The Greatest Invocation for Forgiveness (Dar-as-Sunnah)
Allah the Most High, Said, “Every soul will taste death…” [ Al-Anbiya (21): 35] The inevitable reality of death is greater than life itself, for life is something uncertain – one may plan for the future, yet know not whether he will live long enough in order to achieve his hopes and ambitions – for the arrival of the Angel of Death may precede those very hopes. The prudent one understands this great reality and prepares for its eventuality.
Untold number of humanity has passed through the stages of death, and current generations will be replaced by future generations. “The best of believers are those with best manners. And the smartest are those who remember death often, and the astute are those who readily prepare it. Those are the smartest.” [Silsilat as-Sahihah, 1384] Some of the scholars used to say, “Those who often remember death, Allah honours them with three: Their repentance is expedited; Their heart is given satisfaction and; Their worship is energised. And those who forget remembering death are afflicted with three: Their repentance is postponed; Their contentment is stripped and; Their worship is neglected. Therefore one of the finest aids in remembering and preparing for death is seeking forgiveness for one’s sins and shortcomings. Allah The Most High Said, “Say, ‘O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'” [Al-Zumar (39): 53] In the noble Prophetic guidance, the Messenger of Allah (saw) said the leading du’a (invocation) by which forgiveness should be sought is called ‘Sayyid Al-Istighfār’.
It is composed of special words with profound meanings, which the Prophet keenly taught his ‘Ummah. He (saw) said, ‘Whoever reads 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 whoever reads it at night with firm faith in it and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari, 6306] Before you dear reader is a small contemporary work explaining the immense benefits of ‘Sayyid Al-Istighfar’. It should be memorised by every Muslim and its meanings understood and internalised for heightened impact and gain.
The author (may Allah bless him) breaks down the du’a, elucidating its beautiful composition correctly, and explaining the meaning of repentance, its importance and Allah’s Love for those who turn to Him in true repentance. Beseeching Allah for forgiveness is amongst the greatest means in getting close to Him and attaining His Pleasure in this world and the Hereafter.
The Heavenly Dispute (Dar Us Sunnah)
The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said of this hadith, “Indeed, it is the truth, so study and learn it.”
The Intelligent Heart, the Pure Heart: An Insight into the Heart Based on the Qur’an, Sunnah and Modern Science
The Journey of the Strangers (P/B)
In this age of materialism, consumerism and extreme liberalism, the Muslim often finds himself at a loss, at odds to the ebb and flow of society, and holding of values, divinely revealed, that contrast starkly with the values held by many around him . He or she is looked at askance, accused of being backward, non-conformist and refusing to integrate. In the face of peer pressure, the resolve of some may weaken, the result being a watering-down of one’s adherence to Islam and the values it calls to.
The Prophet warned us that a time would come in which Islam and the Muslims would be beheld as strangers, not just by non-Muslims but by many Muslims as well! He informed us that days were coming in which trying to keep hold of one’s religion would be like holding red hot coals, and he stressed the paramount importance of holding fast to Islam in its pristine purity during that time, stating that this, and only this, was the path to success in this life and the next.
This book is a compilation of two tracts which explain the hadith, ”Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange just as it began, sotuba for the strangers! ”It is hoped that it will be a source of comfort and inspiration for the Muslim who is striving to follow Islam at a time when the Muslim could well feel alienated and alone in the world. The first is a treatise penned by the great Imam, Al-Ajurri (d.330H), a scholar known for his deep knowledge and piety, his quality being recognised by all. The second is a monograph written by the Imam, Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali (d.795H), a scholar praised extensively for his vast knowledge, ascetism and expertise in the Hanbali school of thought. An introduction has been added from the words of Shatibi and an appendix from ibn Al-Qayyim’s monumental Madarij al-Salikin.
The Journey to Allah (P/B)
Bukhari records on the authority of abu Hurayrah (raiyAllahu ?anhu) that the Prophet said, ?Your actions alone will not save any of you.? They asked, ?Messenger of Allah, not even you?? He replied, ?not even me, unless Allah were to envelop me in His mercy.
