In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Weekly Classroom Themes – Middle

The following series is designed for teachers to create a weekly theme in the classroom that will build Islamic worldviews and ethics. This is not a lesson substitute, rather it is a theme that the class adopts for a week. A teacher might introduce the topic on the first day of the week during a five-minute opening discussion. Then, throughout the week the students and teacher can refer back to the theme of the week with regards to other materials / lessons / units being studied. Since each class will have unique materials being taught, what follows is merely an outline with some suggestions for classroom discussions.

The teacher may decide to post a focal Prophetic narration, or even just have the theme of the week (for example: Generosity) on the board throughout the week. This exercise is aimed to get students thinking within an Islamic worldview and from Muslim ethics during all classes, not just the Islamic studies class. A teacher may decide to tie in the example (for example: generosity) into social studies, mathematics word problems, writing assignments and so forth. Having gone through many of the following weekly themes, inshaAllah, students will have been exposed to and been thinking about a variety of concepts targeted to their level.

Only three series were created: Elementary, Middle and Secondary. The topics were categorized in such a manner in order to target the level and abilities of the respective students, however some weekly topics introduced at the lower levels are again taught in higher levels. A 36-week schedule has been developed, based upon a typical school year.

Weekly Themes

Week Theme Week Theme1 Doing Good Deeds 19 Hold firmly to the rope of Allah2 Bad Conduct 20 Kitabullah3 Preventing Du’a 21 Dealing with mistakes4 Leadership 22 al Qaswa5 Showing Off 23 Repaying parents6 Du’a 24 Caring for orphans7 Mercy 25 A tree in Jennah8 Self admiration 26 Rights of Others9 Prophet Muhammad 27 First Khutbah10 No reckoning to fear 28 Good Conduct11 Act upon it 29 Seeking knowledge12 Expect the best 30 Selflessness13 Economic Disparity 31 Charity14 Wastefulness 32 Steadfastness15 Muslim-Christian Relations 33 Pride16 Disputation 34 Hastening to Good17 Backbiting 35 Keeping good company18 Unity 36 Social Services

Week 1

Doing Good Deeds In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Make the orphan come close to you, and be nice to him, and wipe his head, and feed him from your food. That will cause your heart to be soft and your needs to be fulfilled” (recorded in al Tabarani).

Allah calls Muslims to all sorts of good deeds, and there is specific reward in doing those good deeds. A beautiful addition to that is the situation of the believer, in a general sense, which is made better when good deeds are done. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy upon him) was once asked by a person to make du’a (supplication) for him. He said: “Verily, du’a is raised by good deeds.” In saying this, he was directing the questioner to make better his situation by doing good deeds, if he wants his du’a to be accepted. Wahb ibn Munabbih (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The example of the one who makes du’a without doing any good deeds is like the one who tries to shoot arrows without a bow.”

May Allah may us among those who constantly do good.

Questions: What is du’a and why do we make it?

Research one Sahabah who used to do many good deeds.

What good deeds can be do everyday?

What kind of activities are available at the school and in the community that we can join that would be considered doing good deeds?

How are your needs fulfilled by being kind to orphans?

Week 2

Bad Conduct In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Dr. Ali Sallabi wrote: Some young people have resorted to bad conduct, namely seeking out the faults and mistakes of the scholars, looking for some odd views they may have, and misinterpreting their words in a way that is different from what they intended. They did that to justify their senseless campaign, the aim of which is to undermine scholars, both classical and contemporary, whose views differ from theirs and who do not approve of their way of thinking, which is not the way of moderation. This action of theirs has caused a great deal of harm to

Islam and a great deal of joy to the enemies of Islam"

About this ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "No one should narrate such weak opinions from any of the imams of the Muslims, whether they be by way of condemning him or by way of following him in this view. That is a kind of undermining of the imams and seeking to follow weak views. By following this method, the ruling official of the Tatars created turmoil among the Sunnis, so that he could lead them to leave ahl al Sunnah wa al Jama'ah altogether."

Furthermore, Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not think anything but good about the spoken word by your believing brother when there is a way to interpret it in a good manner."

Questions: What is Dr. Sallabi talking about?

Does this apply to us? Give some examples.

What does believing good about others mean? How do we implement it?

Think of a time when you thought something bad about someone. Now consider the good qualities that they also have – is it possible that you misunderstood? Did you give them any excuses?

Week 3

Preventing Du'a In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

As there are manners to making du’a, there are likewise actions that prevent a du’a from being accepted. InshaAllah the following will outline some of these points, further details can be gained from the text by Yasir Qadhi called Du’a. Some of those factors which may prevent a du’a from being answered are:

1. Forbidden sustenance: It is narrated that the Prophet (may exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “O people! Allah is Pure, and He only accepts that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers what He commanded the Messengers, for He said: ‘O Messengers! Eat from the pure foods, and do right.’ And He said: ‘O you who believe! Eat from the pure and good foods We have given you.’ Then the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) mentioned a traveler on a long journey, who is disheveled and dusty, and who stretches forth his hands to the sky, saying: ‘O my Lord, O my Lord!’ While his food is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully; how can he be

answered?” (recorded in Ahmad, Muslim and Tirmidhi).

2. Sins: The Prophet mentioned in one narration (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) that du’a in the middle of the night is accepted “except for a fornicator that is striving [to sell] her private parts or a tax collector” (recorded in Tabarani). Thus, we see that sins can act as a barrier for du’a.

3. Being hasty: The Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The du’a of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as he does not ask for a sin or breaking of ties of kinship, and as long as he is not hasty” (recorded in Muslim).

May Allah guide us and accept our du’a.

Questions: Can you think of any other reasons?

Choose one of the above topics and find out more information.

How can you improve your du’a based upon this information?

What are the correct manners of dua?

Why should we eat, drink and wear halaal?

What are the best times to make du’a?

Week 4

Leadership

In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"The most blessed of people is the one whose subjects are blessed because of him, and the most wretched of people is the one whose subjects are wretched because of him. Beware of indulging in the people's wealth, lest the people working for you also indulge; then your example would be like that of the animal that looks at the green land and starts grazing in order to grow fat, but its death will be caused by its fatness."

Questions: What makes a leader?

Write about a famous leader.

What are the responsibilities of a leader?

Are you a leader?

Who was Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Week 5

Showing Off In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The Prophetic traditions explain that to do deeds for the purpose of showing off, or to please people, it is a form of lesser polytheism (shirk). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The thing I fear most for you is lesser polytheism.” They said: “What is lesser polytheism, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Showing off. Allah will say on the day of resurrection, when He will reward the people for their deeds: ‘Go to those whom you used to show off in the world, and see whether you find any reward with them’” (recorded in Ahmed).

Leader of the Believers Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Do not do any good deed to show off, and do not refrain from doing it out of shyness.” In order to help us understand what exactly showing off means, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) defined it in saying: “There are three signs of the show-off: he is lazy when he is alone and active when he is with other people; he does more if he is praised because of it; and he does less if he is criticized because of it.”

