IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com In the Spirit of Observing the Millah Alḥamdulillah, once again Allāh has granted us the health and wellbeing by which we have all been blessed to witness and celebrate these sacred days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Regarding these first ten days the Prophet () stated: .»‫« َأ ْفْ َض ُل َأ َّيا ِم أل ُّد ْن َيَا َأ َّيا ُم أْلَ َ َع ْش ِر‬ )‫(رواه ألبزار‬ “The best days of this world are these ten.” (Bazzār) • The first ten days of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, are the best days of the year, wherein we commemorate the spirit of sacrifice enshrined in the life and legacy of Prophet Ibrāhīm (). • The entire life of Prophet Ibrāhīm (), starting with his childhood, through youth, and to fatherhood at an old age, was filled with challenges, trials, hardships, and sacrifices. • All for the sake of Allāh • The Qur’ān speaks extensively about Prophet Ibrāhīm (). • He has been given many beautiful names and titles. In the Qur’ān, he has been referred to by Allāh as: 1. Imām (the leader of mankind) 2. Khalīl (the beloved of Allāh) 3. Muslim (one who submits to the will of Allāh), 4. Ḥanīf (inclined towards the truth and averse to all false creeds) 5. Al-Ṣiddīq (the truthful) 6. Al-Nabī (the prophet) 7. Qānit (obedient) 1

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com 8. Ummah (community) • Allāh has honored us to be from the millah Prophet Ibrāhīm (): from the Dīn and way of Prophet Ibrāhīm (). • The message of our beloved Prophet () is not a new message; rather it is a renewal of the identical message of Prophet Ibrāhīm () and through the institutions of ʿUdḥīyah and Ḥajj, we are taught to closely align ourselves to this same message and millah of Prophet Ibrāhīm (). Allāh tells us in the Qur’ān: ‫ﵓﵒﵑﵜ‬ : ‫ﵝال َّن ۡحل‬ ‫ﵸ‬١٢٣ ‫ٱلۡ ُم ۡش ِركِي َن‬ ‫ِم َن‬ ‫َكا َن‬ ‫َو َما‬ ۖ‫َحنِي ٗفا‬ ‫إِبۡ َرَٰهِي َم‬ ‫ِم ّلَ َة‬ ‫ٱتَّبِ ۡع‬ َ ‫إِلَ ۡي َك‬ ٓ‫أَ ۡو َح ۡي َنا‬ ‫ﵹ ُث َّم‬ ‫أ ِن‬ “Then We sent revelation to you (O Muḥammad instructing you to): ‘Follow the religion of Ibrāhīm that is Ḥanīf (inclined towards the truth and averse to all false creeds). He (Ibrāhīm was (definitely) not from the Mushrikīn.’” (Naḥl 16:123) • Allāh asked His preferred-most and the dearest Rasūl to follow his way. • As a result, our beloved Prophet () aligned himself with the millah of Prophet Ibrāhīm (). • Our beloved Prophet’s () entire life was full of sacrifices, and he was a perfect example of patience in the face of the greatest adversities. • He was persecuted in Makkah and stoned in Ṭā’if. • He suffered social and economic boycott and exile. • He was scoffed and mocked at; he had animal entrails thrown on him. • He was called a poet, a soothsayer, and a crazy person. • He saw his closest friends and companions persecuted and killed. • Yet with all of these trials and tribulations, he showed us the best example of sacrifice and forbearance. • As a matter of fact, he was following the millah of Prophet Ibrāhīm () wholeheartedly. Likewise, in the spirit of observing the millah during this