The Benefits of Fasting

By Shaykh Saalih ibn Ghaanim as-Sadlaan

Fasting has spiritual, societal and health benefits. The spiritual benefits include the practicing and strengthening of one’s patience, knowing how to control oneself and help oneself in that realm. The soul finds within itself the ability to have taqwa and to improve upon it.

Societal benefits include the fact that it adds a certain system and unity to the society, engenders love for justice and equity, brings about mercy and compassion among the believers as well as good behaviour. Furthermore, it keeps the society from evil and wickedness.

Health benefits include the purifying of the intestine, improving the health of the stomach, cleansing the body of impurities, decreasing the level of fat in the body and decreasing the heaviness of the stomach due to fat.

The Wisdoms of Legislating Zakaat

By Shaykh Saalih ibn Ghaanim as-Sadlaan

The wisdom behind the legislation of zakaat includes the following:

1. It purifies the souls of humans from the depravity of miserliness and stinginess and their evils.
2. It comforts and assists the poor and helps the needy and destitute fulfil some of their needs.
3. It establishes the general welfare upon which the life and well-being of the society rests.
4. It limits the growth of wealth among the rich and in the hands of the merchants and professionals, such that wealth is not restricted to certain classes and such that wealth is not circulated only among the rich.

Some of the Benefits of Khushoo’

By Shaykh Husayn al-’Awaayishah

[1] A lawful and good subsistence. Allaah, the Most High Says:

“Whoever fear Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out [from every difficulty]. And he will provide for him from [sources] he could never imagine.” [At-Talaaq 65:2-3]

[2] It causes a person to be as close as he can to his Lord, the One free of all imperfections and the Most High.

[3] It wipes away sins and brings about forgiveness of them.

[4] Success and well-being as Allaah, the Most High, says:

“Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with humility and attentiveness [khushoo’].” [Al-Mu’minoon 23:1-2]

[5] It forbids evil and wicked deeds.

Flaws Pertaining to the Tongue & Speech

By Imaam ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee [d.620H]

Flaws Pertaining to the Tongue:

There are various flaws which are related to the tongue and for which man finds special inclination in his heart towards stimulated by his human temperament. Silence is the only way with which man can escape from or get rid of such flaws. With this in mind it may be better to speak first about the virtue of silence before dealing with the flaws pertaining to the tongue.

First of all, it should be known that silence comprehends mans determination and rids his mind of wasteful thoughts.

From a Man’s Perfecting His Religion is Leaving Alone that Which does not Concern Him

By Shaykh Husayn al-‘Awaayishah

It is imperative for us to build levels of knowledge and action upon a firm, strong foundation, and that is the saying of the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “From a man’s perfecting his religion is his leaving alone that which does not concern him.” [1]

In Fayd-ul-Qadeer the author writes: “It is understood from this that from a man’s deficiency in his religion is his indulging in that which does not concern him. This includes everything of secondary importance, whichever form it may take. What should concern him is all that relates to the essentials of his livelihood, that which fulfils his need for sustenance, clothing, keeping himself chaste thereby, and the like thereof from the necessities of life, excluding those things relating to his own personal pleasures. He should be concerned with all that relates to his salvation in the Hereafter, that being Islam, Eemaan and ihsaan. In this way he stays safe from ruin, all forms of evil and argumentation. This is part of perfecting his religion, firm establishment of his piety and keeping away from following his desires. Whereas striving to accomplish other than this is loss of irreplaceable valuable time, in doing what he was not created for. So whoever worships his Lord, with realisation of his closeness to his Lord and of his Lord’s closeness to him, has perfected his religion, as has preceded.”

Three Cures for the Heart

By Shaykh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah [d.728H]

[1.2 The Qur’aan is a Cure for the Heart]

The Qur’aan is a cure for that which within the heart, and for the one who has the sickness of doubt and desire in his heart, for it contains clear proofs that distinguish the truth from falsehood, and remove the sickness of false doubts to leave certain knowledge, correct perception and understanding such that the heart sees things in accordance to their reality. It contains wisdom, goodly exhortations both encouraging good and deterring from evil, and stories which contain lessons that necessarily lead to the correction of the heart by making the heart desire what is good for it and detest what is harmful to it. Hence the heart is left desiring that which will guide it, hating that which will deviate it after it used to desire that which would deviate it and hate that which would guide it.

The Life of Deception

By Imaam ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [d.751H]

This worldly life is like an unchaste woman, who is not satisfied with one husband. So, be satisfied with whatever Allaah grants you from this worldly life.

Walking thereon is like walking in a land that is filled with beasts, and water that teams with crocodiles. That which causes delight, turns to be the source of grief. Pain is found in the midst of pleasures, and delights are derived from its sorrows. As a bird sees the wheat, so does one’s insight perceive polytheism, while vain desires render its holder blind.

Lusts were granted in abundance to humans, but those who believed in the unseen turned away from them, while those who follow their lusts were caused to regret.

The Search for Inner Peace

By Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

The topic of inner peace addresses a universal need. There is nobody on this planet who does not desire inner peace, it is not a desire that is new to our time; rather, it is something that everybody has been searching for throughout the ages, regardless of colour, creed, religion, race, nationality, age, sex, wealth, ability or technological advancement. People have taken a variety of different paths in trying to achieve inner peace, some through accumulating material possessions and wealth, others through drugs, some through music, others through meditation, some through their husbands and wives, others through their careers and some through their children’s achievements, but yet the list and the search goes on.

Ok, but I’m Already Muslim, why do I Need to Ask Allaah [swt] for Guidance?

By Shaykh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah [d.728H]

If it is asked why is one supplicating for guidance to the Straight Path when a Muslim is already regarded to be on the Straight Path? Shaykh-ul-Islam ibn Taymiyyah says,

…The case mentioned above is similar to what some of them ask concerning His saying, “Guide us to the Straight Path” [Al-Fatihah 1:6] saying: ‘Allaah has already guided the believer, so what benefit is there in seeking guidance?’ Then some of them reply by saying that the meaning is ‘Keep us firm upon guidance’ as the Arab would say to the one who is asleep, ‘Sleep until I come to you’. Others say that the meaning is, ‘Keep our hearts form upon the guidance’ and that the request for firmness has been omitted. Yet others from amongst them say that it means, ‘Increase me in guidance.’

This question really occurs due to the absence of their pondering the Straight Path to which the servant seeks guidance to, for the meaning [of this verse] is [seeking guidance to] act according to what Allaah ordered, and leaving what He forbade in all matters.

With Those Who Cry

By Majdi Muhammad ash-Shahaawi

There are many reasons why we should cry: Fear of Allaah, regret for our sins, fear of Allaah’s punishment in the Hereafter, etc. In fact, the Prophet [sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] said, “Had you known what I know, you would have laughed only a little, and cried a great deal.” If our eyes remain dry, signifying the hardness of our hearts, then that certainly was not the case for the pious Muslims from the early generations of Islam. Let us look at some examples of our pious predecessors, so that perhaps we might follow in their footsteps.