkins." [Al Shifa bi Ta'reefi Huqooq al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, Page 34]

Al-Hasan, the grandson of the Prophet, may the peace of Allah be upon them, went with Jafar to Salma and asked her to prepare some food the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, used to eat. [Shamail Tirmidhi, Page 155]

Umar once saw the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, wearing a pair of yellow coloured sandals, so he too wore a pair of the same colour.

Sahih al Bukhari, Kitab al-Libas, Vol. 7, Page 132
Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, Vol. 2, Page 844

Eighth: The eighth sign is hatred of anyone who hates Allah and His Messenger, praise and peace be upon him. Such people are those who show hostility towards to Allah and His Messenger. Believers having this sign avoid all who oppose the prophetic way, and are in opposition to those who introduce innovations into the prophetic way (that are against the spirit of Islam) and find the law he established burdensome. Allah says, "You shall find no nation believing in Allah and the Last Day loving anyone that opposes Allah and His Messenger." [al Mujadilah : 22]

Ninth: The ninth sign is found in those who love the Qur'an which the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, brought, by which the Prophet and they were guided. When asked about the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, Hadrat Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, "His character was that of the Qur'an." Part of the love of the Qur'an is listening to its recitation, acting according to it, understanding it, keeping within its bounds and the love of Prophet Muhammad's way. [Al Shifa bi Ta'reefi Huqooq al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, Page 35]

Sahl, Abdullah's son spoke of this sign saying, "The sign of loving Allah is love of the Qur'an. The sign of loving the Qur'an is the love of the Prophet. The sign of loving the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, is love of his prophetic way. The sign of loving the prophetic way is the love of the Hereafter. The sign of loving the Hereafter is hatred for this world. The sign of hatred for this world is that you do not amass any of it except for provisions and what you need to arrive safely with in the Hereafter." [Al Shifa bi Ta'reefi Huqooq al-Mustafa, Vol. 2, Page 35]

Masood's son said, "No one needs to ask himself about anything other than the Qur'an, if he loves the Qur'an then he loves Allah and His Messenger" praise and peace be upon him. [Bayhaqi fil Aadaab, Page 522]
Tenth: The tenth sign of love for the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, is to have mercy on his nation by advising them well, striving for the betterment of their interest and removing anything that is harmful from them in the same way that the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, was "gentle and merciful to the believers." [al-Taubah : 128]



Eleventh: The eleventh sign of perfect love is found in whosoever restricts himself through self-denial, preferring poverty to the attractions of the world. The Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, told Abu Sa'id Al Khudri, "Poverty for those of you who love me flows quicker than a flood from a mountain's peak to its base." [Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab az-Zuhd, Vol. 4, Page 7]

A man came to the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I love you." The Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam, warned, "Be careful of what you say." The man repeat his love for him thrice, whereupon the Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Aalihi wa Sallam told him, "If you love me prepare yourself quickly for poverty." [Sunan Tirmidhi, Kitab az-Zuhd, Vol. 4, Page 7]

O Dear Almighty ALLAH! We ask you of filling our Hearts with the true and immense Love of your Beloved Habib Kareem Alayhi Afdalus Salati wat Tasleem. Keep us alive on His Sunnah and bless us with the death on Iman in the Beloved City of your Beloved Prophet SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam and make our Cessation with Ahl al-Baqee’ ash-Sharif… Aameen!!

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