How to do - BYISLAM

How to Balance this World and the Hereafter?

September 29, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

Many matters mentioned in the Holy Quran and Islamic narrations may seem to be in contradiction with each other. Among these matters are the world and the hereafter.

In some traditions, we see that the world is blamed, and staying away and renouncing it is praised but in the other traditions we see that the world is extremely important in our progress towards perfection of being and building our homes for the hereafter.

Islam warns us not to take the world as our sole objective in life. Rather, it teaches us to use it and its bounties and riches for reaching our true objectives: perfection of being, God’s pleasure, and paradise. It also encourages us to make our works solid and firm and not to be careless in our actions.

But how it is possible to balance this world and the hereafter. One of Imam Hasan ’s statement can help us too much in this regard:“Work for the world as if you are going to live forever and work for the hereafter as if you are going to die tomorrow.”

This valuable statements give us two different strategies for improving our both the world and the hereafter without realizing any contradiction between them:

“Work for the world as if you are going to live forever”

This part of the narration deals with how we should deal with the world. This sentence can be defined in two ways:

The first is that we should carry out our worldly tasks with firmness, foundation, and basis. We shouldn’t think that these few days in the world are worthless so it leads to careless and tactless work. Although we know very well that we will not live here forever, we must work as if we will so that our work is lasting and solid. Even if we die and cannot make use of it anymore, others will be able to benefit from our labor.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “God the Exalted loves it when one of you takes on a task and performs it well.” In another place, he said: “God the Exalted loves of a worker who does good work.” And after his son Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was buried, the Holy Prophet saw a hole in his grave and filled in and fixed it himself. Then he said: “When one of you takes on a task, do it firmly.”

The second is that we should not rush and hasten towards worldly tasks. Do not think that it will leave you. If it isn’t done today, then you can do it tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the next day. Think that you will live forever. However, when it comes to working for the hereafter, you must hasten and rush to get it done. Do not leave today’s task for tomorrow, because tomorrow might not come, and then you will regret missing that chance.

“Work for the hereafter as if you are going to die tomorrow.”

This part of the narration deals with how we should deal with the hereafter. This part also has two meanings:

The first is that a person who is traveling the path towards success and believes in life after death must hasten and rush towards doing works for the hereafter. Whenever he is presented with an opportunity to do a task for the next world, he must hurry to carry it out without wasting any time.

Although haste is highly discouraged in Islam, because it wants its followers to think and contemplate before acting, this is one of the circumstances where rushing is praised. In one verse from among many in regards to this matter, the Holy Qur’an states: “And hasten toward the forgiveness of your Lord and paradise whose width is that of the heavens and the earth, [and it is] prepared for the pious self-controlling ones.” (3:133)

In this verse, God commands us to rush towards His forgiveness. Perhaps it means towards those good acts because of which God forgives His servant’s sins. Then it continues to say rush towards paradise whose width is that of the heavens and the earth. We know from Islamic narrations that this universe with all of its galaxies and celestial bodies, including the Earth, are all part of the first heaven or sky. In addition to this heaven, there are six more. Thus, it is possible that the size of paradise is equal to this universe and many more like it. We also know that gaining paradise can only be done through faith and righteous actions. Therefore, the verse is telling us to hasten towards faith and righteous deeds.

Furthermore, the verse states that this paradise is prepared for the pious and self-controlling ones. This means that a person must rush towards and carryout such works that will foster Taqwa (self-control) in him and make him of the pious ones.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) has said: “Take precedence and hurry to do good deeds before you are occupied by other than it.” If a person spends his entire day performing good deeds, then he does not have any time left to carry out bad deeds.

The second and the last is that Living in this sophisticated and sinful world as a committed Muslim is difficult. When we imagine that this is our last day in this word, it makes us calm and prepared to bear the difficulties of being a religious man in this world more easily.

How to Become a Better Guest?

September 29, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

Often times in our lives we have stood and will stand in the position of a guest at the door of the host who could be a relative, friend, colleague, or other members of our community. Sometimes the frequency of us being guests or knowing the host very well makes us forget the specific etiquette, protocols, and proper behavior that a guest should exercise when they are at the disposal of the host. We take this opportunity to walk through some of the logical etiquette that is also encouraged in Islam and is befitting for a believer to practice. It is important to bear in mind that being a guest is a privilege and not a right; hence, we should not take that right for granted. Rather, we should honor that privilege, give it its due right, and fulfill our obligations as a guest.

