Doors of Jannah

You will never be a person of taqwâ until you become Knowledgeable, and you will never be beautiful with your knowledge until you act by it. ~ Abū Al-Dardā

[doorsofjannah]

What Were You Doing on the Day the Sea Split?

Have you ever stopped in the middle of your day and thought about how many miracles happened before you were born?

Not the small ones.

The kind where a sea parts in two. Where a man walks out of a whale alive. Where a father regains his sight after years of grief. Where a grandson of a Prophet stands alone on a battlefield and chooses death over dishonor.

All of it happened. And most of it happened on the same day.

The 10th of Muharram.

Yawm al-Ashura.

We talk about Ashura every year. We share posts about fasting. We remind each other of the date. And then, sometimes, the day passes and we are not quite sure what we actually felt.

Maybe because we do not truly know what this day carries.

So let me try, with sincerity, to lay it out for you. Not as a lecture. Not as a list to scroll past. But as a conversation between people who care about the same things.

Because this day deserves more than a reminder notification.

First, What Does Ashura Even Mean?

The word Ashura (عَاشُورَاء) comes from the Arabic word for ten — 'Ashara. It simply means: the tenth day.

The tenth day of Muharram. The first month of the Islamic calendar.

And Muharram itself is not an ordinary month. Allah (SWT) set it apart from the very beginning of creation. He says in the Quran:

"Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred." — (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:36)

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) named them for us:

"The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months — Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram — and Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha'baan." — (Sahih Al-Bukhari 2958)

Within this sacred month, the 10th day stands alone.

It always has.

The Day the Prophet (PBUH) Could Not Stop Thinking About

Before we talk about history, pause here for a second.

Ibn Abbas (RA) said something that has stayed with me:

"I never saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other than this day, the day of Ashura, and this month, meaning Ramadan." — (Sahih Al-Bukhari 1867)

Think about that.

The man who received revelation. The man who stood in prayer until his feet were swollen. The man who fasted Mondays and Thursdays and the middle days of every month without fail — that man looked at Ashura with a particular kind of eagerness that he gave no other voluntary day.

That tells you something.

That tells you everything.

What Happened on This Day — The Stories You Need to Know

1. Prophet Musa (AS) and the Parting of the Red Sea — The Event That Started It All

This is the one. The authenticated, agreed-upon, Bukhari-and-Muslim confirmed event. The reason the Prophet (PBUH) fasted on this day.

When the Prophet (PBUH) first arrived in Madinah, he noticed the Jewish community fasting. He asked about it. Ibn Abbas (RA) narrates what happened next:

"They said, 'This is a righteous day; it is the day when Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemies, so Musa fasted on this day.' He said, 'We have more right to Musa than you,' so he fasted on that day and commanded [the Muslims] to fast on that day." — (Sahih Al-Bukhari 1865)

Now close your eyes for a moment and picture it.

Musa (AS) and his people — hundreds of thousands of them — are running. Behind them is Pharaoh's army. Horses, soldiers, chariots, dust. In front of them is the Red Sea.

There is nowhere to go.

And then Allah commands Musa (AS):

"Strike with your staff the sea."

And the sea — this enormous, ancient, unmovable thing — splits. Twelve dry paths open up, one for each tribe of Israel. Walls of water stand upright like mountains on either side.

"And each portion was like a great towering mountain. And We saved Moses and those with him, all together. Then We drowned the others." — (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 26:63–66)

Pharaoh drowned. The people walked to freedom.

And Musa (AS), when it was all over, fasted.

Not because anyone told him to. But because he wanted to say thank you to Allah in the most sincere way he knew.

The Prophet (PBUH) heard this story and said: we are closer to Musa than they are. And he fasted too.

And now it is our turn.

2. Prophet Nuh (AS) — When the Ark Finally Found Land

Imagine carrying the weight of your entire mission on a wooden boat.

Nuh (AS) had spent over 950 years calling his people to Allah. He was mocked. He was ignored. He watched the world he knew be swallowed by a flood while he floated on water, surrounded by animals and a small group of believers.

On the day of Ashura, the Ark came to rest on the mountain of Al-Judi.

As reported through Imam Ahmad's Musnad, it is narrated:

"This is the day on which the Ark settled on Mount Joodi, so Nooh fasted this day in thanksgiving."

The flood was over.

Nuh (AS) stepped onto dry land for the first time in months, maybe longer, and his first instinct was not to eat, celebrate, or rest.

He fasted.

Because sometimes the deepest gratitude does not come from what you say. It comes from what you willingly give up.

3. Prophet Adam (AS) — The First Forgiveness

There are scholars who mention that it was on this day that Prophet Adam (AS) turned to Allah in repentance after eating from the forbidden tree, and Allah accepted it.

The first human being. The first sin. The first forgiveness.

And Allah says of that moment in the Quran:

"Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful." — (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:37)

If Allah forgave Adam — the first man, who made the first mistake — what makes you think He will not forgive you on this day?

Ask.

4. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) — Born Into a World That Would Try to Burn Him

Some narrations, including those referenced by Tabarani, mention that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was born on this day. The man who would be thrown into fire for the sake of his Lord. The man who would be asked to sacrifice his own son. The man Allah called Khalilullah — His intimate friend.

