GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 11)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 11)
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◆ When there is no barakah in your wealth, your money will easily flow out for useless reasons (where you won't benefit from the spending).

◆ It doesn't mean that if you learn something, you will understand it. Those who understand, will actually apply the knowledge.

◆ Allah SWT does not mention the details of certain matters to make things easy for us.
Surah Al-Maeda, Verse 101:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِن تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ وَإِن تَسْأَلُوا عَنْهَا حِينَ يُنَزَّلُ الْقُرْآنُ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ عَفَا اللَّهُ عَنْهَا وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ

O you who believe! Ask not about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if you ask about them while the Quran is being revealed, they will be made plain to you. Allah has forgiven that, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

http://www.sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/19/25

◆ If The Creator addresses His Messenger SAWS with the most dignified way, then we should at least do the same.

◆ Hadith explains the Quran. We need to use both as our sources of guidance.

◆ In general, raising one's voice in an argument is a sign that the argument itself is weak.

◆ Disrespecting the Messenger of Allah may cause your deeds to be rejected.
Surah Al-Hujraat, Verse 2:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَن تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ

O you who believe! Raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet (SAW), nor speak aloud to him in talk as you speak aloud to one another, lest your deeds may be rendered fruitless while you perceive not.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ The companions gave up their lives so that we can get the clear message of Islam. Appreciate it!

◆ A lesson from Surah Al Hujurat: Do not raise your voice above those of higher status (not referring to social class) out of respect (i.e., elders, teachers or those with more knowledge or who are leading matters in Muslim society) even if you disagree with them.

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 10)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 10)
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◆ Recite Ayatul Kursi before you go to sleep to have your own personal bodyguard while sleeping.

http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/9/30

◆ Raining time is a great time to make dua.  Every single rain drop has an angel bringing it down!

◆ The angels change shift during fajr and asr. So you can get double the reward for praying fajr and asr because different angels are writing your same deeds wa Allahu alam.

http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/9/60

◆ Making others happy will make you happy. When you give to others, Allah will give to you back even more!

◆ The angels make dua to Allah to give more to those who give & to destroy the wealth of those who are greedy.

http://www.sunnah.com/bukhari/24/45

◆ Being generous makes you happy. Based on research, money can buy happiness only if it is given away.

◆ Life is a test. The test of prosperity is more difficult than the test of hardship.  Because more people seek Allah in time of hardship while more people drift away from Allah when they prosper.

◆ It's OK to be rich but be thankful. Don't let dunya get into your heart.

◆ To be thankful for your wealth or children is to spend your wealth in the most pleasing way to Allah and to teach your children to be obedient to Allah.

http://www.sunnah.com/bukhari/81/16

◆ One of the best ways to spend money is in seeking knowledge. When you spend it for knowledge (either on yourself or others), Allah will increase your wealth.

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 09)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 09)
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◆ Allah loves that moment when you ask Him. The more you ask Allah, the more pleased will Allah be with you. ASK. ASK. ASK.

◆ Ask for everything that you want to Allah. Asking for just little things is belittling Allah.

◆ People will give you lesser and lesser each time you ask them BUT Allah will give you more and more each time you ask Him SWT.

◆ Depend on Allah and see what Allah will give you in return.

◆ You can't even blink your eye without Allah's permission. Everything is in the hand of Allah. All matters are in the hands of Allah.

◆ Allah will never neglect you.

◆ The reason we don't depend on Allah is because our eman is weak. We don't have enough conviction and don't have firm believe.

◆ Allah can make a miracle happen like how He can open the sea for prophet Musa and his people.

◆ Sabr is at the beginning of the calamity, not after everything is over.

http://sunnah.com/bukhari/23/44

◆ Sabr doesn't mean that you don't take the necessary actions.

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 08)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 08)
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◆ Regardless of how healthy, wealthy or influential you are, you will still need to depend on someone.

◆ But the creations are not always dependable or capable and will eventually go away. Thus, depend on The Creator, The Ever Living, The Most Powerful.

Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 58:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا

And put your trust (O Muhammad SAW) in the Ever Living One Who dies not, and glorify His Praises, and Sufficient is He as the All-Knower of the sins of His slaves;
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ Allah has commanded us to depend on Him in the Quran and we should be depending on Him no matter where we are.
Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 160:

إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا الَّذِي يَنصُرُكُم مِّن بَعْدِهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ Protect Allah's deen by following His commands and following His prophet SAW & He will protect you!

◆ Even if the whole world come together to harm you, no harm will inflict you if Allah does not allow it. And even if the whole nation unites to benefit you, you will not benefit from it if Allah doesn't decree it upon you.

http://www.sunnah.com/urn/678220

◆ What more do you want to ask for if you have Allah's protection?

