Pay It Forward
Saturday, November 28, 2009 Read more → Advice, charity, muslim character, the imam In the name of God, entirely Compassionate, especially Merciful | Peace be with you
In the name of God, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ | Peace be with you السلام عليكم
We should take a step back and reflect on the things Allah has or has not given us. To think about what we have done and have not done. For example, every time we go to a janaza (Muslim funeral) we need to make dua' for the reward of the lost life, and we should remember to bury one or more of our bad habits, or at the least start the elimination of that habit. It is only to better ourselves, to put us in a better position to become a better person. None of us are 'great' Muslims all the time as we sometimes like to think. In fact part of being a Muslim is to never think we are better then someone else.
On the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings & peace of Allah be upon him) said:
And as always Allahu Alim, Allah knows best.
By: The Imam
Assalaam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu
Sacrifice is an important element of a 'religious' lifestyle, especially in Islam. Islam calls for moderation and to sacrifice time and energy for those less fortunate then you are. This year Thanksgiving has fallen in the same week as Eid ul Adha here in the States. This is a time of helping those with fewer privilege and also a time for thanking one another for their support, as well as thanking Allah. =D I am not really in much of a position to help anyone a lot, but when I am able it feels great and gives my imaan (convictions in God) a huge boost. There is no true leader except that man who serves his people well: hard to find these days.
Sacrifice is an important element of a 'religious' lifestyle, especially in Islam. Islam calls for moderation and to sacrifice time and energy for those less fortunate then you are. This year Thanksgiving has fallen in the same week as Eid ul Adha here in the States. This is a time of helping those with fewer privilege and also a time for thanking one another for their support, as well as thanking Allah. =D I am not really in much of a position to help anyone a lot, but when I am able it feels great and gives my imaan (convictions in God) a huge boost. There is no true leader except that man who serves his people well: hard to find these days.
We should take a step back and reflect on the things Allah has or has not given us. To think about what we have done and have not done. For example, every time we go to a janaza (Muslim funeral) we need to make dua' for the reward of the lost life, and we should remember to bury one or more of our bad habits, or at the least start the elimination of that habit. It is only to better ourselves, to put us in a better position to become a better person. None of us are 'great' Muslims all the time as we sometimes like to think. In fact part of being a Muslim is to never think we are better then someone else.
On the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings & peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"A man from the people before you was called to account. Nothing good was found for him except that he used to have dealings with people and, being well-to-do, he would order his servants to let off the man in poverty [from repaying his debt]. He (the Prophet pbuh) said that Allah said: 'We are worthier than you of that (of being so generous). Let him off'."
(In Muslim, al-Bukhari and an-Nasa'i)
We are all sinners, our job is to learn one day and try to do better the next and to do that all of our lives. Dirt, Water, Air, that is what we are made from, to that we will return until the day of judgment. On that day hardly anyone will think about someone else, the mass majority will only think about themselves. This dunya is only a provision given to us from Allah. Those with more provision actually have the test and responsibility to help others with less."
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection:
I myself have little possession but alhumduillah anyway; when I am given the chance to help someone, I do anything in my means to do it, it's usually not much but it is honestly from my heart. When help is from the heart the people whom we help know, and treasure our help and friendship.
"O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him?
O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me?
O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me no drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink whin You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me."
(Muslim hadith collection)
Truthfully, I am in a position of needing help myself, and I have faith that Allah (swt) will show me the opportunities and people that I will meet to get that help. In return I will help someone else, help and charity is a circle, one of the many cyclical processes in life. I will insha'Allah Pay It Forward. So lets do our best Insha'Allah to kick out a bad habit, give up something we have, or help someone out with physical hands-on actions or even by just being there to listen. Insha'Allah it will bring us closer as a Muslim Ummah and as a global human Ummah.
On the authority of Adiyy ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
* i.e. at the time of the Hour. It was related by al-Bukhari.
Remember brothers and sisters, be more willing to sacrifice yourself, return all good help and Pay It Forward. May Allah reward you with good.
On the authority of Adiyy ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"I was with the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and there came to him two men: one of them was complaining of penury (being very poor), while the other was complaining of brigandry (robbery). The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: As for brigandry, it will be but a short time before a caravan will [be able to] go out of Mecca without a guard. As for extreme poverty, the Hour (Day of Judgement) will not arrive before one of you takes his charity around without finding anyone to accept it from him. Then* one of you will surely stand before Allah, there being no screed between Him and him, nor an interpreter to translate for him. Then He will say to him: Did I not bring you wealth? And he will say: Yes. Then He will say: Did I not send to you a messenger? And he will say: Yes. And he will look to his right and will see nothing but Hell-fire, then he will look to his left and will see nothing but Hell-fire, so let each of you protect himself against Hell-fire, be it with even half a date - and if he finds it not, then with a kind word."
Remember brothers and sisters, be more willing to sacrifice yourself, return all good help and Pay It Forward. May Allah reward you with good.
And as always Allahu Alim, Allah knows best.
Peace & respect ★
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