10 ways to develop love for Allah..

Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “The reasons which cause mahabbah [love] of Allah to develop, are ten:

Firstly: Reciting the Qur‘an, reflecting and understanding its meaning and its intent.

Secondly: Drawing closer to Allah - the Most High - through optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory duties.

Thirdly: Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah, with the tongue, the heart and the limbs - under all circumstances. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah develops and intensifies.

Fourthly: Giving precedence to what Allah loves over personal loves, when being overcome by desires.

Fifthly: Contemplating and deliberating over the Names and Attributes of Allah.

Sixthly: Recognising and remembering the favours and bounties of Allah - both the manifest and hidden.

Seventhly: To be humble and submissive before Allah - and this is the greatest matter.

Eightly: To be in seclusion reciting the Qur‘an, during that time in which Allah descends to the lowest heaven (which is the last third of every night), finishing this recitation with seeking Allah’s forgiveness and repenting to Him.

Ninthly: To sit in the gatherings of true and sincere lovers of Allah, reaping the fruits of their speech, and not to speak except if there is benefit in it and that you know that such talk will increase you in goodness and that it will benefits others as well.

Tenthly: To stay clear of all those causes which distances the heart from Allah - the Mighty and Majestic.

So these are the ten reasons which cause the person to develop true love for Allah and to reach the rank of al-muhabbah, by which he reaches his Beloved.”
[Madarijus-Saliki n (3/17-18).]

The affair of the believer..

On the authority of Suhaib (may Allaah be pleased with him) he said: The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

"Amazing is the affair of the believer, verily all of his affair is good and this is not for no one except the believer. If something of good/happiness befalls him he is grateful and that is good for him. If something of harm befalls him he is patient and that is good for him" (Saheeh Muslim #2999)

From this we understand that the state of affairs for the believer changes in the life of this world. Shaykhul Islaam ibn Qayyim al-Jawzeeyah (may Allaah have mercy upon him) said regarding the state of affairs for the believer:

"One of them is the state of (receiving a) blessing. It's obligatory upon him (the believer) in this state (to display) the gratitude.

The second: is the state (of being) tested. It is obligatory upon him (the believer) in this state (to observe) the patience.

The third: is the state (of committing) a sin. It is obligatory upon him (the believer) in this state to seek the forgiveness from it (the sin).

The servant does not go outside of the fluctuation between these three states.
One of them is either a blessing or a virtue from Allaah of good health, wealth, a child to other than that.

It is obligatory upon him that he thanks Allaah for this bounty. Let the servant contemplate over the statement of Allaah:

" ٱعۡمَلُوٓاْ ءَالَ دَاوُ ۥدَ شُكۡرً۬اۚ وَقَلِيلٌ۬ مِّنۡ عِبَادِىَ ٱلشَّكُورُ "

"Work you, O family of Dâwud (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful." (surah Sabaa: 13)

So how many of those whom Allaah has favored them:

"وَإِن تَعُدُّواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحۡصُوهَآ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ۬"

"And if you would count the favours of Allâh, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (surah an-Nahl: 18)

How many show thanks to Allaah for these favours? Less than a few!

Or there is a (state of being) tested. It is obligatory upon him in this state (to observe) the patience. Meaning that Allaah from His overwhelming wisdom He could test the believing servant from the different types of test. It's obligatory upon him to (observe) the patience because this is from the belief in the divine decree and from submitting the the decree of Allaah.

Also (the servant must know) that what has befalling him was never going to pass him by. All of that is written in the book of Allaah (al-Lawhul-Mahfooth ). Verily Allah doesn't test him (the servant) to destroy him. He only test him in order to test his patience and servitude. Verily there is for Allaah upon the servant servitude in times of hardship just as there is for Him (Allaah) upon the servant servitude in times of happiness. There also is for Him (Allaah) upon the servant servitude in that which he (the servant) dislikes just as there is for Him (Allaah) upon the servant servitude in that which he (the servant) loves. Most of the creation give the servitude in that which they love. However the matter is giving the servitude in that which there is his hardship.

The other state is (a state of) sin. It is obligatory upon him (the servant) in this state to seek the forgiveness this is clear with regards to the obligation of turning to Allaah (repentance) displaying ones need for him."

--Ibn Al-Qayyim "al-Waabil as-Sayyib"

i ♥

I love Leaves.. All types of leaves.. All shapes and sizes.. All colors.. All Leaves..

Fun Random Facts!

Carrots, which came from Central Asia and and Middle Eastern countries, were originally purple, white, and yellow in color!

*When buying carrots looks for smooth, firm, and well-shaped carrots with an even color. Avoid carrots that are crackled, shriveled, soft, or wilted.*

Duaa of Prophet Adam..

I recently had a conversation with a nonmuslim who told me that in her religion they do not believe that Prophet Adam [May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] is a Prophet nor was he forgiven by God. This hadith came to my mind, SubhanAllah how beautiful Islam is.

