“Allah makes the way to Jannah easy for him who treads the path in search of knowledge.” [Saheeh Muslim]

The first meaning of path is a path that one walks on, such as when people leave their home to any location to gain knowledge.  The specific destination does not restrict the meaning.  Thus, the meaning includes a person traveling to a masjid, school, university, or any other location where knowledge is being dispensed. This meaning also includes a student of knowledge traveling from his city to another city to seek knowledge as the first meaning includes anyone literally ‘treading’ a path (stepping the steps on a path) towards knowledge.

A secondary meaning of path is defined as a process by which an individual seeks knowledge from scholars and books. Therefore, treading a path is not contingent on the actual movement of an individual-for example, one who investigates rulings without leaving his city or attends classes with scholars is indeed treading a path in search of knowledge according to this definition.

In summary, “treading on a path” is categorized into two primary definitions:
a)      Physically walking upon a path.
b)      Intention to connect oneself to knowledge, irrespective of ones physical state.

Whosoever treads this path, Allah subhana wa ta’ala facilitates for him a path to Paradise.   This is due to the significance placed on learning knowledge of the Shariah (Islamic Law), which enables an individual to understand the rulings that Allah has sent down. With this type of knowledge, both prohibitions and commands can be understood in there proper light, identifying the path that pleases Allah, and connect oneself with Paradise.  This connection will manifest itself in the obedience of Allah in ones life, and every time the desire for treading on the path increases, so too will ones connection with Paradise.

In this hadith, describing the fruits of the path to gaining knowledge, we learn that it is critical to take advantage of the opportunity to seek knowledge, specifically in times of our lives when we may be free from other difficulties. If the goal is to tread a path to your Lord by seeking knowledge, the efficient student would take heed before the obstacles of life litter his path (and distance his goal).

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said in a well-known hadeeth, “A person will be with whom he loves.” [Bukhari] Companionship, as we learn from the Qur’an, can help one attain success in the hereafter or bring them great loss.

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam stated that loving for the sake of Allah is one of the three ingredients needed for the slave to taste the sweetness of emaan [Bukhari], showing us the elevated status and the magnitude of the blessing of loving for the sake of Allah Alone. This bond of the believers is so strong that Allah declares friendship on the Day of Judgment will only be for the Muttaqoon. [Surah Zukhruf]

On the other hand, Allah gives the example of a person who took an evil companion in the dunya and will cry with regret on the Day of Judgment. [Surah Furqan]

In this talk  which was given a few months ago at MCC (Muslim Community Center) in Maryland (and was recorded by a special Nurayn “pearl” :) ), Br Nouman discusses in detail the types of friendship found in the Qur’an and the importance of company.

Listen and download it here – jazakum Allahu khayran to HalalTube for posting it for Qabeelat Nurayn.

May Allah grant us righteous companionship and allow us to be in the company of His Prophet and the believers on the Day of Judgment.

“It was definitely one of the best AlMaghrib seminars… no… best EXPERIENCES of my life. I had been looking for an Eman Rush and I found an  Eman Eruption in this seminar”

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“This class changed my life, I really don’t know how else to put it. The material, the way it was taught, the atmosphere – it became one of those checkpoints or milestones in my life where I said to myself, “Ok, it’s time to change.”

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“I’d have to say that this is the best Almaghrib class I’ve ever taken.”

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“I could rave about this class for years.”

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“I can’t tell you how many times we all cried, our mouths dropped and we gave hugs to each other. If this class was a year round thing and was a million dollars, I would go. Definitely.”

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What can it be?

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ألا إن في الجسد مضغة إذا صلحت صلح الجسد كله، وإذا فسدت فسد الجسد كله ألا وهي القلب

“Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it is sound, then the whole body is sound,  and if it is corrupt, then whole body is corrupt. Truly it is the heart.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

A Heart Serene: Studies in Tazkiyah

Coming to the LIGHTHOUSE

Oct 23-25, 30-Nov 1st

inshaAllah

Bismillah

Alhamdulillahi wahdah, was Salaatu was Salaamu ‘alaa man laa Nabiyy ba’dah.

SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi. I am speechless.

There’s nothing more I can say to you all then Jazaakum Allahu khayran. We say this after every seminar, and we mean it every single time.
Shaykh AbdulBary said to us that don’t look at this work as a burden, rather thank Allah that you are working for His sake and that He choose YOU to be apart of this da’wah. I look to our volunteers and can’t ask for them and their families anything except Firdaws al ‘Alaa with the companionship of our Messenger sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, Allahumma Ameen.

I thank Allah ta’ala that He united us for these weekends to journey with shaykh AbdulBary through the life of our Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. I thank Allah ta’ala that He blessed us to gather only for His Sake, and I thank Him azza wa jal for granting us success in this seminar and ending it in the most beautiful way. We ask Him to accept our deeds and work.

This seminar has already gone down in our history; and it is one I will never forget.

I reminder myself and everyone with what shaykh AbdulBary told us: the journey is FAR from over. Remember that.

Let’s get to work Nurayn. We have a long way to go inshaAllah.

Share comments here.

5 REASONS WHY YOU NEED TO TAKE LIGHT UPON LIGHT
Even though you only need reason #1

5- Knowledge of the Names of Allah is the basis for all other knowledge. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“Knowledge of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah is the basis of all other kinds of knowledge, for all of these other branches of knowledge are devoted to either a command or a creation of His.” [Badaa'i' al-Fawaa'id (1/163].

4- Studying the Names of Allah azza wa jal is the MOST noble of sciences. Why? This is because the nobility of a science is connected to the nobility of its subject, and there is no subject that one can study more noble than Allah–Al ‘Azeez, Al Kareem.

3- Calling upon Allah & praising Him by these Names is one of the greatest deeds and best forms of dhikr. Allah ta’ala says: “And to Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them.” [7:180]

2- How can you love Allah if you do not know Him? There was a man who love to recite surah Ikhlaas in prayer. Some Companions mentioned this to the Prophet, so he said, “Ask him why he does that.” He said, “Because it is the Description of the Most Merciful (Sifaat ar-Rahmaan), and I love to recite it.” The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, “Inform him that Allah loves Him.” [Agreed Upon]

1- Jannah. Enough said. Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu reported that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, Allah has ninty-nine Names, one hundred less one. Whoever ‘ahsaaha‘ will enter Jannah. [Bukhari and Muslim] Ahsaaha means: whoever enumerates them, believes in them, ponders their meanings, worships Allah by them and supplicates with them, and acts by them according to one’s belief in them.

…If you want to learn the basis for all other knowledge…

…If you want to study the most noble of sciences…

…If you want to engage in the best form of dhikr…

…If you want to really know Allah…

…If you want Jannah…

Need babysitting? Carpooling? Directions? We’ve got your covered! See HERE.

Have any questions? Feel free to ASK!

Light upon Light Lite
Fundamentals of Faith 102
Nov 21-23, 2008 – GMU/Fairfax
Yasir Qadhi

*Come learn about your Rabb subhanahu wa ta’ala*

“(This is) a Mubaarak Book which We have sent down to you, that they may reflect upon its signs, and that men of understanding may remember.” (Saad: 38:29)

Mubaarak is that which is full of barakah. And barakah is from the root, ba ra kaaf (ب ر ك), and barakah is that which lasts long and has the ability to increase. When something is Mubaarak, it includes three meanings:

• It is a source of katheerul khayr, full of goodness. So Mubaarak is that which has a lot of good and is where unexpected and expected good is received.
• Source of katheerul fawaa’id, a lot of benefits.
• That which is thaabit, firm and has continuity. The blessings one receives from it is firm, it is not a temporary benefit but has permanence.

