Note on Hikmah

Asalaamu alaikum wrt wb,
The following are notes from a class on hikmah, may Allah (SWT) reward the student (who wishes to be anonymous) for providing us with these notes. Ameen!
* Umar bin Khattab (ra) left to people 18 statements of wisdom:
1- When someone transgresses upon your rights (and in doing so disobeys Allah) the way to 'revenge' is to obey Allah in dealing with him. (use reason/rules instead of anger)
2- When something comes to you from your brother, accept it as something good, unless you have overwhelming evidence against it. (hush dhann- thinking good of people)
3- Don't take the word of a Muslim as ill. When there is a way of seeing it positively, take it that way. Find one good interpretation out of 10.
4- Avoid positions that will make others doubt you. (ie disobey Allah publicly, hang out with ppl who don't care, at all time and places)
5- Do not blame others. When you have a secret, its under your control, but when you tell someone else, that control is not yours anymore. People fall under diffe ways be with the truth even against your own life.
9- Don't indulge in that which is meaningless. Every moment of our life is meaningful- use it to worship Allah subhanawat'ala
10- Don't ask about that which didn't happen. You already have enough to deal with, be practical, deal with immediate problems not the future of ghayb.
11- Don't ask for your need to be fulfilled from someone who wouldn't like your need to be fulfilled. Try to be self-sufficient as individuals and as an ummah, muslims of early generation were poor but didn't lower themselves. Always be with dignity.
12- Don't be neglectful or careless in swearing by the name of Allah. Otherwise, Allah will bring punishment for you.
13- Don't be in the company of fajaar (those who commit major sins openly and don't care) You WILL be affected. Your own behavior changes little by little. Be in the company of people who remind you of Allah.
14- Be aware of your enemy. Be careful, alert, and prepared.
15- Remember death. Visit the graveyards, try to be in kushuu'. If you can't cry, force yourself to. Try to be humble in front of the Creator, the One who gives life and takes it away.
16- Be HUMBLE in acts of obedience to Allah. No one will protect us but Allah. Seek protection from Allah in Allah.
17- Seek tawbaah. Immediately, be determined, have resolve.
18- Consult in your matters those who have kashiyaah (fear of Allah and always conscious of Him), because those who have kashiyaah are the ones that truly have ilm.
* Ibraheen ibn Adham was approached by a man who wanted to stop his sins. He asked for advice that will help him realize the consequences of his actions. He was told:
If you want to disobey Allah, you can, in 5 cases:
1- If you want to disobey Allah, then don't eat from His rizq (provision.)
The man said: Then where am I to eat when every provision is from Allah?
Ibraheem said: O such a person! Is it honorable and good to disobey Allah, and eat from His provision?
The man said: give me the second one.
2- If you want to disobey Allah, then do not live on Allah's property.
The man said: Then where am I to live if not on Allah's property?
Ibraheem said: Is it good then, to eat from His provision, live on His property, and disobey Him?
The man said: Give me the third one.
3- If you want to disobey Allah, then disobey Him in a place where He will not see you.
The man said: How am I to do this when He not only sees what others see, but what is in the hearts?
Ibraheem said: o you such a person, how do you eat from His provision, live on His property, and disobey Him openly?
The man said: Give me the fourth one.
4- If you want to disobey Allah, when the Angel of Death comes to you, tell him to come back later, after you repent.
The man said: He will not accept this from me!
Ibraheem said: O you such a person, when you cannot delay death, how do you expect a savior?
The man said: Give me the fifth.
5- If you want to disobey Allah, then after death comes to you, on the Day of Judgement, when the Angels of Hell come to drag you into Hell, refuse to go with them.
The man said: They will not accept that from me!
Ibraheem said: Then how do you expect to be saved?
The man said: Enough! Enough! I seek forgiveness in Allah and make tawbaah! AstaghfirAllah wa i'tubuu ilayk!
He made sincere tawbaah, and left all his acts of disobedience, and he died in such a state.
rent factors and pressures, so do not blame others.
6- Always take care of the brothers and sisters of truth. Be with them always. They will protect you. They are always a beautiful ornament. In good times you will have ease, and in time of difficulty, you will have protection and support.
7- Be strict and careful in choosing your friends.

wallahu a'lam...

