The Wisdom Behind Fasting

From the wisdom of fasting is that: It is an act of worship done for Allaah, in which the ‘abd (servant) draws closer to His Lord by abandoning the things that he loves and desires, such as food, drink and sexual intercourse. So because of this, the truthfulness of his Faith and the completeness of his servitude to Allaah become apparent, as well as his love for Allaah and his longing for what Allaah has prepared for him (of good). This is since the one who fasts does not abandon something that is beloved to him except for that which is greater to him than it (which is Allaah). When the believer knows that Allaah’s contentment lies in the fasting - which is abandoning those desires that he naturally loves - he will give his Lord’s contentment precedence over his desires. So he abandons his desires no matter how much he longs and yearns for them, because his delight and the tranquility of his soul lies in his abandoning all that for the sake of Allaah.

And from the wisdom behind fasting is that it is a means of attaining Taqwaa, as Allaah says: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, in order that you gain Taqwaa." This is since a person who is fasting is commanded to do the obligatory duties and to avoid sinful acts. The Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever does not abandon false speech, acting upon that (false speech) and (acts of) ignorance (i.e. sins), then Allaah has no need of him abandoning his food and drink." [Reported by Al-Bukhaaree] So when a person is fasting, every time he desires to do a sinful act, he will remember that he is fasting and thus withhold himself from that. This is why the Prophet (saws) ordered the person who is fasting, when cursed at and abused, to say: "I am fasting", cautioning him (the reviler) that a person fasting is commanded to refrain from cursing and reviling, and reminding himself that he is fasting and cannot react with cursing.

And from the wisdom behind fasting is that the heart opens to contemplation and remembrance (of Allaah). This is since fulfilling one’s desires leads to heedlessness and perhaps the heart becomes hardened and blinded from the truth. This is why the Prophet (saws) advised us to eat and drink little, where he said: "The Son of Aadam does not fill a vessel worse than his stomach." [Reported by Ahmad, An-Nasaa’ee and Ibn Maajah]

And in Saheeh Muslim, Handhala Al-Usaidee (raa), who was one of the scribes of Allaah’s Messenger, said to the Prophet (saws): "Handhala has become a hypocrite." So Allaah’s Messenger (saws) said: "Why is that?" He said: "O Messenger of Allaah, when we are with you, you remind us of the Hellfire and Paradise, as if we see them with our own eyes. But when we depart from you, we meet our wives and our children and our homes and we forget much (of what we heard from you)." In the last part of the hadeeth, the Prophet (saws) said to him: "But O Handhala, there is a time for this and a time for that (three times)." Abu Sulaymaan Ad-Daraanee said: "Indeed, when the soul hungers and thirsts, the heart softens and becomes pure. And when it is fed, the heart becomes blinded."

And from the wisdom behind fasting is that the person who has wealth is caused to realize the blessing of wealth that Allaah has bestowed on him, such that Allaah blessed him with food, drink and sexual intercourse. Many people are deprived of these things, so he should praise Allaah for these blessings and thank Him for granting him them. And he should remember his brother who is poor and who probably goes through the day starved and hungry. So he should be generous to him and give him charity so that he can clothe his barrenness and satisfy his hunger.

And from the wisdom behind fasting is that it trains one to curb the soul, and it gives one strength to withhold his soul by its bridle, such that one can govern it and lead it towards that which is good for it and what will make it prosper. This is because the soul commands one to do evil, except for those souls that my Lord has mercy on. So when a person undoes and lets go of his (soul’s) bridle, the soul lands him into many dangers. But when he controls it and curbs it, he is able to lead it to the highest of levels and the greatest of goals.

And from the wisdom of fasting is that the soul is broken down and restricted from having pride, to the point that it humbles itself to the truth and softens itself before the creation. This is because eating, drinking and having sexual intercourse with women - all of these things bring about insolence, arrogance, vanity and pride over people and over the truth. The soul preoccupies itself with trying to obtain these things because of its need for them. So when it obtains these things, the soul feels like it has conquered what it desired and so it falls into the happiness and proudness that is condemned. And this is a cause for its destruction. Only those whom Allaah protects are saved from this.

And from the wisdom behind fasting is that the passageways of blood (in the body) become narrow due to hunger and thirst, so therefore the passageways of the Devil in the human body also become narrower. This is since the Devil flows through the son of Adam like the flowing of blood, as is authentically recorded in the two Saheeh collections. So by fasting, the whisperings of the Devil are subdued and the strength of one’s desires and anger are subjugated. This is why the Prophet (saws) said: "O young men! Whoever amongst you can afford it, should get married, for it is the best means for lowering one’s gaze and the best way of keeping (one’s) private parts chaste. But whoever is not able to marry, then let him fast, for it has protection."

