The Action of Sayyiduna Abdullah RA

Sayyiduna Umar RA narrates, that there lived a man in Madinah during the lifetime of Nabi SAWW by the name of Abdullah whom the people called "himaar" (donkey). He always made Nabi SAWW laugh, and once he had to be lashed by the order of Nabi SAWW on account of having consumed liquor. Later he was again brought before Nabi SAWW who ordered that he be lashed for consuming liquor. A person in the gathering said, "Oh! Allah send your curse upon this man. How often has he been brought here to be lashed and yet he does not forsake liquor, Nabi SAWW said "Do not curse him. By Allah you are not aware that this man regards himself to be the friend of Allah and Allah's Nabi".

According to another narration, a person by the name of "himaar" brought butter and honey as a gift from his friend to Nabi SAWW. When his friend asked him to pay for it, he took him to Nabi SAWW and said, "O Rasulullah SAWW pay him for those items." Nabi SAWW smiled at this and ordered that a price be paid for it, which was done.

(Bukhari, Ibn Jareer, Baihaqi, Abu Ya'la and Sa'eed bin Mansoor in Kanz and Hayaatus Sahaabah) 

The Action of Safeena RA

Sayyiduna Safeena RA narrates that once Nabi SAWW had himself cupped. He then said to me, "Bury this blood in a place far from beasts and birds."

Sayyiduna Safeena RA says, "I removed the blood and when I was in a secluded place, I drank the blood. Some time later when I related this to Nabi SAWW he smiled."

Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri RA narrates a similar event that when the noble face of Nabi SAWW was injured in the battle of Uhud, then his father, Malik bin Sinaan RA licked the blood off Nabi SAWW face. It was said to him, "You are drinking the blood of Nabi SAWW." Upon hearing this Nabi SAWW said, "My blood is now mixed with his blood, the fire of Jhannam will never touch him."

(Tabrani Majma 'uz zawaa 'id, Kanz and Hayaatus Sahaba)

CONTROLLING THE TONGUE

Tongue is a great gift of Allah. By it one can, if one so desires, accumulate incalculable merit for the Hereafter  or one can destroy his life in the other world. This is why controlling the tongue has been much enjoined and  reticence has been lauded in ahadith. Abdullah bin Masood relates that once he asked the Holy Prophet,  "Which is the best deed"" The Holy Prophet said Praying on time". Then he asked 'Which act is second to it?"

The Holy Prophet said:

"That people be safe from your tongue".
(Targhib, p. .302, vol. 4. ref. Tabrani)

In other words prevent your tongue from causing 1 pain to others, from backbiting and roam cheating.

Aqabah ibn Amir asked the Holy Prophet "What is the way to salvation?"

He said:

"Control your tongue and make your house sufficient for yourself and weep ever your sins" (Abu Daud and Tirmidhi).

Making the house sufficient means that one should not unnecessarily leave his house to go out and get involved  in mischief, and weeping on sins means ex pressing contrition on one's sins and seeking Divine forgiveness of  them.

In another hadith it is related that our blessed Prophet said to Abu Dhar Ghifari, "Should 1 not tell you two  things which sit lightly on man but are weighty in the scales (on the Day of Judgement)?. Then he said:

'Always be courteous and make a habit of reticence"
(Targhib, p. 312, vol. 4 ref. Tabrani, Abu Laila etc).

Once our Prophet - upon whom be peace - said the same to Abu Darda' (ibid. Ref. Abu a1 Shaikh).

AVOIDING USELESS TALK AND ACTIVITIES

Everything which is of no use in this world or in the next is useless and its avoidance has been enjoined in Qur'an as well as hadith:

nor one who avoid shun useless conversation

Abu Hurairah has related that our Holy Prophet has said:

A part of being a good Muslim is avoiding useless things. (Tirmidhi)

Hence it is the duty of every Muslim to avoid useless works and activities.

BEGINNING FROM THE RIGHT

Beginning from right is pleasing to Allah and His blessed Messenger on which one may expect merit and  reward. Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) has said that our Prophet - be he always blessed - liked to  begin from right in everything in wadhu, in combing and in putting on :hoes.

Abu Hurairah has related the following Prophetic saying:
 When you put on your dress, begin from the right (Abu Daud and Tirmidhi)

and he has also related another Prophetic saying:
When inyone of you puts on his shots, begin from the right and when he takes off his shoes he should begin  from the left. (Bukhari and Muslim) Similarly eating with the right hand has been commanded by our blessed  Holy Prophet. Ibn Omar has related the following Prophetic saying: "When you eat, eat with your right hand  and when you drink, drink with your right hand". (Sahih Muslim)

When something is distributed, it should be from the right, as this is a Prophetic custom.

One should put his left  foot first when entering the lavatory and his right foot when coming out. Following this sunnah shall be source of great merit.

These are minor and simple matters which should be kept in mind and followed.

