Raise Your Dua: Wording of Your Dua

Raise Your Dua: Taking Action!

The vast sea of knowledge

Do you ever feel like there’s so much to learn and so little time? If you do then this post would most definitely resonate with you.

Learning has always been an integral part of my life. Since I can remember I have always relished learning new and different things. As a child I’d raid my father’s bookshelf looking for new books to read and I’d be willing to read anything, because I was taught from a young age that knowledge is power, and that we should always seek knowledge.

I suppose this is why I find it so difficult to deal with the fact that people have turned studying into a meagre economic thing, where choices of what to study are determined by the amount of money that goes with it, and not to mention that crazy amounts that students have to pay just to get knowledge. Even when I studied at university, it was never about the career that would go with the course I was doing. I wasn’t focused on the money I could make after graduation or the so-called prestige that would come with having a degree behind your name. I was interested in the knowledge I was getting and I have to admit that I would excitedly browse through the course options every time I needed to choose because the idea of learning new things appealed to me.

Earlier this year I was sent a link to a free online course and this opened up a whole new learning experience for me. I was surprised to see so many course offerings on so many different topics, and it can all be done online. It’s wonderfully structured, and there’s deadlines which forces you to complete the course. Once again I find myself grappling with learning choices, and it’s just so hard to choose because nowadays my time is more limited and really there is so much to learn in so many different subject areas. Now you understand why blogging has taken a back seat for me. Instead of blogging or reading other blogs I have devoted my time to studying online courses and while I do feel out of touch with some of my oldest blogging friends, I know that I will not always have the time or circumstances to learn and so I have been swimming in the huge ocean of knowledge, trying to find my way around.

Some of you might be wondering why I feel the need to learn more. There’s a misconception with some people that you should only learn what you need to. I would answer you by saying that any knowledge can be beneficial if it helps you to better yourself and by teaching and sharing it, others have the chance of bettering themselves as well. Also, since Allah created everything, I think an understanding of different things in this world will help us to get closer to Allah by appreciating and reflecting on just how amazing and perfect Allah Most glorious is. For example, I was studying a course on the human body and while listening to the lectures on the heart and how it functions I couldn’t help but marvel at the complete masterpiece which is the human body, and hence I couldn’t deny that Allah is the most amazing creator. Besides all this though, learning new things helps to develop the mind and in turn we begin to see the world in many different ways.

I could go on about the benefits of learning, but I won’t. I decided to share my learning experience with you so that you too could benefit. So below you will find the link to the site I have been studying on and if you do learn anything, please feel free to share your experiences with us.

https://www.coursera.org/

Here's another link to a great site I've been learning from for some time now. May Allah reward everyone involved with this for sharing such beneficial Islamic knowledge.

http://www.islamiconlineuniversity.com/diploma/

Besides this there are many other ways to learn and I think that each person should decide in which way they learn best. 

May Almighty Allah bless us all with knowledge that will be beneficial to ourselves and others and may Allah help us to practice what we learn, and may we not be like donkeys carrying books but never benefiting from it, and may Allah Most Glorious save us from believing that the little knowledge we have is something to be proud of, because the knowledge we have been granted through Allah’s mercy only is but a drop in the ocean and since it means so little it does not make sense for us to be arrogant over it.

Image 1 from here 

Image 2 and 3 from here 

The wisdom behind different factors of Salaah (Prayer)- Part 2

Please forgive me for taking so very long to post the next part of this. Insha-Allah I will be posting Part 3, the final part very soon. I pray that you find this as beneficial as I did. 

The wisdom behind prostrating (sajdah)

• By standing in the presence of Allah (the Exalted, the Greatest). And being purified of one’s sins, the worshipper experiences a special condition. The rays emanating from the closeness to the Lord have an effect on him/her so that he/she gains a spiritual brightness and tranquillity.

• Naturally man would think that if being present in front of Allah from a distance created such a condition in him, how much greater would be the sweetness of the experience if he came closer. Hence, his nature demanded that he came closer.

•  In this world, there is no other way to attain this sort of closeness to Lord of the Worlds than by performing sajdah (prostration). It is as though one were prostrating at the feet of Allah Almighty.

The wisdom behind two sajdah’s in one rakaat (cycle)

•      After the first sajdah man has achieved the loftiness of having gained entrance to the special court of the Kings of the kings, and in this special closeness to his Lord, there is a possibility that he may have become proud of his position, like Shaytaan (Satan). Hence he was ordered to prostrate a second time so that he may not feel pride over his pious life, because as Allah (the Most Exalted) says- “We created you from the earth and into it shall we return you.” The one who is always aware of his true nature is very rarely arrogant.
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• Another reason for prostrating twice is this:
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•  When Allah Almighty gave the order for the angels to prostrate in front of Adam (May Allah’s peace be upon him), all of them prostrated, except Shaytaan[1] who did not. When the angels stood up from prostration and saw that Satan had been disgraced because of disobeying Allah’s order they went into prostration a second time to thank Allah that they were not disobedient. Allah (Exalted his He) prescribed two prostrations for believers so that the worshipper may gain the rewards of all the angels for this act of worship.
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• The first sajdah is an expression of obedience to Allah. The second sajdah is a fortress to shelter man from Allah’s curse and a canopy of Allah’s mercy.

The wisdom behind standing up after sajdah

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•      From  the two sajdah’s, two of man’s conditions have become evident.
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•       From the first sajdah the reality of his birth was demonstrated (that is man’s creation from dust).
•      From the second sajdah it was shown that after Allah created man, death will come, when a second time man will return to the dust. And from this same dust, Allah will resurrect man and make us stand up on the day of judgement.

