In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

              As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

Narrated Abu Huraira (Radi-Allahu 'anhu): The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "A slave (of Allah) may utter a word which pleases Allah without giving it much importance, and because of that Allah will raise him to degrees (of reward); a slave (of Allah) may utter a word (carelessly) which displeases Allah without thinking of its gravity and because of that he will be thrown into the Hell-Fire." Bukhari Vol. 8 : No. 485

Don’t Rely Upon Your Actions

Ibn Ata’ Allah, may Allah have mercy on him starts off his aphorisms by correcting the Muslims’ belief and creed that they hold in their hearts. Given the nature of how things work in this world, many of us might fall into the trap of believing that it is our actions that will get us into Paradise.
If we testify to the oneness of Allahand recognize the status of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him as His Messenger, pray our five daily prayers, fast the month of Ramadan, pay the yearly Zakah, and perform the Hajj to Mecca if we are able, then many of feel that we will for sure get into Paradise.
Not only that, some think that if they start doing extra acts such as fast voluntary days, pray in the middle of the night, do much remembrance of Allah through various invocations, and be careful not to make any transgressions then they will surely elevate to a higher level in Paradise and be among the most righteous. While this is commendable and has truth to it, if one believes that it is through these actions they will earn their felicity in the Hereafter, a reassessment is in order.
There is a Hadith that has been narrated through many of the collections that will put things into perspective for the believer:
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said, “None of you will enter Heaven by their actions”
The companions responded, “Not even you O’ Messenger of Allah?”
He said, “Not even me, except if Allah encompasses me with His blessing and mercy”
The above narration does NOT mean that we should stop doing our obligations and performing voluntary acts to draw nearer to Allah.
What it means is that we should not fall into the trap of thinking that we can use them as some bargaining chip with Allah on the Day of Judgment, because the truth is that nothing we do will suffice to show the proper thanks to Allah for all the blessings He has and continues to shower us with.
There is a story, which relates that an ascetic man took up the life of monkhood and went into the mountains to stay away from people. For 500 years all he did was pray and worship, only ate pomegranate that he could pick, drank only spring water and did not commit a single sin.
When he died and his soul was lifted to be judged, Allah said to him," Enter Heaven by My grace”. The man screamed up and said," By my actions O’ Lord”.
The monk’s assumption here was that 500 years of dedication through all his actions and no sins should grant him the highest reward possible.
Allah responded to him by saying, “You want to be judged?” Then He told the angels “make an accounting for him”.
The angels deliberated for a while and started by saying,“let us begin with the blessing of his eyesight. What do you all think should be a justified repayment for that?" Their conclusion was, “500 years of worship and dedication with no sin!" At this point the man freaked out and cried," By your grace O’ Lord, by your grace”.
What Ibn Ata’ Allah, may Allah have mercy on him is directing our attention to with this aphorism is to not feel entitled to a reward as a result of our actions. In fact, Allah tells us in the Quran that it was because of Him that we were guided and it is because of Him that we were able to perform those righteous actions.
Therefore, our reliance should be solely on Him. This is the state of the Gnostic – the Knower of Allah. The hope we have in Allah is not because we perform our acts of worship. We perform our acts of worship because we were commanded to do them, and we would continue to do them even if there was no Heaven or Hell.
The danger sign indicating that you might be placing your trust in your righteous actions, rather than in Allah who is the reason for your ability to perform those actions,is if you find yourself in a sense of despair when you commit a transgression over the limits that Allah has set. None of us is infallible and we all sin. The question is, when you sin, do you feel like you are at a loss and have despair? Sin is there to allow you to make tawba– to return back to Allah and seek His mercy and forgiveness. It is there so that you can gain Allah’s love as he tells us in the Quran:“Verily, Allah loves the ones who constantly repent and purify themselves” – Al Baqara (2:222)
If you go through the Quran and examine the different reasons why people would worship Allah, you will find that there are three types of obedience that Allah talks about. The first type is the obedience of the slaves. This refers to people who worship Allah mainly out of fear of His punishment. The second type of obedience is the obedience of the merchants. This is when one starts keeping track of their deeds and does a balance sheet to account for how many rewards they get for each action. Both these types of obedience speak to the nature of many people. Some need to be afraid in order to perform their obligations, and that is why Allah talks about Hell and punishment in the Quran.
Others need a different type of motivation that has more to do with reciprocation, and that is why Allah talks about the rewards that await those who obey. Since Allah uses these methods of persuasion, we cannot speak ill of those who are persuaded by either one of these methods.
However, the highest level of obedience that grants the servant the highest state in the Hereafter is the obedience of lovers.It is to worship Allah because you want to attain His love. It is to worship Allah because you truly believe in your heart that Allah is worthy of being worshipped, irrespective of Heaven or Hell. This is the ultimate following in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him who despite knowing that He was infallible and the state that awaits him, still prayed during the night until his feet were swollen.
When Lady Aiysha,may Allah be pleased with her, asked why he prayed so much despite knowing that Allah has forgiven his past and future less than ideal deeds he replied:“Should I not be a thankful servant?" This saying of Ibn Ata’ Allah, may Allah have mercy on his soul is pregnant with meaning. Our actions are not the reason for our salvation. The grace of Allah and His mercy are the reasons for our salvation.
We worship because Allah commanded us to do so and He the Most High is worthy of being worshipped. When we sin or fall short of our duties at certain times, we should return back to Allah and seek His forgiveness and mercy even more. Only through having a correct understanding will we attain the highest state in the Hereafter where we would enjoy the greatest blessing to be given – to bask in the glory of gazing towards our Lord and be lost in His infinite majesty and beauty.
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Why did Allaah create us?