The forms of showing off can take numerous types. It may be in actions, including acts of worship such as prayer. It may occur in speech. Or, it may involve appearance and the way one dresses. What separates showing off from worship in these cases is the intention. Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said regarding this: “No words are good unless accompanied by action, and no action is good unless accompanied by intention, and no intention is good unless it is in accordance with the Sunnah.”

And Allah knows best.

Questions: What is showing off? What are some examples?

Pay attention to yourself this week, do you show off?

Write a page about your experiences this week regarding showing off.

How can you improve yourself to stop any actions that lead to showing off?

Week 6

Du'a In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

In our making of supplications, seeking assistance from our Lord, we may in fact practice actions that in and of themselves run counter to what we seek. Which, will decrease the likelihood of having such a supplication answered. There are many such actions one ought to be aware of, the following will inshaAllah elaborate upon one, namely not expecting Allah to respond.

Many expect that supplication will not be responded to, and it may be that such supplication is not responded to simply because of this mindset. Such a person is presuming that Allah will not respond to them; however, this runs counter to faith as a believer expects the best from Allah and if confident that Allah will hear and respond.

On certain occasions this kind of thinking leads people to stop making du’a, however it should be out practice to supplicate to Allah in all times, places and situations. We ought not feel hopeless or helpless; rather, let us seek solace in our supplications. Sufyan ibn Uyaynah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Let none of you think that his du’a will not be answered because of [the sins] that he knows of himself. Indeed, Allah responded to the du’a of the worst of creation, Iblis, may Allah curse him, when he said: “O my Lord! Give me respite until the Day of Judgment! [Surah al Hijr: 36-37].” If such a du’a can be accepted, then be certain that you du’a has more right than his.

Allah knows best.

Questions: Do you remember some of the reasons du’a might not be accepted?

What can we learn from this reminder?

Is this different from the points we made in an earlier week?

Find out the du’a made by at least three Prophets in the Qur’an.

Week 7

Mercy In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Tufayl ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, Daws (a tribe) has disobeyed and refused [to enter Islam], so pray against them.” So the people thought that the Prophet would pray against them, but instead he said: “O Allah! Guide Daws and bring them [to Islam]”.” (recorded in al Bukhari).

May Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil, our beloved Prophet, a mercy for mankind and the greatest of examples for us. Peace and blessings be upon him.

Questions: What is mercy? Give examples.

Can you think of similar examples from our lives?

What can we learn from this Prophetic narration?

What ethic is being taught here?

Who was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Week 8

Self Admiration In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

“Self admiration is the most serious of problems”

The quote mentioned above was said by the Leader of the Believers Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). Self admiration is seen as disastrous because it spoils good deeds as vinegar does to honey. And, it is contrary to being sincere. Abdullah ibn Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Self admiration means thinking that you have something others do not have” and ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) explained that this is different from showing off in that self admiration is including oneself with Allah whereas showing off is including others in motivation in doing deeds.

Imam al Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The way to rid oneself of self admiration is to know that knowledge is a blessing from Allah and a complete favour.” Ibn al Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It

should be noted that when a person says or does something, seeking the pleasure of Allah, realizing the blessing that Allah has bestowed him with regard to that, and he is doing it by the help of Allah and not by his own power, knowledge, thought and strength – rather it is Allah Who created for him his tongue, heart, eyes and ears – that He is the one who blessed him with what he said or did. When that becomes well entrenched in his mind, then self admiration will not develop in him, because self admiration results from focusing on one’s own self and not realizing the blessing and help of one’s Lord.”

May Allah protect us and guide us to what is best.

Questions: What is self-admiration? Give examples.

Is this relevant for us today? How?

What is the result self admiration?

What is the quality a Muslim should have instead?

Week 9

Prophet Muhammad In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Get to know the beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) described the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after his death in saying: “I washed the Messenger of Allah, and I started looking to see what I would expect in one who was deceased, but I did not see anything. He looked good in life and in death, blessings and peace be upon him.”

Ali ibn abi Talib is also recorded to have described the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when asked by a group of Jewish people about his description, as: “He was the most merciful of people towards people, to the orphan he was like a compassionate father, and to widows he was generous and kind. He was the bravest of people and the most generous in giving, and he was the most handsome in appearance. His garment was a cloak, his food was barley bread, his condiment was milk, his pillow was leather stuffed with palm fibers, and his bed was made from a tree called umm gheelan, covered with woven material.”

May Allah bestow peace and blessings upon our beloved Prophet.

These narrations are quoted by Dr. A. M. al Sallabi in his text Ali ibn abi Talib (2010), in Vol. 1 pages 125-126.

Questions: Describe the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in 1 page.

What were his manners and character?

How did his manners and character affect others?

Share one idea with the class on how we can be more like him.

Who was Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Assignment:

Design a poster with different categories relating to the Prophet’s life (peace and blessings be upon him) such as family, companions, narrations, food, leadership, etc. Then under each category write about his perfect examples. Think of at least 10 different categories and have at least 2 examples under each category.

Week 10

No reckoning to fear ...

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “On the day of resurrection three people will find themselves on a ridge of black must. They will have no reckoning to fear, nor any cause for alarm while human accounts are being settled. First, a man who recites the Qur’an to please Allah, and who leads the prayer to people’s satisfaction. Second, a man who makes the call to prayer in the masjid, inviting people to God for the sake of His good pleasure. Third, a man who has a hard time making a living in this world, yet is not distracted from the work of the Hereafter.”

Recorded in Tirmidhi.

Questions: What can we learn from this narration?

What is the reckoning going to be like?

What is sincerity? Does it matter?

Think about the 3rd category, can you think of examples?

Week 11

Act upon it ... In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Amir al Mu'mineen Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"Acquire knowledge, and you will become known for it; act upon it, and you will become of the people of knowledge."

To Kameel ibn Ziyad, Ali gave the following instructions (may Allah be pleased with them): "'O Kameel ibn Ziyad, hearts are like vessels, the best of them are those that contain the most knowledge. Remember what I say to you. People are of three types: the devoted scholar, the one who seeks knowledge in order to save himself and the riffraff who follow every caller, bending with every wind, they do not seek guidance with knowledge and they never hold on to any strong pillar."

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) also said:

"Knowledge calls out to action to join it. If action responds (all well and good), otherwise knowledge will depart."

(Related in Ali ibn abi Talib by Dr. al Sallabi, 2010)

Questions:

What is the importance of knowledge?

Why should we constantly seek knowledge and continue to learn?

Why is acting upon the knowledge that we acquire very important?

Week 12

Expect the Best In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 

"Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him, has said: 'Whatever My servant assumes of Me, that is how I will treat him, and I am with him when he remembers Me." (recorded in Sahih Muslim, #8138)

So if a person only expects good from Allah, and is certain that Allah will not destroy his hopes and desires, then Allah will fulfill his expectations. On the other hand, if he is not certain of the response of Allah, and he feels that he will not be responded to, then he will be treated the way that he feels. al Shawkani commented on this hadeeth saying:

"In this hadeeth, Allah encourages His servants to expect the best from Him, since He will treat them according to their expectations. So whoever expects good from Him will be showered with His good, and will be shown His beautiful generosity...But he who is not like that will not be treated in this manner. And this is the meaning of the fact that He is with him when he remembers Him. So it is obligatory on the slave to always assume the best of Allah. And he should help himself to achieve this status by always recalling the texts (Qur'an and Sunnah) that show the great Mercy of Allah."

