Istighfar

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْْقَيُّومُ وَ أَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ - Astaghfirullah al-'Adheemal-ladhi la ilaha illa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum wa atubu ilaih (I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none worthy except Him, the Living, The Eternal, and I repent unto Him) اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّى لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَ أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنِى وَ أنَا عَبْدُكَ وَ أنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ ما اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِ مَا صَنَعْت ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَ أبُوءُ بِذَنْبى فَاغْفِرْ لِى فإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ - Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana 'ala ahdika wa wa'dika mastata'tu, A'udhu bika min Sharri ma sana'tu, abu'u Laka bini'matika 'alaiya, wa Abu Laka bidhanbi faghfirli innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta (O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but you. You created me and I am your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with you from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before you all the blessings you have bestowed upon me, and I confess to you all my sins. So I entreat you to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except you.) The above du'a is known as the Sayyid al-Istighfar and is the most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah. Whoever says it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise. ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

A Story

It is narrated in Manaqib Abu Bakr Ibn Muhammad Zaranjari that Imam Sahib rahmatullahi alaih was once seated in the Masjid at Kufa when the Shaytan Tariq Rafidhi (a Shi'ah) appeared before him and remarked: "Abu Hanifah! "Who is the most powerful and intense of all people?" Imam Sahib replied: "According to our beliefs it is Hadhrat 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib whilst according to your beliefs, it is Hadhrat Abu Bakr ." The Shaytan Tariq said: "No, you have turned it the other way about." To this Imam Sahib rahmatullahi alaih replied: "According to us, the most powerful and intense is Hadhrat 'Ali (radiallahu anh) because he was confident that the right of Khilafat devolves upon Abu Bakr (radiallahu anh). This is why he submitted to his Khilafat. However, according to you, Hadhrat 'Ali (radiallahu anh) was most eligible for this right but Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radiallahu anh) usurped this right and Hadhrat 'Ali (radiallahu anh) was powerless to receive this right. Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radiallahu anh) vanquished him. Hence, according to your belief, Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radiallahu anh) is the most powerful of all people." On hearing this deduction, Shaytan Tariq was left speechless and he made a swift getaway. Taken from 'Uqudul Jamman fee Manaqibil Imamil A'tham Abi Hanifahta An-Nu'man   ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

Know that you have three friends. The first of them is your wealth, which you shall lose at the time of death. The second of them is your family, who shall leave you once you are in your grave. The third of them are your actions, which shall never depart from you. So befriend that which will accompany you in your grave, and be intimate with it. The intelligent one is he who knows Allah, His commands and His prohibitions. [Ibn 'Ata' Allah (Taj al-'arus al-hawi li tahdhib al-nufus, 32).] ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

"Your nafs is your first battlefield.If you are victorious over it,then you will find the other battlefields easier." ~Imam Hasan Al-Banna Rahimahullah ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

Your speaking reflects your intelligence and your words the extent of your knowledge. (Hadhrat Ali (R.A)) ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Love

Someone once questioned Hadhrat Maulana [Rashid Ahmad] Gangohi Rahimahullah:"If Allah said to you, ask for whatever you want,then what would you ask for?". Hadhrat replied:"Nothing, except that I would request of Allah, grant me a portion of the love that the Honoured Sahabah (companions), may Allah be pleased with them all, had for your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. This is all that I would seek".Akaabir-e-Deoband Aur Ishq-e-Rasool صلي الله عليه وسلم , Maktabah Arsalaan, Page 61 ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Words of advise