time of the year in the Islāmic calendar there are two classifications of people: 1. pilgrims 2. non-pilgrims Both groups are going to carry out two great directives of Allāh upon which Allāh has guaranteed huge rewards: 1. Ḥajj 2. Uḍḥīyah Ḥajj • Ḥajj is one of the best acts of obedience an individual can perform. • An accepted Ḥajj erases sins and expiates for bad deeds and the individual returns from it free of sin as on the day his mother bore him. Ḥāfiẓ ibn Rajab () writes in Laṭā’if al-Maʿārif: 2

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com ‫ف َْل ََطيَاْ َذع َِبة ْحالََّلَه َِهوا ُ َهعَ َُّهَر َيََاو ََجوََّف ْلذ ََيوََفلَ َْذغ‬.َ ‫َمم َِْيَونَْيم َدِْ َنعتاَلَُِهْبمُِمَ َْبْوَرَِْقردَِِلْذَجقِْا َرُةه َع َِفلَمْلَيَْ َينِيَبِْْيََحجَُِْير ِتَهَل َْعَأذَِْليَْ ِرُهومِ ُِريبهمِِِ ََذعنلَى»ي‬،ََ‫تأ َلَفوََِّارمَّي ُْجهنا َِأ َءْفع ََجََرَوارُ ْلَ َخعَبَ ِِْأو َلنِيأْفل‬،‫َََبَوهََ ِمَضذْ ْأنلَألََِْلْأَم َلعَ ُابيِْمِمأِْلَكأََْيْلْنَ ِْيقُِ َهَيِاأ ُْْلتمِ ِقِلََِبيََأَاََّعيَ َُمهرَِفيََِماةَْْيرَفُهْلجَََبيَاُِِقِعَءْْ َيماٌلذْلل ََخَفْهْْيل َِِيَبَْقحَْ ِفقِِ َِفضهْلْ َذأَيَّلَُقِِ ْدرم َِّْلّيَلب ِهَأْعََِل ََيَبَرْحيََف ِ ُ ِهق‬ ‫ي‬،ْ ‫َف َّ« َرَيم ُ ْهن َ َوَفأاْ َي َرْلُ َهقِ ُِفه‬ ‫ َوَم ْن ََل ْم‬،‫ا ِلْم َنى‬ )‫(لطائف المعارف‬ “The person who missed the opportunity of standing at ʿArafāt this year must stand up to fulfill the rights of Allāh which He taught him. The person who was unable to spend the night at Muzdalifah must devote his night to the obedience of Allāh and gain proximity to Him. The one who was unable to stand in the precincts of Musjid al-Khayf1 should stand up to fulfill the rights of Allāh with fear and hope. The one who was unable to sacrifice his animal at Mina must sacrifice his desires here and he would have reached Mina by doing this. The person who did not reach the Kaʿbah because it is far from him should seek the Lord of the Kaʿbah. He is closer than the jugular vein to the person unto Him and has hopes in Him.” (Laṭā’if al-Maʿārif) Concerning the Ḥājī (pilgrim) and Ḥajj mentioning the rewards, the Prophet () states: .»‫ َف َا ْعْ َطا ُه ْم‬،‫ َو َس َاَُلوُه‬،‫ َف َا َجا ُبُوُه‬،‫ َد َعا ُه ْم‬،‫ َوْف ُذ الَّل ِه‬،‫«ا ْل َحا ُّج َوأْلَ ُم ْعَ َيَ ِم ُر‬ )‫(رواه ابن ماجة‬ “The Ḥājī and one who performs ʿUmrah are the Ambassadors of Allāh Who invited them and they responded to Him. If they beseech Him, He would respond to them, and if they seek His forgiveness, He would forgive them.” (Ibn Majah) The Prophet () also said: .»‫ َف ِا َّي ُه َم ْعْ ُقُوٌر َل ُه‬،‫ َوُم ْرُه َأ ْن يَ ْ َس َيَ ْعْ ِ ِق َر َل َك َف ْ ِي َل َأ ْن َي ْذ ُج َل َي ْي َِي ُه‬،‫ َو َصا ِفحْ ُه‬،‫«ِأ َدأ َلْ ِقِيَ َت ا ْل َحا َّج َف َس ِل ْم َع ََل ْ َي ِه‬ )‫(رواه أحمذ‬ “When you meet the Ḥājī, greet him, shake his hands and instruct him to seek forgiveness for you before he enters his home, for undoubtedly he is forgiven.” (Aḥmad) ʿAbdullāh ibn Umar () reports that the Prophet () would say the following to a returning Ḥājī: .»‫ َوَأ ْج َلْ َف َبْ َقَ َقِ ََي َك‬،‫ َوَ َك َِّق َر َد ْن ََي َك‬،‫« َف ِ ِي َل َححَّ َك‬ )‫(رواه ألَ َطبزاني‬ “May Allāh accept your Ḥajj; may He forgive your sins and may He replace your expenditure.” (Ṭabarānī) 1 Masjid al-Khayf is located at the foot of a mountain in the south of Mina, close to the smallest Jamarāt. It was at this spot that the Prophet () and numerous other Prophets before him performed ṣalāh. It is also known as the ‘Mosque of the Prophets’. 3