Why Islam prohibits the drinking of alcohol

Islam’s holistic approach to health and well-being means that anything that is harmful or mostly harmful, is forbidden. Therefore, Islam takes an uncompromising stand towards alcohol and forbids its consumption in either small or large quantities. Alcohol is undoubtedly harmful and adversely affects the mind and the body. It clouds the mind, causes disease, wastes money, and destroys individuals, families, and communities. Researchers[1] have proven that there is a strong link between alcohol and gambling. Drinking impairs judgement, lowers inhibition, and encourages the type of risk taking involved in gambling and dangerous activities. God tells us in the Quran that intoxicants and gambling are abominations from Satan and orders us to avoid them. (Quran 5: 90)

In Australia, a country with a population of around 20 million, about 3000 people die each year from alcohol abuse while 65,000 others are hospitalised. Studies have consistently revealed a link between heavy drinking and brain damage and around 2500 Australians are treated annually for alcohol related brain damage. Research in the United Kingdom indicates that 6% of cancer deaths are related to alcohol abuse and Harvard Centre for Cancer Prevention says that drinking greatly increases the risk for numerous cancers. Alcohol is considered highly carcinogenic, increasing the risk of mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, and breast cancers. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, causing the child to be small at birth, have some facial malformations, small eye openings, webbed or even
missing fingers or toes, organ deformities, learning disabilities, mental retardation and much more.

Researchers in Australia have also estimated that 47% of all those who commit violent crimes, and 43% of all victims of these crimes, were drunk prior to the event. Alcohol is responsible for 44% of fire injuries, 34% of falls and drownings, 30% of car accidents, 16% of child abuse instances, and 7% of industrial accidents. Even though it is clear that alcohol is responsible for a great many evils it is legal and even encouraged in most societies. In Muslim countries where alcohol is forbidden many people still find it difficult to resist temptation and fall prey to the disease that is alcoholism. Amazingly even in the light of such startling evidence against alcohol, people around the globe continue to consume alcohol in ever-increasing amounts. Why?

Alcohol is one of the tools Satan uses to distract humankind from the worship of God. God states clearly in the Quran that Satan is an open enemy towards humankind yet by drinking alcohol, we invite Satan into our lives and make it easy for him to distract us from our real purpose in life, to worship God

“Surely, Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his followers that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.” (Quran 35:6)

Alcohol affects the mind and makes sinful behaviour and evil actions fair seeming. It creates enmity and hatred between people, prevents them from remembering God and distracts them from praying, and calls them to participate in unlawful sexual relationships. Alcohol generates shame, regret, and disgrace, and renders the drinker witless. It leads to the disclosure of secrets and exposure of faults.
In pre Islamic Arabia, alcohol use was widespread. To eradicate this evil, God in His mercy revealed the prohibition in stages. First, He made it clear to them that the harm of drinking alcohol is greater than its benefit, next He told the Muslims not to come to prayer while intoxicated and finally, He revealed a verse totally prohibiting alcohol.

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, idolatry, and diving arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. So avoid that so that you may be successful.” (Quran 5: 90)
When this was revealed the Muslim citizens of Medina immediately began to destroy and empty their alcohol containers into the street. Even those who were guiltlessly enjoying cups of wine spat the alcohol from their mouths. It is said that the streets of Medina ran with alcohol. Why then is it so difficult to expunge this evil in the 21st century? Believers today must completely trust God, in the same way that the first Muslims trusted God and understood that He was their only Protector and Provider. All power and strength comes from God and a scourge like alcohol can be eradicated only when those affected by alcohol turn to God with complete submission.
The Quran is a book of guidance sent to all of humankind. It is a set of instructions from the Creator for His creation. If we follow these instructions, our lives will be easy and tranquil, even in the face of disaster and mishap. God links alcohol and gambling to idolatry and declares it filthy and evil; however, He is merciful and generous towards the believers and acknowledges the power of addiction.

