Self-reformation

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Saalim bin ‘Abdillah rahimahullah was the son of the illustrious Sahaabi, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar radhiyallahu ‘anhuma. He was born during the khilaafah of ‘Uthmaan radhiyallahu ‘anhu and was a great Muhaddith and Mufti of Madeenah Munawwarah.

On one occasion, the ruler, Hishaam bin ‘Abdil Malik, entered the Ka’bah and met Saalim bin ‘Abdillah rahimahullah. Seeing this eminent personality, he immediately said, “Do you have any need that you wish to ask of me?” Saalim rahimahullah replied, “I am embarrassed to stand in the house of Allah Ta‘ala and place my needs before someone besides Him.”

Thereafter, when they had exited the Ka’bah, Hishaam said to Saalim rahimahullah, “You may now place your needs before me as we are no longer in the house of Allah Ta‘ala(.” In reply, Saalim rahimahullah asked, “Which needs should I place before you? My needs of this world or my needs of the Hereafter?” Hishaam replied, “Your needs of this world.”
Saalim rahimahullah responded, “By Allah! I have not placed my needs of this world before the One who owns this world, so how can I place my needs of this world before one who does not own this world?”

Siyaru Aa’laamin Nubalaa vol. 4 pg. 466
 
Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:

Sometimes, people go to extremes when praising people for their good or reproaching them for their mistakes. They either throw them up above the sky or push them down beneath the earth when praising them or reproaching them. This way is incorrect. We should refrain from exaggeration in speech. In the following Aayat, Allah Ta’ala commands us to adopt justice in our speech and actions at all times:

وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ

The enmity of any people should not cause you to surpass the limits of justice. Remain just (at all times), that is closer to piety.

(Suhbat Baa Awliyaa pg. 106)
 
It is absolutely vital for one to constantly remain vigilant and cautious regarding his nafs. The nafs is such that if it finds the opportunity and the means to fulfil its desires, it will never rest until it gets what it wants. In fact, even those who have progressed sufficiently in the path of self reformation, it is nevertheless, dangerous for them as well to become complacent and relax their guard regarding the nafs. However, the difference with them is that due to their knowledge and experience in traversing the path of self reformation, it is not as difficult for them to bring their nafs under control at the time of danger. The condition of our nafs is like that of a stubborn horse. When it is let loose, it neither looks forward nor backward (as it is out of control and runs in any direction without thinking). In this state, the damage that the nafs can cause is so serious that we cannot truly comprehend it.
(Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 8/50)
 
عن جندب بن عبد الله الأزدي رضي الله عنه صاحب النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال مثل الذي يعلم الناس الخير وينسى نفسه كمثل السراج يضيء للناس ويحرق نفسه الحديث رواه الطبراني في الكبير وإسناده حسن إن شاء الله تعالى )الترغيب والترهيب 1/173(

Hazrat Jundub bin Abdillah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The example of the one who teaches people good deeds while he forgets himself (i.e. he does not practice on the good) is like a lamp which provides light for people while it burns itself.”
 
زر القبور تذكر بها الآخرة، واغسل الموتى، فإن معالجة جسد خاو موعظة بليغة، وصل على الجنائز لعل ذلك أن يحزنك، فإن الحزين في ظل الله يتعرض كل خير

Visit the graves, it will remind you of the Hereafter, give ghusl to the deceased, for touching a lifeless body is a profound lesson, read janazah Salah perhaps it will cause you to grieve and one who grieves will be under the shade of Allah receiving all good.

(Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1 pg. 377 and vol. 4 pg. 330, Shu’abul Iman, Hadith: 8851)
 
Imaam Muzani (rahimahullah) mentions:

I went to visit Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) during his final illness. I said to him, “O Abu ‘Abdillah! How are you feeling this morning?” Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) raised his head and replied, “I have commenced the morning departing from the dunya, separating from my brothers and friends, going to receive the recompense of my actions, and proceeding to meet Allah Ta‘ala. I do not know whether my soul is going to Jannah so that I should congratulate it, or whether it is going to Jahannum so that I should console it.” Saying this, Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) began to cry.

(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 8/411)
 
Hazrat Abu Ja’far Balkhi (rahimahullah) mentioned the following:

I heard that if Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) encountered difficulty in understanding any mas’alah and found the mas’alah to be complex and confusing, then he would address his students and say, “This difficulty can only be on account of a sin that I must have committed.” Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would thus engage in istighfaar (repenting to Allah Ta‘ala). Sometimes, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would stand, make wudhu, perform two rakaats of salaah and thereafter repent to Allah Ta‘ala.

