A short reminder: The acceptance of repentance

Allah the Most High says in the Holy Quran:

"Oh my Slaves who transgressed against themselves (by commiting evil deeds and sins!) Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is Most Forgiving Most Merciful." (Surah Az-Zumar:53)

It is not befitting that a true believer distances himself from Tawbah. Do no despair and think that Allah will not accept your Tawbah. This is not the sign of a true believer, and it leads to destruction. Indeed Allah is the Most Merciful, who always forgives his Repenting slaves and none despairs from the Mercy of Allah except the disbelieving people. What one is ordered to do is have a good opinion of Allah in all his affairs, even in the last moments of his life.

It is narrated from Du'maan Ibn Basheer who said regarding this ayaah:

"And do not throw yourselves into destruction" (Surah Al Baqarah:195)

If any of you sins he should not throw himself into destruction by saying Allah will not forgive me, rather he should ask Allah for forgiveness as Allah forgives all sins. (Al-Bayhaqi)

Extract from "Obstacles that prevent one from making repentance" by Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (RA)

Allah clearly reminds us of His infinite Mercy on us in the Quran, however we still fail to repent and we still lack our awareness that death may take us, today, tomorrow, or even before you finish reading this sentence....

Perhaps the most important thing any of us can do is to have tawakkul, being negative, and pessimistic, yes, this is human nature, but as Ibn Masud (RA) said:

"The is none of us that does not experience feelings like these (pessimism), but Allah eliminates them by Tawakkul" (Abu Dawud)

So it's not an excuse. Do you wish to die a pessimist, do you not believe in the words "Bismillahir Rahmaan Ar Raheem"... In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful....?

"Be weary about which state you die upon, and tht you do not die in a state of negligence".

(Al-Bayhaqi).

So it is ONLY when we loose the negative attitude, have tawakkul and be mindful of our death, that we will realise and appreciate that repentance is in our reach...UNTIL our last breath departs from our lips.

May Allah accept our repentance, make us mindful of our sins and shower us with His Mercy.

Ameen.

The Sacred Month of Muharram

The first month Muharram, is a month of great reward and virtue. Muharram itself means `sacred' and is from those months which have been mentioned as sacred in the Holy Quraan.

Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quraan:

"Four of them ( Zil-Qadah, Zil-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab) are sacred."

(Surah At-Tawbah, 36)

Virtues of Muharram

Muharram has been blessed with certain specific virtues:-

Abu Hurairah رضى الله عنه reported:

"I asked the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم: 'Which prayer is the best after the obligatory prayers?' He said: 'Prayer during the middle of the night.' I asked: 'Which fast is the best after the fast of Rarnadan?' He said, 'The month of Allah that you call Muharram.' "

(Ahmad, Muslim, and Abu Dawud)

Mu'awiyyah ibn Abu Sufyan reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say: "Concerning the day of 'Ashurah, it is not obligatory upon you to fast on it as I do. Whoever wishes may fast and whoever does not wish to is not obliged to do so."

(Bukhari and Muslim)

'Aishah stated: "The tribe of Quraish used to fast on the day of 'Ashurah in the days before Islam, as did the Prophet. When he came to Madinah, he still fasted on it and ordered the people to do likewise. Then, when fasting during the month of Ramadan becam obligatory, he said: 'Whoever wishes may fast ['Ashurah] and whoever wishes may leave it."

This is related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Ibn 'Abbas reported: "The Prophet came to Madinah and found the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashurah. He said to them: 'What is this fast?' They said: 'A great day. Allah saved Moses and the tribes of Israel from their enemies on this day and therefore, Moses fasted on this day.' The Prophet said: 'We have more of a right to Moses than you,' so he fasted on that day also and ordered the people to fast on that day."

This is recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

According to al-Bukhari and Muslim, Musa al-Ash'ari reported: "The Jews would honor the day of 'Ashurah as an 'id. The Prophet said: 'You [Muslims] are to fast on it.'"

Ibn 'Abbas reported: "The Messenger of Allah fasted on the day of 'Ashurah and ordered the people to fast on it. The people said: 'O Messenger of Allah, it is a day that the Jews and Christians honor.' The Prophet said, 'When the following year comes--Allah willing--we shall fast on the ninth.' The death of the Prophet came before the following year." This is recorded by Muslim and Abu Dawud. In one version the wording is: "If I remain until next year, we shall fast the ninth," meaning, the tenth.

This is related by Muslim and Abu Dawud.

The scholars have mentioned that the fast of 'Ashurah is of three levels:
1. fasting three days--that is, on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of Muharram;
2. fasting on the 9th and 10th; and
3. fasting only on the 10th.