Islam is committed to encouraging and facilitating those who wish to repent from evil doing and sinful behaviour. God accepts repentance from those who are truly sorry for their actions and committed to staying away from sin. Muslim communities do not ostracise those who have made mistakes but keep them within the fold of Islam encouraging them to seek the closeness to God that will allow them to leave sinful behaviour. Friends, family, and neighbours do not just look away while a person destroys himself or his family. Islam is a community-oriented faith. There is no place for an individual to do what he wants to do, if it hurts others. Alcohol abuse affects not just the alcoholic but also his or her family, and community. There is great wisdom in the prohibition of alcohol.

SHUKR

thankfulness, gratitude. The twin of Sabr.
-As there is sabr in times of ni'mah, there is shukr as well.
- Quran: Nay, indeed it is Allah should you show ubudiyyah to, and show to Him gratitude.
- Quran: O you who believe, use of that which is good of what We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah if you are truly ibaad.
- Quran: And if you show gratefulness, I will give you more.
- Quran: (shaytan says after being granted respite by Allah) I will come to them, from in front of them and from behind them, from their right and their left, and You will find most of them ungrateful.
- Hadeeth: O Mu'adh, I love you. Let me teach you something.. ( the duah at end of salah) Allahumma a'innee ala dhikrikah, wa shukrukah, wa hussni ibadatik.. ( Ya Allah help me to remember You, to show shukr to You, and to make the most beautiful of ibdadah)
- Rasulullah (saws) used to stand up nights in qiyamul-layl every night to the extent his feet swelled. Aisha (ra) asked him, why do you do this when Allah has already forgiven you everything before and everything after? He (saws) said: Then shall I not be a grateful 'abd (servant)?
("and we're too busy for this! Rasulullah saws was a busy man, wasn't he? Didn't he have important things to do? Yet He made qiyamul layl every night. But of course, we have school, or work, and we can't be tired for that. What are our priorities? Being strong and energetic in front of your boss, or being content and pleasing in front of Allah?)
- the more one has, the more one should fear, be scared and humble: Will I be able to show enough shukr for all that I have?
Shukr is to be shown in three ways:
(1): Shukru bil qalb: shukr of the heart. achieved by harboring and intending good for all of Allah's creation. (khayr meaning something pleasing to Allah swt)
(2): Shukru bil leesan: shukr of the tongue. celebrate with the tongue the praises of Allah (swt), Alhamdulillah = showing the world I am pleased with my Lord. Quran: As to the ni'mah of your Lord, celebrate it.
(3): Shukr bil jawaarih: shukr of the external senses. (amal, actions) everytime Allah gives us a ni'mah, we must use that ni'mah the way it was intended to be used by our Creator- and thus used in the way of His obedience, and not in the way of His disobedience.
- kuffr an- na'mah: rejection of Allah's ni'mah "There are divine words written on the pages of every ni'mah. But those words are not deciphered by everyone."
ex. Using the tongue in a harmful way is kuffran of ni'matul leesan ex. Using the eyes to look at things that are haraam is kuffran of the ni'mah of the eyes. ex. dressing inappropriately is kufrran of the ni'mah of our body ex. Using the intellect for the wrong type of knowledge, is kuffran as well.
Any ilm that does not bring us closer to Allah, is wrong. Rasulullah (saws) sought refuge in Allah from information that was not beneficial.
- Quran: If you were to count the ni'mah of Allah, you would not be able to ennumerate them. Verily Man is an ungrateful creature.
- How do we know what Allah wants us to do with this ni'mah? Ulamah says there are two ways:
1) a. What sharh' (Islamic law) teaches of the ni'mah or action b. seek help from the people of ilm (ijtihaad)
2) ali'tibaar- cotemplation, using the faculties we have been endowed with, with of course ilm and wisdom.
- Why does the universe exist in relation to us? (In relationship to itself, it exists to fulfill ubudiyyah to Allah, as is everything that has been created by Allah) No usul to Allah can exist without mahabba (love for Him), and you will not have hubb for Allah if you are not consistent in reflection of Allah (His attributes) and how they relate to the signs of Allah in His creation and bounties. Universe is made to reflect on the ni'im of Allah to gain hub for Allah (in relation to us).
Shukr + Sabr + Tawbaah = ingredients for happiness
-showing sabr in the ni'mah of Allah is shukr (by not transgressing the bounds set down by Allah)
some duah mentioned:
- In response to 'how are you?': "I celebrate the praises of my Lord to you and the rest of creation. Surely with my Lord I am pleased."
- In mornings and evenings: "Ya Allah whatever bounty has been my share and the bounty of the rest of creation has been from You and You alone; and I celebrate Your praise."