SIX GOOD DEEDS

Hadith tells us that our Holy Prophet - upon whom be eternal blessings has pointed out six deeds for which he himself has guaranteed paradise. Ibadah ibn Sanit relates the follow-in g Prophetic saying:-

"You give me guarantee of six deeds arid I shall guarantee you Paradise.
 (firstly) redeem the trust placed in you;
(secondly) carry out your contracts;
(thirdly) speak the truth (always);
(fourthly) save your (sexual) organs from (unlawful) acts;
(fifthly) keep your eyes down; and
(sixthly) keep your hands (from harming others and sinning). (Shah-al-Imam li a1 Baihaqi, p.320, 321, vo2. 4, hadith 5256)

SEEKING PARDON

Seeking Divine pardon is an antidote for the poisoning of human soul by sinning. Every sin against Allah,  however heinous 'if may be, is forgiven if one seeks Divine pardon for it. Whenever a sin-great or small-is  committed, it should be atoned for by seeking pardon, and even when no sin has been apparently committed, one should seek Divine forgiveness. Every Muslim knows that the eternally blessed Prophet Muhammad was  free of all sin, but even then he has said that "I beg for Allah's forgiveness seventy times or more every day.
(Bukhari)

In one hadith the eternally blessed Prophet is quoted as follows: "Whosoever regularly seeks Allah's pardon,  Allah makes for him a way out of all tight corners, removes all his worries and grants him sustenance from  sources he had never imagined ("Abu Daud, Kitab-al-Satat. Bab-al-Istighfar") .

Hence one should cultivate the habit of seeking Divine pardon at all times and at least once a (lay, one should  tell a hundred beads of Istighfar on the rosary. 

 سيد الاستغفار

 One can ask for-Divine forgiveness in any language however the Arabic version is givin below

  اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ رَبِّىْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْۢبٍوَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ

One particular form of seeking Divine pardon has been particularly lauded in hadith, and it has been designated  as Chief of all Prayers for Divine Forgiveness; it is given below

اللّهـمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّـي لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنـي وَأَنا عَبْـدُك ، وَأَنا عَلـى عَهْـدِكَ وَوَعْـدِكَ ما اسْتَـطَعْـت ، أَعـوذُبِكَ مِنْ شَـرِّ ما صَنَـعْت ، أَبـوءُ لَـكَ بِنِعْـمَتِـكَ عَلَـيَّ وَأَبـوءُ بِذَنْـبي فَاغْفـِرْ لي فَإِنَّـهُ لا يَغْـفِرُ الذُّنـوبَ إِلاّ أَنْتَ

Translation: 0 Allah! You are my Sustainer there is no god but You, You created me, I am Your bondsman and am to the best of my ability firm on my oath to You. I seek refuge with You against whatever I have done.  Whatever boons You have showered on me, I invoke them and turn to You and i also turn to You against my sins. Hence forgive my sins because there is none save You who forgives sins

Hadith tells us that whosoever intones these words with full faith in the morning and dies before - nightfall shall  be counted among those of the Paradise  and whosoever says them with full faith at night and dies before morning shall likewise go to paradise. (Sahih Bukhari, Bab Afdal-a!-Istighfar

Specially before going to sleep, one should briefly recall one's shortcomings and wrongdoings of the day
and seek Divine Pardon for them and Grace 

PRAYERS ACCORDING TO SUNNAH

Although one should pray to Allah at all times for all one's needs, our eternally blessed Prophet has taught us some specific prayers for special occasions at different times of night and day, e.g. upon waking up, when  going to the toilet and coming out of it, when performing ablution, upon entering and coming out of the  mosque, upon entering the house, before meals and after meals hearing the adhan, when dressing, when  looking in mirror, before falling asleep in bed.

These prayers are all-embracing and extremely useful for all our worldly and other-worldly needs. We, by  ourselves, can never think of such prayers which the eternally blessed Prophet has taught us. These prayers are  not time consuming nor ablution is their precondition nor is one to raise his hands. If one commits them to  memory, one reaps a very rich harvest both here and in the Hereafter

Hence every Muslim must commit these prayers to memory. There are many books wherein they are listed.  Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi's "Munajat-e- Maqbul" has most of them. You should commit them to memory and  ask your children to memorize them too.

PRAYING FOR OTHERS.

One prays for one's own needs and desires, but one should also pray for one's relatives, friends and Muslims in general as it is an act of great merit. There is a hadith which says that when a Muslim prays for anyone of his  brothers in faith in the latter's absence angels pray for the same for him. (Sahih Muslim).

Hence if you come to know that any Muslim is in trouble or need, pray for him. In fact one should I pray for the unbelievers too so that they may be I Divinely guided on to the path of Islam. Thus one gets merit for We act of praying as well as for 1 wishing well for others.

