Hajj - Jihad Without Conflict
A Muslim spends their time, with both their belief and worship, in a continuous and widespread jihad (struggle), thus Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) qualified both the hajj and umrah (greater and lesser pilgrimages) as "jihad without conflict". Reported by Imam Bukhari, Aisha related: "I once asked the Prophet "O messenger of Allah, we (the women folk) consider that jihad is the best deed; why then may w...

Health and Free Time
As reported by Ibn Abbas, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Health and free time are two great blessings the benefits of which most people are deceived about." (Bukhari, Riqaq,1) This hadith invites us to consciously make use of the "time" that starts with our birth and ends with our death in the best way. It focuses our attention on the two important blessings which we possess and use selfishly, ...

Don't Be Angry; Enter Paradise!
One of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) asked Prophet Muhammad for advice. He asked that the advice be short so that he would be able to remember it. "Don't get angry," said the Prophet. The same Companion repeated his request for some brief advice; each time he received the same answer from the Prophet each time, "Don't get angry!" (Source; Bukhari, A'dab, 76) Anger is a natur...

The Prophet's Tolerance
Coming from the Arabic root samaha, musamaha (tolerance) means to forgive and to pardon. The word hosgoru is used in Turkish and the word tolerance in English. As a term, it is used for the understanding and gentle behavior towards everyone, without prejudice, of someone who is mature and good-intentioned. Truly this is a high virtue possessed only by people of superior morality. Both too much an...

Eternal Investment
'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud narrated that God’s Messenger said: "Who among you considers the wealth of his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?" They replied, "O God’s Messenger! There is none among us but loves his own wealth more." The Prophet said, "So his wealth is whatever he spends (in God's Cause) during his life (on good deeds) while the wealth of his heirs is whatever he leaves after his d...

Is Anger Sweeter than Honey?
The man was filled with rage... While yelling with full force at the person before him, his face became red and his jugular vein became more and more pronounced. While the flames of anger reflected on his face, his insolence reverberated in his voice. When this state of his caught the attention of the Prophet of Mercy, the latter turned to those around him and, with his calm and soothing voice, ...

God and His Messenger Know Best
"The example of guidance and knowledge with which God has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and God benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irr...

Freedom From Desires
'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As said: “God's Messenger has said, ‘Unless desires are in keeping with the truth that I have brought (Islam), one cannot be a true believer.’” (1) There is some terminology in the above Prophetic Tradition, which is extraordinary in that it indicates how to overcome the nafs. Hawa (desire, eagerness), when used in a general sense, means an inclination away from God. ...

Taking a humble breather
"Anyone who possesses a speck of pride (kibr) in his heart will not enter Paradise." Muslim, Iman 149. The feeling of comfort, state of relaxation and lack of arrogance one experiences when in the presence of family, friends and those who have espoused good manners as ordered by Allah stem from the fact that one believes they will not be misunderstood by these people and will be accepted, no matt...

On the Greeting (of peace)
As related by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (pbuh) said the following: “I swear to Allah that you will not go to heaven unless you have faith. You will not be deemed to have believed unless you love one another. Should you do so, shall I tell you a way to love one another? Spread greetings among yourselves!” (Muslim, Iman 93-94) Faith, as it is described in the Holy Quran, is a concept that has roots...

Modesty Stems From Faith
As related by Ibn Umar, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) passed by a Muslim from Medina who was telling his brother to stop being modest and said to him: “Leave him as he is; for modesty stems from faith.” (Buhari, Faith 16; Muslim, Faith 57-59) Every Muslim who believes in Allah -the All-hearing, All-seeing and All-knowing- knows that a person is not alone even if no one is at his side. He is always in t...

Experiencing the Sweetness of Belief: Affection, Sincerity and S
Quoted by Anas ibn Malik, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “There are three things which cause anyone who takes refuge in them to experience the sweetness of belief: To love Allah and His Messenger more than anything else. To love a person only for the sake of Allah. To dislike the thought of reverting to disbelief as much as they would dislike being cast into the fire.” (Bukhari, Iman 9; Muslim Ima...