And from the wisdom behind fasting are the health benefits that come as a result of it, which are attained by in-taking little food, allowing the digestive system to rest for a specified time, which lets excess wastes and excrements that are harmful to the body be discharged.

So how great and profound is the wisdom of Allaah, and how beneficial are His commandments to His creatures!

O Allaah, give us comprehension of Your Religion and allow us to understand the inner secrets of Your commandments. Rectify for us the affairs of our Religion and our worldly life. And forgive us and our parents and all the Muslims, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful. And may the peace and blessings of Allaah be on Muhammad (saws) and on his family and all his Companions.

Author:Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-'Uthaimeen

Source:Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan [pgs. 41-43] Abridged

Peraturan Makan

Rupanya tanpa kita sedari, dalam makanan yang kita makan sehari-hari, kita tak boleh asal makan je. Inilah penyebab terjadinya berbagai penyakit antara lain penyakit kencing manis,lumpuh, sakit jantung, keracunan makanan dan lain-lain penyakit. Apabila anda telah mengetahui ilmu ini, tolonglah ajarkan kepada yang lainnya.

Ini pun adalah diet Rasullulah SAW kita juga. Ustaz Abdullah Mahmood mengungkapkan, Rasullulah tak pernah sakit perut sepanjang hayatnya kerana pandai menjaga makanannya sehari-hari. Insya Allah kalau anda ikut diet Rasullullah ini, Anda takkan menderita sakit perut ataupun keracunan makanan.

Jangan makan SUSU bersama DAGING
Jangan makan DAGING bersama IKAN
Jangan makan IKAN bersama SUSU
Jangan makan AYAM bersama SUSU
Jangan makan IKAN bersama TELUR
Jangan makan IKAN bersama DAUN SALAD
Jangan makan SUSU bersama CUKA
Jangan makan BUAH bersama SUSU (Contoh : KOKTEL)

CARA MAKAN

* Jangan makan buah setelah makan nasi, sebaliknya makanlah buah terlebih dahulu, baru makan nasi.

* Tidur 1 jam setelah makan tengah hari.

* Jangan sesekali tinggal makan malam. Barang siapa yang tinggal makan malam dia akan dimakan usia dan kolesterol dalam badan akan berganda. Nampak memang sulit akantapi kesannya tidak dalam jangka pendek.  Kesannya akan nampak bila kita sudah tua nanti.

* Dalam Al-Quran juga melarang kita makan makanan darat bercampur dengan makanan laut. Nabi pernah mencegah kita makan ikan bersama susu, kerana akan cepat mendapat penyakit. Ini terbukti oleh ilmuwan yang menemukan bahwa dalam daging ayam mengandung ion+ sedangkan dalam ikan mengandung ion-, jika dalam makanan kita ayam bercampur dengan ikan maka akan terjadi reaksi biokimia yang akan dapat merosakkan usus kita.

* Al-Quran Juga mengajarkan kita menjaga kesehatan spt membuat amalan antara lain:

1. Mandi Pagi sebelum subuh, sekurang kurangnya sejam sebelum matahari terbit. Air sejuk yang meresap kedalam badan dapat mengurangi penimbunan lemak. Kita boleh saksikan orang yang mandi pagi kebanyakan badan tak gemuk.

2. Rasulullah mengamalkan minum segelas air sejuk (bukan air ais) setiap pagi. Mujarabnya Insya Allah jauh dari penyakit (susah mendapat sakit).

3. Waktu sembahyang subuh disunatkan kita bertafakur (yaitu sujud sekurang kurangnya seminit setelah membaca doa). Kita akan terhindar dari sakit kepala atau migrain. Ini terbukti oleh para ilmuwan yang membuat kajian kenapa dalam sehari perlu kita sujud. Ahli-ahli sains telah menemui beberapa milimeter ruang udara dalam saluran darah di kepala yang tidak dipenuhi darah. Dengan bersujud maka darah akan mengalir ke ruang tersebut.

4. Nabi juga mengajar kita makan dengan tangan dan bila habis hendaklah menjilat jari.

5. Begitu juga ahli saintis telah menemukan bahwa enzyme banyak terkandung di celah jari jari, iaitu 10 kali ganda terdapat dalam air liur. (enzyme sejenis alat percerna makanan).

