Setting our intention pure……

Intention, purity of ones intention is something which Islam highly recommends…

From Quran and hadith of Prophet SAW it is clear that purity of intention is a must in every little or bigger good deed or worship…We should never do anything as to show off to others…Others might not know what is in our hearts.They can only hear what we say or see what w do, but Allah has knowledge of what we hide and what we reveal…Hence we should never do things so as to be seen of others…It’s a sign of, un gratitude and hypocrisy..

When we set our intentions pure, when we do everything we do for the sake of Allah, even helping an elderly cross the road becomes an act of worship…when ones intention is pure, working, eating, everything is done with sincerity….He becomes a thankful servant of Allah….

This world is not eternal..Whats eternal is yet to come..As Muslims we should always keep this in mind..

However it is in this temporary world we can build our fate to come in the hereafter which is eternal.

We have the freedom to choose the right path…We have the freedom to avoid the wrong path…This freedom has been granted by Allah SWA.

The pleasures of this world is only temporary..As a saying goes, “Seek that which is eternal to that which is temporary.”

Ones religious obligations or duty can be exercised in all spheres of life…Speaking ill of others, lying all these are acts of insincerity….which as Muslims we should avoid..These are things which are never to be taken lightly…Talking bad about others or backbiting is strictly prohibited in Islam. It is very clear how bigger a sin it is, yet day by day, we see Muslims who do this..Muslims who forget this…..As Muslims we should try hard to give up this bad habit which we exercise knowingly or un knowingly.

Who ever who wishes to be a better Muslim should instill sincerity in all of his actions…and let go of negative feelings towards others…….His every action is with pure intention and done for the sake of Allah……Such people are the people who strive hard…..to perform acts of worship to Allah SWA, and to help fellow brothers and sisters and never to look down on any one, and be among those who look at others only with sincerity…….May Allah SWA make us among the sincere…and among those who are pure of heart…

Promise

In mutual dealings in social life, it often happens that a person gives his word to another. There is apparently no third person or group between the two. How ever as Muslims we should always keep in our mind that Allah is the supreme witness and Allah knows everything. That is why fulfilling ones promises is so important.

A Muslim therefore should be extremely sensitive about giving his word. His conviction is that every commitment made between two persons is in Allah’s supreme knowledge and he knows that he will be accountable for its fulfillment. This compels him to be highly responsible as regards his promises. Whenever he gives his word to anyone he makes a point of keeping it.

Many other virtues come in the wake of the regular fulfillment of promises. One of these is mutual trust.

In a society where the mutual trust exists, there is no discord and dissension between the people, there is an atmosphere of confidence and peacability as there is no fear of promises being broken.

Readiness to fulfill promises is a commendable trait; it is iman (faith) that makes one the possessor of this highest of human virtues.

Maulana Wahidduddin Khan

When our father irritate us?

An old man was sitting in the courtyard of his house along with his son who had received a high education. Suddenly a crow perched on a wall of the house. The father asked the son: What is this? The son replied: It is a crow. After a little while the father again asked the son: What is this? The son said: It is a crow.

After a few minutes the father asked his son the third time: What is this?

The son said: Father, I have just now told you that this is a crow.

After a little while the old father again asked his son the fourth time: what is this?

By this time some statement of irritation was felt in the son’s tone when he rebuffed his father:

Father! It is a crow, a crow.

A little after the father again asked his son: What is this? This time the son replied to his father with a vein of temper. Father: You are always repeating the same question; although I have told you so many times that it is a crow. Are you not able to understand this?

The father went to his room and came back with an old diary. Opening a page he asked his son to read what was written. What the son read were the following words written in the diary:

‘Today my little son was sitting with me in the courtyard, when a crow came there. My son asked me twenty-five times what it was and I told him twenty-five times that it was a crow and I did not at all feel irritated. I rather felt affection for my innocent child.’

The father then explained to his son the difference between a father’s and a son’s attitude. While you were a little child you asked me this question twenty-five times and I felt no irritation in replying to the question twenty-five times and when today I asked you the same question only five times, you felt irritated, annoyed and impatient with me.

Allah (Glory and Greatness be to Him) mentions in Noble Qur’an:

“And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) “Ugh” nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! Have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little.” Noble Qur’an (17:23-24)

Imam Zainul Abideen (pbuh) says: “It is also said that once a man came to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and asked: “I feed my parents, carry them on my back and clean them, have I fulfilled my duty towards them? The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) answered: No, because, you are serving them in anticipation for their death while they served you wishing you a long life”.

source - http://moralsandethics.wordpress.com

A Hadith and Forgiveness in Islam

This is truly a beautiful hadith. Very touching. As humans we will make mistakes. Often, we tend to despair when we make a mistake. But Alhamdullilah, our forgiveness is only a prayer away.

On the authority of Anas (RA), who said: I heard the messenger of Allah (SAW) say:

Allah the Almighty has said: “O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as its.”

To receive forgiveness from God there are three requirements:

1. Recognizing the offense itself and its admission before God.

2. Making a commitment not to repeat the offense.

3. Asking for forgiveness from God.

If the offense was committed against another human being, or against society, a fourth condition is added:

1. Recognizing the offense before those against whom offense was committed and before God.

2. Committing oneself not to repeat the offense.

3. Doing whatever needs to be done to rectify the offense (within reason) and asking pardon
of the offended party.

4. Asking God for forgiveness.

There are no particular words to say for asking forgiveness. However, Muslims are taught many phrases and words to keep repeating daily asking God’s forgiveness. For example:

• Astaghfiru-Allah, “I ask forgiveness from Allah”

• Subhanaka-Allah humma wa bi hamdika wa ash-hadu al la Ilaha illa Anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, “Glory be to You, Allah, and with You Praise (thanks) and I bear witness that there is no deity but You, I ask Your forgiveness and I return to You (in obedience)”.

Islamic teaching presents the prophet Muhammad SAW as an example of someone who would forgive others for their ignorance, even those who might have once considered themselves to be his enemies. One example of Muhammad SAW’s practice of forgiveness can be found in the Hadith, the body of early Islamic literature about the life of Muhammad. This account is as follows:

The Prophet (may peace be upon him) was the most forgiving person. He was ever ready to forgive his enemies. When he went to Ta’if to preach the message of Allah, its people mistreated him, abused him and hit him with stones. He left the city humiliated and wounded. When he took shelter under a tree, the angel of Allah visited him and told him that Allah sent him to destroy the people of Ta’if because of their sin of maltreating their Prophet. Muhammad (may peace be upon him) prayed to Allah to save the people of Ta’if, because what they did was out of their ignorance.

From the above ahadith, its is clear, that we should forgive our brothers and sisters, when they upset us. Islaim is a way of life which teaches us all good general principles of life, which when we follow, we not only makes our lives better, but we will be rewarded by Almighty Allah as per Quran and ahadith.

Taking revenge, harms both parties, in most cases, in the long run. Forgive the one who hurts you.It will benefit you both in this world and the hereafter. Instead of the path of peace, would you prefer to hurt those who hurt you? Then you both come to the same level, when you do this. Both have erred. Forgive those who hurt you, and make it easier on you and the other….Its easier to let go of a grudge than holding on to it……….