What has made you careless about your Lord?

[Consider]

Al-Infitar - The Cleaving

1. When the heaven is cleft asunder.

2. And when the stars have fallen and scattered;

3. And when the seas are burst forth (got dried up);

4. And when the graves are turned upside down (and they bring out their contents)

5. (Then) a person will know what he has sent forward and (what he has) left behind (of good or bad deeds).

6. O man! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?

7. Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion;

8. In whatever form He willed, He put you together.

9. Nay! But you deny the Recompense (reward for good deeds and punishment for evil deeds).

10. But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you.

11. Kiraman (honourable) Katibin writing down (your deeds).

12. They know all that you do.

13. Verily, the Abrar (pious and righteous) will be in delight (Paradise);

14. And verily, the Fujjar (the wicked, disbelievers, sinners and evil-doers) will be in the blazing Fire (Hell),

15. In which they will enter, and taste its burning flame on the Day of Recompense,

16. And they (Al-Fujjar) will not be absent therefrom (i.e. will not go out from the Hell).

17. And what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is?

18. Again, what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is?

19. (It will be) the Day when no person shall have power (to do) anything for another, and the Decision, that Day, will be (wholly) with Allah.

[AbuMubarak]

OUR HEARTS ARE SHAKING IN FEAR LIKE EARTHQUAKE HAS OVERTAKEN THEM, OH ALLAH,
TAKE AWAY THIS FEAR OF YOUR ENEMY FROM OUR HEARTS AND PUT YOUR LOVE AND FEAR
IN OUR HEARTS! WE LET YOU DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES AS YOU SAID, DHARNEE, WA
MAN KHALAQTU WAHEEDAN-- LEAVE ME AND THE ONE I CREATED IN ISOLATION!

From SOUNDVISION
http://soundvision.com/info/peace/liberatefromfear.asp
Ten Tips to Liberate Yourself From Fear
by Jana Mott

My mother says that "two things cannot exist in the presence of each other.
Where there is fear, there cannot be faith in God." You might balk at this
statement, thinking it's too simple. But doesn't Allah guide us to the same
truth? Through numerous examples, He pours courage into our hearts like
water on a thirsty plant.

How do you describe peace? Can you feel at peace if you feel threatened? No.
True peace comes from a sense of security. What better source of peace and
security is there besides Allah? To fear is human, but we cannot internalize
it and lock ourselves up in our homes.
1. Leave Home Without It
Allah has promised you His Mercy:
"When Allah decreed the Creation He pledged Himself by writing in His book
which is laid down with Him: My mercy prevails over my wrath." (Muslim,
Bukhari, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).

He is aware of everything that occurs to you, and will reward you for being
patient:

"For any trouble, illness, worry, grief, hurt, or sorrow which afflicts a
Muslim, even the prick of a thorn, Allah removes in its stead some of his
(minor) sins." (Hadith Qudsi)

He knows that you enjoy life and above all, that you don't want to die:
"...I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing]
the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him."
(Hadith Qudsi).
2. Know Your Limitations

Are you really the master of your own destiny? Happiness lies in
understanding the difference between those things you can control and those
things which are beyond your control. The concept of Qadr (predestination)
is central to this understanding:

'No slave of Allah will truly believe until he believes in Al Qadr, its good
and bad, from Allah, until he knows that what has befallen him was not going
to miss him and that what missed him was not going to befall him.'(Tirmidhi)

The Prophet Mohamed (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ibn Abbas: "if
the whole nation were to gather together to benefit you they would only
benefit you with that which Allah had already written [for] you, and if the
whole nation were to gather to harm you they could only harm you with that
which Allah had already written to harm you. The pen has been lifted and the
ink has dried". (5)

Psychologists also realize that an excessive need for control can lead to
anxiety and a paralyzing fear:

"There is basically one thing that stands out from my research, anxiety,"
says Dr. Les Parrott III in an interview in the October 2000 edition of
Psychology Online Journal. Anxiety is the fuel that runs the engine of every
control freak. That translates into fear... that leads them to become
over-controlling."
3. "Fear" The Creator Only

"(False) security and despair are ways leading out of the folds of the
community of Muslims. The right attitude for the people of the Qiblah lies
between the two. That is to say, a slave should remain between fear and
hope. For, the right and the approved kind of fear is that which acts as a
barrier between the slave and the things forbidden by Allah. But, if fear is
excessive, then the possibility is that the man will fall into despair and
pessimism."(from the article Salvation Lies Between Fear and Hope by Imam
Ali Ibn Abi al `Izz al Hanafi).

