Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #1 - Introduction to Tazkiyah - Purification of the soul
· Allah created the human being of three components: the mind, the body and the soul. Islam addressed all three components because the human being cannot be upright unless he is balanced in all three aspects. · The topic of Tazkiyah is related to the soul which has been created with the potential of goodness, but also the gravitation toward corruption. · The prophet told us that when the human being is born, he is born upon the Fitrah, which is the pure disposition of the soul:Every child is born upon natural instinct. Then, his parents make him a Jew, or a Christian, or Magian (or a polytheist)However, as the Hadeeth indicates that this Fitrah is then polluted by external factors, parents being one of those factors. · Tazkiyah is the process of primarily safeguarding the Fitrah of the soul, while at the same time, constantly purifying it from corruption and contamination.Allah says:He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who corrupts itTherefore, it is Fardh ‘Ayn (individual obligation) upon every Muslim to purify his soul.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #2 - Why is Tazkiyah important
· Part of the mission of the prophet was to purify the souls of the people. Allah said:It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were before in clear error· It was narrated from companions including Huzhayfah and Ibn Umar and other companions:We learned Iman before we learned Quran. Then we learned Qur'an and our Iman increased thereby.· Tazkiyah is related to soul – Mind/Heart, the center of human existence.Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart.· This is why Abu Hurayrah used to say:The heart is king and its soldiers are the limbs. If the king is set right, his soldiers will be set right. If the king is corrupted, his soldiers will be corrupted.· So the success in this world and the hereafter is related to the success of the heart. And it all comes down to bonding of this heart to Allah.Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #3 - First Greatest Purifier - Salah
· Today I will share with you 5 ways you can bond with your Lord, and it is these very 5 things that purify the hearts more than anything you can imagine.I will list them from the easiest to the hardest, and we will show you how to climb this ladder in a step by step manner in order to get closer to your Lord and become one of His Awliya.Salah 1. Salah. This is the easiest because it is Fardh. All of us pray more or less. At the very least almost all Muslims pray the Eid prayers, then many of them pray the Friday prayer. There are many that may not pray 5 times a day, but at least they pray a few times a day. Regardless, if you pray, then it means that you are a believer.a. Salah is the greatest of all actions done for Allah after Eman.b. It is cleansing of the soul 5X a day.مثل الصلوات الخمس كمثل نهرٍ غمرٍ على باب أحدكم يغتسل منه كل يوم خمس مراتThe parable of the five prayers is that of a river running at your door in which one cleanses himself five times a day.c. Not just that, even between the prayers there is cleansing.الصلوات الخمس، والجمعة إلى الجمعة، ورمضان إلى رمضانمكفرات ما بينهن، إذا اجتنبت الكبائرThe five (daily) prayers, and Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, are expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided.d. Light, a proof and source of salvation.من حافظ عليها كانت له نورًا وبرهانًا ونجاة يوم القيامة، ومن لم يحافظ عليها لم يكن له نور، ولا برهان ولا نجاة،وكان يوم القيامة مع قارون، وفرعون، وهامان، وأبيّ بن خلفWhoever safeguards his Salah, for him on the Day of Judgement will be a light, an open proof, and protection. And he who does not safeguard his Salah will not have light, an open proof, or any protection, and he will be resurrected with Qaroon, Fir'awn, Haman, and 'Ubay Bin KhalafSo it is the greatest purifier of the heart and the soul.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #4 - Installing Salah Program in my life
But there are many of us who pray but do not find the Salah to be cleansing of the soul. Many of us pray and it is heavy upon us. So how can we make sure that we are benefitting from this Salah and it is purifying us?1. Level 1 - Pray 5 times a day – This should be our first struggle. If you miss any Salah for any reason, make it up and seek Allah’s forgiveness.2. Level 2 - Develop Khushoo’ (attentiveness and humility) in Salah. This is done by learning its meanings, slowing down in the Salah in order to contemplate in its words, and making Du’a in Sujood.3. Level 3 - Offer these prayers on time. Pray as much as you can in Masjid. If you can’t, then pray early.4. Level 4 - Be diligent in you Sunnah prayersThis should be the program in our lives like any other program such as school, job, sports, games, family, children, marriage. Note: If you find yourself struggling at any given level, then seek Allah’s aid through perseverance and Du’aa, while reassuring yourself that there is no cure other than this.Also, it is not necessary that this order be followed. Different people may find it easier to do one thing over another. The goal is to improve and get closer to our Lord.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #5 - Second Greatest Purifier - Quran
