REVIEW

1. IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFULACADEMY OF ISLAMIC THOUGHT (AIT)MODULE IIPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT:Repentance, Prayer, Death and Remembrance, Forgiveness and the Love of God SESSION 6Jihad Turk

2. REVIEW • Foundation of our relationship with Allah • The responsibilities given to mankind by God • Unique abilities given with responsibility

3. CHALLENGES • Tests – Provide us with an opportunity to remember God • Covenant/Contracts - God has made a covenant with us for the effort we are committed to as believers in God and as followers of Prophet Muhammad • Maladies that afflict our character and their cures

4. ILLNESSES OF THE HEART • Selfishness • Envy • Gossip • Showing off • Lying • Anger • Arrogance

5. DEATH AND REMEMBRANCE • Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came to a people that were entrenched in the here and now • Much of the Quran is dedicated to transforming the mentality and perception of the people of the time of Prophet (PBUH) and by extension- of humanity from a material world to a humanity that includes remembrance of the hereafter

6. DEATH AND REMEMBRANCE 80:1. (The Prophet) frowned and turned away, 2. Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). 3. But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)?- 4. Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him? 5. As to one who regards Himself as self-sufficient, 6. To him dost thou attend; 7. Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding). 8. But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly, 9. And with fear (in his heart), 10. Of him wast thou unmindful.

7. DEATH AND REMEMBRANCE 11. By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction: 12. Therefore let whoso will, keep it in remembrance. 13. (It is) in Books held (greatly) in honor, 14. Exalted (in dignity), kept pure and holy, 15. (Written) by the hands of scribes- 16. Honorable and Pious and Just. 17. Woe to man! What hath made him reject God. 18. From what stuff hath He created him? 19. From a sperm-drop: He hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions; 20. Then doth He make His path smooth for him; 21. Then He causeth him to die, and putteth him in his grave; 22. Then, when it is His Will, He will raise him up (again).

8. DEATH AND REMEMBRANCE 23. By no means hath he fulfilled what God hath commanded him. 24. Then let man look at his food, (and how We provide it): 25. For that We pour forth water in abundance, 26. And We split the earth in fragments, 27. And produce therein corn, 28. And Grapes and nutritious plants, 29. And Olives and Dates, 30. And enclosed Gardens, dense with lofty trees, 31. And fruits and fodder,- 32. For use and convenience to you and your cattle. 33. At length, when there comes the Deafening Noise,- 34. That Day shall a man flee from his own brother, 35. And from his mother and his father,

9. DEATH AND REMEMBRANCE 36. And from his wife and his children. 37. Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others. 38. Some faces that Day will be beaming, 39. Laughing, rejoicing. 40. And other faces that Day will be dust-stained, 41. Blackness will cover them: 42. Such will be the Rejecters of God, the doers of iniquity.

10. BEING MINDFUL OF GOD Doth not man see that it is We Who created him from sperm? yet behold! he (stands forth) as an open adversary! And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (origin and) Creation: He says, "Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?" Say, "He will give them life Who created them for the first tie! for He is Well-versed in every kind of creation!...

11. …"The same Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold! ye kindle therewith (your own fires)! "Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like thereof?" - Yea, indeed! for He is the Creator Supreme, of skill and knowledge "Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like thereof?”…

12. …Yea, indeed! for He is the Creator Supreme, of skill and knowledge (infinite)! Verily, when He intends a thing, His Command is, "be", and it is! So glory to Him in Whose hands is the dominion of all things: and to Him will ye be all brought back. (36: 77-83)

13. FORGIVENESS They say, "Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us our sins, and spare us the agony of the hellfire." They are steadfast, truthful, submitting, charitable, and meditators at dawn. (3: 16-17) Anyone who earns a sin, earns it to the detriment of his own soul. GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise (4:111) Their recompense is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens with flowing streams; they abide therein forever. What a blessed reward for the workers! (3: 136)

14. THE QURAN ON PRAYER 78. Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony. 79. And pray in the small watches of the morning: (it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee: soon will thy Lord raise thee to a Station of Praise and Glory! 80. Say: "O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honor, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me).“

15. THE QURAN ON PRAYER You shall remember Me, that I may remember you, and be thankful to Me; do not be unappreciative. O you who believe, seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). GOD is with those who steadfastly persevere. (2: 152-153)

16. You shall seek help through steadfastness and the Contact Prayers (Salat). This is difficult indeed, but not so for the reverent, who believe that they will meet their Lord; that to Him they ultimately return. (2:45- 46)