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com Ibn Shamāsa () narrates: ‫نت‬:‫ِ َِهنو َفُتيما ََأَفُّلَّْذﷺ‬،‫َمَهللَِْأ‬،ُْ‫عََِيهِالَفل‬،َ‫كََفََسَََسقِروَُ«ُيََأْلََطسلَُميََاوبُاُلِمهليَل‬:ُ ‫ر‬،‫اأََُ َهَفرلََي‬،‫ََّيَمًِمََّكفدْيَش‬،‫أيْريََاَّأِِلَبَنُْم َعيُامتح‬،َََُ‫ِمعْْالََُِقهَُأوك‬،ْْ‫يَاَذََيَيأاأاْلَ ْنَلأكسَُُنهََبتََفَي‬:ِ:‫ْنن؟نُيَاَيْأَلُ»هُاُ َكُُسَفْبِ ُْألقَُلْو ََطُهوُن َِتبأَلفمَِّل‬:ْ‫ز ُتشَفَََطفهَُِخَأِقَاََِلْلَبَعَدِمََُّياُة ََلَأدتأاْا‬،َ،َّ ِ‫نامَّوَلىاِْلاح«َُبيَََِأعَذْ َاُّسِجذَبرﷺ‬:ََِ ‫ليَي‬،‫ُِ ُمهََِفتنضِاأََأىَلل َّل‬،ْ‫ْهنسِلأَىب َََِّأوزنَيْ َْيأﷺطجَْفَه‬:َِ‫وَفَََِِفَأقِلو ْياَاَنلحََفََّللْألِو‬،‫َبم‬،‫َْضل ِ َواأأَطَِِْْلَرجسْوَِيَهدرلَُِلًهُاَسا‬:ًُ‫َّْفُفذاََْلنيِلَُيَبََلُُِْعْكلهت ِيبأ‬،‫بسَال‬:‫أَِعل َََف‬:ََ ََ‫فذمواَِفاة؟َ؟َلأأَّمَْلَف»َاَاجََمَفٌَْاذلوح‬،ََ‫َْللناََلقََِلأوِْهُْذَهَهََ َِكورَِلأفَيْياُأييﷺلِنََِِّيِبعىْاسََمََِيَكَُراَرو‬،‫َ ْما‬،‫ ٍِتوُ ِب«ملص‬:‫ٍَلَنقكَفُأكَُيَْالََْيََرلَ َعُلااَُس‬،َ‫ِبََُفَعَكُلََحقَِْيََكَيَيََُِذضيْْاْلضترَي؟ََُعاَألَك َتَماعي َْياَمَْلأَِيََحذرْاَّطَ َِوشيََبْيلار‬ .»‫أْل ِأ ْسلَا َم َي ْهَ ِذ ُم َما َكا َن َف ْيِ َل ُه؟ َوَأ َّن ألِْهِ ْجْ َرَة َي َْه ِذ ُم َما َكا َن َف ْيِ َلَ َِها؟ َوَأ َّن ا ْل َجَ َّج َي ْهَ ِذ ُم َما َكا َن َف ْ ِي َل ُه؟‬ )‫(رواه مسلم‬ “We visited ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ () when he was in his deathbed. He wept for a long time and turned his face towards the wall. His son said: ‘O father, did not the Messenger of Allāh () give you the good news of such and such? Did he not give you glad tidings of such and such?’ Then he (ʿAmr) turned his face towards us and said, ‘The best thing which you can count upon is the affirmation that Lā ilaha illallāh, and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh. I have passed through three phases. I remember when I hated none more than I hated the Messenger of Allah (), and there was no other desire stronger in me than that of killing him. Had I died in that state, I would have definitely been one of the dwellers of the Fire (Hell). When Allāh instilled the love for Islām in my heart, I went to Messenger of Allah () and said, ‘Extend your right hand, so that may I pledge allegiance to you.’ He () stretched out his right hand, but I withdrew my hand. The Prophet () inquired, ‘What is the matter, ʿAmr?’ I replied, ‘I wish to lay down some conditions.’ The Prophet () asked, ‘What conditions do you wish to put forward?’ I replied, ‘To be granted forgiveness.’ Upon this, the Prophet () said, ‘Do you not know that (embracing) Islām wipes out all that has gone before it (previous misdeeds). Verily, emigration wipes out all the previous sins, and the Ḥajj wipes out all the previous sins.’” (Muslim) Uḍḥīyah • Udḥīyah is an Arabic term, which means ‘sacrificing an animal’. • ‘Qurbānī’ is an Urdu and Persian word derived from the Arabic word ‘Qurbān’, which means an act performed to seek Allāh’s pleasure. • Both terms are generally used for sacrificing an animal for the sake of Allāh at the time of ʿĪd al- Aḍḥā. The Prophet () instructed his daughter Fāṭimah (): ‫َأ َما ِأ َّي ُه ُبَجا ُء ِي َهَا َبُ ْوَم أْْل ِقِ َ َيا َم ِة ِي ُلَ ُجُوِم َهَا َو ِد َماِي َهَا‬ ,.‫ََِّي َريًاةاِِل َ ُكرسُ ِ ََسعلاوَََّمدنْلًةاٍللت» ِه‬:‫حُرٍ ْةذ«َبَِْيْرقْْ ُّلُيطَ َُِرهر َِِيم ِضْلَنىأ َِادللِلمَُُمَههحَّما ٍَعدََمَْيَْعُْوهِأ ِقل‬:‫َماَفلَ َِِقَأارَّ َُن َسلَل َوُأُِبُكلوِايلََالََّسِوهِ ِعَ َيل ٍَفْذ اْﷺَط َْل‬.‫فَ ََقِأ» َا‬,َ‫ َضَُأْة ْعْ ًُوقِقِلاوِأم َِجيل َّن َُفمحىَّام ٍُْبُدش َََهووَِأذلَض ََّيِغاي ِِفُأي ْس ِضِ َمعَح َّباَي َََّمِيزاًِي ِة ِك؟ك‬,‫َِم«سََْْي َيناِ َع ََفيجاَ ْبنِ ٍطَزَ ِم‬ ‫َأ َهَ ِذ ِه ِلأ ِل ُمحَّم ٍد َجا َّص ًة َف َُه ْم َأ ْهَ ٌل ِلَ َما ُحَ ُّصَوأ ِي ِه‬ 4

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com )‫(ألسين ألكبزي لليَيهْقي‬ “O Fāṭimah witness your ʿUḍḥīyah animal being sacrificed. With the first drop of blood that falls, your sins will be forgiven. Its meat and blood will be placed in your scale of good deeds and multiplied seventy times.” Abū Saʿīd () asked, “O Messenger of Allāh ()! Is this reward exclusively reserved for your family, as they are entitled to special grace, or is this reward for all Muslims?” The Prophet () replied, “It has specifically been revealed regarding my family but it (the virtue and reward) is also for my Ummah in general.” (Bayhaqī) The Companions () once asked the Prophet (): ‫ َفا َل ُّ َصو ُف؟‬:‫ َج َ َس َيَ ٌة» َفا ُلَوا‬،‫ « ِب ُك ِل َسَ َ َع َرٍة‬:‫ َف َما ََل َيَا ِفي ََها َيا َر ُ َسوَل الَّل ِه؟ َفا َل‬:‫ « ُ َس ََّي ُة َأ ِنيَ ُ ِك ْم ِأبْ َرا ِهَي َم» َفاُلَوا‬:‫َيا َر ُ َسوَل الَّل ِه َما َ َه ِذ ِه أْل َأ َصا ِح ُّي؟ َفا َل‬ .»‫ َج َسَ َيَ ٌة‬،‫ « ِب ُك ِل َسَ َ َع َرٍة ِم َن ألَ ُّصَو ِف‬:‫َيا َر ُ َسوَل الَّل ِه َفا َل‬ )‫(رواه ابن ماجة‬ “What are these sacrifices?” He replied, “It is the Sunnah of your father Ibrahim (). They asked, “What benefit do we get from it?” The Prophet () replied, “For each hair [of the sacrificed animal] is a unit of reward.” They further asked, “And [what reward is there for animals with] wool?” He (‫ )ﷺ‬replied, “For every fiber of wool is a unit of reward [too].” (Ibn Mājah) Interesting Facts from a Veterinarian Point of View • An average sheep has 15 strands of wool per square millimeter, approx. 650 per square inch. • The average hide for a large sheep is 9 square feet. So, the average number of wool strands is over 7.5 million. • One ḥasanah for one wool strand. • 7.5 million ḥasanāt for one sheep. • Subḥān Allāh! That’s for sheep. What about goat and cow hair? • Uḍḥīyah is an annual reaffirmation of our pledge to Allāh, a pledge that: “Verily my prayer, my sacrifices, my life, and my death are surrendered to Allāh; the Rabb of the worlds.” • ʿĪd al-Adḥā echoes the calls of SURRENDER, SUBMISSION, and SACRIFICE. • It is a reminder that life is about action, struggle, and endurance. • Uḍḥīyah is an annual reaffirmation of our love of Allāh in contrast to the love of oneself or anything else. Imām al-Qurtubī () has related from those of spiritual wisdom and insight: ‫َوَأ َج َذ‬ ‫ َْفن َبَشَُّمرََّدر‬،‫ َ َك ِوِأفَّب َمِياَمأ ْْلَرُمَصَرااِنُدي َأ‬،‫نَيأاَْلِأُبْم َ َراراَُِهدي َُمد ْاب َْحد َبأَْْلح َ َوَل َولِ َدد‬:ِ ‫يَفَُمِ ِقَلَيَ ْ َملَب َل ُُكه‬،َ‫م َيْاس َِبأَبْزََكراًةِه‬:ُ ‫ر ََف َا ْصو ََحج ِيي ِياُ َيلَُّلهُه َِمَأَحََلَّْيَيَ ًِةه‬.