Sabda nabi : "Ilmu itu milik Allah, barang siapa menyebarkan ilmu demi kebaikan insya Allah Allah akan menggandakan 10 kali kepadanya"

Itulah hebatnya Islam

Sholat

There's No Excuse

Avoid Common Mistakes During Prayers

Try to avoid these common mistakes during Prayers

Spacing is determined by matching your legs space with your shoulder to shoulder distance

Pronouncing NEAH (willingness) and calling ALLAH AKBAR loudly for late comers are two wrong things that happen in our Masjids

Bad smelling breath from mouth due to eating some type of foods (onions and garlic) or from clothes (socks, unclean clothes) are annoying to other people and should be avoided as per our Islamic teaching.

Don't rush and don't be too slow (it is JAMA'H prayer) go with Muslims in timely manner (in the drawing below it is almost end of Fatihah and some one is still in Sujod)

Yawning during prayers is wrong, try to avoid it……….

Will you do this if you are meeting an important person at work?

Remember, when you feel like Yawning, that you are facing ALLAH so, try to suppress it and you succeed…. Respect your presence in front of Allah and HE will respect your salah.

New line start MUST be directly behind the IMAM wherever he is. People start their Jamma Salah some times in a corner.. That is wrong.

The IMAM reads loudly and you should listen, but not that you read loudly and others are disturbed by your reading… in fact IMAMS reading is enough for all behind him.

Some other Common Mistakes !

Mistake 1:

Reciting Surat al-Fatiha fast without pausing after each verse.

The Prophet (SAW) used to pause after each verse of this surah. (Abu Dawood)

Mistake 2:

Sticking the arms to the sides of the body, in rukoo' or sujood, and sticking the belly to the thighs in sujood.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Let not one of you support himself on his forearms (in sujood) like the dog. Let him rest on his palms and keep his elbows away from his body.' (Sahih Muslim) . The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to keep his arms away from his body during rukoo' and sujood that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen (Sahih Muslim).

Mistake 3:

Gazing upward during prayer.

This may cause loss of concentration. We are commanded to lower our gaze, and look at the point at which the head rests during sujood. The Prophet (SAW) warned: 'Let those who raise their gaze up during prayer stop doing so, or else their sights would not return to them. i.e. lose their eyesight].' (Muslim)

Mistake 4 :

Resting only the tip of the head on the floor during sujood.

The Prophet (SAW) said: 'I am commanded to prostrate on seven bones the forehead and the nose, the two hands [palms], the two knees, and the two feet.' (Sahih Muslim) Applying the above command necessitates resting the forehead and the nose on the ground during sujood.

Mistake 5 :

Hasty performance of prayer which does not allow repose and calmness in rukoo' or sujood.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) saw a man who did not complete his rukoo' [bowing], and made a very short sujood [prostration] ; he (SAW) said: 'If this man dies while praying in this manner, he would die upholding a religion other than the religion of Muhammad.' Abu Hurairah (RA) said:

'My beloved friend, Muhammad (SAW) forbade me to perform postures of prayer copying the picking of a rooster; (signifying fast performance of prayer), moving eyes around like a fox and the sitting like monkeys ( i.e. to sit on thighs).' (Imam Ahmad & at-Tayalisi) The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: ' The worst thief is the one who steals from his own prayer.' People asked, 'Messenger of Allah! How could one steal from his own prayer?' He (SAW) said: 'By not completing its rukoo' and sujood.' (At Tabarani & al-Hakim).

To complete rukoo' is to stay in that posture long enough to recite 'Subhana rabbiyal Adtheem' three times, SLOWLY, and 'Subhana rabbiyal-a'ala' three times, SLOWLY, in sujood. He (SAW) also announced: 'He who does not complete his rukoo' and sujood, his prayer is void.' (Abu Dawood & others)

Mistake 6 :

Counting tasbeeh with the left hand

The Prophet (SAW) used to count tasbeeh on the fingers of his right hand after salah. Ibn Qudamah (RA) said: ' The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used his right hand for tasbeeh.' (Abu Dawood). The above hadeeth indicates clearly that the Prophet (SAW) used only one hand for counting tasbeeh. No Muslim with sound mind would imagine that the Prophet (SAW) used his left hand for counting tasbeeh. Aa'ishah (RA) said that the Prophet (SAW) used his left hand only for Istinjaa', or cleaning himself after responding to the call of nature. He never used it for tasbeeh. Yasirah (RA) reported: The Prophet (SAW) commanded women to count tasbeeh on their fingers.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'They (the fingers) will be made to speak, and will be questioned (on the Day of Resurrection. )' (At-Tirmidhi) .. The above Hadeeth indicates that it is preferable to count tasbeeh on the fingers of the right hand than to do so on masbahah (rosary).