Born on Ashura.

It is almost as if this day was always meant to carry weight.

5. Prophet Yusuf (AS) — From the Bottom of a Well to the Gates of a Palace

His own brothers threw him into a well and left him there.

He was sold into slavery. Falsely accused. Imprisoned for years for something he did not do.

And through every single one of those trials, he held on. He did not become bitter. He did not lose his faith. He did not stop trusting Allah.

On the day of Ashura, he walked out of prison.

His story, Surah Yusuf, ends with a truth that should ring in our ears on this day:

"Indeed, it is He who is the Subtle in fulfilling what He wills. Indeed, He is the Knowing, the Wise." — (Surah Yusuf, 12:100)

Whatever prison you are in right now — know that Yusuf walked out on Ashura.

6. Prophet Yunus (AS) — Called From the Darkest Place Possible

Inside the belly of a whale. In the middle of a dark sea. In the depths of darkness layered upon darkness.

And from there, Yunus (AS) called:

"There is no god but You; Glory be to You; Verily, I have been of the wrongdoers." — (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:87)

And on the day of Ashura, he was cast out onto the shore, alive.

If Allah can hear a man calling from inside a whale, at the bottom of an ocean, in the dark — He can hear you too.

7. Prophet Ayyub (AS) — The End of a Very Long Trial

Ayyub (AS) lost his health, his wealth, and his family. He suffered for years. And he stayed patient.

He never stopped calling on Allah.

And on this day, Allah restored everything. His health came back. His family returned.

"And We responded to him and removed what afflicted him of adversity. And We restored his family to him and the like thereof with them as mercy from Us." — (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:84)

If you are going through something long and exhausting and you cannot see when it will end — Ayyub (AS) made it through. And so did Yusuf. And Yunus. And Nuh.

Ashura is the day Allah showed up for all of them.

He will show up for you too.

8. Prophet Ya'qub (AS) — A Father Who Could See Again

Ya'qub (AS) lost his son Yusuf for years. He grieved so deeply that his eyes went white from weeping.

And when Yusuf's shirt was brought to him as a sign that his son was alive, Allah returned his sight.

Father and son. Reunited. Eyes open again.

Some narrations connect this moment of reunion and restored sight to the blessed day of Ashura.

What a day for a father's du'a to finally be answered.

9. Prophet Dawud (AS) and Prophet Sulayman (AS) — Forgiven and Given Everything

Dawud (AS), the prophet-king whose repentance shook the heavens, was forgiven on this day.

Sulayman (AS), whose kingdom was so extraordinary that it included command over humans, jinn, animals, and even the wind, was granted that kingdom on this day.

Two different prophets. Two different blessings. The same sacred day.

10. The Martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) at Karbala — 61 AH

We cannot speak of Ashura and leave this out.

It would be dishonest.

On the 10th of Muharram, 61 AH — the year 680 CE — Hussain ibn Ali (RA), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), was killed on the plains of Karbala, Iraq.

He was the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) and Fatimah (RA), the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH).

He stood against a ruler, Yazid ibn Muawiyah, whose conduct many Muslims of that time could not accept. He was asked to pledge allegiance. He refused.

He had with him 72 companions — men, and the women and children of his household. Facing an army numbered in the thousands.

By the end of that day, Hussain (RA) and most of his companions had been killed. The women and children were taken captive.

And yet he did not surrender his principles.

This is why his name echoes across fourteen centuries.

This is why both Sunni and Shia Muslims, despite their differences in how they commemorate, feel something when this day arrives. It is grief. Proper, dignified grief. The kind that does not need rituals built on fabrication, but also the kind that cannot be pretended away.

We do not beat our chests. We do not wail in the streets. We do not practice what was never practiced by the Companions (RA) or the four great Imams.

But we remember.

And we fast.

And we ask Allah to be pleased with Hussain and his household, and to have mercy on all those who stood on the side of truth.

The Virtues of This Day — What Ashura Gives You

Fasting Wipes Away a Year of Minor Sins

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

"Fasting the day of Arafah I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of Ashura I hope Allah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it." — (Sahih Muslim 1162)

One day. One fast. A whole year of minor sins, gone.

Imam al-Nawawi (RA) explained this clearly — the expiation covers minor sins. For major sins, sincere tawbah is what is needed. But this is still one of the most generous gifts Allah has placed in our calendar.

Do not let it pass while you are sleeping in.

The Prophet (PBUH) Fasted It Even When He Did Not Have To

When fasting in Ramadan became obligatory, fasting on Ashura became voluntary. No one was required anymore.

And yet, Aisha (RA) tells us:

"Allah's Messenger ordered (the Muslims) to fast on the day of Ashura, and when fasting in the month of Ramadan was prescribed, it became optional for one to fast on that day or not." — (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

He could have stopped. He didn't.

Because some things you do not do because you have to. You do them because you understand what they are worth.

Muharram Is the Month of Allah

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

"The best fasting after Ramadan is the month of Allah that you call Muharram. The best prayer after the obligatory ones is the night prayer." — (Sahih Muslim 1163)

He called it Shahrullah — the Month of Allah. Not the month of the Ummah. Not the month of worship. The Month of Allah Himself.