-          Hence, to remind himself/ herself of this reality, the worshipper says “Allahu-Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest) and stands up.

Reference: My Salaat  by  Moulana Muhammad Idris Ansari, translated by Dr. Imtiaz Kamal Madani,

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[1] Please note that Shaytaan was not an angel but instead was of the Jinn (made from fire). We learn that he was one of the greatest worshippers of Allah and for this he was given special privileges to be in Jannah (Paradise) with the angels. 

The wisdom behind different factors of Salaah (Prayer)- Part 1

This is going to be a series of posts Inshaa-Allah taking you through the entire salaah and explaining some of the reasons for the postures and words in the salaah.

All the information in this series will be taken from the following source:

My Salaat  by  Moulana Muhammad Idris Ansari, translated by Dr. Imtiaz Kamal Madani, 

Please note that this is just a basic introduction, the Salaah has so many dimensions to it and there are so many secrets in this beautiful prayer that we will never fully comprehend. This is why salaah is regarded as a gift to Muslims. It should be remembered that Salaah is about connection to Allah Almighty, it is about breaking oneself away from this worldly life, to connect with the Creator and remember what our true purpose on this earth is.

Inshaa-Allah if time permits then this can become a regular weekly thing where posts specifically about Salaah is put up. I am still learning, just like all of you and the more I learn the more it helps me to appreciate the beautiful gifts I have being given, may Allah Most Glorious guide myself and all of you to love and understand what He has given us.

I hope that you enjoy this series and please leave your comments below, if anyone requires any further information or explanation please email me (zhassem1@yahoo.com) and Inshaa-Allah I will try my best to find the information that you need. 

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 The wisdom behind starting salaah with Takbir (that is reciting Allabu Akbar)

• -          Allahu Akbar means that Allah (Most Glorious) is the greatest in all His powers and characteristics, and the meaning of the entire salaah is that by his every action, man is displaying his own and the whole world’s helplessness in comparison to Allah’s greatness.
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• -          For this reason, before one begins his salaah, Allah showed his servant that he will have to perform his entire salaah under the title of Allahu Akbar and perform it with that perspective in mind.

The wisdom behind raising hands to the ears at the start of salaah

• -          When Allah Almighty’s servant says Allahu Akbar, and at the same time raises his hands, he expresses his freedom from associating any partner with Allah, so that the words and actions of the worshipper may be the same.
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• -          When a man is drowning in a river (or other body of water), he raises his hands up in the hope that maybe he can grab something to save his life. In the same way, Allah’s servant says with his tongue, Allahu Akbar, and at the same time, thinking about the river of his sins, he raises his hands as though to say, “O my Saviour, I am drowning, but if you hold me, then I will be saved from drowning in my sins.”
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• -          In short, by raising his hands, the person is expressing his helplessness in front of Allah.

The wisdom behind standing with hands folded in salaah

• -          Man is both accused and guilty in front of Allah on account of his sins, and salaah is like that appeal which the accused has placed in Allah’s court of justice for forgiveness.
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• -          It is as though, at this time, Allah’s court is in session, the King of Kings is present in His court and the case of the accused is being tried.
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• -          In this condition, it is the duty of the accused, that he stand with his eyes downcast and his hands folded in front of him, so that by looking at his helpless and humble condition, Allah the most merciful of those capable of showing mercy, would relent towards him.

The wisdom behind reciting surah Faatiha (the Opening Chapter of the Glorious Quraan) in salaah

• -          Surah Faatiha is actually the substance of the appeal, and as mentioned already, salaah is a means of presenting oneself in the Supreme Court of Allah.
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• -          Now what do you think will happen if one enters the court and his petition is not acceptable, or his plea does not properly express his purpose, or what if he has no petition or plea in itself?
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• -          Thus, Allah Almighty has given us the appeal or the plea to make, when we stand in front of Allah, and this is none other than Surah Faatiha.
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• -          So this petition or plea would then be appropriate to Allah’s Grandeur, and also encompass the most important needs of the servant.

The wisdom behind the requirement of bowing (ruku) in salah

• -          The Lord of the Worlds accepts the plea that the servant has presented, even before the servant performs ruku (bowing)- SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah!)
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• -          It is narrated in a hadeeth something to the effect that when the servant of Allah reaches the part in Surah Faatiha which says (guide us to the straight path- Ihdenassirtatul Mustaqeem), and completes the Surah, then Allah Almighty says, “O my servant! Your appeal has been accepted, and I have fulfilled your request.”
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• -          In thankfulness for his acceptance, the servant makes ruku, and thereby bows his head and waist, in an action that says, “My Lord your servants head and waist are at your service. How can I thank you? This slave is helpless in front of You. This head is also present in front of You. You can create whatever thought (in this head) that You want, and this waist is also present, You can give it strength in whatever action You want.
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• -          In another hadeeth it is narrated something to the effect that, the Prophet (pbuh) said, that when the worshipper stands up for salaah, all his sins are gathered together in the form of a bundle and placed on his head. When he goes into Ruku (bowing), all his sins fall off his head. Because the worshipper becomes pure from his sins after performing ruku, he is happy at his purpose being fulfilled, and says with his tongue (Sami-Allah-u-liman Hamidah- which translates as, “Allah heard the one who praised him), and then he stands up again.

Taken from: My Salaat  by  Moulana Muhammad Idris Ansari, translated by Dr. Imtiaz Kamal Madani,