Al-Bara bin `Azib (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Whenever Messenger of Allah (PBUH) went to bed, he would lie down on his right side and recite: "Allahumma aslamtu nafsi ilaika, wa wajjahtu wajhi ilaika, wa fawwadtu amri ilaika, wa aljatu zahri ilaika, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika, la maljaa wa la manja illa ilaika. Amantu bikitabikal-ladhi anzalta, wa nabiyyikal-ladhi arsalta [O Allah! I have submitted myself to You, I have turned my face to You, committed my affairs to You, and depend on You for protection out of desire for You and out of fear of You (expecting Your reward and fearing Your punishment). There is no refuge and no place of safety from You but with You. I believed in the Book You have revealed, and in the Prophet You have sent (i.e., Muhammad (PBUH)).]"[Al-Bukhari].
Commentary:
Before going to bed, a believer revives his commitment to Faith, Islam and Allah by reciting this prayer of Messenger of Allah (PBUH). Through this practice, every night he is able to remember Allah and His Commandments amidst the activities of the day time. |
| 127/814 - Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous) |
Narrated Ibn Abbas (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):
The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel ('Alaihis-Salam) met him. Gabriel ('Alaihis-Salam) used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur'an with him. Allah's Apostle (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) then used to be more generous than the fast wind.
Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 754
| Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "Put on white clothes because they are the best; and use them for shrouding your dead."[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud]. |
| 117/779 - Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous) |
Allah's Plan for You and Me
By: Wael Abdelgawad Source: Muslim Matters
Allah ![]() had a plan for you before you were born, and He still has a plan for you. Allah's plan for you is necessary and glorious. His plan is vital to your success and important to the world.
Allah's plan is not set in stone, as if we were robots pre-programmed in the factory. That would strip us of free will and deny our natures. Rather, I believe that Allah has a flexible plan for each human being: a plan that allows that person to benefit the world with his/her unique talents.
This is in fact the Islamic view of al-Qadar, or predestination. There is no doubt that Allah has decreed everything that happens in the universe from the beginning of time to the end, and that Allah has written it all in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Book of Decrees).
![]() | "Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth?
Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz). Verily, that is easy for Allah"
(Qur'an, al-Hajj 22:70) |
In Saheeh Muslim (2653) it is narrated that 'Abd-Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: "Allah wrote down the decrees of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth."
Everything happens by the will of Allah. Whatever He wills happens, and whatever he does not will does not happen. However, as Sheikh Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid explains,
Belief in al-qadar does not contradict the idea that a person has free will with regard to actions in which he has free choice. Sharee'ah and real life both indicate that people have this will.
Allah says concerning man's will (interpretation of the meaning):
![]() | "That is (without doubt) the True Day.
So, whosoever wills, let him seek a place with (or a way to) His Lord
(by obeying Him in this worldly life)!" [al-Naba' 78:39] |
(and other similar ayaat)
These verses confirm that man has a will and the ability to do what he wants and not to do what he does not want.
With regard to real life, everyone knows that he has a will and the ability to do what he wants and not to do what he does not want. And he can distinguish between the things that happen when he wants them to, such as walking, and those that happen without him wanting them to, such as shivering. But the will and ability of man are subject to the will and decree of Allah.
Sheikh Al-Munajjid's last paragraph is the key to understanding Al-Qadar: walking (voluntary) versus shivering (involuntary). Other scholars have explained it as two types of Qadar, fixed and flexible. The fixed Qadar is that which happens to us from beyond our control. For example the time and place of our birth, any illnesses and natural disasters that befall us, etc. The flexible Qadar is that which is within the realm of our free will. Whether we do good or evil, and what we choose to believe and how we choose to live. Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah wrote:
![]() There are two types of provision and lifespan: the first type has already been decreed and is written in Umm al-kitaab, and cannot be changed or altered. The next type of qadar, Allah has informed His angels of His decrees. This is the type where provisions and lifespan may increase or decrease. Hence Allah the Almighty says what may be translated as, "Allah blots out what he wills and confirms [what He wills]. And with Him is the Mother of the book." (Surat Ar-Ra'ad, verse 39) The mother of the Book (Umm al-Kitaab) is Al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh, in which Allah has decreed all things as they will always be without change. However, the decrees contained in the books of the angels, such as lifespan and provisions, may increase or decrease according to various circumstances; thereafter, the angels will re-write a person's provision and lifespan. If a person upholds the ties of kinship, his provisions and lifespan will be extended, otherwise they will decrease." ![]() [See Majmoo'al-Fataawa 8/540] |
So Allah has a plan for you, but fulfillment of that plan is up to you: the choices you make, as well as your degree of faith, persistence and determination.