2. Quran. The next greatest matter that cleanses the soul is Quran. It is harder than the Salah because it is Sunnah. When humans have choice in any matter, they incline toward that option. That is why lesser people recite Quran daily.It is the speech of our Lord.a. You want to become from the VIP, then commit yourself to Quran. They are those whom Allah selects for His special love.إِنَّ لِلَّهِ أَهْلِينَ مِنْ النَّاسِ"، قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ:مَنْ هُمْ؟ قَالَ: “هُمْ أَهْلُ الْقُرْآنِ أَهْلُ اللَّهِ وَخَاصَّتُهُVerily, Allah has His Ahl among humanity. They said, O Messenger of Allah, who are they? The Prophet said, They are the people of the Quran, the Ahl of Allah and His chosen ones.b. There is no gathering in which Quran is recited and studied except that:وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلَّا نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمْ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمْ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُNo people gather together in one of the Houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that sakeenah (tranquility) descends upon them, and mercy envelops them, and the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them amongst those who are with Him.c. No other book or speech is rewarded like the Quran is.مَنْ قَرَأَ حَرْفًا مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ فَلَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةٌ وَالْحَسَنَةُ بِعَشْرِ أَمْثَالِهَا لَا أَقُولُ: (الم) حَرْفٌ وَلَكِنْ أَلِفٌ حَرْفٌ وَلَامٌ حَرْفٌ وَمِيمٌ حَرْفٌWhoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah will be credited with a good deed, and every good deed is multiplied ten-fold. I am not saying that “ألم” Alif-Lām-Mīm is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter and Mīm is a letter.Here the prophet is telling us that there is reward in the mere recital of the Book of Allah even if we do not understand the meanings of it.d. As for the one who chooses to memorize the Quran, then he has committed his days and nights to it. Thus, he is called the companion of Quran.يُقَالُ لِصَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ: اقْرَأْ وَارْقَ وَرَتِّلْ كَمَا كُنْتَ تُرَتِّلُ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ مَنْزِلَتَكَ عِنْدَ آخِرِ آيَةٍ تَقْرَؤُهَاIt will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: Read, and ascend, and recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status in paradise will be at the last verse that you recite.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #6 - Installing Quran Program in my life
Similar to the Salah program, we have to treat this like a program in order to see benefits and attain results.So we must start bottom up. 1. Level 1 - Listen to it very often. This is the easiest way to start if the person is detached from the Quran. Listening to the Quran often will remove the rust of heedlessness and sins from the heart. When you start feeling comfortable with this and begin to enjoy it, move onto the next step.2. Level 2 - Recite it. This requires a little more effort, and the reward is multiplied many folds as well. This step can take any where from 6 months to a year of commitment. Thereafter, he should assign a Wird (habitual portion) to his daily routine, starting with a small amount such as half a page to one page.3. Level 3 - Understand it. Once the person begins to recite the Quran, there come a time when he yearns to understand the very words of his Lord that he recites. So he adds a little more effort to read translation or Tafseer alongside his daily reading. Then, there will come a time when he is ready to struggle to learn the Arabic language to enhance his understanding of Allah’s words.4. Level 4 - Use it for Ruqyah. The person who has developed love for the book of Allah through listening to it, reciting it and even understanding its meanings, he understands that Allah’s words have healing properties for the body, the mind and the soul.5. Level 5 - Memorize it. This is the hardest commitment to the Quran because when a student decides to memorize any portion of the Quran, then he is signing up to commit his life to the Quran. This is because it will require daily revision in order to retain what he has memorized. Note: If you find yourself struggling at any given level, then seek Allah’s aid through perseverance and Du’aa, while reassuring yourself that there is no cure other than this.Also, it is not necessary that this order be followed. Different people may find it easier to do one thing over another. The goal is to improve and get closer to our Lord.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #7 - Third Greatest Purifier - Azhkar