This is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) states:

"Let not any of you die except that he assumes the best from Allah." (Muslim, #2877).

Du'a - abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi (p. 81-82)

Questions:

Why should we always only expect good from Allah?

What can an individual do to make sure that he/she always expects the best from Allah?

Is there a need to ever worry if you only expect the best from Allah?

Week 13

Economic Disparity In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The last several decades have shown that, despite an overall increase in wealth, the gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to widen. The rich are becoming richer and the poor even poorer. With that economic and social context in mind, what does Islam have to say on these processes?

Dr. Hashimi writes that from the Islamic perspective an effort must always be made to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, not to facilitate disparity. He argues that setting limits on the power of the wealthy and raising the economic levels of

the poor will move towards greater social harmony for society. He writes, “Islam dislikes the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and deprivation of the masses thereby. This is one of the basic principles of the Islamic view of wealth and economy, as expressed in the verse: 

"...so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you. And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty." (59:7)

The examples of this social policy in action are plentiful in the Prophetic biography, such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave all the booty of Banu al Nadeer to the poor migrants (muhajireen) and not to the wealthy locals (ansar), with the exception of two poor residents.

Thus, an effort must be taken to narrow the financial gap. Islam seeks a social harmony and balance striving for the common interest of all – by taking wealth from the rich and redistributing it among the poor.

Questions:

What is one of the basic principles of the Islamic view of wealth and economy?

What can we do to try and make sure that people don’t live in poverty?

Give another example where the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) made sure that the less wealthy in the community were given more of what they needed.

Assignment:

Write a letter to yourself outlining what you should do with some of your money in terms of sharing and distributing fairly if you ever became wealthy.

Week 14

Wastefulness In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Far too often we see wastefulness, such as the purchasing of unused goods or throwing away of materials that one can use. One of the aims of the economy based upon Islamic regulations and goals is that resources are used in the most effective manner as well as conserving them in a strategic method. Dr. Hashimi explains that first and foremost this means gathering information on available resources, so that they will not be wasted and/or neglected. And, this is the Prophetic method, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided us to make use of all resources and not to waste any insignificant amount. On one occasion he (peace and

blessings be upon him) passed by a sheep that had died of natural causes. He said: “why do you not take its skin and make use of it? It is only haram to eat it.” (narrated in al Bukhari and Muslim).

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also denounced killing birds for sport with no intention of eating them, and said that on the Day of Resurrection the bird will complain to Allah about the one who killed it for no reason saying: “O’ Lord, he killed me for sport and he did not kill me for any reason” (narrated in Ahmed and Nasa’i). Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted that no lands go unused or wasted. He said: “Whoever has land, let him cultivate it or give it to his brother” (narrated in al Bukhari and Muslim).

Let us not be among those who are wasteful, but rather to be among those who recognize the immense blessings bestowed upon us and seek to utilize all means for the betterment of our collective situation.

Dr Hashimi, The Ideal Muslim Society, p. 316-317.

Questions:

How do commercials on TV encourage us to be wasteful?

How often do you ask yourself if you truly need something before you purchase it or ask your parents to purchase it for you? Why should you only purchase things you need?

Think of some ways we can reduce the amount of water we waste.

What is something you’ve thrown away that you could have continued using or used for something else?

Instead of throwing them out, what can you do with the clothes you’ve outgrown?

Assignment:

Make pamphlets encouraging people in your community to be less wasteful. List some examples of how they can be less wasteful.

Week 15

Muslim-Christian Relations In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

In our times more Muslims are residing outside of what are considered “Muslim countries” than are within them. As a result, the relationship Muslims have with people of other faiths becomes

an important field to understand and investigate. Without going into in-depth detail, the following narrations may illuminate some aspects of respect and tolerance in Muslim-Christian relations.

Seerah ibn Ishaq narrates that a delegation came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who were Christians from Najran. Upon their arrival into al Madinah they entered the masjid after the time of asr prayer. Although the prayer time of the Muslims had passed the time of prayer for this group of Christians entered and they stood and began to pray, inside the Prophet’s masjid of al Madinah. The Companions wanted to stop them, however the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Let them be.” Regarding this event, ibn al Qayyim (may Allah be pleased with him) states that is it permissible for People of the Book to enter the masajid and for them to offer their prayers within, however not on a regular basis. Regarding the Christians of Najran, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave them protection – a protection that included their wealth, religion and churches.

In Jerusalem Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote a treaty in which the people of the city were granted religious freedom and protection of their churches. He said: “This is the security granted to the people of Jerusalem by the slave of Allah Umar the Leader of the Believers. He grants the safety of their lives, their wealth, their churches, their crosses and all their people. Their churches are not to be taken from them or their grounds, or their crosses or property. They are not to be forced to leave their religion.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) accepted gifts from non-Muslims and sought their help when their trustworthiness had been ascertained. On one occasion a funeral procession passed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he stood up, then someone commented that the dead person was Jewish. To which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Was he not a soul?”

Narrations taken from The Ideal Muslim Society, p. 267, 278-280.

Questions:

Why should we treat our neighbours of all faiths with kindness? How can we, as Muslims, be better neighbours?

What can be learned about tolerance and respect from the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the Christians from Najran praying in the masjid?

Who was Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)? What can be learned from him in the narration mentioned above?

Week 16

Disputation Ibn Rajab al Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:

From amongst the matters rejected by the Imams of the Salaf was argumentation and disputation about issues concerning the lawful and the prohibited, this was not the way of the Imams of Islam. This was innovated later by the Legal Jurists of Kufah and Basrah, for example, in their authoring works dealing with the differences amongst the Shafi’is and Hanafis and then devoting a great deal of time and energy in discussion and argumentation. Matters went to such an extreme that this became the limit of their knowledge, it preoccupied them, and distracted them from beneficial knowledge. All of this is from the newly invented matters.”

How telling and important is it for us today to hear a message from one of the great scholars of Islam, to remind us that arguing with one another about schools of thought leads not to beneficial knowledge, but only to argumentation and division, and that this was not the practice of those great scholars who came before us – may Allah be pleased with them all.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A nation never went astray after being guided except by means of disputation.” (Tirmidhi) after which he recited the verse: “They only say this to you for argument’s sake, they are indeed a disputatious people” (43:58).

Some of the Salaf used to say that “When Allah desires good for His servant, He opens for him the door of action. When Allah desires evil for His servant, He locks the door to action and opens instead the door of disputation.” Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said that “Arguing and disputing about knowledge takes away the light of knowledge” and that: “Disputing about knowledge hardens the heart and breeds cursing.” It was the manner of the greatest Imams and scholars to often remain silent and respond to questions with: “I don’t know.”

