Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim ....

Analysis of Piety
Shaykh Ahmad Fareed hafidhahullaah
"From the Characteristics of the Salaf"

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was that they would strictly analyse their taqwa (piety) never claiming to be a possessor of such. Allah the Most High has said, "Therefore do not declare yourselves as being purified. He knows best who has taqwa." [53:32]

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam (May Allah's peace and blessing be upon him), said, "Taqwa is here," and he pointed to his chest. [Muslim (16/120, 121) in al-Birr..and at-Tirmidhi (8/115) in al-Birr and Ahmad (2/277)]

'Umar ibn 'Abdul 'Azeez, rahimahullaah (May Allah have mercy upon him), used to say, "None can reach the station of taqwaa until he possesses neither action nor words that can be exposed to his embarrassment either in this world or the Hereafter." He was once asked, "When does the worshipper reach the peak of tawqa?" He replied, "If he put all his thoughts and desires in his heart on a plate and then wandered around in the market, he should not feel ashamed of anything there." He would frequently say, "The sign of muttaqi (pious person) is to bridle oneself from speaking just like one in ihraam bridles himself from speaking. The muttaqi needs to be a scholar ('aalim) of the Sharee'ah, all of it, otherwise he leaves taqwa without realising."

Abu Darda, radhiAllaahu 'anhu (May Allah be pleased with him), said: "From the completion of taqwa is that the slaves fears from his Lord even with regards to things the weight of an atom."

Abu Hurayrah, radhiAllaahu 'anhu, was asked about taqwa. He said, "It is a road full of thorns. One who walks it needs to have extreme patience."

Sufyaan ath-Thawri rahimahullah said, "We met a people who loved it when it was said to them - Fear Allah the Most High. Today you find that people only become annoyed at this."

A person asked Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaad rahimahullaah, "Which country would you like me to live in? Fudhayl replied, "There is no connection between you and any nation. The best country for you is the country which helps you to acquire taqwa."

O brother! Search your soul. Have you feared Allah as our Salaf feared? Or have you fallen short of that. Seek the forgiveness of Allah as all praise is to Him the Lord of the worlds.

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/purification/0006.htm

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim ....

Ahad

Why shed these tears of sorrow?
Why shed these tears of grief?
Ya nafsy how soon you forget,
After trials come sweet relief

Why turn you from Ar-Rahman?
Why yearn for a listening friend?
Ya nafsy, do you not remember,
On ALLAH, you must depend?

Read you not those stories,
Of the trials in days gone by,
Of the Sahabah beloved by Allah,
Who for Allah's cause did strive?

Why loosen your hold upon Him?
Why fling away, His outstretched Hand?
Ya nafsy, do you not remember,
Bilal's sabr on the blazing sand?

"Ahad! Ahad!" He cried,
While his flesh did drip and burn.
"Ahad! Ahad!" He cried,
To Allah alone he turned.

Forget you the firmness of Hamza,
As the gleaming swords did fall?
With Sabr he turned to Allah,
As the Quraysh did slice and maul.

Why drown in salty teardrops?
How can you dare compare your pain?
To that of Yasir and Summayah,
As the lay tortured on the scorching plain?

Forget you the charring of Khabbab,
As on burning coals he lay?
Ya nafsy how meager your suffering,
Wherefore do you lose your way?

Why befriend you not Al-Wali?
Why not in Salat to Him complain?
Like Job who only to Allah,
Turned in all his grief and pain?

Forget you those trials in this life,
Cleanse your heart and make it clean?
Ya nafsy, why all this sadness?
Do you not wish your heart to gleam?

Be patient in all your hardships,
Allah hears your cries of woe.
So trust Him and His hikma,
For He knows best and you don't know.

So tighten your hold upon him,
Lest He withdraw His outstretched Hand!
And remember the example of Bilal,
As he lay anchored on the blazing sand.

"Ahad! Ahad!" he cried,
While his flesh did drip and burn.
"Ahad! Ahad!" he cried,
To Allah alone he turned.'

