Khushoo' In Salah - Great Story Of Silah Ibn Ashyam (Student Of Ibn Abbas) and The Lion

 

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It was narrated that Ja'far ibn Zayd al-'Abdi said, "We went out on campaign to Kabul [the capital of Afghanistan today] looking forward to conquest it, and among the army was Silah ibn Ashyam. When the darkness of the night spread while we were on our way, the soldiers stopped to eat and then they sought some rest. I followed Silah to see what he will do, so he did the same, and he went to sleep as they all did…" He used to do so out of sincerity; Silah did not want to make any noises while he heads to offer his night prayers. "I said to myself, 'Is this Silah who is known by his worshiping at night to such an extent that his feet get swollen?' Then I decided to watch him all night to see what he will do.

 When the other soldiers fell in deep sleep, Silah left his bed and started walking away from the camp disguised by darkness, then he entered a lush jungle covered with wild grass on which no man set a foot for a long time. I decided to follow him, and upon reaching a far spot in that wood, he headed towards Qiblah, offered Takbeer and started his prayer. I looked at his face and all I saw was a radiant moon, a calm body and a tranquil soul. He seemed to find affability in estrangement, closeness to Allah in being away from people and brightness in the dark night. As he continued offering his Salah, a big lion approached him from the east side of the wood, and I felt as if my heart was dislocated from its place out of fear till the lion was few steps away from Silah. By Allah, he did not flinch away from his Salah, or give the lion any attention, so when he prostrated, I said to myself, "Now the lion will pounce upon him", but when he raised his head from Sujood and sat, the lion stood before him as if it was checking him out, Silah looked at the lion in complete calmness, and he uttered few words with his tongue which I could not hear…" It seems that he sought refuge with Allah from this lion. "Suddenly, the lion turned around and went away just like it came." 

 "When the Fajr came, Silah offered Fajr and started praising Allah in words I have never heard before. He said, 'O Allah I ask You to ransom me from Hellfire, for will the like of me dare to ask You (for) Paradise?'. Then, he went back to the camp in a state as though he had spent the night on his mattress so that they would think that he spent the night sleeping as they did. So I returned to my bed, and woke up in a state of laziness and tiredness."

[Siyar Alam An-Nubala vol.4 page.478]

Middle East countries condemn deadly knife attack in France

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have condemned the deadly knife attack in France on Thursday. 

Egypt’s highest religious authority Al-Azhar condemned “the hateful terrorist attack that took place” in France on Thursday and warned of an “escalating rhetoric of violence and hatred."

“Under no circumstances are these attacks justifiable," Al-Azhar said in a series of tweets.

Saudi Arabia “categorically rejected extremist acts” while “stressing the importance of avoiding all practices which generate hatred, violence and extremism," state news agency SPA said. 

The Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash commemorated Islam’s Prophet’s birthday, marked on Thursday, saying: “On this cherished memory, we affirm that the discourse of violence and extremism does not represent us."

A description of Jaannah ( paradise )

1. Paradise is true; it currently exists and it is among the matters of the Unseen that a Muslim must believe in. 

2. It is given great attention by the verses of the Qur’an and the Prophetic Hadiths; and its importance is emphasized.

 3. Belief in Paradise encourages a Muslim to do righteous deeds in order to get there. The positive effect of this belief on the society is that it makes it righteous society where mutual love, brotherhood and good relationship prevail. 

4. The Muslims’ belief in Paradise has great impact on spiritual nurturing of Muslim soldiers whenever they are faced with difficulties. It makes them more steadfast and more persevering. 

5. Entering Paradise can only be through Allah’s Mercy; and it is of Allah’s mercy upon His servant to make righteous deeds easy for him. 

6. Paradise has many names; and having many names indicates nobility and excellent position of the named.

7. Paradise consists of various gardens of different sizes, trees, living apartments, palaces, rivers and other kinds of delights. 

8. There is neither day nor night in Paradise.

 9. Paradise is of varying grades; and its dwellers will be able to see one another as clearly as the shining star in the horizons is seen. The highest of its grades is ‘Al-Wasilah’, which is exclusively for Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him,. 

10. The delights of Paradise are of many different kinds. They are unending and everlasting; and nothing thereof will be denied to the dwellers of Paradise. 

11. All that is mentioned of the bliss of Paradise has no equivalent in this world but only in names.

 12. The greatest aspect of the delight of Paradise is glancing at the noble Countenance of Allah – High and Exalted.

 13. The women of Paradise are described with attributes of perfection, purity and beauty. They are chaste and preserved and they do not expose their beauties even when they are in Paradise.

 

14. Rivers of Paradise are of different kinds; they all originate from Firdaws. 

15. Fruits of Paradise are many and of different kinds. They resemble one another in beauty and ripeness and nothing thereof can be looked down upon. Whenever a fruit is plucked, another one spontaneously grows in its place.

16. Conditions of the Hereafter are different from those of this earthly life. Eating and drinking in Paradise are not for repelling hunger and thirst, neither are they for preserving health. They are only for enjoyment. In Paradise, remnants of food and drinking are expelled from the body in form of sweat that exudes the aroma of musk. 

17. The dwellers of Paradise will not enter it until after they have been purified from all their sins and misdeeds. 

18. The dwellers of Paradise shall live in perpetual light. They will never sleep for sleeping is a brother of death. 

19. The dwellers of Paradise will not be touched with anything that may affect their health. 

20. The dwellers of Paradise will be people of the same age. They will have everlasting youthfulness and they will never grow old. 

 21. Of Allah’s favor upon the dwellers of Paradise and His pleasure with them is His greeting of them and addressing them in Paradise. 

22. The dwellers of Paradise will greet one another and reminisce on their life on the earth.

 23. The dwellers of Paradise will be served; and their servants are like preserved pearls. 

24. The dwellers of Paradise will converse with the dwellers of Hell as a way of scolding the latter and increasing their torment.

25. The end of the people of Al-A‘raaf (the Heights) is Paradise through Allah’s mercy and generosity.