Questions:

Why should arguments be avoided?

What are some ways we can avoid arguments?

Week 17

Backbiting In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

"O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful." (49:12)

Often times we are not clear as to what gheebah (backbiting) actually is, which may result in us engaging in it without knowledge. al-Muttalib ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Gheebah (backbiting, gossip) means that a man mentions about a person something which is true, behind his back." (al Suyuti, Malik). And, abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know what gheebah is?" They said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "mentioning about your brother something that he dislikes." (Muslim, abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ahmed).

al Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The scholars agree that it is a major sin" and ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "backbiting is forbidden by consensus, and in general there is no exception to that, save in circumstances where it is necessary to speak about people, such as establishing the status and authenticity of hadeeth narrators and giving advice." And we have many Prophetic narrations explaining how dangerous gheebah is, and how one must strive to avoid backbiting. For example, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a person had spoken about another after he left, whereupon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Clean the bits of meat from between your teeth!" The man said: "What should I clean from between my teeth? I haven't eaten any meat! He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have eaten the flesh of your brother." (al Tabarani).

And what greater warning than the following narration, wherein the person who commits and engages in backbiting will be exposed on the greatest of all days, the Day of Judgement, by Allah Himself, Most-Just and All-Knowing:

abu Barzah al Aslami and al Bara' ibn Azib (may Allah be pleased with them) narrate that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O you people who pay lip service to faith when it has not entered your hearts! Do not gossip about the Muslims and do not expose their faults. Whoever exposes the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will expose his faults, and if Allah exposes his faults it will be open for everyone to see, even if he hid in the innermost part of his house." (Tirmidhi, Hibban).

Conversely, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever defends the honour of his brother in his absence, Allah will protect his face from the fire on the Day of Resurrection." (Tirmidhi).

Questions:

What is backbiting? How can we recognize backbiting?

How can we stop ourselves from backbiting?

Why should we avoid mentioning about our brother/sister something he/she dislikes even if it is true?

What negative effects does backbiting have on us and our community?

If you have backbitten, what should you do to try and make up for it?

Week 18

Unity In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Many people, myself included, have written about unity and given reminders about the importance of being united. Today inshaAllah I'd like to spare you my words and share some of the beauty that was displayed by the companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) regarding this topic.

During the leadership of Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) he led the people in prayer during the Hajj in 29 H. At Mina he prayed four rak'ah. However, AbdulRahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed two rak'ahs. Afterwards, he went to Uthman and challenged him:

"Didn't you pray two rak'ahs in this place with the Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Yes." Then he asked: "Didn't you pray two rak'ahs with Abu Bakr?" Then he said: "Yes." He further asked: "Didn't you pray two rak'ahs with Umar?" He said: "Yes." And, he asked: "Did you not pray two rak'ahs at the beginning of your Caliphate?" He said: "Yes." And, Uthman responded to explain why in this year, in this case and in that specific situation why he prayed four rak'ahs.

However, after having had that discourse, these two great and noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) held different positions. In order to seek a third opinion, ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked to give a ruling on this situation. ibn Mas'ud heard the situation and asked:

"Have you come to some agreement?" They said: "No." In response to that, ibn Mas'ud said: "Differing is evil. I heard he [Uthman] prayed four rak'ahs and so I led my companions in praying four."

ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) avoided focusing on the differences and wanted not to divide the people, so not only did he follow Uthman in praying four rak'ahs, he ruled that differing is evil - not that four or two was preferable.

As we read history, let us not get side-tracked and wonder should it have been four or two (and for those who are curious, there is a difference of opinion among the Companions on the ruling of shortening prayers when travelling). What is important here is unity. ibn Mas'ud is also reported to have said: "I hate differences." Let this be a lesson for us today, as we often focus all

of our attention on these differences. It is better for us to avoid controversial topics. It is not productive for us to spend large amounts of our life and time arguing about minor issues in jurisprudence.

Allah says:

"Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah ; then He will inform them about what they used to do." (6:159)

Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined Muslims to be united and in harmony with each other - and discouraged or forbade everything that would run counter to that. Furthermore, unity is one of the aims of the Shari'ah and it is sought after by the Muslims in implementing it.

Questions:

Who was Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Why is differing evil?

Define unity.

How did the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) deal with differences of opinion?

Week 19

Hold firmly to the rope of Allah ... Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), as leader of the believers, gave a khutbah in which he reminded the Muslims to stay united and be careful not to overindulge or go to excess in worldly materials and gains. He said:

"Allah has given you these worldly conveniences so that you may seek reward in the Hereafter; He has not given them to you so that you may be content with them. This world will fade, but the Hereafter will abide forever, so you should not be tempted by these temporary conveniences or let them distract you from that which is eternal. Fear Allah, adhere to the main body [of Muslims] and do not divide into groups and factions"

And then he recited the verses:

"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved

you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided. 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." (3:103-104)

Questions:

List the lessons that can be gathered from Uthman’s (may Allah be pleased with him) speech.

What are some negative consequences of divisions between Muslims?

How do worldly conveniences distract us from the Hereafter?

Week 20

Kitabullah In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Let us return to the Qur'an. A reminder that requires no commentary to spur us into action inshaAllah. al-Harith ibn al-A'war narrates:

"While passing by the Mosque I encountered people indulging in [insidious] talk, so I visited Ali and told him this. He asked me if this was true and I confirmed it. Then he said: 'I heard the Prophet declare: "Dissension will certainly come." I asked the Prophet how it could be avoided, and he replied: "The book of Allah [Kitabullah] is the way, for it contains information of what happened before you, news of what will come after you and a decision regarding matters that will occur among you. It is the Distinguisher and it not jesting. If any overweening person abandons it, Allah will break him, and if anyone seeks guidance elsewhere Allah will lead him astray. It is Allah's stalwart rope, the wise reminder, the Straight Path; it is that by which desires do not swerve nor the tongue becomes confused, and the learned cannot grasp it completely. It is not worn out by repetition nor do its wonders ever cease. It is that of which the jinn did not hesitate to remark when they heard it: 'We have heard a wonderful recitation which guides to what is right, and we believe in it.' He who utters it speaks the truth, he who acts according to it is rewarded, he who pronounces judgement according to it is just, and he who invites people to it guides them to the Straight Path.'"

Recorded in Tirmidhi.

Questions:

What are some rewards that are promised for people who read the Qur’an?

How is it beneficial for us to try and read the Qur’an every day?

Week 21

In dealing with mistakes ... In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

I am going to assume that you've also read the plethora of articles some Muslims/groups have written to defaming, "expose" and reject others and their opinions. I don't think it necessary to give any examples. However, in this regard there is an important incident that took place leading up to the conquest of Mekkah - and inshaAllah it will give us time to reflect upon the manners and methods that we use when dealing with others who have made mistakes.