◆ Prophet Ibrahim a.s. was protected from the fire, Prophet Yunus a.s. was protected in the whale's belly and Rasulullah s.a.w. was protected in the Cave of Thur against his pursuers. They were protected by Allah SWT because they protected His deen!
1) Surah Al-Anbiya, Verse 69:

قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ

We (Allah) said: "O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrahim (Abraham)!"
(English - Mohsin Khan)

2) Surah Al-Anbiya, Verse 87:

وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

And (remember) Dhan-Nun (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamites which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers."
(English - Mohsin Khan) See also 37 :139 - 148
3) Surah At-Taubah, Verse 40:

إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلَىٰ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

If you help him (Muhammad SAW) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad SAW and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, and he (SAW) said to his companion (Abu Bakr): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace, etc.) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ When you remember Allah, then Allah will remember you. When you preserve His religion, then He will preserve you.
Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 152:

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc.). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ That moment when you feel sick or helpless or depressed or you need something in this dunya, just ask Allah SWT!

◆ It is very, very disrespectful to Allah that we ask His creations first before Him! You must first supplicate to Allah then only seek His response and search for the means via His creations.

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 07)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 07)
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◆ Please Allah before others. You can't actually please people without pleasing Allah.

◆ When you follow people, they might bring you further away from Allah. But if you follow Allah, He SWT will teach you how to treat people nicely.
Surah Al-Anaam, Verse 116:

وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ

And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's Path. They follow nothing but conjectures, and they do nothing but lie.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ ASK - Just ask Allah. He is All Hearing.
Surah Al-Hujraat, Verse 1:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

O you who believe! Do not put (yourselves) forward before Allah and His Messenger (SAW), and fear Allah. Verily! Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ Nafs Muthma'innah: Love what Allah loves, Hate what Allah hates, spend in His way and hold tight to His rope.

◆ Make dua for beneficial knowledge, that is, a knowledge that can benefit you in dunya and akhirah & that you can reflect upon and apply.

"‏ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً ‏"

‘Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan
(O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision and acceptable deeds).’

http://www.sunnah.com/urn/1282730

◆ A knowledge that you gain so that you can debate and hurt people is not a beneficial knowledge.

◆ How to control your anger? Think of Allah.

◆ You can't please people - you will just get hurt. Seek only Allah's pleasure & don't let people destroy your happiness.

◆ Allah commands us to worship Him not because He needs our worship but because we need the worship.

◆ Allah does not need anything as He is As Samad. But everything else needs Him.
Surah Al-Ikhlas, Verse 2:

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ

"Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks).
(English - Mohsin Khan)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 06)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 06)
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◆ The key to reach nafs muthma'innah is to be content with what Allah SWT has given you.

◆ Allah SWT is The Owner of Peace. You can't gain peace if you don't go back to Allah. You can't find peace in other than Allah. Only by remembering Allah will heart find rest.
Surah Ar-Rad, Verse 28:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ How to remember Allah?
    ○ By remembering what He has asked you to do and not to do
    ○ With Prayer: Allah said to establish prayer to remember Him
Surah Taha, Verse 14:

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي

"Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ If you want to be the best parent/teacher/businessman/etc., just follow one man: Rasulullah s.a.w.!

◆ Isn't it easier to follow a man than multiple people? Then do it! Follow his sunnah! That's the guaranteed path to success.

◆ Learn to swallow the bitter truth. Most medicine are bitter yet can heal by the will of Allah.

◆ How to please Allah? By fulfilling our promise with Him →
Surah Al-Anaam, Verse 162:

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ We must follow Rasulullah SAW and his companions because Allah has commands it in the Quran.
Surah Aal-e-Imran, Verse 31:

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(English - Mohsin Khan)
Surah At-Taubah, Verse 100:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.
(English - Mohsin Khan)

◆ If Allah is happy with our solah, then khalas! So put effort into it.

◆ In order to have the best relation with Allah, we must perfect our prayer.

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 05)

GEMS: Journey of Faith (Part 05)
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◆ Shaytan also believes but chooses to disobey. You need to both belief and obey to be a true believer. Actions matter!

◆ Those who are arrogant, Allah will lead them astray.

◆ If it is the truth, then you must accept it even if the advisor is less knowledgeable. That's the sign of humility.

◆ Differentiate between Islam & Muslims. When you call people to Islam, call them to Allah, not to sects.

◆ Seek knowledge till the day you die.

◆ No one knows what's inside your heart except for you and Allah.

◆ What Allah always emphasize is the ending. In the beginning,  there may be a lot of challenges and struggles. But if you're sincere, you may have a good ending.

◆ To move forward, we must seek Allah.

◆ Allah guide us by sending a Book. If we don't go back to this book, then we cannot be guided.