Mistake 7 :

Crossing in front of a praying person.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) warned: 'Were the one who crosses in front of a praying person to know the consequences of doing so, he would have waited for *forty better than to cross in front of him.' (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim). *The forty in the tradition may be day's months or even years. Allah knows best.

Common Errors in Prayer That MUST Be Avoided - Please inform your near and dear ones to take care of the above.

Bicara Hati

1. Pemarah paling mudah dikesan atau dilihat dan paling banyak di dalam diri manusia. Orang seperti ini jarang mendapat kawan dan hati tentunya tidak tenang.

2. Pendendam tersembunyi iaitu ibarat mengumpul lahar di dalam dada. Orang seperti ini sentiasa mencari-cari peluang untuk membalas dendam hatta secara yang kecil-kecil sekalipun seperti sakitkan hati atau tempelak orang yang didendami itu. Sebab itu orang pendendam mudah kena sakit jantung.

3. Hasad dengki - amalanya hangus akibat hasad dengkinya itu kerana ia memiliki sifat ketuhanan.

4. Bakhil - sentiasa merasakan orang lain menginginkan harta, kesenangan, pangkat dll. dari dirinya. Contohnya sentiasa berdalih mengatakan ia tiada duit. (rezeki yang diberi oleh Allah elok dikongsi bersama..-derma) Allah lebih sayang orang yang fasiq tetapi pemurah tetapi benci orang yang abid tetapi bakhil. Kerana walaupun fasiq, pemurahnya itu tetap memberi manfaat pada orang lain kerana kadangkala rezeki itu Allah beri melalui maknusia

5. Tamak orang yang tidak puas dengan yang sedikit nescaya tidak akan puas dengan yang banyak kerana dunia ini ibarat meminum air laut...walau berapa banyak yg diminum tetap tak abis jugak...lagipun org tamak selalu rugi.. ** Ingat ! yang dikatakan harta atau rezeki kita bila ia dipakai atau digunakan oleh kita. Selagi tidak diguna iaitu disimpan, itu belum boleh dikatakan rezeki kita. (mungkin ada hak orang lain di situ) Biarlah rezeki itu sedikit tetapi mendapat keberkatan iaitu dapat dimanfaatkan.

6. Tidak sabar andainya perkara yang kecil pun tidak boleh bersabar apatah lagi hal-hal yang lebih besar. (oleh itu banyak2kanlah bersabar bila hadapi dugaan..cthnyer time keja banyak..tetap maintain vogue walau keja bertimbun atas meja..heh..heh..)

7. Ego - ibu segala mazmummah jadi ia membuatkan seseorang paling tidak tenang. Orang yang memiliki sifat ini pantang tercabar dari sudut zahir mahupun batin.

8. Riak terseksa sendiri kerana sentiasa tercari-cari peluang untuk dipuji. Sentiasa berlakun-lakun di depan orang. Jika ia dipuji, ia akan menambah amalnya tetapi jika dikeji, ia akan mengurangkan amalnya. -Allah marah kalau kita riak..takabbur dgn aper yg kita ada..

9. Cinta dunia - tidak dapat menderita, ...dapat pun menderita kerana bila sudah dapat susah pula menjaganya. Berhartalah tidak mengapa tetapi kawal hati jangan diletakkan pada harta itu. biler mati cuma bawa amalan dan doa anak yg soleh/solehah... Cinta dunia merupakan "neraka dunia" kerana dunia itu "panas" akibat ia merupakan barang buruan dan rebutan. Jadi letakkanlah akhirat itu di hati dan dunia itu di tangan supaya dunia itu senang dibahagi-bahagi dan akhirat dibawa mati.

Kesimpulan Jadi yang meragut kebahagiaan sebenarnya bukanlah secara TOTALnya disebabkan kemiskinan, musibah, kesibukan dllnya. tetapi ialah MAZMUMMAH. Makin tinggi mazmummah seseorang, makin ia tidak BAHAGIA. Samada bermujahadah atau biarkan saja mazmummah itu, kedua-duanya tetap menderita tetapi andainya bermujahadah kita akan dibantu Allah dan akan bahagia jua akhirnya.

Lawatan TYT Tun Abd Rahman Abbas

12hb Jun - Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang, Tun (Dr) Abd Rahman Abbas telah mengadakan lawatan solat jumaat di Masjid Jamek Cherok Tokun.

Ketibaan Tuan Yang Terutama telah disambut oleh Pengurusi Qaryah Tuan Haji Idrus Ibrahim. Turut hadir ialah Ketua-Ketua Jabatan Daerah Seberang Perai Tengah.