PRAYING

Allah likes his bondsmen to pray to Him. If a man, however munificent he may be, is again and again asked for anything, he sooner or later loses his patience and becomes angry. But Allah, on the contrary, is, pleased  the more his bondsmen ask him. Hadith tells as that Allah is displeased with one who does not ask him for  anything in prayer.

Praying is not only a means of realizing one's purposes but is, in itself, an act or worship. In other words  praying even for one's personal ends and worldly needs is counted among acts of worship and earns merit.  The more one prays the closer one gets to Allah. It is not necessary to pray only in times of need or of  distress: rather, praying in times of pleasure and plenty is also necessary. A hadith tells us that one who  desires his prayers in the times of sorrow and distress to be answered, should pray in times of happiness and plenty. (Tirmidhi cited in h i ' a1 Usul)

Allah has promise in Qur'an 'Pray to Me and I shall fulfill it". This Divine promise can never be wrong so one must pray with Belief and trust in its fulfillment. But fulfillment can take different forms; sometimes one gets  what he prays for, but sometimes the desired object is not regarded by Allah as beneficial or useful to his  bondsman and so he is granted something better in this life or Hereafter. Thus every act of praying has three advantages:

1. Divine grant of prayers fulfills our desires;
2. Every prayer earns merit; and
3. Repeated acts of praying bring one ever closer to Allah

Although the correct method of praying is to face the Qiblah and raise one's hands and pray with tongue,  prefacing the prayer with praise of Allah and darud, but one can also pray without these preliminaries too.  Thus Allah has made the act of praying so easy that one can also, pray almost anywhere and at any time;  one can pray while engaged in any activity and if one cannot intone the prayer as e.g. in lavatory, one can  think his prayer.

Also it is not necessary to pray for big or important things; one should pray to Allah asking him to fulfill all  one's wants, big or small; hadith tells us to pray even when one breaks his bootless (Tirmidhi).

Consequently one should develop the habit of asking Allah to fulfill even the smallest need, to seek Divine  amelioration of the most ordinary trouble. Just a child calls his mother for everything big or small, one should  call and go on calling Allah. No matter what work one may be engaged in, one should always ask Allah for  something or the other. Cultivate this habit and see how quickly you rise.

GOOD INTENTION

Intention is an alchemic prescription that can turn base dirt into noble gold. The hadith says "All actions depends upon intentions."

It is sometimes interpreted to mean that good intentions justify bad deeds too and  turn sins meritorious. This is entirely wrong. Sin is always a sin no matter how noble the intention may be. For instance if someone breaks  into a house to steal with the intention of giving away as alms whatever he would steal would be a thief deserving the prescribed punishment. His good intentions would not earn hire any merit nor would his sin be pardoned.

What this hadith means is as follows:

1. A good deed earns merit only if done with right intention. For instance prayer would earn merit only when  one prays only for Divine pleasure: if one prays to impress others, then, instead of earning merit, it would earn punishment.

2. The second interpretation which is germane to the present discussion is that all lawful deeds actually earn  neither merit nor punishment, but if these are done with good intent, they become acts of worship and earn  merit. For instance eating is lawful: but if one eats with the intention that food shall give hire energy and that  energy lie shall spend in the service of Allah, the act of eating would earn merit. Similarly if one eats with the  intent that his physical beady too has its rights and dues which include nourishment through eating or if one eats with the intent of getting pleasure and taste and of thanking Allah for these, the eating become an act of merit.

There is no lawful deed of life, which if done with good intent, does not become act of merit.

A few instances shall elucidate the point further:

(a) Honest earning, whether by trade or service or industry or agriculture, if done with the intent of rightly  fulfilling the duties enjoined by Allah toward oneself and one's family, would become an act of merit.

Then if one further intends to spend whatever he may save after fulfilling the needs of himself and his family in  helping the poor and in other similar good deeds, he would earn further merit.

(b) When a person engaged in learning intends to serve the humanity through his knowledge he would go on  earning merit as long as he remains engaged in acquisition of knowledge. For instance a student of religion  may decide to propagate the faith, a medical student to alleviate human suffering due to disease, an  engineering student to serve his people through his specialized knowledge etc. all these acts would become acts of merit because of the intention which motivates the doer.

(c) A man, knowing that sustenance and subsistence is the responsibility of Allah which He shall fulfil without fail, engages in a particular profession or vocation with a view to serve humanity, his profession would earn him merit.

For instance if someone enters the medical profession consciously choosing it from among other professions  in order to cure the sick, be would earn merit even if he charges for his services. Such a man would not  hesitate to provide free treatment for the poor and the destitute.

A cloth merchant who enters this profession to provide clothes to people because clothing oneself is a  religious duty, would also earn merit.

Similarly a government servant, motivated by a desire to serve the common man and fulfil his needs, would earn merit. "Thus, every profession, becomes meritorious, provided the intention is right."

(c) If one dresses in finery not to show off his status or wealth, but to afford pleasure to others, it is an act of merit.