Allah's plan for you is important to the world because Allah created nothing in vain. Look at His creation. Everything has a purpose, from the sun that heats our world, to the bacteria that consume waste.
You are the same. You have a purpose. You are necessary to the world. If your presence were not vital in some way, then you would not have been made.
Discovering Allah's Plan
Allah's plan for us is not always what we might wish it to be.
How do we discover Allah's plan for us? Where do we find it? How do we realize it in our lives?
It's not as difficult as we might think. It wouldn't make sense for Allah to have a plan for us and then leave us stumbling in the dark. Allah's plan doesn't have to be a mystery. If we trust Him, do what He asks, and follow our hearts, His plan will unfold in our lives like a brightly lit path.
If you are trying to follow Allah's guidance, but you find yourself confronted by obstacles and hardship, don't despair. The hardship is probably a sign that you are on the right path. Consider our Prophets (may Allah bless them all) who faced tremendous obstacles:
The Prophet Ibrahim ![]() was disowned by his family and thrown by his people into a blazing fire; Allah rescued him from that, and made him the father of two nations.
Allah inspired the mother of the baby Musa ![]() and told her to place her infant into a chest and send it floating down the Nile. If the soldiers of Pharaoh ever learned about his birth:
![]() | "We revealed to Moses' mother,
'Suckle him and then when you fear for him cast him into the sea.
Do not fear or grieve; We will return him to you and make him one of the Messengers.'"
(Surat al-Qasas: 28:7) |
That was a hard plan to follow, but she trusted her Lord, and carried out her mission.
The young Yusuf ![]() was thrown by his brothers into a well; later he was sold into slavery, then imprisoned for years; but in the end he became an important minister, and was reunited with his father.
Maryam ![]() , the mother of Isa ![]() , delivered her child alone under a palm tree, far from her people as she feared their reaction; but Allah helped her through miracles, until she became the honored mother of a great Prophet.
The Prophet Yunus ![]() gave up on his mission to the people of Nineveh, ventured onto a ship and was then cast into the sea, where he was swallowed by a fish. At the point of despair, he called upon Allah with all his heart and was rescued. He returned to his mission and achieved success.
Aishah ![]() , the wife of the Prophet ![]() , was slandered by an ugly lie, but Allah brought the truth to light, and Aishah became a leader and scholar in her own right.
The companion Umm Salamah ![]() lost her beloved husband Abu Salamah in the battle of Uhud; she thought that no husband could ever be better than him, and yet she ended up marrying the Prophet ![]() himself . Things are not always what they seem.
Be patient. Allah ![]() has a plan for you.
Following Allah's Plan
This is the hard part. Allah's plan for us is true to who we are at our core, in our very essence. It will not correlate to an artificial persona we have adopted, or our desire to be seen and recognized. Allah's plan may not bring us fame, fortune, or physical pleasure. It might mean giving up material comfort. So Allah's plan for us may not be what we would wish it to be.
Abu Hurayrah ![]() , the companion of the Messenger of Allah , was asked about Taqwa (God-consciousness). He said, "It is a road full of thorns. One who walks it needs to have extreme patience."
In fact, Allah's plan may be so challenging that we may perceive it but decline to follow it. I have known all my life that I was a writer. I've been talking for years about writing certain books. And yet it took me until the age of 44 to begin writing about the things that really mattered to me, and I still have not published a book (look for it this year, inshā'Allah!). Why did it take me so long to do what I was meant to do?
I have a friend who says that Africa has been calling her all her life. She believes that her destiny is to go there and help the African people in some way. But she has not done it. Why?
I have another friend who believes that da'wah is his mission in life. He spent ten years studying Japanese at the university level, and he dreams of living in Japan and doing da'wah there. But he has no concrete plan to do so. Why?
I asked several brothers and sisters if they know what their mission in life might be. Some said yes. I asked them if they were carrying out their mission. Most said no, and gave these reasons:
I feel that others are more qualified than me.It seems like a fantasy.It feels like a dream.I tried once and it didn't go my way.Right now I need to focus on financial security.
I'm not ready yet. |
Brothers and sisters, no one more qualified than you to fulfill the plan that Allah has for you! Allah's plan is not a fantasy, nor a dream. It may not go your way the first time, or the second, or the third. It may not make you rich, but there is no true financial security in this life – that's an illusion. No one expects you to let your family go hungry. Work hard and provide for them, but don't get caught in the trap of thinking that the accumulation of wealth will save you, because the only true security is with Allah. And last of all, no one is ever ready to walk fee-sabeel-illah (in the path of Allah). It is a road full of thorns. But it is also the road to fulfillment, happiness, barakah and success.
Fulfilling Allah's plan for us requires that we silence the voice of our own desire, open ourselves to Allah, and look within with total sincerity. It takes courage, patience and determination. It is the path to Jannah (Paradise), inshā'Allah.
