PowerPoint Presentation

4 Practical steps to a better you

Mumin Builder retreat- Jan 2016TAQWA

Importance of Beneficial KnowledgeStory between Al-Muzani and Imam ShafiProphet asked for beneficial knowledge O Allaah benefit me with what You have taught me, and teach me that which will benefit me, and grant me knowledge which will benefit me. [Tabarani]Prophet sought refuge from non-beneficial knowledge O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowledge which does not benefit, from a heart that does not entertain the fear, from a soul that is not satisfied and the supplication that is not answered. [Muslim]

"The Day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart." [Quran 26:88-89]Piety is here and he pointed to his chest three times. [Muslim]

Therefore, Taqwa will clean our hearts & benefit us in the Hereafter

Benefits of TaqwaGuidance, because of His words: guidance for themuttaqin(the people of taqwa) (2:2);Help, because of His words: Truly, Allah is with the people who havetaqwa(2:194);Close Friendship [with Allah], because of His words: Allah is the close friend of themuttaqin(45:19);Love, because of His words: Truly Allah loves themuttaqin(3:76);Covering over [of wrong actions], because of His words: If you havetaqwaof Allah He will make for you a discrimination and He will cover over for you your wrong actions;A way out from unhappiness, and provision from where one does not expect, because of His words: Whoever hastaqwaof Allah He will make a way out for him and provide him from where he does not expect (65:2-3);Facilitation of affairs, because of His words: Whoever hastaqwaof Allah He will make ease for him in his affair( 65:4);

8. Full covering over of wrong actions and magnification of rewards, because of His words: Whoever hastaqwaof Allah He will cover over his wrong actions and magnify a reward for him(65:5);9. Acceptance of actions, because of His words: Allah only accepts from the people oftaqwa(5:27);10. Success, because of His words: Havetaqwaof Allah in order that you might succeed(3:200);11. Good news, because of His words: For them [i.e. people oftaqwa] there is good news in this world and in the next(10:64);12. Entrance into the Garden, because of His words: Truly, there are for the people oftaqwawith their Lord Gardens of bliss(3:133);13. Salvation from the Fire, because of His words: Then We will save the ones who hadtaqwa(19:72). [Tafsir of Ibn Jawzi]

4 Steps to Taqwa

Taking ones soul into accountDisciplining the soul during shortcomingsExerting the soul to obedienceGood company

Step 1: AccountingKey to success in Hereafter O ye who believe! Observe your duty to Allah. And let every soul look to that which it sendeth on before for the morrow. And observe your duty to Allah! Lo! Allah is informed of what ye do. [Hashr 59:18]Take yourself to account before you are taken to account [Saying of Umar]. And nay, I swear by the self-reproaching soul! [Qiyama 75:2] A believer will always be critical of himselfin food, drink, and speech. A sinner will not criticize himself [Hasan Al-Basri]

Take into accountProhibitions if violations Repentance* Perform deeds to remove bad deedsObligations if losses Make up Tongue, feet, hands, eyes, ears Why did I do that? surely the hearing, sight, heart - each of these shall be called to account [Isra 17:34]Moments of distractions if guilty Remembrance of Allah

*Sign that Allah wants good for a person

Benefits of AccountingRealizing mistakesNo one can achieve complete understanding of Islam until he condemns the people for the sake of Allah & then he returns home and condemns himself even more [Abu Darda]HumilityRecognize Allahs rights

Can only be achieved through Gods Mercy

Step 2: Disciplining the SoulIn obedience there are shortcomingsOur Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or commit mistakes.Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden such as You laid on those gone before us.Our Lord! Lay not on us burdens which we do not have the power to bear. And overlook our faults, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. You are our Guardian; so grant us victory against the unbelieving folk. [Baqara 2:286]

Examples of discipline:Umar missed Asr in congregation Donated landTalha preoccupied with bird while praying in orchardDonated whole orchard

This is how the people of determination disciplined themselves. The amazing thing is that you are willing to punish your family members for their blunders and shortcoming on the pretense that if you let them off they would rebel against you. But you let yourself off the hook even though it is our biggest enemy and most likely to rebel against you. The harm it inflicts upon you is far greater than the harm your family can inflict. The most they can disturb is your worldly life which will perish one day. Your self, on the other hand, ruffles the everlasting life of the Hereafter. It is much more worthy of punishment. [Imam Ghazali]

Step 3: Exerting the Soul Towards ObedienceAcquired when the servant knows the value of Hereafter important to use time wisely

Or To Put it Another Way

Methodology Whoever shows hostility to a friend of mine, then I have declared war upon him. My servant does not grow closer to me with anything more beloved to me than the duties I have imposed upon him. My servant continues to draw near me with extra works until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hands with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask something from me, I would surely give it to him. If he were to ask me for refuge, I would surely grant it to him. I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death and I hate to disappoint him

Whoever respects the signs of Allah, this surely is of the piety of hearts [Hajj 22:32]

They should be taken neither with excessive license, nor with obsessive strictness, nor in a way that undermines ones submission [Ibn Taymiyya]

Company of RighteousHumans beings are imitative by natureWe are affected by other humans: good or badA man is upon the religion of his friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends [Abu Dawud]Benefits:Absorb Their mannersEx: Imam Malik and Rabi ArRaiAbsorb Their KnowledgePick us up when we are down

Also- Quotations of the RighteousHeart becomes corrupt through 6 means[Hasan al Basri]

Example 2: Imam Ahmad