ISLAM THE SOLUTION TO MANKIND

Narrated Malik ibn Nadlah (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Hands are of three types: Allah's hand is the upper one; the bestower's hand is the one near it; the beggar's hand is the lower one. So bestow what is surplus, and do not submit yourself to the demand of your soul. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 9, Hadith 94)

Abu Huraira (RA) reported: The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: When any one of you leads the people in prayer, he should be brief for among them are the young and the aged, the weak and the sick. But when one of you prays by himself, he may (prolong) as he likes. (Sahih Muslim, Book 4, Hadith 208) A reminder that even in prayer we must consider others and when praying alone, remember to be grateful for the ability to even prolong your prayer with ease. Alhamdulillah!

Narrated Ibn `Umar (RA): Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "If Allah sends punishment upon a nation then it befalls upon the whole population indiscriminately and then they will be resurrected (and judged) according to their deeds. " (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 92, Hadith 55) Alhamdulillah, Allah is all-Wise and Just and every soul will be recompensed for their deeds.

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA): I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying, "Allah said, 'Who are most unjust than those who try to create something like My creation? I challenge them to create even a smallest ant, a wheat grain or a barley grain.' " (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 97, Hadith 184) A beautiful reminder that Allah is the Creator and all praises are for Him alone.

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Take on only as much as you can do of good deeds, for the best of deeds is that which is done consistently, even if it is little.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4381)

Narrated Nafi` (RA): Once in a cold night, Ibn `Umar (RA) pronounced the Adhan for the prayer at Dajnan (the name of a mountain) and then said, "Pray at your homes", and informed us that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to tell the Mu'adh-dhin to pronounce Adhan and say, "Pray at your homes" at the end of the Adhan on a rainy or a very cold night during the journey."  (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 10, Hadith 29)

Narrated `Abdullah (RA): Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Do not wish to be like anyone, except in two cases: (1) A man whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it righteously. (2) A man whom Allah has given wisdom (knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith) and he acts according to it and teaches it to others."  (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 9, Book 93, Hadith 5) A wonderful reminder on seeking the best of others which take them closer to Allah. Compete in what is good and avoid what is bad. Alhamdulillah!

'Ali (RA) narrated that: the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The key to Salat is the purification, its Tahrlm is the Takblr, and its Tahlil is the Taslim." (Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 3)

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as saying: There are five qualities which a Muslim should display to his brother: return of salutation, response to the one who sneezes, acceptance of the invitation, paying sick visit to a patient, and accompanying the funeral. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 43, Hadith 258)

'Abdullah b. Mas'ud (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: Telling of truth is a virtue and virtue leads to Paradise and the servant who endeavours to tell the truth is recorded as truthful, and lie is obscenity and obscenity leads to Hell-Fire, and the servant who endeavours to tell a lie is recorded as a liar. Ibn Abu Shaiba reported this from Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him). (Sahih Muslim, Book 45, Hadith 135) There is never any excuse for lying, always tell the truth and fear Allah.

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA): I heard Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 1) Be careful what your intentions are for they will dictate the reward... what a wonderful reminder...

Narrated `Aisha (RA): Whenever Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) paid a visit to a patient, or a patient was brought to him, he used to invoke Allah, saying, "Take away the disease, O the Lord of the people! Cure him as You are the One Who cures. There is no cure but Yours, a cure that leaves no disease." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol.7, Book 75, Hadith 36) All shifaa is from Allah swt. It is He who renders the medicine effective, He who permits it to react with the body and heal it and He who gives health. Say Bismillah before taking your medication and visit the sick, invoking Allah and ask for His cure.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever performs wudu' and does it well, then sets out for the Masjid and finds that the people have already prayed, Allah will decree for him a reward like that of those who attended (the prayer), without reducing the slightest from their reward." (Sunan an-Nasa'i, Vol. 1, Book 10, Hadith 79) Have you gotten ready in a rush and hoped to catch the salah but because you concentrated on your wudu you missed a rak'ah? Do not decrease the purification of wudu and know that your reward is waiting for you. SubhanAllah! We are so fortunate.

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA): Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "If the Imam leads the prayer correctly then he and you will receive the rewards but if he makes a mistake (in the prayer) then you will receive the reward for the prayer and the sin will be his." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 10, Hadith 89)

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "He who calls others to follow the Right Guidance will have a reward equal to the reward of those who follow him, without their reward being diminished in any respect on that account." (Riyad as-Salihin, Book 13, Hadith 1382) What a wonderful reminder to call others to the right path - through your actions, your deeds, your character, your words. Every breath of your life you live Islam and are an example to others. So call others by how you carry yourself, embody Islam in all you do and may you inspire even those you don't know.

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "He who calls others to follow the Right Guidance will have a reward equal to the reward of those who follow him, without their reward being diminished in any respect on that account." (Riyad as-Salihin, Book 13, Hadith 1382) _What a wonderful reminder to call others to the right path - through your actions, your deeds, your character, your words. Every breath of your life you live Islam and are an example to others. So call others by how you carry yourself, embody Islam in all you do and may you inspire even those you don't know._

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The first batch (of people) who will enter Paradise will be (glittering) like the full moon, and the batch next to them will be (glittering) like the most brilliant star in the sky. Their hearts will be as if the heart of a single man, for they will have neither enmity nor jealousy amongst themselves; everyone will have two wives from the houris, (who will be so beautiful, pure and transparent that) the marrow of the bones of their legs will be seen through the bones and the flesh." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 59, Hadith 64) The moon, the stars, the shine and glitter, the heart. What a beautiful description subhanAllah !