After making istighfaar, the mas’alah would become clear and Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would easily understand it. When this would happen, Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah) would become extremely pleased and would say, “I am happy as I have hope that my sin was forgiven due to which I was able to understand the mas’alah.”

When Hazrat Fudhail bin ‘Iyaadh (rahimahullah) (the student of Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah)) heard of this, he wept profusely and said, “May Allah Ta‘ala have mercy on Imaam Abu Hanifah (rahimahullah)! That he was able to perceive the blockage in his path was on account of his mistakes being so few! As far as other people are concerned, they do not perceive their blockage as their sins have overwhelmed them.”

(‘Uqood-ul-Jummaan pg. 228)
 
عن سهل بن سعد قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لو كانت الدنيا تعدل عند الله جناح بعوضة ما سقى كافرا من شربة ماء )سنن الترمذي #2320(

Hazrat Sahl bin Sa’d (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “If the dunya was equal to the wing of a mosquito in the sight of Allah Ta‘ala, then Allah Ta‘ala would not have given a kaafir a sip of water to drink.”
 
One should wear long sleeve kurtas. It is inappropriate for one to wear short-sleeve kurtas in public.

عن أسماء بنت يزيد بن السكن الأنصارية قالت كان كم يد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى الرسغ )سنن الترمذي #1765(

Hazrat Asmaa bint Yazeed (radhiyallahu ‘anha) reports, “The sleeves of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would reach till the wrists.”

When wearing clothes, then one should commence wearing the clothing from the right side.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا لبس قميصا بدأ بميامنيه )سنن الترمذي #1766(

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that whenever Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) used to put on a kurta, he would commence wearing it from its right side.”

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When removing clothes, then one should commence removing the clothing from the left side.

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إذا انتعل أحدكم فليبدأ باليمين وإذا نزع فليبدأ بالشمال فلتكن اليمنى أولهما تنعل وآخرهما تنزع )سنن الترمذي #1779(

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “When anyone of you puts on his shoes, then he should commence from the right foot, and when removing (his shoes), then he should commence from the left foot so that the right foot be the first in wearing and the last in removing.”
 
عن البراء قال كنا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في جنازة فجلس على شفير القبر فبكى حتى بل الثرى ثم قال يا إخواني لمثل هذا فأعدوا

Sayyiduna Al Bara ibn ‘Azib (radiyallahu ‘anhu) says, “We were once attending a janazah with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) when he sat on the edge of the grave and cried so profusely that the sand became wet. Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then said, ‘O my brothers, Prepare for this![by carrying out good deeds]’

(Targhib, vol. 4 pg. 240, Zawaid Ibn Majah, Hadith: 1419. Also see: Footnotes of Shaykh Muhammad ‘Awwamah on Musannaf, Hadith: 35472)
 
خذوا العطاء ما دام عطاء، فإذا صار رشوة في الدين فلا تأخذوه، ولستم بتاركيه، يمنعكم الفقر والحاجة، ألا إن رحى الإسلام دائرة، فدوروا مع الكتاب حيث دار، ألا إن الكتاب والسلطان سيفترقان، فلا تفارقوا الكتاب، ألا إنه سيكون عليكم أمراء يقضون لأنفسهم ما لا يقضون لكم، إن عصيتموهم قتلوكم، وإن أطعتموهم أضلوكم قالوا: يا رسول الله، كيف نصنع؟ قال: كما صنع أصحاب عيسى ابن مريم، نشروا بالمناشير، وحملوا على الخشب، موت في طاعة الله خير من حياة في معصية الله

Explanatory translation:

Accept gifts [from those in authority] as long as they remain gifts. Once they become bribes [to lure you in to following and supporting them] then do not accept it. However, you will be unable to turn it down due to extreme hunger and poverty. Certainly the mill of Islam is spinning so return and refer to the Quran. Soon the Quran and leadership will separate, you should not leave the Quran. Such leaders will be in power, who will pass judgments [which will benefit them] whereas they won’t pass such judgments in favour of you. If you disobey them, they will kill you and if you obey them they will misguide you.
They asked, ‘O Rasulullah! What should we do during these times’?
He replied, ‘Do just as the followers of ‘Isa ibn Maryam (‘alayhis salam) did, they were hacked with saws and loaded on to timber. A death due to the obedience of Allah Ta’ala is better than a life spent disobeying Allah Ta’ala.