A guest should receive an invitation from the host and not impose themselves to become a “guest” at their home or location of meeting. Sometimes, when we get to know others well, we forget the proper etiquette and invite ourselves over, not paying attention that the host may have other arrangements or preferences of time, etc. In some cases, guests may pop in unannounced thinking they are giving a pleasant surprise, not realizing that the host may not be prepared to receive them at that hour.

When invited, the guest should make every effort to accept the invitation and not turn it down as it may offend the host. The holy Prophet (as) has said, “He, who does not accept an invitation, has disobeyed Allah and His Apostle (s), and he, who enters without invitation, enters as a thief and goes out as a robber.” (Makarim Al-Akhlaq)

When invited and discussing a possible time to visit, the guest should try to think about the position and circumstances of the host first, before thinking of their own.

If the guest is invited by the host and has accepted the invitation, they should avoid bringing other companions along who were not personally invited. The host may not be prepared to receive others unexpectedly.

If a host invites the guest for 4pm, that means the guest should be there punctually at 4pm and not an hour later. It is disruptive and disrespectful to come late (with exception to unwarranted situations) and it gives the feeling to the host that the guest is careless and not respectful. Coming too early also has it’s own implications.

A guest should be considerate to the time factor as well when they are spending time with the host. A good quality time which fulfills the purpose and pleases the host is sufficient; however, the guest should be considerate of his time spent, both qualitative and quantitative.

When a guest enters the home of their host, it is not proper manners or good habit to gaze around their property out of curiosity, stare, or pinpoint detail of their place, hence making the host feel uncomfortable.

If we desire something from the host, we should think twice before requesting our desire and make sure that we are not asking something that would be a burden on them. Perhaps they don’t have what we requested or are not able to fulfill our need, and hence, the host may feel embarrassed. We should make it our goal to please the host and be easy and non-demanding guests who would make the host feel comfortable to have come again.

When a host offers you a meal, accept and eat something even if you’re not hungry, for the host will be pleased to know that you have eaten from their food. Leaving the food untouched will only make the host feel that what they presented was not good enough or not up to standards. Don’t expect the host to follow a diet regimen or meal preference; one meal that is not on your preferred list will not cause any harm.

Although it is not required, it is recommended to enter with a simple gift as a token of appreciation and gratitude for an invitation.

If the host engages in a task while the guest is present, it is best to offer to help them and take the initiative to give them a hand in whatever they are doing.

A guest shouldn’t roam around the house without the permission of the host and if children come along, they should be as polite as possible. It is natural for young children to want to move around and make the place their playground; however, it is important that the host is not offended.

Respecting the privacy of any host is necessary, just as the guest expects privacy when they have invited people over. Inquiring too much about the host may make them uncomfortable and keeping in mind one’s own preferences for privacy may help the guest keep this in mind.

After leaving the host, the guest should not criticize, analyze, or condemn the host in any of their actions and should refrain from talking about them behind their back or making negative judgments about them, especially to other people.

On the way out, as a guest. we should thank the host profusely and make the intention to invite them over as our honorable guests in the near future.

How to Perform the Prayer?

September 29, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

Prayer is the most effective way of spiritual migration towards Allah (SWT) and attaining the exalted position of His nearness. Prayer enables a person to constantly engage in remembering Allah (SWT), both day and night, so as not to forget one’s Lord, Master and Creator, since forgetting will cause rebellion. Man, while offering Prayer, stays in the presence of His Lord and in the state of His remembrance, and this very condition constrains and stops him from sins and many kinds of corruption.

But how can we perform the prayer? Here are the steps:

We stand facing the direction of the qiblah (which is the Ka’bah in Meccah), and we (specify our) intention, or niyyah.

This means that with awareness and concentration we resolve to perform the prayer for the sake of Allah.
For example, we resolve to perform the four-unit noon (zuhr) prayer “in nearness to Allah”.

After having made this intention, we raise our hands to the level of our ears, palms facing forwards, and say the words “Allahu akbar.” (hint: like one is surrendering) After this “takbir”, we recite surah al-Hamd which is as follows:
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim;
AI-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin Ar-Rahmanir-Rahim Maliki Yawmid-Din Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’in Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim Siratal-Idhina an’amta `alayhim Ghayril-maghdubi ‘alayhim waladh-dhallin

And after reciting Surat Hamd we recite another complete surah from the Qur’an, for example: Surat al-Ikhlas

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim; Qul Huwa-llahu Ahad; Allahus-Samad; Lam yalid wa lam yu lad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan Ahad.

