Displaying patience when learning

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

As believers it is important of us to be aware of the etiquette and attitude that should be displayed in the process of learning. We must acquire a special discipline in this process. One of the etiquettes is demonstrating a lot of patience before speaking, asking questions or responding to others. Don’t just open your mouth. Be mindful and cautious.

Asking questions is not wrong when one sincerely wants to learn. Allah encourages it. He says in Surah Anbiyaa; “ask of those who possess the Message”. But be mindful when asking questions especially to a learned person such as one's Spiritual Teacher because it is possible that at that time you won’t have the capacity to understand. You may not be capable of understanding the real spiritual meaning. For example a lot of people ask the question ‘why stand for Tazeem?’ At this point in time they can’t understand the merit behind it, but Insha Allah through time will come wisdom.

A potent example of this given in the Qur’an is the encounter between Prophet Moses (as) and Hazrat Khdir. Moses (as) wanted to know more about the truth, more than about creation. Theologically Moses (as) was a learned person, but he wanted to acquire that knowledge that is beyond reason and logic. So he set out on a spiritual journey to acquire this knowledge.

Allah guided him to Khdir. Who was Khdir? He is a personality Allah mentioned in the Qur’an. Some say he was a Prophet of Allah , some say he was an angel, some say he was a wise servant of Allah who still functions today. We can’t say because Allah didn’t give any details about this personality. All that is recorded is “so they found one of Our servants whom We had mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our Own.”

Throughout their journey Moses (as) demonstrated his limited understanding by questioning Khdir on three separate occasions. At that point in time he couldn’t see the purpose of Khdir’s actions. And Khdir summed it up beautifully by asking Moses (as) the question prior to their journey “How can thou have patience about things which thy understanding is not complete?”

We see from this encounter the wisdom in bearing patience, especially when in the company of the learned. Allah reinforces this in Surah Maa-idah;

“O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble”. (5:101)

Continuously asking questions may make things a bit harder for you to understand, as was the case with the Jews. When they were commanded to slaughter a cow they kept asking Moses (as) question after question and every time they got an answer the task became a little more difficult for them; until they were made to pay gold that equated the weight of a the cow. This story is recorded in Surah Baqarah, verses 67-73.

Understand something very important; i.e. we do not know Allah’s plan. Our knowledge and understanding is limited. Don’t question Allah . Don’t say why me! when you are faced with trials and tests. Don’t question Allah’s work. We don’t know what He has planned for us. What we do know is that He loves us and He will take care of us.

Unfortunately, we don’t see believers behaving in this manner. Sometimes we try to take matters into our own hands. This lesson is really important especially, when it comes to Spirituality. If you are told to do something especially by a Sheikh you don’t question it. There is wisdom and reason for it.

Those who are trying to get closer to Allah are careful and cautious when it comes to opening their mouths. They remain silent and look on with the outlook that Allah will take care of the affairs of His servants.

Satan was so blessed that he was favoured with entry into paradise amongst the company of Angels, but he questioned Allah and look how far he fell. The angels displayed their reservations when Allah announced to them that He was going to create man. Thereafter when they were questioned they responded;

“Glory to Thee, of knowledge we have none, save what Thou hast taught us: in truth it is Thou Who Art Perfect In Knowledge and Wisdom”. (2:32)

What Allah wants to happen will happen. He knows what is best for us. Our understanding is limited and short-sighted. Put your faith and trust in Allah and He will take care of your affairs.

We beg Allah to make us from amongst those who will never question His Decisions and accept whatever He sends our way. May He make the trials and tests easy and bearable and may He inculcate in us the ability to demonstrate patience when seeking knowledge and spiritual advancement.

The Benefits of Fasting

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

When one looks back in history, it will be seen that the institution of Fasting was a prescription given to all those who were to receive special religious experiences.

Moses was ordered to fast for forty days and forty nights before he was given the Torah. Jesus, in spite of being special from birth, kept fast on the mountain for forty days, before he was able to overpower Satan. And the previous messengers, all kept fast upon the command of the Lord. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why Allah says to Muslims in the Holy Qur’an, that fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you.

Allah made fasting easy for Muslims. They do not have to fast for forty days and nights, nor do they have to go on the hilltops to do so. They keep the fast from dawn to dusk in the lunar month of Ramadan, in their homes and may get the same type of religious experience during the Night of Power. Allah says that: He desires ease for us and He does not desire to put us into any type of difficulties. (Qur’an, 2:185)

But why did Allah make fasting in the month of Ramadan a principle of faith for the Muslims?

Fasting in this month benefits the person in two ways, viz. it enables him to ascend closer to his Lord; and it makes him a better unit in society.

During the month of Ramadan the Muslim engages himself in abstinence during the day from dawn to dusk, engages in extra acts of worship, spends more time reading the Holy Qur’an, (the unadulterated Word of Allah); becomes more generous to the poor and the needy; and stays God conscious all the time. As a result he feels that he is living in the presence of the Divine. Allah out of His mercies sends the Angels to visit the believers during the “night of Power” an experience which a lot of people cherish.

Fasting enables a person to develop a better relationship with others in the society, as, one is prohibited from ill-speaking, responding negatively, becoming irritable, or doing anything that will harm others. And when emotionally challenged he is required to say: I am fasting.

A Muslim knows that back-biting, etc will render his fast null and void.
It is because fasting brings out the moral and spiritual good in a person that Allah says: If you fast it is better for you. Because Muslims feel better about themselves regarding their moral, spiritual and social development at the end of Ramadan, Eid becomes a day of celebration and thankfulness to the Lord for His Favours they received during the Blessed month.

A Muslim is supposed to use the experience of Ramadan as a milestone in his moral and spiritual growth. He has to always keep in mind what Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said: Faith increases or decreases. As a result, in order to preserve the blessings of Ramadan, he needs to take note that he should not cover Truth with falsehood, as that will spoil his relation with his Maker
Ramadan is therefore designed to strengthen the bond of relation between a person and his Lord on one hand, and between a person and his friends, relatives and neighbours on the other.

May Allah bless all those who kept the fast with good in this world and in the Next.

The month of Ramadhan

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah has been kind and merciful to us in that He has allowed us to have the weekly Zikir sessions continuously thus far; and now we will give way to the blessed month of Ramadhan and resume thereafter, insha Allah.

Keep in mind that the hall mark of Ramadhan is restraint. We restrain ourselves from food, drink, martial relations etc. Why? Because Allah says that there are two paths;

‘and shown him the two highways?’

One is full of ease and comfort but it leads to your inevitable destruction; the other is a bit steeper and difficult to journey on, but this one will lead to your Lord. Therefore to make sacrifices such as in Ramadhan will insha Allah take us closer to Allah .

He has made this month truly blessed for us in that He has given us a special night where there would be special visitors who bring with them great blessings from their Lord. This month is a gift and not a burden. And even thought there will be trails and tests try your best to do as much good deeds as possible because the blessings are truly immense; as reported in a Hadith Qudsi:

“Allah said - ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’

Fasting also necessitates patience and Allah has given great comfort to those who exercise patience;

“Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!’ (39:10)

Let us insha Allah restrain from indulging in evil and use Ramadhan as that milestone where we will strengthen our relationship with our Lord because we are doing it all for His sake. And when Eid-ul-Fitr will come around we will be happy not because Ramadhan has ended but because of the achievement you would have attained, insha Allah.

One of the gems of Ramadhan is to read the Holy Qur’an. Yes we have to work and go about our daily activities but we have to sacrifice a little in order to utilize this great gift.

and it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew. (2:184)

The previous Messengers use to fast but what are their followers doing today? We are truly blessed by Allah. None of us are aware of whether we will ever see another Ramadhan so let us utilize whatever Allah has allowed for us.

We beg Him to bless us and to make this Ramadhan a monumental success and may He allow us to benefit from it in this world and use it to send a huge balance in the next. May Allah allow us to rise with the righteous where we will be please and anxious to meet Him and He will be pleasing to meet us, Ameen.

Ramadhan Mubarak!!!

A Goodly Loan

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah says in Surah Baqarah

“who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions), and unto Him you shall return.” (2:145)

When Islam started the Israelites were already established. They had so many Messengers that came to them, they had their Books and Allah had blessed them in a special way; for example their food came down from the skies. So their outlook was different to that of the Muslims. When Prophet Muhammad (saw) started preaching Allah wanted the Muslims to be a part of the whole human family and as a result they were to interact in some way.