Be firm; steadfast and balanced; and journey [to Allah] in the beginning of the day, the end of the day, and a portion of the latter part of the night. Moderation, moderation! Through this you will attain your goal!?
He also recorded this hadith in another place with the wording, ?This religion is easy, none makes it hard upon himself except that it overwhelms him; therefore be firm, steadfast, and balanced; upon which have glad tidings! Seek help in this by journeying [to Allah] at the beginning of the day, at the end of the day, and a portion of the latter part of the night.?
He also records on the authority of ?A?ishah (raiyAllahu ?anhu) that the Prophet said, ?be firm, steadfast, and balanced upon which have glad tidings for indeed actions alone will not cause one to enter Paradise.? They asked, ?Messenger of allah, not even you?? He replied, ?not even me, unless Allah were to envelop me in His forgiveness and mercy.?
He also records on her authority that the Prophet said, ?be firm, steadfast, and balanced: know that your actions alone will not be a cause for your entry into Paradise and that the most beloved actions to allah are those that are done continuously and persistently, even if they be few.?
These noble ahadith detail a great and important principle from which stem many issues related to the journey to Allah while wayfaring along His Path.
Some of the Salaf said, ?The Hereafter consists either of allah?s forgiveness or the Fire; and this world is either a source of allah?s protection or a source of destruction.? On his deathbed, Muhammad ibn Wasi bid farewell to his companions saying, ?Peace be upon you, either to the Fire or to the forgiveness of allah.?
The Key To Paradise (P/B)
It was said to al-Hasan, ‘People say that whoever says, ‘None has the right to be worshipped,’ shall enter Paradise.’ He said, ‘Whoever says, ‘None has the right to be worshipped save Allah,’ and fulfils its obligations and meets its requirements, shall enter Paradise.’
Wahb ibn Munabbih was asked, ‘Is not the testification that ‘none has the right to be worshipped save Allah’ the key to Paradise?’ He replied, ‘Of course, but every key has its teeth; if you bring a key that has teeth, the door shall open; but if not, it will not.’
The Key to Paradise is the testification of Tawhid. This book highlights the importance of correct belief, a true love for Allah and the state of the heart.
Chapters Include:
The Manner of Entering Paradise
The Meaning of the Testification
Loving Allah
The Sound Heart
Also included is an extremely beneficial appendix – The Types of Hearts by al-Hafiz ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah.
The Life of Muhammad
It is vital for every single human being to study the life of the greatest man to have ever walked this earth, a man who changed the course of human history forever. No other individual has had such a lasting influence or impact in any sphere of human endeavor; be it history, culture, economics, social welfare, politics, diplomatic relations or warfare.
Today’s modern society owes a huge debt to Muhammad, the great Prophet of Islam. This brief, yet comprehensive, work covers all the main aspects of the life of the Messenger of Allah. It includes his noble qualities, his description, members of his family – such as his maternal uncles and aunts and wives, the slaves he freed, the scribes who recorded for him, his envoys who carried his Message to various kings and territories around the globe, those who proclaimed the Call to prayer, his Umrah and Hajj, his military expeditions, his manners, his miracles, his riding beasts, his weapons and the legal rulings that were unique to him.
Knowing about the Prophet Muhammad is compulsory for every Muslim. This work is an excellent primer and should be necessary reading in every Muslim home. This book is ideal as a teaching tool for Schools and Madrassahs everywhere.
The author, Imam an-Nawawi (d. 767H), was a leading personality of Islamic history. Born in Syria to a deeply religious family, he was renowned for his piety and love of Allah, the Most High. He authored many valuable works, in a variety of different sciences, which gained eminence throughout the Muslim world.
The Refinement Of Character
Allah, the Most High said:
“And indeed, you are of a great moral character.” [Qur’an (68): 5]
The Relief From Distress : An Explanation to the dua of Prophet Yunus (P/B)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah sanctify his soul, was asked about the saying of the Prophet (pbuh),
The invocation of my brother Yunus, “none has the right to be worshipped save You; glory be to You, far removed are You from any imperfection; I have been amongst the wrong-doers,” none who is experiencing difficulty employs it except that Allah would relieve him of his difficulty.