Life is a jewel that man must polish until it shines. The heart is illuminated and purified when we observe Islamic law [shari'ah] in every aspect of our life. The purification of our inner being is directly related to our avoidance of blameworthy acts. Examine and test yourself against this standard. Prostrate with humility in the court of Allah subhaanahu wa ta 'aala. Tears flooding from the eyes purify the heart. Hazrat Zulfiqar Ahmad (db) Whether you are fast or slow, eventually you will find what you are seeking. Always devote yourself wholeheartedly to your search. Even though you may limp or be bent double, do not abandon your search, but drag yourself ever toward Him. Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (rahmatullahi 'alayhi) The traveler gets sores on his feet from traveling in this world, while the traveler in the spiritual realm gets sores on his heart. Shaykh Zulfiqar Ahmad (db) "Wisdom for the Seeker" Know, disciple, that the heart commits sins which are uglier, fouler and more offensive than those committed by the senses: a heart remains unfit for the gnosis of God and for His love to descend into it, until it rids itself of all such things. Imam Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad (rahmatullahi 'alayhi) "Knowledge and Wisdom" Wassalam ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

A Lesson

The word "shams" (sun) is feminine, and "qamar" (moon) is masculine. The sun burns itself out to give light and life to everything around, and the moon is muneer, meaning it reflects the light. Within itself it has no light; it radiates the brilliance of the sun. So when we shine as men, the implication is that we are reflecting the glorious light of our women. May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala be pleased with them."- Shaykh Abdullah Adhami ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (rahimahullah) used to say, "None can reach the station of taqwa until he possesses neither action nor words that can be exposed to his embarrassment either in this world or the Hereafter." He was once asked, "When does the worshipper reach the peak of taqwa? He replied, "If he put all his thoughts and desires in his heart on a plate and then wandered around in the market, he should not feel ashamed of anything there." He would frequently say, "The sign of the muttaqi (pious person who fears Allah swt much) is to bridle oneself from speaking just like one in ihram bridles himself from speaking. The muttaqi need to be a scholar of the Shariah, all of it, otherwise he leaves taqwa without realising." ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

If you find earthly passions being obeyed, miserliness holding sway, this temporal world being given preference, and everyone admiring his own opinion, you should keep to your own private affairs. [Abu Dawud] ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

Salaams "Many outside (strange) people are better than your own relatives." (Advice of Hazrat Ali) ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

The clear proof of a person's love for Allah SWT is if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings. None of us has the power to make someone love us. But we all have the power to give away love, to love other people. And if we do so, we change the kind of person we are, and we change the kind of world we live in. Happiness is always a by-product. You don't make yourself happy by chasing happiness. You make yourself happy by being a good person. The happiest people are people who don't even think about being happy. They just think about being good neighbors, good people. And then happiness sort of sneaks in the back window while they are busy. [Handbook for the Heart] ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Word of Wisdom

Al-Zubayr Ibn Abi Bakr said that his father had written the following to him while his father was in Iraq: Go after knowledge; Should you become poor it will be your wealth. Should you become rich it will be your embellishment. ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Foolish Story

A Persian-Tajik thirteenth-century poet Ibn Yamin (Ibn Yamin Faryumadi)(ابن یمین فریومدی), born 1286 in Faryumad near Sabzevar and died 1368, says there are four types of men آنکس که بداند و بداند که بداند اسب خرد از گنبد گردون بجهاند آنکس که بداند و نداند که بداند بیدار کنیدش که بسی خفته نماند آنکس که نداند و بداند که نداند لنگان خرک خویش به منزل برساند آنکس که نداند و نداند که نداند در جهل مرکب ابدالدهر بماند One who knows and knows that he knows... His horse of wisdom will reach the skies. One who knows, but doesn't know that he knows... He is fast asleep, so you should wake him up! One who doesn't know, but knows that he doesn't know... His limping mule will eventually get him home. One who doesn't know and doesn't know that he doesn't know... He will be eternally lost in his hopeless oblivion! ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

The generous man performs what he promises, and when he is powerful, he spares his enemy. ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

Never do I argue with a man with a desire to hear him say what is wrong is wrong, or to expose him and win victory over him. Whenever I face an opponent in debate I silently pray- O Lord, help him so that truth may flow from his heart and on his tongue, and so that if truth is on my side, he may follow me; And if truth be on his, I may follow him. -Imam Ash-Shafi (rahimahullah) ------------------ Sent using the Muftisays Android App