Q.1 Why did Allaah create us?
A. He created us to worship Him and not to associate any partners with Him. The evidence for this is in the Words of Allaah, Most High in Soorah Az-Zaariyaat:
"And I created the jinn and mankind not, except to worship Me" (Soorah Az-Zaariyaat 51:56)
and in the words of the Prophet “The right of Allaah upon the slaves is that they worship Him and do not associate any partners with Him.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Ref.: Taken from the book "Take Your Beliefs From the Qur’aan and Sunnah" by Muhammad Ibn Jameel Zainoo.
Beware of doing or saying anything for which you have to apologise.Al-Bukhaari (3484) narrated that Abu Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Among the words of the earlier Prophets that still remain with people are: If you feel no shame, then do as you wish.”
Al-Haafiz said: The words “then do as you wish” appear in the imperative (a command) but what is meant is a threat, i.e., do as you wish and Allah will requite you. Or the meaning may be: look at what you want to do; if it is something that one not would feel ashamed of, then do it, but if it is something that one would feel ashamed of, then do not do it.
A Bedouin came to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, teach me the religion. He said: (It is) to bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to establish prayer, to pay zakaah, to perform pilgrimage to the House (the Ka‘bah) and to fast Ramadan; be open and do not be secretive; beware of doing everything that one may feel ashamed of. Sharh Usool I‘tiqaad Ahl as-Sunnah by al-Laalkaa’i (1/333); Shu‘ab al-Eemaan, 3976.
At-Tabaraani narrated in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer (312) from ‘Ikrimah ibn Khaalid that Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his son, when he was dying: O my son, you will never meet anyone more sincere towards you than me. When you want to pray, do your wudoo’ properly, then pray as if you think you will not pray again. Beware of greed, for it is akin to poverty, and you should have a lack of interest (in worldly matters) for it is richness. Beware of doing or saying anything for which you have to apologise. (If you heed this advice), then do what you like.
A wise man said: Beware of what you may have to apologise for and what you may feel ashamed of being mentioned, for the only thing you have to apologise for is sin and the only thing you have to feel ashamed of is abhorrent actions.
Makaarim al-Akhlaaq by al-Kharaa’iti, 1/484

What is ‘ibaadah?

A. It is a comprehensive term for all those words and deeds which are loved by Allaah, such as du’aa` (supplication), salaah (prayer), Thabh (halaal slaughter) etc. Allaah says:
"Say: Truly, my prayers, my sacrifice (i.e. slaughter) and my life and death are for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds" (Soorah Al-An’aam 6:162)
and the Prophetsaid: Allaah, Most High says: “My slave does not come nearer to Me with anything more beloved to Me than that which I have enjoined upon Him.”(A Hadeeth Qudsiyy 2, Narrated by Al-Bukhaari) Ref.: Taken from the book " Take Your Beliefs From the Qur’aan and Sunnah by Muhammad Ibn Jameel Zainoo.Key note 2Hadeeth Qudsiyy: A hadeeth in which the Prophet said: “Allaah says…”

 Humility is one of the best and noblest of characteristics

Humility is one of the best and noblest of characteristics; it is the attitude of the Prophets and Messengers, and the way of the close friends of Allaah and the righteous. That is being kind to people, lowering the wing of humility to them and trying to meet their needs and wants.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The most perfect of the believers in faith is the one who is best in attitude and humble, who get along with others and others get along with them, and there is no good in the one who does not get along with others and they do not get along with him.”
Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (2/268); classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (751).

Good treatment of one's wife.

1 – The Qur’aan enjoins good treatment of one's wife: she is to be honored and treated kindly, even when one no longer feels love in one's heart towards her. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allaah brings through it a great deal of good” [al-Nisa’ 4:19]
2 – The Qur’aan explains that women have rights over their husbands, just as their husbands have rights over them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And they (women)have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses)similar (to those of their husbands)over them (as regards obedience and respect)to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility)over them. And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Baqarah 2:228]
This verse indicates that the man has additional rights, commensurate with his role as protector and maintainer and his responsibility of spending (on his wife) etc.
3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)enjoined kind treatment and honouring of one’s wife, and he described the best of people as those who are best to their wives. He said:
“The best of

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