What is the meaning of this du’a (prayer, supplication)?
Are their any unstated conditions that have to be met when one articulates it?
What is the connection between belief in the heart and the meaning of this supplication such that it leads to the removal of difficulty?
Why did he explicitly confess, ‘I have been amongst the wrong-doers’ when it is known that tawhid in itself leads to the removal of difficulty?
Is it sufficient to acknowledge ones’ sin alone, or must this be accompanied by repentance and the firm resolve not to repeat that sin in the future?
Why is it that difficulty and harm is removed only when a person relinquishes any hope, reliance and dependency upon the creation?
How can the heart relinquish the characteristic of putting hope in the creation and depending on them, and instead put its hope in Allah, Exalted is He, and turn to Him in its entirety?
What are the methods that would aid the heart in doing this?
The author replies to these questions in the form of this book.
The Spiritual Cure An Explanation to Surah al-Fatihah (P/B)
Surah al Fatiha is the greatest chapter of the Qur’an, its like is not found in the rest of the Book or in the previous scriptures. It is a
Light that was granted to Prophet Muhammad (S) which had not been granted to any other Prophet or Messenger before him; indeed
some of the Salaf stated that when this chapter was revealed, Shaytãn l let out a great cry of lament.
It holds a central position in the daily Prayer hence the daily life of the Muslim.
The underlying theme, of al-Fatiha is one of contemplation and serenity; pondering the Names and Attributes of Allah, pondering the creation , and acknowledging that He Alone deserves praise and Worship, that He Alone should be asked for help, that He Alone Should be feared and hoped in, that He Alone should be invoked, that there is indeed a Day of Judgment, and that guidance has come to us and we are required to follow it.
It calls us to carefully scrutinise our relationship with our Lord: are we living according to the dictates of ‘none has the right to be worshipped save of Allah’ or not? This opening chapter, despite its brevity, calls man to fulfil the rights of Tawhid, the right that Allah has over us to worship Him Alone without any partner
A Summary of numerous Classical Commentaries of the Qur’an
at-Tabari, al-Baghawi, Az-Zamakhshari, ibn Atityyah, Ibn Jawzi, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Qayyim, Ibn Kathir, as-Suyuti, Alusi, ash-Shawkani, as-Sa’di, ash-Shaqiti and many Others
The Light of The Qur’an
The Prophet peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed by a person reciting Surah Al – Kafirun and remarked, “He has been saved from shirk”. He passed by another reciting Surah Al – Ikhlas and remarked. Paradise has become obligatory for him. Reported by Muslim.
These two chapters have both been given the title Al-Ikhlas, or purity of faith, because they deal with the topic of Tawhid in all its various aspects. Al – Ikhlas concentrates on the pure, essential faith in Allah that all mankind is required to have. Al – Kafirun deals with purity of deed and disavowal of disbelief and paganism. Both chapters lay out the parameters of mans relationship with his/her lord and creator, as well as his/her relationship those around him/her.
Pure, unblemished monotheism combined with sincerity in belief and deed defines the relationship with Allah. Hi is one and only true God, unique, without peer, equal or opposite, and nothing is like on to him. He is the one who stands in need of nothing whereas everything is in dire need of him.
Maintaining the essential Muslim identity and character defines the relationship between the Muslim and his fellow man. The Muslim is unambiguous about his religion, truthful and upright in speech, deed and his dealings with those around him. Hi is proud of his faith and has unshakable conviction in it. He loves his lord, his Messenger and the Muslims and is loyal to them. Because of this, the dearest thing to him is his religion and he will not compromise it, pleasing Allah comes before pleasing the people.
The prophet would frequently recite these two chapters in prayer because of the commonality of their theme and to stress that success is achieved, in this life and the next, by internalising their message and living by it.