One way of being a part of society was to help others in whatever capacity and to live a selfless life. In this context Allah enjoined us to give charity and help others; Muslims as well as non-Muslims. He refers to this these acts of selflessness as a goodly loan. Why? If you give something in the way of Allah, such as offering charity to those in need of helping out in a different faculty, it is His obligation to return what is better to you. He will multiply the rewards of your charitable deed many times over.

When the Israelites heard this they began mocking and ridiculing the Muslims. They began saying that the God of the Muslims was a poor God and He required a loan from His servants. The Israelites looked at every opportunity where they could embarrass the Believers in an attempt to make them despondent.

After some time Allah revealed the following ayat;

“O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah is rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of All praise.” (35”15)

Allah is announcing to all of mankind that we are the ones in constant need of Him. Everything we will ever own is a gift from Him. He permits us to act and to seek out our livelihood. Even the insignificant task of simply blinking your eye is a blessing from Allah.

This is why the Allah says in His Holy Words;

“And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them” (14:34)

Never will we be able to compute all the bounties that Allah provides. Some of us may only think in terms of financial blessings but what about your health? What about the protection He provides when we travel? Even the ability to thank Allah for His blessings is a great gift from Him.

The wise Muslim understands that Allah has been and will always be Kind and Mercifully. This is why we pray;

‘My Lord inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.’

Even when we receive blessings we are taught to remain humble and grateful not like the fellow Allah mentions in Surah Kalf who was so filled with pride and arrogance that he boasted of the wealth and power he amassed. He was so proud of his garden that he never openly said it will never perish. The next day Allah says that He ‘encircled the crops (with ruin). And the man remained clapping his hands with sorrow”.

Don’t wait to learn the hard way like this fellow did and don’t think like the Israelites. Understand that whatever you have is from the Mercy of Allah. The important task is to use it in a manner that will bring about benefit in this world and great returns in the next.

May Allah inculcate in us the ability to always recognise His blessings; the ones we can see as well as the ones we can’t. And may He always guide us to be thankful to Him, insha Allah.

The Centre of The Personality

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said “there is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoiled, the whole body gets spoiled – and that is the heart” (Bukhari)

Also Hazrat Aisha (ra) reports that “when the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) awake at night, he said: There is no God but Thou, glory be to Thee, O Allah, I ask Thy pardon for my sin and I ask Thee for Thy mercy. O Allah! advance me in knowledge: do not cause my heart to deviate (from guidance) after Thou hast guided me, and grant me mercy from thyself; verily thou art the grantor.” (Bukhari)

Biologically speaking, we know that the heart is the most important organ in our body. If the blood supply is cut from reaching the brain we can suffer a stroke, likewise if the blood fails to reach certain limbs of our body those limbs will start decaying.

What is important to note is that, even in your personality the heart is also the most important organ. It can lead to a person being good morally, emotionally and spiritually. The heart responds faster than the brain hence you find that in human beings, there tends to be firstly, a display of emotional responses rather than logical ones. The reason for this is because the heart has the capacity to control our emotions.

Allah refers to the heart in a special way in Surah Al Mu'min;

“Warn them of the Day that is (ever) drawing near, when the hearts will (come) right up to the throats to choke (them); no intimate friend nor intercessor will the wrong-doers have, who could be listened to”. (40:18)

Allah is not referring to the physical heart but instead all the emotions that are generated from the heart. Man would be one that Day ‘dumb-founded’, in a state of shock, awe and every other possible emotion. All these emotions come from the heart and not the brain as some believe.

Again Allah says in Surah Ar Ra'd

“Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah; for, without doubt; in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (13:28)

Stress, peace, tranquillity; etc. they all come from the heart and Allah is the One Who will put peace and comfort in the heart. And with reference to the ayat quoted above; engaging in His remembrance will lead to ones heart attaining satisfaction.

Allah also makes mention of the different categories of people whose hearts are concealed;

"In their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their disease: and grievous is the penalty they (incur), because they are false (to themselves)". (2:10)

It us He who sends down tranquillity in the hearts of men

"It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers, that they may add Faith to their faith; - for to Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is full of knowledge and Wisdom" (48:4)

The best thing one can have is a peaceful heart and engaged in non-beneficial things. Through this you will understand the meaning of Surah Naas

from the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after His whisper), (the same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind, among Jinns and among men.

The heart controls out intentions and our emotions. It is a truly important dimension of the personality. This is a vast topic and much more can be said of it. Always remember to fill your heart with peace and love, and insha Allah, Allah will keep any ‘disease’ away from the heart.

We beg Him to guide us and to bless our hearts just as our beloved Messenger (saw) use to pray. And may He keep us far away from those thoughts, actions and emotions that can lead to our hearts becoming hard and concealed.

Mir'aj Lecture by Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed - delivered on 01.07.2011

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

The ascension of Prophet Muhammad (saw) holds great lessons for us. It shows us the importance of his mission, the relationship between him and his Lord and the connection he has with his followers.

Prophet (saw) is reported to have said;
‘When the dwellers of Paradise will enter Paradise, someone will proclaim: ‘O Dwellers of Paradise, God wishes to fulfil what He promised you’. The companions asked: ‘What is that promise? Has He not filled up our Balance? Has He not brightened our faces and admitted us in the Garden? Has He not saved us from hell?’ At that time, the screen will be lifted and they will be gazing at the Glorious Lord. Nothing will be dearer to them at that time than His sight. This is the greatest reward. At that time they will forget every enjoyment and happiness. There is no limit to this happiness and no example.’

The dwellers of Paradise will be in such awe and amazement, more than what was experienced when the women of Jospeh (as) saw him for the first time and unconsciously cut the palms.

Why make mention of this? The understanding is that we will only be blessed with the vision of Allah when we are firstly purified, forgiven all our sins and placed in a special place. Only then will we be qualified to gain access to this great blessing.

On the other hand the Mir’aj showed us that Prophet (saw) had qualified himself here in this material world where he was absolutely pure and clean. So much so that upon the invitation of Allah he was able to visit Him up there and have divine audience with Him. He had no kind of impurities and all he lived for was to show the people how to connect themselves to Allah and how to remove all the material trappings of this world.

We know Allah says in His Holy Words; ‘He moves between a man’s heart and chest’. Why then was it necessary to physically take up Prophet (saw)? On one hand the Mir’aj demonstrated the Greatness of Allah and on the other hand the importance of Prophet Muhammad (saw).

There is a verse in the Qur’an in which Allah says ‘No vision can grasp Him but He sees everything’ (6:103). Again we see when Moses (as) requested to see Allah he was told by His Lord “You cannot see me”. Hazrat Ayesha (ra) is also reported to have said “Anyone who says that he saw Allah is a liar.”

In this dimension of space and time we have some shortcomings. For example when Prophet (saw) saw angel Jibreel for the first time his personality was far greater than the skies, hence wherever in the sky Prophet (saw) looked he saw Jibreel. He was only able to realize the true personality of Jibreel when he was outside this dimension of space and time; which was accomplished on the night of the Mir’aj.

You cannot see Allah with your naked eyes. Instead you have to be in a proper state of purity and only then, as when insha Allah you’ll go to Paradise. But Prophet Muhammad (saw) was in this physical dimension and his personality was so cultivated that matters of the unseen were known to him and also Allah wanted to show the status of Prophet and His Greatness.

Understand that Prophet (saw) is truly special. He is reported to have said “I was a Prophet while Adam was still between water and clay”. The first thing that Allah created was the light of Prophet Muhammad (Nur-i-Muhammad). His soul was from the command of Allah, not a part of Him. And every other soul came from his light. This is the connection we all have with him. In the night of the Mir’aj it was proven that Prophet (saw) has the highest status in creation. He was able to go higher then even angel Jibreel. He even went further then the Lote tree, the pen and tablet; to a point where there was nothing between him and His Lord.

Allah says in Surah Ahzab;
Truly, We did offer Al­Amanah (The Trust) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it but man bore it. Verily, He was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results). (33:72)

‘The Trust’ is sacred mission entrusted to man. Allah gave man that spark of light which is non-physical, the soul (ruh) to keep it pure, clean and shinning and to spread it throughout the earth. He has however not left us alone. He is connected to all believers, not physically but through the Prophet (saw). He says in His Holy Words;

‘Verily Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! send ye blessings on him, and salute Him with all respect.”

“He it is who Sends salaat on you, As do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of darkness into Light: and He is full of Mercy to the believers.”

Allah wants us to keep our light bright and shinning and He has made His Beloved our model. On one hand He took him up on the night of the Mir’aj and connected the light and sent him back to earth to spread the light; and this is possible why he is called a 'Rahmatul Lil Alameen’ - mercy to the worlds.