Narrated Ibn `Umar (RA): Once the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to the house of Fatima but did not enter it. `Ali came and she told him about that. When 'All asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about it, he said, "I saw a (multicolored) decorated curtain on her door. I am not interested in worldly things." `Ali went to Fatima and told her about it. Fatima said, ""I am ready to dispense with it in the way he suggests." The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered her to send it to such-and such needy people. " (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 51, Hadith 46)

It was narrated from Jabir (RA) that: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Ask Allah for beneficial knowledge and seek refuge with Allah from knowledge that is of no benefit." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Book 34, Hadith 17)

'A'isha (RA), said, "I was on a camel which was somewhat intractable and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, remarked, 'You must be compassionate. Whenever there is compassion in something, it adorns it, and when it is removed from something it disgraces it." (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Book 26, Hadith 8) SubhanAllah what a wonderful reminder to consider others - people and animals - in whatever you're doing. Remove harm from the path in consideration for others, leave food out for nearby animals and constantly be compassionate to others.

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "My similitude in comparison with the other prophets is that of a man who has built a house completely and excellently except for a place of one brick. When the people enter the house, they admire its beauty and say: 'But for the place of this brick (how splendid the house will be)!" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 61, Hadith 43)

“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred...” (The Holy Qur’an, 9:36) Alhamdulillah, the blessed month of Muharram is here. This sacred month is one of the four referred to in Surah At-Tawbah and gifts us with the beautiful Day of Ashura which allows an opportunity to fast and gain immense reward as well as atonement for our sins.  It was narrated that Qais bin Sa'd bin 'Ubadah (RA) Said: "We used to fast on 'Ashura and give Zakatul-Fitr, and when the command to fast in Ramadan was revealed, and the command to give Zakah was revealed, we were neither commanded to give it, nor told not to do so, and we used to do it." (Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book 23, Hadith 0) Be sure to fast if you’re able to on the 10th of Muharram and ask Allah swt for forgiveness. Increase your good deeds during this blessed day and this month, make the intention t

Narrated Ibn `Abbas (RA): When the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to Medina, he found (the Jews) fasting on the day of 'Ashura' (i.e. 10th of Muharram). They used to say: "This is a great day on which Allah saved Moses and drowned the folk of Pharaoh. Moses observed the fast on this day, as a sign of gratitude to Allah." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "I am closer to Moses than they." So, he observed the fast (on that day) and ordered the Muslims to fast on it. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 70)

Narrated AbuBakrah (RA): The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a sermon during his hajj and said: Time has completed a cycle and assumed the form of the day when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year contains twelve months of which four are sacred, three of them consecutive, Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram and also Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumadah and Sha'ban. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 11, Hadith 227)

Abu Qatadah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked about observing As-Saum (the fast) on the tenth day of Muharram, and he replied, "It is an expiation for the sins of the preceding year." (Riyad as-Salihin, Book 9, Hadith 262)

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "The most virtuous fasting after the month of Ramadan is that of Allah's month of Al-Muharram. And the most virtuous Salat after the obligatory is the night prayer." (Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Book 2, Hadith 291)

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that: Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "The most virtuous fasting after the month of Ramadan is that of Allah's month of Al-Muharram. And the most virtuous Salat after the obligatory is the night prayer." (Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Book 2, Hadith 291)

Narrated Sa'd ibn Ubadah (RA): Sa'd (RA) asked: Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Umm Sa'd (RA) has died; what form of sadaqah is best? He replied: Water (is best). He dug a well and said: It is for Umm Sa'd (RA). (Sunan Abi Dawud, Book 9, Hadith 126) As we enter the start of a new Islamic year, we reflect upon the important sacrifices made by Imam Hussain (ra), his family and his companions on the land of Karbala approximately 1400 years ago. During this month of Muharram, Imam Hussain (ra) lost his six-month-old baby, who died in his arms as he was denied access to water, whilst many more of his loved ones were held captive and killed.  Imam Hussain (ra) made the ultimate sacrifice for Allah (swt).

'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) reported: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "He who has, in his heart, an ant's weight of arrogance will not enter Jannah." Someone said: "A man likes to wear beautiful clothes and shoes?" Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Allah is Beautiful, He loves beauty. Arrogance means ridiculing and rejecting the Truth and despising people." (Riyad as-Salihin, Book 1, Hadith 612) Ornamenting ourselves is a way of being grateful for Allah's bounty, but if the ego enters the heart, desires takeover to be better than others, the self rules our actions and we deviate from seeking Allah swt's pleasure. Beware of arrogance by remaining in a state of gratitude and humility.

A reminder of honouring others – be it their family, character or property, it is not allowed to take from anyone unjustly. Reflect before you act, and you’ll insha’Allah make the path to Jannah easier for yourself. Narrated Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Al-Harith (RA): from Abu Salama bin `Abdur-Rahman (RA) who had a dispute with some people on a piece of land, and so he went to `Aisha and told her about it. She said, "O Abu Salama, avoid the land, for Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, 'Any person who takes even a span of land unjustly, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths.' " (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 59, Hadith 6)

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that: He heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: "Allah never listens to anything as He listens to a Prophet with a beautiful voice chanting the Quran aloud." (Sunan an-Nasa'i, Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 142) A reminder to constantly perfect your tajweed, your recitation style and beautiful how you read the Qur'an. May Allah allow our voices to penetrate the hearts with Allah's Message - Ameen!