Ramadan Reminders; Day 4

Assalam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu! :)

May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah swt be upon you!

Daily Reminder 4:

Imagine yourself committing abundant good deeds. You spread the word of Allah, completed an entire recitation of the Quran in Ramadan, stand in Taraweeh, give charity, help your mom with the household chores, attend Islamic lectures and so much more. You’re content with yourself on the amount of good deeds you’ve committed. 

But when it is The Time for your deeds to be weighed and you’re anticipating your Lord to send you to Jannah, you see that all your deeds are nothing but dust now. You’re not going to be benefited by all the hard word you did in dunya. 

What do you think would have caused that?

When our intention is not to please Allah, but what we intended from our good acts was only worldly benefits. Or perhaps the reason behind our abundant good deeds was to brag about their quantity. 

Umar ibn al Khattab (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, 

“The reward of deeds depend upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he intended.”  

            

[Sahih Bukhari]

So when you engage in any act of goodness and you don’t set your intention right, you don’t do it for the sake of Allah and to please Allah but you only commit those deeds as a chore, how can you expect to get the reward for it…?

Whatever good deed you think of committing, then do so with the intention of pleasing Allah. Because if you intend to do a good deed for the sake of Allah (and you haven’t yet done it) then in your book of records, it is written as one good deed. But if you complete that good deed with the intention of pleasing Allah, it is written as ten good deeds. 

[Sahih Muslim]

So next time you sit down with the Quran or you help your mother in the kitchen or you’re on your way for taraweeh or you control your anger, do it for the sake of Allah and to please Allah swt. Even if you do just a limited number of good deeds in a day, its fine!! Because the most beloved deed to Allah is the most regular and constant, even though it were little. 

[Sahih Bukhari]

Fix your intention and it will fix your Aakhirah!

Verse of the Day

Juz: 4

Surah: Al Imran

Verse: 104

وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.”

This ayah needs no overview. The message is upright and clear that a group among the Muslim ummah should dedicate their lives to calling people to the Quran, to all works of righteousness, to the deen of Allah swt.

This was the job of all the Prophets sent down by Allah – they preached good, spread the word of Allah, the Oneness of Allah, urged their people to seek forgiveness from Allah, warned them about the consequences of sinning and gave them the good news of the rewards of being righteous!

And now, Allah is ordering that a group of Muslims should take up the same job like that of the Prophets. What does this mean??

You are now the torch bearer of the task that was given to the Prophets. The line of Prophets is complete, Prophet Muhammad (saws) is the Seal of the Prophets. Why? Because Allah revealed the Quran to him, the best gift to mankind, the manual for mankind which includes the dos and don’ts of life. Now it is your responsibility that you carry this message forward, call people to righteousness just as the Prophets of Allah did. 

Such an honourable position to be at! Such a divine and glorious task your Lord has bestowed upon you! Are you now, going to back off from this task?

Prophet Muhammad (saws) has said,

“Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to that of those who follow it, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all.” 

[Sahih Muslim]

Therefore, use your talent in the way of Allah swt. If you cannot do this full time, then do it whenever you get the opportunity. But don’t let go of this task. For indeed the people of this task are the successful ones in the Hereafter. This is what Allah swt says in Surah Fussilat- verse 33 about the all the full term and part time daees out there,

“Who speaks better than one who calls to Allah, does good works and says, ‘I am surely one of the Muslims?”

The Prophet (saws) also said in this respect, 

“If Allah guides one man through you, this will be better for you than possessing red camels.” 

[Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim]

(Camels were considered the most valuable property in ancient Arabia and the red variety was the most prized of all.)

May Allah swt make us among this who work in spreading His Deen and call people to righteousness while being righteous ourselves! Ameen.

Sunnah Challenge 4:

Don't forget to put up a smile next time you see your family or a friend!

It is the smile which draws love from people and makes you more approachable! It is smile which puts you back into a better way from your depressing state!

Abdullaah ibnul-Haarith ibn Hazm (ra) said: 

"I never saw anyone smile more than the Prophet (saws)." 

[At-Tirmidhi]

Assalam Alaykum.