17. Among them are gentiles who do not know the scripture, except through hearsay, then assume that they know it. (2:78) Therefore, woe to those who distort the scripture with their own hands, then say, "This is what GOD has revealed," seeking a cheap material gain. Woe to them for such distortion, and woe to them for their illicit gains. (2:79) Some have said, "Hell will not touch us, except for a limited number of days." Say, "Have you taken such a pledge from GOD - GOD never breaks His pledge - or, are you saying about GOD what you do not know?" (2:80)

18. Indeed, those who earn sins and become surrounded by their evil work will be the dwellers of Hell; they abide in it forever. (2:81) As for those who believe, and lead a righteous life, they will be the dwellers of Paradise; they abide in it forever. (2:82) We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: "You shall not worship except GOD. You shall honor your parents and regard the relatives, the orphans, and the poor. You shall treat the people amicably. You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat)." But you turned away, except a few of you, and you became averse. (2:83)

19. We made a covenant with you, that you shall not shed your blood, nor shall you evict each other from your homes. You agreed and bore witness. Yet, here you are killing each other, and evicting some of you from their homes, banding against them sinfully and maliciously. Even when they surrendered, you demanded ransom from them. Evicting them was prohibited for you in the first place. Do you believe in part of the scripture and disbelieve in part? What should be the retribution for those among you who do this, except humiliation in this life, and a far worse retribution on the Day of Resurrection? GOD is never unaware of anything you do. (2: 84-85)

20. When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided. (2:186)

21. THE STORY OF PROPHET ZAKARIYA 35. Behold! a woman of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: So accept this of me: For You hear and know all things."

22. 36. When she was delivered, she said: "O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!"- and God knew best what she brought forth- "And no wise is the male Like the female. I have named her Mary, and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected."

23. 37. Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty: To the care of Zakariya was she assigned. Every time that he entered (Her) chamber to see her, He found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From God, for God Provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure."

24. 38. There did Zakariya pray to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant unto me from You a progeny that is pure: for You art He that hears prayer! 39. While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: "(God) doth give thee glad tidings of John (Yahya), witnessing the truth of a Word from God, and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a prophet,- of the (goodly) company of the righteous."

25. 40. He said: "O my lord! How shall I have a son seeing I am very old and my wife is barren?" "Thus" was the answer "does God accomplish what He wills.“ 41. He said: "O my Lord! Give me a Sign!" “Your Sign," was the answer, "Shall be that you shall speak to no man for three days but with signals. Then celebrate the praises of thy Lord again and again, and glorify Him in the evening and in the morning."

26. 42. Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! God hath chosen thee and purified thee- chosen thee above the women of all nations. 43. "O Mary! worship Thy Lord devoutly: Prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down."

27. Prophet Zakaria saw that Mary had special connection to God and received miracles • He decided to follow the lead of Mary and went to that spot and supplicated to God , asking for progeny that was pure • While he was standing in prayer, God answered his prayer • He was old and his wife was barren, yet God bestowed upon him a miracle

28. THE ANSWERING OF PRAYERS • Sometimes we pray and we feel God doesn’t answer prayers • Prayers might be answered in different forms • Prayer when understood correctly is a blessing and an opportunity

29. ON REPENTANCE Abu Hurairah relates that he heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: Allah is my witness, that I seek forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him more than seventy times a day (Bukhari).

30. Aghirr Ibn Yasar Muzanni relates that the Prophet (PBUH) admonished: Turn to Allah, ye people, and seek forgiveness of him. For myself, I turn to Allah a hundred times a day. (Muslim)

31. Anas Ibn Malik, servant of the Prophet (PBUH), said: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant of His than would be one of you who were to lose his camel in a barren dessert and then find it suddenly. (Bukhari and Muslim).

32. The version in Muslim adds: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a servant of His than would be one of you who were to lose his riding camel, which carries his food and drink, in a barren dessert, and losing all hope of finding it he were to lie down in the shade of a tree, and then should suddenly find it standing near him and should seize its nose-string and in his excess of joys should blurt out: “O Allah, Thou are my servant and I am Thy Lord.”

33. Abu Musa Ash’ari relates that the Prophet (PBUH) said: Allah will continue to hold out His hand at night so that he who has sinned during the day might repent, and to hold His hand during the day so that he who has sinned at night might repent, till the sun should rise from the west. (Muslim).

34. Abu Hurairah relates that the Prophet (PBUH) said: Allah will turn with mercy to whoever repents before the sun rises from the West (Muslim)

35. Abdullah Ibn Umar relates that the Prophet (PBUH) says: Allah, the Lord of Honor and Glory, will accept the repentance of a servant of His till his death rattle begins (Tirmidhi)

36. Zirr Ibn Jubaish relates: I went to Safwan Ibn Assal to inquire about the symbolic passing of the hands over socks in the course of ablutions. He asked me: Zirr, what brings you? I replied: Search of knowledge. He said: Angels spread their wings for one who seeks knowledge out of pleasure at what he seeks. I told him: Some doubt has arisen in my mind concerning the symbolic passing of hands over socks in the course of ablutions after one has been to the privy or the urinal. Now, you are one of the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) and I have come to ask you: Did you hear him mention anything concerning it?

