I saw the ugliness of ignorance and avoided it.”

Prophet ‘Isa ‘alayhi sallam was asked,
“Who was your tutor?”
He replied,
“No one, I saw the ugliness of ignorance and avoided it.”
- Imam al-Ghazali rahimahu Llah in Ihya, 3/63 -

Piety is in three: in speech, in in sight, and in silence

Eesa Ibn Maryam:
"Piety is in three: in speech, in in sight, and in silence. Whoever's speech is not in the remembrance (of Allah) has spoken nonsense. Whoever looks without trying to learn a lesson has forgotten (his true purpose). And whoever's silence is not accompanied with reflection has been heedless" .

Do not let the rooster be more intelligent than you are

My dear beloved son! It has been told in the will of Luqman (Peace of Allah be upon him) that he, advising his son in his will, said:

“Ya Buneyya La Takununnad Deeku Akyas Minka Fainnahu Yunaadi Bil Ashaari Wa Anta Na’imun.”

“My son! Do not let the rooster be more intelligent than you are. It shouldn’t happen that he (i.e. the rooster) gets up at the last part of the night to make proclamations [for Tahajjud prayers and remembers his Lord] while you keep sleeping [in a deep sleep of heedlessness, carelessness, and ignorance].”

This reality is made clear in the following verses (of poetry):

“Laqad Hatafet Fi Junhil Laili Hamamatun

‘Ala Funanin Wahnun Wa Inni Na’imun



Kazabtu Wa Baitil Allahi Lau Kuntu ‘Aashiqan

Lama Sabaqatni Bil Buqa’il Hamaaimun



Wa Az’amu Anni Haa’imun Zu Sababatin

Lahu Bi Wa La Abki Wa Tabkil Bahaaimun.”

“At night, the dove sitting on the branch [of a tree] is calling on [to its Lord]

While I am in a deep sleep

By the Lord of the House of Allah (Ka’aba)! I am a liar! If I had been a true lover [of Allah]

Then the doves would not have won over me in weeping [in the pain of separation from my Beloved (Allah)!

Alas! I do not even wet my eyes [with tears] while claiming to love [my Beloved Lord!]

While the animals keep weeping [in their love for their Creator].”

[Imam Ghazali - Ya bunaya]

 

Seeking the pleasure of the people

There is no-one except that he has a lover and a hater. So if that must be the case, then you be with the people of obedience to Allaah ['azza wa jall]

Imam Ash-Shafi

O Abu Musa! Were you to strive with the utmost striving in order to please all of mankind, then there is no way of achieving that. So as that is the case, make your deed and intention purely for the sake of Allah ‘azza wa jall.

- Imam Ash-Shafi

A man said to al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah):

‘The people sit around you so that they may find fault with you!’ So he said, ‘Indeed, I encouraged my soul to aspire for Paradise so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from Hellfire and so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from the people, but I didn’t find a way to that. Indeed the people were not pleased with their Creator although He provides for them, so how can they be pleased with another creation like themselves?’

Prophet Musa (’alayhisalam) said: ‘O my Lord, the people say things about me which are not (i.e. not true)! So Allah revealed to him: ‘O Musa, I did not make that (privilege) for Myself, so how can I make it the case for you?’

Malik ibn Dinar: ‘Since I have known (the reality of) people, I have not taken delight in their praise nor have I hated their criticism.’ It was said to him, ‘Why is that?’ He said, ‘The one who praises from amongst them is excessive and the critic from amongst them exaggerates!’

‘Aisha (radhiallahu `anha) wrote to Mu’awiya (radhiallahu `anhu): ‘Salamun ‘alayk. Amma ba’d, I have heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) say, ‘Whoever gains the Pleasure of Allah by the anger of the people (i.e. thereby gains their anger), Allah suffices him of the people’s troubles. And whoever gains the pleasure of the people by the Anger of Allah (i.e. in the process he gains His Anger), then Allah leaves him to the people.’ Wa-Salaamu ‘alayk.’

Maryam (as) and Isa (as)

As salamu Alaikum wr wb

Jesus and the Virgin Mary in Islam

Many people may be surprised that Muslims love Mary, the mother of Jesus. In the Quran, no woman is given more attention than Mary. Mary receives the most attention of any woman mentioned in the Quran even though all the Prophets with the exception of Adam had mothers. Of the Quran's 114 chapters, she is among the eight people who have a chapter named after them. The nineteenth chapter of the Quran is named after her, Mariam. The third chapter in the Quran is named after her father, Imran. Mary (peace be upon her) is the only woman specifically named in the Quran. An authentic Hadith states that the Prophet said, "The superiority of 'Aisha to other ladies is like the superiority of Tharid (i.e. meat and bread dish) to other meals. Many men reached the level of perfection, but no woman reached such a level except Mary, the daughter of Imran and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh." (Bukhari 4.643). Indeed, both Mary and Pharaoh’s wife are an example:

And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allah).

And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of 'Imran who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibril (Gabriel) ], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" - and he was; that is 'Îsa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) as a Messenger of Allah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qanitun (i.e. obedient to Allah) .

(Quran 66:11-12)

. The Virgin Mary plays a very significant role in Islam. She is an example and a sign for all people.

The Prophet Muhammad ~S~ His Compassion Part 2 of 2

The Prophet Muhammad ~S~ His Compassion Part 1 of 2