Source: Muslim Matters – Wael Abdelgawad
http://www.islamicity.org/6605
Does the torment of the grave continue until the Day of Resurrection?
I would like to ask about the grave: after the two angels have finished questioning the person in his grave, will the evildoer continue to be tormented in his grave until the Hour begins? Also, will the believer continue to enjoy delight until the Hour begins? Or does that simply last for one day which comes to an end, after which the person becomes just a dead body? Is there any evidence to indicate that the person in his grave moves into a new life which will last until the Hour begins? Please answer me, may Allaah bless you.
Published Date: 2001-11-18
Praise be to Allaah.
Man's life is divided into three sections:
1 – The life of this world, which ends with death.
2 – The life in al-barzakh, which starts after death and ends when the Hour begins.
3 – The life of the Hereafter, which begins after the people are raised from their graves, and is spent either in Paradise (we ask Allaah of His Bounty) or in Hell (we seek refuge with Allaah).
So the life of al-barzakh lasts from after a person dies until he is resurrected, whether he is buried in a grave or not, whether he is burned or eaten by wild animals. The evidence that points to this life is the hadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said that after the deceased is placed in his grave, he can hear the footsteps of his family (as they walk away from the grave).
This life (in al-barzakh) will either be filled with delight, or it will be hellish, and the grave will either be one of the gardens of Paradise or one of the ditches of Hell.
What indicates that there will be either delight or torment (in al-barzakh) is the aayah in which Allaah says concerning the people of Pharaoh:
"The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): 'Cause Fir'awn's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!'"
[Ghaafir 40:46 – interpretation of the meaning]
Ibn Mas'ood said: The souls of the people of Pharaoh and those of their ilk among the kaafirs are shown the Fire morning and evening, and they are told, this is your abode.
Ibn Katheer said: this aayah is the main basis of the Sunni's belief in the torment of al-barzakh in the grave.
(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/82)
Al-Qurtubi said: Some of the scholars quoted as evidence to prove the torment of the grave the phrase "The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon" [Ghaafir 40:46]. A similar view was expressed by Mujaahid, 'Ikrimah, Muqaatil and Muhammad ibn Ka'b, all of whom said that this aayah is proof of the torment of the grave. Do you not see that it says concerning the torment of the Hereafter: "And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): 'Cause Fir'awn's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!"? (Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 15/319)
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 'When any one of you dies, he is shown his place morning and evening. If he is one of the people of Paradise then he is one of the people of Paradise, and if he is one of the people of Hell, then he is one of the people of Hell.'" (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Bid' al-Khalq, 3001; Muslim, al-Jannah wa sifat na'eemihaa, 2866).
It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that a Jewish woman entered upon her and mentioned the torment of the grave, and said to her, "May Allaah protect you from the torment of the grave!" 'Aa'ishah asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about the torment of the grave, and he said, "Yes, the torment of the grave." 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: "I never saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pray any prayer after that but he sought refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Janaa'iz, 1283; Muslim, al-Kusoof, 903).
These aayahs and ahaadeeth indicate that the torment of the grave is real and that it is ongoing in the case of some people.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him and save him from the torment of the grave) said:
If a person is a kaafir (we seek refuge with Allaah), then there is no way that the delight will ever reach him, and his torment will be continuous. If a person was a sinner but he was a believer, then his torment in the grave will be commensurate with his sin, and perhaps the punishment for his sin will take less time than the time in al-barzakh between his death and the onset of the Hour, in which case it will cease.
(al-Sharh al-Mumti', vol. 3, p. 253)
See also the answer to Question no. 7862, where more details are given.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
*Fard Salaah in Congregation is 27 times better than praying alone. And Nafil Salaah prayed alone without anybody seeing is 25 times better than people seeing.*
Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said,
"Salat in congregation is twenty-seven times more meritorious than a Salat performed individually."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
The Reward of Voluntary Salah When Praying Alone
The Prophet Sallallahu alayhi was sallam said "The voluntary salah of a man (performed) where people are unable to see him, outweighs the salah (performed) where people are able to see him by twenty-five degrees."
[Musnad Abi Ya'la, and attributed to him by Ibn Hajar in 'Mutaalib al-Aaliyah', 4/534; see also 'Ikmal al-Ikmal', 3/337 - graded as saheeh by al-Albani in 'Saheeh al-Jaami', 3821]
*Don't miss your Salaah in Masjid because of doubt that it must be over by now!*
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "If a person does wudoo' and does it well, then sets out for the mosque but finds that the people have already prayed, Allaah will decree for him a reward like that of those who prayed and were present, and that will not detract anything from their reward."
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