Next we move to ruku, which is bowing before Allah.
This means that we bend forward to the extent that we can place our hands on our knees.
In this position we say: Subhana Rabbiyal Azimi wabihamdih, Then we stand up straight and say: Sami `allahu liman hamidah,

Now we move to sujud, the prostration.
This means that we place our forehead on earth or stone or wood and the palms of our two hands. Our knees and the tips of our two big toes on the ground, In this position we say’ Subbana Rabbiyal-‘Ala wa bi hamdih.
Then we raise our head from the prostration and sit still for a moment and then we move back to the same position to perform a second prostration just like the first.

After having performed the second prostration, we stand up again to perform the second unit while in the act of standing up we say:

Bihawlil-lahi wa quwwatihi aqumu wa aq’ud.
Then we recite Surat al-Hamd and another surah just like in the first unit.
After saying the two surahs in the second unit now we say “qunoot”.
This means that we raise our hands to the level of our shoulders, palms facing upwards, and say a supplication. For example, we say:

Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil-akhirati hasanah, wa qina `adhaban-nar.
(Our Lord, grant us good in the world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire.)
Then we perform the ruku’ and sujud, just like in the first unit.

After the second prostration of the second unit we must sit still and say the “tashahhud”.
This means that we say: Alhamdulillah;
Ashhadu anla ilaha illallah wah dahu lasharikalah; wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan `abduhu wa rasuluh; Allahumma salli `ala Muhammad wa ale Muhammad.

After saying this “tashahhud’ we stand up to perform the third unit.
In the third unit, we don’t recite surat aI-Hamd and the other surah.
Instead, we say three times: Subhana-llahi wal-hamdu-lillahi wa la ilaha illa-llahu wallahu akbar.
Then we perform the ruku and the sujud just like in the other units.
We then stand up again for the fourth unit and perform it like the third.

After the second prostration of the fourth unit, we sit and say “tashahhud”, just like in the second unit.
Then we say the salams: As-salamu alayka ayyuhan-nabiyu wa rahmatu-llahi wa barakatuh.
As-salamu `alayna wa `ala `ibadiilahis -salihin.
As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
And we have finished our prayer.

And some additional points:

We perform the afternoon (al-asr) and evening (al-isha) prayers just like the noon (al-zuhr) prayer but for the niyyah we must have an intention to pray al-‘asr prayer or al-isha prayer
“in nearness to Allah”.
The sunset prayer (al-maghrib) has three units. So we make the niyyah to perform three units of al-maghrib prayer… and we say the second tashahhud and the salams at the end of the third unit and maghrib prayer is finished.
The morning prayer al-fajr has two units. So we make the niyyah, for two units, and we say the salams of the prayer after the tashahhud of the second unit, and the prayer is finished.
The time for the morning prayer is from the first light of dawn until sunrise.
The time for the noon and afternoon prayers which must be performed in the right order, is from noon until sunset.
The time for the sunset and evening prayers which must be performed in the right order, is from the beginning of the sunset until the middle of the night.

How to Trust in Allah?

September 29, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

“Allah is Sufficient for the needs of whoever trusts in Him. (65:3)”

In Islamic traditions, tawakkul (trust in Allah) has been highly praised as the firm sign of one’s faith, piety and complete trust in God. Only those who enjoy true friendship of God can always trust Him, under all conditions in their lives.

Our tawakkul in God guarantees our success in world and hereafter, no matter how difficult the task is and how severe and harsh conditions we are going through in our lives or how powerful are the enemies we are facing.

In order to develop trust in God, we should change our view about our own existence, life of this world, human relationships, hardship and happiness, health and disease, wealth and poverty, success and failure, life and death, and become realistic about ourselves, being a mere creature of God and his Creator, God, the Almighty, Who has created this Universe, from tiniest particle to the mightiest of creatures.