(d) If one treats his children with love because it is a sunnah of our eternally blessed Prophet, it earns him merit.

(e) If one does the household chores because this too is a sunnah as our eternally blessed Prophet helped in  the housework, its merit rewards in the Afterlife.

(f) Loving conversation with wife and children is a sunnah and the eternally blessed Prophet has so ordained, hence such an act is also meritorious if done to follow the sunnah.

(g) Hospitality to guests, if shown in pursuance of sunnah is an act of merit.

(h) Planting a sapling or plant in the house so that it may one day be of use of some man or animal and please the onlooker would be a good deed.

(i) Writing a beautiful and legible hand to make it easy for the reader to read is an act of merit.

(j) If a woman dresses herself in beautiful raiment and wears ornaments and adorns herself to please her  husband and if a man remains clean and neat to please his wife, both are good deeds.

(k) If permissible recreation is indulged in to the extent needed to prepare oneself for duties it is a meritorious act

(1) If a watch is kept to know prayer timings and to realize the value of time which is intended to be spent in good deeds, it is an act that earns merit.

There are a few common examples from everyday life which can earn much merit for the doer, Imam Ghazali has rightly observed in his 1hya'- al-'ulum that there is no lawful action in human life which, if done with the right intent, cannot be changed into an act of merit. Even if husband and wife give mutual pleasure to each other, each with the intent of giving the other his or her due and making them pure this too would give them  merit.

Believer's Fearlessness in the Grave and Presentation of Heaven to Him

Hadrat Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) reports the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to have said:

"When a dead body is placed in the grave he is made to sit without fear and the following questions are put to him:

"What was your deen (in the world)?" He replies, "I had embraced Islam." He is then asked, "Who is he (according to your Faith)?" He replies, "He is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of  Allah be upon him), He came to us with open miracles and we affirmed them." He is asked again, "Have you  seen Allah?" He replies, "Nobody can see Allah (how could then I see?)"

Thereafter,ventilator is opened towards the Hell and he looks at the Hell and finds that burning flames are eating each other. After that he is told how Allah saved him from the torment of fire. Then a ventilator is opened which brings the Heaven to sight and he looks at the Heaven. Thereupon he is told that this Heaven is his abode  because he remained alive on Faith and died on the same Faith and Allah willing, he will be raised from the  grave on the Day of Resurrection on the same Faith. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"The unbelieving person, when made to sit, looks embarrassed in his grave. He is then asked, "Which deen did  you follow?" He replies, "I don't know." Thereafter he is asked about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) : "Who is he (according to your faith)?" He replies, "I have to say what others  have said." Following this he is shown the Heaven and looks at the Blessings and Favours of Almighty Allah.  After that he is said, "you are deprived of all of these because of your disobedience to Allah. Thereafter a  ventilator towards the Hell is opened and when he sees terrifying flames eating each other he will be told, "This  is your abode, because you lived on doubt, died on doubt and Allah willing, you will be raised from your grave  on the same belief."

Anxiousness of the Believer for saying Salat (prayer in the Grave)

Hadrat Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be  upon him) said:

"When a Believer is placed in the grave, he feels as if the sun is setting. Thus when his soul is restored he gets himself seated and tells (the angels): "Leave me to say salat (prayer) first." (Ibn Majah)

Mulla Ali Quari (Allah's mercy be on him) writes regarding the above hadith. "He feels as if he is still in the  world and hence calls upon the angels to leave him for saying salat before beginning the question-answer  session, otherwise he will miss his salat" Thereafter he adds: "only that person will utter such words who had  been saying salat regularly and was always anxious for that."

This is a lesson for the persons who would fail to say prayer in the world.

Disgrace of the Infidels

When the unbelieving person is about to leave the world and move towards the Hereafter, black-faced angels  come to him from the sky with sack cloth and sit down so far he could see. It is followed by the arrival of  the Angel of Death who sits down at the head of his bedstead and says, "O wicked soul! come towards the  displeasure and anger of Allah." Having heard these proclamation of the Angel of Death his soul starts running and taking refuge here and there in his body. But the Angel pulls it out very roughly and wraps up in the sack  cloth which is filthy and stinking to the extreme like the dead and rotten bodies on the earth. When the angels  ascend to various layers and at each layer the bands of the angels remark, "Who is this wicked one? " They  reply, "This is the son of so and so." The door of Heaven also remains closed for him as Almighty Allah has said:

"The gates of Heaven shall not be opened for those that have denied and scorned Our revelations; nor shall they enter Paradise until a camel shall pass through the eye of a needle." (Q. 7:40)

Thereafter, Almighty Allah ask the angels to get his name written in the Book of the Wicked Souls which lies at  the bottom of the earth. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recited the following ayah:

"He who associates others with Allah is like him who falls from heaven and is snatched away by the birds or carried by the wind to some far-off region." (Q.22:31)

