A Powerful story « on: May 27th, 2005, 12:48am » Quote » Modify -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Very Powerful Story by Mohammed Ashraf N. He remembered his grandmother's warning about praying on time: "My son, you shouldn't leave prayer to this late time". His grandmother's age was 70 but whenever she heard the Adhan, she got up like an arrow and performed Salah. He, however could never win over his ego to get up and pray. Whatever he did, his Salah was always the last to be offered and he prayed it quickly to get it in on time. Thinking of this, he got up and realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha. He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul Maghrib. While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had prayed. His grandmother prayed with such tranquility and peace. He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while. He had been at school all day and was tired, so tired. He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting. He was sweating profusely. He looked around. It was very crowded. Every direction he looked in was filled with people. Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting. Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was. His heart was about to burst. It was the Day of Judgement. When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of Judgement, but that seemed so long ago. Could this be something his mind made up? No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this. The interrogation was still going on. He began moving frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called. No one could answer him. All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd split into two and made a passageway for him. Two angels grabbed his arms and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd. The angels brought him to the center and left him there. His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie. He opened his eyes but saw only another world. The people were all helping others. He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam. His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared. He pleaded his case, "I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah. I performed my Salah. I fasted in the month of Ramadan. Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did. Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not." He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah. He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah. He was sweating like never before and was shaking all over. His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision. At last, the decision was made. The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd. His legs felt like they were going to collapse. He closed his eyes as they began to read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam. His name was read first. He fell on his knees and yelled that this couldn't be, "How could I go to Jahannam? I served others all my life, I spread the word of Allah to others". His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat. The two angels took him by the arms. As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward the blazing flames of Jahannam. He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him. He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him. The Jahannam angels continued to drag him. They had gotten closer to the Hellfire. He looked back and these were his last pleas. Had not Rasulullah said, "How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times cleanse someone of their sins"? He began yelling, "My prayers? my prayers? my prayers." The two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of Jahannam. The flames of the fire were burning his face. He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him. One of the angels pushed him in. He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames. He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard. He wiped some dust off himself and asked him, "Who are you?" The old man replied, "I am your prayers". "Why are you so late! I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the last minute before I fell in". The old man smiled and shook his head, "You always performed me at the last minute, did you forget?" At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah. He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside. He heard the adhan for Salat-ul Isha. He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu.

Hadith The Prophet (SAW) said: Acquire knowledge, it enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven. It is our friend in the desert, our company in solitude and companion when friendless. It guides us to happiness, it sustains us in misery, it is an ornament amongst friends and an armor against enemies.

I use to think Christians with all their odd beliefs were just wack, lost souls. But when you put it in that way, it's just disgusting.

I understand that Allah’s rahma is for the believers, whether it is apparent or not. However, if someone is a non Muslim, and converted, wouldn’t that person have had Allah’s rahma in order to guide him/her to Islam. Also, after they converted wouldn’t it then be evident that they obviously had a lot of rahma from Allah, in order to be guided from such a wrong path, do you understand what I mean? I don’t mean to refute your point but I was just curious with the rahma concept.

Very interesting. I can agree with most points, but I think that the rahma factor is always present. I can't see how we'd get on for a day in our lives, if it wasn't present.

Salam Nur That list was really funny. I didn't know there was so much things guys needed to know. After I read that, I started getting my brothers to do some of those things they never did before. Like number 8,9,19,22,23,24. It was just something I use to do and it never occurred to me they should help out in those areas. I guess I was really lost. I can feel the atmosphere in the house already changing.

That's really refreshing to hear. I think it's a great idea.

Salam Khayr Yeah, I'm pretty sure there was a lunar eclipse the other day. My sister and I were driving to work when we heard it on the news. I also heard that there was one or two lunar eclipses last Ramadan. Then someone said that if there's three, that's a sign that the Mahdi is coming soon. I'm not sure if three is the magical number or if it really is true.

A/salam I loved that read Lucky, that's walal.

A/salam I'm looking forward to it.

A/salam Khayr I think the girl pretty much meant that an education is essential in this day and age. What if the girl never does get married and has or hasn't an education. Wouldn't the one with the education not have to worry about finance. For alot of girls they get the degree and choose to have a career. Other get it but have no intentions of using it, but just got it as a back up plan. Alot of my friends actually don't plan to use their degree, but their just getting it because they might one day need to use it or want to. I don't see the harm in it.

Salam to all and Ramadan Kareem It seem logical to give a person a chance, but this isn't the best situation to take the chance. If he doesn't have it together Islamically speaking, then why chance it? In the ideal world you can take the chance and you may happen to change him, but there's also the possibility of him changing you. Since your going to be around this person more than other people they can influence you slowly. I know its diffenent than choosing a friend, but in some ways it's the same. If you and your best friend and different Islamically, one is going to influence the other, you can change them or they can choose you. Besides a person not praying is a major no no. That's just pushing it. However, its only me opinion.

A/salam How can reading the English version count? Good idea thou.

Thanks walal, that's a really good lesson for all of us. Jazakumu Allahu Khairan

Salam I'd like to go with the first option and the last one. Jazakumu Allahu khairan Nur for the idea.