أخرج البيهقي وابن عساكر بسند لا بأس به عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها أيضاً عن النبي (ص) قال : - قال سيدنا آدم عليه السلام لرب العالمين :-" اللهم إنك تعلم سري وعلانيتي فاقبل معذرتي ,وتعلم حاجتي فاعطني سؤلي ,وتعلم ما في نفسي فاغفرلي ذنبي, اللهم إني أسألك إيماناً يباشر قلبي ,ويقيناً صادقاً حتى أعلم أنني لن يصيبني إلا ما كتبته لي , و رضني بما قسمت لي " قال الله سبحانه وتعالى : - " يا آدم إني قد غفرت لك , ولا يدعوني أحد من ذريتك بمثل ما دعوتني به إلا : - غفرت له ذنوبه , وكشفت عنه همومه وغمومه , ونزعت فقره من بين عينيه , وتاجرت له من وراء كل تاجر حتى تأتيه الدنيا وهي راغمه وإن كان لا يريدها " ---

Al Bihaki and Ibn Akakir recorded (Acceptable Sanad) narrated by Abu Hurrirah and Aisha (R) that prophet (S) said:

Prophet Adam (PBUH) said to the lord of all that exists:

“Oh Allah! You know what I declare and what I hide, so accept my repentance, and you know my needs, so give me my desire, and you know my thoughts, so forgive my sin, I ask you a faith that fill up my heart, and a true belief so that I know that what my fate is predetermined, and make me accept my fate.”

Allah (SWT) replied:

“O Adam, I forgive you, and If one of your offspring asked me the same, I will forgive his sins, relieve his grief and worries, he will never feel poverty, I will support his strive and force the worldly needs to be available to him even he does not want it."

Judgment of the Prophets...

‘Ali, the Armor, and the Christian

During his Caliphate, ‘Ali b. Abi Talib – Allah be pleased with him – saw some armor of his with a Christian. He decided to take the matter up legally, so he took the dispute to Shurayh (the Judge).

‘Ali said, “This is my armor, and I have not sold it nor given it away.”

Shurayh said to the Christian, “What have you to say about what the Amir of the Believers claims?”

The Christian replied, “It is my armor, although I do not regard the Amir of the Believers to be a liar.”

Shurayh then turned to ‘Ali, “O Amir of the Believers, do you have any proof (of ownership)?”

‘Ali laughed and said, “Shurayh is correct, I have no proof.”

So Shurayh judged that the armor was the Christian’s. The Christian took it and began to walk away but then returned.

He proclaimed, “As for me, I testify that this is the judgment of the Prophets – the Amir of the Believers himself takes me to his judge and the judge rules against him! I bear witness that there is no deity deserving worship but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. By Allah, the armor is yours o Amir of the Believers. I followed the army when you were on your way to the Battle of Siffîn and the armor came out of your equipment.”

‘Ali said, “If you have accepted Islam the armor is yours.” And then he put him on his horse.

Al-Sha’bi (the reporter of this incident) said, “I was later informed by those who saw this man that he fought the Khawarij (alongside ‘Ali) at the battle of Nahrawan.”

Ibn Kathir, Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah Vol.8 p5.

Patience..

Patience Preserves the Health of Hearts and Bodies

By: Ibn al-Qayyim

Ibn al-Qayyim said in The Prophetic medicine regarding patience:

Patience is half of faith; for this is a quality composed of patience and gratitude (shukr). As one of the ancestors (salaf) has said: Faith is in two halves: one half patience, one half gratitude. And the Most High said:

Indeed in that there are signs for each one who is patiently persevering and truly grateful [Surah Ibrahim: 5].




Patience in relation to faith is like the head in relation to the body. It is of three types:
patience concerning the obligations (fard) laid down by Allah, that one should not neglect them; patience in abstaining from actions forbidden by Him, that one should not commit them; patience concerning His judgments (qada') and decrees (qadar), that one should not resent them.




Whoever perfectly fulfills these three degrees has perfected patience. For the pleasure of this world and the next, their blessings, and victory and conquest can only be reached over the bridge of patience, just as no-one reaches Paradise except by crossing over the Path. 'Umar b. al-Khattab said: We attained the best of life through patience.




If you reflect on the degrees of perfection acquired in the world, you will see that they are all dependent on patience. And if you reflect on imperfection, which one is blamed for possessing, you will see it all stemming from lack of patience. Thus courage and purity, goodness and love of others, all this is the patience of an hour.




Most sicknesses of the body and heart arise simply from lack of patience. And there is naught like patience for preserving the health of hearts, bodies and spirits. For it is the great remedy, the mighty tiryaq, even if it were to contain only the company of Allah




"for Allah is with the patient" [Surah Al-Baqarah:153] ,



and His affection for them for indeed



"Allah loves those who are patient" [Surah Al-Imran:146] ,




and His giving victory to His people 'for victory comes with patience'; and that it is a good for the people of patience,



"And if you show patience, that is indeed the best course for those who are patient" [Surah An-Nahl: 126]



,and that it is the cause of prosperity,



"O you who believe! Persevere in patience, vie in perseverance, be ever vigilant, and fear Allah, that perchance you may prosper" [Surah Al-Imran:200] .




Source: Healthy Muslim