(Refer: Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 4235 and At Tanwir of Amir San’ani, Hadith: 3877)
 
The Solution to Abstaining from Backbiting

Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:

I received a letter from a person who wrote to me saying, “If you know any solution for saving oneself from gheebah (backbiting), then please share it with me, I will be grateful.” In reply, I wrote, “The solution is for you to always be conscious and aware that Allah Ta’ala is watching you and that He will take you to account for whatever you do. Similarly, you should endeavour to refrain from gheebah and all types of sins at all times.”

Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) thereafter mentioned, “When it comes to practising on the commands of Shari’ah, then a person will not succeed to fulfil the command unless he has firm resolve and determination. Merely reciting some wazeefas will not be sufficient in reforming a person and bringing him onto the path of righteousness.”

(Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 5/375)
 
There are numerous narrations which state that Nabi (sallalahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would use his right limbs for putting on clothes and carrying out honourable things like eating, combing his hair, wudu etc. and his left limbs for removing his clothes and carrying out lowly, despicable things like istinja, entering the toilet etc.

(See Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 168)

Based on these Hadiths, it is sunnah to do all honourable and respectful things with one’s right limbs and despicable things with one’s left limbs.

The ‘Ulama have recommended entering the home with the right foot and leaving the home with the left foot based on the above principle, although they don’t quote any clear hadith stating this.

(Fatawa Hadithiyyah of Ibn Hajar Al Haytami pg. 117 and Dalilul Falihin of Ibn ‘Allan, vol. 3 pg. 186)
 
Prophet Muhammad,Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, warned that a person having even an iota of it in his heart will never enter paradise. This deadliest of all sins iskibr, or arrogance.

No one likes arrogance — in others. We never like a person who is haughty, too proud, or condescending. We detest a person who belittles us and has a huge ego. Similarly we love people who are humble, polite, and easy to talk to.We love people who give us respect and honor. Thus if we follow the principle of treating others the way we like to be treated, most of these problems might be cured. In reality, the treatment ofummul-amradhrequires a deeper look.
For that we need to appreciate the difference betweenadabor manners, on the one hand and akhlaq or morals on the other. While adab deal with one’s external disposition, akhlaqas defined by Islam deal with our inner thoughts, feeling, and attitudes. In a healthy personality, the manners and morals are in harmony. But it is also possible to have the former without having the latter. The first concerns itself with how a person deals with others. The second is concerned with what a person thinks of himself. Two persons showing humbleness in their dealings with others, may have exactly opposite ideas in their minds. One may do it out of his or her “generosity”; the other may do it because he genuinely thinks that he is not better than the other person. The first person only has a shell of humbleness, which will crumble when tested. It is the second person who is really free of arrogance.

Real greatness belongs only to Allah, our Lord, Creator, and Master. Human beings are just a creation of Allah — and a very small creation in comparison to the unimaginably vast universe. Anyone who understands this will realize that our proper status is only that of servants of Allah. In fact for a Muslim the real human model is none other than Prophet Muhammad,Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, who is the greatest of all human beings. His greatness lies in being the humblest of all servants of Allah! It is impossible for any person who has this consciousness to entertain any notions of his own greatness.
This leads us to the definition of kibr, given in a famous hadith: “Kibr is to knowingly reject Truth and to belittle other people.” This hadith exposes two strains of this deadly disease, both dealing with our exaggerated ideas of self-importance. The first suggests that I am more important than the Truth. The second suggests that I am more important than other people.

We know about the Quraish and Jews of Arabia who had come in contact with Prophet Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, and who knew in the heart of their hearts that he indeed was the Messenger of Allah. Their arrogance, though, kept them from accepting it. History has recorded statements from some of them who said we know he is the Promised Prophet but we will keep on opposing him to maintain our leadership.

