THE USE OF OUR HANDS

Allah tells us in the Holy Qur’an that on the Day of Judgment, the mouths of human beings will be sealed, and the hands will testify against them and their feet will bear witness to what the hands will be saying. He says: 

The Day We shall set a seal on their mouths. And their hands will speak to Us; and their feet shall bear witness to all that they did. (36:65)

When the body does evil, it is doing so through the urges of the nafs without the co-operation of the ruh. In other words, it is just a part of the total personality that is involved.

Most of the physical actions, good or bad, are done with the hands. The hands give charity, help others, can commit evil, and can be lifted when making supplication.

Prophet Muhammad (pboh) indicated that we can stop evil with our hands, we can do things to benefit ourselves in this world and in the next; and we can give charity etc. with our hands.

The hands are the most useful of the external organs, as most of the physical actions are done with the hands. It is the only part of the body that can reach out to the other parts. It assists in the purification and in the performance of other task that the body may need to be done.

According to the science of palmistry, the records of a person’s past life are written in the palms of the hands; and information about the possibilities of events that are to take place in one’s life can be known, to some extent, on the basis of the lines etc. that are on both hands.

Allah tells us that one way of connecting to Him is with our hands. He says:

The Hand of Allah is over their hands. (48:10)

Allah wants Muslims to use their hands wisely so that they can build for themselves, through the use of their hands, a beautiful place in Paradise. He says:

Do not make your hands tied to your neck, (because of meanness), nor stretch it out to its utmost reach. (i.e. do not be extravagant. (17:29)

We all should thank our Lord for giving us an organ (our hands), something He did not give to the other creatures, and we should always make the best use of it.

THE NEED TO WEAR GARMENTS

One of the differences between human and animals is that human are blessed with the ability to wear garments. Garments:

• Protect the body
• Cover the nakedness
• Hide physical defects
• Decorate the personality.

No other creature is blessed with any special addition to its body in order to be able to enhance its personality as the human being.

Allah wants us to present ourselves as the best of everything He created as we represent Him here on earth. He says:

O children of Adam We have bestowed clothes upon you to cover your shame as well as to make you look beautiful. (7:26)

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:

Allah is the embodiment of beauty and love beautiful things.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Allah says:

O Children of Adam wear your beautiful clothes in every Masjid. (2:187)

One of the distinctive use of garments is to cover the nakedness. Islam requires that a person should not expose his/nakedness to others except his/her spouse.

The first thing that Adam and Eve felt shame about was their nakedness, which was the mission of Satan, i.e. to uncover their nakedness. Allah tells us about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

Then Satan began to whisper suggestions to them, in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them. (7:20)

So by deceit he brought about their fall; when they tasted of the tree; their shame became manifest to them; and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden to cover their bodies. (7:22)

Part of the mission of Satan is to get the progeny of Adam to walk naked like the animals all over the place. Allah warns us about this in the following words:

O Children of Adam, do not let Satan seduce you, in the same manner as he got your parents out of the Garden, by stripping them out of their garments to expose their shame. (7:27)

Satan loves to see the nakedness of human beings. Prophet Muhammad (pboh) taught his companions to pray to Allah every time one goes into the washroom, to keep Satan away from him or her as he (Satan) would like to look at and play with the human private part.

Allah says: He and his tribe watch you from a position where you cannot see them. (7:27)

As carnival is coming, you will see many people being trapped by the deceit of Satan, as he decorates the evil and make it look attractive. Please guard yourselves; and pray to Allah for protection from the tricks of Satan.

THE FIRM HAND-HOLD

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

And whoever rejects evil, and believe in Allah, has indeed held on to a firm handhold that will never separate. (2:25)

In order to be able to be blessed with the Hand of Allah, a believer needs to keep reminding himself of two things. These are:

 

• Allah moves in a human being. He says: Take note that Allah moves between a man and his heart. 
•  Satan enters into the chest and whispers evil in the heart with the purpose of impacting upon ones intention. Allah says: He who whispers in the chest of men.

 The mission and purpose of life is to try and be God conscious as much as possible. This can be possible if:

(i)          We make every effort to remove the black stains that stick to the membrane surrounding our hearts, so that the light of the soul will shine in our chest and throughout our body. Allah says: By no means; but on their hearts is the stain of the ill which they used to do. (83:14)

(ii)          Keep remembering Allah (make Zikr) as much as possible. Allah says: Verily, through the remembrance of Allah will the heart find peace.

(iii)       Try to engage oneself in humble submission to Him. He says:  Whatever is in the skies and the earth prostrate before Him willingly.

If we can do all these we become a friend of Allah. He says about such people: Allah is the Protecting Friend of those who have faith. From the depth of darkness He will lead them forth into light.

If we can be blessed by our Lord to come out into His Light, it will be like holding on to His Hand, a Hand which He says: will never separate.  May Allah help us along the path to be able to grasp His Hand.

A NEW YEAR WISH

O Allah, please listen to my prayer,

As we’re about to start a new year.

Protect, guide and sustain us all,

The elderly, sick, big and small.

Help us t stay on the Straight Path,

Give us a clean and beautiful heart.

Enable us to keep remembering You,

In everything we say and do.

THE OLD YEAR (2014)

As the year is coming to an end, it is necessary for all of us to keep in mind that we are now blessed with one more year in our physical life-span in this earthly life. We also need to remind ourselves that we have one year less remaining in our lives, because our physical life on earth, has been fixed long before we were born. Allah says:

Every living person (nafs) will taste of death. (3:185)

At the end of every year, as a matter of fact, at the end of every day, the true believer is required to reflect upon the way as to how the precious gift of life was managed. Was it done properly i.e. in accordance with the guidance from Allah and His Rasool, or otherwise?

Perhaps one can contemplate on the following: Was it a beneficial and productive year; or was it a year of losses? Was I able to observe my religious duties willingly; or did I falter and failed to be guided by the principles and teachings of Islam? Did I stay conscious of the fact that one day I am going to leave all my material belongings and connections behind me, as I move on the journey in life?

Please be reminded that Allah says:

Whatever is with you will evaporate; and whatever is with Allah will endure. (16:96)

We need to constantly remind ourselves that physical death is not the end of the journey.

As we are all liable to make mistakes due to moral and spiritual imperfection, we must take advantage of Allah’s kindness towards us. He does not want to punish us for our wrong doings, so He says that He is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful. He therefore wants us to acknowledge our faults and beg Him for forgiveness. He says:

Surely, Allah loves those who (turn to Him in) repentance; and He loves those who (stay pure) and clean. (2:222)

Every day that dawns upon us comes with its challenges. This is because there are two pathways before every one of us and we are supposed  to constantly choose what is beneficial to us in both the worlds. One of the pathways may appear to be attractive but will lead finally to torment and torture; while the other may appear to be steep and difficult, but it leads to a beautiful garden.

No matter how hard we may try to do good we can still be liable for Allah’s punishment; as He says:

If Allah were to take mankind to task for all the wrong that they do, He would not have left on the earth any living creature. (16:61)

It becomes necessary therefore for every person to try and do as much good as possible, as, Surely, good deeds annul ill deeds (11:114).

In addition to doing good one must make it a daily practice to beg the Merciful Lord for forgiveness. He says:

And vie with one another for forgiveness from your Lord; and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off evil. (3:133)

May Allah forgive us for our faults, mistakes and sins; and may He bless us for all the good that we did.