Thereafter, his soul is put back in his body and two angels come to him, get him seated and ask him, "Who is  your Lord?" He replies, "Alas ! I don't know." He is then asked, "Which is your deen?" He again replies, "Alas  ! I don't know." He is further asked, "Which is this image?" He replies once again,"Alas! I don't know." After  this question-answer session is over, a proclaimer from the sky proclaims, "He spoke the untruth;(1) spread fire under his body and throw the door of Hell open for him." (This order is immediately implemented.) He feels the heat and stroke of the Hell. His grave is narrowed so much so that his ribs are pressed so hardly and harshly  that they change their sides. Thereafter an ugly man wearing very coarse and stinking clothes comes to him and  says:"Have very terrifying news." He will ask, "Who are you? Your face says that you are the bearer of bad news."

He will reply, "I am your bad deed." Thus out of fear of the punishment he will say, 'O Lord, do not establish  the Day of Resurrection." (Mishkat)

According to a narrative, when the soul of a Believer leaves his body all the angels from the earth to the sky  send their blessings on him and the doors of the Heaven are thrown open for him.

But the souls of the Unbelievers are taken out along with his veins and all the angels from the earth to the sky curse him and the doors of the sky are closed for him. (Mishkat)

Honour of the Believer at the Time of and After Death

Hadrat Bra' abin Azib (Allah be pleased with him) reports:
"(One day) we accompanied the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to a graveyard with the bier of an Ansari. When we reached the graveyard we found that the grave was not yet ready. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), therefore, sat down and we also followed him and sat down in a manner as if birds were sitting on our heads."

At the time the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a stick in his holy hand and he was scratching the earth with that (as a sad person does). In the meantime he raised his head and observed:
"Seek refuge from the torment of the grave." He repeated these words twice or thrice, and then added:

"Undoubtedly, when a Believer is to leave the world and move towards the Hereafter, angels come to him from the heaven whose white faces look bright like the sun. They carry scented Heavenly shroud with them. These angels are in such a large number that they look sitting as far as his sight could work. Thereafter Hadrat Izra'il  (the Angel of death) arrives and sits down at the head of his bedstead and says:

"O pure and virtuous soul! Move towards the forgiveness and favour of Almighty Allah. Thus his soul comes out of his body so easily and smoothly as drops of water come out flowing of the water container. However, the Angel of Death takes it (soul) in his hand and the sitting angels get up and all of them soar towards the heaven with the scented shroud. About this perfume, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has remarked:

"It is like the nicest musk perfume that could be found on this earth."

The Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) further observed:
"When the angels start-ascending the heaven, the groups of the angels falling in the way inquire about the virtuous soul and the angels carrying the soul reply in well-chosen nice words revealing he is the son of so and so. Thus they reach the first layer of the heaven and ask for opening the door. The door is opened  and they go up with the soul and after crossing one layer of heaven after another reach the seventh one. At this point Almighty Allah commands that his name be written in the Book of Virtuous Men and take him back to  the earth because He has created man from the earth. I shall take him out from the same earth.Thus his soul   is returned to his body. Thereafter, two angels come to him, make him seated and ask him, "who is your  Lord?" He replies, "My Lord is Allah." Then they ask him, "which is your 'deen' (religion)?" He replies, "My 'deen' is Islam." Then they ask, "who is this who was sent towards you?" He replies, "This is the Messenger  of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." Thereafter, they ask him. 'what is your deed? "He replies, "I read the Book of Allah, believed and affirmed that." At this a pro claimer (of Allah) proclaimed  from the heaven 'My servant spoke the truth. Hence do spread the Heavenly bed for him, make him wear Heavenly garments and throw open the door towards Heaven for him. Thus the door towards the Heaven is  thrown open which brings fragrance of Heaven for him. And his grave is widened so much so that he could,  see as far as his sight could go."

Thereafter, a man with handsome face, fine dress and nice fragrance turns up and tells him to have a good  news that this is the day he had once been promised for. "Who are you?" he will ask adding that "your face is worthy of seeing and bringing good news." He will say, "I am your righteous deed." After that he says out of utmost joy, "O Lord! Establish the Day of Resurrection so that I come in contact with my family and goods."

SAYYIDUNA ABU BAKAR RA AND SAYYIDUNA UMER RA

Sayyiduna Anas RA relates that Sayyiduna Abubakr and Umar RA were from among the Muhaajireen and Ansaar who used to be present in the gathering of Nabi SAWW whenever Nabi SAWW entered a gathering Abubakar and Umar RA used to look at him and he in turn used to look at them. They used to smile and Nabi SAWW would smile at them.

Sayyiduna Usama bin Shareek RA narrates that we were to still and silent in the gathering of Nabi SAWW as if birds were perched on our heads. (As one who would sit so still out of fear that any my movement will cause the bird to fly away.) None of us were speaking when suddenly a group of people presented themselves before Nabi SAWW and asked him.. "who from ALLAH's servants are most beloved to him?"