-For morning: "Ya Allah I woke up this morning having You, and the angels who carry Your throne, and all angels, and all of Your creation, witness that You are the One and Only God, and Muhammad is your messenger."
- Ni'mah is everything we like that happens to us, but there is one real ni'mah, the ni'mah of all ni'mahs: JANNAH Every other ni'mah are means to that end.
- Why is Jannah the only true, real ni'mah? Because of 4 things (all other ni'mah violate one of them):
1) eternal life without death - every other ni'mah is mortal
2) immortality with happiness - every happiness of dunyaa has moments of displeasure, grief, consequences.
3) ni'mah of knowlege - everyone, no matter how knowledgeable, has moments of ignorance, happiness of akhirah is ilm without jahil
4) wealth never tainted by moments of poverty and need.
- There are 4 types of ni'mah:
1) things that happen to us (nafiyyah) that are beneficial in the short term and the long: The pure ni'mah, beneficial in dunyaa and akhirah. ex. ilm in quran and sunnah, hussnul akhlaaq (good conduct).. These lead to pleasure in dunyaa and akhirah.
2) something harmful in both dunyaa and akhirah. ex. nifaaq
3) something beneficial to us now (dunyaa) but harmful to us in akhirah, considered a blessing by the ignorant, a calamity by the believers, a harm in disguise of benefit.
4) something harmful in the immediate future, but in the long run beneficial
-Before shukr, we need to know how to use Allah's ni'mah in the way He loves, by revealation, shari' ilm, sunnah, quran..
- People lack shukr for mainly two reasons, jahil (ignorance), and ghaffil (heedlesness, carelesness, also a form of jahil).
-kuffrun-na'mah - rejection of Allah's ni'mah. To prevent this: reflect on this world, ilm, amal, isit the hospitals to see Allah's nimah on you, visit the prisons, visit the graveyards.
The dead WISH for two rakah.
-If we are not thankful to Allah for a ni'mah, it will be taken away from us, if taken away, it is rarely returned.
- al-balaa: the opposite of ni'mah, a hardship, something we don't like. For ni'mah we show shukr, for balaa we show sabr. but a balaa to others might be a ni'mah to me. ex. jahil of how when and where we die- in this case it is a good thing because if we knew anxiety would be too much, so its a balaah of which I should show shukr. another ex. not knowing what other creatures are harboring of hate, conspiracies, and intent to harm, we would be concerned with these people everyday. ex. we don't know when duah is accepted on yawmul jummah (therefore we make duah throughout, a good thing) Every balaah should be looked at as a na'mah. It's all relative!
Umar (ra): There are four balaah for which I must be shakir:
1- the calamity is not in my deen. (ex. a criminal breaks into your house and steals your stuff. say alhamdulillah, because you should be thankful that shatan did not enter your heart and steal your eman.)
2- It could have been worse, bigger, and Allah has power over all things.
3- I am pleased with what Allah (swt) wanted to afflict me with. In my heart I am still satisfied, I am not stricken with discontent.
4- Every affliction is atonement for my sins.
"Let us embark together on this journey of knowledge.." (he just _says_ stuff like that, naturally)
- A recipe for disaster: Of the reasons of taking the avenues of destruction in this life and the hereafter: to love life, the heart feels serene and at ease in dunyaa.
- A recipe for success: Of the reasons of happiness in dunyaa and akhirah: the heart is restless and uneasy in dunyaa ( balaa' helps this)
- Then should we pray for balaa'?
NO! Rasulullah (saws) found someone doing that and said "Do not do that, do not do that, do not do that!" Hadeeth: Seek refuge in Allah from 4 things: from the exertion and affront of affliction, that one lives to reach a life of misery, from the harmful decree of affliction, and from the deceptive ways of the clans of the enemy. (ie we seek refuge in Allah from balaah, we do not ask him for it)
- Which is better, shukr or sabr?
We can't say, it is dependant upon what level of shukr or sabr it is. (ex. a man indulges in everything that is halaal, or one who uses that wealth in every way to get closer to Allah, the second is a higher level than the first)
- These are the keys to the treasure of happiness.
- Without these two wings of shukr and sabr, we cannot fly to happiness.
- Shukr is a fruit of being aware and conscious of Allah's bounty.
- Sabr is a fruit of being away of our own weaknesses, ignorance, transgressions, inadequacies and ugliness of the self.
The shortest path to Allah is the path of an 'abd. The thickest of veils between Allah and the 'abd is ad'daawaah (feeling of arrogance, deserving)
Ya Allah, make us of those who listen to the words of admonition and follow the best of them. Ya Allah, forgive us our sins, and grant us Your mercy.
Allahumma inne ala dhikrikah, wa shukrikah, wa hussni ibadaatik.
AMEEN!