This is why we are special. Our mission is to receive the blessings from Allah and demonstrate that we are all ‘Sirajum Munirah’ – a lamp that gives light. We get our connection from Prophet (saw) who is in turn connected to The Source. And when one practices Tassawuf he can gain connection through the Mashaeikhs and Prophet (saw) ; and if Allah wills you can have ‘religious experiences’. And Allah makes mention of these categories of people in His Holy Words; ‘Allah bears witness to the fact that there is no god but He, and the Angels and those who are endued with knowledge, also bear witness to this fact. (3:18)

Prophet Muhammad (saw) was not a ‘postman’ as some believe. He has an important role even up to present time. Allah strengthens this in Surah Baqarah; “and say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah "they are dead." Nay, They are living, though ye perceive (it) not”. He demonstrated this on the night of Mir’aj when all the Messengers gathered in Masjid ul Aqsa to pray behind Prophet Muhammad (saw). To understand these things using scientific reason and logic is impossible.

Our success in life depends on our outcome in the next. If we are blessed to enter Paradise is means our life in this world was a success. On that Day Allah says that ‘their salutation on the Day they meet Him will be "Peace!"; and He has prepared for them a generous reward’ (33:44). The Believers will greet Allah and He will return the greeting.

Just like the greeting between Prophet (saw) and Allah on the night of the Mir’aj. This great occasion has been preserved for us in the form of the Attahiyat in our Salaat.

What we are seeing is that the Mir’aj is more than just a trip. It was an expression of the Greatness of Allah by causing a ‘lump of mud’ to become so refine and spirituality uplifted to the extent where he returned to meet and converse with his Lord; and preserved it for his followers. For example each posture we perform in Salaat Prophet saw angels performing a particular posture in each level of heaven.

Allah has given us a small eye-opener. Understand that life is a process of coming and going; ups and downs. Prophet Muhammad (saw) went through immense hardships before the event of the Mir’aj. He lost people who were close and supportive of him, he was continuously ill treated and finding little success in carrying out his mission.

Always remember if you want to get close to Allah you’ll have to be by yourself. The event of the Mir’aj has shown us that only good will return to Allah. Therefore it’s imperative that we hold fast to what Allah says in Surah An'am; ‘It is those who believe and do not clothe up their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance.’

We can create problems for ourselves by clothing up our iman with wrong. The Mir’aj has shown us the status of Prophet Muhammad (saw) by highlighting the achievement attained in this physical life. He has the blessing of physically returning to his Lord. He is our exemplar and out of wisdom his Sunnah was preserved.

As Muslims we are taught to pray;
‘Our Lord! perfect our light for us, and grant us forgiveness: for Thou hast power over all things.’

We are expected to cause the light to spread to every cell of our body and one important way of attaining this is by abstaining from impurities. Every time you indulge in impurity your spark of light is prevented from spreading to other parts of your body.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) has shown that the spark of light can illuminate the body because in is recorded in many narrations that his physical self was much brighter and beautiful than the full moon. How bright are you? Are we making sufficient effort to uphold the Sunnah? Do you think your spark of light is permeating the cells of your body? Mir’aj shows us that the material became so perfect that he was taken right up to his Lord.

Strive to grow your light. It’s not easy it takes a lot of effort, patience and charity. Never forget that you are special in the sight of Allah . He is so desirous of us to get closer to Him that He says if we walk to Him, He runs to us.

May Allah forgive us, enlighten us and cause us to understand more the true status of Prophet (saw). May He encourage us to perfect our light and make the journey back to Him successful, insha Allah.


The audio version of Dr. Waffie’s lecture can be accessed on the Markaz’s website.

Recognizing everything comes from Allah

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Prophet Sulaiman (as) was specially blessed by Allah. He possessed control of the winds and had the ability to understand the languages of the animals. So, one can see that he had great power and status in this world.

When Prophet Sulaiman (as) reached the zenith of his knowledge and understanding he made a beautiful dua to Allah, and we should all make an effort to learn this prayer and recite it regularly;

‘My Lord inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.’ (27:19)

Sulaiman (as) recognized that everything he had and achieved was as a result of the blessings from Allah. So he firstly thanks Allah for the blessings that have been bestowed upon him and his parents; who would have assisted in guiding him. Then he begs Allah to enable him to continue engaging in good deeds in order that he may rise with the righteous.

Unfortunately we see some who believe that all their power and acquisitions are as a result of their own doing and they neglect showing gratitude to Allah.

Similarly when Prophet Joseph (as) was reunited with his family in Egypt and he saw the fulfilment of the dream he had as a young boy, he acknowledged that it is Allah who bestows knowledge, power and wisdom; and reiterated his reliance on Him;

‘My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams; the (only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian) in this world and in the Hereafter, cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous.’ (12:101)

In stark contrast we see the life of Pharaoh. When he reached the zenith of his power instead of demonstrating humility and submission he said "O Chiefs! no god do I know for you but myself”.

All these lessons are preserved for us to reference especially when we progress in this life. Remember everything comes from Him; utilize it in a manner that will bring about success in this world and the next. Eventually we will have to separate from everything we own and crave for; and when that moment comes make sure you leave with absolutely no regrets.

May Allah enable us to always act in a manner that would pleasing and loving to him insha Allah; and may He cause us to be from among those who constantly display and demonstrate gratitude to Him.

The Trustworthy One

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

One reason why Prophet (saw) was given the title ‘Al Ameen’ – The Trustworthy One; was because he never broke a promise. One beautiful example of this was the meeting he had with Abdullah bin Hamsa, prior to the commencement of his Divine Mission.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) had negotiated a business transaction with Abdullah after which Abdullah owed the Prophet (saw) some remaining dues, so Abdullah told the Prophet (saw) to wait in that specific spot while he went away to get the what was owed. The matter slipped Abdullah's memory and Muhammad waited for him to arrive for a period of three days. On the third day when Abdullah remembered and finally returned, Muhammad (saw) simply told him “you have subjected me to an inconvience as I have been waiting for you for the past three days”.

Similarly, when he was preparing to preach the message of One God to the Makkans he called all of them together and asked “if I tell you that an army is marching towards you with the intentions to attack us from the other side of this mountain will you believe me?” To this those gathered replied “yes we will as you never told you a lie”.

Now in retrospect Prophet (saw) really did not lie because 10 years later an army, which he led, did in fact march over the hills of Makkah to capture it. Throughout his blessed life he stood to his word.

We are not supposed to make distinction among the Messengers of Allah;

“they say, "We make no distinction between one another of his Messengers” (2:285)

However, Allah gives us examples in the Qur’an, where it is evident that Prophet’s (saw) personality was a bit more refined. For example in Surah Kahf, Allah mentions the story of Hazrat Musa (as) and his encounter with Khidr (as).

Musa (as), in his enthusiasm to learn, accompanied Khidr (as) in his travels under one condition stipulated by Khidr, (as) that was that he doesn’t question his action. To this Musa (as) initially agreed. As the story goes, Khidr (as) did three different actions that Musa (as) didn’t understand and as such he voiced his concern and disapproval, in every instance. For three times Musa (as) went back on his word. And in each case he renewed his promise not to say anything; but could not keep his promise.

Another example of Musa (as) acting on is own will was the time he wished to speak to Allah . He went up the mountain uninvited.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) was different and this is why it is recorded that he never said anything out of his own desires. This is why Allah says that he is the best model and example for us;

‘Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the meeting with) Allah’. (33:21)

We should therefore try to cultivate our personalities in light of his perfect life. Whenever we are confronted with trying situations always think to yourself ‘what would Prophet Muhammad (saw) do’. Through this, insha Allah, little by little we would be able to refine our personalities.

May Allah always cause us to become enlightened and to follow in the footsteps of his beloved; Prophet Muhammad (saw).

Vision through ones heart

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Human beings are blessed by Allah with eyesight which gives us the ability to see. However we are also blessed with another organ that allows us vision and comprehension. This is the heart. Allah says in the Qur'an that there are some that 'have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not'.

Allah says in His Holy Words;

"Now have come to you, from your Lord, proofs (to open your eyes): if any will see, it will be for (the good of) his own soul; if any will be blind, it will be to his own (harm): I am not (Here) to watch over your doings." (6:104)

Allah has given us the ability to comprehend. It is up to each individual to make the effort in order to become enlighten. Blindness in this context refers to your heart. You can see with your eyes and yet still be 'blind'; as Allah says: 'eyes wherewith they see not'. How is this possible? Always remember that the Qur'an explains itself. The explanation is found in another ayat in the Qur'an.

