Aboo Uthmaan

This is an incredibly motivational lecture by ‘Abdur-Raheem Green, a real eemaan booster, rich with verses from the Qur’aan and narrations from our beloved Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), delivered in a powerful style, systematically thought out with each sub-topic linking perfectly to the next. You can download the audio file for the lecture here:

Pray Before You Are Prayed Upon by ‘Abdur-Raheem Green

- When becoming humiliated, remember the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) in Ta’if.

- When being starved, remember the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) tying two stones to his stomach in the battle of Khandaq.

- When becoming angry, remember the Prophet’s (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) control of anger on the martyrdom of his beloved Uncle Hamza.

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By Zayn al-Abdeen

This is the problem with desire. Our natural desire to live well and enjoy life is co-opted by the consumer system and turned into something enslaving. If we could just extinguish consumer desires and stop shopping, we would get a lot closer to every day. Simply because we would not have to do so much work.

The key is not to renounce all pleasures but to be a master of them. When it comes to pleasure, we seem to oscillate between bingeing and abstention. Is it possible that somehow we are encouraged to binge and abstain because that does the double-job of keeping cash flowing through the system and keeping us docile through self-adulation and guilt.

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By Imaam ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d.751H)
Transcribed by Aboo Uthmaan [1]

Forms of rejecting the Qur’aan:

One: to refuse to listen to it, have faith in it and pay attention to it.
Two: to refuse to act according to it, abide by its lawful and unlawful commandments, even if the person reads it and has faith in it.
Three: to reject its arbitration and litigation according to its principles and branches of the religion and to believe that its words are not meant to be indisputable, and that its proofs are verbal and do not reach the level of real knowledge.
Four: to reject careful consideration of it, and fail to understand it and learn that which the Speaker intended.
Five: to reject seeking medication with it concerning all the diseases of the heart, by seeking the cure of such diseases from other than it.

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There are two types of people in this world: those who try to search out the million dollars, so they can live on the high end of life; and those who try to find the million dollar solution to life’s hurdles.

The former group plunges into the profit-driven corporate world like a slave: Obeying the 9-5 hours rule that the master slaps on them and wearing the standard uniform, consisting of a cell phone, laptop, blue shirt and tie, and a compatible suit. This group digs deep into the earth’s resources hoping that one day it will indeed strike that million dollar life-style.

When this group is given some blessings from God, they jump on it like a thirsty dog laps up water, not realising how they approach and use the bounty is also a test. And when this group is tested with an affliction, they lower their heads in dismay, wallowing in self pity, not recognising that they are blessed with much more than several millions who are starving every day, and at times homeless due to a war or natural disaster. This group lacks foresight and remains in this despicable state until God, out of His immense mercy, changes their worldly affairs for them again.

The latter of the two groups tries a different way to attain a similar goal. While they too work those 9-5 jobs, and they too may carry the same stylish, state of the art gadgets that every other corporate slave carries, such as the cell phones, PDAs, and slick laptops, they run a different course.

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By Shaykh ‘Alee bin Hasan al-Halabee
Transcribed by Aboo Uthmaan [1]

Explaining the path to paradise for the righteous [2]:

That is Paradise, whose landmarks are clear, a sure thing detailed and this is the path to it, smooth and easy. It has signs and above it are lights. We are at the beginning of the path, so let us travel hastily to the end of it where the doors of Paradise are pen for the travellers. The path which has been described by the Messenger of Allaah (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) with his comprehensive words:

“Paradise is surrounded by hardship and the Hellfire is surrounded by wishes and desires.” [3]

“All my people will enter Paradise except those who refuse to. Whosoever obeys me will enter Paradise and whosoever disobeys me, then he has refused.” [4]

“Verily I have left you on a clear path, its night is like its day, nobody deviates from it except that he is doomed.” [5]

The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) has explained in these ahaadeeth the path, and described it clearly, for anyone who has an understanding, so let us travel together as loving brothers and co-operating friends.

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By Imaam Abu Muhammad ‘Abdullaah ibn Abee Zaid al-Qairawaanee (d.386H) [1]

Chapter: That which is pronounced by the tongues and firmly believed in the hearts, concerning the obligatory matters of Religion.

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By Shaykh ‘Aaidh ibn ‘Abdullaah al-Qarni
Transcribed by Aboo Uthmaan [1]

The pleasures of life are short-lived, and more often than not, they are followed by sorrow. Life means responsibility, a journey wherein change is constant and difficulties are relentless in their onslaught.

You will not find a father, a wife, or a friend who is free from problems. Allaah has willed for this world to be filled with two opposites: good and evil, righteousness and corruption, happiness and misery. Thus goodness, uprightness, and happiness are for Paradise; evil, corruption, and misery are for the Fire. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“This world is cursed along with all that is in it, except for these: the remembrance of Allaah, what follows it (i.e. good deeds and whatever Allaah loves), the scholar, and the student.”

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