We should realize that God is the ultimate source of every bounty, every success, and every benefit, and no harm can reach us even from the most powerful enemy except with the permission of God and similarly no benefit. We should often ponder about these basic issues of our lives and slowly develop our faith in God, place our hope and trust in Him, often pray to Him and nurture realistic thinking about our future and make a plan for doing good actions, keeping in view both this world and hereafter. In order to do that there are four theoretical recommendations:

Human being though is the most superior creature on Earth, in fact has a very fragile existence. Humans like any other creature are never independent. Additionally, humans like others have no control over their birth, aging and death.

Similarly, disease, failure, sorrows, poverty and other hardships are inherent in human life, from richest to the most powerful human beings, no one can avoid them. Life of this world is meant to test human beings and is not a place of reward and permanent stay.

A person who forgets God as his Almighty Creator and Provider and attributes his successes, possessions, wealth and other worldly things solely to himself is more likely to suffer from harm if he loses them. On the other hand, a believer who places his trust in God is actually saved from anxiety, stress, and depression and other physical and psychological illnesses because of his relationship with God. His hope in God provides him strong support under most difficult moments of his life and gives him strength.

For every living creature, living in this world, life will end one day and the time of death is also not known. It is better that a person should always keep his heart in a state of complete trust with God and not be influenced by physical causes, materialistic things and transient successes and failures, rather one should attach himself to the eternal values set by God.

And there are also four practical recommendations:

Keep in mind the Verses and traditions that confirm the virtues of trust in God. Such as “Allah loves those who trust Him. (3:159)” or as our Prophet says:“Whoever wishes to be the most powerful person among people must trust God.”

Strengthen belief in God, trust in His good turn, and consider His being the source of goodness, originator of reasons, and able to do everything.

“If Allah is your helper, no one can defeat you. However, if He abandons you, who would help you? The true believers trust in Allah. (3:160)”

Pay attention to the nice doing of God and His outstanding care for man all over stages of life, and keep in mind that God will surely guard anybody who depends upon Him and save anybody who seeks His help.

“(Muhammad), say, ‘Nothing will happen to us besides what Allah has decreed for us. He is our Guardian. In Allah alone do the believers trust.’ (9:51)”

Learn lessons from the changeability of this life. Many poor people have become rich, many rich people have become poor, many celebrities have become paupers, and many paupers have become celebrities.

How to Go to the Mosque?

September 29, 2015/in How to do, Uncategorized /by amin edrisi

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

Almighty Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran: ”Only those shall maintain Allah’s mosques, who believe in Allah and Last Day, and establish prayer and give zakat, and fear no one except Allah. They, hopefully, will be among the guided.” (9:18)

Mosque is a holy place and in Islam it is also called Allah’s house. Needless to say, for going to the Allah’s house we need to observe some etiquette before, within and after our departure as following:

When leaving your home, work or business, go toward the mosque with eagerness and enthusiasm for you would be meeting fellow believers who have come to worship Allah.

Demonstrate your eagerness by wearing perfumed, good and neat clothes.

Ensure that your body and clothes are all pure and clean (tahir/pak). Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) says: ”One who goes to the mosque with (physical & spiritual) purity, Allah purifies this person from sins and includes him/her from the pilgrims of the mosque.”

Do not carry any unclean & impure items (najasat) in your pockets to the mosque.

If you have eaten garlic, onions, etc… do not go to the mosque, until the odor from your mouth has vanished.

It is forbidden for the one who is in the state of janabat and haydh to enter the mosque. Only after having performed the required ghusl (major ablution) can such a person enter the mosque. Sisters who are in the state istihadha can enter the mosque for prayers or otherwise.

At the first entrance of the Center, you would find the following verses from the Holy Qur’an. Read these with understanding and enter the precincts under Divine safety:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ. أُدْخُلُوهَا بِسَلاَمٍ آمِنِينَ، فَاللٌّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرٌّاحِمِينَ

”In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Enter it with peace and safety; for Allah is the best of protectors and the most merciful of the merciful ones.” (Holy Qur’an 15:46 & 12:64)

Use the right foot to enter the Center, reciting the following Du’a:

أَللٌّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لَنَا بَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ وَ اجْعَلْنَا مِنْ عُمَّارِ مَسَاجِدِكَ، جَلَّ ثَنَاءُ وَجْهِكَ

”O Allah, open for us the doors of Your mercy and make us amongst those who frequent Your mosques. Exalted is the praise of Your countenance.”

Please switch off or mute your cell/mobile phone. Experience has shown that phone rings irritate other worshippers and can sometime take away the concentration of worshippers including that of the imam.