Nabi SAWW replied, "Those with the most noble character."

(Narrated by Hakim-tabrani and Ibn Hibbaan in Kanz and Hayaatus Sahabah)

What did The Prophet SAWW see in Hell

in the nine books of Ahadith, there are about on thousand nine hundred and forty Ahadith about Hell. They describe Hell, some of its dwellers and the reasons why they are going there. Each of them inspires fear in the heart of a Believer whose hair will stand on end.

The Prophet SAWW found that most of its dwellers are women. He said to an assembly of women, "Accustom yourself to give charity even if you have to give your jewellery because you outnumber men in Hell. You curse too much and show ingratitude to your husband. And i have not seen anyone as deficient in religion and in intelligence as women yet they gain an upparhand over men. The testimony of two women is equal to a man's testimony, and every woman experiences a certain period of time - as ALLAH wills - during which she does not prostrate before ALLAH."

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas RA reported that during a solar eclipse, the Prophet SAWW offered salah in which he stood for a long time - as much as it takes to recite al-Baqarah. The ruku (bowing posture) was also lengthy and when he arose from it he again stood long but this was shorter than the first standing. He bowed again in ruku but it was a shorter ruku than the first. Then he prostrated and stood up a standing shorter than the former standing, and went into ruku for a long bowing which was shorter than the first bowing. Then he prostrated and when he had finished the salah, the sun was visible. He said, "The sun and moon are ALLAH's signs. They are not eclipsed because of anybody's birth or death. When you see it, remember ALLAH." The Sahabah RA submitted . "Of Messenger of ALLAH, we saw you take something in you hand while you were in the standing posture. Then you moved back. (Why did you do that?)." HE SAWW said, "I had seen paradise and tried to pic a bunch of grapes (from there). If i had seen Paradise and tried to pick a bunch of grapes(from there). If i had taken it then you would have eaten from it tell the end of world. And I saw Hell and I have never seen a more dreadful sight. I saw mostly women among the inhabitants of Hell." The Sahabah RA asked, "Of Messenger of ALLAH, why is that so?." HE SAWW replied, "They are ungrateful." They asked, "They are so with their husband, They do not recognise kindness and favour. if you are kind to a woman for a period of time and she faces an unpleasantness with you any time then she says, 'I have never seen you display kindess.'" (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Prophet SAWW did not see this is a dream. Rather, He observed it with his eyes. However, he was ra'uf and rahim ("full of pitty' and 'compassionate') - and ALLAH also describes him with these attributes. so this situation was painful to him, He sought to rectify the situation by advising women to give charity often. Charity pacifies Divine wrath. There is a Hadith in Bukhari that he emerged from his home on an Eid day. He offered the two rakaat salah of Eid -  he did not offer any other salah that day besides that before or after (apart from the prescribed). Then he addressed the women and commanded them to give charity. They responded promptly by offering their jewellery.

The Prophet SAWW desired that somehow the women should be saved from Hell. Charity is evidence, a means to salvation and it clears ALLAH's displeasure with men. Hence, if some human beings were likely to go to Hell, they could avert that possible by giving charity liberally. This call the Prophet SAWW is directed to every woman of every age and every place.

THE GATHERINGS OF ANSAAR

Sayyinduna Amr Bin Auf Al Ansaari RA relates that Rasullulah SAWW sent Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah bin Al Jarrah RA to Behrain to collect tax. The Ansaar on hearing about his return with tax, assembled around Nabi SAWW at the time of Fajr Salaah. Upon completing Salaah, Nabi SAWW smiled upon them as he saw them gathered there, He then remarked, "i think you people have received news that Abu Ubaidah has returned from Bahrain with something". The companions replied, "yes, O Rasulullah SAWW"

He said "I give you glad tidings and you should entertain hopes about what would please you. By ALLAH i do not fear poverty upon you, (rather) I fear that the material world will be opened for you as it was opened for those before you. Then you will incline towards for material wealth just like the people before you. (The love of) this material wealth will be the cause of your destruction just as it was for the people before you."

(Bukhari, Muslim, as narrated in Targheeb and Hayaatus Sahabah)

Men who were giving tidings of Hell

The Quran speaks of the people of Hell as it does of the people of paradise. The Prophet SAWW gave glad tidings of paradise to his Sahabah by name and to those who were present on certain occasions, like the Battle of Badr and the bay'ah ridwan and both men and women are included in these glad tidings. The Qura gives tidings of both Paradise and Hell specifically as well as in relation to deeds. However, one who associates anything with ALLAH is forbidden entry into paradise. ALLAH says:

And give tidings of a painful chastisement to those who disbelieve. (9:3)

and He also says:

(it hall be said:) Assemble those who did evil, and their companions, and what they used to worship besides ALLAH, then load them to the path of Hell. (37:22-23)

There are more such verses in ALLAH's book. The Ahadith also tells us of Paradise and Hell. Thus, a chief of the Makkah idolaters, Ubayy ibn Khalaf, brought a decayed bone and scratching it, he asked, "you claim that your Lord will resurrect the dead, Tell me, who will revive this (bone)" and he broke the bone int tiny pieces.