And He placed Ashura at its heart.

How to Actually Spend This Day — Simply and Sincerely

Fast. This Is the Main Thing.

The Prophet (PBUH) fasted. And he wanted us to fast.

The recommended way, in order of preference:

Best: Fast the 9th, 10th, and 11th of Muharram Better: Fast the 9th and 10th together Minimum: Fast the 10th alone

Why add the 9th?

The Prophet (PBUH) said near the end of his life:

"If I live to see the next year, in sha Allah, we will fast on the ninth day too." — (Sahih Muslim 1916)

He passed away before that year came. But his intention was recorded, and the scholars preserved it. The wisdom is to be different from those who only fast the tenth, and to be on the safe side with the moon sighting.

As Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:

"Fast the day of Ashura, and be different from the Jews with regard to it; fast the day before it or the day after it." — (Musnad Ahmad)

Imam al-Shafi'i, Imam Ahmad, and Imam Ishaq all said: fast both the 9th and 10th.

If you missed the 9th, the 10th and 11th is also accepted.

Just fast. Pick the option that works and commit to it tonight.

Open the Quran and Read the Stories

Let the Quran speak to you on this day, not just about rulings, but about the people whose stories are woven into Ashura.

Read Surah Ash-Shu'ara for the parting of the sea. Read Surah Yusuf for the man who walked out of prison. Read Surah Al-Anbiya for Yunus calling from the deep. Read Surah Al-Baqarah for Adam being forgiven.

Let these not be stories you already know. Let them be stories that find you exactly where you are today.

Allah says:

"And We certainly sent Moses with Our signs, [saying], 'Bring out your people from darknesses into the light and remind them of the days of Allah.' Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful." — (Surah Ibrahim, 14:5)

Remind yourself. These are the days of Allah.

Give Sadaqah — Even If It Is Small

This is a day to give. There is a narration in Baihaqi that mentions being generous to one's family on Ashura. Whether you hold it as practice or as an opportunity, the spirit of it is right:

Be generous today.

Give to someone who needs it. Help a neighbor. Feed someone. Sponsor an orphan. Do something with your hand, not just your tongue.

Because this day is not just for fasting while you wait for Iftar. It is for living like someone who understands what Allah did for His servants on this date.

Make Du'a Like You Mean It

Adam repented and was forgiven. Yunus called and was answered. Nuh prayed and found land.

This is a day when du'a should feel personal.

Sit down. Put your phone away. Face the qiblah.

Ask for what you have been afraid to ask for. Ask for forgiveness you feel you do not deserve. Ask for the people you love. Ask for the Ummah.

And mean it.

Keep Your Dhikr Going All Day

Let your tongue not be idle today. While you cook, while you walk, while you wait:

SubhanAllah. Alhamdulillah. Allahu Akbar. La ilaha illallah. Astaghfirullah.

Send salawat on the Prophet (PBUH). Especially today, on a day so deeply connected to his love, his fast, and his gratitude.

Tell Your Children the Stories

If you have children, or younger siblings, or nieces and nephews — gather them tonight.

Tell them about the sea that split. Tell them about the boy who was thrown into a well and became a king. Tell them about the man in the whale. Tell them about Hussain.

Let Ashura mean something in your home. Not just a day you fasted. A day they remember.

What Ashura Is Not

This matters, because love for this day can sometimes lead people toward things that were never part of it.

Scholars — including Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (RA) in his detailed response on the matter — were very clear:

There is no special ghusl for Ashura. No specific kohl. No particular dish to cook as a religious ritual. No decorating or celebrating with the spirit of Eid.

And on the other side — no chest-beating, no wailing, no self-harm, no dramatized mourning ceremonies.

Ibn Taymiyyah (RA) said, and his words are worth pausing on:

Neither the Prophet (PBUH) nor his Companions (RA) nor the rightly-guided caliphs made this day a day of mourning, nor a day of celebration. None of the four great Imams endorsed either extreme.

What they did was fast.

So we fast.

And we keep our hearts sincere.

Before You Close This Article

Have you ever thought about the fact that every prophet who was saved, forgiven, healed, or honored on this day — fasted?

Nuh (AS) fasted when the flood was over.

Musa (AS) fasted when Pharaoh drowned.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) fasted when he learned what this day carried.

They did not hold conferences about it. They did not debate its significance. They simply gave something to Allah in return for what He gave them.

One day. A clean fast. A grateful heart.

And Allah wiped away a year.

We live in a time when we want big moments, big feelings, and big spiritual experiences. And yet here is a day that asks for something quiet. Something internal.

Just stop eating. Remember what Allah did. Say thank you the way the prophets did.

And trust that Allah, who parted the sea for Musa, who answered Yunus from the deep, who forgave Adam from the very beginning — is still listening.

He always has been.

O Allah, allow us to reach Ashura in good health and sincere intention. Accept our fasting, forgive our minor sins, cover our faults, and let this day be a turning point for hearts that have been too long away from You.

O Allah, have mercy on Musa and his people. Have mercy on Hussain and his family. Have mercy on every servant who ever fasted this day seeking nothing but Your face.

Grant us patience in our trials, the way Ayyub was patient. Grant us trust, the way Yusuf trusted. Grant us a heart that returns to You, the way Adam returned.

