The Gardens of Paradise

Like most Muslims, hearing the storiesof reverts fills us with inspiration and Eman. Each story is unique, distinct from its peers by the different paths that were taken on the road to al-Islam. Here is a short story of a sister who became Muslim through a righteous brother (This is how we see him and we do not sanctify him before Allah).

Story of a convert sister:
When she was not a muslimah yet, she saw this muslim man working out at the gym.
She found him quite different than other non-muslim men and tried to make an eye
contact with him. But he moved his glance. Then she saw him praying. When she
asked what he was doing he explained it her. She asked if he would like to go for
dinner with her. But he refused. She asked, “Am I not your type?” But he told her that
the he refused for a different reason. Then he took out a lighter and lit it up. She started saying,
“Oh you smoke? No problem”. But he told her that in the after-life, he will end up in
fire for this type of behavior. He keeps the lighter to remind himself about this. So she
thought it was over the top of her head. And she started to learn about islam and later
accepted islam. But she never saw that young man again.

This righteous brother was the medium to her accepting Islam, he probably didnt even know that she later accepted Islam and that he was getting each and every act of worship she did for the sake of Allah. This just goes to show that we don’t know how Allah will guide people and neither should it be any of our concern. All we have to do is stay steadfastness to this religion and we will then reap the fruits inshallah.

Once while reading a book, I came across this quote and thought I would share it. This incident shows the huge disparity between the mindset of the early generations of Muslims and the latter ones.

 ‘Uqbah ar-Rasibi said: I entered upon al-Hasan while he was eating, and he said: “Come eatwith me.” I said: “I have already eaten until I can eat no more.” He said: “Subhan Allah!Does the Muslim eat until he can eat no more?!”” 

So the advice towards the Muslims is taken from the same book, where the author prescribes gradually reducing one’s intake of food until he (or she) arrives at a moderate level, and the best of affairs are the moderate ones. He should cut himself down to just enough so that he is not prevented from worship, and is able to preserve his strength. He should feel neither hungry nor full. Only then will his body become healthy, his aspirations high, and his conscience clear. If he eats any more than this,he will be driven to sleep more, and will have lower intellect.” 

One method I personally use is that I stop eating all heavy meals after 9 pm and only eat light meals such as fruits and vegetables. Eating heavy meals prior to sleep decreases the quality of one’s sleep and leaves one drained out of energy on waking up, despite having slept for 8-10 hours.

However when you eat a light meal before you go to sleep, you will feel refreshed and ready to go for a whole new day of productivity after only 6-7 hours of sleep.

A poet said:

“Consider the case of a person who possesses

the whole world, can he take with him in the grave more

than cotton and a shroud?”

This is addressed to the brothers, but it equally applies to the sisters.

“Who to Marry” By Shaykh Mashhoor Salmaan (one of the students of Shaykh Al-Albaani)

Translated by: Hisham Assing

Question: I am in the initial stages of seeking knowledge, and I want to get married. Do you advise me to marry (a sister) who is not a student of knowledge?

Answer: I do not advise the Muslim to marry anyone besides a student of knowledge because for you to have the mother (of your children) who is jaahil …then this is an affliction that the mother is ignorant. How will she teach the children? Let’s assume a woman is not pretty, she does not have a beautiful complexion, nor is she tall. However she teaches your children thereby saving them from the fire. Or on the other hand, a mother who is mashaAllaah pretty, attractive, tall, does not teach them the Quraan and causes them to enter into the fire. Who is better? The first or the second? By Allaah the first is better. So success for you and your children…at least she would remind you if you forget, and she could teach you if you don’t know. It is possible to learn from a woman.

Sa’eed Ibn Musayb had a daughter named Faatimah whom the khalifah asked to marry his son, however he refused to do so instead marrying her to one of his students. When the daughter of Imaam Maalik got married, her husband wanted to attend the class of his shaykh, so she asked him “Where are you going?” He replied, “To your father’s class.” She told him, “Have a seat, because the knowledge of my father is memorized in my chest. I will teach it to you.”

Abu Layth As-Samarqandee (D. 539 Hijri) who wrote the book ‘Muqdimmaat fil-Fiqh: Tuhfatul-Fuqahaa‘ also had a daughter named Faatimah whom likewise the khalifah of the Muslims at that time asked for her hand in marriage for his son but he refused. He had a student named Al-Kaasaanee or Al-Kaashaanee who wrote the book ‘Bidaa’i As-Sanaa’i‘ and he was poor but very knowledgeable. He was so highly impressed by his teachers’ book (Tuhfatul-Fuqahaa) that he wrote and explanation for it called ‘Bidaa’i As-Sanaa’i‘. Thus he gave the explanation to his teacher, and similarly he was so highly impressed by his students’ book that he said, “I marry my daughter to you.” This explanation was her mahr. So based on this incident, the saying became very popular during that time ” شرح تحفته وزوجه ابنته - He explained his book so he married his daughter.”

Hence, I do not advise the Muslim to marry anyone besides a student of knowledge, even if you yourself are not a student of knowledge. Because the seeking of knowledge gives life and enlightens – light in one’s life. You know your rights, she knows her rights, and the children are being taught that which is good. This is true happiness in life. This is true happiness in life.

(Transcribed from Shaykh Mashhoor Salmaan’s weekly fatwaa session recorded on 04/28/2007)