So how is the Qur’an Mubaarak? Let’s look at all three of these meanings:

• the Qur’an is a source of katheerul khayr: it is a guidance and mercy for the believers, it gives the news of Jannah, it is a healing, it contains commandments that guide us, it is a light, it is an admonition and advice from Allah, and it is a source of reward (10 rewards per letter).
• the Qur’an is a source of katheerul fawaa’id: it benefits in both this life and the next. In this dunya it is a furqaan for us-the criterion between right and wrong, it increases one in knowledge and it is a source of protection. In the aakhirah, it is a means to ascend to the highest levels of Jannah (hadeeth: iqra’ war taqi, read and ascend!), it an intercessor and shade for its companions, and it will accompany its readers in the grave.
• the Qur’an contains firm, continuous and permanent blessings: the Rabb Who revealed it is Blessed, the Prophet it was revealed to is blessed (alayhi salaatu wa salaam), the month it was revealed in is blessed, the night it was sent down in is blessed, the city it was revealed in is blessed, those who store it in their heart are blessed, those who learn it are blessed and those who teach it are blessed.

So ask yourself: am I missing out on this Mubaarak Book? Have you tasted some of its goodness, benefits and blessings?

may Allah ta’ala make us among the companions of the Qur’an, Ameen.

The Virtues of Ramadaan

Source

1 – Allaah has made fasting this month the fourth pillar of Islam.
2 – Allaah revealed the Qur’aan in this month.
3 – Allaah has made Laylat al-Qadr in this month, which is better than a thousand months.
4 – Allaah has made fasting Ramadaan and spending its nights in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward a means of forgiveness of sins.
5 – In this month, Allaah opens the gates of Paradise and closes the gates of Hell, and chains up the devils.
6 – Every night Allaah has people whom He redeems from the Fire.
7 – Fasting Ramadaan is a means of expiation for the sins committed since the previous Ramadaan, so long as one avoids major sins.
8 – Fasting in Ramadaan is equivalent to fasting ten months.
9 – Whoever prays qiyaam in Ramadaan with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer.
10 – ‘Umrah in Ramadaan is equivalent to Hajj.
11 – It is Sunnah to observe i’tikaaf (retreat for the purpose of worship) in Ramadaan.
12 – It is mustahabb in the sense of being strongly recommended in Ramadaan to study the Qur’aan together and to read it a great deal.
13 – It is mustahabb in Ramadaan to offer iftaar to those who are fasting.

In many verses of the Qur’an, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala calls it a “huda”, a guidance, for the believers. We may think this guidance refers to guidance in religion, but the Qur’an is a guidance for all aspects of our life…however it’s up to us to extract these lessons and implement them. A’ishah radi Allahu anha said the character of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam was the Qur’an. Many Muslims read the Qur’an with the intention of reward, yet we forget that the main purpose of the Qur’an is to guide us, to be our huda. From the richness of the Arabic language, we learn what huda really means. Huda or hidaayah has three meanings:

• To show one the path
• To help them ‘walk’ on that path
• To guide them until they reach their destination

Think about it: Allah ta’ala guides someone to Islam, then He guides the person to do righteous deeds and do tawbah for his sins, and lastly He guides them to Jannah. May Allah ta’ala guide us until we reach Jannah, Ameen.

So this guidance contains innumerable lessons for the believers, and one lesson I would like to share is a small one that may not be caught if a person does not reflect on the verse…

To make the amazing lesson from this verse deeper, let’s first look at the background behind the people being addressed…the people of Lut alayhi salaam.

Allah ta’ala swears by the life of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam and says about them:
لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِي سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ
Verily, by your life, in their wild intoxication, they were wandering blindly! (15:72)

Allah ta’ala also says:
إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمَ سَوْءٍ فَاسِقِينَ
Indeed they were a people of evil, defiantly disobedient. (21:74)

The angels who were sent to destroy them said:
إِنَّا أُرْسِلْنَا إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ مُجْرِمِينَ
Indeed we have been sent to a people of criminals. (15:58)

These people said about Lut alayhi salaam and his followers:
أَخْرِجُوا آلَ لُوطٍ مِنْ قَرْيَتِكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ أُنَاسٌ يَتَطَهَّرُونَ
Expel the family of Lut from your city, indeed they are people who keep themselves pure! (27:56)

….Now we have a clear description of who these people were.