Ameen.

[doorsofjannah]

Success

Alhamdulillah! thumma Alhamdulillah, that Allah has blessed us with Islam. By this I did not mean that being a Muslim is enough, we have to act upon our beliefs as well. We have to protect our salah, we have to be steadfast, etc.

(Successful indeed are the believers) means, they have attained victory and are blessed, for they have succeeded. [23:1]

May Allah save us all from the fire of hell, because we indeed are sinners and we seek His rahma(mercy). 

[doorsofjannah]

Du’a Fearing SHIRK

Shirk is the Greatest of sins and if anyone dies in this state without repentance, Jannah will be forbidden for that person. May Allah protect us all from Shirk. Ameen

"O Allah, I take refuge in You lest I should commit shirk with You knowingly and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly."

اللّهُـمَّ إِنّـي أَعـوذُبِكَ أَنْ أُشْـرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنا أَعْـلَمْ، وَأَسْتَـغْفِرُكَ لِما لا أَعْـلَم

Allâhumma innî a’ûdhu bika an ushrika bika wa anâ a’lamu, wa astaghfiruka li-mâ lâ a’lam.

[doorsofjannah]

DO NOT KILL yourself by GRIEF ~ 

Starting with a verse from the Quran:

So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers. [3:139]

Sa’d was a student of mine at the university. Once he was absent for a whole week, so when I met him, I said, “I hope everything is fine, Sa’d?”

“Nothing’s wrong at all, I was just a little busy”, Sa’d replied.

It was obvious that he was grief stricken. I said to him, “What’s the news?”

He replied, “My son is ill. He has an injured liver, and a few days ago he also contracted blood poisoning. Also, just yesterday I was shocked to hear that the poisoning has now reached the brain.”

I said, “There is no might or strength except by Allah! Have patience! I pray to Allah that He cures him. And if Allah were to decree anything for him (i.e. death), I ask Allah to make him your intercessor on the Day of Resurrection.”

He replied, “Intercessor? Dear Shaykh, my son is not that young.”

“How old is he?” I asked.

“Seventeen years old”, he replied.

I said, “I pray to Allah that He cures him and bless his brothers.”

He lowered his head and said, “Dear Shaykh, he has no brothers. I have not been blessed with any more children, and he has been afflicted with this illness as you can see.”

His situation had an impact on me, but I remained firm and said, “Dear Sa’d, in short, do not kill yourself with grief. Nothing will afflict us except what Allah has already written.” I then consoled him and left.

Yes, do not kill yourself with grief, for that will not lighten your troubles.

I remember that sometime ago I went to al-Madinah al-Nabawiyya and met up with Khalid. He said to me, “What do you say if we visit Dr. ‘Abdullah?”

I said, “Why? What’s the news?”

He replied, “For condolences.”

“For condolences?” I remarked, in surprise.

He said, “Yes. His eldest son went to a wedding party with the entire family in a nearby city, whilst he remained behind in Madinah due to his commitments at the university. On the way back they were involved in a terrible road accident in which they died - all eleven of them!”

The Doctor was a righteous man beyond fifty years of age, but nevertheless, a human being with feelings and emotions. He had a heart in his chest, and two weeping eyes, and of course, a soul that became happy and sad.

When he heard the terrible news, he prayed over them and buried them with his own hands, all eleven of them.

He began to wander about his house in bewilderment. He would pass by toys that lay there untouched for days, because the Khulud and Sarah who would play with them had died.

He would return to his bed which hadn’t been made because Umm Salih, his wife, had died.

He would pass by Yasir’s bicycle which hadn’t moved for days since the one who used to ride it had died.

He would enter his eldest daughter’s room to see her wedding suitcases arranged and her clothes lying on her bed. She died when she was in the middle of arranging her wedding clothes.

Glory be to the One who gave him patience and made him strong!

Guests would come to his house and bring coffee along with them, as he didn’t have anyone to help him prepare anything for them. What is amazing is that if you were to see the man receiving condolences, you would think that he was the one giving condolences, and that the one enduring this tragedy was someone else!

He would repeatedly say, “To Allah we belong and to Him we return. It belongs to Allah, whatever He takes or gives. Everything has an appointed time with Allah.”

This is the peak of intelligence, for if he did not behave in this manner, he would have died of grief.

I know someone who whenever I see him he is happy. Yet, if you were to consider his situation, you would find that he has a very humble occupation, he lives in very small rented accommodation, his car is very old and he has many children. Despite this, he is always smiling and loving. He loves his life.

That’s right! Do not kill yourself with grief and do not complain frequently until people become tired of you, like a person whose son is disabled, so whenever he sees you he keeps you busy with his complaints, “My son is ill… I feel for him… poor son of mine…”

You will soon find yourself fed up of him and feel like screaming, “Enough, dear brother! Enough! I get your point!”

Or imagine a woman frequently saying to her husband, “Our house is old… the car is about to break down… my clothes are out of fashion…”

What is the benefit in complaining? It only increases the suffering.

You spend your entire life, O poor man, moaning and grieving You remain with your hands tied, complaining, “Time is against me”

If you do not carry the burdens yourself, who will?

Enlightenment… Live your life with what you have available, and you will always be happy!!