SABR

-an essential element in fulfilling our ubudiyyah to Allah (swt)
- Rasulullah (saws) said: Sabr is a source of light
- In the Quran it says: [And practice sabr, for you are under Our gaze] One of the early ulamah used to carry a parchment with this ayah on it in his pocket, and he looked at it constantly.
- Sabr is human; animals know nothing more than their basic needs and instincts, all they can do is react; humans have been endowed with reason which balances instinct. We go from wanting food as baby, play as a child, zinnah in adolescence, until we reach puberty and are endowed with some reason.. but reason is not enough, it is not alone sufficient as guidance, the 'aql (intellect) needs 'naql (revealation) "Descartes said I think therefore I am, Ghazali before him said I will therefore I am, I say: I perform sabr, therefore I am human" This deen is the completeness of our maturity and our humanity.
So what is sabr?
The steadfastness of the religious call over the call to passion- if the deen overcomes the nafs, this is sabr
Sabr is an UPHILL BATTLE- when we're going downhill we're losing energy, when we're going uphill we're gaining potential energy. In sabr, we are gaining "spiritual potential energy".
There are 2 kinds of sabr (or two ways we can perform sabr):
1) when something we desire happens to us, something we like, we exhibit sabr in controlling our selves, not going into excess, not transgressing the bounds set down for us by Allah(swt)
Abdur Rahmad ibn Auf said: We were tried by hard times and we showed sabr, but when we were tried in ease and excess, we failed.
Hadeeth: I do not fear for you poverty; I fear for you plentifulness of dunyaa, and it will destroy you as it had destroyed nations before you.
Quran: O you who believe, do not let your families and your wealth draw you away from the dhikr of Allah; and whosoever does that is indeed the loser.
2) Sabr in what we dislike. In 3 areas of life:
a.) sabru ala ta'aat: in obeying Allah (swt). sabr against our nafs who dislikes it, whether in spirituality or mundane, sabr before, during and after the act of obedience.
b.) sabru anil ma'asee: to show sabr against disobedience to Allah (swt). We are attracted to do injustice to others thinking we are doing justice to ourselves. We live in an environment that is dangerously attractive, we need to have patience, constancy, steadfastness = sabr.
c.) sabr andil ma'asid: to show sabr in times of calamity, adveristy, pain, whether physical or emotional. Everything that is in the capacity of an individual to change, he should- but have sabr in what you cannot. Not reciprocating harm is sabr.
Hadeeth: whenever a museebah (hardship) befalls you (and you show sabr) Allah (swt) atones for you some of your sins
Hadeeth: Allah (swt) atones some of our sins not only by physical endurance but by emotional ones as well
Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) asked the Prophet (saws) "Ya Rasulullah, who amongst people are the most tried (subject to hardships)?" Rasulullah (saws) said: The Anbiyyah (messengers of Allah) and after them the Salihoon (righteous) and then in accordance to your eman, taqwaah etc, there will be more hardships, not less. Every mu'min will be tried by difficulties in accordance (proportion) to their deen. If in this person's deen is solidity (their deen is deeply rooted) the balaa' will increase, to purify, cleanse, strenghten, elevate the person. And if in the deen in this person there is riqaa (weakness, thinness), then that persons balaa will be weakened, until the person walks on the earth cleansed of sins until they meet Allah.
