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Friday Talks |
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223 |
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Friday Talks |
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223 |
Positive and negative expectations, presumptions & opinions
Written by: Sk Abd-Razzag Taher Farih
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
22 Jumada al-Ula 1441 also used on 10 Rabi Thani 1444h
17 January 2020 Also used on:: 26 Nov 202122 and 04 November 2022.
All thanks be to Allah. Peace and prayers be upon His messenger.
Dearly beloved in Allah,
A Muslim must have confidence and good positive expectations in Allah. A Muslim must not hold ill expectations in the Almighty Allah. That is because Allah told us through His messenger in Hadeeth Qudsi : {I am to my slave just as my slave’s expectations are of me}. The messenger ppbu, three days before he died; he was quoted saying: “Let none of you dies unless he/she has good expectations of God”. In another narration, Allah says: {I shall be what my slave thinks of me. So, let him have any thoughts of me}. This means if the individual has a good opinion and good expectations then it will affect him, and if he has ill thoughts and bad opinion then it will also affect him.
So, you should have good expectations of Allah; because thinking positive into Allah strengthens the good side over the evil one, or puts stronger emphasis on the side of hope over the side of fear. Many people are misled into thinking that having positive thoughts and good opinion or expectations into Allah means they can stop doing all kind of good deeds, and never have to implement God’s commands, and not have to stay way (or refrain) from the prohibitions, and never have to stop at Allah’s imposed boundaries and limitations, and even they dare to commit sin in what they think as “in isolated privacy”. They then follow it up with another sin and another. Later he would say: “I have good expectations in Allah”. This is not right. This is a clear misguidance. If this person has been truthful then he would have done the right deeds. The scholar Alhasan Albalsri said: Some people get distracted by the wishful thinking of forgiveness; and suddenly; they depart from this life, when they have not a single good deed in their scale. They said they had positive expectations of God. But Alhasan Albasry said: They lied, if they did have good opinion of God they would have done the work, the would’ve done the good deeds.
Do, dear brothers and sisters, do have good opinion and good expectation in God, but also do the good deeds. Allah say: {Let patience (endurance and perseverance) and prayers support and help you: It is indeed hard, except to those who are devout. Those who believe they will meet their Lord and to Him they shall return} 2:45-46. This was in relation to having a good opinion and good expectations toward God.
Allah says: {The three who were left behind; (they felt guilty) to such a degree that the earth seemed constrained to them, for all its spaciousness, and their (very) souls seemed distressed to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah (and no refuge) but to Himself. Then He turned to them, that they might repent: for Allah is who guides slaves to return to Him, He is Most Merciful.} 9:118. This is having good expectations from Allah. It is to believe into Allah and have the expectation that if you make a prayer (a duaa) that He will answer. It is to have certainty that if you put your trust in Him then He will protect you. To have conviction that if you ask Him anything, is that He shall give you. It is to be confident that if you beg of Him and put your life in His hands then He would save you. Having good expectation into Allah means that you do as much good deeds as you can, and that you’d keep away from anything He prohibits; as much as you can. And that you stop yourself at His boundaries and limits, do not transgress them; for as much as you can. And if your foot slips into the wrong then repent and regret; again, and again. Have the great expectations in Allah that He will accept your repentance and will forgive you each and every time. And never ever have ill thoughts or form bad opinions of Allah.
You also must have good expectations and good pre-informed opinions to all Muslims and people of faith, men and women, of those whom on the outside, their actions and interactions show justice, good and right or positive attitudes. Never look at people with a pre-conceived ill doubt. Give people the benefit of the doubt. That is because ill doubts and ill thoughts burn away the hearts, and tear up the loving ties and links and the brotherly relations. The messenger ppbu said warning us: {Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false talk}. If you look at people with the idea that they envy you, or that they hate you; then you will live in suffering and you will always have ill thoughts and suspicions toward them. Look at people in general as they wish you well. Look at Muslims that they do only good deeds and they obey the Almighty Allah. Assume pre-good expectations and thoughts of all Muslims and all people. If you see anyone in a suspicious situation, where it has a possible good or evil interpretation, then give them the benefit of the doubt and think of the positive choice. Would you not like that people think well of you? Of course, you would. And; for that reason, you must think well and positive of others too.
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
Ahmad (Ahmed)- Another name for the messenger Muhammad (PPBU).
Allah - The Arabic word for "god." It is often used as a name for God in Islam.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
Aya (or Ayah):
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com