The Prophet SAWW said, "Yes, ALLAH will give you death, Then he will give you life again and admit you to Hell."

And this verse was revealed:

And the strikes for us a similitude and forgets his own creation, He says, "who shall revive the bones when they are decayed rotten?" Say, "He shall revive them Who originated them the first time. And He is the knower of every creation." (36:78-79)

These people who were given tidings of Hell were hard-hearted and obstinate. They were deprived of the inner eye and they disbelieved only out of their mulish "no give-in" attitude. They followed in the footstep of the devil and rejected the call of the Prophets AS and presisted on the path of their forefathers which suited them. Take the example of Abu Jahl. He was a chief of the Makkah idolaters. He did not inwardly deny the existence of the Creator, but he could not tolerate the Prophet SAWW who was of the Banu Hashim. He wanted a Prophet from another tribe. He would say, "we do not reject you but we reject your message". The verse was revealed:


...they belie not you, but the evildoers in fact deny the revelation of ALLAH. (6"33)

One day, Abu Jahl said to his henchmen, "indeed Muhammad SAWW is ture. He has never spoken a lie. But if the offspring of Qusay take away everything from hosting the pilgrims to the nadwah (the counselling) and now the prophethood then what remains for the Quraysh?" This was how they disbelieved, but today people simply reject the existence of God and this kind of disbelief is more serious. However both kinds are fuel for fire.

Mostly women were observed in hell .. why ?

I have no intention to accuse women when i say that they will be in a majority in Hell. These are not my words, but the words of ALLAH's Messenger SAWW. He had seen Hell with his eyes and had observed that mostly women were fuel of the fire of Hell. He was asked , "O Messenger SAWW of ALLAH, why were more women (than men) observed in Hell?" HE SAWW said, "its that you curse people (often) and you are ungrateful to your husbands. Though he may be kind to you always yet if he happens to be unkind once, you tell him that you have never observed good in him. " Bukhari Hadith 29

One day ALLAH's Messenger SAWW spoke words of advice and admonition to a group of women. He told them to those things that could take them to Hell. He also disclosed to them the things may deliver them from Hell. He said to them, "O women, give charity often .I have seen more of you in Hell. Surely, you are given to curse and show ingratitude to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and more deficient in religion than you yet you can fool an intelligent and wise man." They asked, "How is our intelligence and religion deficient?" He said to them, "is not the testimony of a woman half that of a man's testimony?" This is woman's deficiency in intelligence. And is it not that while a woman menstruates, she does not offer salah or observe fasting? This is her deficiency in religion." Muslim as narrated by Abu Hurrairah, Hakim etc

Ingratitude to husband is not to recognize his kindness, but that is not the only reason. The main reason that is most detrimental to a woman is her habit of cursing other people and her refusal to be satisfied with her lot in life. Women are inclined often to have tall ambitions, to complain much and they have a blind sense of honour. They will take false oaths and they are a trial for men and are mischievous..

ALLAH's Messenger SAWW said. "I leave behind no trial more harmful to men than woman." (tirmidhi, musnad ahmad)"

If a man obeys his wife then that often turns out to be harmful to him because in that case he will be actually pursuing his lust though she is his wife. Rather, man must obey his mother as long as that does not result in disobedience of ALLAH.

However, this does not imply that there are no wise women in the world with worth while advice to give. There certainly are woman who can perform sound advice, but we are concerned here with those women who are disobedient to ALLAH and to His Messenger SAWW and they are found in a very large number in this age. I can not say that the woman of today who keeps up with fashion has worthwhile advice to profer, for, she is determined to her own self and her society. The man who does not mind if his wife aborns herself and goes out without veil is a cuckold. Such a man is his wife's obedient slave and, in fact, he obeys the devil whom his wife also obeys. Of course, there are people in our time who are deeply religious and who follow the teachings of the Prophets SAWW to their best.

The Poem of Hakeem Bin Hizam RA

Sayyiduna Urwa RA relates that Hakeem Bin Hizaam once visited Yemen where he purchased a cotton garment known as Zee Yazn (which was in the class of garments worn by the Himyar kings of Yemen). He came to Madinah, and even though he had not embraced Islam, he presented this garment to Nabi SAWW, who refused to accept it, by saying, "I, do not accept gifts from the Mushrikeen."

So he decided to sell the garment, Nabi SAWW ordered that the garment be purchased from him. It was thus purchased and after donning it, Nabi SAWW proceeded to the Masjid. Hakeem relates "I had never beheld anyone so beautiful in these garments as Nabi SAWW. He appeared exactly as the full moon of the fourteenth night. Seeing this beauty of Nabi SAWW i was beyond myself and the following words emerged from my lips uncontrollably."