Taken from “Enjoy Your Life” by Dr. Al-Arifi

[doorsofjannah]

Have you then no sense? - أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ - তোমরা কি বুঝ না?

Allah Subhana wa Ta’la addressed us in several places of the Holy Quran saying “Will you not then understand?”

Allah Says:

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ  Enjoin you Al-Birr (piety and righteousness and each and every act of obedience to Allah) on the people and you forget (to practise it) yourselves, while you recite the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)]! Have you then no sense? Quran 2:44

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَا أُنزِلَتِ التَّورَاةُ وَالإنجِيلُ إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Ibrahim (Abraham), while the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) were not revealed till after him? Have you then no sense? Quran 3:65

وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَلَلدَّارُ الآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ  And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the Hereafter for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious). Will you not then understand? Quran 6:32

قُل لَّوْ شَاء اللّهُ مَا تَلَوْتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلاَ أَدْرَاكُم بِهِ فَقَدْ لَبِثْتُ فِيكُمْ عُمُرًا مِّن قَبْلِهِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ Say (O Muhammad SAW): "If Allah had so willed, I should not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you. Verily, I have stayed amongst you a life time before this. Have you then no sense?" Quran 10:16

لَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ كِتَابًا فِيهِ ذِكْرُكُمْ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ Indeed, We have sent down for you (O mankind) a Book, (the Quran) in which there is Dhikrukum, (your Reminder or an honour for you i.e. honour for the one who follows the teaching of the Quran and acts on its orders). Will you not then understand? Quran 21:10

Oh Muslims, we must try to understand what our Creator wants to tell us. We should read the Quran with meaning sometimes. How do we expect guidance if we do not understand the guide? May Allah guide us and protect us all. Ameen!

“afala t’akiloon” 

[doorsofjannah]

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah,رحمه الله : 

"For the people of sins there are three great rivers with which they purify themselves in this world and if these do not suffice in purifying them, then they are purified in the river of Hell-fire on the Day of Judgment:

🌿1. A river of sincere repentance

🌿2. A river of good deeds that drowns the sins that surround it.

🌿3. And a river of great calamities (that befall the sinner) that expiate (his sins)

Therefore, when Allah intends good for His slave, He enters him into one of these three rivers, so he comes purified and cleansed on the Day of Judgement, not requiring the fourth purification.

And the fourth purification:

🌿4. The river of Hell-fire on Yawm al-Qiyamah.

So swim in the river of repentance and doing good deeds and have patience in the river of calamities. And do not neglect these before a day comes when you will be drowned in the river of Hell-fire whose fuel is men and stones”

[Madaarij as-Saalikeen 1/312, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah]

[doorsofjannah]

Tawhid is of three types:

1. Rububiyyah: Lordship of Allah 2. Uluhiyyah: Worship Allah 3. Al-Asma' was-Sifat: Names and Attributes of Allah

[doorsofjannah]

Your actions alone will not save any of you

Bukhari records on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salam) said, “Your actions alone will not save any of you.” They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, not even you?’ He replied, “Not even me, unless Allah were to envelop me in His mercy. Be firm; steadfast and balanced; and journey [to Allah] in the beginning of the day, and the portion of the latter part of the night. Moderation, moderation! Through this you will attain your goal!”

Bukhari 6463

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- Actions that Allāh Turns into Scattered Dust - 

Ibn Rajab (rahimahullāh) in his book “The Journey to Allāh” enlightens on the types of actions that will be as scattered dust.

The First: They worked the deeds thinking, hoping them to be good when in reality they were evil, and ends up as scattered dust.

Allāh Almighty says: 

“As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are as a mirage in a desert. The thirsty one thinks it to be water till he comes to it and finds it naught, and finds, in the place thereof, Allāh Who will pay him his due; and Allāh is swift at reckoning”.[Surah An-Nur 24:39]

Allāh also says:  

“And We shall turn unto the work they did and make it scattered motes” [Surah Al-Furqan 25:23]

Fudayl Ibn Iyad (rahimahullāh) said concerning this verse, “And there will appear unto them from their Lord, that wherewith they never reckoned,” means: ‘They worked deeds thinking them to be good when in reality they were evil.’

The Second: Close to the above: a servant commits an evil deed to which he disregards it, thinking it insignificant, and that sin will be the cause of his perdition. Allāh Almighty says:  

“…you counted it as trivial but in the sight of Allāh it is very great.” [An-Nur 24:15]

One of the Companions said: ‘You are doing deeds that are, in your eyes, more insignificant than a hair, whereas at the time of the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) we would consider them to be destructive sins!’ [Al-Bukhari no.6492 on the authority of Anas bin Malik (radiyallāhu’anhu)]

The Third: Another category is worse than the previous case; they are the one who find pleasing with his evil deeds.

