4 Islamia/The Brunei Times Isnin, 28 Jamadilakhir 1430

Soul

Tafakkur
Him, then indeed He sees you.”
So the first station is to worship
Him out of hope and desire. The next
is to worship Him out of fear and awe
this is why he said, “and if you do not
see Him, then indeed He sees you.”
It is necessary for the person to
Muhammad Salih When we stand to perform prayer,
contemplate His Lord while he realise
has not feared Allah (to the best of
his ability), rather he has been defi-
cient in this to the extent of what he
left out.
“And follow up an evil deed with
a good one, it will efface it (the evil
deed).” Meaning that when you per-
form an evil action then follow it up
those who purify themselves.” (surah
Al-Baqarah: 222)
And He said, “and repent to Allah
all of you, O believers so that you may
be successful.” (surah An-Nur:31)
Similarly righteous actions expi-
ate the evil actions as the Prophet
said, “The five daily prayers and one

A
we recite the Quran the noblest of
llah says, “[Allah] Who sees that Allah is watching over him. with a good action for the good ac- Jumu’ah to the next Jumu’ah, and one
speech. When we prostrate, we were
you when you stand up (for Muaz ibn Jabal reported from the tion effaces the evil. Ramadhan to the next Ramadhan, is
in the closest position to our Lod, as
prayer), and your movements Messenger of Allah that he said, “Fear And from the good actions to be an expiation for what lies between
it is established from the Messenger
along with those who fall prostrate.” Allah wheresoever you may be, and performed after the evil is that you them as long as one refrains from the
of Allah, peace and blessing be upon
There are two aspects to Tafakkur follow up an evil deed with a good repent to Allah for this evil action, for major sins.” (Muslim)
him, when he said, “The closest a per-
(contemplation): First, you contem- one, it will efface it (the evil deed). indeed repentance is from the most “And deal with mankind with
son to His Lord is when he is in pros-
plate Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala (the And deal with mankind with good noble and excellent of the good ac- good manners.”The first two pieces of
tration.” (narrated by Muslim)
Exalted, the Most High). Second, you manners.” (reported by At-Tirmizi, Al- tions as Allah has advi
advice were about the relationship
This is why we have been com-
know that Allah is watching you. Hakim) said, “Indeed wi
with the Creator, the third re-
manded to increase our supplica-
When you contemplate Allah, Three advices Allah loves lates to relationship among
tions while in prostration.
you know that Allah knows your This hadith is one of the Forty t h o s e the created beings.
Allah hears every single thing
every saying, action, or belief, as He Ahadith of Imam An-Nawawi, may Al- who re- This advises us to deal
that we say, including when we pros-
said, “And put your trust in the All- lah have mercy upon him, and in it is pent wi
with mankind with the
trate, as He said,“or do they think that
Mighty, the Most Merciful – Who sees that the Prophet of Allah gave three and best manners by having
We Hear not their secrets and private
you when you stand up (for prayer) great and important pieces of advice. a cheerful complex-
discourse? (Indeed We do) and Our
and your movements along with He said, “have taqwa of Allah where- ion, being truthful in
Messengers are by them, to record.”
those who fall prostrate.” (surah Asy- soever you may be.” Taqwa means to speech, speaking to
(surah Az-Zukhruf:80)
Syu’ara: 216-218) stay away from the forbidden matters others nicely and
When you contemplate Allah,
“Who sees you as you stand” and to enact the obligatory matters. other such good
look to what is in your heart. Allah are
meaning at night, when the person That you enact what Allah has com- manners.
not pleased if somewhere in your
stands in a place in seclusion manded you, sincerely for Allah and Islamic Network
heart, you associate part-
from others such that no in compliance to the Messenger of
ners with Allah, show
one would see him, Allah, and that you leave what Allah
off, deviate your faith,
but Allah sees Him has forbidden due to His prohibiting
entertain jealousy,
even if he be in the
darkest and most The Prophet hatred and dis- it and to steer clear of it.
like towards the For example, you establish the
intense of dark- said, “The closest greatest obligation that Allah has im-
Muslims, love of
nesses. a person to His Lord posed upon you after the testimony
the disbelievers
“And your
movements along is when he is in and other such of faith
things. Supervise – the
with those who prostration. ” prayer,
and be attentive
prostrate” meaning: a n d
to your heart for Al-
and you move along you es-
lah has said, “Indeed
with all those who pros- tablish it
We created man, and We
trate to Allah in this hour, for complete-
know what his own self whis-
indeed Allah sees a person when he ly - fulfilling
pers to him.” (surah Qaf:16)
stands and prostrates. all of its condi-
So contemplate Allah in your ac-
Standing and prostrating have tions and pillars
tions, your saying and your heart so
been specifically mentioned because and obligations,
that your contemplation may be per-
standing in prayer is better than fulfilling all of these
fect. This is why, when the Prophet
prostration with respect to the re- perfectly.
(saws) was asked about Ihsan, he
membrance of Allah. And prostration So whosoever leaves
replied, “that you worship Allah as if
is better with respect to its appear- off any of these conditions,
you see Him, and if you do not see
ance and condition. pillars or obligations then he
AFP

Islamia Q uiz
Books

W omen Around the Messenger (Nisa’ Hawul

al-Rasul) counts and discusses the life of
1. In which part of the Quran is surah At-Tanzil? Sahabiyat (female Companions of the Prophet of
Allah, peace and blessing be upon him) includ-
ing Khadijah, Fatimah Az-Zahrah, Zaynab the
U nderstanding
Halal Foods:
Fallacies and Fact,
2. What word was repeatedly stated by Bilal ibn Elder, Safiyah, Aishah bint As-Siddiq, Hafsah bint by Dr Ahmad H
Rabah when he was tortured for his Islam? And Al-Faruq, and Umm Salamah bint Zad ar Rakb Sakr expands on
and many more. the concept of
who paid for his freedom from slavery? Muslim women who Fallacies and Facts
need role models in matters of foods
to develop their and liquids. He will
personalities should bring some of the
make this book a wrong ideas to
must-read. the attentions of
Siddiq paid for Bilal’s freedom. Muslims , and ex-
2. Ahad.. Ahad.. (One.. One..), and Abu Bakr As- plain how far these ideas are true or not. Then
he tries to bring about the realities of these
items. In doing so , a better picture will be in
1. Surah At-Tanzil does not exist in the Quran. front of the consumers. Then the consumers
will be intelligent enough to select and reject
ANSWERS independently according to their needs and
within the framework of their faith.