At the door of the mosque, recite this Du’a taught by Imam Hasan b. ‘Ali al-Mujtaba (as):

إلٌـهِـي ضَيْفُكَ بِـبَابِكَ، يَا مُحْسِنُ قَدْ أَتَاكَ الْمُـسِيـئُ فَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ قَبِيـحِ مَا عِنْدِي بِجَـمِيلِ مَا عِنْدَكَ، يَـا كَـرِيـم

”My God, Your guest is at Your door. O the All-Beneficent, the sinner has come to You; so overlook what is ugly with me with that which is beautiful with You. O the All-Generous.”

Enter the mosque with humility and submissiveness for it is the house of Allah (swt) frequented by angels and believers.

It is forbidden to bring any inherently impure (najisul-`ayn) things into a mosque. Therefore, clothes containing blood, urine, semen, flesh of a dog or swine, etc. cannot be worn or carried when entering a mosque.

Greet the believers and angels with the best of greetings and a smiling face. Please note that if the believers are engaged in the Salat, it is not advisable to greet them.

Recite two rak’at prayer as a gesture of greeting and respect to the mosque.

While in the mosque keep your focus on none other than Allah (swt) , as He says in the Qur’an:

وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا

”Surely the mosques are for Allah (alone); so do not pray to anyone with Allah.” (72:18)

Keep the mosque clean, tidy and fragranced.

Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) has recommended that we say many prayers and recite many supplications in mosques:

فَأَكْثِرُوا فِيهَا مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ وَالدُّعَاءِ.

Sending Salawat on Prophet Muhammad (S) and his family (as) is the most effective supplication that the Muslims are blessed with.
Spend as much time in the mosque as possible as the Noble Prophet (S) said to Abu Dharr: ”As long as you are seated in the mosque, for every breath you take Allah will give you a rank in the paradise and the angels are praying for you.”

It is recommended to say various prayers at different places or sites within the mosque. Therefore, for e.g., say Maghrib Salat at one place, nafilah of Maghrib at another place, and ‘Isha prayers at yet another place. Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) has stated: ”Say your prayers in the mosques at different sites, for every site would witness for the person saying prayers on the Day of Resurrection.”

Ensure not to contaminate any part of the mosque, for it is forbidden (haram) to do so and goes against the sanctity of the mosque.

If any part of the mosque is contaminated it is obligatory for all those present and those who have the knowledge of it to immediately purify it (make it tahir/pak).

When bringing young children who cannot discern right from the wrong, into the mosque, ensure that they are under your continuous care – both for the respect of the mosque and for those present in it.

When inside the mosque, you are a guest of Allah (swt). Additionally, you are in the presence of angels and believers. Beautify the environment with continuous remembrance of Allah (swt) and pleading for His forgiveness (Istighfar).

Avoid worldly talks, discussion and recitations (e.g. non-religious poetry) while you are inside the mosque.

Carrying out business transactions in the mosque is abhorrent (makruh).
Playing board or computer games, hide and seek, or any sport in the mosque is abhorrent (makruh).

Raising one’s voice for reciting or talking in the mosque is detestable. Of course reciting adhan, du’a, etc. for congregation is exempt from this rule.

When you take an item for use, (e.g. Holy Qur’an, book of Du’a, prostrating tablet (turbah) take care of it and return it to its original place (e.g. book case).

Do not remove or take away anything belonging to the mosque. If you need to borrow an item temporarily then ensure that you have sought permission from the trustee or a keeper of the Center.

When exiting the mosque, step out with the left foot and recite the following supplication:

بِسْمِ اللٌّهِ. أَللٌّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلـى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَاغْفِرْ ذُنُوبِي وَافْتَحْ أَبْوٌابَ فَضْلِكَ.

”(I exit) In the Name of Allah. O’ Allah! Send your prayers upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and forgive my sins and open the doors of Your grace (to me).”

How to Understand Holy Quran Better?

September 21, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

“I swear by the places where the stars set. Indeed it is a great oath, should you know. This is indeed a noble Qur`an, in a guarded Book—no one touches it except the pure—gradually sent down from the Lord of the Worlds.” (Surat al-Waqi’ah, Verses 75-80)

The Holy Quran is the eternal miracle of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuhahf). It is a book that illuminates all things. Though it is composed of simple words and phrases, it is stated in a high literary style and conveys ideas that soar far beyond the comprehension of a normal human being. To perceive its essence and accurately derive laws from it, is immensely difficult. Thus, despite the fact that the Quran is “clear,” to properly understand it and act upon it takes great effort. If you like to understand the Holy Quran better, the following points are its prerequisites:

You should attain a purity of soul and a desire to seek the truth so that you can approach the “pure ones.” As the Holy Quran says, “Only the humble can be reminded.”