'do they not travel through the land, so that their hearts (and minds) may thus learn wisdom and their ears may thus learn to hear? Truly it is not their eyes that are blind, but their hearts which are in their breasts.' (22:46)

You cannot comprehend with your eyes. For example a lot of people say that there is no god except Allah; but it doesn't sink into their hearts. They simple perform lip service.

There are sincere believers all over this world, but in addition to our belief we have to make the effort to increase the alertness of the heart in order to understand some things of Al Ghaib (the unseen), which are not visible through the eyes.

In order to achieve this you need to keep your Qalb pure and clean. If you don't it will become clouded and you wont be able to understand as Allah says in Surah Muthaffifin;

'Nay! but on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.' (83:14)

If your heart is covered you will not be able to comprehend the Greatness of Allah. In connection to this Prophet Muhammad (saw) said 'rust falls on the heart as it falls on iron'. If you have rust on your heart you'll stay blind and Allah says that is your concern not His.

This is why Prophet (saw) told his Companions "I have returned from the small Jihad (Jihad Asghar) to the big Jihad (Jihad Akbar)". The Sahabas enquired "what is the big Jihad?" Prophetsaid "the Jihad al nafs (against the inner desires)."

Your nafs can put stains on your qalb or keep it polished and clean. You need to make the required effort.

We can comprehend Allah's greatness through Zikir and through Fikir. The wise one will use all these avenues to keep the qalb clean. Through this ones vision will grow, insha Allah.

Allah won't send enlightenment from the sky for you; you have to make the effort. For example when the rain falls on a mountain the water simple runs of the stones. However, when it falls on fertile soil it will be of greater benefit.

Prepare yourself to benefit from Allah's blessings. Whenever you make the weekly effort to attend our Zikir sessions you are trying to activate your qalb and through this your comprehension of various things will increase insha Allah.

Don't 'weaken your vision'. Strive to improve upon it through the avenues Allah made available to us. May Allah make it easy for us and may He cause us to become more and more enlightened, insha Allah.

Hablullah Issue #6

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

The latest issue of the Markaz's quarterly newsletter. (click the page to enlarge)


[Pg 1]

[Pg 2]

Preservation of the human self

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

One way of preserving the seeds of a plant is by putting them in an airtight container and storing them in a dark place. Thereafter exposure to the right elements such as sunlight, air and water will see the seeds grow into a plant, tree, etc.

This principle is also applicable to human beings when the resurrection period will commence. When a person dies and is buried, Allah preserves the original part of that person in the dark earth, without sunlight and air. This is achieved because Allah causes the original or first cell of a person to stay preserved, free from decay. So when we are placed in the earth for burial our original cell is preserved deep down in the earth just like in an airtight container surrounded by darkness. In relation to this Prophet (saw) is reported to have said;
‘As for every son of Adam, the earth will devour him except that out of which he was created and therein he will be formed on Resurrection Day’.

When the resurrection takes place all those who were “preserved in the earth” will grow out. How is this possible? Through a terrible earthquake which Allah describes in His Holy Words;

When the earth shall be shaken to its depths, and the mountains shall be crumbled to atoms, becoming dust scattered abroad, (56:4-6)

Again He say;

When the earth is shaken to her (utmost) convulsion, and the earth throws up her burdens (from within), and man cries (distressed): 'What is the matter with her?' (99:1-3)

So terrible and different this earthquake will be that everyone will be thrown out of the earth and will grow back into a human being as he or she existed before death. Every single person will be raised back to life. From the time of Adam (as) right to the present time. And the sun will be a few feet over the heads of the resurrected. This will facilitate the ‘growing back’ to man original self.

Everyone will grow back in a uniform way but the difference will be when the ruh re-enters the body. As we have previously stated, if a person took the time to polish and refine the soul (ruh); when it re-renters the body that person will be ‘bright and shinning’; whereas the careless person who paid no heed to the hereafter; his soul will be like putting a depleted battery in a remote; it will have no effect.

Allah gives us a description of the state of man when all this is happening;

They will come forth, - their eyes humbled - from (their) graves, (torpid) like locusts scattered abroad, (54:7)

Everyone will be moving about in a ‘helter skelter’ manner. They would look like drunkards. The question you need to ask yourselves is how would you like to rise? Would you like to be among those who will be worried and regrettable?

Allah is giving us signs. Look at the natural disasters that are taking place in the world; and in some of the affected countries, we see pictures of the Masjids standing, unaffected, in a midst of destruction. The true believers will be protected on that Day. Allah will take care of those whom He loves and those who are close to Him.

So aspire to earn His Love and qualify yourself to be in His “good books” so that when all the chaos and confusion is taking place you will be safe and protected. Use the trials and difficult moments in this world to build your personality and fight to get closer and closer to Allah, and insha Allah, on that Day of Accountability He will protect you and take care of your journey.

May Allah make us from among those who will have ease and comfort on the Day of Resurrection and admit us all in the paradise that He has prepared for His true slaves.

The absence of impurity

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah mentions in the Quran;

‘So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the faith: (establish) Allah’s handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah’. (30:30)

Some scholars are of the view that ‘in the work (wrought) by Allah’ refers to His creation. So if we apply this to the ayat it will translate as ‘the creation of God will not change’.

If we narrow it down to man it will mean that the human species will remain as is. They will not be subject to change just as Adam (as) came and then his progeny came in the same mould and fashion; centuries after Adam (as).

If Allah says that He will not cause change to come on His creation, what then will happen to us on our onward journey. Will we change or evolve into new creatures? No, we will remain as we are and regardless of place or time we will not be subjected to change.

When you are resurrected, you will be resurrected as you were, except that each person will be resurrected with a complete and perfect body. The difference will be the condition in which you are resurrected. For example, just as how physical ailments may have an adverse effect on a person's physical appearance; when the soul re-enters the body on the Day of Judgement; depending on the condition of the soul, the body will either be bright and shinning or dark and ugly. So if a person took the time to polish the soul in this world, it will help brighten his countenance on that Day.

Even after the entry into Paradise, life continues as it was on earth. The main exception is that there will be no impurities. According to some scholars what Adam (as) and Eve (as) consumed from the forbidden tree was in fact wheat; and after they ate it they needed to excrete. And because no impurity is allowed in the Garden they were expelled. The point is that there will be no impurities in paradise. The support of this is found in Surah Baqarah;

Gardens, beneath which rivers flow. Every time they are fed with Fruits there from, they say: ‘Why, this is what we were fed with before’, for they are given things in similitude; and they have therein companions pure (and holy); and they abide therein (for ever). (2:25)

The fruits, milk, honey, etc. will remain the same, except that it will never contain impurities, or become impure. There will be no disturbance around you; only peace and tranquillity. For example, if you have a bunch of mangoes; some are ripe and good for eating and some are a bit spoilt. When you separate the good from bad both groups remain mangoes but one is free form impurity whilst the other contains impurity. Since Allah created all the creatures, their categories remain the same, regardless of time and place. The birds, fishes, fruits all remained the same.

We need to understand that on our onward journey the environment, substance, etc. will remain the same except; it will all be free form impurities. The challenges around us will not be present in the Garden of Bliss. This is the life we are working towards. Who wouldn’t want this?

And rest assured that Satan will try his utmost to corrupt you. We all know a flame can be seen from far; but black mud, from which man was made, cannot be seen on a dark night, like the fire. The problem with Satan’s perception is that this insignificant piece of mud which has the potential to attain such greatness is more advanced than him, even though, according to his reasoning, fire is far superior to mud. So the conflict remains. We have to tolerate it and continue to persevere in order to qualify ourselves to attain the life of purity.

We beg Allah to help us to understand and to resist the attacks from Satan and to enable us to work towards our goal, insha Allah.

The best from among mankind

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah tells us about ourselves in the Quran,

‘Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah’ (3:110)

What a great honour Allah has bestowed upon us.

If you look at history you will see that before the coming of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) Allah was very kind and generous materially, to the tribes and their people. For example, the Israelites received immense material blessings from Allah. Their food and drink came down from the sky. They had next to nothing to do except glorify their Lord but they, instead tried to ‘scheme’ Allah. They wanted Allah to be ‘their servant’. They didn’t understand and were blinded by the fact that they were bringing harm and eventual destruction to themselves.

When the Israelite Messengers came and attempted to give guidance that didn’t suit their desires; they took the necessary measures to get rid of them. For example, Jesus came to them and began preaching; and they got offended. When he invited them to join him in giving da’wah they placed conditions (they wanted food to come to them from the sky). Yet Allah continued to take care of them.