3. Azhkar. This is the next greatest purifier of the hearts. It is harder than the Quran and Salah, and lesser people engage in regular remembrance of Allah. a. Remembering Allah is the greatest thing we can do, and it is better than spending gold and silver in Allah’s path.ألا أخبركم بخير أعمالكم، وأزكاها عند مليككم، وأرفعها في درجاتكم،وخير لكم من إنفاق الذهب والورق، وخير لكم من أن تلقوا عدوكمفيضربوا أعناقكم وتضربوا أعناقهم"، قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: "ذكر الله تعالىShall I not inform you of the best of your deeds which are the most praiseworthy in the sight of your Lord, and the most elevating in your ranks, and better for you than spending gold and silver in charity, and better for you than encountering your enemies in battle so they strike your necks and you strike theirs? They said: Certainly. He said: Remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.b. Through it comes ease after difficulty, a way out of every hardship, joy after sadness, relief after stress. When the prophet would be in tough situation, he would remember Allah.دعوة ذي النون: لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين، ما دعا بها مكروب إلا فرَّج الله كربهThe Du’a of Zhun Noon (Yunus), None has the right of worship except You, Your are most pure. It was indeed me, who was the wrong doer. None calls by it in extreme physical and mental pain except that Allah will relieve him.c. Anything that does not connect one to Allah’s remembrance is cursed.ألَا إن الدنيا ملعونة، ملعونٌ ما فيها، إلا ذكر الله وما والاه، وعالم أو متعلِّمVerily, this world is cursed, and everything in it is cursed, except the remembrance of Allah an all what is relevant to it; a scholar and a seeker of knowledge.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #8 - Installing Azhkar Program in my life
1. Level 1 - Start with Bismillah. This is the easiest Zhikr that every Muslim can accustom themselves to. The name of Allah is blessed, and thus the prophet taught us to begin all tasks by His name. Through the name of Allah, we attain the His blessings, shun away the Shaytan and seek Allah’s aid in successfully completing our tasks. Furthermore, the prophet said that any matter that is not initiated by Allah’s name is cut off (from blessings).2. Level 2 - Learn the practical Azhkar. This requires a little more effort, and it is the right thing to do next. This includes various Azhkar that are associated with our daily actions and tasks such as eating, entering or leaving spaces etc. So before I eat, after eating, while entering my home, while leaving, when entering a car, bus, train and so on, the prophet taught us all of the words of remembrance. 3. Level 3 - Learn the Azhkar after prayer. This requires a little more effort because these Azhkar can take up to 10 minutes due to the many Azhkar the prophet taught after the prayers. However, the person should start with one Zhikr at a time and build himself up.4. Level 4 - Learn the morning, then evening, then bedtime Azhkar. Just like the Azhkar after the prayers, the person will start small and make his way up ensuring consistency. This step requires perseverance. And with sincere intention and seeking aid in Allah, it will become easy.5. Level 5 – When the person reaches this level, he is very close to Allah. And no one reaches this level except the one who loves to remember his Lord. At this moment, he may assign new Wird to his daily routine such as Istighfar or Salawat upon the prophet or whatever else that he is able to commit. Note: If you find yourself struggling at any given level, then seek Allah’s aid through perseverance and Du’aa, while reassuring yourself that there is no cure other than this.Also, it is not necessary that this order be followed. Different people may find it easier to do one thing over another. The goal is to improve and get closer to our Lord.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
Created by - Imam Hasan Raza
Tazkiyah #9 - Fourth Greatest Purifier - Seeking Knowledge
4. Ilm. The next purifier is harder and even less people commit to it. It is seeking Islamic knowledge. It has the power to change the hearts like nothing else.a. It is the inheritance left by the prophet.إن العلماءَ ورثة الأنبياء، إن الأنبياء لم يورِّثوا دينارًا ولا درهمًا،إنما ورثوا العلم، فمن أخذ به أخذ بحظ وافرThe scholars are the inheritors of the prophets. Verily, the prophets do not bequeath gold and silver, but rather they only bequeath knowledge. So whoever acquires it has actually taken abundant forune.b. Allah never asked the prophet to ask in increase of anything except knowledge.وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًاAnd say, O my Lord, increase me in knowledge.c. It is the path to Jannah, and everyone and everything in universe honors him and seeks forgiveness for him.مَن سلك طريقًا يطلب فيه علمًا، سلك الله به طريقًا إلى الجنة،وإن الملائكة لتضع أجنحتها رضًا لطالب العلم، وإنه ليستغفرللعالم مَن في السموات والأرض، حتى الحيتان في الماء،وفضل العالم على العابد كفضلِ القمر على سائر الكواكبWhoever treads a path in pursuit of knowledge, Allah will facilitate for him a path to Paradise.Indeed, the angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge, honoring him for what he seeks.Verily, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the water, ask forgiveness from Allah for the scholar.The superiority of a scholar over a devout worshiper is like the superiority of the moon over the rest of the stars.
More detailsPublished - Tue, 21 Mar 2023
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