You should eliminate arrogance and prejudice and approach the Qur`an with fear and humility. Arrogance distances one from Allah’s (swt) proximity, so does it blind the heart, thereby preventing it from comprehending the Qur`an.

You should have a thorough knowledge of the ‘Arabic language: both its vocabulary and grammar. These can be attained through the disciplines of morphology, syntax, rhetoric, style and vocabulary.

You should have an in-depth knowledge of Islamic history and the circumstances surrounding the revelation of the verses. You should know the Quranic sciences; For example, you should know the general verses and the specific ones; the unqualified verses and the qualified; the verses that abrogate and those that are abrogated.

You should seek protection from Allah (swt) from the cunning of Satan and from the trickery of his own lower soul. Saying: “I seek refuge from Satan, the cursed one”

You should start by saying the bismillah.

You should know all the verses that are in any way related to the verse in question as well as all the narrations that speak to the verse. The latter is especially important because the verses of the Quran have deeper, hidden meanings that no one other than the Infallibles can access.

You should put aside all personal bias so that you can effectively comprehend what the Quran has to say. If you find that the Quran contradicts your previous understanding, you must accept the Quran’s teaching and abandon your prejudice. Otherwise, you will end up imposing your own view on the Quran (al-tafsir bi al-ra’y).

You should look at the Quran from a metaphysical viewpoint so that you do not attribute physical traits to Allah (swt) nor liken him to his creation. To do this, you should interpret equivocal verses (al-mutashabihat) in light of unequivocal ones (al-muhkamat) and authentic traditions.

You should also be aware of the needs of the day. You should be aware of scientific advancements and should keep a look out for the fulfillment of certain divine promises that are found in the Quran. In this way you will better be able to satisfy the needs of the younger generation. As Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq says: “Allah has not sent this Quran for one age or another, not for one people or another. Rather, it is perpetually fresh and attractive to all people.”

Your intention in reading and studying the Quran should not be limited to attaining the reward for reading it, nor to using the verses in speaking and writing. Instead of making the Quran an investment for this world, you should make it an investment for the afterlife. You should seek insight and understanding, and should seek to act according to its precepts.

When you read verses concerning Allah’s (swt) mercy and his promises of Paradise, you should feel hopeful and should enjoin yourself to obey Allah (swt) and to abandon sin. And when you read verses containing threats of hellfire and descriptions of its punishment, you should frighten yourself of sinning against Allah (swt). All this is to purify your heart and prepare the way to eternal felicity.

When you read verses that describe the believers and those who fear Allah (awj) and do righteous deeds, and when you read verses describing the disbelievers, the pagans, the beliers and the hypocrites, you should weigh yourself against the scale of the Quran. You should take account of yourself, and purify yourself of all bad attributes and adorn yourself with righteousness. As Allah (swt) has said, “I have only created Mankind and the Jinn to worship me.”

How to Get Prepared for the Death?

September 21, 2015/in home, How to do /by amin edrisi

Death is a reality in which all human beings believe. However, it is also a reality which most of us like to keep out of our minds.

In Islam, death is not an end to our existence; it is a passage, which takes us from this world to the hereafter – the actual purpose for our creation and the result of our work in this life.

Whether we fear death or not depends on how much we have prepared for the reckoning of the Day of Judgment.

Preparing for death is a lifetime’s job. It begins on the day you reach the age of bulugh and are held accountable for your deeds in the eyes of Almighty Allah.

Imam ‘Ali bin Abu Talib (a.s.) has beautifully described the preparation for death as follows: “Fulfilling the obligations, refraining from forbidden [things], and acquiring noble character.”

Some of the things which all believers are either required or strongly urged to do just before death by the Shari’ah are as following:

Try your best to fulfill the obligations, which are upon you in regard to the creatures as well as the Creator

Return to the owners whatever has been given to you as a trust or write it down in your will so that the executor of your will shall return the trust to its rightful owner.