One of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) due to his own reasons and reasoning decided to inform some of the people in Mekkah of the pending conquest. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was informed of the situation through revelation and as a result the messenger was stopped and the message prevented from being sent. This particular companion was then questioned so as to why he had done what he did. He did not deny his mistake and provided his reasons and reasoning; albeit this was a mistake that the Prophet (peace be upon him) clearly and strongly stood against. As a result, Allah revealed the verse that states:

"O you who have believed, do not take My enemies and your enemies as allies, extending to them affection while they have disbelieved in what came to you of the truth, having driven out the Prophet and yourselves [only] because you believe in Allah , your Lord. If you have come out for jihad in My cause and seeking means to My approval, [take them not as friends]. You confide to them affection, but I am most knowing of what you have concealed and what you have declared. And whoever does it among you has certainly strayed from the soundness of the way." (60:1)

Clearly this companion (may Allah be pleased with him) made a mistake. And, herein lies the connection to where we started: dealing with those who make mistakes. Although this was a mistake and could have resulted in harm for the pending conquest, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) dealt with this companion in a noble, kind and merciful manner because the Prophet (peace be upon him) knew that this companion had done great deeds in his life. This method reinforced the fact that the bond of Islam is the strongest bond, even if one makes a mistake. Another point for reflection within this incident is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not only look at the specific details related to that mistake, he looked at the overall person and overall efforts of this companion - and one of his great deeds was his participation in the Battle of Badr.

Herein lies the benefit for us today: those who have given decades in the pursuit of knowledge for the sake of Allah are to be honored and praised. They are not free from making mistakes or free from the possibility of giving incorrect rulings. With that in mind, let us look at the greater context of scholarship and scholars before defaming, exposing and rejecting someone due to a mistake, error or otherwise. Just as the Prophet (peace be upon him) did, we must judge people

justly - not looking at one ruling and casting vast generalizations and making overarching conclusions. When a person has spent an entire life learning the diin and spreading the message of Islam, it is not fair to cast judgement based upon one mistake.

It is common for us to see scholars today vilified and "exposed" not in making mistakes but after having strove to find the truth in a ruling - even if the result may have been incorrect. As we know from the Prophetic narration, a person who strives sincerely to give a ruling based upon what is known, there is reward in that - whereas today people have taken to slandering such a person. May Allah protect us from that.

Furthermore, we see from this and other examples that this was not the methodology of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to highlight the mistakes of others. Such differences or corrections must be done in a scholarly way and done with the manners of Muslims - not in personal attacks and neglecting to mention such a person’s good deeds. Regarding that companion (may Allah be pleased with him) Allah's Messenger said:

"Speak nothing to him save good [words]" (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Questions:

How did the Prophet (peace be upon him) treat companions who made mistakes?

Should we focus on the mistakes people make or on their good deeds/qualities? Why?

Week 22

al Qaswa In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Most of us have heard about the treaty of al Hudaibiyyah, wherein the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made an agreement with the Quraysh: in summary, the Muslims left from al-Madinah to Mekkah for the purpose of making an 'umrah in the 6th year of the Hijri calendar. However, the Quraysh opposed this. Delegations and representatives were exchanged between the two sides during the negotiations, and the final result was the treaty of al Hudaibiyyah.

One lesser known incident that took place during the events leading up to the treaty was when Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) made a comparison of his situation to that of Abraha (the one who set out with an army to destroy the Kaba as is narrated in Surah al Fil). One reaction that might come to mind is: "How can you compare something that happened in the life of the Prophet to that of those who wished to destroy Islam?" Before getting to this point, what occurred was the following:

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) drew near to al-Hudaibiyyah, his camel, al-Qaswa, knelt down to the ground. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who wanted it to get up so that they could reach Mekkah without delay, said, 'Without any justifiable reason, al-Qaswa has knelt down to the ground.' To which the Prophet (peace be upon him) responded, 'al-Qaswa did not kneel down without a good reason; That is not its character; instead, it was prevented from continuing onward by the One Who prevented the elephant.' Knowing that entry into Mekkah was not intended for them, the Prophet (peace be upon him) changed course and proceeded until he stopped to make camp at the furthest extreme of al Hudaubiyyah, at the well of Thamad.

Following this many other beneficial events occurred, such as how the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) preformed a miracle, by the permission of Allah - that of water gushing from an empty well. Other events aside, the comparison between the situation of Abraha and his elephant to that of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his camel is an interesting one, which we can benefit from.

First and foremost we can learn the sincerity of belief found in the best of examples of humankind, how the Prophet (peace be upon him) knew that everything happens according to the permission and Will of Allah. Furthermore, he (peace be upon him) took such an event and extrapolated direction and guidance from Allah - that their umrah was not destined to occur that year.

With regards to the comparison of himself to the situation of Abraha ibn Hajr explains that it is permissible, based on this and other events, to compare two people or two things even if they are completely different. And, in this case they are truly different: one being a Prophet receiving divine revelation and the other planning to destroy the Kaba. The comparison here is being made with regard to the act of being held back, not to status or belief.

Interestingly, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) then decided, due to the events related above, that if the Quraysh were to request for help and/or an agreement by which the sanctity of the Kaba and Mekkah were preserved, he would agree - peace and blessings be upon him. And, this shows Muslims that it is encouraged to answer the call to do something good, even if the person inviting and calling is not a Muslim - and in this case the caller to an agreement was the worst enemy of Islam.

For additional details see: The Noble Life of the Prophet, p. 1495-1499.

Questions:

What was the treaty of al Hudaibiyyah?

What did al-Qaswa and the elephant have in common?

Why is it important to accept that everything happens according to the permission and Will of Allah?

Week 23

Repaying Parents In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

On occasion one's ego takes over and we feel as though we've done others a great favor and been of immense benefit. For example, we might wash the dishes for our mother after having made her a meal. Alhamdulilah this is a part of the dutifulness and kindness we owe to our parents. However, let us not become deluded that such deeds are a repayment, or anywhere equal to the efforts, struggle, time and love our parents have given to us. Imam Bukhari shares an amazing statement from Abu Burda ibn Abu Musa regarding this in his text entitled al-Adab al-Mufrad (hadeeth number 12), which states:

"Ibn Umar saw a Yamani man going around the House [Kaba'] making tawaf while carrying his mother on his back and chanting: 'I am her humble camel... I carried her more than she carried me.' Then the man asked: 'Ibn Umar , do you think I have repaid her?' He replied: 'No, not even for a single groan (of the birth pangs she suffered).' Then Ibn Umar preformed tawaf and came to Maqam [Ibrahim] and prayed two rak'ats. He said: 'Ibn Abu Musa, every two rak'ats make up for everything that has happened before them.'"The above statement is Sahih (correct) and there are many points we can benefit from in reflecting upon it. First and foremost we see how important our parents are and that our deeds will not make up for what they have done for us - we will always have more and more work to do in ensuring that they are pleased and at ease. Interesting here is that the situation takes places in Mekkah around the Kaba' and we learn from this that it is permissible to carry someone for tawaf (circumbulation of the Kaba') and our scholars have thus derived that other forms of carrying transport, such as camels and wheelchairs are permissible to use during this act of worship. We also learn that it is permissible to speak during this deed, the tawaf. These may seem like minor points, whereby one thinks to himself or herself - well, yes, of course. However, Islamic scholarship is deep and is evidence-based and thus each point is looked at carefully and every benefit is derived when possible.