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/poetry/khalaf/0013.htm

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim ....

The Tears Didn't Stop...

I thought about Yawm ul Qiyaamah, and the tears began to fall,

I thought about the terrible Reckoning, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about the rape of the Ummah, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about how we had failed to fulfill the obligations central to this Deen of Allah, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about how we slept at night, while they were butchered, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about the Mujahid, tortured to death for attempting to escape Kufr captivity, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about the hundreds and thousands of Mujahideen in torturous captivity, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about those of my sincere Brothers, who had to stay behind patiently, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about limbless orphans, the worst victims of war, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about the baby girl who had been dehumanised while we watched, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about young Mujahid boys competing to be allowed into training camps, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about how we cried tears while they fought till the last drop of blood, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about how I would manage on the bridge of Siraat on Qiyaamah, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about wanting my Sons to be born Soldiers Of Allah, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about the Mujahids who waited patiently for Firdous, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about those who were Shaheed in merely attempting to reach the battlefield, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about what atrocities it would take to get my Brothers to Jihad, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about how our Fathers and Brothers of the Ummah had failed to protect us, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about the man, who had answered the lone cry of one girl in Afghanistaan, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about him who smiled upon being martyred with his index finger raised, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about Muslims engaging in vain rhetoric about the need for Jihad, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about those who had never had the dust of the battlefield enter their nostrils, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about what excuses such 'Brothers' would shamelessly offer on Qiyaamah, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about my desire to see the beautiful and Noble face of the beloved Rasoolallah (SAW), and yet the tears didn't stop.

I thought about Jahannam and burning fires of hell we were to be fuel for, and yet the tears didn't stop.

I turned to my Creator in Forgiveness, and in a state of helplessness and utter dependency,

I Cried and I Cried and I Cried...

"Allhummar-Zuqni Shuhaadah
Allhummar-Zuqni Shuhaadah
Allhummar-Zuqni Shuhaadah"

And yet the tears didn't stop...

I begged Allah to bestow his Mercy on Me, and My Brothers, and He Mercifully answered My prayers.

He Granted me Sleep.

But then I awoke and the tears within never did stop.

[Sister SN, UK, 28 Feb 2000]

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/poetry/khalaf/0014.htm

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim ....

BUSY! BUSY!

Satan called a worldwide convention.

In his opening address to his evil servants, he said, "We can't keep the Muslims from going to Mosque. We can't keep them from reading the Qur'an and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience with Allah. If they gain that connection with Allah, our power over them is broken.

So let them go to the mosques, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that relationship with Allah. This is what I want you to do, servants. Distract them from getting hold of their creator and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" shouted his servants.

"Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6 - 7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive, to keep the TV, VCR CDs and their PCs going constantly in their homes. And see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-Islamic music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Allah."

"Fill the coffee table with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogues, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and emotional offering of free products, services, and false hopes. Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines so the husbands will believe that external beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. Ha! That will fragment those families quickly!"

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted, and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!! And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions."

"Go ahead, let them be involved in soul winning. But crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Allah. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! It will work!"

It was quite a convention. And the evil servants went eagerly to their assignments causing Muslims everywhere to get busy, busy, busy and to rush here and there. I guess the question is: has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge!

Friends, this message was sent to me by someone who cares and thought I could share it with you.

Please take heed of the message it brings:

B - Being U - Under S - Satan's Y - Yoke

Are you BUSY? Please read and pass on my friend!

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/poetry/khalaf/0023.htm

Assalamu’alaikum Warohmatullohi Wabarakatuhu...
Bismillaahirrohmaanirrohiim ....

This Moment

I may never see tomorrow; there's no written guarantee.
And things that happened yesterday belong to history.
I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past.
I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely, for it soon will pass away.
And be lost forever as a part of yesterday.
I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet.
Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today may never be undone.
And friendships that I fail to win may nevermore be won.
I may not have another chance on bended knees to pray.
And thank God with a humble heart for giving me this day.

http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/poetry/khalaf/0030.htm