Dispose up to one-third of your estate for whomsoever or whatever cause you like. As for the two thirds, it must be distributed among your heirs according to the shares allocated for them in the Shari’ah.

Make a will in writing or verbally about those religious obligations which you could not fulfill by yourself and which cannot be done on your behalf by others except after your death: the qadha prayers, fasting and pilgrimage (hajj), etc.

Specify the amount from the one-third of your estate to be used to hire people to do above mentioned deeds. If you cannot afford this, then you may request your heirs to do unfulfilled rituals on your behalf voluntarily or pay someone else to do so.
Include your deserving relations in the one-third of your estate if your financial circumstances allow you.
Forgive your brethren in faith for whatever wrong they may have done to you.
Ask your brethren in faith to forgive you for the intentional and unintentional wrong you may have done to them.

How to Get a Flat belly ?

September 17, 2015/in home, How to do /by amin edrisi

1-Don’t eat anything for two to three hours before sleep. Your body slows down when you sleep, which will prevent your body from digesting the food in your stomach properly.

2-Eat healthier. There’s no real secret when it comes to having a flat-tummy friendly diet — you simply need to eat more healthy foods like fruit, veg, and whole grains, and cut down on junk food, like candy, chips and fast food. Just by making this simple switch, you’ll see a world of difference to your stomach.

Eat lots of lean protein. Beans, nuts, and lean meat are rather good for you as long as you do not eat the fat!

3-Eat whole grains. Look for labels that say “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” and not just “wheat flour.” Whole grains keep you fuller longer, which can help with weight loss and getting a flat tummy.

4-Eat low-fat dairy products. Switch out your high-fat dairy for low-fat options, which are rich in protein and vitamin B6.

5-Reduce your portion sizes. Rather than eating the wrong kinds of foods, many people just eat too much of the right foods. You should eat just enough until you feel full, then stop. If you’re eating regular, healthy snacks throughout the day, this shouldn’t leave you feeling hungry.

6-Try to chew more slowly and thoroughly when you eat. Chewing your food well helps to speed up the digestion process in the stomach, leaving you feeling less bloated and gassy.

7-Take small breaks in between every bite of food when eating. The extra time will give your stomach a chance to realize that it’s full, thus preventing you from over-eating.

8-Eat low-glycemic index foods. These items take longer to digest, so you feel full longer. Your body will slowly absorb the nutrients so you’ll avoid any spikes or drops in your blood sugar until your next meal.

9-Try to cut as much sugar from your diet as possible. Besides being full of empty calories, having less sugar in your system will help to lower your insulin levels.

10-Eat small, frequent meals. Replace your usual system of eating three large meals a day, with eating smaller, more regular meals. Many people make the mistake of eating nothing at all between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, especially when they are trying to lose weight.

11-Drink plenty of water. You should replace all your regular beverages with water, especially soda and sugared drinks which are full of empty calories and will cause your stomach to bloat.

Pay attention to your body’s signs. Your urine should be a light yellow or clear color; dark yellow with an odor could be a sign that you are dehydrated.

12-Do exercises daily. Sure, you can do 100 crunches a day, but if you’ve got a layer of belly fat covering up your ab work then what’s the point? You need to burn the top layer of stomach fat to see the changes. Cardio exercises will heat up your core temperature and improve circulation, both of which will aid in acquiring a flat stomach. Strive for at least 30 minutes a day minimum, but include 1-2 days of rest each week.

How to Become Free from Sex Desire?

September 17, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

1-Avoid stimulating things:

This includes looking at attractive and sexy figures, Though sexy figures should be the most avoided, you should also avoid looking at women.
In addition to avoiding looking, you should avoid touching women by shaking, hugging, etc.. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t act normally with near relative women/girls, such as sisters, mothers, aunts, daughters and nieces, since it’s acceptable to see them and touch them the proper way.

2-Avoid thinking about sex and stimulating things, and try to fill your time with something useful, especially Islamic study and worship.

You may also register in a club, group or maybe get a job. Try not to have a lot of time alone since that could turn you thinking about what stimulates your desires (though it’s recommended to have your own time where you can think about the world and yourself!).

3-Never engage in forbidden relationships.

4-Never masturbate: this is considered a dirty habit by Muslims and is punishable under Islamic law. If you start, you will find it very difficult to stop .

5-Avoid finding yourself alone with a girl/woman, since this is the most dangerous situation which will frequently lead to an illegal relationship.Remember that Shaytan is always the third one present.