In contrast to the treatment Allah gave to them, look at how different Islam started. The blessed Companions of Prophet silently bore hunger, so much so, that they used to tie stones to their stomach to ease the pangs of hunger. Look at the difference between them and the favoured ones before them. When the Muslims were faced with the boycott and had to retreat to the nearby mountains some of them ate stones. They could have easily denounced Islam and return to luxury, but they didn’t give up. They persevered even when death faced them.

Allah gives us the recipe for being categorised as the ‘best of people’ in the ayat quoted above. Firstly, believe in Allah. As we know this is the ‘password’ to enter Paradise. Then we should enjoin good and forbid evil.

If someone believes in Allah and limits the good and engages in rampant evil it is possible that he can be categorised as a hypocrite. In order to expound this let us look at the attitude of Hazrat Umar . Prophet made a special dua for one of his Companions who thereafter possessed the ability of identifying a hypocrite. So gifted was he that whenever there was a Janaza of a hypocrite he wound not attend and this led Hazrat Umar to scan the crowd to see if this particular Companion was present. If he was not present Umar would refrain from leading the Janaza, because he knew the deceased was a hypocrite. Everyday Umar would visit this blessed companion and ask, “am I a hypocrite?”

Why make mention of this? Sometimes people can do lots of good but they do it with an ulterior motive. So we need to purify our intentions in order to safeguard ourselves from falling into the category of hypocrites.

Maulana Abdul Aleem Sidiquie use to say “examine yourself”. Everyday take a look at yourself and see what condition your faith is in. Prophet (pboh) is reported to have said “faith can increase or decrease”. Today you may feel highly spiritual but always remember tomorrow is a different day. What if you are faced with a trial, how will you react? Guard your faith and strengthen it by adhering to the good Allah has prescribed and forbidding the evil, He has warned us about. If you apply this insha Allah you will be classified among the ‘best of mankind’. Regardless of a person's wealth, power and status the recipe is universal. It is very easy to say, but it requires some effort to put in practice.

We beg Allah to bless us with the determination to infuse this principle in our daily lives so that on that Day we will rise among the best and be among the inhabitants of Janatul Firdus, insha Allah.

Managing your time

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

One very important aspect of our life in this world is time management. With regards to this concept there are two important dimensions that are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

The first one deals with our life span in this world. This termed is called Ajal which translates ‘specified time’. In connection with this Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said in a lengthy hadith;

‘Then an angel is sent and he breathes the spirit into you and is encharged with four commandments: to write down your provision, your life-span, your actions, and whether you will be wretched or happy.’

Before we are brought into this world our life span is already determined. Therefore it is imperative for us to manage this time properly so that we would benefit in both this world and the next.

The second aspect of time management deals with the question of how to manage our time properly? In relation to this Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said ‘don’t abuse time; for it is Allah Who is The Time’.

An example of mismanagement of time or abuse of time is when someone can sit for2-3 hours and look at a movie but fail to spare 10 minutes to pray the fard, sunnah and nafil for a particular salaat.

Allah says in His Holy Words;

By time, verily man is in loss, except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and constancy.

If you fail to make proper use of the limited time in this world the end result can be an unfortunate one. It is recorded in Surah Muddatstsir that the inhabitants of Paradise will question the inhabitants of hell as to what brought them to the hell fire;

“What led you into Hell Fire?” They will say: "We were not of those who prayed; nor were we of those who fed the indigent; but we used to talk vanities with vain talkers; and we used to deny the Day of Judgment",

They never managed time properly; instead they indulged themselves in activities that reap no reward.

Utilize your time in a manner that will bring about benefit in both worlds just as Prophet (saw) did. He spent his days working and taking care of his responsibilities and spent that night worshipping his Lord.

The economic-capitalist say that time equals money. It is mush more than that for us. We cannot afford to abuse it least we gain plentiful in this world and little in the next.

It’s not that Muslims should not ‘enjoy themselves’, but it is important for us to prioritize accordingly. Islam teaches us the middle course; we are not supposed to be extreme and or lackadaisical. Allah says in Surah Jumu'ah

and when the prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the bounty of Allah. and celebrate the praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.

So Allah encourages us to work for this world, however we should not give it priority as our time here is only for a specified time. Place more emphasis on working for the eternal world that awaits the righteous.

You may not see the results here but on the Day of Judgement you’ll see all your life’s work and the end result that it has brought you.

This is why we taught to pray:

"Rabbana aatina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil-akhirati hasanah, wa qinaa athaban naar"

'Our Lord, grant us good in this world and the world hereafter and protect us from the torment of hell '

Work for goodness in both worlds through the Grace and Mercy of Allah . May He continuously guide us so that we may manage whatever time we have left in this world in a way that would gives us ‘high return’ in the hereafter. May Allah take care of our affairs, Insha Allah.

What makes man special

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Human beings are special and different from all the other creatures.

Unlike the other creatures, such as the plants and animals, man was created from clay and not from water. Allah says:

We created man from sounding clay; from mud moulded into shape. (15:26)

Allah put in the personality of man two dimensions; a physical and a non-physical. As such he is charged with the responsibility of looking after and taking care of both. Just as the parent looks after himself and his infant; so too each and every one of us has to look after the nafs (physical dimension) and the ruh (non-physical dimension).

We are commanded to keep the physical dimension pure and clean. This is achieved through tahaarah (wudu, ghusl etc). With regards to the non-physical we have to use the physical dimension to keep it pure and clean through our thoughts, morals, conduct, etc. The other creatures don’t have a soul so man is different in this regard.

The other reason that makes us different from all other created things is that Allah has given humans the power of choice. We can either engage in good or choose to commit evil. The other creatures are not free to choose, they submit to Allah irregardless of conditions and feelings. This is their natural way.

Depending on the choices we makes there is reward or punishment. Allah makes mention of this in His Holy Words;

‘and shown Him the two highways’ (90:10)

One highway is rough and steep. Traversing along this one is a bit challenging and difficult, but it will lead you to a most beautiful and relaxing place. The other highway is smooth and straight; easy and extremely comfortable to traverse on, however this particular highway will lead you to a precipice. Which one will you prefer?

Do you want to endure a little inconvenience while traversing along life in order to qualify yourself to enter the blissful garden? Or do you prefer ease and comfort in this temporary world for an eternity in the hell fire?

We are charged with this great responsibility. The decision is in our hands. On one hand, we have to take care and give due importance to both the physical (nafs) and non-physical (ruh) dimensions of our personality. On the other hand we must make the right decisions that will enable us to be accepted in the Paradise that Allah has prepared for the righteous. It sounds simple and in retrospect it is. However when we are faced with the trials and difficulties of life it becomes a bit difficult.

We need to have complete faith in our Merciful Loving Lord, because He will never let us down. Surely, He will test us at different times and in different ways, but He will never abandon us. Turn solely to Him and know that He will always take care of your affairs because He knows what is best for us.

May Allah, through His Divine Grace and Mercy, guide us to conduct ourselves in a manner that will nurture both aspects of our personalities and may He enable us to make decisions that will earn His Love and Satisfaction; and, insha Allah through this struggle and work we will be among the blessed ones to have beautiful meeting with Him on the Day of Accountability.

THE LAST DAY OF JESUS (AS) ON EARTH

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

THE LAST DAY OF JESUS (AS) ON EARTH
(taken from Al deen Al Qaiyyimu)

In our last program, we saw where Jesus was preaching moral principles, and while he was popular with the multitude of the Israelites, the Chief priest and the Scribes were not favouring him very much. They considered him to be a problem as he was criticising their behaviour and teachings.

They were violating the laws of Moses, and he was trying to restore them; so they wanted to get rid of him.

Jesus had real problem to get dedicated workers for the cause of Allah, as he preached and taught the people. They listened to him but were not prepared to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Allah. Even his disciples were not very dedicated to his mission.

We saw this in his saying to them that all of them were going to forsake him in that crucial night. This included even Peter. So he said to them, after they had a meal together. All of you shall be offended because of me tonight.

Why did Jesus tell Peter that he (Peter) will forsake Jesus?

Jesus was aware that there was plan to take hold of him and to try to get rid of him. He was also aware of the fact that while his disciples were with him all the time they were not fully dedicated to his mission and did not really learn much from him.

For example, he once told Peter:

Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offense unto me; for thou
savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (Mt.17:23).

But was Peter the only one about whom Jesus was disappointed?

Jesus was not happy with the dedication to his mission from his disciples. Look at what he told them all:

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. (Mt.17:24)

Again he said to them:

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? (Mt.17:17)

We see the lack of dedication among the disciples when they were given some major responsibilities to undertake. Take for example while Jesus was praying in the garden.