Allāh Almighty says:

'Say: Shall We inform you who will be the greatest losers by their works? Those whose efforts go astray in the life of the world, and yet they reckon that they do good work'. [Al-Kahf 18:103-104]

Ibn Uyaynah (rahimallāh) said, ‘When death came to Muhammad Ibn Al-Munkadir (rahimallāh) he became apprehensive and so the people summoned Abu Hazim and which he came. Ibn Al-Munkadir (rahimallāh) said to him: “Allāh says, ‘And there will appear unto them, from their Lord, which deeds they never reckoned,’ and I fear that things will become clear to me and confront me that I never expected”. Then both of them broke down in tears. Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Abi Al-Dunya add in his report: ‘So his family said, “We called you that you may console him but you have only increased his apprehension!” He then told them of what he had said. [Ibn al-Jawzi, vol.2, p.167 no.185]

Fudayl Ibn Iyad (rahimallāh) said: ‘I have been informed that it was said to Sulayman Al-Taymi, “You! Who is there like you?”He said, “Quiet! Do not say this! I do not know what will appear before me from Allāh, I know Allāh’s saying, “And there will appear unto them, from their Lord, that deeds they never reckoned.” [Dhahabi, Tadhkiratu’l-Huffaz, vol.1, p.151.]

The Fourth:  The people of pretentiousness (Al-Riyaa’)

Sufyan Ath-Thawri (radiyallāhu’anhu) would say upon hearing this verse, “Woe to the people of ostentation.” [Qurtubi, vol.15, p.265] This can be seen in the Hadith Rasulullah (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) indicated about the three who were hurled into the Fire: the Mujahid, the scholar, and the rich who gave charity for they had done it on the basis of Al-Riyā' and had missed the element of “Al-Ikhlās (Sincerity)” in their deeds. It was ruined because it was bonded by the minor shirik of Al-Riyā'.

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu’anhu) narrated the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

‘The first man, (whose case) will be decided on the Day of Judgment, will be a man who died as a martyr. He shall be brought forth and Allāh will recount His blessings (which he had bestowed upon him) and he will acknowledge them. Then Allāh will ask, ‘What did you do with them?” He will reply, “I fought for Your sake until I died as a martyr.”Allāh will say, ‘You lie. You fought so that you might be called a ‘brave warrior’ and you were called so.’ Then a command will be given and he will be dragged on his face and cast into Hell.

And a man who acquired knowledge and taught it and recited the Qur’an. He will be brought forth and Allāh will recount His blessings (which he had bestowed upon him) and he will acknowledge them. Then Allāh will ask, “What did you do with them?” He will say, “I acquired knowledge and disseminated it and recited the Qur’an so that it might be said, ‘He is a Qari, and it was said. Then a command will be given and he will be dragged on his face and cast into Hell.

And a man who Allāh had made abundantly rich and had granted every kind of wealth. He will be brought forth and Allāh will recount His blessings (which He had bestowed upon him) and he will acknowledge them. Then Allāh will ask, “What did you do with them?”He will say, ‘I spent money in every case in which You wished that it should be spent for Your sake.’ Allāh will say, “You lie. You did so that it might be said, ‘He is generous’ and it was said. Then a command will be given and he will be dragged on his face and cast into Hell.”

[Recorded by Muslim No.1905/4923] 

The Fifth: The one who has worked righteous deeds but has also wronged others and he thinks that his deeds will save him, so there confronts him that which he was not expecting.

All of his deeds are apportioned amongst those who he wronged then some wrong still remains to be requited, and so their evil deeds are piled onto his and as a result he is hurled into the Fire.

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu’anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:

‘Do you know the bankrupt person is?’They said, ‘A bankrupt man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him or wealth. ‘He said, ‘The bankrupt person of my nation would be he who comes on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but he hurled abuses upon this person, brought calumny against that person, unlawfully consumed the wealth of that person, shed the blood of that person, and beat that person. So his good deeds would be credited to the deeds of those people [by way of retaliation] and if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, their sins would be added to his and he would be thrown in the Fire.” [Recorded by Muslim No: 2581/6579]

Allāh Says:

  “O you, who believe, avoid much suspicion; indeed some suspicion is a sin. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And have fear of Allāh. Verily, Allāh is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, Most Merciful.” [Surah Al Hujurat, 49: 12]

Messenger of Allāh, (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam), said:  “Arrogance is refusing the truth and belittling people”. [Recorded by Muslim]

‘Abdur-Rahmān Ibn Mahdī (rahimahullāh), the Imām, the Hujjah, said: “If I did not hate that Allāh be disobeyed, I would have wished that there was no one left in the whole city except that he has backbitten me! What is more rewarding than a man finding a good deed (written) in his book for something he did not even do?!”

Abu Hurayrah (radiyallāhu’anhu) that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “All rights will be restored to their owners on the Day of Judgment. Even a hornless goat that is butted by a ram will have justice.” [Recorded by Muslim no.2582/6580]

The Sixth: His account could be scrutinised at which it will be asked of him to show how he was grateful for the blessings granted him.

The least blessing would be balanced against his deeds and outweigh them with the remaining blessings yet to be weighed!

This is why the Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Whoever’s account is scrutinised will be punished, or will be destroyed.”  Aishah (radiyallāhu’anha) then asking: ‘Does not Allāh say, “Then who is given his Record in his right hand, soon will his account be taken by an easy reckoning,’ (Al-Ishiqaq 84:7-8)? The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied: “That is not the scrutiny that is a presentation, whoever’s account is scrutinised will be punished.” [Recorded by Al-Bukhari No.6537 and Muslim No: 2876/7227, 7228 on the authority of Aishah (radiyallāhu’anha).]

