Short Story: 'Only for Allah (s.w.t)'

There was a pious man among the Banu Israel who always remained busy in the worship of Allah. A group of people came to him and told him that a tribe living nearby worshiped a tree. The news upset him, and with an axe on his shoulder he went to cut down that tree. On the way, Satan met him in the form of an old man and asked him where he was going. He said he was going to cut a particular tree. Satan said, "You have nothing to be concerned with this tree, you better mind your worship and do not give it up for the sake of something that does not concern you." "This is also worship," retorted the worshiper. Then Satan tried to prevent him from cutting the tree, and there followed a fight between the two, in which the worshiper overpowered the Satan. 

Finding himself completely helpless, Satan begged to be excused, and when the worshiper released him, he again said, "Allah has not made the cutting of this tree obligatory on you. You do not lose anything if you do not cut it. If its cutting were necessary, Allah could have got it done through one of his many Prophets." The worshiper insisted on cutting the tree. There was again a fight between the two and again the worshiper overpowered the Satan. "Well listen," said Satan, "I propose a settlement that will be to your advantage." The worshiper agreed, and Satan said, "You are a poor man, a mere burden on this earth. If you stay away from this act, I will pay you three gold coins everyday. You will daily find them lying under your pillow. By this money you can fulfill your own needs, can oblige your relative, help the needy, and do so many other virtuous things. Cutting the tree will be only one virtue, which will ultimately be of no use because the people will grow another tree." This proposal appealed to the worshiper, and he accepted it.

He found the money on two successive days, but on the third day there was nothing. He got enraged, picked up his axe and went to cut the tree. Satan as an old man again met him on the way and asked him where he was going. "To cut the tree," shouted the worshiper. "I will not let you do it," said Satan. A fight took place between the two again but this time Satan had the upper hand and overpowered the worshiper. The latter was surprised at his own defeat, and asked the former the cause of his success. Satan replied, "At first, your anger was purely for earning the pleasure of Allah, and therefore Almighty Allah helped you to overpower me, but now it has been partly for the sake of the gold coins and therefore you lost."

Source: From the book "Ihyaa-ul Uloom Ud Deen" by Imam Ghazzali (ra).

Fajr Prayer - Story

A man woke up early in order to pray the Fajr prayer in the masjid. He got dressed, made his ablution and was on his way to the masjid.On his way to the masjid, the man fell and his clothes got dirty. He got up, brushed himself off, and headed home. At home, he changed his clothes, made his ablution, and was, again, on his way to the masjid.On his way to the masjid, he fell again and at the same spot! He,again, got up, brushed himself off and headed home. At home he, once again, changed his clothes, made his ablution and was on his way to the masjid.On his way to the masjid, he met a man holding a lamp. He asked the man of his identity and the man replied 'I saw you fall twice on your way to the masjid, so I brought a lamp so I can light your way.' The first man thanked him profusely and the two where on their way to the masjid.Once at the masjid, the first man asked the man with the lamp to come in and pray Fajr with him. The second man refused. The first man asked him a couple more times and, again, the answer was the same. The first man asked him why he did not wish to come in and pray. The man replied'I am Satan.'The man was shocked at this reply. Satan went on to explain, 'I saw you on your way to the masjid and it was I who made you fall.When you went home, cleaned yourself and went back on your way to the masjid, Allah forgave all of your sins. I made you fall a second time,and even that did not encourage you to stay home, but rather, you went back on your way to the masjid.Because of that, Allah forgave all the sins of the people of your household . I was afraid if i made you fall one more time, then Allah will forgive the sins of the people of your village, so i made sure that you reached the masjid safely.

'So do not let Satan benefit from his actions. Do not put off a good that you intended to do as you never know how much reward you might  receive from the hardships you encounter while trying to achieve that good.

Importance of 'Fajr' prayer according to our beloved Prophet (s.a.w):

(Sahih Bukhari)
Volume 1, Book 11, Number 626 :
Narrated by Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl." The Prophet added, "Certainly I decided to order the Mu'adh-dhin (call-maker) to pronounce Iqama and order a man to lead the prayer and then take a fire flame to burn all those who had not left their houses so far for the prayer along with their houses."

(Sahih Bukhari)

Volume 1, Book 10, Number 548
Narrated by Abu Bakr bin Abi Musa:

My father said, "Allah's Apostle said, 'Whoever prays the two cool prayers ('Asr and Fajr) will go to Paradise.'

Smoking Among Muslims

Don't fall into this category

Muslims are smoking all kinds of drugs making their own hands the cause of their own destruction.  They waste so much money on cigarettes. However if you tell him to spend this money for the sake of Allah (s.w.t) he would not do it, if you burn his Rs.50 note he would start fighting with you and tell the world how crazy you are. On the other hand he would pay Rs.50 to kill himself by buying a pack of cigarettes. He would smoke and stink up the place and harm all the Muslims around him. So cigarettes and smoking becomes something which the youth are obsessed about they think that they look cool while smoking. You only look cool if you have a miswak in your mouth because it purifies your mouth whereas cigarette is leading to mouth cancer (it’s only sluggish manner of dying). Miswak is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and Cigarette is an intoxicant. 

Some of those who pretend to represent the religion are among the worst addicts to smoking. When they are told that smoking is Haram, they give lame excuse that there is no direct word in Qur’an or Hadith which prohibits smoking. Therefore, they conclude, smoking is not prohibited, but is only makruh (disliked). By doing so they provide a poor excuse for the ignorant, and establish a very bad example for others. 

Many Muslims have been influenced by such statements, falling into the snares of addiction to smoking. Instead of being Allah's slave, a smoker becomes slave to his cigarette. He develops a weaker control of his sense and reason.

 

The whole world now knows that the money spent on smoking is to be considered as money wasted, from which no benefit is gained; indeed, it is money spent on something harmful. If the money which is spent on smoking worldwide were to be collected, it could have saved entire populations who have died of starvation. Is there anyone more foolish than the one who holds a dollar bill and sets fire to it? What is the difference between him and the one who smokes? Indeed, the smoker is more foolish, because the folly of the one who burns a dollar bill ends there, whilst the one who smokes burns his money and also harms his body.

If stress is haunting you down then smoking is surely not the answer to your problems, turn towards your Lord  ask for His forgiveness, His mercy and seek help only from Him ,for there is no one else  on this planet who can help and there is nothing in this world that can guide  you but Qur’an. Read Qur’an and keep praying to Allah and you won’t be stressed anymore instead you will realize that all you actually do care for is The Last Day and that your stay in this world is very short.

If you still cannot decide then just imagine if Satan stands on your left and our Beloved Prophet (s.aw) on the right while you have a cigarette in your hand. What would each of them tell you to do?