Advise

Hazrat Mohammad Noorul Amin It is a major blessing from Allah Ta’ala that He has given us birth in the Blessed Ummat of Hazrat Mohammad sallalahu alayhi wasallam. Hazrat Musa alayhis salaam begged, “Ya Allah! I have read in the Torah of an Ummat whose hearts will be filled with Your Love and whose hearts will possess the treasure of the Quran. Ya Allah! Make this my Ummat!” Allah replied, “No! This is the Ummat of my Love, my Habib Mohammad Mustafa sallalahu alayhi wasallam.” Hazrat Musa alayhis salaam begged, “Ya Allah, in the Torah I have read of an Ummat whose two rakaats of fard is of greater acceptance in your eyes than 500 years of worship from my Ummat. Ya Allah make this my Ummat!” Haqq Ta’ala responded, “No! This is the Ummat of my Beloved Ahmad sallalahu alayhi wasallam”. Then Hazrat Musa alayhis salaam begged, “Ya Allah, I read in the Torah of an Ummat whose fard rakaats will have so many blessings in it, upon performing them, sins filled from the ground to the Heavens will be forgiven. And yet from simply saying ‘Ya Allah forgive me!’ all their sins will also be forgiven, their repentance will be accepted. The memory of the angels will be cleared and the records will be burned regarding their sins. Ya Allah make this my Ummat! Make the acceptance of my Ummat’s taubah of such value in Your eyes. Such repentance, which when asked with sincerity and with an intention never to sin again, 100 years of sin can be forgiven.” So Musa alayhis salaam begged, “Ya Allah! Make this my Ummat!” Allah Ta’ala responded, “No this is the Ummat of My Ahmad sallalahu alayhi wasallam. Then Hazrat Musa alayhis salaam said, “Ya Allah I read in the Torah of an Ummat who will do tableegh and dawaat, although this is the work of the Prophets.” Those who do tableegh and call people to Islam, Allah’s complete blessings are with them. Hazrat Musa alayhis salaam continued, “I read in the Torah of an Ummat who will do the work of Deen, they will do the work of Prophets! Oh Allah! Make this my Ummat.” Allah again responded, “No! This is the Ummat of my Habib Ahmad sallalahu alayhi wasallam”. Then Hazrat Musa alayhis salaam then made dua, “Ya Allah at least do this, make me of this Ummat!” To this day not even this dua has been accepted. Hazrat Isa alayhis salaam who has not died as of yet, however, will be of this Ummat. Ambiya alayhimus salaam used to be in the condition of begging and crying to be of this Ummat and we, who have been born into this Ummat without any desire or dua or any special characteristic, through Allah’s blessing have been made of the progeny of Mohammad sallalahu alayhi wasallam. No matter how grateful you are, it will never be enough. How ever much gratitude you show, it can never be enough. With so much of Allah Ta’ala’s affection towards us, we must stay away from that which is prohibited and additionally to that which is disliked. We have to be heedful of these things as well. With parental love for example, when a son asks his father for one dollar, the father gives him five dollars. A son asks for something small and the father provides something much greater. In every step there is so much love. Now in return, it doesn’t make sense to return this love with suffering and pain. One should refrain from things that even have a chance of upsetting them. Whatever they truly want in their hearts should be given preference over what they apparently give permission for. There are two things in Deen known as taqwa and fatwa. Fatwa is the Shar’ee law; what is allowed and what is prohibited. The rulings of what is or is not allowed and thereafter not to cross these limits, this is fatwa. There is taqwa, which is the preferred path in Shariat. Taqwa defines that which Shar’iat truly desires. When there are so many blessings from Allah without even asking for them, we should stay away from those things which are even disliked by Allah Ta’ala. At every step blessings are raining in front of us. In the Quran it states, “Which of Allah’s blessings can you possibly deny?” If someone remains standing all night in worship and keeps fasts in the day, and is still sent to Hell, this is the blessing of Allah, not oppression. Look at all the blessings we are given! We have no right, these are His blessings. If your whole life you remain in worship and never commit any sin, if you never commit any action against Allah’s desire, if you stay awake in the night and keep fasts in the daytime and Allah sends you into the Hellfire, this is Azal (justice). I will relate a story about justice, or azal. Two men presented themselves in front of Hazrat Yusef alayhis salaam. One man was in fact a murderer and the other was innocent. The following day the final decision was to be made of the two men’s fate. The guilty man came to Hazrat Yousef alayhis salaam and asked for him to make dua to Allah that He blesses him, or does fazal. Hazrat Yusef alayhis salaam made dua for this man. The innocent man presented himself and asked to make dua that Allah does azal, or justice with him. The dua was indeed made. The following day the murderer was set free and the innocent man received the death sentence. So, Hazrat Yusef alayhis salaam inquired, “Ya Allah, this was not the murderer who received the death sentence, and the one who was set free was in fact guilty.” He received an answer from Allah Ta’ala, “The murderer asked for a blessing, so I did bless him with freedom and hid his crime. The other man asked for justice, so I did justice with him. He was in fact a criminal who at one point in his life committed a murder, so he received his punishment.” In our cases, is this azal or fazal? His blessings are such that we have no right over them. This is why great buzurghs have said, “I ask for Jannat not because I have any right to it. In my whole life if I stay away from sin even then I have no right to it. Even then I will get Jannat out of a blessing from Allah Ta’ala. But I ask for it because I am too weak to take the fire of Hell. In reality I deserve Hell.” Great saints, who never sinned, made such duas. My friends, this is why when Allah has given us so many blessings, we must save ourselves not only from sins, but those things which are disliked and are against the preference of Allah. If there is not direct prohibition from a certain act but it is doubtful or disliked, we must also refrain from such things.