The wording mentioned above is also recorded by Tirmidzi No: 3338 on the authority of Anas bin Malik (radiyallāhu’anhu).

It is also recorded by Hakim No: 8728 and Dhahabi said the isnad contained a weak narrator. Ibn Abi Shaybah, vol.13, p.360, has the wording, “will not be forgiven,” and Ibn Al-Mubarak, Al-Zuhd No: 1324 also records this wording as a statement of Aishah.

The Seventh:  He could have evil deeds that destroy some of his deeds or the deeds of his limbs, save Tawhid, as a result of which he will enter the Fire.

Ibn Mājah (rahimahullah) records the hadith on the authority of Thawban (radiyallāhu’anhu) that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “There are people amongst my nation who will come on the Day of Judgment  with deeds like mountains and Allāh will render them as scattered dust.”

In another hadith it goes on to mention, “They are people who have your skin, (they speak your language), [This sentence is not found in the hadith of Ibn Majah] they spend part of the night in prayer as you do, but they are people who, when they are alone, violate the prohibitions of Allāh Almighty.” [Recorded by Ibn Majah No: 4245; Busayri said its isnad is sahih.]

Ya’qub Ibn Shaybah and Ibn Abi Al-Dunya (rahimahullah) record on the authority of the freed-slave of Abu Hudhayfah (radiyallāhu’anhu), Salim (radiyallāhu’anhu), who said that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: ‘A group of people will be brought on the Day of Judgment with deeds like Mount Tihāmah and Allāh will render their deeds to dust and they will be thrown face first in the Fire.’ Salim (radiyallāhu’anhu) said, ‘I fear that I am one of them.'

Rasulullah  (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) added: ‘They would fast, pray, and apportion some of the night for worship, but in secret, when an opportunity to do something forbidden presented itself, they would take it and as such Allāh will invalidate their deeds.'

A person could have his deeds annulled because of showing off or arrogance and the likes yet not even be aware of it.

[Excerpted from: “The Journey to Allāh” by Ibn Rajab (rahimallāh): an explanation to the hadith “Your actions alone will not save any of you” (Al-Bukhari No: 6463)] 

Courtesy: The Right Path

May Allah accept all our good deeds and grant us forgiveness and mercy. Ameen.

[doorsofjannah]

Do not feel secure because of a great number of deeds, for you do not know if they have been accepted or not. This is because all of your deeds are unseen to you and you have no idea what Allah will do with them.

Ibn ‘Awn

The Journey to Allah by Ibn Rajab (Rahimahullah)

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| The HEREAFTER is better and more Enduring |

Allah says in the interpretation of the meaning:

But you prefer the worldly life,While the Hereafter is better and more enduring [ 87:16,17 ]

Each and everyday we spent so much of our time thinking and working for this worldly life which is nothing but a deception. We know that our final destination is to our Creator, The Master of the heavens and the earth yet we can not stop thinking about this life and forget the life which is eternal, the life which has no ending, the LIFE AFTER DEATH. 

The Prophet Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) warned us against striving only for this world. Again, this does not mean that we neglect our worldly affairs under the pretext that we are devoting our life to the Hereafter. What the Prophet Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) meant is that we should not forget the Hereafter.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said: "Whoever wakes up and this world is his main concern, Allah will make him scattered and shattered, and he will feel a sense of panic and loss, and he will get nothing of this world except that which was already decreed for him. But whoever gets up and is mostly concerned about the Hereafter, Allah will cause him to feel focused and content, and will give him a feeling of being independent, and worldly gains will come to him willingly or unwillingly.” (Recorded by At-Tirmidzi)

May Allah ‘azzawajal help us to think more and work more for the hereafter. Ameen. 

Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammah, Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammad.

[doorsofjannah]

Who are the ones who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like mountains but Allah will make them like scattered dust?

I have heard a hadith lately regarding the hidden sins that nullify all the good deeds in the day of judgment. I am very much concerned about this and wont to know if something more than repentance should be added to it. The hadith is something like this "On the day of judgment people from my ummah will come with good deeds as mountines and Allah will make them parish. Then the sahabah asked who they are and Resulullah said "They are like you, they pray as you pray, fast as you fast, pray the night prayer as you pray, but when they are all alone, they do what is haram" I think that this is a sahih hadith and that is what makes me panic more.

Please advice me what should i do for the sins that i have done in the past.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

Ibn Maajah (4245) narrated from Thawbaan (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I certainly know people of my ummah who will come on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihaamah, but Allaah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawbaan said: O Messenger of Allaah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly. He said: “They are your brothers and from your race, worshipping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the sacred limits of Allaah.”

This is a saheeh hadeeth; it was classed as such by al-Buwaysari in Misbaah al-Zujaajah (4/246) and al-Albaani in al-Saheehah. Al-Mundhiri said in al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (3/170): Its narrators are thiqaat (trustworthy).

Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (may Allah have mercy on him) in al-Zawaajir (3/49) regarded it as pretending to be righteous outwardly and transgressing the sacred limits; even committing minor sins when one is alone is regarded as something major, and he quoted this hadeeth as evidence, and said: The one whose habit is to make a show of being good and concealing his evil ways  causes more harm and misguidance to the Muslims, because he has no piety and no fear of Allah.  End quote.