ْ‫ص َفا َِيل ْمَبَك‬،َ ‫ََبأَل َّطَلَ َُِهرَّ ِمأ َلَبْ َقِي َّ َيأْلْلَ َُهوَل ِ ِمدِنِيىاْلَِفَمي َ َجْمَّيَ ْ ِرة‬ ‫ ُث َّم‬،‫«ِأ َّن ِأبْ َرا ِهَي َم ا َّد َعي َمَ َح َّ َي َة الَّل ِه‬ ‫َف ْلَ َيَ َك‬ :‫ ُث َّم َفا َل‬،‫أل ِ َس ِكي َن َوَأ ْضَحَ َغ َ َول َد ُه‬ .»‫ َف َل َّما َرَد ْد َب َف َْل َ َي َك ِب ُك َِل َّ َي ِ ِي ِه ِأَلَ ْ َي َ ِيا َرَد ْد َيا َوَل َد َك ِأ َلَ ْيَ َك‬،‫ِأََل ْيَ َ ِيا‬ )‫( ْبقِسبزأ ْلقِر َطنى‬ 5

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com “Prophet Ibrāhīm () claimed to love Allāh; then he looked upon his son lovingly, but his Beloved was not pleased with a love divided, so he was told, ‘O Ibrāhīm, sacrifice your son for My pleasure.’ So, he readied himself, took the knife, laid his son down, and said, ‘O Allāh, accept him from me for Your pleasure.’ Allāh revealed to him, ‘O Ibrāhīm, the sacrifice of your child was not what was desired. Rather, what was desired is that you return your heart to us. When you turned your heart back to us in its entirety, we returned your son to you.’” (Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī) Conclusion • Uḍḥīyah and Ṭawāf is a demonstration to Allāh and proof of complete obedience to Allah’s will or command. • When a Muslim offers Udḥīyah and does Ṭawāf, this is exactly what he intends to prove. • Thus, the Uḍḥīyah and Ṭawāf by a Muslim signify that he is the slave of Allāh at his best and that he would not hesitate even for a moment, once he receives an absolute command from his Creator, to surrender before it, to obey it willingly, even it be at the price of his life and possessions. • When a true Muslim receives such a command from Allāh, his instincts stop him from indulging in the futile search for the reasoning behind the command; nor does he make his obedience dependent upon the command’s ‘reasonableness’ as perceived through his limited understanding. • He knows that Allāh is All-Knowing, All-Wise and that his own ability to reason cannot encompass the knowledge and wisdom underlying the divine command, even if he cannot find any reason or wisdom behind it. • This is exactly what Prophet Ibrāhīm () did. • There was no reason why a father should sacrifice his innocent son. But, when the command of Allāh came, he never asked about the reason for that command, nor did he hesitate to obey it. • Even his minor son, when asked by his father about the dream he had seen, never questioned the legitimacy of the command, nor did he complain or whine about it, nor did he ask for one good reason why he was being sacrificed. • The only reply he gave was: ‫ ﵒﵐﵑﵜ‬: ‫ﵸ ﵝال َّصا َّفات‬١٠٢ ‫ﵹ َفٱن ُظ ۡر َما َذا تَ َر َٰٰۚى قَا َل َ َٰٓي َأبَ ِت ٱ ۡف