While Jesus was in the garden worshipping Allah, what were the disciples who were with him doing?

Jesus went to worship the Lord in the garden of Gethsemane. He took with him three of the disciples and with a heavy heart, he ordered them to sit and keep watch while he went a little further and prayed as Muslims pray.

When Jesus made his supplications to the Lord, he came back and found the three of them asleep. He was not happy with them and said to them:

What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. (Mt.26:40-41)

Then he went back again to worship, hoping that his disciples would listen to him and stay alert; but when he was finished and came back; he again found them asleep. He gave up on them and went back and continued to worship Allah. He said to them:

Sleep on now, and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of the sinners. (Mt.26:45)

Was Jesus really betrayed by one of his disciples?

The Qur'an has not mentioned anything about what happened to him, from the time of his preaching, his encounter with the chief priests and scribes, his arrest and trial. All it has mentioned is about the crucifixion.

What we know about the incidents which led to his end or disappearance can be understood from what is contained in the Gospels.

For example, he was identified by Judas, who betrayed him for a fee. Upon his betrayal, he was arrested; one of his disciples resisted his arrest; but Jesus ordered him to put away his sword.

Jesus was disappointed with the way the multitude was behaving against him so he said to them:

Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. (Mt.26:55)

What made the chief priests and scribes angry with Jesus?

Jesus was teaching humility; something the chief priests and scribes did not have. Look at what he taught them:

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt.18:3-4)

Another example of how he dealt with them: They came to him and ask him something. Jesus replied as follows:

Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying: This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips but their heart is far from me but in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men…..
Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

So Jesus was all the time highlighting their evil and telling the multitude how their leaders were evil, and they did not like that at all.

What happened when he was arrested?

First of all, the disciples forsook him and fled.

Then all the disciples forsook him and fled. (Mt.26:56)

He was taken to the high priest, who was with the scribes and the elders.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. (Mt.26:57)
Peter followed and sat among the people; and the authorities were trying to find false witnesses to accuse him of treason, so that they can kill him. They found two false witnesses and as a result they began to torture him.

What did Peter do when he saw the people humiliating Jesus?

Peter found himself in trouble, as some of the women identified him as being one from among Jesus disciples. But Peter denied ever knowing Jesus and began to curse, as if he was cursing Jesus.

He said: I do not know the man. …Then began he to curse and swear, saying, I know not the man. Mt.26:74)

When he realised that Jesus had predicted that he will forsake his master, he went out and wept for what he did.

Was Jesus tried for whatever he was accused?

The Bible tells us about his trial as follows:

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death; and when they bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. (Mt.27:1-2)

He was taken before the governor; but he did not answer any of the questions that were posed to him. Instead of condemning him the governor was surprised that Jesus was able to hold his peace in spite of all the accusations that were levelled against him by the high priest and his men.

The governor realised that Jesus was a just person and that he was envied. To add to his own conviction, his wife sent a message to him telling him that he should have nothing to do with the condemnation of Jesus.

When the governor questioned the multitude as to who was the one to be released from prison the chief priest and his men urged the multitude to say Barabas, and not Jesus. The multitude did not want to hear anything about justice, etc. they simply said let him be crucified. Pilate washed his hands off the matter

But he was not tried for anything?

No, the high priest and his men just wanted to get rid of Jesus and the way they selected was to crucify him. So they began torturing him and began making preparation for his crucifixion.

They then proceeded to take him to the place where he was to be crucified. But he was unable to carry the cross, so they forced Simon to take the cross and carry it for Jesus. There is no record in the Bible that Jesus took back the cross.

Also, there is no record that he was kept close to Simon. As a matter of fact, he turned around and began speaking to the ladies who were following him. This is recorded in Luke 23:28, as follows:

Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children….

It because of all the turmoil and confusion, no one knows exactly who was put on the cross.

But there were guards and soldiers, and the high priests, etc. how could they have made a mistake and crucify another person?

There are many Christian sects that believe that Jesus was not crucified. Some of these are:

• The Basilidians, in the very beginning of Christianity denied that Christ himself suffered, but asserted that it was Simon who was crucified.
• The Corinthians also are of the same view.
• The Carpocrations also are of this view.

All those who believe that it was not Jesus who was crucified believe that it was one of his disciples, or some other person.

What does the Qur'an say about his crucifixion?

Allah tells us in the Holy Qur'an, the following:

They (Jews) boastfully say: We killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah. But they killed him not, nor crucified him. But so it appeared to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with not certain knowledge; but only conjecture to follow; for a surety they did not kill him. (4:157)

Why were there some doubts as to who was actually put on the cross?

There were some unusual developments at the time of the crucifixion. These are recorded in the Bible as follows:

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. (Mt.27:45)

Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose. (Mt.27:51ff.)

But they would have known who was actually crucified, when they would have taken down the body?

The body of the one that was crucified was secretly taken away and buried in a private tomb. We find reference of this in Mathew. It says:

When the even had come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Mt. 27:57-61)


Is it true then that no physical body was put in the tomb which was guarded by the high priests?

No body was put in the tomb in which the crucified person was supposed to be put. What Joseph did was to put a stone in front of it as though some one was put inside it.

Although the chief priest and the guards were there when they opened the tomb there was no one in it. So the guards were bribed to stay quiet about the whole matter. Mathew tells us about this in the following verses:

They gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (Mt.28:12-15)

No one could have attested to the fact that it was Jesus who was crucified, as there was no evidence that he was put in the tomb, and when they finally went to open it, they found it opened with no one inside of it.

The Qur'an makes it absolutely clear that they did not harm Jesus although they believe they did; and the truth of this matter will one day come to light. Allah says:

They said: We killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah; but they did not kill him; nor did they crucify him; but so it was made to appear to them. And those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no certain knowledge; but only conjecture to follow. For a surety they did not kill him. Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death. (4:157-159)

For us the important thing to keep in mind is what Jesus taught and what he stood for. This, unfortunately is not taken into consideration by those who claim to believe in him and love him.

Getting closer to Allah (swt)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Within the first revelation that Allah revealed are important lessons for mankind. Usually the first five verses are the ones that are normally referenced; however the latter verses contain a synopsis of the nature of human beings; they types of attitudes you will find amongst mankind; and the recipe for getting close to the Lord. Allah says;

‘Read in the name of Thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created - created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Read and Thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He who taught (the use of) the pen,-taught man that which he knew not.

In this part of the Chapter, Allah informs us that we need to increase our knowledge about ourselves and the universe; if we are to be successful. This is because He tells us in other places that He has made available to us whatever is in the skies and the earth.

Allah then tells us about the misguided ones who never take time to reflect upon how they came into existence, but because of their material success they believe that they are great and important. He says;

Nay, but man doth transgress all bounds, in that he looketh upon himself as self-sufficient. Verily, to Thy Lord is the return (of all).

There are those who do not believe that they need to submit to Allah , and they despise those who may want to do so. Allah says:

Seest thou one who forbids a votary when he (turns) to pray? Seest thou if he is on (the road of) Guidance? - Or enjoins righteousness?

Some people do not give importance to the life that is to come. As a result they just think about this life and forget that one day they will no longer be here; and they should consider the fact that there may be consequences for actions done in this life. Allah tells us about all this in this Chapter. He says:

Seest thou if he denies (Truth) and turns away? Knoweth he not that Allah doth see? Let him beware! If he desist not, We will drag him by the forelock,- a lying, sinful forelock! Then, let him call (for help) to his council (of comrades): We will call on the angels of punishment (to Deal with him)!

Nay, heed Him not: but bow down in adoration, and bring thyself the closer (to Allah!)’

Allah shows us from the very beginning that we are in constant need of Him. We didn’t come into this world by chance. Allah created us from impure fluid and look at how He has allowed us to grow . He then informs us that this tiny insignificant speck has the capacity to become enlightened through esearch.

Although the first five Verses are very important, and contain the embodiment of man's activities in life, and his belief, the remaining verses, when expounded, create a feeling of responsibility in us. Allah references those, who through their status and wealth are of the belief that they are self sufficient.

Allah then makes mention of the different categories of people. There are the misguided ones who pay no heed to the commandments of Allah. Then there are some who try to misguide those who attempt to abstain from evil. Allah warns us that He is all seeing and conscious of what His slaves are engaging in. One day they’ll regret it. All your assets will be left behind. Think, if perchance the angel should come at this instant to take you back to your Lord, how will you feel. Will you think “I wasted my life” or will you be pleased to return to Allah .