That was a great read, thanks walal. Seem's like there's hope.

What do you mean by currently?

Thanks Nur, but the credit really goes to my teachers.

Jazakumu Allahu Khairan Nur I thought that was great especially the Laylatul Qadr part. It’s inspiring night. Allah is so merciful towards us, that he lets us make one night of supplication turn into more than a thousand nights: It is narrated that four holy men, including Prophet Ayub and Prophet Zakariya, devoted themselves diligently to the worship of Allah for 80 years. When the companions of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) heard of this extraordinary devotion, they were full of admiration, and also sad as they would not be able to compete with them. For, the people of Ayub and Zakariya had the advantage of a long life, whereas the people of their time did not live that long. Just then angel Jibreel appeared unto the Prophet (Pbuh) and said; “O Messenger of Allah!, Because of your companions’ admiration and amazement at the 80 years’ worship of the four holy men Allah has granted you and your followers a night better than 1000 months. He then recited the following chapter called Qadr- The night of power of honour: “We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the night of power and what will explain to thee what the night of power is? The night of power is better than a thousand months, therein come down the angels and the spirit by God’s permission. On every errand; peace until the rise of morn.” Isn’t that sweet (for a lack of a better term) So during this night, all angles come down on earth from sunset till sunrise with Allah’s message: “Is there a supplicant that I may fulfill his request? Is there a seeker of sustenance that I may grant his need? Is there a repenter that I may forgive his sins? Is there anyone in distress that I may redress him?” Apart from the fact that Allah is seeking to forgive all our sins this night, what’s also distinctively amazing is that all the angles descend from the sky to Earth on this night and give their blessing to everyone that’s prayer that night. What’s so remarkable is that the angels were only created to worship Allah, and their job in heaven is to pray all day. So this night is so exceptional that Allah stops the angels from praying, which is all they do, and sends all of them down to Earth and its reported that the number of angles that descend to Earth during that night of Qadr is more than the number of pebbles on Earth. It is a night when supplications are granted and immense rewards given to the faithful and sincere worshippers and the night when the decisions of following year is written, births, deaths etc and the whole world is at peace for the believers. But no one, except Allah, knows the exact moment of this night. It is a secret of Allah so that people may engage themselves in His worship in order to find it definitely in one of the nights. According to the tradition of the Holy Prophet (Pbuh), there is a great likelihood of finding this night in the last ten nights of Ramadan. Then on the day of Eid, Allah glorifies the deeds of the believers amidst angels. He then says: “O my angels! What is the reward of a servant who has performed his duty faithfully and honesty?” They say: “O our Lord! His reward is that he should be paid adequately.” In reply, Allah says; “O my angels! Verily my male servants and my female servants fulfilled the obligations imposed by me on them, and now they have come out of their homes in large numbers, hastening toward the mosques for Eid prayers raising their voices in supplication to Allah. “I swear by my honour, my glory, my generosity, my eminence and my dignity that I shall certainly accept their prayers.” Allah then says to those who attend the Eid prayers; “Return to your homes, verily I have forgiven your sins and replaced your vices with virtues” Then the people return to their homes with their sins forgiven.” Among the signs that show the person witnessed the Night of Qadr are: 1. To see a great, clear light during the night other than the light of the sun, the moon, or electricity; 2. To see the trees prostrating; 3. To hear the voices of angels; 4. To see the angels in their original form with two, three, four or more wings, or to see them in the shape of a human being, Also, the way the sun rises the next morning is an indication that the previous night was the Night of Qadr. When the sun is rising its light and heat are not intense. It is a very good sign for the person who sees the Night of Qadr and makes supplication during it. A very great goodness is hoped for this person, and, inshaallah, the supplication would be answered. Al-Tirmidhiyy narrated from Aisha that she said: “O Prophet of Allah, if I encounter the Night of Qadr, then what should I say? The Prophet answered her: “Say: “Oh Allah, You are the One who forgives a great amount and You love forgiveness, so forgive me. May Allah bless us with seeing this great Night and making supplication in it.

That was so beautiful, flying, Mashallah.

Fatiha........I love the way we read thr surrah and Allah replies with each ayaa read.

Tamina- My family went back for a family wedding a couple of years ago, and I don't remember the mall but I remember my little cousin asking me to take her there. It's a beautiful city.

There are so many Saud's. I was born in Dhahran Saudi Arabia, right next to Jubail.

1- Personally I wouldn't ever want to, cause stats show your more likely to suceed with your own people. Birds of the same feather stick together. However, it's the will of Allah and Islam never forbid it, so we can't either. 2- I think somali culture fortifies our confidence. I always thought our culture treated us with the respect women deserved. 3- It's not proper, but I havn't seen anyone yelling it out on the streets. 4- Islam guides our life. 5- It's the will of Allah. Nonetheless if a somali girl wants to choose only to marry a somali guy, it's so much more harder than other races, even if she's not picky. 6- It never has. Allah gave it to men to choose to divorce, but you guys always seem to let her have the authority at it. 7- Why be circumsized if it's not required in our religion, health practices or any other reason.