His people said to him:
قَالُوا لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهِ يَا لُوطُ لَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُخْرَجِينَ
They said, if you do not desist (from giving da’wah), O Lut, you will surely be of those evicted! (26:167)

Here is the lesson in the following ayah, the hidayah for us, the amazing response of Lut alayhi salaam, he said:

إِنِّي لِعَمَلِكُمْ مِنَ الْقَالِينَ
Indeed I am towards your deed, of those who detest (it). (26:168)

Do you see the lesson? Read the ayah again and ponder…

Remember the status of these people and their description in the Qur’an: disobedient, intoxicated criminals who were destroyed in the worst way by Allah azza wa jal, and Lut alayhi salaam says what…I destest your deeds. He doesn’t say, I detest you, or you disgust me–he doesn’t direct the detestation to them, but to the evil deeds they are committing. SubhanAllah, here we have a lesson in da’wah and akhlaaq. If Lut alayhi salaam is speaking in this manner to people whom Allah describes as an evil disobediant nation, then how are we supposed to speak to our parents, our fellow Muslims, our neighbors, our non Muslim peers, our communities? This was also how the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam taught, he would correct a person indirectly and speak harshly of the action and not the doer of the action. How far we have diverted from this! In this one short ayah, one simple sentence, we learn a profound lesson. This is how the Qur’an is huda, and we must reflect and ponder on these verses–for the Qur’an was not sent as a story book, but to guide us out of darknesses and into the light of guidance. may Allah ta’ala make us among the companions of the Qur’an and those who follow its guidance, Ameen.

Asalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

We hope everyone is doing well this morning, after a great weekend of learning and activities.

Alhamdulillah, we have a grand total of our donation drive for Muslimat Al Nisaa:

Jazakum Allahu khayran to all those who donated and intended to donate, may Allah azza wa jal reward you greatly, may He ta’ala extinguish your sins like water extinguishes a fire and may He ta’ala place barakah in your wealth and time, Ameen. Remember that we can only thank you, but your reward is with Ash-Shakoor (The Most Appreciative). Our goals were to raise $1500 and 500 total items and with the bounty and help from Allah we far exceeded these goals!
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InshaAllah we would like to work with this organization again, and please check out their website here, and be sure to watch the video where a sister discusses her experience as being homeless and what this organization did to help her. May Allah ta’ala alleviate their difficulties and may He make us among those who support and assist them in these trials, Ameen. If anyone would like to help with future projects, please email this account inshaAllah.

May Allah reward all the volunteers who helped organize this, especially two amazing sisters, may Allah azza wa jal reward you abundantly! Ameen.

InshaAllah until next time Nurayn….Barak Allahu feekum.

So what am I gonna do about it?

Give up. Yes, you heard me. You’re probably thinking, ‘our projects coordinator is giving up?!’

Well, consider this a new page in my life because I’m just going to stop. What am I going to stop? I’m going to stop trying to explain to you why you should help this project out and allow you to read one letter, yes, just one letter that we received at the masjid from an inmate requesting literature on Islam and then I’ll let you make the choice to donate or not. Then it’s up to you, Qabeelat Nurayn….

Assalamu Alaykum

I’m a newly convert I’ve just embraced Islam and I’m in need for a few items to help me grow in my faith. I need a book on prayer, a Holy Qur’an and any other books or pamphlets that will help me grow in the truth of the muslim. I’ve studied a few religions in my 30 yrs and no other religion has touched me the way Islam has. I’ve been corrupted by crime and I have only recently found a foundation to help break the chain and my place in life. InshaAllah you can help in my road to spiritual growth. Like I said I’ve come to realize that Islam is the faith for me so mashaAllah I will hear from you soon. Asalamu Alaykum [His name]