On that Day a person will want to trade all his assets for a camel to make the journey to the point of assembly. What then is the real value of the material acquisitions that we run after? Allah references all these points for us in the very first revelation.

And after all these warnings and points of contemplation He gives us two simple words that will lead us getting closer to Him; wasjud waqtarib’ – prostrate, and bring thyself the closer (to Allah!). What else do we have to live for if not to get closer to our Lord? Prophet (saw) is reported to have said ‘the closest a believer is to His Lord is during prostration’.

Judge for yourself; are you close to your Lord in your intentions and actions? Or are you closer to the misguided ones. Get closer to Allah by leaving off everything and submitting whole heartedly to Him. May Allah make it easy for us and keep us far from those who try to prevent those from attaining closeness to Him.

Counting the blessings of Allah (swt)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah says in Surah An Nahl;

‘If ye would count up the favours of Allah, never would ye be able to number them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.’ (16:18)

Allah is telling us that it is near impossible to count the number of favours He has bestowed upon us. From a religious point of view we know that the favours from Allah can be of a material nature, spiritual nature and moral nature. The material blessings Allah bestows are given to all of His creatures, out of His Compassion. He connects Himself to His creation on the basis of His Divine Compassion. So, whether people realise the blessings they are receiving or not; whether or not they are thankful to Allah for His blessings, He still bestows out of His Grace and Mercy. Take for example the relatively simple action of breathing which is done tens of thousands of times a day. And this important action is done with relative comfort and at no cost.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) use to pray as follows; ‘O Allah! All praise is due to You, without being able to sufficiently thank You, nor ever wish to be cut off from You, nor ever feeling rich from relying on You our Lord!’

Prophet (saw) acknowledged that he could not have sufficiently thanked Allah for His many favours that He bestows. It is also reported that Prophet Dawud (as) used to say in his supplication; ‘O Lord! How can I ever duly thank You, when my thanking You is also a favour from You to me’. Allah answered him, ‘Now, you have thanked Me sufficiently, O Dawud’.

This teaches us that even the ability to thank Allah is also a favour and blessing that He has afforded us. Allah is the embodiment of wealth and we are all destitute. Allah is the Possessor of everything and we are in dire need of Him; and He is so Generous that whether or not we show gratitude to Him or not He still bestows upon us. And yet still there are the short-sighted people who believe that their blessings are as a result of their ‘hard work’.

As we have mentioned material blessings are bestowed on all, the Muslims as well as the non-Muslims. How then are we, the believers, different? And why then should we be thankful if everyone is being blessed in a similar manner by Allah . Some people use their material acquisitions for good and others for evil. Those who are guided and possess the understanding of using their wealth for good will gain benefit in both words, and they are the ones that are truly blessed. In connection with this Allah says

‘What is with you must vanish: what is with Allah will and we will certainly bestow, on those who patiently persevere, their reward to the best of their actions.’ (16:96)

So whatever little material blessings you have will vanish one day. The wise person will send a bit for “Allah to keep it”. Do not waste what He has blessed you with in this world. If you have this knowledge and act in accordance to it be extremely thankful to your Lord because not only has He blessed you with some material gain but He has also enlightened you in the appropriate manner of how to utilize it to it maximum.

Morally speaking Allah has blessed the Muslims in a special way in that we possess the strength that enables us to follow His Habeeb, Prophet Muhammad (saw). Prophet (saw) came to perfect moral character. The Arabs lived in a very barbaric manner before the advent of Islam. And these uncultured tribesmen began following him because of his moral character. And if you can uphold your morals be thankful to Allah because He has assured us of the just reward for the morally conscious ones.

Spiritually, Muslims are blessed in such a manner that no other nation possessed this unique blessing. When Hazrat Musa (as) and Isa (as) wanted to meet Allah they had to meet certain requirements and then ascend a mountain. We, ordinary slaves of Allah have the unique opportunity of meeting our Lord and Master a minimum of 5 times a day in the discipline of Salaat. As taught by our beloved leader, Allah comes between a Muslim and the Kaba when he/she stands for salaat. And in it we have the blessed opportunity of glorifying and praising Allah . And we can also beg of Him for forgiveness, comfort etc. So we see it is indeed a difficult task to quantify the blessings being bestowed upon us by the Merciful One. And He has also informed us about the blessings we can obtain in the next world if we adhere to His guidance. In Surah An Nisaa'He has mentioned 4 blessings;

‘All who obey Allah and the Apostle are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the Prophets (Who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (Who testify), and the righteous (Who do good): Ah! what a beautiful fellowship! (4:69)

And to this if further strengthened by Prophet (saw) in the hadith; “amongst my followers some will have the status of the Messengers of the Bani Israel.” Can you imagine walking amongst the Messengers of Allah ?

A lot of emphasis is placed on material blessings; and to the true believer this is neither here nor there. What is important is for us to understand the importance of showing gratitude to Allah . Even though we can never count His favours upon us and even though we can never thank Him as He ought to be thanked still demonstrate submission and understanding.

Keep in mind you only have one life to live and we are not sure of what is in store for us tomorrow. So make use of the time as it comes and don’t wait until you’re older to “start following the religion”. Remember we will never have this time again so use it wisely. Make the effort, and leave the rest to Him and you will have no regrets on that Day. Whether or not you see or experience the favours being bestowed always remember that Allah will never let you down.

We beg of Him to forgive us bless us and bestow on us His Divine Grace and Mercy and may He enable us to rise with the righteous.

The Beauty of the Qur’an

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

There is no doubting the beauty of the Qur’an, and upon close examination of the Messages contained in each verse one will begin to see and understand why its beauty is unmatched.

One of the beauties of the Qur’an is that a person can connect the words in a verse and; with each way the words will be put together a person will get a different shade of meaning; and one of the mysteries of this Book is that one meaning will not contradict with the original meaning. For example, in the first verse in Surah Kahf. Allah says;

‘Praise be to Allah, Who hath sent to His servant the Book, and hath allowed therein no Crookedness’. (18:1)

The first part of the verse is clear, i.e. ‘Praise be to Allah, Who hath sent to His servant the Book’. As we all know Allah is The One Who revealed the Glorious Qur’an to His slave, Prophet Muhammad (saw).

When the latter part of the verse is studied, i.e. 'and hath allowed in it no Crookedness’. ‘La hu’ can mean "he" or "it". It is commonly translated to mean the Holy Qur’an; i.e. "it". So if we take the meaning to mean it, that part of the verse will mean that Allah has sent down the Qur’an and it contains no crookedness, defects, etc.

‘La hu’ in the above verse can also refer to Prophet Muhammad (saw). So if we read the and translate that "hu" to mean the Messenger (saw), it will read like this: Praise be to Allah Who hath sent to His Servant the Book; and you will not find in "him" any crookedness.

How will you know what or who Allah is referring to? Remember ‘the Qur’an explains itself’ so the other places in the Qur’an aid in your understanding. This is why no one is authorised to explain the Qur’an.

With reference to the verse quoted above if you want to find support that Allah is speaking of the Qur’an when He attested that it contained no crookedness we can look at the following verse;

It is the Quran in Arabic, without any crookedness therein; in order that they may guard against evil. (39:28)

If you want take the word La hu to mean the Prophet (saw) we can find support for this in the following verses;

‘And Verily, You (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character’. (68:4)
‘that Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future’. (48:2)

Look at this one word when expounded upon has so many dimensions.

It is important to understand the flawlessness of the Qur’an; and just as Allah produced a Book free from all kinds of defects; and the Messenger who brought the Book is also free from every form of defects, we too need to make our book, that we are producing (i.e. our book of deeds) pure and as free from as much defects as possible.

When a person requires a character certificate he needs to go to someone in authority such as a police officer. And in order for the policeman to produce the certificate he will go through the records to see whether there were any ‘defects or crookedness’ in the person’s life. So too, on the Day of Judgement; in order to get into Paradise your book will be brought forward to see whether you have defects or good in it.

Prophet (saw) is our leader and exemplar and he was sinless which means that his book will contain no wrong or reprehensive deeds. We must also aspire to purify our personalities so that on that Day our book will be one that we can feel proud of as a book free from records of crookedness will grant us access to the Garden of bliss.

May Allah enable us to understand more and more of His Glorious Words and may He grant us the ability to cultivate our personalities in accordance with what is permissible, so that our book of deeds will be one that contains neither crookedness nor defects.

Az Zahir – The Manifest One

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Prophet Muhammad (saw) is reported to have said ‘There was Allah and nothing existed but Him. He existed from eternity and there was nothing else’.