'What orders can be issued by those who issue orders,

When one who is so radiant has emerged,

Whose forehead and limbs are so radiant,

when a close look is taken at him, his honour and nobility increase.

As if clear clean water has been poured over him.

 Upon hearing these couplets, Nabi SAWW smiled. Nabi SAWW then paid for it himself and after some time gave it to Sayyiduna Usama RA.

(ibn jareer and Haakim from Hanz, Hayaatus Sahaabah)

RISALAT “IS A REQUISITE OF IMAAN

Some people among Muslims believe that Najat (salvation in the Hereafter) is not dependent upon belief in the Risalat (Prophethood) of Muhammadur Rasoolullah (SAW). This is indeed a grave misconception, which is a belief of open kufr. The holder of the belief ,which discards the Risalaat, as well as the Finality of Risalat of Rasoolullah (SAW) is a kaafir in the unanimous opinion of the Ummah. There are no two opinions on this vital issue in the Shari'ah. 

Those associated with this kufr belief are men who have been schooled in modernism. They lack Islaam is knowledge and are gripped by servile and inferior reasoning anchored to the attitude of western liberalism. Since their capacity to reason on the basis of Imaan has become crippled, they attempt to substantiate this belief of kufr on the following Quranic aayat:

Verily, those who have accepted Imaan and those who have become Jews, the Sabians and the Christians who have accepted Imaan in Allah and the Last Day and practice righteousness, for them is their reward by their Rabb. No fear will be upon them nor will they grieve.â€‌
[ Aayat 62, Surah Baqarah ]

This verse has been grossly misinterpreted by the holders of the Kufr belief. This verse is not a negation of the belief in Risalat. Risalat of Rasoolullah (SAW) is one of the fundamentals of Imaan . Minus Risalaat there is no Imaan . Without Risalat there is no Najat in the Aakhirah. Rejection of the Risalat of Rasoolullah (SAW) is tantamount to the rejection of the Quran. Acceptance and belief of the Qur'aanic truths are based upon belief in the Prophethood of Rasoolullah (SAW). If there is no belief in Muhammadur Rasoolullah (SAW), there can be no belief on the Qur'aan. Belief in Tauhid, Belief in the Akhirah, in Resurrection, etc. is inextricably interwoven with the Risalat and Finality of Muhammad Rasoolullah (SAW).

ISLAAMIC CONCEPTION OF ALLAH

Allah is The Being who is Waajibul Wujood ,which means that His existence is by Himself, i.e. He is self-existent. His existence is absolutely independent of all things. 

He is Waahid , i.e. He is absolute unity in that it is impossible for the concept of Waajibul Wujood to apply to any other being, it being exclusively His attribute.

He is Qadeem , i.e. there is no beginning for His existence. In other words, He is eternal. He is Qaadir (Omnipotent– All Powerful); Hayy (Alive);  Aleem (One of Knowledge); Ba s eer (the One who sees); Samee' (the Hearer); Mureed (the One who wills). He is Mutakallim (the One who speaks).

Allah has neither form or shape nor body. He does not subsist in any substratum. Nothing can contain Him, but He encompasses everything. He does not consist of particles or atoms. He has no constituent parts and He has no limits. He has no end.

He has no comparison and He has no properties and states such as color, taste, odor, coldness, moistness, dryness.  
 

Time does not pass over Him. Nothing, down to the slightest detail, is beyond His knowledge and power. He is aware of all the details and particulars of every atom and of all things in creation.
He does not beget nor was he begotten.

He is the Sustainer, the Nourisher and the Controller of all creation. He is the Overseer, the Guard and the Protector of all and everything, from the greatest creation down to the minutest atom. His Control, Command and Knowledge extends simultaneously and perpetually over every single aspect and atom of creation. Not a leaf blowing in the breeze, blows without His command, control and knowledge. All things operate by His direction.

He creates and annihilates according to His Will and Wisdom. All His actions are based on Wisdom on infinite divine Wisdom and not human wisdom.

Creation can never comprehend Him.

He is beyond description and conception. No mind can ever conceive or comprehend Him. He is recognizable only by the manifestations of His Attributes.

He never tires nor does He sleep. He is above human qualities and free of all weaknesses and defects. His State is the same at all times. No change ever occurs Him. Nothing can act against or on Him. His Attributes are external. His Attributes are inseparable from Him.

Allah is Omnipotent. Nothing can curb or reduce His Power. His Promise is true and He will act in accordance with His promise, but His promise does not curtail His omnipotence. His promise does not reduce His Power. A promise by Allah does not mean that His power to act contrary to His promise is destroyed, e.g. Allah has created Jannat and Jahannum , if He so wills. He is the Creator and Master of all His creation. No one can question His actions. He is the Sovereign of all creation. As the Qur'aan says: