Tuesday, May 5, 2015

When You Are Down

Perchance you may have experienced  a strong feeling that whatever happened to you at some point of time was unique and has never been experienced by humankind. Experiences will tell you that whatever that seems so important/ significant today (loss, tragedy etc.) will be of small importance/ significance few months/years from now.

A teacher (ustaz) told his audience (jemaah) that there is basically no new  good deed or crime that has yet to be committed by human being.  The method and the execution might differ but general deed or misdeed remains the same. 

These statements, somehow, fascinate me. I searched my databank (or rather I racked my brain) to find out related incidences that can lead me to arrive at similar conclusion.

I can remember a few stories on misdeed committed in the past,  there is one story  that was rather cruel and remained stuck in my mind for quite sometimes. 

It  was about a man that worked with the Sultan, probably during the time before the British managed to install their advisor to the Sultan. Normally the man worked for 5 -6 days a week and came home on Thursday evening.  He was not feeling well that particular day and the palace was kind enough to let him off.

He went home and caught his wife  and her "friend" in the middle of an amorous activity in his bedroom. Being a man from silat circle he managed to quickly overpower his wife "friend" and rid him of his "tool"He then chased his wife around the village but by some chance the wife  has managed to elude him. He put the man's tool in the water bucket and brought it back to the palace to admit his crime.  



Water bucket

When I was a bit younger,  during the school holidays, I frequented a small wakaf (gazebo), a common meeting place for Pulau Duyong folks back in the 60's and 70's.










                 A Gazebo

There I normally met a few old folks talking about the weather and village's activities other than playing checkers (read Dam Aji). I recalled in one of those naughty conversations about couples conducting their amorous activities in the boats around the nipah palms in a few small rivers found on the island.



      A small river with Nipah palm

Adultery or infidelity has been in existence from time immemorial?

By the same token, loss (of property, life etc.) and tragedies are not new and unique. For Muslims there are few verses of AlQuran concerning this issue. The most familiar perhaps is the last verse of AlBaqarah (Heifer : 286)



Hopefully the above Quranic verse  will put you in better state of mind when you are down . 

Have a nice day.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Powerful Tips for the Last 10 Nights of Ramadhan

 This is a cut and paste post.. Tqvm Cheqna.  These tips are from Sheikh Tawfique Chowdhury.

1. Do not let your 'performance' until now affect your last 10 days. The moment of forgiveness could be today or anytime in the coming days! It is not all lost! If you sincerely wish it could have been better - Chin up and get ready to make it your best yet! Start with a positive, sincere intention!

2. Today, take a little time to read the Tafseer of Surah al-Qadr to understand what actually happens this night! You will feel its power & greatness so much more!

3. Do not wait for the 27th Night to give it your "all". The entire last 10 days should be your target. Stay up each night! Would you want to miss Laylatul Qadr even "by chance"?

4. Do not fall into any innovations/celebrations any masjid or culture might try to promote. Follow the Sunnah! The Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) guided us simply: "Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

5. Memorize and keep asking the dua' taught by Rasulullah (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam): Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’affu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me).

6. Prepare a short dua' list. Remember this is as awesome as it ever gets for a servant of Allah! The Night of Qadr, of Destiny! Consciously pick each and everything you crucially wish for in this dunya, in your deen, family, and in your aakhirah! Don't forget to include the brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering and in grief!

7. Take brief naps during the day, if possible. Keep your stomach light and sleep as soon as you have prayed 'isha. Do not delay! After a brief nap, refresh yourself and get. ready for worship.

8. Don't neglect your family! Rasulullah made it a point to wake up his wives throughout these nights! And yes, your children are not too young to stay up some part of the night - if they can be allowed to play video games or watch TV, they can be inspired to be up atleast for sometime! Prepare them, make them excited, plan some activities for them to do!

 9. Look the Part: The way we dress and prepare.has a big effect on our psychology. Wear your best, perfume yourself, and feel the energy!

10. Choose a spot, whether in the Masjid or in your home, where you can have peace and solitude. Keep your mushaf, praying mat, and water at hand so that you are not distracted by constantly getting up for this or that.

11. IMP: This is not the night to tweet pics or update FB statuses about how amazing the night is and how you are feeling & worshipping Allah! Let that be a secret between you & your Rabb! So switch off those phones, wifi, laptops and computers. Disconnect with the world, and connect with al-'Afuww!

12. If you find yourself feeling sleepy, vary your acts of worship. Alternate between qiyaam, heartfelt dua'a, reading the Qur'an. Do not spend the night listening to lectures or recitations. Or do it only for a short while when you feel the sleep coming on!

13. Patience is the Key: The last 10 days might be tiring. You might still have work or school. This is the time to bear all that hardship, and keep firm sabr. Think how Allah has blessed you with this tremendous opportunity that might NEVER come again in your life again. If you knew for sure that this was your last Ramadan , if you knew certainly that Jannah was up for grabs, wouldn't you sprint for it no matter what it takes?

14. This is most important: Keep husn adh-dhann bi Allah (good expectations from Allah). When you ask, remember you are asking the Most Generous King. If you hope for the best, He will give you the best. Don't hold back. Trust in Him, pour out your heart in front of Him, and let no doubt, no barrier, no evil thoughts keep you away from ar-
Rahman, ar-Raheem!

Allahumma ballighna laylatal qadr..

Thursday, June 12, 2014

KELEBIHAN NISFU SYAABAN

Artikel ini saya copy paste dari WhatsApp    Dipost oleh a friend DKN.. Untuk ingatan saya... Malam ini malam Jumaat 12 June 2014 difahamkan ialah malam Nisfu Syaaban
Nisfu Syaaban (Nisf bermaksud separuh) adalah peristiwa hari ke-15 dalam bulan Syaaban tahun Hijrah. Umat Islam mempercayai yang pada malam Nisfu Syaaban, amalan akan dibawa naik oleh Malaikat untuk ditukar dengan lembaran amalan yang baru setelah setahun berlalu. 

Pengertian am Nisfu Syaaban dalam bahasa Arab bererti setengah. Nisfu Syaaban bererti setengah bulan Syaaban. Malam Nisfu Syaaban adalah malam ke-15 Syaaban iaitu siangnya 14 haribulan Syaaban.

Dalam Raudatul Ulamak dan diriwayatkan bahawa Rasulullah SAW bersabda:
أَتَدْرُونَ لِمَ سُمِّيَ شَعْبَانَ؟ قَالُوا: اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمْ. قَالَ: ِلأَنَّهُ يَتَشَعَّبُ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ.
Yang bermaksud, Tahukah kamu kenapa bulan ini dinamakan Syaaban? Para sahabat menjawab: Allah dan RasulNya mengetahui. 

Baginda bersabda: Ianya dinamakan demikian kerana bercabang-cabang dan banyak kebaikan padanya.
Firman Allah,
فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ.
Yang bermaksud, Pada malam yang berkat itu, dijelaskan (kepada malaikat) tiap-tiap perkara yang mengandungi hikmat serta tetap berlaku, (tidak berubah atau bertukar).

Al-Dukhaan: 4
‘Ikrimah dan sebahagian ulamak tafsir menjelaskan bahawa perkataan malam pada ayat ini bermaksud malam nisfu syaaban.
Di sini dinyatakan kelebihan malam nisfu Syaaban sebagaimana sabda Nabi saw,
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِذَا كَانَ لَيْلَةُ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَقُومُوا لَيْلَهَا وَصُومُوا نَهَارَهَا، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ فِيهَا لِغُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَقُولُ: أَلاَ مُسْـتَغْفِر فَأَغْفِر لَهُ، أَلاَ مَسْتَرْزق فَأَرْزُقهُ، أَلاَ مُبْتَلى فَأُعَافِيه، أَلاَ كَذَا، أَلاَ كَذَا حَتَّى يَطلعُ الفَجْر.
Yang bermaksud, Rasulullah saw telah bersabda: Apabila tiba malam Nisfu Syaaban maka kamu hidupkanlah malamnya dan kamu berpuasa di siang harinya, sesungguhnya Allah turun (hampir) padanya dari terbenam matahari ke langit dunia dan berfirman: Sekiranya terdapat orang yang memohon keampunan maka Aku ampunkannya, sekiranya terdapat orang yang meminta rezeki maka Aku beri rezeki kepadanya, sekiranya terdapat orang yang ditimpa bala maka Aku sejahterakannya, sekiranya begitu… sekiranya begini… sehinggalah terbitnya fajar. (Riwayat Ibnu Majah)

Sabda Rasulullah saw,
إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَنْزِلُ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا لَيْلَةَ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَيَغْفِرُ لأَكْثَرَ مِنْ شَعْرِ غَنَمِ بَنِى كَلْبٍ.
Yang bermaksud, Sesungguhnya Allah Azza wa Jalla turun ke langit dunia pada malam Nisfu Syaaban maka diberikannya keampunan terlebih banyak daripada bulu kambing Bani Kalb.
(Riwayat daripada Imam Ahmad, al-Tirmizi dan Ibnu Majah).

Terdapat pula dalam hadith yang diriwayatkan daripada Abu Hurairah r.a berkata: Rasulullah saw telah bersabda,
أَتَانِى جِبْرِيلُ لَيْلَةَ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، وَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدٌ هَذِهِ لَيْلَةُ تُفْتَحُ فِيهَا أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَأَبْوَابُ الرَّحْمَةِ، فَقُمْ وَصَلِّ وَارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ وَيَدَيْكَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ. فَقُلْتُ يَا جِبْرِيلُ مَا هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ؟ فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ لَيْلَةُ تُفْتَحُ فِيهَا ثَلاَثُمائَةِ بَابٍ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ، فَيَغْفِرُ اللهُ تَعَالَى لِجَمِيعِ مَنْ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِاللهِ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ مَنْ كَانَ سَاحِرًا أَوْ كَاهِنًا أَوْ مُشَاحِنًا أَوْ مُدْمِنَ خَمْرٍ أَوْ مُضِرًّا عَلَى الزِّنَا أَوْ آكِلَ الرِّبَا أَوْ عَاقَ الوَالِدَيْنِ أَوِ النَّمَّامِ أَوْ قَاطِعَ الرَّحِمِ، فَإِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ لاَ يُغْفِرُ لَهُمْ حَتَّى يَتُوبُوا وَيَتْرُكُوا. فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ فَصَلَّى وَبَكَى فِى سُجُودِهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُبِكَ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ وَسَخَطِكَ وَلاَ أُحْصِى ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فَلَكَ الحَمْدُ حَتَّى تَرْضَى.

Yang bermaksud, Jibril a.s pernah datang kepadaku pada malam Nisfu Syaaban seraya berkata: Wahai Muhammad, inilah malam yang dibuka padanya pintu-pintu langit dan pintu-pintu rahmat. Maka bangunlah kamu, bersolatlah dan angkatlah kepala dan kedua tanganmu ke langit. Maka aku bertanya: Wahai Jibril malam apakah ini? 
Maka jawabnya: Inilah malam yang dibuka padanya tiga ratus pintu rahmat, Allah mengurniakan keampunan bagi mereka yang tidak menyekutukan sesuatu dengan Allah dan rahmat ini tidak diberikan kepada tukang sihir, tukang tenung nasib, orang yang bermarah-marahan, orang yang kekal meminum arak, orang yang berzina, orang yang makan riba, orang yang derhaka kepada ibu bapanya, tukang mengadu domba dan orang yang memutuskan silaturrahim. Maka sesungguhnya mereka itu tidak diampunkan sehingga mereka bertaubat dan meninggalkan perbuatan tersebut. 

Lalu Nabi saw pun keluar dan bersolat sambil menangis dalam sujudnya dan diucapkannya: Sesungguhnya aku berlindung kepada Engkau daripada seksaan dan kemurkaanMu. 
Dan tidaklah aku dapat menghitung segala pujian kepadaMu, Engkau sebagaimana Engkau memuji diriMu sendiri maka bagiMu segala pujian sehingga Engkau redha.

Imam Syafi‘e berkata: Lima malam yang dimustajabkan doa ialah malam Jumaat, malam 2 hari raya, malam awal Rejab dan malam Nisfu Syaaban.

Daripada Saidina Umar Abdul Aziz r.a, beliau menulis kepada pegawainya di Basrah:
Bagi kamu empat malam yang istimewa dalam setahun. 

Pada malam tersebut Allah mengagihkan kerahmataNya sepenuhnya. Malam-malam itu ialah malam awal Rejab, malam Nisfu Syaaban, malam Idul Fitri dan malam Idul Adha.

Apabila tiba bulan Rejab, Rasulullah saw berdoa dengan doa ini,
اَللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِى رَجَب وَشَعْبَانَ وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَانَ
Justeru, pada Nisfu Syaaban kita digalakkan untuk berpuasa di siangnya serta menghidupkan malamnya dengan memperbanyakkan ibadah seperti membaca al-Quran, beristighfar dan melakukan solat sunat. Kemudian mohonlah doa supaya diampunkan segala dosa, ditutup sebarang keaiban, dimurahkan rezeki dan dimudahkan segala kesusahan.

KAIFIYYAT MEMBACA DOA MALAM NISFU SYAABAN

Membaca surah Yasin tiga kali, tiap-tiap satu kali bacaan Yasin, dibaca satu kali doa.
1. Bacaan pertama dengan meminta dipanjangkan umur.
2. Bacaan kedua dengan niat menolak bala.
3. Bacaan ketiga dengan niat terkaya daripada manusia.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى سَـيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، اَللَّهُمَّ يَا ذَاالمَنِّ وَلاَ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْهِ يَا ذَاالجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ، يَا ذَاالطَّوْلِ وَالإِنْعَامِ، لاَ اِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ظَهْرَ اللاَّجِينَ وَجَارَ المُسْـتَجِيرِينَ وَمَأْمَنَ الخَائِفِينَ، اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ كَتَبْـتَنِي عِنْدَكَ فِى أُمِّ الكِتَابِ شَقِيًّا أَوْ مَحْرُومًا أَوْ مَطْرُودًا أَوْ مُقْـتَرًّا عَلَيَّ فِى الرِزْقِ فَامْحُ اللَّهُمَّ بِفَضْلِكَ شَقَاوَتِي وَحِرْمَانِي وَطَرْدِي وَاقْتِتَارِ رِزْقِي وَأَثْبِتْـنِي عِنْدَكَ فِى أُمِّ الكِتَابِ سَعِيدًا مَرْزُوقًا مُوَفِّقًا لِلْخَيْرَاتِ فَإِنَّكَ قُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الحَقُّ المُنَزَّلُ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيَّكَ المُرْسَلِ يَمْحُوا اللهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثَبِّتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الكِتَابِ اِلَهِي بِالتَّجَلِّى الأَعْظَمِ فِى لَيْلَةِ النِّصْفِ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ المُكَرَّمِ الَّتِى يُفْرَقُ فِيهَا كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ وَيُبْرَمُ، أَسْـأَلُكَ أَنْ تَكْشِفَ عَنَّا مِنَ البَلاَءِ مَا نَعْلَمُ وَمَا لاَ نَعْلَمُ وَمَا أَنَتَ بِهِ أَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ الأَعَزُّ الأَكْرَمُ، وَصَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالَى سَـيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Rujukan:
Kitab al-Nafahat al-Nuraniyyah fi Fadhail al-Ayyam wa al-Layali wa al-Syuhur al-Qamariyah.

Wallahua'alam.