Another interesting note is regarding the Maqam mentioned in this statement of ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). The Maqam of Ibrahim is the place where Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood when he built the original structure of the Kaba' (which is not the same as what we see today). Yet another is the final statement of Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)

regarding the two rak'ats and the expiation of sins, Allahu Akbar, how great is the mercy of Allah Who forgives His slaves - and our scholars have clarified, using other narrations from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that this refers not to the major sins, which require one to repent to Allah, but is regarding the minor mistakes one makes.

Quesitons:

Do you think we can ever re-pay our parents for all that they have done for us?

What are some things your parents have done for you that has made your life easier?

What are some kind things that you can do for your parents every day?

Week 24

Caring for Orphans In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The following Prophetic narrations speak about the reward and importance of caring for orphans; I’ve not added any comments or commentary as I believe they are self-explanatory:

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I and the guardian of the orphan are in the Garden like that” and he indicated this with the forefinger and the middle finger.

This hadeeth has various chains of narration, such as those from Sahl ibn Sa’d,  abu Hurayrah, and Murra al-Fihri. These chains have been recorded by Imam Bukhari in al-adab al-mufrad.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Among the Muslims the best house is the house where an orphan is being well-treated. The worst house among the Muslims is the house where an orphan is being ill-treated. I and the guardian of the orphan will be like this in the Garden,” indicating the closeness of his two fingers.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadeeth and it was recorded by Imam Bukhari in al-adab al-mufrad.

Questions:

What can be learned from the prophetic narrations mentioned above?

Why does Islam place a huge emphasis on kindness towards orphans?

Week 25

A tree in Jennah [As told by Muhammad Shareef]

Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who found an opportunity and won that which is greater than the heavens and the earth. An adult companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cultivated his garden next to the property of an orphan. The orphan claimed that a specific palm tree was on his property and thus belonged to him. The companion rejected the claim, so the orphan boy went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to complain. With his justness, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) measured the two gardens and found that the palm tree did indeed belong to the companion. The orphan erupted crying. Seeing this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the companion, “Would you give him the palm tree and to you is a palm tree in Jannah?” However, the companion in his disbelief that an orphan would complain to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), missed the opportunity and went away angry.

But someone else saw the opportunity – Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him). He went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked, “Ya RasulAllah, if I buy the tree from him and give it to the orphan shall I have that tree in Jannah?”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “Yes.”

Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) chased after the companion and asked, “Would you sell that tree to me for my entire garden?”

The companion answered, “Take it, for there is no good in a tree that I was complained to the Prophet about.”

Immediately, Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) went home and found his wife and children playing in the garden. “Leave the garden!” shouted Abu Darda. “We’ve sold it to Allah! We’ve sold it to Allah!” Some of his children had dates in their hand and he snatched the dates from them and threw them back into the garden. “We’ve sold it to Allah!”

When Abu Darda was later martyred in the battle of Uhud, RasulAllah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood over his slain body and remarked, “How many shady palm trees does Abu Darda now have in Paradise?”

What did Abu Darda lose? Dates? Bushes? Dirt? What did he gain? He gained a Jannah whose expanse is the heavens and the earth. Abu Darda did not miss his opportunity, and I pray to Allah subhaanahu wa ta ‘aala that we do not miss our opportunity....

Questions:

Who was Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him)?

What can we learn from Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Week 26

Rights of Others “Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice.”(An-Nisaa 4: 58)

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever makes things easy for a person in hardship, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the hereafter.” (Muslim)

I remind myself first before anyone else of the importance of having consideration for others. The Muslim is instructed by Allah, All-Knowing and Most-Just, that we as believers are to be people of justice. And, we have an obligation to support those who are in need, to consider the difficulties others are facing and strive in excellence to improve the situation of those around us.

The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him), said: “Whoever gives respite to a poor person or writes off his debt, Allah will put him under His shade on a day on which there will be no shade except His.” (Muslim)

And, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) also said: “Whoever relieves a believer of a hardship of this world, Allah will relieve him of a hardship of the Day of Resurrection.” (Muslim)

And, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever wants his supplications to be accepted or his hardships to be removed should remove hardship from the poor.” (Ahmad)

I remind myself that we should read these Prophetic teachings with reflection and implementation, not simply scanning over the words and acknowledging their truth. May Allah guide us all.

Questions:

What are some ways we can have more consideration for others?

Think of someone in your life who may need a little extra help with something. How can you help improve this person’s situation?

What can you do to help improve the situation of the poor people in your community?

Week 27

First Khutbah in Madinah Bismillah. The following is the translation of the Prophets first Khutbah in Madinah, peace and blessings be upon him:

"O people, send forth good deeds for yourselves. You know, by Allah, that each one of you will be struck by death. Then he will leave behind his sheep, which will be left without a shepherd. Then, without a translator, and without a veil separating Allah from him, His Lord will say to him: "Did not my Messenger come to you and convey to you? I gave you wealth and I bestowed favours upon you; then what did you send forth for yourselves?" He will then look to his right and then to his left, and he will not see anything. Then he will look before him, and all that he will see is the Hellfire. So whosoever is able to protect his face from the Hellfire even with part of a date (by giving it in charity), then let him do so. And whosoever does not find (even part of a date to give in charity), then let him do so with a good word, for the reward of a good deed is multiplied ten times, and up to seven hundred times. And may peace, the Mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon upon you."

Questions:

Why should we constantly strive to do good deeds?

Week 28

Good Conduct The Messenger of Allah, whose character was the Qur'an and whose character is the best of mankind, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I am only sent to bring good conduct to perfection.” (Ahmad) And thus, good conduct is not something we can avoid or be neglectful of. In many areas where Muslims are the majority, there are displays of poor conduct within the

general population. For example: a lack of order in making lines and taking turns, pushing and shoving (even standing in front of the black stone in Mekkah), throwing of trash and a disregard for others in driving. InshaAllah let this not be a listing of our faults, but rather a reminder to enjoin the good, beginning with oneself. Allah says:

“Worship Allah and join not with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possesses. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful.” (An-Nisaa’ 4: 36)

Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, regarding good conduct, that: “Nothing is weightier on the scale of a believing slave (of Allah) on the Day of Resurrection than good conduct and indeed, Allah dislikes the rude and disrespectful.” (At-Tirmidhee). And, the reward for this good conduct, is like that of a person who fasts and prays in the night. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “A Mu’min (believer) achieves by his good conduct the reward of a person who fasts much and prays in the night.” (Aboo Dawood)

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about what most frequently makes people enter Paradise, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Fear of Allah and good manners." (reported in Tirmidhi). It is reported that, he said (peace and blessings be upon him), ‘Righteousness is good conduct and sin is something that is deeply rooted in your heart of which you would not like anybody to know.” (Muslim)

Questions:

What most frequently makes people enter Paradise?

What is righteousness?