Secondly:

Repentance to Allah, if it is sincere, erases what came before it of sin, no matter what that sin is. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, Allaah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allaah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin”

[al-Nisa’ 4:48]

“Say: ‘O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.

54. ‘And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islam) before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.

55. ‘And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur’aan, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!’

[al-Zumar 39:53-55].

Allaah listed the major sins and immoral actions which He and His righteous close friends disdain, then He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allaah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Furqaan 25:68-70].

Al-Harawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Repentance cannot be sound except with three things: restoring the rights of others, feeling regret for his sins and striving to make up for what he missed of good deeds.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Restoring the rights of others means: repenting from the sins that he committed against Allah, and paying off the dues that he owes to other people.

Feeling regret for his sins means: may be interpreted in two ways: (i) feeling sad for his sins, which is indicative of his turning back towards Allah, unlike one who is not upset by his sin, which is indicative of the corruption and deadening of his heart; (ii) being upset by his brother's sins, so that it is as if he is the one who has done it, and he does not rejoice in his brother's misfortune. This is indicative of the softening of his heart and his love of Allah.

Striving to make up for what he missed: this means catching up with what he has missed out on acts of worship and drawing close to Allah, by doing acts similar to them or better than them, especially for what is rest of his life, when the time of his meeting Allah draws near. End quote.

Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/434

For more information please see the answer to question number 46683.

And Allah knows best.

[doorsofjannah]

Being career oriented is not the problem, the problem arises when you give your career more preference than your family

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Are you “LUCKY”?

Rasul Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “How lucky is that man who adopts humbleness without having scarcity, who considers himself inferior without having to beg for anything, who spends his own earned money in the right causes without disobeying Allah, who is kind to those having little means, and who remains in the company of learned men.” [Tibrani]

In this hadith we are told who an enviable person is:

1. A person who is humble despite having that which makes people proud. 2. A person who earns and spends in the path of Allah. 3. A person who is kind to those less privileged. 4. A person who benefits from the companionship of the learned.

Courtesy: Erfan Habib

[doorsofjannah]

এসব কথা শিক্ষিত মানুষরা খায়ও বটে!

যারা আল্লাহর প্রতি ঈমান রাখে না তারা বলে বেড়ায়—মোল্লারা মেয়েদের ঘরে বন্দী করতে চায়। আচ্ছা, ঘর কি কয়েদখানা যে তাতে মানুষকে বন্দী করবে? নাকি কারাগার ঐ গার্মেন্টসটা যেখানে ঢুকতে-বেরোতে দেহতল্লাশি হয়? নিজ ঘরে মেয়েরা বন্দী আর লম্পট মালিকের অফিস ঘরে মেয়েরা মুক্ত! এসব কথা আবার শিক্ষিত মানুষরা খায়ও বটে!

এ দেশে নারী শ্রমিকদের সহজলভ্যতার সুযোগ নিয়েই গার্মেন্টস নামের শোষণশিল্পটা দাঁড়িয়ে গেছে। হাত বাড়ালেই কর্মী পাওয়া না গেলে মালিকরা মুখের উপরে বলতে পারত না—১৬৬২ টাকা বেতনে কাজ করলে করো না হলে যাও।

আল্লাহ মেয়েদের টাকা কামানোর যন্ত্র হিসেবে সৃষ্টি করেননি, বরং তাদের মা হিসেবে, মেয়ে হিসেবে, স্ত্রী হিসেবে সৃষ্টি করেছেন। বাবা, স্বামী, ভাই, সন্তান কাজ করে তার দায়িত্বে থাকা নারীদের ভরণ-পোষণ ও অন্যান্য চাহিদা মেটাতে বাধ্য। বাইরের কাজ তো দূরের কথা, ইমাম নববীর মতে নিজ গৃহে রান্না-বান্না, কাপড় কাঁচা, ধোয়া-মোছা—ইত্যাদি কাজও নারীদের জন্য অবশ্যকর্তব্য নয়।

Sharif Abu Hayat Opu

[doorsofjannah]

While the actions of the limbs are visible to others the actions of the heart are visible to its creator only Allah know what our intentions are.

Bukhari Explanation

[doorsofjannah]

Visit Original Link

Sura Taghabun:The Mutual Disillusion

11) No kind of calamity can occur, except by the leave of Allah. and if any one believes in Allah, ((Allah)) guides his heart (aright): for Allah knows all things.

12) So obey Allah, and obey His Messenger. but if ye turn back, the duty of Our Messenger is but to proclaim (the Message) clearly and openly.

13) Allah. There is no god but He: and on Allah, therefore, let the Believers put their trust. 14) O ye who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are (some that are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them! But if ye forgive and overlook, and cover up (their faults), verily Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

15) Your riches and your children may be but a trial: but in the Presence of Allah, is the highest, Reward.

16) So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey and spend in charity for the benefit of your own soul and those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity. 17) If ye loan to Allah, a beautiful loan, He will double it to your (credit), and He will grant you Forgiveness: for Allah is most Ready to appreciate (service), Most Forbearing,- 18) Knower of what is open, Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom.