Ihsan, Ihsan.

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

Two examples of Ihsan:

One day, 'Umar bin 'Abdul-'Aziz said to his slave girl: "Fan me so I can sleep." She fanned him, and he slept. She was overcome by sleep until she dozed off. When he awoke he realized that she is sleeping, then he took the fan and fanned her so she would feel cool. When she awoke, she saw that he had the fan. He said,

"You are only a human like me, and the heat affects you as it affects me, so I wanted to make you feel the soothing breeze as you did for me."

3. One of the pious predecessors became severely angry with his slave and decided to punish him. The slave said, "Allah has praised those who repress their anger." The man said: "I have repressed my anger." The slave said: "Allah has praised those who pardon others." The man said, "I have pardoned you." The servant said, “Allah loves those who do Ihsan." Thereupon the man said, "You can go now, you are free for the sake of Allah."

Wa salam.

The Lanterns Of Islam.

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

It is reported that Imâm Ahmad said, seeing the students of hadîth approaching with their ink-pots: 
"These are the lanterns of Islâm."

Al-Khatîb Al-Baghdâdî, Al-Jâmi’ li-Akhlâq Al-Râwî, articles 508, 509, 512.

Taken from Sayings of the Salaf.

Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni......

Salamun 'Alaykum.

Jaisi karni waisi bharni,

Naa maane to kar ke dekh,

Jannat bhi hai, dozakh bhi hai,

Naa maane to mar ke dekh!

Translation:

As you sow, so shall you reap,

(If) you don't believe it, do (so) and see,

Paradise exists and Hell exists,

(If) you don't believe it, die and see!

Hadrat Mawlana 'Umar Palanpuri(rahimahullah) - Tablighi Elder in bayan.

Hadrat Mawlana Ibrahim Devla(db) on Tabligh.

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

Da'wat wa Tabligh ka kaam waseela hai.

Asal Kaam Sunnat aur Shariat par chalna hai.

Jaise wudu' waseela hai namaaz ka.

Mawlana Ibrahim Devla (db).

Translation:

The work of Da'wah & Tabligh is a means.

The real work is to practice the Sunnah & follow the Shariah.

In the same way that Wudu'(minor ablution) is a means for offering Salah.

Wa salam.

Thanks to Brother Azimuddin.

What Is Tawbah?

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

Sayyiduna 'Ali(ra) was asked as to what is 'taubah' and he replied that it consists of six elements:

1. To regret one's past evil deeds.

2. To carry out divine duties that were missed.

3. To restore the rights that were usurped.

4. To ask forgiveness of a person who has been wronged by him physically or verbally.

5. To make a firm resolve of avoiding that sin in future.

6. To consume one's self in obedience of Allah as one thus far consumed one's self in his disobedience.

(Taken from the tafsir of Surah at-Tahreem in Ma'arif al Qur'an of Mufti Shafi' Deobandi with reference to Tafsir Mazhari)

The Speed Of Allah's Response! Subhanallah!

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

Shaykh Khaled al-Wuhaybi narrates:

This is a story that has a lesson to be learned, it happened to me personally and was not conveyed to me (perhaps some of you have heard it from me before, but I repeat it as a reminder).
Here I am writing it to you as it occured, so that perhaps a reader may benefit from it …
Or it may find someone desperate, and send hope to his heart …
Or find someone who was haste, and stopped supplicating to his Lord!!

On Wednesday 22/4/1423 of the Hijri Calendar

During the time of Dhuhr (Noon) prayers, in the Holy Mosque in Mecca, I was standing close to the chamber of the Muezzin (one who calls to prayer), when a brother signalled to me to fill a gap in the row next to him after the Iqamah has been called. So I went forward.

After we completed the prayer, I went to the back a little to sit with my legs crossed and be more comfortable while I do my Tasbeeh (Glorify and Praise Allah). I looked at that man beside me, and he appeared as if his body is worn out like the poor of the Sacred Mosque. He had the appearance of stillness and humility, and had placed his hands on his thighs as he supplicated to his Lord with humbleness. I put my hand into my pocket reaching for the money which I had tied into groups of 1 Riyal, 5 Riyals, and 10 Riyals.
I took out 5 Riyals and placed it hidden in the palm of my hand and approached him, extending my arm to him to shake his hand. We shook hands and he felt the money in my palm, then pulled his hand quickly away without taking the money or even knowing how much was in my hand, telling me: May Allah reward you greatly
I said: Won’t you accept it?
He did not respond, so I felt that he is being modest, which is why he did not accept it.
So I placed it back in my pocket. I stood back a little, and performed theSunnah, and noticed the man turning to me again and again as if he is waiting for me to finish my prayers!!
When I completed my prayers, he came next to me and greeted me, and then asked: How much was it that you were going to give me?
I said: I offered you and you refused to take it, so why would it matter if it was one riyal or a hundred?!
So he said: By Allah, how much was it that you were going to give me?
I said: Do not ask me by Allah, this matter between me and you has finished!

He said: I was supplicating to my Lord about my dire need for five Riyals, so How much was it you were going to give me?

I said: By Allah, who there is no God worthy of worship besides Him, the amount which I was offering you was 5 Riyals!
The man started weeping.
I asked him: Do you need more?
He said: no 
Then he said: Subhan Allah, you were placing the money in my hand as I was still asking my Lord for it!!

I said: Why then did you pull your hand away without taking it? 

He said: I didn’t expect the reply to come so quick.
I said: Subhan Allah, Indeed Allah is All-Hearing, Close to those who ask Him, Answering their call; He will not come down to you Himself to give you what you asked, but truly he will facilitate for you one of his slaves to fulfill for you what you need!
I offered him the five riyals again, and he took it, and refused to take anything extra. 

Indeed, Glory to Allah, the Great, who said of Himself:

{And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me …} (Al Baqarah 2:186) 

http://salaf-stories.blogspot.in/2011/10/i-didnt-expect-reply-to-come-so-quick.html
'Alaykum Salam.

Imam Ahmad & The Poor.

Al Salamu 'Alaykum.

Mawlana 'Ali Miyan Nadwi in his seminal work, "Saviours of Islamic Spirit" vol 1, pg 73 writes about Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal's lectures (with minor corrections in spelling):

"The poor were given preference over the rich in his lectures. 

Al-Dhahabi quotes Marwazi, a contemporary of Ahmad ibn Hanbal as follows:

"I have not seen the poor and lowly being shown more deference anywhere than in the lectures of Ahmad, who used to be attentive to the poor and indifferent to the affluent. He was a man of towering dignity, of simple habits yet grave and never hasty; his countenance signified a weightiness and sublimity. He used to arrive for his lectures after 'Asr prayers, but remained quiet till he was requested to speak." 

Tarjumatul Imam, p.35 & Hilyatul `Awliya, vol IX, p.165.

Alhamdulillah.

'Alaykum Salam.