Consider the verses of the Quran and the Hadith below.
"Be ye not afraid of them, but fear Me, if ye have faith." [3:175]

"A man sinned greatly against himself, and when death came to him he charged
his sons, saying: When I have died, burn me, then crush me and scatter [my
ashes] into the sea, for, by Allah, if my Lord takes possession of me, He
will punish me in a manner in which He has punished no one [else]. So they
did that to him. Then He said to the earth: Produce what you have taken- and
there he was! And He said to him: What induced you to do what you did? He
said: Being afraid of You, O my Lord... and because of that He forgave him."
(Bukhari, Muslim, An-Nasai and Ibn Majah)

"Call upon Him with Fear and Hope." [7:56]
4. Increase Your Worship

We all fall short, in one way or another. One Muslim may excel in salaat but
forgets about charity. Another fasts easily, but doesn't read Qur'an. We
could all use some improvement, especially myself. The further "behind" I am
in my worship, the more fearful I am of death. I'm like a basketball team,
down by 20 points with three minutes to go. The clock is ticking down. When
there's time, they're hopeful. But, when the clock reads 0:00, time is up.
They are watching the clock so much that they can't shoot straight. On the
opposite side, the team that's leading by 20 points is not afraid of the
clock. They are calm, because they're not playing catch-up. Only Allah knows
our final "scores" but we know how many prayers we've missed, how many
frivolous things we've bought instead of feeding the poor, and so on.

We become acutely aware of the "game clock" during times of war and danger.
These times force us to check our own internal scoreboards. The further
behind we are, in our own assessment, the more we will fear 0:00. Increase
your worship so that you feel balanced; neither self-righteous nor
despairing of Allah's Mercy, but doing your best to please Him:

Allah the Almighty said: O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask
of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O
son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then
to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to
come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face
Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as
great as it. (Tirmidhi)
5. Avoid Things That Make Your Angry

Fear and anger go hand in hand.

He who can overpower others in wrestling is not really a strong man. True
strength is in that individual who can control himself at the time of anger'
(Bukhari)

"Remember that anger stems from fear and a sense of helplessness...," writes
Dr. Tom G. Stevens in his book You Can Choose To Be Happy. "You may not want
to admit feeling hurt or fear. (You may think such an admission is a sign of
weakness.) Yet these are the underlying feelings that will help you identify
which values and goals are being threatened."
6. Stay Informed

Ignorance increases fear. It may also make you fearful of the wrong things,
thereby placing you in more danger. But, see tip #5. Turn off the TV if the
pundits are insulting Islam, making you feel angry. Listen to international
radio and read news from various sources (internet, etc.)
7. Speak Up!

Always let someone know what your plans are for the day. If you plan to go
somewhere after school or work, it is important that you let someone know
beforehand. This is not a limitation on your freedom, but a protection for
all of us, both males and females. In discussing your plans, the other
person may point out something you forgot, reminding you "there's a game
this afternoon, so the subway might be crowded with people who have been
drinking."

Besides planning, it's good to share your thoughts (and fears) with others
who understand your point of view. Arrange a halaqah to study or just invite
a few Muslims to your place for a discussion. It's good to talk with others.
They need you to listen, too. Don't keep things bottled up inside.
8. Stick Together

We are commanded to stick together and to watch over each other, especially
in times of danger:
"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah together and do not disunite." [3:103]

"When you (O Messenger Muhammad(SAAS)) are among them, and lead them in
prayer, let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with you taking their
arms with them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their
positions in the rear and let the other party come up which has not yet
prayed, and let them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing
arms..." [4:102]

Teamwork gives each of us a greater sense of comfort and security.
9. Forget About It

Fear can lead to depression. One of the best cures for depression is to
throw yourself into service on behalf of others. Whether it be organizing a
masjid donation to help refugees throughout the world, or putting in a few
hours at your local hospital, helping other people is a very soothing
activity. Offer to babysit for a sister with small children. Little kids
will keep you so busy that you won't have time to worry about anything
else...
10. Create A Contingency Plan

Accepting Allah's Qadr does not mean that you should become careless. You
should accept His Qadr, but still look both ways before crossing a busy
street. These things are not mutually exclusive. Instead, the instinct for
self-preservation is one of the things that Allah has given you to protect
yourself. Creating a contingency plan is a little like doing your chores.
Once you get this mundane thing out of the way, you can go ahead and enjoy
yourself.

Continuing to be fearful after you have prepared yourself as much as
possible is a sign that one of two things is wrong; (a) either you haven't
organized your "chores", or (b) you have an unrealistic view of your own
powers.

