Salvation Lies Between Fear and Hope

by Imam Ali Ibn Abi al `Izz al Hanafi

(False) security and despair are ways leading out of the folds of the community of Muslims. The right attitude for the people of the Qiblah lies between the two.

That is to say, a slave should remain between fear and hope. For, the right and the approved kind of fear is that which acts as a barrier between the slave and the things forbidden by Allah. But, if fear is excessive, then the possibility is that the man will fall into despair and pessimism.

On the other hand the approved state of optimism is of a man who does good in the light of the Shari’ah and is hopeful of being rewarded for it. Or, conversely, if a man committed a sin, he repents sincerely, and is hopeful of being forgiven. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’aala) said: “Verily, those who believed, and those who migrated and fought in the way of Allah, it is they who are hopeful of Allah’s mercy. And Allah is very Forgiving, very Merciful.” (Al-Baqarah, 218)

In contrast, if a man indulges in sins and excesses, but is hopeful that he would be forgiven without doing anything good, then, this is self-deception, mere illusion and false hope. Abu ‘All Rowzbari has said, “Fear and hope are like the two wings of a bird. If they are well balanced, the flight will be well balanced. However, if the Left one is stunted, the Right would also be stunted. And, to be sure, if the two are lost, the bird will soon be in the throes of death.”

Allah has praised the people of hope and fear in the following verse: ‘Is one who worships devotedly during the night, prostrating himself or standing, fearing the Hereafter, and hoping for the mercy of his Lord (is equal to him who doesn’t do these things)?’ (Al Zumar, 9)

Hope then also demands fear. If that was not the case, one would be in a state of false security. Conversely, fear demands hope. Without that it would be despair.

Taken from Benefit of the Day- Ramadan 1429

Ramadan Hadith- Day 10

Abu Salamah bin 'Abdul-Rahman reported that he asked 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the night Prayer (Taraweeh) of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) during the month of Ramadan. She said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) did not observe – either in Ramadan or in any other month more than eleven rak'ahs (units of prayer) of the night Prayer (Taraweeh). He in the first instance observed four rak'ahs. Ask not about their excellence and their length (i.e. these were matchless in perfection and length). He again observed four rak'ahs, and ask not about their excellence and length. He would then observe three rak'ahs (of the Witr Prayer). 'A'ishah again reported: I asked: Messenger of Allah, do you sleep before observing the Witr Prayer? He said: O 'A'ishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not. (Muslim)

Sharh As-Siyaam Wa Al-Qiyaam- Part 2

Khutbah by Shaykh Abdullah Azzaam (may Allah have mercy on him)

And it was reported from some of the Tabi’in, and those who came after them, in regards to their Qur’an and prayer, that some of them would complete reciting the Qur’an sixty times in Ramadan, and this was specifically narrated in regards to al-Imam ash-Shafi’i; he used to complete it once during the day, and once during the night. Some of them would complete it once during the night and day, and others would complete it once every three days, until they reached the last ten days, in which they would seclude themselves in the mosque, completing it once a day.

And to complete the Qur’an in a day is easy, if we keep in mind that to recite the Qur’an slowly (tartil) takes about 24 hours, and a quicker recitation takes about ten hours. It is possible for the one who has memorized the Qur’an to complete one juz’ in 20 minutes, allowing him to complete all thirty ajzaa’ in ten hours. I was told by Abu al-Hasan an-Nadawi: “I saw my teachers, and some of them would not speak at all in Ramadan. Rather, they would only engage in worship; either Qur’an or prayer. If someone were to speak to them, they would count out their words, and calculate them by the minutes and seconds.”

So, Ramadan consists of fasting and prayer.

Because of this, the Salaf, such as al-Imam Malik, would seclude themselves until the time of giving a class, saying: “Verily, Ramadan is for praying and reciting the Qur’an.” Some of them would say: “Ramadan is praying, giving charity, and reciting the Qur’an.”

And Ramadan is the Ramadan of Jihad, so, I advise everyone of you to not fall short in a single day in Ramadan.

I was in Qatar, or the Emirates, and I was told: “The brothers in America called, asking if you could go spend the last ten nights with them.” I said: “Subhan Allah! I spend the last ten nights in America, and I leave Jalalabad, Qandahar, and Kabul erupting? The hour in these places is better than standing in prayer for sixty years, and I go and enter America, even if in Ramadan?” And because of this, for the duration of my stay here, especially in the last five years, I always loved to spend every Ramadan outside of Peshawar, and to not enter Peshawar unless it was necessary. I would spend it either in the training camp in Sada, Jadji, or any other place, so that it would be written for me as a Ramadan of ribat, and the Ramadan in the land of ribat is a thousand times better than Ramadan outside of the land of ribat, as the Prophet said: “Ribat for one day in the Path of Allah is better than a thousand days in any other place, even if one were to fast all day and pray all night.” [Reported by at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasa’i]

Taken from Benefit of the Day- Ramadan 1429

Ramadan Hadith- Day 9

Narrated Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, There is a gate in Paradise called ArRaiyân, and those who observe Saum (fasts) will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, `Where are those who used to observe Saum (fasts)?' They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it. (Al Bukhari)

Ummah Films- Seasonal Muslims

More information on this can be found at http://ummahfilms.blogspot.com/2006/07/videoblog-7-seasonal-muslims.html