Week 29

Seeking Knowledge One of the amazing aspects about Islam is that knowledge of the diin is a deep ocean, the depth of which none of us will encompass. We can spend an entire life studying one branch of the Islamic Sciences and not have tasted all of its immense fruits. Most of us walk along the shores of that ocean of knowledge, dipping our toes in from time to time. Today inshaAllah I'll reimnd myself the benefits of seeking knowledge more seriously and by Allah's Mercy some readers may benefit.

We are often reminded that Allah says, “Recite in the name of your Lord who created.” [Qur'an, 96:1] Allah taught His creation that which it did not know, Ibn Kathir says about this: "Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with

the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true." And, Allah says:

“Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.” [58:11]

Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whosoever Allah wishes good for, He gives him understanding (fiqh) of the Religion” (Bukhari and Muslim). And, he (peace and blessings be upon him) told us:

“If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the worshipper is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes a big fortune.” [Abu Dawud]

“My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” [Qur'an, 20:114]

Questions:

Why should we constantly strive to gain knowledge about our diin?

What are some ways that one can learn more beneficial knowledge about our diin?

Week 30

Selflessness [Exert from Shaykh Jaza’iry, was a lecturer in Masjid Nabawi, may Allah have mercy on him]

One of the nobel characteristics of a Muslim, which he learns through the teachings of his religion and among the merits and beauties of Islam, is selflessness and the love of good for others. When a Muslim finds a situation that calls for selfless behavior, he prefers others and favors them above himself. He feels hunger for others until their hunger is fulfilled and he feels thirst for others until their thirst is quenched. He would even die to save the life of others. It is not amazing or strange for the Muslim to quench his spirit with doing what is right and the love of virtue and goodness. This is all from the religion of Allah, and who is better at determining religion than Allah?

A Muslim, who prefers unselfishness, actually enters by it to the right path of the righteous

forerunners in faith, and traverses along the path of those early victorious people whom Allah praised when He said:

“And they give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful” (59:9)

… Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) added to the characteristic of the Muslim, in name and virtue, saying:

“None of you becomes a true believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” (Bukhari & Muslim)

… So the Muslim is certain that the love of good for others and selfless behavior will bring success for himself, his children and his family.

“And they spend out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, they hope for a trade-gain that will never parish. That He may pay them their wages in full, and give them more, out of His Grace. Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most ready to appreciate” (35:29-30)

Two Stories:

It is narrated that more than thirty men gathered with Abu Al-Hasan Al-Antaki, while they carried some bread, which was inadequate to satiate their hunger. They tore the bread into pieces, extinguishing the lamp to begin eating. When the dining-cloth was lifted, to their amazement the bread remained. None of them ate, so that the others could. Each preferred that his brother ate rather than himself.

Bukhari and Muslim report a time when a man came to the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to eat, but there was nothing to offer him. A man from the Ansar took him to his home. He turned off the lamp and offered the guests a meal. The lamp was turned off so the guests would have the impression that the host was also eating. However, they did not have enough and instead offered their only food to this guest.

Questions:

Define selflessness.

What can be learned from the two stories mentioned above?

Week 31

Charity What is the reason and or purpose of being a person concerned of the welfare of others? Allah says:

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he has indeed achieved a great achievement.” (Al-Ahzab 33:70-71)

What are some of these righteous deeds that Allah, Most-Merciful and All-Knowing, prescribes? Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,

“He is not a believer who goes to sleep with a full stomach while knowing that his next door neighbour is hungry.” (Tabarani and Bazzar).

Thus a persons' ability to have compassion, sympathy and concern for others is a vital aspect of achieving belief in Allah. Because, belief is not merely in the heart but is also in the words and actions of a person. Thus, these actions are an affirmation of faith. Doing righteous deeds such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and removing oppression are merciful acts of themself. In addition, such deeds earn the mercy of Allah, of which we are all in dire need of. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

“Allah will show mercy to those who show mercy (to others). Show mercy to those who are in the earth, He Who is in the Heaven will show mercy to you.” (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)

“He who does not show mercy to people, Allah will not show mercy to him.” (Al-Bukhârî and Muslim)

A person therefore shows and affirms his/her faith through the deeds of righteousness and seeks the mercy of Allah in doing so. On top of that, the believer wants to achieve the greatest victory, which is ever-lasting life in Jennah (Paradise), and as such s/he continues to struggle to do as many of these righteous deeds as possible in seeking this eternal reward. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The inhabitants of Paradise are three: One who wields authority and is just and fair, and the person who is merciful and kind-hearted towards the poor and towards his relatives, and one who does not stretch his hand in spite of having a large family to support.” (Muslim)

Questions:

What are some righteous deeds?

Research the different charitable organizations in your community? How can you help?

Activity:

Start a charitable organization within the classroom/school.

Week 32

Steadfastness "Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves." (13:11)

Bismillah. InshaAllah a reminder on remaining steadfast on the Straight Path: In our lives there are things that we can change, by starting with oneself, then ones family and community and so forth. We should embrace this effort not just in part or with those aspects which our nafs desires, rather whole-heartedly, as Allah says:

"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy." (2:208)

Let us then know what the Straight Path is: by following the Qur'an and the Sunnah, those examples set by the companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). Our diin is built upon knowledge and what we practice must be based upon knowledge. Due note, we can't just learn any kind of knowledge. We are living in a time when anyone can say anything they like on the internet and pretend as if they are scholarly, and there are many examples of websites that mislead and misguide in this manner. (May Allah protect us).

The fruit of that sought after knowledge is acting upon it. When we implement that knowledge we show what we are able to accomplish. We will be an example, we can call others to good and prohibit others from evil. And, let us not forget ourselves when we begin to call others. In addition to seeking the correct knowledge, we also have to know our priorities in seeking knowledge. For example, knowing the pillars of salaah must be learnt before the fiqh of meat from ahl kitaab.

Let us not be sheep in wolves clothing: ensure that your Islam is both external and internal. The next level of seeking after steadfastness is love and hate for the sake of Allah. The believers are sincere advisors for one another, so advise one another in love and hate for Allah. Lest us not forget, however, our priorities when doing so. Advising one another requires knowledge and widsom. Strive to be with the righteous and the pious, who will assist you in attaining steadfastness.

Lastly, we need to analyze our conduct, our manners, our ethics, our behavior, our enjoining good and forbidding evil, our kindness, our justice. We need to reflect upon this with regards to ourself, our family, our co-workers, friends, community and world. Indeed all our actions are

dawah, it is up to us to decide if we'll offer a positive representative message from the Qur'an and Sunnah or if we'll offer something else.

Questions:

What are some trustworthy Islamic websites?

Why should we be cautious when searching for Islamic information on the internet?

Which is more important to learn about first: fiqh of fasting or the Arabic language?

