Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Da'wah Tips

1. Keep things simple
2. Answer in terms the questioner can relate to.
3. Try to answer directly instead of beating around the bush.
4. If you don’t know, say so.
5. Emphasise commonalities and not differences.
6. Use wisdom.
7. Never insult another person’s faith.
8. Acknowledge if a Muslim has done wrong- don’t defend wrong doing-Not everything is a reflection of Islam.
9. Don’t white wash the truth.
10. Avoid being defensive and apologetic about Islam.
11. Avoid preaching.
12. Avoid denigrating groups- ex. The Wahabis/sufis/shias are this or that.
13. Do not get emotional.
14. Always speak truthfully.
15. If you cannot be truthful, be silent.
16. Don’t overstep your knowledge-Speak what you know.
17. Study so you have the knowledge.
18. Speak at the level of understanding of the person asking the question.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Be choosy

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A man follows his friend’s religion. So each one should consider whom he makes his friend.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih]

There is a principle according to which you are said to become like the people with whom you associate. Make friends but be very choosy about whom you befriend. Slowly and gradually the way you talk, what you talk about, the way you dress, the way you behave, what you eat, how you spend your time, all ends up becoming like that of the company you keep. Keep in mind that on the Day of Judgement you will be raised with those whom you loved. May it never happen that we are grouped with those people who are to be thrown into the Fire



http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com/#.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Momin dies Working!

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "The momin dies with his sweat on his brow (i.e. with labour and hard work)." [Tirmidhi, Nasai]

A momin's work is never done. If a conscientious student is sitting for a three hour exam and gets done in two and a half hours, he/she will go over their work making sure that they did not miss anything or make any mistakes. Moreover, if an exam has been designed for three hours, it is meant to take around three hours to finish.

Our lifespan should likewise be fully utilized to make sure we have not left anything undone that we could have earned Jannat with. This is the only chance we get; there will be no exams after this, only results. Therefore, we have to give this one exam our best shot.

If somebody is sitting around with nothing to do, it means that they have not understood the purpose of life, what Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) gave it to us for! There is no time to waste, no moment to lose. As long as we are alive we can keep earning sawaab. A momin, therefore, keeps working to please Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) before death overtakes him, and his exam paper is taken away from h
im.

http://dailyhadith.adaptivesolutionsinc.com

Death will be Slaughtered

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “On the Day of Resurrection death will be brought forward in the shape of a black and white ram. Then a call maker will call, ‘O people of Jannah!’ Thereupon they will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, this is death.’ By then all of them will have seen it. Then it will be announced again, ‘O people of Jahannum!’ They will stretch their necks and look carefully. The caller will say, ‘Do you know this?’ They will say, ‘Yes, this is death.’ And by then all of them will have seen it. Then it (that ram) will be slaughtered and the caller will say, ‘O people of Jannah! Eternity for you and no death. O people of Jahannum! Eternity for you and no death.’” Then the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) recited: “And warn them of the Day of Distress when the case has been decided, while (now) they are in a state of carelessness (i.e. the people of the world) and they do not believe. (Quran 19:39)” [Sahih Bukhari]

After people have reached their places in Jannah or the Fire Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will destroy death. Nobody will ever die again after this. This eternal life will be a source of great joy for the people in Jannah. But the people in Jahannum will wish for one thing from the bottom of their heart: death, if only they could cease to exist then they would not feel the punishment that is now their due. They will not wish for any of the things they wished for in the world, because of which they disobeyed and ignored Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) and the warnings of His Messengers. They will not want eternal life, they will not want Jannah. All they will want is to die. And it will be denied them. This is really scary if we think about it.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Be useful; live longer

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Nothing keeps away the decree (of Allah) except prayer, and nothing increases the life (of man) except goodness; and man is only denied the provisions (of life) because of sins upon which he falls." [Ibn Majah] "Almsgiving extinguishes the wrath of Allah." [Tirmidhi]

This hadith tells us many important things:

1. If we want to prevent misfortunes, accidents, and bad things in general from happening to us, we should make dua. Dua alone has the power to stall some misfortune that was decreed to befall us.
2. If we want to live longer, then we should practice what Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) defines as goodness.
3. If we want our rizq/provisions to increase, we should not commit sins.
4. If we don't want to be punished by Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) for our sins, we should give sadaqa/charity.

Research suggests that those who spend 4-6 hours in various voluntary activities weekly live 6-8 years longer than those who don't. This is one of the benefits of helping others that modern research has revealed. There are hundreds of other benefits. Make yourself useful so that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) may let you live a few more years to serve His creation. [30 Second Successories by Faiez H. Seyal]