What are the adaab of sabr?
1- once the calamity befalls us, we must show sabr immediately without delay.
A woman was in the cemetary, crying, mourning her love, when Rasulullah (saws) said to her "show sabr". She said, not knowing who he was "thats easy for you to say, you have not lost a loved one". When the companions told her who he was, she asked for forgiveness and rasulullah (saws) said: Sabr is to be shown at the beginning of hardship.
2- al-itirjaa': to say immediately, sincerely, from the heart: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhee raji'uun" -Verily from Allah we come and to Him we return
3- the tongue and the senses do not act violently - use them correctly, don't get caught up in the pain of the moment
4- Hussnul sabr- sabrun jameel- the highest level, the most beautiful sabr
Sabr can be categorized into 3 levels:
1- Tarkus sabraa: the lowest level- when one does not complain but inside dislikes what's happening to them
2- Ar-ridhaa-bil-beelah: no complaint, to show satisfaction with the balaa (hardship), because they have yaqeen (certainty) that Allah only does to the 'abd what is best for them
3- Ash-shukr-alal-beelah: to have ridhaa (satisfaction) and to be grateful to Allah for the hardship because that person has yaqeen that this is to elevate his spiritual status- looks at the consequence, not the immediate event we are taught sabrun jameel in the story of yaqub and yusuf (as)
Ali (ra) said: Of the realization of the Majesty of Allah, and of knowledge of the right Allah (swt) has on His creation, is that when one is befallen with a calamity, one does not complain, does not even mention what has befallen him.
An 'abd should feel ashamed to describe the pain, we are complaining about the Creator to the creation?
ibn Qays (a tabi') said: I lost my eyesite 40 years ago, I have never told anyone.
an ulumah (didn't get the name): "Whosoever complains about a calamity that has befallen him to other than Allah, such an individual would never find the sweetness of ta'aa (obedience to Allah (swt)) in the heart"
How to attain sabr?
The cure to any disease of the heart (arrogance, anger, lack of hayaa)
1- ILM: brings desire and want to change, use the ilm the teacher conveys to you! brings about hazm- energy, resolve to change
2- AMAL: take it into everyday life, in your actions Qat'al asbaab- severing the ways and avenues to bad deeds. example: lowering the gaze for zinnah. for every haraam avenue, there is a halaal alternative.
No pain, no gain- condition your nafs and your qalb, or they will condition you
Work hard on uprooting the weeds of passion, disobedience and sin. Sow the seeds in your heart of the will to change and sincerity. Let the rain be the mercy and forgiveness of Allah purifying the land, our hearts.
The best door from which we can enter the majesty of Allah, is humility.
1- Always be conscious in our hearts and minds of Allah's nimaah
2- Always be conscious of our weaknesses, the sins we have committed. Have faqar- the opposite of pride, self-reliance, self-interest..
Qur'an: "InnaAllah ma'as sabireen: Verily Allah is WITH those who have sabr."
Ya Allah, make us of those who have sabr, and grant us Your mercy and Your forgiveness.
Ameen.