37. He replied: Yes. He directed us that while we were on a journey we need not take off your socks for washing the feet in the course of ablutions during a period of three day s and nights, except after consorting with our wives. In other cases, e.g., sleep, a visit to the privy or urinal etc., the symbolic passing of the hands over socks would suffice during that period. I then asked him: Did you hear him say anything concerning love and affection? He replied: We were with the Prophet (PBUH) in the course of a journey when a dessert Arab called out to him in a loud rough voice:

38. “O Muhammad! The Prophet (S) answered him in almost the same tone: Here I am. I said to the Arabs: Fie on thee, lower thy voice in his presence; Allah has so commanded. To me he retorted: I will not lower my voice; and then addressing the Prophet (PBUH) said: What about a person who loves a people but has not yet found himself in their company? The Prophet (PBUH) made answer: On the day of Judgment a person will be in the company of those he loves. He them continued talking to us and in the course of his talk made mention of a gateway in the west, the width of which could be traversed by a rider in forty or seventy years.

39. Sufyan, who is one of the narrators of this hadith, adds: This gateway is in the direction of Syria. Allah created it along with the creations of the heavens and earth. It is open for repentance, and will not be closed till the sun rises from that direction (Tirmidhi and others).

40. Abu Sa’id Khudri relates that the Prophet (PBUH) said: an individual from among a people before you having killed as many as ninety-nine persons inquired who was the most learned person on earth. He was directed to a monk. He went to the monk and said: I have killed ninety-nine persons. Is there any chance of repentance left for me? The monk answered: No. Forthwith he dispatched the monk also and completed a full century of victims. Then he inquired again: Who is the most learned person on earth? And was directed to a savant, to whom he said: I have killed a hundred person. Is there a chance of repentance left for me?

41. The savant said: Yes. What can stand between you and repentance? Proceed to such and such a land. In it there are people who worship God. Join them in the worship of God and do not return to thine own land, for it is an evil place. So he set out. He had traversed only half the distance when he was overtaken by death, and a contention arose over him between the angels of mercy and the angels of torment. The angels of mercy pleaded that he had come a penitent towards God; and the angels of torment contented that he had never done a good deed.

42. Then there arrived an angel in human form and the contending angels agreed that he should be the arbiter between them. He directed them: Measure the distance between the two lands. To whichever he is closer to that one he belongs. SO they carried out the measurement and he was found to be closer to the land whither he was bound. The angels of mercy thus took charge of him (Bukhari and Muslim).

43. One version has it that he was found to be closer to the land of the righteous by width of a hand and was thus accounted one of them. Another version is that God directed the space on one side to expand the space on the other to shrink, and then said: Now carry out the measurement. It was found that he was nearer to his goal by the width of a hand and was forgiven. It is also related that he came closer by crawling on his chest.

44. WHY DO WE LOVE? Discussion • Love for the Sake of Allah • Love for the Prophet (PBUH)

45. COMBINING HOPE AND FEAR There are recurring references in the Quran to both God’s mercy and to the fact that He exacts retribution

46. THE QURAN ON HOPE AND FEAR Allah, the Exalted, has said: • None feels secure against the design of Allah, except those that are losers (7: 100) • None despairs of Allah’s mercy, save the unbelieving people (12:88)

47. On the day when some faces will be bright and some faces will be gloomy (3:107) • Thy Lord is swift in exacting retribution, and He is also Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful (7:168) • Verily, the virtuous will be in bliss and the wicked shall be in hell (82: 14-15) • He whose scales will be heavy with good deeds will have a pleasant life; but he whose scales are light for wants of good deeds will have hell as a resort (101: 7-10)

48. HADITH ON COMBINING HOPE AND FEAR Abu Hurairah relates the Prophet (PBUH) said: “If a believer realized the full extent of the chastisement of Allah, non would desire His Paradise; and if a disbeliever realized the full extent of Allah’s mercy, none would despair of His Paradise (Muslim).

49. Abu Sai’id Khudri relates the Prophet (PBUH) said: When the bier is lifted above the shoulders of the pall-bearers, if the corpse is that of a righteous man, it urges: Go forward with me, go forward with me; if it is that of an unrighteous person, it says: Woe to it, where are you taking it? Its voice is heard by everything except man, and if man heard it he would be struck dead (Bukhari).