Allah is Al Zaahir which means The Manifest One. It must also be noted that Allah cannot be encompassed. The universe cannot ‘contain Him’. For example His Divine Throne alone is more vast than the heavens and earth combined.

‘His Throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth,’

If Allah is so Vast and Great how then He can be manifested? How can He become apparent to us? Allah speaks to man about understanding Him materialistically from the point of view of the created things in the universe. He says in Surah Ikhlas;

‘And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him’

Nothing can be likened to Him, so it is impossible to conceptualize Him. This is why the Prophet (saw), when asked by a Bedouin ‘where is Allah', he pointed upwards because he did not want limit and conceptualise Allah to a particular space and time in the mind of the Bedouin.

It’s difficult to conceive the Personality of The Divine. Our limited sight cannot grasp Him as He says in His Words;

‘No vision can grasp him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.’

We do not posses the capacity to behold His Divine Personality. What then does ‘The Manifest’ mean? If you want to see Allah; firstly, you must understand that you must work hard for it. What does ‘hard work’ necessitate? Prophet (saw) is reported to have said;

‘When the dwellers of Paradise will enter Paradise, someone will proclaim: ‘O Dwellers of Paradise, God wishes to fulfil what He promised you’. The companions asked: ‘What is that promise? Has He not filled up our Balance? Has He not brightened our faces and admitted us in the Garden? Has He not saved us from hell?’ At that time, the screen will be lifted and they will be gazing at the Glorious Lord. Nothing will be dearer to them at that time than His sight. This is the greatest reward. At that time they will forget every enjoyment and happiness. There is no limit to this happiness and no example.’

If you remember the women at the time of Prophet Joseph (as); they were so amazed and intoxicated with the sight of his flawless beauty; that they cut their hands in the process of cutting their meat; while simultaneously looking at Joseph (as). And this was a finite being, what about beholding the beautiful Countenance of Allah.

So, in order to access this blessing you must firstly be among the inhabitants of paradise. It is not mentioned in the Qur’an or the ahadith whether Allah will remove the veils between Himself and His servants during the actual judgement process. It is only mentioned that it would occur at the Celestial stage.

This is indeed the pinnacle of all blessings. The inhabitants of paradise will be lost away in the process of gazing at the grandeur of Allah. Nothing else will be of concern and value to them except the beauty of The Lord.

Look at what the little good you do in this world can bring you. Allah has reserved this special blessing for His righteous slaves. Keep persevering and one day, Insha Allah, we will have this blessed opportunity to witness the Divine Personality. Prepare and work towards being on of the blessed ones. All the trials and tribulations you face in this world; look at the end result it can bring if you act in appropriate manner.

We beg Allah to enable us to conduct ourselves in a manner that would qualify us all to be among the blessed and fortunate ones that will have the inequitable reward of beholding the Divine Countenance of the Most Merciful One.

The Status of Prophet Muhammad (saw) in creation

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

A recent (Islamic) publication, in its enthusiasm to label the celebration of the Prophet's (pboh) birthday as bida or innovation in religion, asserts that we are to “make no distinction between (sic) any of the Prophets”.

The topic of celebrating the birthday of the Holy Prophet (pboh) has been the subject of debate in this country (Trinidad and Tobago) as early as the 1930's. It was manifested in the public debates between Haji Ruknudeen and Maulana Nazir Ahmad Semab. Today, the matter is still being debated, with both sides believing that they, only are right, and the other side is misguided. Unfortunately this has become an instrument for disunity and division within the Muslim community as a whole, and even within families in the community.

Of particular note, in this most recent context is the relative status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pboh), and there is need to establish some key points of reference from the Qur'an and Hadith regarding this assertion, which can by some interpretations border on blasphemy.

Firstly it is important to note that Allah has established rank and relative status among the Messengers that were sent to humankind. He says: ‘Those Messengers We endowed (with status) some above others.’ (2:253). In the case of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pboh) Allah has singled him out and presented him as someone truly superior and honored above all of creation. The Qur'an is replete with references to this point, and for example tells us explicitly;

It is those who believe in him and honor him. (7:157)
Verily, Allah and his Angels are sending blessing on the Prophet. O You who believe, send blessings on him and salute him with great respect. (33:56)
And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. (49:7)
We have exalted thy name (status). (94:4)
Verily you are on an exalted standard of character. (68:4)
And we have not send you (O Muhammad) but as a universal model for mankind. (34:28)
We have not sent thee but as a mercy to the worlds. (21:107)
Verily those who took the oath of allegiance to you, were indeed swearing allegiance to Allah. (48:10)

These references, and many like them, clearly establish the status of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pboh) above all other Prophets and all of creation. It is to be noted that this is unique to the Holy Prophet, and the followers of other Messengers were never ordered to observe such to the Messengers whom they were sent. To honor him with love and devotion is to do what has been ordained by Allah, and is not sinful as has been insinuated.

[This scenario also serves to establish the critical need for scholarship in Islamic Theology (in addition to Functional Literacy) by persons within the Muslim community who are so inclined. We must be mindful of the fact that an opinion is not a truth until it has been verified, and the Qur'an advocates research and inquiry, and our brethren may do well by themselves; and the community as a whole to heed this call.]

May Almighty Allah create in our hearts undying love for His Beloved as the Prophet (pboh) is reported to have said “Those who will love me from among my followers will be the people after me, of whom everyone will like that, he could see me, at the expense of his family and property”. (Sahih Muslim)


Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

Constancy and Patience

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Sometimes a person may have a lot of wealth stored away in a bank but he mat not have a cent in his immediate possession. This doesn’t mean that he is poor since there is some sort of savings stored away.

Keeping this in mind; sometimes we may feel a bit despondent when it comes to the spiritual aspect of our lives. We may wonder why we should attend our weekly zikir sessions when it could be easily done at home.

Before we expound on the above let us make a reference to the life of Prophet Moses (as). Moses (as) attained a very high status in the sight of Allah . He earned the title Kalimullah - The one who Allah spoke to. Moses (as) brought the law for the Israelites and the other Messengers that were sent to them were followers / upholders of the law. This was emphasized by Jesus (as) when he said “I came not to oppose the law but to uphold it”.

One day Moses (as) delivered a very inspirational and excellent sermon to his people and one of those present remarked that Moses (as) is possible the most knowledgeable person on the face of the earth. Moses (as) replied in the affirmative and thereafter Allah revealed to him that there was someone far more knowledgeable than Moses (as) and He instructed him to seek out this knowledgeable person called Khidr. During their travels Khidr revealed to Moses (as) that he didn’t possess the capacity to understand / learn from him and this became apparent during the three different situations they encountered (i.e. the boat, the boy and the wall). (Surah Kahf). Moses (as) displayed his impatience and ‘shortsightedness’.

Why mention this? We may feel at times that we know a lot and that we do a lot, and we are yet to see any benefit or results from our efforts. Always bear in mind that Allah is the One Who bestows and withholds. If perchance you achieve too much ‘religious experience’ early on, it can be harmful and detrimental to you. In Islamic Spirituality if you do a lot and see little or no immediate results then this could be a great blessing from Allah .

There are a lot of people who received religious experiences and behaved in an unfortunate manner and as a result they began to deteriorate and suffered. So while you may feel that all your efforts are in vain; always remember the concept of you savings in the bank; you are in fact storing it away, and it will be of immense benefit to you in the latter stages of your life.

Spiritual effort doesn’t warrant immediate beneficial results. Keep striving and Allah will bestow upon you when He sees fit; as He says in His Glorious Words:

‘Allah knoweth, and ye know not’. (16:74)

Prophet (saw) could not experience the true personality of Angel Gabriel when he first came to him at Mount Noor; because the space/time dimension was not able to accommodate the true personality of the angel. Wherever he looked he saw the presence of Gabriel.

It was only when Prophet (saw) was outside the dimension of space and time he as able to see the archangel in his true form. The same principle is applicable to our spiritual struggles. Our personality may not be fully mature to experience the spiritual realm. Tassawuf is one avenue of attaining knowledge of the unseen and we need to possess the capacity to deal with it.

However this doesn’t mean you should stop, keep on persevering with patience, for the love and pleasure of Allah. Ever time you do a little remember you are getting closer to your Lord.

Take for example the moon. The moon does not generate its own light. Instead it reflects the light of the sun and has the capacity of making bright the dark night. So too, we are tying to brighten up our dark spots by connecting to the light of our Prophet .

Just as the medication a person takes needs time to work so too the spiritual exercises we engage in requires patience and discipline; while it will help to improve our personalities. We are aspiring to get closer to Allah but this requires constancy and patience.

Make the effort and let Allah take care of the rest.