Organize your "chores" by making a list. Write down everything related to
protecting yourself that you feel you can control. This may include small
things such as fixing the lock on your screen door, or deciding not to
travel alone for a while. Developing a realistic view of your own powers is
possible through prayer, reading the Qur'an, staying in touch with other
Muslims, or simply paying attention to the examples around you. Pay
attention to nature, watch the sunrise, feed the squirrels, and notice how
life marches on, no matter what we humans do.
The Prophet (saas ) said: "Verily, the greatness of the reward is tied to
the greatness of the trial: When Allah (swt ) loves a people, he puts them
to trial. Whoever accepted it, will enjoy Allah's Pleasure and whoever is
displeased with it, will incur Allah's Displeasure." (Tirmidhi)



Something to Ask...
O Allah!
I ask You by every name that You have, that You have called Yourself by,
that You have taught any of Your Creation, that You have revealed in Your
Book, or that You may have kept secret with Yourself.
Make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my breast, the dispeller
of my sorrows, the eraser of my anxieties and worries.

[AbuMubarak]

6. O man! What has made you careless concerning your Lord, the Most Generous?

I have seen this translated as

o mankind, what has seduced you from your lord, the generous?

which gives a much deeper meaning in my opinion

[memories]

MashaAllah, Jazakum-Allah-Khair.

[Umm Khawla]

Assalaamu`alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh,

Mashaa`AllaahYa Ukhta, Baarak Allaahu Feeki.

-Allaahu Ma`akum-

[AbuMubarak]

Originally posted by Umm Khawla
Assalaamu`alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh,

Mashaa`AllaahYa Ukhta, Baarak Allaahu Feeki.

-Allaahu Ma`akum- is this umm khawla from cg?

[Umm Khawla]

Yes

[AbuMubarak]

as salaamu alaykum, umm khawla, glad to see you here, inshaa Allah you will be a benefit to this board

[Umm Khawla]

Wa`alayk Assalaam Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuh Akh Raafi,

Baarak Allaahu Feek Wa Jazaak Allaahu Al Jannah.
Masha`Allaah I find this place calm and quite and beneficial as well.

May Allaah `azza wa Jal bless all Muslimeen wal Muslimaat, Ameen thumma Ameen.

And I hope to read more of your full-of-wisdom posts here too insha`Allaah.

-Allaahu Yahmeek-

[AbuMubarak]

umm, here i am a bit more vocal, we have kafirs here who are trying to attack islam and paint muslims to be blood-thirsty terrorists

but you may see a post here or there that you agree with

barakallahu feeki aydan

[Umm Khawla]

Originally posted by Raafi
umm, here i am a bit more vocal, we have kafirs here who are trying to attack islam and paint muslims to be blood-thirsty terrorists

but you may see a post here or there that you agree with

barakallahu feeki aydan

May Allaah SWT guide them to light of Islaam,
Ameen thumma Ameen.

[hidden]

SubhanAllah...such a powerful surah...Jazakillahu khairan for the reminder dear sis...u shud read Sheikh Sayyid Qutb's 30th shade...Allah (swt) has truly blessed him mashaAllah...and May Allah (swt) reward him greatly for his work...ameen.

SubhanAllah...the way he explains the surahs...they have a deeper than i thought.

"This short surah refers to the great upheaval discussed in the previous surah "The Darkening", but gives it a special colour. It has a different rythm, deep and calm. It adds a touch of expostulation coupled with an implicit threat. Hence, it does not detail the scenes of the great upheavel as in the previous surah, where these scenes are dominant. The scenes here are shorter, in order to suit its quieter atmosphere and slower rhythm..."

There's a link to his 30th shade on the net...i'll do a search for it and post it up inshaAllah...

I have seen this translated as

o mankind, what has seduced you from your lord, the generous?


also this one: "O man, what has lured you away from your gracious Lord?"

mashaAllah ta'ala, sis umm khawla is here...*smile*...welcome ukht.

inshaa Allah you will be a benefit to this board

na'am inshaAllah she'll be of great benefit...

wa alaikum assalaam wa rahmatullah...

[hidden]

Fi Thilal al-Qur'an - Sh. Sayyid Qutb [30th] (http://www.islamworld.net/qutb/shade.html)

[islamic jihad]

not careless about my lord......may allah neva let that happen to me.....but i have become careless towards my religion now.....:( ...due to bad luck

[AbuMubarak]

islamic jihad, this deen is the deen of your Lord, and He sent it down as a mercy to give us guidance, thus our obedience to our Lord is manifested thru our obedience to this deen

if you obey the Messenger, you obey Allah

if you disobey the Messenger, you disobey Allah

there is very very little difference, if any, and Allah knows best

you cannot love Allah without obeying the Messenger of Allah, and Allah perfected this religion thru His Messenger

and no such thing as bad luck, when you get a chance, peruse thru the islam section and the peace and calm forum