َع ۡل َما تُ ۡؤ َم ُرۖ َس َت ِج ُدن ِ ٓي إِن َشآ َء ٱََّّل ُل ِم َن ٱل َّصَٰبِ ِري َن‬ “Father, fulfill whatever you are commanded to do and you will find me, patient, by the will of Allāh.” (Ṣāffāt 37:102) • Udḥīyah is an affirmation of our obedience to Allāh and His Messenger (‫ )ﷺ‬over their rebellion. ʿAbdullāh ibn Sarjis () states: ‫َرَأنْ ُت‬ َ ‫َ َوَل ْوَلا‬ ،‫َن ْيْ َِق ُغ‬ ‫َو َلا‬ ‫َبَ ُض ُّر‬ ‫َلا‬ ‫َوَأ َّي َك‬ ،‫َح َخَ ٌر‬ ‫َأ َّي َك‬ ‫َأ ْع َل ُم‬ ‫َ ِوأِني‬ ،‫َل ُأ َف ِ ِي ُل َك‬ ‫ِأ ِني‬ ،‫« َوالل ِه‬ :‫َ َوْب ُقُوُل‬ ‫ا ْل َجَ َ ْج َر‬ ‫ُبْ َ ِق ِ َي ُل‬ ‫ا ْلخََطَا ِب‬ ‫بْ َن‬ ‫ُع َمَ َر‬ ‫ََب ْ َع ِنى‬ ‫أْل َأ ْص ََل َغ‬ ‫َرَأنْ ُت‬ ‫أ ِني‬ .»‫َر ُ َسوَل الل ِه ﷺ َف َّ ِي َل َك َما َف َّيِ ْلَ َُي َك‬ )‫(رواه مسلم‬ “I saw the bald forehead of ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb when he kissed the Black Stone saying, ‘I am kissing you, although I know that you are only a stone and you can neither cause harm nor bring 6

IN THE SPIRIT OF OBSERVING THE MILLAH www.giftofjumuah.com benefit. Had I not seen the Messenger of Allāh (‫ )ﷺ‬kissing you, I would not have kissed you.’” (Muslim) • Let each one of us reflect and evaluate the quality of our ‘spirit of sacrifice’ and millah over the past year. • How much have we invested in enhancing our relationship with Allāh? • How much of our time and resources have we committed to learning about our noble Dīn? • What talents and skills have we been donating to the betterment of our community? • How often do we volunteer for a cause or an organization? Do we spend enough quality time with our parents, siblings, spouses, children, and others? • Our pursuit of the world should be for His pleasure. • Of course, we have to pursue the material to enable us to look after our families, our relatives, and to support our communities and our country, however, our focus should always be towards Allāh. • Where do we stand when we equate ourselves against what the Qur’ān commands in the following words? ‫ ﵒﵖﵑﵜ‬: ‫ﵸ ﵝال َأ ۡن َعام‬١٦٢ ‫ﵹ ُق ۡل إِ َّن َصلَات ِي َون ُ ُسك ِي َو َمۡح َيا َي َو َم َمات ِي ََِّّللِ َر ِب ٱلۡ َعَٰلَ ِمي َن‬ “Verily my prayer, my sacrifices, my life, and my death are surrendered to Allāh; the Rabb of the worlds.” (Anʿām 6:162) • We should be ready to sacrifice our time, our energy, our wealth, our resources, and our personal likes and dislikes, all for the sake of Allāh. May Allāh give us the tawfīq to live and die with this realization. ‫طَا َع ُة الَّل ِه َج ْب ُز َما ََل ِرَم أَْل َ َع ْيَ ُذ ۞ َف ُك ْن َطا ِبَ ًعَا َولا َبَ ْعْ ِ َص َيَ ْيِ ُه‬ ‫َما َهَلا ُك أل ُّ َي ُقُو ِس ِألا أ ْلَ َم َعَا ِضى ۞ َف َيُ َو َّق أ ْلَ َهِلا َك لا َْب ْقِ َرَن ْيَ ُه‬ ‫ِأ َّن َس ْي ًيِا َ َهلا ُك َبْ ْقِ ِس َك ِف ِي ِه ۞ َي ْي َيِ ِغي َأ ْن ََب ُصَو َن َْب ْقِ َس َك َعَ ْيَ ُه‬ “The obedience of Allāh is the best thing which a person can earn. You should therefore be obedient to Allāh and never disobey him. It is sinning that destroys people. So, abstain from whatever you have been prohibited from, and never approach it. If anything entails your destruction, you must safeguard yourself against it.” 7