6-Think about the guarantee promised by Islam. Islam gives you the ultimate guarantee of safety, provided that you obey its laws.

7-Find a worthwhile hobby, something to think about that interests you.

Whenever you get any idea of this kind or you are in a situation where you may have a chance to fulfill your desires, just start thinking about that very thing or idea that interests you. It may be about your time with your best friends or a journey or about something would like to do to bring you closer to Allah .

8-Fast to reduce sexual desires as per Islamic teachings.

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “O young people, whoever of you can afford marriage should marry because it is more (conducive to) lowering the gaze and more protective of the private parts; and whoever is not able to marry should fast, because fasting diminishes his sexual desire.

How to Be a True Faithful/Good Believer?

September 17, 2015/in How to do /by amin edrisi

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) describes the believer in his sermon:

“Blessed is he who earns his living through lawful ways and he whose inward status is good, outward is decent; spends his surplus wealth in charity; abstains from excessive talking; people remain safe of (any) evil from him; he treats others with justice. Surely whoever believes in Allah fears Him, and whoever fears Allah guards himself against the evils of this world.”

Let us ponder on the meanings, thoughts, and instructions of these everlasting words of the Glorious Messenger of Allah (s) in order to understand and apply them in our daily life. We can learn morals, good behavior, laws, and a whole system of life from Prophet Muhammad (s) who made clear the right path for us in order to guide us, so that we could purify ourselves and inform the rest of society.

Surely, the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (s) wanted, through his sermon, to teach us various things. Among them is that a believer is one who deserves Allah’s pleasure and for him there will be a good life and happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. The believer is the one in whom the following characteristics are found and it is up to you to be one of them by applying these instructions:

Do what are lawful and righteous deeds

Congratulations are for the servant of Allah, who makes his living through lawful means and does righteous deeds; and, as the result, he leads a fulfilling and successful life both in this world and in the hereafter.

The Messenger (s) certainly wants us to earn our living through lawful ways and avoid what is unlawful.

Have good morals and treat people with respect

Congratulations are for whoever improves his moral behavior. Indeed, happiness and a good life are found where there are good morals and other people are treated well. These are well-known attributes of a believer and of a praiseworthy character.

Congratulations thus are for whoever improves his own character and thus improves his life.

Have a purified heart and soul, neither hate others nor be hypocritical

In the sermon, Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) praises faithful men who are simple-hearted, i.e. he who bears no evil in his heart towards anyone nor is hypocritical, hasty or deceitful, but whose heart is pure and his self is cleansed against any filth or evil.

Spend whatever you have out of your wealth in the cause of Allah i.e. in the fields of charity

The believer of whom the Messenger (s) praises his character and attributes is also the one who spends whatever he can out of his own wealth in charitable and benevolent programmes, and deeds, seeking Allah’s pleasure.

A believer is the one who strives to obtain his living through lawful means and not depend on others, dissatisfied with unemployment and squandering time. He uses his income thriftily on himself and provides for his family according to their needs, while he spends the rest in the cause of Allah. Never is any money amassed for its own sake or deprived from helping the poor and needy as this is against Islam.

Don’t be offensive to any one

Another characteristic of a believer who deserves a good life and pleases Allah is in the way of speaking. Controlling the tongue eliminates all idle chatting and presents one from interfering in or provoking any hostility. A believer says nothing which displeases Allah, the Almighty and instead voices what is useful in knowledge and advice, in uttering what is good and saying what is righteous.

Don’t cause any harm to others

A believer never does harm to others. People will feel safe and secure when they live with a believer because he is the doer of good, who shows his love of good by performing it and his dislike of evil by avoiding it.

Apart from this, he is also just and never forfeits the rights of others. He respects another’s rights and abides by them.

Respect other people’s rights

In the same sermon, the Messenger of Allah (s) explains that belief in Allah and knowing Him makes a man fearful of committing sins and evil deeds. He, who fears Allah, never becomes over-involved with the life of this world in which people strive against each other for mere material gain. Instead he directs himself towards life in the Hereafter and strives for its sake.

In the end, these characteristics are only found in truly faithful persons who know Allah well and fear His punishment because those who know Him do not think much of this world’s life, and wish only to achieve the performance of as many good deeds as possible in it, in order to be rewarded in the life hereafter.