Solat Jumaat telah diimamkan oleh Tuan Haji Omar Othman manakala Tuan Haji Abd Najib Hashim bertindak sebagai bilal bertugas.

Selepas solat Jumaat Tuan Yang Terutama telah sudi berjabat dengan anak qaryah dan seterus mengadakan jamuan bersama Tuan Pengurusi, Tuan Imam, Ketua-Ketua Jabatan dan anak qaryah di kawasan masjid.

Perfecting Your Prayers

The Path to Paradise

Perfecting Your Prayers

This series is a collection of inspirational advice in an attempt to set out the goal of the believer: Paradise, and the way to reach that ultimate goal. 

Assess your mental readiness for Prayer before its commencement, during the various postures with its attendant recitations, after each rakah (unit of prayer) and ultimately, at the end. Try to make improvements at each stage.

Pray with humility both in your mental state and in your physical manner. Pray with hope and awe, asking Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.

Remind yourself continually that you are talking to the most important 'Being' in your life: your Creator and Sustainer.

He is in front of you. You are facing Him and you are involved in a dialogue with Him. Commence your Prayer by seeking Allah's help and protection from the influences of Satan. Lower your gaze while praying and do not allow the physical environment to distract you.

Prophet Muhammad said to his Companion, Anas,

"My dear son, be sure to avoid being distracted during Prayer, for, to become distracted while praying is a disaster." (At-Tabarani)

Use a variety of Quranic verses and duaa in your Prayer to achieve greater concentration and awareness.

Adopt a whispering technique in your recitation. This will increase your ability to remain focused on what you are saying. As you recite the Quran, translate it in your mind into your own language so that your attention is held.

As you concentrate upon the meaning and implications of the words, all thoughts of worldly ideas will disappear.

On each occasion that you recite the attributes of Allah in leaning and prostration,  consider how indebted you are and how grateful you should be to Allah and express your true emotions.

Utilize the occasion of prostration to make additional duaa to Allah.

Prophet Muhammad said,

 "A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating, so increase your supplication when in prostration." (Muslim.)

Make your prayer of moderate duration, so that you do not become physically and mentally tired. But be aware that while in prayer, you must take your time praying.

Give due regard to the proper performance of all the physical postures.

 Pray as if it is your last Prayer. Prophet Muhammad said,

When you stand up to pray, perform your prayer as if it were your last, do not say anything you will have to make excuses for tomorrow, and resolve to place no hope in what is in the hands of men. (Ahmad)

Performing your Prayer in a satisfactory manner should lead to a radical change in the way you lead your daily life. Allah says in the Quran what means,

{Surely, Prayer prevents indecency and evil } (Al-`Ankabut 29:45)

Your improved and more disciplined life will, in turn, help the quality of your Prayer to increase even more. The two should feed one another and continuously reinforce each other.

Note that there is punishment for a Prayer not performed satisfactorily. It will be a witness against you rather than a witness for you on the Day of Judgment.

However, the reward for a Prayer well performed is immeasurable. Prophet Muhammad said,

"If a man performs two units of prayer without the distraction of any worldly thought, all his previous sins will be forgiven." (Al-Bukhari)

Late Night Prayers

Even though it is not obligatory, try to establish late night prayers as part of your nightly activities. Prophet Muhammad said,

"The best Prayer after the obligatory prayer is the night Prayer." (Muslim)

One of the characteristics of servants of the Most Merciful is that they get up at night and perform late night Prayers. Night vigil is a source of great spiritual energy. Prophet Muhammad has said,

Keep up your night prayers. It was the way of the virtuous who came before you, it draws you nearer to your Lord, atones for your sins, forbids you from evil and protects the body from sickness. (At-Tirmidhi)

He also said, "When a man wakes up his wife at         night and they pray two rakas (units) together, they are written down among the men and women who remember Allah." (Abu Dawud)

The Quran also commends the one who utilizes the early hours of each day to engage in remembrance of Allah,

[Is one who worships devoutly during the hours of the night prostrating himself or standing [in adoration] and who places his hope in the mercy of His Lord [like one who does not]? Say are those equal: those who know, and those who do not know? It is those who are endowed with understanding that receive admonition.] (Az-Zumar 39:9)

Khurram Murad (1932-1996) studied civil engineering at the universities of Karachi, Pakistan and Minnesota, USA, and was actively involved in the Islamic movement and in the training of Islamic workers. Many of his books, both in English and in Urdu, are being published posthumously

* This article is excerpted from the author's book, In the Early Hours, first published by Islamic Foundation. It is republished here with kind permission.