While that was the most blatant form of arrogance, we can witness the same attitude on a smaller scale in our discussions and arguments. A person realizes that he was wrong, but then his pride keeps him from admitting it. No matter how polite or “humble” that person may appear to be ordinarily, this test shows the presence of arrogance in his heart. It is arrogance that keeps a person from saying “I am sorry.”
The second strain involves our feeling of superiority with respect to other people. Islam’s teaching is that one should never consider oneself greater than other people, because that Judgment will come from Allah, and Allah alone, on the Day of Judgment. None of us knows what our end will be, whether we will end up being a winner or loser over there. The person who appears to be nobody here may end up with eternal bliss because of his goodness that only Allah knew. The person who is a big shot here may end up among the sinners who will be punished there, because of his evil that only Allah knew. How foolish, it is then to congratulate ourselves over our fleeting “superiority”.
http://www.ilmgate.org/on-arrogance-humbleness-and-inferiority-complex/
 
Narrated Mu'awiyah ibn Jaydah al-Qushayri: The Apostle of Allah (pbuh) said:

“Woe to him who tells things, speaking falsely, to make people laugh thereby. Woe to him! Woe to him!”

(Abu Dawuud, Kitab al Adab, 4972)
 
“And whatever calamity befalls you, it is due to your own doings.” (Qur’an 42:30)

Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم explained the tafsīr of this verse to Hadrat Ali رضي الله عنه thus:

“O Ali! whatever calamity befalls you: illness, affliction or any worldly calamity, it is the earning of your own hands.”

Hadrat Hasan رضي الله عنه reports that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“By Him in whose control is my life! Any scratch, twitching of veins, slipping of the foot or a flying stone suddenly striking the body; all are due to the committing of sins.”

Hadrat Abu Musa رضي الله عنه reports that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“A wound or any slighter calamity is due to the commission of sins.”
Hadrat Imrān bin Husain رضي الله عنه once felt ill. People came to pay him a visit and expressed their condolences. He replied: “What is achieved by condolences? This is due to some sin I have committed.”

Hadrat Dahhak reports, “A person who forgets the Qur’an after learning it is due to committing sins.” Thereafter he recited this verse and said, “What could be a greater calamity than forgetting the Qur’an?”

Once Asmā bint Abi Bakr رضي الله عنه experienced a headache. She exclaimed, “This is due to my sins.”

(Durr al-Manthūr, Ibn Kathīr)
 
Sayyid Ahmad Shaheed (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) began ‘seeing’ certain supernatural visions on the nights of Lailatul Qadr and Lailatul Baraa-ah. He had seen the stars, the trees and the ocean prostrating. He related these experiences, to his Shaikh, Shah Abdul Azeez (rahmatullahi ‘alaih). Shah Abdul Azeez (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) advised him in the following manner,

“These are experiences which the children of the spiritual path experience.”

These conditions are not worth paying any due attention towards. The only real objective and goal in life, is to attain the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala. If our intentions and methodology are correct then, insha-Allah, we will be successful. If our actions are in accordance to the sunnah and done solely for the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala we will, insha-Allah, be successful.

( Discourses of Faqeeh-ul-Ummah Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi, vol. 1, pg. 111)
 
My beloved brothers! Earn a livelihood, as it is the command of Allah Ta’ala. However, do not allow your heart to be immersed and consumed by your involvement in earning a livelihood. Instead, your heart should rely on Allah Ta’ala and always be pleased with His taqdeer. In doing so, even if one’s salary is decreased, it will not cause one great anxiety and distress. Make it your habit to always turn to Allah Ta’ala in du’aa.

(Suhbat Baa Awliyaa pg. 154)
 
عن ابْن عَبَّاس رَضِي الله عَنْهُمَا أَن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم قَالَ كفى بك إِثْمًا أَن لَا تزَال مخاصما رَوَاهُ التّرمذي وَقَالَ حَدِيث غَرِيب )الترغيب والترهيب 1/183(

Hazrat ibn Abbaas (Radhiyallahu Anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “It is sufficient to cause you to become sinful that you constantly argue with others.”
 
azc said:
There are numerous narrations which state that Nabi (sallalahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would use his right limbs for putting on clothes and carrying out honourable things like eating, combing his hair, wudu etc. and his left limbs for removing his clothes and carrying out lowly, despicable things like istinja, entering the toilet etc.

(See Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 168)

Based on these Hadiths, it is sunnah to do all honourable and respectful things with one’s right limbs and despicable things with one’s left limbs.

The ‘Ulama have recommended entering the home with the right foot and leaving the home with the left foot based on the above principle, although they don’t quote any clear hadith stating this.

(Fatawa Hadithiyyah of Ibn Hajar Al Haytami pg. 117 and Dalilul Falihin of Ibn ‘Allan, vol. 3 pg. 186)
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Seems to show a separation or duality in self.

We are called to cast off a limb that holds up love for earthly desires before or over GOD.
 

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