Week 33

Pride (riya) Sincerity is tainted and/or ruined by various diseases of the heart, one of which is pride. Pride itself is very difficult to notice and difficult to deal with as it is a matter of the heart requiring introspection, reflection and constant self-purification. One may not be consciously aware of pride, while in fact one is actively practicing it. According to our scholars, pride is when a deed/act is changed for, or because of, people. For example, lengthening the prayer because people are watching is done out of pride. Likewise, shortening the prayer. Giving charity so that people see and consider one charitable is done with pride. Pride may enter before an act, during an act, and after an act (even years later), as intentions can change – if the intention is changed to a bad one, it needs to be revisited and renewed, forcing away the bad intentions that emerged. Understanding and combating pride is important because it nullifies sincerity and can lead to the worst of final destinations.

What are the cures of pride? Our scholars mention following: (1) actualizing the slave status as a Muslim: that in fact we don’t deserve anything and that we are given all that we have; (2) recognize the favour Allah has bestowed by guiding you to Islam, and that He ta’ala allowed us to do good deeds; (3) realize that our worship is faulty and not deserving of reward, and yet Allah Most-Merciful still bestows for us sustenance; (4) remind ourself of Allah’s command to purify the self and rectify the heart; (5) to be fearful of Allah’s punishment; (6) to do many acts of worship in private (night prayer, reading Qur’an, charity, et cetera); (7) remembering death, the grave and what will follow death until reaching the final destination; (8) to understand pride and how it enters the heart; (9) to recognize the true value of people and their ability to guide and/or provide, which of course is nothing and only Allah gives and takes and allows for everything to occur. When doing deeds we can imagine others are infants and thus their presence will inshaAllah not affect our deeds and actions; (10) Seek Allah’s aid against pride.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in du’a: “O Allah, I seek refuge with you from knowingly associating anything with You, and I seek Your forgiveness for that of which I am unaware.”

It is also important to know what is not pride. It is not pride for a person to have two benefits

from one deed. For example, going to Hajj for the sake of Hajj, while one also plans to sell at Hajj. Of course going to Hajj for the sake of sales is another issue altogether, however, the point being that having two benefits from one deed does not mean it is done from pride. The proof for this is that a person who is not able to marry is commanded to fast to lower his or her sexual desire. This command has two benefits (of fasting itself and preventing going into sin). It is also not from pride to do a good deed to help someone. For example, shortening the prayer when one hears a baby crying or lengthening the prayer so that a late person may join. Of course one cannot leave deeds that are obligatory to be done publically (Hajj, salaat) out of fear of pride.

One final note our scholars mention is that sometimes trying to avoid pride can lead to other problems, such as going away from good. For example, a person who regularly prays at night goes traveling with others and he decides not to pray at night out of fear of pride. Of course, this is a misguided idea because one is now leaving regularly practiced good deeds due to the possibility of pride entering into the heart. May Allah protect us from that.

Questions:

In your own words, define pride.

How can we cure pride?

How can we seek Allah’s aid against pride?

How can sometimes trying to avoid pride lead to going away from good? How can we make sure that this doesn’t happen?

Week 34

Hastening to Good Bismillah. Recently it became accepted that at least one in four humans are Muslims. Alhamdulilah. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him explained that he was sent to perfect good character. As he stood against injustice as he held a small girl in salaat, peace and blessings be upon him. As he enjoined the good and encouraged us to give sadaqa, upon him be blessings and peace.

"So hasten towards all that is good". (2:148)

InshaAllah this post will not describe good character or the benefits of giving charity. Rather, a simple reminder to take every moment to run toward good deeds. When we get an email about a fund raiser, donate something - even if it be small. When you hear about someone in need, lend a hand. Give your smile and volunteer your time. Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) did not have multimillion dollar marketing campaigns to give Dawah, he built a community founded upon good character. And, Islam spread across the globe within a century. Let not

moments pass us wherein we have passed up the chance for doing good. Be sure, a day will come and we all will be held to account.

"My Lord! Send me back,... "So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected." (Surah Mu'minun 99-100)

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter".[At-Tirmidhi].

"Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us to the straight path. The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not the path of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray." (1:3-7)

Questions:Why should we hasten to do good deeds?What are some good deeds we can do every day?

Week 35

Keeping Good Company Bismillah. In this blessed month of Ramadan we want to gain as much benefit as we can. We want to emerge from this month better Muslims than when we began. We want to become closer to Allah and His Messenger. And, we want to be among those who will be saved from the fire by the mercy of Allah.

Our reminder today is about spending our time in the company of righteous people. Of course we learn about our religion from pious companions. InshaAllah we can also learn good conduct and manners. And, reading the following ahadith we may even be saved from punishment by keeping ties and close relations with those righteous Muslims:

“Allah 's Apostle said, "Allah has some angels who look for those who celebrate the Praises of Allah on the roads and paths. And when they find some people celebrating the Praises of Allah, they call each other, saying, "Come to the object of your pursuit.' " He added, "Then the angels

encircle them with their wings up to the sky of the world." He added. "(after those people celebrated the Praises of Allah, and the angels go back), their Lord, asks them (those angels) - though He knows better than them - 'what do my slaves say?' The angels reply, 'They say: Subhan Allah, Allahu Akbar, and Alham-du-lillah, Allah then says 'Did they see Me?' The angels reply, 'No! By Allah, they didn't see You.'

“Allah says, How it would have been if they saw Me?' The angels reply, 'If they saw You, they would worship You more devoutly and celebrate Your Glory more deeply, and declare Your freedom from any resemblance to anything more often.' Allah says (to the angels), 'What do they ask Me for?' The angels reply, 'They ask You for Paradise.' Allah says (to the angels), 'Did they see it?' The angels say, 'No! By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.' Allah says, How it would have been if they saw it?' The angels say, 'If they saw it, they would have greater covetousness for it and would seek It with greater zeal and would have greater desire for it.' Allah says, 'From what do they seek refuge?' The angels reply, 'They seek refuge from the (Hell) Fire.' Allah says, 'Did they see it?' The angels say, 'No By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.' Allah says, How it would have been if they saw it?' The angels say, 'If they saw it they would flee from it with the extreme fleeing and would have extreme fear from it.' Then Allah says, 'I make you witnesses that I have forgiven them."' Allah's Apostle added, "One of the angels would say, 'There was so-and-so amongst them, and he was not one of them, but he had just come for some need.' Allah would say, 'These are those people whose companions will not be reduced to misery.' "

(recorded in Bukhari and Muslim)

Questions:

Why is it so important to keep good company?

Where can we meet good company?

Week 36

Social Services In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Dr. Ali Sallabi writes:

"We have seen some young people refraining from helping people who mix good needs with bad; in their view, these people are not deserving of any service, kind words or help. These young people do not have a clear idea of the concept of love and hate for the sake of Allah and the limits of each of them. For them, hating the bad deeds takes precedence over loving the good deeds. They forget that providing social services is one the most successful means of

calling people to Islam, because it is a practical means that has a greater impact on the people than mere words. They forget that their harsh treatment and refraining from helping deepens the gap between them and the people and causes people to go and join the ranks of the deviants who are the enemies of Islam."

Quoted from Ali ibn abi Talib (2011) by Dr. Ali Sallabi, p. 308-309.

Questions:

Why should we give precedence to loving good deeds over hating the bad deeds?