How Hazrat Amr bin Al-As Radhiyallahu Anhu was aware of the Quran's Miracle due to Surah Asr

They have mentioned that Hazrat Amr bin Al-As Radhiyallahu Anhu went to visit Musaylamah Al-Kazzab after the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasalam was commisioned(as a Prophet)and before Hazrat Amr Radhiyallahu Anhu had accepted Islam.Upon his arrival,Musaylamah said to him:"What has been revealed to your friend(Muhammad)during this time?".Hazrat Amr Radhiyallahu Anhu said:"A short and concise Surah has been revealed to him".Musaylamah then said:"What is it?".Hazrat Amr Radhiyallahu Anhu replied:"(By Al-Asr.Verily,man is loss.Except those who believe and do righteous deeds,and recommend one another to the truth,and recommend one another to patience)".So Musaylamah thought for a while.Then he said:"Indeed something similar has also been revealed to me".Hazrat Amr Radhiyallahu Anhu asked him:"What is it?".He replied:"Oh Wabr(a small,furry mammal;hyrax),Oh Wabr!You are only have two ears and a chest,and the rest of you is digging and burrowing".Then he said:"What do you think,Oh Amr?".So Hazrat Amr Radhiyallahu Anhu said to him:"By Allah!Verily,you know that I know you are lying".
I saw that Abu Bakr Al-Khara'iti Rahimahullah mentioned a chain of narration for part of this story,or what was close to its meaning,in volume two of his famous book Masawi' ul-Akhlaq.The Wabr is a small animal that resembles a cat,and the largest thing on it is its eard and its torso,while the rest of it is ugly.Musaylamah intended by the composition of these nonsensical verses to produce something which would oppose the Quran.Yet,it was not even convicing to the idol worshipper of that time.Imam At-Tabrani Rahimahullah recorded from Abdullah bin Hisn Abi Madinah Rahimahullah that he said:"Whenever two men from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasalam used to meet,they would not part until  one of them had recited Surah Al-Asr in its entirety to the other,and one of them had given the greetings of peace to the other".Imam As-Shafie Rahimahullah said:"If the people were to ponder on this Surah,it would be sufficient for them"(Ibnu Kathir)

Taunting one's sins

The Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasalam has said that if anyone taunts his Muslim brother on his sun;then he will not die till he himself has committed that sin.It means that it is very bad to remind one's sin or taunt him when he is already repented for the same.But if he has repented,then it is permissible to admonish him as an advice(Bahishti Zewar by Hazrat Thanvi Rahimahullah)